alluded to. When once you have arrived at the Pima Villages and broken ground, you can immediately send back to Fort Yuma for other supplies at least forty-five of your teams, suitably escorted by cavarly. You will take 5,000 pounds of pemmican now at Fort Yuma when your trains forst leave that post. You can make arrangements with Mr. O'Campo or Mr. Yager, both of whom have beeves, for as much fresh beef as you leave Camp Wright. The pemmican had better be kept to provide against the emergency of a siege, or for troops which you may send on detached service. Surgeon Pentiss, First Cavalry California Volunteers, will be your medical officer at the Pima Villages. You will find Companies A and D, First Cavalry California Volunteers, already in advance of Fort Yuma, and order them to joiin you at the Pima Villages. You will also find Captain Calloway with 100 rank and file First Infantry California Volunteers in advance of Fort Yuma. These you will send to the camp already established near Grinnel's. You will take 100 rounds of riifled-musket ammunition per man for Companies C and K, First Infantry California Volunteers, and B and G, Fifth Infantry California Volunteers, from Camp Wright, and also 100 of the 6-gallon water kegs now at that camp, and all the empty sacks. You will also take from Fort Yuma two water-tanks, containig 600 gallons each, which have been ordered to be made for you at that post for service upon the Little Desert, and also as many empty sacks as you can get at Fort Yuma. The empty sacks you will need for grain which you will be able to purchase from the Pima and Maricopa Indians, or in case of emergency you will need them about your intrenchments in the way of defense. You will want to take from Fort Yuma some molds for the making of adobes with which to revet your works in case you are unable to procure willows or other bushes for the making of fascines and gabions. The colonel commanding sends you 10,000 yards of manta with which to purchase wheat and other supplies from the Pima and Maricopa Indians. You can use the old-fashioned army clothing now at Camp Wright for these same purpose. The force thus intrusted to your command is but the advance gurd of the expedition which has been organized by the general to operate beyond the point you are now directed to occupy. As such you are to risk but little in offering battle to an enemy who may come near your intrenched camp, but as such you are to defend yourself to the last extermity if attacked, let the numbers be what they may who come against you. By conciliating the Indians you can employ them as spies, particularly upon a trail which leads from Tucson toward Fort Yuma, which trail hes south of these Pima Villages and Comes into the valley of the Gila some two or there miles below Grinnel's. You will purchase and get iinside of your intrenched work as soon as possible all of the wheat and other supplies which you may be able to procure from the Indians. Have as much hay, wheat straw, or both, cut and stacked near your intrenched camp as may be needed for your horses and mules, and for other cavalry companies which will be sent to you, if they can be foraged without using the barley at Fort Yuma, which you must know is running very short. No doubt the Indians can be got to bring in large quantities of hay and other long forage. If you can save the rations and forage which you take with you to Pima Villages by gathering in the resources of that country you will have achieved a very important point.

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

BEN. C. CULTER,

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