Fork of the gila on account of high water. My second note, marked B, after several days was returned from Sonora, as the Mexican expressmen were to much afraid to encounter the dangers of the journey through Chihuahua to El Paso and so on to your headquarters. Of the three men whom I sent with my third notes, marked C and D, two were killed by the Apache Indians near the Chiricahua Mountains on the evening of the 18th of June last. The third, after a miraculous escape and a perilous ride, arrived on the Rio Grande at sunset on the evening of the 20th, 160 miles from where his companions were murdered. Here, in an exhausted, half-delirious state, he was captured by secessionists, and, together with his dispatches, taken to Colonel Steele, C. S. Army. On the 17th of June I directed Lieutenant-Colonel Eyre, First Cavalry California Volunteers, with a small command from his regiment, to make a forced reconnaissance toward the Rio Grande. He started from Tucson on this duty on the evening of June 21. (See my letter to him, marked E.)

On the 8th of July I directed some supplies to be forwarded half way to the Rio Grande, to provide for the emergency of Eyre's being obliged to fall back. (See letter to Colonel West, marked F.) Roberts' command, which acted as a guard to these supplies, had a fight with the Apache Indians at Apache Pass, in which he lost 2 killed and 2 wounded, but in which he succeeded in driving the Indians, as he reports, with a loss of 9 killed on their side. From June 7 until July 17 I was busily employed in repairing trains, in getting supplies up from Fort Yuma and from Sonora, and in regulating somewhat the affairs of Western Arizona. On the 17th of July, without yet having heard from the Rio Grande, I made the order for the advance to that river. It is herewith inclosed, marked G. *

On the evening of the 21st of July, after the second detachment of the column had started from Tucson, I received your note of the 4th ultimo, together with copies of some orders and instructions to the commander of the Southern Military District, Department of New Mexico. I left Tucson on the 23rd ultimo and arrived at this point on the 1st instant. I left 100 men at Apache Pass. (See General Orders, Numbers 12, marked H. +) Colonel West's detachment will arrive here to-morrow; Captain Willis' the next day; Lieutenant-Colonel Rigg's on the 5th. I shall halt two or three days on the Miembres to recruit and let the column close up, and shall then proceed by the stage route to Mesilla.

I received your letter of the 9th of July day before yesterday. It was not the intention of General Wright to throw a command into your department which would embarrass you to keep it supplied. the troops from California were to draw nearly all their stores from Fort Yoma, to which point they are shipped from San Francisco. Some were to be bought in Sonora. My supply train, which leaves Tucson to-day, will have forty days' rations for the whole command from the 20th instant. Even those rations of yours consumed by Eyre's cavalry I had hoped to replace, learning to what straits you had been put for subsistence for your own command. I am happy to know that you have now such an abundance of stores, and should I fall short of anything, I will cheerfully avail myself of your authority to draw on your depot at Fort Craig for what I need. A train of about fifty wagons will ply between Fort Yuma and Tucson, starint from Tucson, say, the 12th instant, to accumulate and keep up a good supply at that point.

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*Inclosure G is a duplicate of General Orders, Numbers 10, p. 90.

+Omitted as of no present importance.

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