as it is that these three gentlemen deserve this consideration on your part, I earnestly entreat that you will use your powerful influence in their behalf.

I am, general, very sincerely,

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier-Generalllll.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF ARIZONA,
Mesilla, September 27, 1862.

Lieutenant BEN. C. CUTLER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Santa Fe:

I have the honor to transmit, for the information of the general commanding, copy of my letter of instructions to the commanding officer at Tucson in reference to forwarding the 1,000 head of cattle coming from California. As stated to Major Coult, I am apprehensive that he will not have sufficient escorts to send the cattle through, compelled as he will be to divide them up into several bands. There seems good reason to believe that Captain Greene's company of infantry will have left Tucson before any of the cattle could reach there, and one-third of Captain Wellman's company of cavalry have already come through with an express. There seems now the greater occasion for sending Captain Cremony to relieve Captain Fritz, as suggested by me to the general in a private communication recently. Captain Fritz if thus relieved can bring the remainder of the cattle through. This is submitted for the better judgment of the general commanding.

Your obedient servant,

J. R. WEST,

Colonel First Infantry California Volunteers, Commanding.

[Inclosure.] HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF ARIZONA, Mesilla, September 27, 1862.

Major THEO. A. COULT,

Fifth Infantry California Volunteers, Commanding, Tucson:

Information has been cnveyed to the general commanding the Column from California that 1,000 head of cattle en route to the Rio Grande should have arrived at your post ere this. These you will send here as soon as possible, and such accounts as you get from Captain Fritz, now about leaving for Tucson, in regard to the water on the road, will guide you as to the size of the bands in which they will be forwarded. They must be accompanied by suitable escort of troops. For this purpose you will send on Captain Wellman, with the remainder of Company E, First Cavalry California Volunteers, and any other troops ordered this way. It is possible that your escorts may not be sufficiently numerous to enable you to send all the cattle. Send what you can with due regard to their safety adn maintenance on the road, and advise me accordingly. You will instruct the agent of the beef contractor to permit the commanding officer at Fort Bowie to take such cattle as he may need for the supply of his post for sixty days. Captain Fritz takes over a train of twenty wagons, one forge, and one tank. These are all to be returned here, either all together or divided among the detachments accompanying the cattle. Such transportation as is required for the troops will be furnished out of this train, and you will fill up th remainder with the clothing, keeping nt for the command at your post and letting me know how much you keep. Should there still be any transportation unoccupied in these twenty wagons, complete the loading with