gentleman of this place, of high standing, of Southern birth and sympathies, conversing with me about the probability of a division of the United States, said if there was any difficulty in the Atlantic States an expedition would go from California and capture Sonora and annex it to this State, and asked me how I would like such a trip. I replied it suited me. He said it was more than likely that I would be tendered a command; that it was deemed very desirable to secure my services, &c. (all of which I thought mere flattery at the time), and that the chief directors of the expedition were at San Francisco (General Johnston & Co.). At the time I considered nothing of this kind would be done. Last week, having occasion to go to Holcomb Valley mines, I learned the following facts: That there were a large number of secessionists congregated there from different parts of the State, when that place was designated as a rendezvous. It was for the departure of 250 secessionists from there for Sonora to attack and capture Fort Yuma; that there are a large number of soldiers at that post who belong to this secession combination and will turn upon their officers the moment the attack is made. There they will provide themselves with all that the fort contains that is of value or use to them; all property that can be made available will be taken, the remainder destroyed. There is a lieutenant now in the Army-I could not learn positively whether he was in Benicia, Los Angeles, or Yuma; my impression is that he is somewhere in California, because at their meetings last Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights they spoke of General A. S. Johnston, who lately left here with a party of fifty men for Texas to join the Southern Army, as their adviser and director, whose advice was law, and in a speech regarded him as a very superior officer and manager, and said the command of the party to capture Yuma and Sonora was urged on him months ago. He said his reputation and standing were so high he would proceed at once to the South, as his enemies would denounce the expedition as a thieving one, &c., and he laid all the plans for this lieutenant to follow as soon as the expedition could be got ready. This expedition, a greater portion of which rendezvoused at Holcomb Valley within the last ten days, it seems was countermanded until a few weeks hence. They were sent to different portions of the State to raise men and money, to capture the lower portion of this State (Arizona is with them) and Sonora, and proclaim Jefferson Davis as their President and hoist the Confederate flag. They are bound together by the most binding oaths. The penalty for divulging anything connected with their operations, any of their traitorous plans, is death, and they swear to kill anyone so offending. Every one belonging to this traitor band after the capture of this State and southward is to have three leagues of land; in other words, to share equally the plunder. In their convention they concluded that 1,000 men-effective, well-armed men-true to the secession cause, would be amply sufficient to capture and hold the counties of San Bernardino, San Diego, and Los Angeles. The inhabitants living mostly on large ranches several miles apart, taken by surprise with no time to rally, that force is regarded by them as sufficiently large. They designated men to go to different towns to forward this plan to raise men and money. Two came here, two to Los Angeles, and to other places I will find out in a day or so. They expect to have these missionaries of piracy come to Holcomb Valley in about six weeks and report a state of readiness, and then, in their language, "they will cut loose. " As soon as possible I will ascertain the whereabouts and, if possible, the names of these disloyal soldiers and officer. Most, if not all, the soldiers are at Fort Yuma, I think. This officer was in communication