A. L. Anderson to R. M. Morris, June 25, 1861

Santa Fé, N. Mex., June 25, 1861. Capt. R. M. Morris, Commanding Officer, Fort Craig, N. Mex. :

SIR: For the purpose of strengthening your post and enabling you to furnish escorts of sufficient strength for publie property that may be sent to Fort Fillmore and other posts in the South, a requisition has been made upon the governor of the Territory for one company of mounted and one company of foot volunteers, to be mustered into the service of the United States at Fort Craig.

Mr. Robert H. Stapleton, who lives near your post, will beauthorized by the governor to raise the mounted company. Col. M. E. Pino, appointed by the President to the command of the Second hegiment of New Mexican Volunteers, will designate the foot company. The mounted company will be mustered into the service as an independent company and for the period of three months. The foot company will be one of the companies of the Second Regiment, and will be mustered in for three years, unless sooner discharged. The organization in both cases will be the minimum prescribed by General Orders (War Department), No. 15, of 1861. You are charged with the duty of organizing, inspecting, and mustering these companies into the Service, and you will be governed in this duty by the instructions of the War Department of June 12, 1848, as modified by General Orders (War Department), Nos. 15 and 25, of 1861, and the General Regulations of 1857. y

It is supposed that a copy of the instructions above referred to will be found with your company records. For fear that it should not, extracts that relate to the muster into the service will be sent to you. The General Orders, Nos. 15 and 25, are inclosed herewith. There are no blank muster rolls on hand, and it will be necessary to muster on

manuscript rolls. A form is sent herewith. The oath of allegiance to –

the Government.of the United States must be taken by all who enter the service, and the refusal to take it will be an absolute cause of rejection. The oath of the commissioned officers of the company will be attested by a civil magistrate and sent to this office by the mustering T x B

officer. To the non-commissioned officers and men it will be administered as prescribed by the instructions of 1848, paragraph 104. . AS soon as mustered, these companies will be armed and equipped

for immediate service. Arms, ammunition, and camp and garrison equipage will be issued upon requisitions approved by you, but no clothing will be issued without further orders. If you have not on hand a sufficiency of camp equipage (tents, axes, spades, camp-kettles, and mess pans), you will make your requisitions upon the department quar_termaster at Albuquerque, who will be instructed to fill them without reference to department headquarters.

The mounted company will be armed with rifles and the foot com- .pany with muskets. The arms for this purpose and the necessary ammunition have been ordered to be sent you from the depot at Fort obtain for temporary use the arms in the possession of the volunteers in

. the neighborhood of your post, to be returned when the regular supply is received. A list of these will be sent to you herewith.

The action of the State of Texas and of the people of the Mesilla Valley make it necessary that your post should be strengthened, so as to enable you to keep open the communication with the posts in the South. Yourown company, the company (F) of the Seventh Infantry, and the two companies of volunteers will probably be sufficient for this purpose.

Your views in relation to this are invited, bearing in mind that strong escorts will be required for all trains going South, and that it is known privately that a movement against New Mexico is being organized at Fort Bliss, and, if not frustrated, will take place soon after the Texan troops reach that post. They are expected about the first of next month. :

By direction of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Canby:

Very respectfully, &c.,