CAMP BABBIT, Near Visalia, Cal., April 8, 1863.

Colonel R. C. DRUM,

Asst. Adjt. General, Dept. of the Pacific, San Francisco, Cal.:

SIR: I have the honor herewith to forward a petition form citizens of Deysville and vicinity asking military protection from Indian depredations. Captain McLaughlin will leave this camp on the arrival of the detachment of Company E, which will accompany him to join their company at Owen's Valley. They are expected to arrive this evening, and will leave on Saturday or Sunday morning, passing by the way of Kensville through Kern River Valley. The captain will halt a few days in the upper end of the valley, where the difficulties are said to exit, and investigate the matter, and if the positieon of the Indians should be found as favorable as represented, if deemen advisable will give them battle. The captain will have about forty men, with arms so arm twenty more. This, with the mumber of citizens that will join him from Kensville, will give him a force sufficient to handle any number of Indians that he will be likely to meet at that place. This camp will be left with a small force, with make it inexpedient to send a detachment a great distance. If it is necessary to keep troops as this camp, the number after Captain McLaughlin's departure is quite small enough without further decimation. An infantry company could be used to good advantage at this post. It would give the cavalry an opporutnity of scouting through the coutnry, preventing, break, up or inquiring into the cause and object of the organization of those aremed parties that are gathering in the southern part of this county, and, we have reason to believe, have committed several roberies in the vicinity of White River and Kern Lake. There is no doubt of an organized movement among the disloyal people of this part of the State, for what purpose I am unable to find out. I have information of thirty-seven of them being together near Kern Lake, with quite a number of Govenment horses with them, which would be sufficient excuse for the military to take the matter in hand. I last heard of these metn at or ner Fort Tejon, and form letter intercepted here they seem to be moving south direction Frot Yuma. Had I sufficient force I should send out in the direction of these parties and scour that part of the country and ascertain the meaning and intentions of those armed bodies of men, and recover, if possible, the Government property. If there is any part of this State that should be patrolled, it is the southern tier of counties, for there is no county in the State that offers such facilities for the organizaton of lawless bands of thieves and outlaws, and there is no country on earth that can furnish more and better material. according to its inhabitants, that this tier of counties can for purposes of that kind. This would be a very good field for Company F to operate in if it could be spared from Camp Union.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. JONES,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Camp Babbitt, near Visalia, Cal.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF OREGON, Numbers 29.
Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter., April 8, 1863.

I. Captain Barry's company (G) First Washington Territory Infantry, will repain by water from Fort Steilacoom to Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter. Asst. Surg. C. M. Steinberg, First Washington Territory