HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
New San Pedro, Cal., March 14, 1862.

Major D. FERGUSSON,

First Cavalry California Volunteers,

Commanding at Camp Carleton, near San Bernardino, Cal.:

MAJOR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th instant. The colonel commanding directs that you send in one company at a time to encamp on the San Gabriel River, just below Dalton's Mill, where there is good grazing. Supply them with ten days' rations from Camp Carleton. Send the remainder of your provisions to Temescal under a guard of ten dismounted picked men, under the charge of Lieutenant-Coleman. This guard can remain at your present camp until the wagons have returned from the San Gabriel, after they have moved in your last company. The result of this will be that all of the supplies that the colonel commanding has hitherto ordered you to send to Camp Wright will be at Temescal, under the charge of Lieutenant Coleman, a sergeant, and fourteen men (see letter from these headquarters under date of yesterday); that three cavalry companies will be encamped on the San Gabriel River, viz, Mead's, Fritz's, and Pishon's, with ten days' rations drawn from Camp Carleton. Lieutenant Hammond, regimental quartermaster First Infantry California Volunteers, will be on the San Gabriel River to stop Captain Mead's company at that point and provide for it. These movements must be accomplished by your own means of transportation, in connection with the three wagons which took arms and equipments to you yesterday. Let the wagons which return from the San Gabriel River take corn from El Monte and distribute it along the road for the use of the next company as it comes in. So figure all this out that there may be no delays, no missing of cogs, and no mistakes.

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

BEN. C. CUTLER,

First Lieutenant, First Infty. California Vols., Actg. Asst. Adjt. General

NOTE. -The clothing of Lieutenant Wellman's detachment may be sent to Camp Drum, and the tarpaulins which have been in use at Camp Carleton to Temescal. Your present beef contractor can supply these troops at their new camp, provided he chooses to do so at the same price paid to him at present.

B. C. C.

COMMANDANDT'S OFFICE, NAVY-YARD,

Mare Island, March 15, 1862.

Brigadier General G. WRIGHT, U. S. Army,

Commanding Department of the Pacific, San Francisco, Cal.:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 12th instant is received, informing me that a reconnaissance has been made by the chief engineer of the army on this coast, and a plan defensive works submitted to guard the approaches to the city of San Francisco either by land or water. In answer I have to say that it will afford me great pleasure to contribute all the means at my command to assist in fortifying such batteries as you may deem proper to construct. I inclose herewith a list of such ordnance as we have on Mare Island. These guns have none other than the common ship carriage, and it may be necessary to construct carriages to suit them in the batteries.

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

W. H. GARDNER,

Commandant.