adjutant, who had been taken by Captain Fritz, First California Volunteer Cavalry. Captain Fritz went after Colonel Steele with a flag of truce to effect the exchange. He overtook Colonel Steele twenty miles below Fort Fillmore in full retreat.

As you have been informed, the uncommon drought of this summer had so dried up the country that it was impracticable to move a large force in the direction of the Rio Grande until the rains commenced falling. Usually this occurs by June 24, but this year there has been but little fall even yet. The column, however, has been taking the road by installments, commencing with Roberts' company of infantry and Cremony's cavalry, which was sent with 25,000 pounds of corn and thirty days' rations for Eyre in case he was obliged to fall back to the Rio de Sauz, 128 miles from Tucson, starting on July 9. (See letter to Colonel West, marked A,* herewith inclosed). I also inclose Colonel Eyre's report,+ dated at Fort Thorn, July 6, 1862. This officer deserves great credit for his enterprise. I trust the Governor will notice the conduct of himself and men. This report is marked B. + I also send a subsequent report of Colonel Eyre's, dated July 8, 1862 (C++), and also one still later, dated July 11, 1862, marked D,* and still another, dated July 14, 1862, marked E; # also a letter from Colonel Chivington, marked F; * also a letter from General Canby, marked G,* and letters* from General Canby to Colonel Chivington, dated June 9, 16, 18, 27, and July 1 and 4, 1862. I also inclose General Orders, Nos. 10 and 11, from these headquarters. The troops marched on the days specified. I shall leave this post to-morrow and move rapidly to the front. If a demonstration on Northwestern Texas will serve as a diversion in favor of force landing on the coast that State will soon be ours. The country is still dry, but we shall do our best.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army.

Major RICHARD C. DRUM,

Assistant Adjutant-General, San Francisco, Cal.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.] GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. COLUMN FROM CALIFORNIA, Numbers 10.
Tucson, Ariz., July 17, 1862.

The Column from California will move to the Rio Grande in the following order:

I. On the 20th instant Colonel Joseph R. West, First California Volunteer Infantry, with Companies B, C, and K of his regiment, and Company G, of the Fifth California Volunteer Infantry. This command at the Rio de Sauz will receive the addition of Company E, of West's regiment, and Thompson's mountain howitzers. Major Theodore A. Coult, of the Fifth California Volunteer Infantry, is assigned to duty with this command. Colonel West will take 40,000 rounds of rifle-musket ammunition.

II. On the 21st instant a second command, consisting of Shinn's light battery, Third U. S. Artillery, and Companies A, First, and B, Fifth California Volunteer Infantry, will take up its line of march for the Rio Grande. This command will be supplied with all the artillery ammunition now here which pertains to Shinn's battery and 17,000 rounds of ammunition for the rifle musket.

III. On the 23rd instant a third command, under Lieutenant Colonel Edwin A. Rigg, consisting of Companies I, F, D, and H, First California

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*Not found.

+See p. 120.

++See p. 124.

#See p. 126.

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