the old Indian woman referred to above, but I was unable to elicit any information in confirmation of the story attributed to her; neither could I learn from them anything in relation to strange Indains or an apprehended attack. It appearas that Gabriel had been told, or imagined, that you were thinking of hanging him, and seemed to be very much frightened. Indian Jim, referred to above, is absent now from the Cascades, and I therefore could not see him, but I am informed that he has since been questioned in relation to this first story, and that now he denies having told it. Mrs. Attwell is also here add that some alarm has been caused by the unusually large number of strange Indains reported as passing up and down, and as having much powder and lead. The arrival of troops has quieted entirely the fears of all.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

JAMES VAN VOAST,

Captain, Ninth Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, August 27, 1861

His Excellency J. G. DOWNEY,

Governor of California, Sacramento:

GOVERNOR: I regret very much that you do not find it covenient to come to this city. From the orders that I have received no time can be lost in raising the 5,000 volunteers required from this State. I wish much to confer with you about this matter. I deem it very important that officers of the Army should be selected to command the regiments; the other field officers can be selected from civil life, and no man, officer of soldier, will be mustered into service about whose loyalty to the Nation Government there is the slightest doubt.

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

E. V. SUMNER,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC, Numbers 156.
San Francisco, August 27, 1861.

* * * * * * *

2. The companies raised for the regiment of infantry and battalion of cavalry California volunteers, for the service on the Overland route, will hereafter be mustered into service at Camp Downey, Contra Costa.

* * * * * * *

By order of Brigadier-General Sumner:

RICHD. C. DRUM,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

FORT YUMA, CAL., August 27, 1861.

COMMANDING OFFICER, U. S. Army,

Los Angeles, Cal.:

SIR: You will please telegraph the substance of the inclosed communication to the commanding general of the department and request him to send at least two companies of infantry to strengthen this point