quarters, perform those of chief of the subsistance department, relieving Captain M. D. L. Simpson, commissary of subsistance.

By order of Brigadier-General Sumner:

RICHD. C. DRUM,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF OREGON, Numbers 20.
Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter., July 15, 1861.

* * * *

II. First Lieutenant P. H. Sheridan, Foruth Infantry, will relieve Captain Archer in command of Company I, Ninth Infantry, receiving and receipting for the company and public property pertaining thereto. Lieutenant Sheridan will remain in command of Fort Hoskins until the arrival of an officer of the Ninth Infantry.

By order of Colonel Wright;

JNO S. MASON,
First Lieutenant, Third Artillery, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

FORT YUMA, CAL., July 15, 1861.

Major D. C. BUELL,

Asst. Adjt. General, Headquarters Department of the Pacific:

MAJOR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt on the 13th instant of the communication dated June 28 from the headquarters of the department. The referred to, like many others, has reached us, and of course earnest attention has been given to the matter. Nothing as yet has come to our knowledge to indicate any likelihood of such a movement being contemplated at this time, or at a very early future. As an expedition of the kind must pass through the eastern part of the Gadsden purchase, and within about forty miles of Tuscon, to get a practicable route toward guaymas, we should be likely to obtain early information of it from the loyal citizens of that place. I shall endeavor, at any rate, by the earliest opportunity to obtain from Tucsom the most prompt and reliable news. I can depend on the new people in this vicinity to keep me fully advised of all they may learn. I would most respectfully suggest, in reference to another rumor that has reached us, so vague, however, as scarcely to justify notice of it, that an addition to this garrison in contemplated; that if so, unless there should be a paramount necessity for it, no troops should be sent to the post during the present or next month, if they are to march through the desert. Such march could not be effected without greatly impairing the efficiency of the troops, coming as they would from a compoaratively cool region into one where the heast is excessive and exceedingly debilitating, and the supplies of water scanty and generally bad. For the last thirty-one days we have had a continued speel of extremely hot weather, the mean at 2 o'clock, the official hour of observation, being upward of 108 10/4, and the hottest portion of the day is almost invariably at a latter hour. No decided amelioration in this respect can be looked for until late in Septmeber.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

A. CANDY,

Major Sixth Infantry, Commanding Post.