I have also the honor to report that on the 6th instant, at midnight, I received a dispatch from Arcata, eighteen miles north of this post, that the house or hotel at Delay's Ferry, on Mad River, five miles from Arcata, had been attacked at 4 o'clock that p. m., and that Mrs Daley and two children and two of our soldiers were killed. Within thirty minutes Lieutenant Davis with a detachment of twelve men of Company E, Second Cavalry California Volunteers, were on the march for the ferry.

On the 7th instant, at noon, information reached me to the effect that Lieutenant Davis' command was engaged in fighting a large well-armed band on Mad River, three miles only from the town of Arcata, and required re-enforcements. I immediately ordered all the available force at this post to march, and twenty men of Company E, Second Cavalry California Volunteers, under Captain Akey, and twenty men of Company E, Second Infantry California Volunteers, under Adjutant Hanna, started at once for the scene of action. This force I myself accompanied. Upon arriving at Arcata I learned that the Indians having left Daley's Ferry had passed down the river about two miles, and were in the act of burning a house when Lieutenant Davis' detachment arrived. Firing commence between the parties from opposite sides of the stream, here about 400 yards wide; the Indians, some fifty of them well armed and stationed upon a high bluff, thus having the advantage in position. After a half hour's fight the cavalry dashed across the river and the Indians broke and fled, Lieutenant Davis following in pursuit. Finding we were too late for the fight, I ordered forward the detachments to co-operate with Lieutenant Davis and then returned to this post, my duties here precluding a lengthened absence. On the same day I issued and forwarded ordedrs for detachments from Companies A, F, and K, Second California Volunteers, to move immedtiately from their different posts, so directing their march as to cut off if possible the retreat of the Indians to the mountains. Captain Douglas, Company F, Second Infantry California Volunteers, a most efficient officer, was ordered to take command of the various detachments in the field, and I hope will be successful in exterminating this formidable band, said to number over 100, and who it is believed have been the principal actors in most of the recent outrages in the central portion of this district. Up to this date nothing definite has been heard from the expedition, except a few penciled lines from Captain Douglas, stating he believed he had cut off their retreat. The chances, however, are against success. The familiarity of the Indians with all practicable outlets, and the esceeding difficulty, only to be appreciated by personal experience, of troops operating in these dense forests, render it probable they will escape. I beg respectfully to refer the general commanding to my communication of this same date, containing the particulars of the affair at Daley's Ferry. I beg respectfully to report that the limited number of troops at this post renders it impossible to detail a sufficient guard (in addition to that required over the many general prisoners in the very weak guard-house) to safely deep the large body of Indians now here and constantly accumulating. This fact, together with the frequent complains from the Indians that white men, soldiers, and others, were nightly having intercourse with the squaws (a knowledge of which prevented many Indians at large from coming in), rendered it in my judgment necessary to take measures to suppress this evil, and at the same time secure the safe custody of the Indian prisoners. Accordingly I ordered the construction of a circular corral,