Geo. S. Evans to Second Cavalry California Volunteers, Commanding, July 5, 1862
HEADQUARTERS OWEN’S RIVER EXPEDITION,
Camp Independence, Oak Creek, Owews River Valley, July 5, 1862.
SIR:
I have the honor to report to the colonel commanding at Camp Latham that I arrived at this point, torty-five miles above the foot of Owen’s Big Lake, on yesterday, July 4, 1862. Immediately upon my arrival I caused a flag-staff to be erected and the old flag with all the stars upon it hoisted to the breeze, with three times three given most heartily by the men, and a salute fired with small-arms, upon which occasion I named this camp Camp Independence. Owen’s River is out of its banks, overflowing the whole valley, and still rising, consequently the country is too boggy for me to travel farther up the river with my teams. I shall, therefore, make this camp my permanentstation during my stay in this valley. In fact, I believe it is about as good a point for a station as Big Pine, twenty miles farther up, where I intended to make my headquarters when I left Camp Latham. Mr. Banuing’s teams are all here; they arrived last night in the night, and have to day been discharged and allowed twelve days in which to return. As I expected they would have to do, they have left 10,000 pounds of freight on the road to be brought up by somebody’s ox teams. Mr. Whipple’s teams have not yet arrived. It is impossible for these teams, either those of Mr. Banning or Mr. Whipple, to get back to Camp Latham in time to load up and bring me the next thirty days’ rations within the sixty days for which I drew rations on starting; hence I send you this by a special messenger, so that you may have notice of the fact and start the provisions for the next thirty days in good time. Mr. Whipple’s teams can be back in time to haul for the second thirty days. It is,as near as I can estimate the distance without measuring it, 250 miles from Camp Latham to this point. By knowing the distance you
can better estimate the price that should be charged for freight. I have most respectfully to ask for instructions relative to the Indian prisoners that I have (the capture of whom I reported to the colonel June 30), what I shall do with them, and how I am to feed them, We. I believe it requires an order from headquarters to allow my acting assistant quartermaster and acting commissary of subsistence to issue rations to them. If so, you will please to attend to the matter by laying the facts before the general commanding the Department of the Pacific. I wish again most respectfully to call the attention of the colonel to the fact that I have but four Government wagons and teams, and that if I should be ordered to return to-morrow or to go anywhere else it would beimpossible for me to move with the limited transportation that I have at my command. {should have at least four more wagons and teams, which would make two for each company, one for the quartermaster’s department and one for the ammunition. Respectfully,
your obedient servant,
Adjutant Fourth Infantry California Volunteers, Camp Latham.