Chap. Lxi1. Correspondenceunion And Confederate. 457 to Sacramento, March 23, 1861, March 23, 1861

SPECIAL ORDERS, WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL’S OFFICE,
March 23, 1861.
No. 86. Washington, March 23, 1861. Brigadier-General Sumner will, without delay, repair to San Francisco and relieve Brevet Brigadier-General Johnston in the command of the Department of the Pacific, whereupon the latter will return to Washington to receive further orders. By order:

SACRAMENTO, March 23, 1861. Brig. Gen. A. S. JOHNSTON, Commanding U. S. Troops in California:

SIR: At the request of several gentlemen from Humboldt County, in this State, I write you in relation to the Indian troubles at present existing in that country. A residence in that part of the State for some years made me familiar with the people, the Indians, and the condition of affairs there generally. From the first settlement of the whites the Indians have been constantly in the habit of killing stock, robbing houses, committing depredations generally, and quite a large number of our citizens have been murdered by them. It has been nothing unusual for them to deprive one of our people of all of his property in a single night. Under such circumstances it is not strange that the whites should become exasperated and take redress into their own hands. Thatregion of country in which is found the sources of Russian River, Eel River, South Fork of Trinity, Mad River, and Cottonwood is exceedingly mountainous, and very difficult of access, affording shelter for a larger number of Indians than can be found in any other portion of this State, and next to the Pitt River Indians they have been the most warlike and troublesome. Indeed, in the early days of the country they had frequent intercourse with each other, and it is not at all improbable that many of the Pitt River Indians have escaped from their own country and are now to be found in Humboldt County. Your knowledge of frontier life and of Indians will at once suggest to your mind the difficulties to be encountered in subduing them, and restoring peace to the settlers. Volunteers have generally been found to be the most efficient for such service, and I cannot too strongly urge on you the necessity of calling on the Governor for a small force of that description, say thirty men, to act in conjunction with the regulars. Mr. R.M. Williams, who will hand you this, is a gentleman who can be relied on implicitly, and he can give you such particular information as you may desire. Prompt action ought to be taken, for if not, L fear we shall soon hear of a general turning out of the whites and massacre of the Indians.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAP. LXI1.] CORRESPONDENCE—UNION AND CONFEDERATE. 457
SACRAMENTO, March 23, 1861,
General A. S. JOHNSTON, U. S. Army,
Commanding Pacific Division:
The undersigned respectfully represent that they have reliable information that for some considerable time past the Indians in the southern portion of Humboldt County have been engaged in hostilities
against the whites, and have killed many citizens of the State and
destroyed property of immense value; that hostilities still exist, and
the lives and property of our neighbors and friends are in continual