property at Stockton with it. The company commander will on arrival at Sacramento report to Colonel Brown for duty.

* *

By order of Brigadier-General Wright:

E. SPARROW PURDY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

CAMP DRUM, November 21, 1863.

(Via Los Angeles-11. 45 a. m. 23d.)

Captain E. S. PURDY:

A vigilance committe to hang robbers and desperadoes is at work in Los Angeles to-day.

J. F. CURTIS,

Lieutenant-Colonel.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI,
Shreveport, La., November 22, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: Your communication of October 15 ultimo, through Judge L. W. Hastings, of California, in reference to an expedition into Arizona, has been received. Judge Hastings has wholly failed to satisfy me as to the propriety of trusting him in so important a matter, and in truth has furnished me no reference at all. Were I satisfied even on that point, I do not regard his plan as at all feasible, and cannot in any event, either from the Mexican trade or any other means at my command, furnish the necessary funds. At his urgent request I again refer the matter to you with my own conclusions on the subject as above stated.

I am, with great respect, your obedent servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, November 23, 1863.

Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. of the Army, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: When I first received instructions to establish a military post near the Klamath Lakes, in Oregon, I directed Lieutenant-Colonel Drew, of the Oregon cavalry, then commanding at Camp Baker, near Jacksonville, to make an exploration of the country and report the result to my headquarters. After receiving the colonel's report it was referred to Captain Williamson, of the Engineer Corps, who had been over the whole country, and was well qualified to give an opinion as to the best point to locate the post. many sound reasons were advanced by Captain Williamson in favor of the site where the fort is now being built, and I approved of the selection. But it now appears that the location of the post did not suit the conflicting interests of all the people in Southern Oregon, and an effort was made by certain persons at and near Jacksonville, prominently aided by Mr. Rogers, the subagent of Indian affairs, to cast odium upon Colonel Drew for his management of affairs in that quarter.