down the stream to its mouth, where I had instructions to halt the trains until he camp up. The hunters had succeeded in killing a small bullock. In a short time after halting Lieutenant Geer came up, and we concluded to halt there for the night, as he wanted to cross the main Trinity either that evening or in the morning. It commenced raining very hard before we encamped, and continued all day. March 18, Lieutenant Geer with some of his men built a raft and crossed three of his men over for the purpose of reconnoitering some Indian houses on the other side of the main Trinity. The corporal reported seeing the houses, but did not deem it prudent to approach them up the ravine, as there might be several Indians in them, and to get to them by going up on the mountain would consume the greater portion of the day, and knowing that the men were without any provisions of any kind they returned to the river, and on their way back to the river they found four hogs, which they supposed the Indians had fastened up (as they were in a corral), which they shot and rafted across the river and packed them on the mules and brought them into Gaston, where we arrived about 3. 30 p. m. of the 18th, having marched in the last two days about twenty miles. I have to speak in the highest terms of the men under my command, being always ready and willing to march at any hour, late or early (without any grumbling or growling), to accomplish the object for which they started. Aggregate number of miles traveled, 190.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. P. HACKETT,

First Lieutenant Company G, Sixth Infantry California Vols.

Major THOMAS F. WRIGHT,

Commanding Batt. Sixth Infantry Cal. Vols., Camp near Fort Gaston.

CAMP IAQUA, May 3, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that according to instructions received I left Camp Iaqua at 4. 45 p. m. the 1st instant, about an hour after the arrival of the traimen of Company G and three of the Mountaineers, to proceed to the place where Private Mills, of Company E, was killed, and find out if there were any more wounded, and if so, to render them such assistance as was necessary and bring them into camp. I arrived at Booth's Run in about two hours, distant from Camp Iaqua about six miles, and immediately commenced to search the vicinity up and down the stream for any person or persons that had been wounded, but did not succeed in finding any or any signs that would indicate that more than one person had been shot. I found where the Indians had cut the packs from the mules and scattered the cooking utensils, &c., around, all of which I had carried into camp. It then being too dark to follow any signs, I concluded to encamp there and wait for daylight to search farther up and down the stream. At daylight on the morning of the 2nd I heard firing, seemingly about a mile distant. I told the corporal of the Mountaineers that there was something going on close by, and to take his two men and five men and a sergeant from Company G and find out the cause of the firing, and return to camp immediately afterward, it being my intention to search still more in the vicinity for any one that might have been wounded the day before. After posting some sentinels on the highest points to command a view of the surrounding country, I went and examined the place