greatest importance, and requires on your part watchfulness and vigilance. Nothing will contribute to these requisites more than by maintaining a strict discipline in your command. You will establish on of your companies in or near Santa Barbara, and the other at such distance from it as you may determine. You will take care that no expenditures are made by your quartermaster or commissary not authorized in regulations or orders from these headquarters. You will take with you provisions sufficient to last your command to the end of February next, and also 100 rounds of ammunition for each man. As no wagons will be sent, you are authorized to procure such transportation as may be absolutely necessary previous to going into camp; after that it is presumed no transportation will be required. The fuel required will be delivered at your camp. You will be careful not to exceed the regulated allowance of any kind of supplies. Should there be any vacant buildings in or close to Santa Barbara suitable for quartermasters that can be procured at reasonable rates, you will report the fact to these headquarters for direction of the department commander. The general desires you to keep him constantly advised of all maters relating to your command and the condition of affairs in the county in which you are stationed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

RICHD. C. DRUM,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Fort Churchill, Nev. Ter., December 18, 1861.

Major R. C. DRUM, U. S. Army,

Asst. Adjt. General, Department of the Pacific, San Francisco:

MAJOR: Again it becomes my duty to inform you that there has been another draft upon this post for men by Governor Nye, of this Territory. A copy of his request accompanying this (marked A) gives you at once the cause. Governor Nye being at the post and desiring dispatch, I started the twenty-five men and two teams (under the charge of Captain McLean and Lieutenant Chipman, numbering in the aggregate twenty-nine), on the morning of the 17th instant, with the inclosed instructions (paper B*). By sending two teams, both lightly loaded, they can keep up with the command and travel, from twenty-five to thirty miles a day. I furnished them thirty days' rations. The Overland Mail Company have agreed with Governor Nye to furnish forage, as they have particularly asked for the force to be sent. I desire to have the views of the general commanding the department in relation to this matter, as it may become necessary to forward more supplies in case the command remains there any length of time and the moment meets with approval. As it will be perceived, my force is pretty well divided at present, but if I have not further call on me for men, I can keep everything in good order until spring, when we should certainly have more men in this section of country. I would state, further, that the Government will start forward provisions to Ruby Valley, and along the intermediate country for the Indians to-day, and it is to be hoped that peace will be maintained without a resort to arms. The difficulties apprehended grow out of the fact of the chief of the Bannocks dying, and the Indian dector being killed (as is the custom) for letting him die. The doctor belonged to the Shoshoes. This has brought about a difficulty between the two tribes, and, as is generally

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* Not found.

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