Gaston is still at the first-named post, it will remain there until further orders. As soon as a sufficient number of companies are raised for the Mountaineer Battalion to garrison the posts in the District of Humboldt abandoned by companies of your regiment, the general desires you to turn over the command of the district to Lieutenant-Colonel Whipple. You will then report in person at these headquarters, where you will await further orders.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. C. DRUM.

Assistant Adjutant-General.

STATE OF OREGON, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.

Portland, July 2, 1863

Brigadier General GEORGE WRIGHT:

DEAR SIR: Your letters of the 13th and 16th ultimo were received night before last, and contents noted. I am pleased with the spirit and contents of them. Allow me to say that the people of Oregon have reason to be grateful to you and General Alvord for the co-operation extended to me in raising volunteers; many thousand dollars have thereby been saved to the State. Recruiting here has been a very slow and difficult matter. We have had to contend against the secession element here and a combination of circumstances rendering it next to impossible to get men. The last Legislature passed a usury law, and capital has been seeking investments in public improvements of different kinds under incorporated companies. Two railroads and three turnpike roads have been under way. When we posted our notices offering the rates of pay to the cavalry the proprietors of these roads would post notices alongside of them offering $40 and $50 a month for men, in coin. Of course loose men would go and work on the roads. Again the northern mines are very rich and extensive. Advertisements have been in some of the papers, and posters up, for three months past, offering $5 a day for men to work at different places in the mines.

I have appointed as good and true men as I could find for recruiting officers, and from my extensive acquaintance in Oregon have succeeded pretty well in that respect. Jackson County responded so well to the first call that I had great hope of getting a company in Southern Oregon. Lieutenant Hand thought he could raise a company in the vicinity of Jacksonvile; he enlisted twelve men, but four of them gave themselves up as deserters. Still he did not despair, hoping that when the soldiers were paid at Camp Baker and the water failed in the mines of Jackson County (as it always does in the spring) that he could fill his company. The troops were paid mostly in "greenbacks; " the water failed as usual, but the miners started for the new mines and to work on a new road to them, and no more troops were got.

Lieutenant Hand then wrote me that he could not fill his company, in which opinion I then and now fully concurred. Lieutenant John F. Noble had been recruiting at this the best point in the State; Lieutenant John Doles; Captain Harding (on detailed service) at Salem, and Lieutenant H. C. Small at Eugene City. It became apparent to me that no one would get a full company, and the men were of little use not mustered in and that, too, when me were much needed for the expedition, to Snake River and to protect property and preserve order in this vicinity. Hence I considered it policy and my duty to consolidated the men enlisted, which would make one company that could be mustered in and be of sercie at once. Lieutenant John F. Noble had the greatest number of men. Accordingly I ordered all the recruits to