assistance we can to other branches of the service, for it might be embarrassing to us to have vessels captured for the want of an arament that we could have furnished. I am going to issue guns to the liners, and if you can lend a ship carriage for a brass 24-pounder for the cutter Joe Lane, I will have the gun and ammunition furnished from Benicia. If you prefer it, Captain McAllister will exchange guns with you for a time giving you one mounted on a field carriage.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. V. SUMNER,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army, Commanding.

FORT GASTON, CAL., July 13, 1861.

Captain C. S. LOVELL,

Sixth Infantry, Commanding Fort Humboldt:

SIR: The volunteers from Lieutenant Martin's camp brounght away with them three Indian children, whom they captured during their recent operations against the Indians, and whom, I learn they design to retain in their service. I deem it proper to bring this matter to your notice, because I imagine it will meet with the dispprobation of the department commander, to whom I shall feel it my duty to report it, as well as other like cases which have occurred in some of the detachments now in the field.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. C. BUELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Acting Inspector-General.

COMMANDANT'S OFFICE, NAVY-YARD,

Mare Island, July 15, 1861.

Brigadier General E. V. SUMNER,

Headquarters Department of the Pacific, San Francisco, Cal.:

SIR: Your communication of the 13th of July was handed to me by Captain Chaddock, of the U. S. revenue cutter Joe Lane. The gun is now in progress of being fitted, and I hope by to-morrow evening to be able to dispatch her. I will accept of your offer of a 24-pounder field piece, and will be obliged if you will give the order for its delivery to our tender, with the fixed ammunition necessary for it. I have under my control the coast-survey steamer Active and the light-house steamer Shubrick. Should the information you are in possission of induce you to think that these steamers cold be of service at the point spoken of in your letter of the 11th instant, I will unhesitatingly detail them for that service.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. H. GARDNER,

Commandant.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC, Numbers 126.
San Francisco, July 15, 1861.

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II. Under an exigency of the service Captain R. C. Drum, assistant adjutnt-general, will, in addition to this other duties at these head-