wars, and as soon as they are tired return to the reservation. The Indian agents should be notified of this fact. If I have to send down there I will leave them very little to do, and save the Government some treasure. The route from Visalia by way of Walker's Pass is far preferable to the Los Angeles route, as upon the former there is wood, water, and grass at easy marches. Forage canb e purchased in Tulare Valley and forwarded to Keysville, from which point the Government teams can bring it to Camp Independence, having water and grass at intervals upon the road, of not more than fifteen or twenty miles, while upon the Los Angeles road from Tehachapie Canon by Walker's Pass, a distance of over fifty miles, there is not a blade of grass and the water unfit to be used.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. A. McLAUGHLIN,

Captain, Second Cav. California Vols., Commanding Camp Independence.

Colonel R. C. DRUM,

Assistant Adjutant-General, San Francisco, Cal.

APRIL 24-MAY 26, 1863. -Operations in Owen's River and adjacent valleys, Cal.

Report of Captain Moses A. McLaughlin, Second California Cavalry.

CAMP INDEPENDENCE,

Owen's River Valley, May 26, 1863.

COLONEL: In conjunction with the accompanying report, dated May 26, 1863, I would most respectfully beg leave to make the following statement in relation to the operations against the Indians in this and the adjacent valleys since April 24, 1863: My almost continued absence in the mountains and the uncertainty of a speedy termination of the difficulties have rendered it heretofore very unsafe to make any statements which could be relied upon. I hope, therefore, colonel, that this will be a partial excuse for the brief and unsatisfactory reports that I have been very unwillingly obliged to forward to your office. On my arrival at Camp Independence April 24, 1863, I found that the Indians were following the same mode of warfare, which they had adopted against Colonel Evans in 1862-that of drawing the troops into deep canons and ravines, up the sides of precipitous mountains, where, hidden behind the rocks, they could with safety use their arms against the exhausted soldiers as they edeavored to follow them. In almost every skirmish the Indians were thus enabled to kill or wound some of the men. I abandoned this course and directed the troops to be conducted during the night up the mountains, where they were easiest of ascent, and where the Indians were not thought to be, and as soon as daylight would permit, to search for Indians in the ravines and canons as they descended to the base of the mountains, where mounted parties were stationed to cut them off should they be forced into the valley. This plan did not suit the Indians, and consequently they abandoned range after range, spring after spring, so closely followed by the troops that they were obliged to throw away even their water jars and seek refuge in the deserts near Death Valley, where they were forced to subsist upon cactus and carry water at least a day's march. In the meantime scouting parties were employed in searching for any smaller