mountains, a distance of 120 miles, in four days and one-half. The route is almost an impracticable one, and great credit is due to the men of rtheir fortitude and forbearance in making the trail without a murmur of complaint, for the hills were so very precipitous-and the animals so very weak for want of grain, not having seen any for two months-and without shoes on them, that they were compelled to walk about two-thirds of the way, and that, too, barefooted and naked, for many of them were as deestitute of shoes as they were the day they were born, and had no pantaloons, except such as they had themselves made out of barley and flour sacks. The weather was freezing cold, heavy frost every night, and on the 4th a heavy snow-storm; still the men plodded on and stood guard at night; leaving the blood from their feet upon the rocks and snow. In this connection allow me to say that I am gratified to find that clothing is on the way for these troops, not only for their sakes, but for the credit of the Government that I have the honor to serve. Company I, Captain Jones, under command of Major O'Neill, will be here in about one week by way of Keysville. I have the honor to report further that before leaving Camp Independence, Owen's River, I made all necessary orders for the establishment of a one-company military post at that place; that adobes were being made and temporary buildings put up by the troops; that six months' supplies were laid in, and everything done to make the company left to garrison the post (Company G, Captain T. H. Goodman) comfortable, and that all was quiet and harmonious, notwithstanding fears to the contrary stated in my last communication on the subject.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. S. EVANS,

Lieutenant-Colonel Second Cavalry California Volunteers, Commanding

Lieutenant Colonel R. C. DRUM, U. S. Army,

Assistant Adjutant-General, San Francisco, Cal.

JUNE 16-OCTOBER 30, 1862. - Emigrant road expedition from Omaha, Nebr. Ter., to Portland, Oreg.

Report of Captain Medorem Crawford, U. S. Army, Assistant Quartermaster.

PORTLAND, OREG., October 30, 1862.

SIR: The duty of conducting an escort for the protection of emigrants to Oregon, &c., having been assigned me by the Secretary of War, and having performed that service, I deem it my duty, as it is the principal incidents of my trip.

Having organized my company, procured my transportation and provisions, I left Omaha, Nebr. Ter., on the 16th of June. My company consisted of fifty mounted men, armed with rifles and revolvers, who were instructed in the duties of sentinels and drilled in the simpler evolutions of cavalry tactics. Our route lay on the north side of and immediately along the Platte River, up the Sweetwater, over the Lander road to near Fort Hall, and from thence on the south side of Snake River to Walla Walla. The movement westward was very large. Emigrants to Oregon, Washington Territory, California, Salt