make our operations more effective, as great delays are constantly occurring in collecting together a sufficient number of hired mules when they are wanted, thus causing a great loss of time. I am cutting a trail from Fort Humboldt direct to the crossing of Yager Creek. By the existing route the distance is twenty-five miles; by the trail, when completed, it will not exceed fifteen, thus reducing the distance from this post to Fort Baker ten miles, besides opening a path through fifteen miles of dense forest hitherto unexplored by white men, but known to be the haunt of many of those Indians who have committed some of the late outrages. Elk Camp is a settlement between Redwood Creek and Klamath River, fifteen miles northwest of Fort Anderson. The Indians have recently made their appearance there and are killing their cattle. The settlers are much alarmed and have sent in for protection, and until it can be afforded have sent their families to Arcata. I have directed Captain Stuart, Second Infantry California Volunteers, commanding at Fort Ter-War, to send a detachment there of twenty men with an officer, and also to cut a trail direct to that point from Fort Ter-Waw, the distance being about twenty miles. When this is completed it will open a short and sure line of communication between Fort Ter-Waw and the posts to the south of the Klamath, which is urgently needed. Company E, Second Infantry California Volunteers, just arrived, garrison this post. Company A, of same regiment, I am mortified to say, arrived here in a state of entire disorganization, owing solely to the continued drunkenness and misconduct of its commander, Captain Charles W. Smith, whom I have placed in arrest. Charges against him will go down by this steamer, but his character and habits are such as to render him unfit to remain one day longer in the service, and I recommend that he be immediately discharged from it. I have sent his company to Yager Creek Crossing, under the command of First Lieutenant Flynn, of Company F, Second Infantry California Volunteers, a very reliable young officer, who is as cool and resolute as he is active and zealous.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FRANCIS J. LIPPITT,

Colonel Second Infantry California Vols., Commanding Humboldt Mil. Dist.

Major R. S. DRUM, U. S. Army,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Pacific.

HEADQUARTERS HUMBOLDT MILITARY DISTRICT,
Fort Humboldt, June 10, 1862.

MAJOR: To make the record of military events complete to this date, I have the honor to report what has transpired since my arrival here day before yesterday.

On the 8th instant, at 6 p. m., McConaha's pack train of thirteen mules, returning empty from Elk Camp, was suddenly surrounded at Fawn Prairie, a piece of open ground seven miles above Liscombe's Hill, by a band of some fifty Indians, all armed. The train had an escort of three men from the detachment at Liscombe's Hill. they returned the Indians' fire, but the odds being too great, were compelled to retreat as speedily as possible, and the whole train was therefore captured. The detachment of twenty men from Fort Gaston at Liscombe's Hill had been reduced by the calls made upon it during the events of the last two days to only five men, barely sufficient for a camp guard, so that no pursuit could be made from that post. I could furnish no troops