Ben. Cutler to George W. Bowie, May 22, 1862

Col. GEORGE W. BOWIE, Fifth Infantry California Volunteers,

COLONEL: The colonel commanding the Column from California directs me to say to you that he will be much obliged if you will endeavor to have a good supply of hay placed at once at Gila City and Mission Camp. There is no hay at those points, and without it the teams passing over the road will be broken down. Could you not make arrangements with Mr. Yager or some other responsible person to contract to place the hay at the points designated, at least five tons at each point? The colonel commanding directs me also to say to you that Francis’ train left Fort Barrett for Fort Yuma on the 21st, and that at least by the return trip of that train to Fort Barrett he will require Major Rigg to come forward with Company G, First Infantry California Volunteers, and perhaps Captain Thayer’s company of the Fifth Infantry. The colonel commanding the column suggests that in order to keep the animals in good heart on the road they should be fed most liberally while at Fort Yuma. Any quartermaster attached to this expedition will receipt to your quartermaster for all forage fed to the animals over and above the regulation allowance, as a quartermaster in the field can make his accounts balance at points where he cannot feed the full allowance himself.

very respectfully, your obedient servant,