No. 4.

Report of Captain Charles D. Douglas, Second California Infantry.

FORT GASTON, September 10, 1862.

SIR: About 8 a. m. 9th instant I received a dispatch from Lieutenant Noyes from Fort Anderson informing me that he, the lieutenant, with twenty men Company F, Second Infantry California Volunteers, met the Indians in force near the Indians in force near the head of Redwood Creek, and that he was defeated by them with the loss of his mules and rations, the men's blankets, &c. The lieutenant says that there were about seventy-five or eighty Indians in the party. Sergeant Connell is wounded in the foot. The lieutenant was going to Grouse Creek to co-operate with Lieutenant-Colonel Olney, Captain Theller, and Lieutenant Morton. The lieutenant-Colonel and the other parties under him left this post two days ago. I have sent a scout after Colonel Olney to inform him of what has taken place on Redwood. I have also sent from this post twenty men a sergeant to re-enforce Lieutenant Noyes, on head of Redwood. As the lieutenant fell back on Fort Anderson to wait re-enforcement, I directed him to proceed to the point where he had the skirmish and defeat the Indians, as he will have forty men-I believe enough to defeat seventy-five or eighty Indians. I herewith transmit the lieutenant's letter to me, for the better information of the colonel commanding. There are eighty-one enlisted men and four commissioned officers on a scout from this post, leaving only twenty-six enlisted men and one commissioned officer for duty.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. D. DOUGLAS

Captain, Second Infantry California Volunteers, Commanding Post.

Lieutenant WILLIAM F. SWASEY,

Regimental Quartermaster, Second Infty. California Vols.,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General Humboldt Military District.

P. S. - It can be seen noew that the Indians killed on Little River by the citizens were not the band of armed Indians, nor were those killed on Light Prairie of the armed band. These were the tame band that so much trouble was made about last spring with Lieutenant Flynn.

C. D. D.

[Inclosure.] CAMP ANDERSON, September 8, 1862-12. 30 p. m.

Captain DOUGLAS:

SIR: The Diggers have cleaned us out and taken our mules and packs and wounded Sergeant Connell. About 6 a. m. as we were going up the hill at the head of Redwood, some four miles from the Weaver trail, and were within 200 yards of the ridge, some seventy-five or eighty Diggers opened a fire upon us from behind a high ledge of rocks, wounding Sergeant Connell in the foot, shooting my mule from under me and two of the pack-mules, and Shepherd's riding mule. The hill being covered with high fern probably saved the lives of half the party. I found I could not drive them from their stronghold, and I ordered the men to fall back into the timber, some 500 yards down the hill, hoping they would come out from their cover. Having gained the timber we took a position and after remaining some time we discovered they were endeavoring to surround us; and having one man wounded and all our