George Wright to Brigadier General Newman S. Clarke, January 26, 1861

SIR: Your letter of the 15th instant, inclosing Orders, No. 1, from the headquarters Department of the Pacific, reached me on the 23d instant. The order has been distributed within the district. For a view of the condition of the troops, the state of the Indian relations, and of the movements in contemplation in the late Department of Oregon, I request that reference may be had to my letters and reports to Army headquarters, copied in the department letter book from page 132 forward. The letter and order books are sent by express by the steamer which conveys this. The condition of the pay, quartermaster, and subsistence departments is exhibited by the accompanying reports of Majors Alvord and Babbitt. The papers likewise for the quartermaster and subsistence departments for the last quarter of 1860, required by paragraph 950, Regulations 1857, are forwarded to the chiefs of those bureaus at Washington through the headquarters of the department, in order to afford the department commander an opportunity to obtain from them such information as they may afford. A copy of the department return for November and an unfinished return for December, on which are consolidated all the posts heard from for December, are inclosed. The department return due from the Department of Oregon for December it is proposed to complete here when Fort Colville and Camp Pickett shall have been heard from. Paymaster Winston’s abstracts for November and December, 1860, are likewise transmitted. Two packages of papers for action of department commander are sent herewith, with explanatory memoranda indorsed. A letter from Lieuber 20 (see letter book, page 222), remains unanswered. It is believed that the arrangement will be satisfactory. I have to mention before closing that I had applied to the Secretary of War for a leave of absence of twelve months before the receipt of Orders, No. 1, from the headquarters Department of the Pacific. I am, sir,

very respectfully, your obedient servant,