Trusting that this statement of contemplated movements will meet the approval of the general, I remain, with much respect, your obedient servant,

GEO. F. PRICE,

Captain, Commanding Company M, Second California Volunteer Cavalry.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC, Numbers 82.
San Francisco, Cal., May 19, 1862.

1. Colonel Connor, commanding Third Infantry California Volunteers, will move his regiment from Benicia Barracks to the vicinity of Stockton, and be prepared to cross the mountains, as soon as the route is practicable for the protection of the overland mail.

2. Captain Julian McAllister, ordnance officer, will furnish Colonel Connor with two 6-pounder brass field pieces and two mountain howitzers, with equipments and ammunition.

* * * * *

By order of Brigadier-General Wright:

R. W. KIRKHAM,
Captain and Assistant Quartermaster, Actg. Asst. Adjt. General

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF OREGON,

Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter., May 19, 1862.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

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

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge by the steamship Pacific, arrived at Portland on the 17th instant, your communication of the 6th referring to the disposition of the regiment of cavalry under Colonel Cornelius. Before the reception of your letter the two companies of this regiment refferred to in my communication of the 14th instant had arrived here in pursuance of directions for that purpose. Believing that the commanding general was not informed of the supply of cavalry equipment available at the depot here, and that under the advisement of my letter of the 14th instant approval will be given to the movement of the troops as indicated therein, Colonel Cornelius with his staff and Companies B and E, of his regiment, will leave to-morrow morning for Fort Dalles by water, en route for Fort Walla Walla. I have much confidence that the general commanding will agree with me as to the urgent necessity of this movement, from the reasons mentioned in the letter referred to, and will sanction this departure from his instructions in yourletter of the 6th instant. Information is given me by Colonel Cornelius that Lieutenant-Colonel Maury with four companies of the Oregon cavalry will be at Camp Barlow, two miles north of Oregon City. It is the place selected by him for encampment in conformity to instructions to him from department headquarters, "to concentrate his force in the Willamette Valley preparatory to his proceeding east of the mountains. " Until further directions are received for the movement of these four companies no arrangements will be made for their march. The past winter has been an unusually severe and prolonged one, and since the reception of your letter Colonel Cornelius reports to me that it would be unsafe to attempt to cross the Cascade Mountains until the 1st of August. Other well informed persons agree in this opinion. The march int hat direction will even then be a hard one and attended with some risk. For any operations this summer as a cavalry force, I