SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC, Numbers 168.
San Francisco, Cal., September 23, 1862.

Captain Edward Barry's company of Washington Territory Volunteers will proceed to and take post at Fort Steilacoom, Wash. Ter., relieving the Fourth Infantry company (Crowninshield's), now at that station; the latter will be brought to this city on the return steamer. The quartermaster's and commissary departments will provide the necessary transportation and subsistence.

By order of Brigadier-General Wright:

RICHD. C. DRUM,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,

San Francisco, Cal., September 23, 1862.

Major GEORGE W. PATTEN,

Ninth Infantry, U. S. Army, Commanding Fort Steilacoom, Wash. Ter.:

SIR: The department commander has this day directed Captain Barry's company, Washington Territory Volunteers, to proceed to Fort Steilacoom, relieving the company at present at that station, the latter to repair to this city on the steamer taking up Barry's company. The general directs that you will not detain the steamer over ten hours in debarking and embarking the troops. If necessary the acting assistant quartermaster and acting commissary of subsistence can remain to transfer the property for which he is responsible, after the completion of which duty he will be directed to report to his captain.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

RICHD. C. DRUM,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF ARIZONA,
Mesilla, September 23, 1862.

Lieutenant BEN. C. CUTLER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Santa Fe:

I have the honor to report that I have just returned from a personal inspection of the district down the Rio Grande as far as Franklin. At that point and at Hart's Mill everything is progressing satisfactorily. As I have communicated to the general commanding in a private note by last express, the animals, battery and cavalry horses and train mules at Camp Johnson are not thriving; in fact, they look and are lower in flesh than I have seen them on the campaing. With a wide extent of county to watch and defend, with comparatively a small command, the efficiency of the latter under such circumstances must depend greatly upon its mobility. I have deemed it, therefore, imperative to look up better grazing at some point adjacent to more substantial forage, and for the latter, when I see the absolute necessity of so doing, I shall incur the expense of providing sufficient to prevent at least the animals from getting too poor to be serviceable. The general commanding directed the invitation of proposals for 100 tons of hay delivered at Fort Fillmore and an equal quantity at Mesilla. The contract has been awarded at $30 per ton. As I may find it necessary to