HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, December 11, 1863.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY,

Washington, D. C.:

SIR: In my communication of the 17th ultimo I advised you of the steps I had taken to furnish escorts to the civil officers en route to Arizona for the purpose of organizing a new government in that Territory. Since then I have received from his Excellency John N. Goodwin, Governor of Arizona, dated at Saint Louis, Mo., September 5, 1863, a copy of a letter addressed to me from the War Department, dated July 10, 1863, signed by Asst. Adjt. General E. R. S. Canby, together with the indorsement of the President of the United States, under date of July 11. The communication from the War Department was presented to me by Colonel Charles D. Poston, the superintendent of Indian affairs for the Territory of Arizona, who has proceeded to San Pedro, Southern California, from whence he will be furnished with s uitable escort and facilities of transportation by the troops under orders for Arizona. I am happy to find that although I had not received at the time a copy of the Secretary's letter of the 10th of July, yet I had taken all necessary measures and given such instructions to commanders of troops in Southern California as will insure the execution of the wishes of the Department. By General Orders, Numbers 13, dated January 14, 1863, Western Arizona was assigned to the Department of New Mexico. This I recommended at the time in order that the commander of that department could advance the troops toward the Rio Grande, then threatened by reported approach of rebel forces.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. WRIGHT,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, December 12, 1863.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY,

Washington, D. C.:

SIR: On the 25th ultimo I received a dispatch from Brigadier-General Alvord, commanding the District of Oregon, informing me that he has been advised by the U. S. consul at Victria that strong suspicions were entertained that a privateer was being fitted out at that place for the purpose of preying upon our commerce in the Northern Pacific. I immediately communicated the facts to Captain T. O. Selfridge, commandant of the navy-yard at Mare Island, earnestly requesting that a steamer be sent to the sound to look after our interests in that quarter. When I addressed my letter to Captain Selfridge I supposed that he was the senior officer on this station, but Commodore Poor being present, the subject of my communication was submitted to that officer. Inclosed herewith is a copy of my letter to Captain Selfridge, dated November 25, 1863; also the replies of Captain Selfridge and Commodore Poor, dated, respectively, on the 26th and 27th of November. * It is very rarely that U. S. vessels cruise to the northward of San Francisco, and when it is recollected that the waters of Puget Sound are 1,000 miles from San Francisco, I most fully concur with the opinion expressed by Captain Selfridge "that there should always be in the harbor of San Francisco a war steamer available for immediate service. " I have no later

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

*See pp. 684, 685, 689.

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