SAN FRANCISCO, September 24, 1864.

COMMANDING OFFICER AT FORT MILLER,

Millerton:

Troops at Fort Miller have been ordered to the Presidio to be mustered out.

R. C. DRUM,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF OREGON,
Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter., September 24, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel R. C. DRUM,

Asst. Adjt. General Hdqrs. Dept. of the Pacific, San Francisco, Cal.:

COLONEL: On the 21st instant I sent to you a telegram to this effect: "The superintendent of Indians recommends the abandonment of Fort Hoskins. I concur. Shall I issue the order?" Your reply of yesterday giving assent has been received. I had a conference a few days since with J. W. P. Huntington, esq., superintendent of Indian affairs for Oregon, and he agrees with me that Fort Hoskins can be abandoned. Captain L. S. Scott's company (D), Fourth California Volunteers, is now distributed between Fort Hoskins, the Siletz block-house, and Fort Yamhill. The company will be reduced next month by the discharge of thirty-five men. The Indians are all gathered in the vicinity of Fort Yamhill and the Siletz block-house. Fort Hoskins was only useful to protect the settlements from the Indians. There is little or no danger now of any uprising of the Indians. They can be fully controlled by the other posts. I intended to have mentioned the subject to the major-general commanding when he was here, but it escaped me. I shall place Captain Scott at Fort Yamhill, and leave as usual a detachment of a subaltern and twenty or twenty-five men at the Siletz block-house, and a sergeant of the company at Fort Hoskins to look after the public property. I embrace the opportunity of ordering Surg. E. Y. Chase, U. S. Volunteers, to repair to San Francisco, as provided in Special Orders, Numbers 135, of 21st of June, 1864, from departments made on the abandonment of Fort Hoskins. *

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BENJ. ALVORD,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding District.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF OREGON,
Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter., September 24, 1864.

Captain H. C. SMALL,

In the Field, near Camp Watson, Oreg.:

CAPTAIN: A letter from Captain Calwell recommends the creek near the Mountain House as the best site for the establishment of your post. The general commanding directs that you visit that place and select whatever site you shall deem the best. The general confides in your judgment, desiring that all proper care be taken in selecting a point suited to defend the Canyon City road against the incursions of

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*Omitted, with the exception of paragraphs I and XI, for which see p. 986.

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