George Wright to Seth Williams, November 5, 1861

Brig. Gen. SETH WILLIAMS, Adjutant-General at Headquarters of the Army, Washington, D. O.:

GENERAL: I have this moment received Major-General MeClellan’s dispatch of the 2d instant, calling for a report of the condition of my troops. 1 have replied briefiy by telegraph as follows: “Troops in good condition. Cavalry regiments full. Infantry regiments filling up. Fifteen companies sent north.” The organization of the volunteer force called for from this State by the War Department will be completed at an early date. The cavalry service is the favorite arm in this country, and both regiments, the first of five and the second of twelve companies, are full. It is confidently expected that the five infantry regiments will be nearly filled up by the Ist of December. The First Infantry is fully organized and is in the southern district of the State. Five companies of the Second and five of the Fourth Infantry have already been sent to Oregon to relieve the regular troops in that State and the Territory of Washington. Four companies of the Third Infantry and one of the Second Cavalry have been sent to relieve the garrisons of Forts Bragg, Seward, Gaston, and Ter-Waw; one company of the Second Cavalry to Fort Crook; two companies of same regiment to Fort Churchill, and one to Benicia Barracks. In the Southern District of California Colonel Carleton isin command. He has his own regiment, First California Volunteer Infantry, and the First Cavalry, a battalion of five companies. Commands have already been sent to relieve the regular troops at Fort Yuma and at San Diego. Colonel Carletou’s intimate knowledge of the southern section of this State makes it of the highest importance that he should remain there in command,

As the War Department specially designated Colonel Carleton to command the First Infantry California Volunteers, originally designed for protection to the overland mail service, I have taken it for granted that if was not intended to withdraw him from the volunteer service, under the instructions from Adjutant-General’s Office of the 3d of October, 1561, Lieutenant-Colonel Cady, of the Seventh Infantry,

Regular Army, is now in command of the District of Oregon, having been sent there by General Sumner to relieve Colonel Beall, of the First Cavalry. The regular troops I shall send East as fast as they reach the coast. Most of them will have sailed by the 1st of December; those from Colville and Walla Walla will not get off quite so soon. Should it be the wish of the Department to send volunteers from this country to the East, I doubt not that the regiments would be filled very promptly. The personnelis not surpassed by any troops we have; all that is required is instruction and discipline.

Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,