known to you and are matters of moment, I hope the course which I have pursued under the circumstances will meet the approval of the general commanding the department.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. W. BOWIE,

Colonel Fifth Infantry California Volunteers, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WESTERN ARIZONA,
Tucson, Ariz. Ter., September 21, 1862.

Lieutenant B. C. CUTLER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Column from California:

SIR: An express arrived here this morning from the west three days previous to the usual time of the arrival of the express. Though there is no communication from department headquarters for me or from any other source in regard to this extra express, I send it forward this evening en route to Fort Bowie, where I hope it will arrive by the time that the detachment of cavalry under Lieutenant Wardwell will have returned from the Rio Grande. I regret that I have had no dates from you or any one with the column in advance since the 4th of August, when the commanding general was at Ojo de la Vaca. I have advised Colonel Drum of the suspension of communication and the non-return of trains for supplies. I inclose herewith a statement of the subsistence stores on hand here on the 15th instant, and of those en route from Fort Yuma. * The acting assistant quartermaster and acting commissary of subsistence at Fort Yuma, notwithstanding frequent instructions and requests through the commanding officer of that post, has ceased to send me any statements of stores on hand at, en route to or from, Fort Yuma. The vedettes have ceased, except in one or two instances, to make any reports. I have n idea of where Beard's cattle are. Fort Yuma stands upon a severe dignity and elevated independence and reticence. I have no report of the whereabouts of Captain Morris with the funds. He ought to be here now unless delayed by accident. I send three wagons with provisions to-morrow for Fort Bowie with two teams belonging to that post. I again respectfully request that Lieutenant Coleman be returned to settle with the Pimas. White has resigned. He has been accused of buying the Indian paper at a discount. Those papers that Lieutenant Coleman gave that Pimas as evidences of indebtedness are worthless as vouchers for any other officer, as they do not express for what quantity of wheat, &c., they are given. None but Coleman should be put in a position to have his disbursements disallowed on account of his own stupidity. I have no information of when the Indian goods are coming or when the clothing for the troops will be sent from Fort Yuma. The fiftee wagons in charge of Sergeant Naper are now under the orders of Colonel Bowie and doing he alone knows what. Four trains are en route here from Fort Yuma with provisions. Captain Kellogg made another deposit of $10,000 to my credit, so that I have now at my command $36,932. 82. Captain Davis has just received from Captain Ogden an invoice of 182 camp kettles and 232 mess pans, shipped August 11 per shooner Morning Light. This is on the estimate made in July for 276 camp kettles and 690 mess pans, which were requested to be sent to San Pedro and forwarded by express

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* Omitted.

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9 R R-VOL L, PT II