provisions gone, the men having packed their haversacks and blankets, I concluded to return to Anderson, at which place I have just arrived, almost dead, having come all the way down Redwood Creek. The men are all used up. I send Oliver with this dispatch, thinking you might send a messenger to Rocky Ridge to advise Captain Theller's and Lieutenant Morton's parties. Sergeant Connell is not badly wounded, but the ball is in his foot and very painful. I write this private letter at present but will make a full report as soon as I am able to do so.

Yours, in haste,

WM. H. NOYES,

Lieutenant, Second Infantry California Volunteers.

Numbers 5.

Report of Sergt. Edward Collins, Company F, Second California Infantry.

FORT GASTON, CAL., September 13, 1862

SIR: The detachment under my command left this post on the morning of the 9th instant, withorders to proceed to Camp Anderson and report to Lieutenant W. H. Noyes, Company F, Second Infantry California Volunteers. On arriving at that place I made my report, and, Lieutenant Noyes being sick, he placed the detachment under my command, which consisted of thirty men of Company F and five men of Company I, Second Infantry California Volunteers, making a total of thirty-five men, with one guide and one Indian boy. About daylight on the morning of the 10th instant left Camp Anderson with instructions from Lieutenant Noyes to take five days' provisions and scout along Redwood Creek and the headwaters of Grouse Creek. Durin this day we scouted as far as Pardee's ranch (saw no Indian signs), and, as ordered, sent a messenger to Rocky Ridge Camp to report to Lieutenant-Colonel Olney, and if he was not there to report to Captain Theller. The messenger returned that some evening and reported not having seen either of the above-named officers. My party then started to the place where the skirmish and taken place between the detachment under Lieutenant Noyes and the Indians, where we arrived about noon of the 11th instant. Here we found the relative position of the Indians was vastly superior to that of the detachment, having the advantage of natural barricades and a plunging fire on the animals and men. They had also a fortification built out of loose rock, and so situated as to have any party advancing toward them exposed to three fires, which if wel directed would sweep off a considerable number of men. I found also that they had closely watched the party under Lieutenant Noyes, judging from numerous decoy fires at different parts of the hill, and they, the Indians, not knowing at what piont they would be attacked, had arranged themselves in different positions to receive them. It is my opinion and of others who were at the spot that 100 men placed in the same position as the Indians could keep 500 men at bay. On the evening of the 11th instant we encamped about half a mile from the place of attack, and myself with a party of nine men scouted around to see if we could find what direction the Indians had taken. As we approached the headwaters of Grouse Creek, we found that the Indians had scattered part of them going toward Pilot Creek and another portion taking down Grouse Creek. Our rations having