DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,

OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS,

December 10, 1862.

GEORGE M. HANSON,

Superintendent Agent, San Francisco, Cal.:

SIR: Carry into effect your recommendations of 15th October last.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM P. DOLE,

Commissioner.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WESTERN ARIZONA,
Tucson, December 10, 1862.

Colonel R. C. DRUM,

Assistant Adjutant-General, U. S. Army, San Francisco, Cal.:

COLONEL: I feel it my duty to call the attention of the general commanding Department of the Pacific to ceratin reports which have been in circulation here for some weeks past. I have previously paid but little attention to these reports, deeming them the emanations of nervous brains or to have been started by would-be alarmists. By the mail which arrived this morning, however, I received the inclosed letters from Captain J. S. Thayer, commanding Fort Yuma. One (marked A) from Herman Ehernberg is etitled to some consideration; the other (marked B), purporting to have been written by one Thomas Asher, who signs himself "Second Lieutenant, Confederate Volunteers," is not so relaible. Upon the reception of Captain Thayer's letter I sent for Mr. Martin, joint proprietor of Grinnel's ranch with King and Woolsey (the same persons referred to in Asher's note), and questioned him closely as to any knowledge he might have of such movements. Mr. Martin informed me that for some time past parties of men have been crossing the road between here and Fort Yama, on their way to Sonora; that these men were well armed and mounted, but poorly clothed and without subsistence; that the largest party he had heard of numbered some fifty men; that they had helped themselves to such things as they wanted, ant their pincipal desire seemed to be for arms and ammunition, taking only sufficient forage and subsistence to meet the demands of immediate necessities; that their avowed purpose was "to get into Texas. " Mr. Martin further said that he had entertained some fears as to the security of his own property and for the safety of Govermnent trains. He also remarked that none of these men had been seen in this part of the country until after the California papers had ceased to chronicle the "outrages on emigrants" on the upper route, and he ventrued the opinion that they belonged to the same band and were driven away from their former field of operations by the fear of Colonel Connor's force.

It becomes necessary, with the weakened force I shall have in a few days, for me to give heed to reports substantiated as these are, but unless re-enforced speedily it will be impossible for me to effect anything. I shall have but one company of cavalry and one of infantry (neither of them at their full strngth) with which to guard a scope of country 300 miles in length and from 100 to 150 in width. I am ordered by Colonel West to send forward all men belonging to companies now in the advance. This will necessitate my supplying all the vedette posts (eleven in number) from my two companies, from which I cannot muster more than 100 men for duty. It will require at least six men at