WAR DEPARTMENT,

March 21, 1861.

Honorable MILTON S. LATHAM,

Senate:

SIR: In accordance with your request of the 19th instant, instructions have been issued this morning to the commanders of the military posts along the Overland Mail Route from Saint Louis to San Francisco, via Fort Smith and El Paso, to furnish suitable escorts to the mail coaches from post to post through the Indian country.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, March 21, 1861.

Bvt. Brigadier General A. S. JOHNSTON,

Colonel 2nd Cav., Commanding Dept. of the Pacific, San Francisco, Cal.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that a copy of the inclosed circular order bearing directions to the commanding officers of posts to comply with its requiements on presentation has been furnished for the use of the Overland Mail Company.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure.] CIRCULAR.] ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, March 21, 1861.

The commanding officers of military posts on that part of the present southern Overland Mail Route to California, which lies between Fort Bliss, Tex., and Fort Yuma, Cal., will give to the Butterfield mail contractors, or their agents, suitable military escorts from post to post through the Indian country while the company is moving its stock, &c., from the present southern mail route to the central route from Saint Joseph, Mo., to Placerville, Cal.

By order of Lieutenant General Winfield Scott:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

NEW SAN DIEGO, CAL., March 21, 1861.

Major W. W. MACKALL,

Asst. Adjt. General, Department of the Pacific, San Francisco, Cal.:

SIR: I have the honor to state that having heard on the morning of the 17th instant that Senor Esparza had been supersed as Governor of Lower California by Mathias Moreno, with an armed body of men, acting under orders from the Government of Mexico, which force sailed from La Paz and landed at a place called Descanso, which Senor Esparza had fortified, which they took by surprise, I proceeded immediately to a ranch called Oti, about fifteen miles from here and about three miles from the line, as near as I could get to the line with wood, water, and grass, and from thence sent word to the Indians that they must take no part in the matter either on one side or the other. I do not think they will. Frequent occurrences of the foregoing nature