Edwin A. Rigg to James H. Carleton, February 15, 1862

Col. JAMES H. CARLETON, Commanding District of Southern California, Los Angeles, Cal. :

COLONEL: Captain McCleave has just arrived from Camp Carleton by the San Bernardino route and reports his detachment of thirty men at Pilot Knob. He came up himself for rations and barley and returned again to-night. They will be in in the morning. He is accompanied by your express, by whom I have received your communications of February 9. Your instruction in reference to him will be complied with strictly. I also received a communication from you, dated February 8, by Captain McCleave. Captain McCleave reports Lieutenant Harvey having been taken sick and sent back. I had made up my correspondence when Captain McCleave arrived here, in which you will find copies of letters from Mr. Ammi White, also Mr. Warner.* It seems from their communications that a diversion has taken place in consequence of the re-enforcements at Fort Craig. You will also please find report of Sergeant Wheeling in reference to the hay cut above Gila City. I would add, in addition to that, that twenty more tons could be cut at the same place. Mr. Yager reports to-night having twenty tons of hay at Pilot Knob, and will commence hauling to Cooke’s Wells on Monday. He is now unable to place any barley on the desert, unless he had time to get it from San Francisco and haul it out from here; or he will haul from here for Government at 14 cents per pound to Cooke’s Wells, and 23 cents to the Alamo. Beef he will furnish from Warner’s ranch or Camp Wright to Fort Yuma, killing every night, for 11 cents ‘per pound, contract price at this post, and also furnish what beef you would require here at the usual contract price, 11 cents per pound. He will furnish beef cattle to you on foot, for use on your way up the Colorado River, for $25 per head, weighing from 250 to 400 pounds, in any quantity from 25 to 200 head. He cannot kill on that route at a reasonable price, because he has not force enough to drive them. He will require fifteen days’ notice to have any number over fifty head delivered here. Since the high water he says that cattle inside have enhanced so much in price that he cannot, as before proposed, furnish them for $22.50 per head. In consequence of the overflow here he has lost a great many cattle. Mr. Rhodes has sold out to him his stock. He also lost a number of his cattle by the flood. The general court-martial has not yet adjourned. They are waiting for the charges (approved) from headquarters, but a few of them have been sent here. I wrote to the commander of the district informing him of their not being here by the express which left here on the morning of the 5th of February. Lieutenant MacGowan has not been tried, consequently I will release him in the

morning, as instructed. I will send to headquarters of the district the amount of military stores on hand, also subsistence, forage, hospital stores, and means of transportation. The colonel will find by my letter, which was already written, that the howitzers are all now serviceable. We, however, require sponges, rammers, «c., a requisition for which I forwarded last month. I have had the men practicing with a few sheil and blank cartridges, but not knowing whether thus expending ammunition would be approved of by the commanding officer, I expended but little in that way. We have no material here for making cartridges, nor is there any on the river. I have lately practiced the command in firing with blank cartridges in battalion—by companies, by rank, by file, and by battalion. I deem it of great importance to have them load and fire with cartridges; accustoming them to their use. Ifound that it was absolutely necessary to do so, to have them become familiar with their use and to give them confidence and steadiness. In reference to grass for grazing, plenty can be had within from eight to twenty miles of the post for 200 head of horses. As soon as Captain McCleave’s animals are rested I will have him examine it personally. I have no fears of being surprised at the post, and will hold it to the last extremity against any force that may be brought against it. With the force now here and the guns in order, we can give any force that can come against us suddenly a warm reception,

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,