Today in History:

781 Series I Volume L-II Serial 106 - Pacific Part II

Page 781 Chapter LXII. CORRESPONDENCE-UNION AND CONFEDERATE.


SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DISTRICTOF HUMBOLDT, Numbers 13.
Camp near Fort Gaston, Cal., March 6, 1864.

I. Captain Pico's company (A), Native California Cavalry, will proceed to-morrow morning to and take post at Camp Curtis, and report to the commanding officer of the same for duty, acting as escort on the route to train returnign to Arcata; also as a guard to such Indian prisoners as the commanding officer of Fort Gaston may have to send to Fort Humboldt, Cal.

II. Sergeant Leon and nine privates of Captain Pico's company will remain for the present on detached service at Fort Gaston, Cal.

III. The commanding officer at Fort Humboldt, Cal., will receive such Indian prisoners as may be sent from time to time, issuing to same the bread and meat portion of army rations.

IV. The acting assistant quartermaster at Fort Gaston will furnish the necessary transportation.

By order of Colonel Black:

JAMES ULIO,
First Lieutenant and Adjutant Sixth Infty. California Vols., Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS,

Fort Walla Walla, Wash. Ter., March 6, 1864.

ACTING ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Hdqrs. Districtof Oregon, Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter.:

SIR: Your communication of the 26th ultimo, advising me of the contemplated movement of troops from this post, reached me on the evening of the 3rd instant. Everything will be done here that it is practicable to accomplish to put Captain Currey's command properly in the field. The means of tranpsortation on hand is, however, so limited that what we can spare beyond the requirements of the psot will not suffice for the expedition. I inclose herewith a tabular statement of the whole available means of transportation, furnished me by Lieutenant Cabanis. * The condition of the articles is also represented, and the number of each that we shall require for the use of the post. We can furnish ninety-nine pack animals but have so little pack furniture that it is scarcely worht taking into account. I have examiend the wagons and aparejos to-day carefully, and find that a snumber of the former reported as unserviceable can be put in good repair. The aparejos are those e that have been on hand at this post ever since Major Kirkham had charge of the quartermaster's department. The whole lot was reported unserviceable last year, but for fear the new ones ordered for Colonel Maury's expedition would not arrive in time, about 136 of them were put in some sort of condition, and were used by him, and truned in on his return in the fall. They have been reapired over and over again, and have seen such hard service that they are not now worth the expense and laborof any further repairs. The leather is rotten and will not hold when sewed, and the under surface that should be soft, smoth, and even is hard and wrinkled. There are probably be soft, smmoth, and even is hard and wrinkled. There arepboably twenty or twenty-five that can be put in tolerable order, but certainly not more, and even these will prove costly. The new aparejos (100) alluded to above did arrive too late for colonel Maury's expedition, and are, I am informed, stored at Fort Lapwai. These, however, may be wanted at that post, if as is reported a command will be fitted out there to explore

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*Omitted.

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Page 781 Chapter LXII. CORRESPONDENCE-UNION AND CONFEDERATE.