band of the hostile Bannocks were almost totally annihilated, 120 having been killed. To withdraw troops from these distant posts this winter and to abandon the campaign in Arizona, concerning which so much expectation has been excited and on which so many interests and so many lives depend, would be very disastrous to the country, and I trust it may not be done. Next year I hope and believe it may be done if a regiment of cavalry shoud, in the meantime, be sent out.

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

IRVIN McDOWELL,

Major-General, Commanding Department.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE PACIFIC, San Francisco, Cal., December 8, 1865.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,
Commanding Armies of the United States, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: In compliance with your directions, I inclose herewith maps of the Department of California and the Columbia, on which are marked the several post at present occupied by troops of this military division. The following remarks are submitted by way of explanation:

COAST DEFENSES.

I presume that it is the wish of the Government to have the fortifications on the seacoast occupied with some kind of garrisons, however small they may be. I shall therefore keep garrisons in the several forts in the Bay of San Francisco and at the mouth of the Columbia River. There is at that present time a company of artillery at San Diego for the purpose of enforcing our neutrality laws. When the Mexican difficulty shall be solved there will be no necessity for a garrison at that place; at least not until the harbor is fortified. At Wilmington, Los Angeles County, a very large and expensive depot and barracks have been established. I can perceive no good reason for the enormous expense which have been incurred at that place; but as the establishment exists, it will probably be best to keep it up till some other base for supplying the troops in Arizona is determined on. This will be discussed in another place.

Until the boundary question in regard to San Juan Island is definitely settled it will be necessary to keep a garrison at that place. A company of artillery is now stationed there. There is also a small garrison at Fort Steilacoom. Forts Towsend and Bellingham are without garrisons. The territory bordering Puget Sound is now so thickly settled by the whites that no danger is apprehended from Indian depredations, except in canoes from the British Possession on the north. These parties usually land at places distant from any military post, commit their robberies and murders, and are off in their canoes before their presence is known to the garrisons, which have no means of pursuing them by water. To prevent these depredatiobe a small naval steamer kept cruising in the straits and sound.

I respectfully that the attention of the Navy Department be called to the necessity of this precaution. I see no use of military posts on these waters except at points where permanent fortifications are to be established. Probably the points to be do defended are Port Discovery, Point Defiance, Deception Passage, and perhaps Admiralty