HEADQUARTERS,
Fort Mojave, N. Mex., August 24, 1863.

ACTING ASSSITANT ADJUTANT- GENERAL,

Hdqrs. District of Southern California, Camp Drum, Cal.:

SIR: I have the honor to state that since my letter of the 8th instant I have learned of no further misconduct of the Pi- Utes on the road, except their driving off and appropriating a few head of cattle strayed into their neighborhood from this post. I cannot learn that any Indians have been seen on the road during the last two weeks, while traverlers report hving seen as many as 80 or 100 between the Caves and Rock Spring just previous to that time. Mr. Tayloer, an intelligent miner living at Rock Spring, says that some two weeks since while prospecting about thirty miles south of that place he saw 300 or 400 Indians in a valley ocntaining but fifteen or twenty Indian lodges. This would go far to strngthen the belief veryrgenerally entertained that there is a pretty strong party of the Owen's River Indians down in that neighborhood. Many persons professing to be Indian wisse argue hostile intentions from the fact that the Indians do not show themselves, while they are known to abound in the neighborhood.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. IVES FITCH,

Captain, Fourth Infantry California Volunteers, Commanding.

HEADQUUARTERS DISTRICT OF OREGON,

Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter., August 24, 1863.

COMMANDING OFFICER AT FORT STEILACOOM, WAHS. TER.:

COLONEL: The geenral desires me to say that your letter of the 3rd instant asking that your post may receive re- enforcements has been received, and that he is very desirous of doing so, but uit is very difficult to obtain any. The general commanding the department early in the spring repeatedly refused his earnest solicitations for some companies from Claifornia needed fort he operations in this quarters. The general commanding authorizes you (when you shall deem it expedient) to send a non- commissioned officer to recruit for Captain Tucker's company at Port Townsend.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. W. HOPKINS,

First Lieutenant, First Oregon Cavalry, Actg. Asst. Adjt. General

FORT POINT, August 25, 1863.

Colonel R. C. DRUM,

Asst. Adjt. General, U. S. Army, Headuqarters San Francisco:

COLONEL: I Have just received the letter addressed to General Wright by Captain McAllister, of the Ordnance Deaprtment, upon the subject of heavy guns, carriages, and projectiles fort he batteries to be erected for the defense of San Francisco Harbor,* which is referred to me by you for such information as I can give as to the probable size and character of the guns required for the batteries ordered to be erected on Point San Jose and Angel Island. In the absence of the report of the BOard of Engineers for these works, as promised by General Halleck in his t elergram of the 17th instant to General Wright, I am not prpared to say what caliber will be recommended by the Board for the

---------------

*See McAllister to Wright, August 21, p. 586.

---------------