Batteries do not belong to the Quartermaster-General's Department, and it could not reasonably be inferred that the Quartermaster-General was interfering with affairs so well known to be under the charge of another branch of the service. So far as that circular is concerned, it clearly gave Captain Winder no authority. As to the motives which actuated Captain Winder I do not believe them to have been in any degree whatever of the character imputed to him. He is an officer of intelligence and would not, if he intended to be disloyal, have acted so openly and undisguisedly as he did. I think his motive was one of pride and interest in his important command, and a desire to have himself and the community have pictures of the place. He referred them to the engineer in charge of the work, Captain Elliot, and to Colonel De Russy, senior engineer officer in the harbor. They found nothing objectionable in his having them taken and made public. I quite agree with them. I see nothing in any of them that I have seen that would be of any comfort to an enemy. As to Captain Winder's condcut under General Wright, I send herewith a letter from the general on the subject, and I take the occasion to say I do not question the loyalty of Captain Winder. * I have relieved him from the command of Alcatraz and stationed him at Point San JOse at his own request.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant

IRVIN McDOWELL,

Major-General, Commanding Department.

CAMP BABBITT, Near Visalia, Cal., December 3, 1864.

Colonel R. C. DRUM.,

Assistant Adjutant-General, San Francisco, Cal:

SIR: In accordance with orders from headquarters Department of the Pacific, I have the honor to make the following report relative to the Indians in Owen's River Valley; I found Indian supplies in the valley not good, and the most of the Indians had left for the mountains. The Indian agent invited them to come in. Sixteen came and made the following report: They said they had been maltreated by the whites in various ways. To use their own language, they said Americans no good men. Hire Indian, and not pay him according to agreement. I learned from Mr. Maloney, one of the present proprietors of Camp Independence that the settlers of the valley were in the habit of sending to the Tule River Reservation for Indians to come and work for them and when they would get them there decline paying them, and after a certain length of time drive them from their claims and cabins without pay or allowance. The Indians said they would retaliate and drive the whites out of the valley. From what I could learn from the best authority (white settlers), I find that unless troops are sent there the whites will have to leave the upper portion of the valley, as all the men connected with mining in White Mountain and vicinity had to leave on account of the Indians, supposed to be Captain Joaquin's party, composed of Pi-Utes and Owen's River Indians, and they are determined (so say peaceable Indians) to drive the whites out of the valley. From conversation with Indians left in the valley we were informed that all the Indians capable of doing duty as warriors left for the mountains, leaving those that could not fight to take care of themselves. These Indians say they will go to Tule River Reservation if

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*See Wright to Drum, October 8, p. 1006.

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