HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF VANCOUVER,
Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter., December 12, 1864.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY,

Washington, D. C.:

SIR: My object in this communication is respectfully to request that the Secretary of War will appoint Second Lieutenant W. I. Sanborn, First Washington Territory Infantry, my aide-de-camp, assistant adjutant-general for the volunteer service. He has been on my staff since June last, a large portion of the time acting assistant adjutant-general at these headquarters. He has discharged the duties in a faithful, prompt, and efficient manner. He is a native of Massachusetts, is an intelligent young officer of high promise, pure character and habits, and an ardent supporter, from choice and conviction of the present Administration. I was appointed a brigadier-general in April 1862, and no assistant adjutant-general has yet been appointed at my request. I think the District of Oregon entitled to one, and will respectfully urge the appointment as one eminently proper to be made for service in this section of country. Last spring I recommended that Lieutenant J. W. Hopkins should receive said appointment. He has since withdrawn his application for said appointment and seeks the appointment of captain and commissary of subsistence for U. S. Volunteers. I hope he will get it as he merits it. It has been customary for general officers to have the nomination of an assistant adjutant-general. Therefore I must urge and respectfully request the War Department to give such an appointment to Lieutenant Sanborn. It must be remembered that this district embraces all of old Oregon, the country west of the Rocky Mountains north of California, fast filling up with whites, and every day increasing in commerce and importance.

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

BENJ. ALVORD.

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

(Letters of same date to Honorable G. H. Williams, Senator-elect from Oregon, and Honorable S. Foot, U. S. Senate, requesting them to urge the appointment above referred to.)

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS, DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA.

Sacramento, December 13, 1864.

Major CHARLES McDERMIT,

Second California Cavalry, Commanding Fort Churchill:

MAJOR: The general commanding desires that you direct the officer sent in command of the troops to Owen's River Valley to make it his special duty to see that the whites do not take it upon themselves to inaugurate hostilities with the Indians, and protect inoffensive Indians.

Respectfully,

E. D. WAITE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

SAN FRANCISCO, December 14, 1864.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL:

No answer yet received to telegram of Governor Low and myself to Secretary of War, of November 30, about leave for Major Van Voast