place. A detachment of this company has been ordered to Camp Gilmore, and Lieutenant Delany, Company I, has been assigned to the command. Company H will at once proceed to Fort Gaston, and will constitute the permanent garrison of the post. As trhere is but one commissioned officer with each of the above companies, I respectfully request that others be assigned to them, if deemed advisable by the general commanding.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. G. WHIPPLE,

Lieutenant Colonel First Battalion Mountaineers, California Vols., Commanding Humboldt Military District.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, December 21, 1863.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY,

Washington, D. C.:

SIR: Independent of our Indian difficulties, peace and quiet reign throughout this department, and it is only in the District of Humboldt, embracing the northwestern portion of this State, that hostilities between the whites and Indians has assumed such a character that nothing but the entire extremination of the latter or their removal from the district will bring about a peace. Fort two years past a constant war has raged between the whites and Indians. During all that time I have had at least one entire company at various points for the protection of the settlers, and capturing and bringing in many Indians, all of whom were tranferred to superintendent of Indian affairs, and place upon someone of the reservations in the district. But it has been found impossible to keep them there; soon they would escape and return to their old haunts. This has been the round of events with those Indians for more than two years past, and I am fully satisfied that the only way is to remove them entirely out of that country beyond the possibility of their getting back. There is an island off then coast of the southern portion of this State which could be converted into an Indian reservation. It is called Catalina, and situated about twenty miles to the westward of San Pedro, in latitude 23 deg. 26 min. 23 sec. north and longitude 118 deg. 28 min. 50 sec. west. The island is about twenty miles in length, well wooded and watered, with sufficient available ladn for gardering purposes, with a fine and perfectly land-locked harbor, with a sufficient depth of water for ordinary coasting vesels. The island abounds with goats, has paturage for a large number of animals, and fish in any quantity can be taken from the surrounding waters. With all these advantages, I consider it the most eligible location for an Indian rservation that can be found on this coast. Had the island been made a reservation two years ago I believe that by this time I could have placed on it every Indian Indian in the Humbo, ldt District, and thus relieved our troops in that quarter from the hard service they have undergone in the prosecution in that quarter from the hard service they have undergone in the prosecution of hostilities and the Government from a heavy expenditure of money. I would most respectfully submit to the Government this plan of colonizing the Indians in California. I have ordered a company of infantry from Camp Drum, New San Pedro, to cross over and take possession of the island, establishing a post at the head of the harbor.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. WRIGHT,

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