SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. FIFTH INFTY. CALIFORNIA VOLS., Numbers 7.
Camp Latham, March 18, 1862.

Lieutenant Colonel George S. Evans, Second Cavalry California Volunteers, will proceed at once via Fort Tejon and Tejon Reservation, Walker's Basin, to Owen's Lake, and inquire into the truth of the matter set forth in the letter of W. A. Greenly to Mr. Bishop (a copy of which is herewith inclosed.)* Lieutenant-Colonel Evans will have for an escort Captain Winne, Second Lieutenant-Colonel Evans will have for an escort Captain Winne, Second Lieutenant Oliver, and First Lieutenant French, Second Cavalry California Volunteers, and forty men picket from the three companies of cavalry California volunteers at this camp, and will leave Camp Latham for Owen's Lake Wednesday morning, the 19th instant. The party will take forty days' rations and 100 rounds of ammunition. Lieutenant Frink, acting regimental quartermaster, Fifth Infantry California Volunteers, will furnish them wagons and teams for the transportation of Lieutenant-Colonel Evans' command. For the guidance of Lieutenant-Colonel Evans in the premises, I herewith inclose a copy of letter of instructions to me March 17, 1862, by Colonel Carleton, commanding the District of Southern California. +

G. W. BOWIE,
Colonel Fifth Infantry California Vols., Commanding Camp Latham.

HEADQUARTERS,

Fort Yuma, March 20, 1862.

Colonel JAMES H. CARLETON,

Commanding Southern District, Los Angeles, Cal.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to inclose, for the information of the district commander, letter received this morning from Lieutenant James Barrett, commanding detachment First Cavalry at Stanwix Ranch (Grinnel's). The colonel will find that my fears expressed in a former communication have been realized. Captain McCleave is a prisoner with his detachment of eight men; also Mr. White, of the Pimas, and his mill burned, and grain, it is reasonable to suppose, destroyed. I have ordered Lieutenant Barrett to keep a good lookout on the road, and if they should approach his post in any numbers to fall back on the reserve. I have also ordered Lieutenant Nichols, who has relieved Lieutenant Harvey, at Mission Camp, on account of the ill health of the latter, to throw his detachment forward, so that he will be near to support Lieutenant Barrett if required. Detachment of First Infantry, under Lieutenant Taylor, at Mission Camp, is near enough to render them assistance if required. The detachments of cavalry are now so quartered at the different stations between Gila City and Grinnel's that I receive dispatches from there in eight hours. I have instructed Lieutenant Barrett and Nichols that in the case of an equal number of their cavalry coming against them, to give them a fight and dispatch an express at once to me, in which case I can throw forward a howitzer to their assistance. My opinion is that they will approach in this direction very carefully, knowing, from the fact of meeting with Captain McCleave, that troops are on the road. I have employed the messenger I sent to Tucson. He is the Spaniard alluded to irett's dispatch, and can be depended upon. He is intelligent and faithul. The post is in a very good state of defense, and I have no fears of being able to hold it against any odds that may approach it. I have understood since I made the requisition on Lieutenant-Colonel

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* Not found.

+ See p. 935.

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