FORTH CASCADES, WASH. TER., August 26, 1861.

Lieutenant A. C. WILDRICK,

Third Artillery, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General

SIR: The commanding the department desires you, in turning over the command of the District of Oregon to Colonel Beall, to inform him very generally reqarding Indian affairs within the district, and particularly with regard to all matters pertaining to the occupancy of San Juan Island.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

RICHD. C. DRUM,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Hdqrs. District of Oregon, Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter.:

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that since my letter of the 23rd instant I have used my best endeavors to find out somenting of a more difinite character to report to the colonel commanding. The Indians on the Oregon side of the river, of whom I spoke in my last, I was not able to see that day. So the next day I sent Captain Van Voast over to Oregon side of the Cascades with orders to make a thorough investigation into the condition of affairs on that side. Inclosed herewith you will please find his report, which goes to corroborate principally what I found out on this side of the river in my examination from the Lower to the Upper Cascades. It was reported to me that quite a number of strange Indians were at the berry patch on the south side of the river; so to safisty myself I told Blan-a-har that I wanted him to go up to that and see if there any Indians there or in the vicinity; if so, to find out their number, to what tribes they belonged, and to bring in to me the heads of each tribe. If he saw no Indians, to exmine the ground closely for signs, either fresh or old, and that I wanted him to be back last night and let me known the result. He returned last night about 9 p. m. according to promise, and reported that there were no Indians to be found or seen, nor could any signs of any be seen, and that he does not think the Indians have been there this season; that the berries are about half ripe. I told him before I sent him out that if he deceived me in any way I would hang him, and I also told him the sme thing on his return and before he made his report. From all I can learn I am covinced that the matter of an attack was talled over by some strange Indians ant those of the Cascades, or at least some of the latter, and that the arival of troops at this point has evidently frunstrated their plans for the present at least, if they had any fixed ones.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. M. BLACK,

Captain, Ninth Infantry, Commanding U. S. Troops at Cascades.

[Inclosure.] FORT CASCADES, WASH. TER., August 25, 1861.

Captain H. M. BLACK,

Commanding Troops, Fort Cascades, Wash. Ter.:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that in accordance with your instructions I visited the Upper and Lower Cascades, on the Oregon side, and by inquiry endeavored to ascertain upon what foundation were based the rumors of an apprehended Indian attack. It appears that an old Indian woman some eight or ten days since told Mrs. Attwell, living at the Uper Cascades, that strange Indians had been talking to the Cascade Indians of an attack, but that the latter would not join them. She added that in case of danger she would give timely warnign to Mrs. Attwell. About this same time an Indian called Jim, under the influence of liquor, and just at dark, came to Mr. Atwell's house, and told Mr. and Mrs. Atwell that they might attack the Cascades; stating also that he would inform them in time of the danger. I visited the houses of an Indian called Gabriel, at which place I saw