Francis J. Lippitt to R. C. Drum, April 16, 1862

, Fort Humboldt, April 16, 1862. Maj. R. ©. DRUM,

MAJOR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a letter from the general commanding the department, dated April 7. I feel much

* Some unimportant matter here omitted.

encouraged by the expression of confidence it contains, and shall do my best to merit a continuance of it to the last. Since my dispatch of April 9 no new outrages by Indians have been reported. Some three or four of them have been killed by the troops and about forty taken prisoners, the greater part of them women and children. I have detachments posted at the most exposed points, and have organized a regular system of escorts and daily expresses between the various posts and this point, by which the most infested routes through the hostile country are kept constantly scoured—a system which brings all of us in constant and rapid communication with each other and affords protection incidentally to the settlements and trains along the routes. But to do this I have had to use up nearly all of Captain Akey’s mounted company (the only one left at this post), leaving him but a handful of men to guard the Indian prisoners and some twenty general prisoners and for all the usual garrison duties. I have just been informed, moreover, of the capture at Fort Gaston of two of the deserters of Company K, Second Infantry California Volunteers, and expected capture of the other seven. They will have to be brought here at once for safekeeping, increasing by so many the number of general prisoners. I therefore hope that my telegraphic request per Weaverville of the 13th instant for one company to be sent to garrison this post will be granted. The company sent should be full and well disciplined. As at present advised, I shall send Lieutenant-Colonel Olney and his command immediately to Fort Gaston, not only to keep the Hoopas and Klamaths in check, but to enforce such severe measures as I may have to adopt there at once. It seems certain that some, if not all, of the Hoopas are engaged covertly in the present hostilities. The Indian killed by Captain Douglas on the 6th instant has been recognized as one of their chiefs.

3 p. m.—An official report has just come in from Captain Johns of the capture of six of the deserters from Company K by Lieutenant Anderson, Company D, Third Infantry California Volunteers, and a detachment of the garrison at Fort Gaston, accompanied by Lieutenant Hubbard, Company K, Second Infantry California Volunteers. Captain Johns gives high praise to the whole party for their zealous exertions, “marching for thirty-six hours without sleep or rest in a severe storm over one of the worst trails in that country.” One of the six escaped, but will probably be recaptured.

April 17.—In regard to the amount of additional force required, I can now speak definitely. Besides the company needed to garrison this post, two other companies will be the minimum force required. These, together with the three now in the field, will suffice to keep the Indians in check, and at the same time to be making some progress in subduing and capturing them. The Indians have virtual possession of the whole country up to within a few miles of the bay. I mean by this that no man would now venture to travel any where beyond this limit without a strong escort, and that all the settlers, except the few to whom I have sent or am sending detachments, have been driven into the bay, as many of them killed as were not able to escape, and their property destroyed. How rapid will be our progress with the re-enforcement now requested it is impossible for me to say, but every addition of force beyond this will, of course, expedite matters proportionally. I wish to be understood as reporting an immediate re-enforcement of three companies (besides Colonel Olney’s command)–one to garrison this post, the other two for the field—to be, in my opinion, indispensable. I have the honor to transmit herewith a description of the site of Fort Lyon, with a sketch of it by Private Skobel, of Company K, Second Infantry California Volunteers, as also post returns from Posts Baker, Lyon, and Anderson.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,