George Wright to A. Murdock, Esq, April 19, 1862

©. A. MuRDOCK, Esq., Arcata, Humboldt County, Cal. :

SIR: I have received your communication of the 9th instant, with a copy of the resolutions passed at a meeting of the citizens of Arcata convened on the 2d. I assure you that the state of our Indian affairs in the District of Humboldt has received my most serious consideration. I have an officer in command there in whom I place the highest confidence. 1 have sent him instructions to prosecute the campaign against those Indians with the greatest vigor, and to hang on the spot all who have been engaged at any time in hostilities. To-day I have sent up by steamer Oregon Lieut. Col. James N. Olney, with 150 men of Colonel Lippitt’s regiment. With this addition to his force I am in hopes that the colonel may be able to bring the campaign to a successful termination. Should we be able to collect those Indians the question then comes up—what shall we do with them? Just before receiving your letter I was writing to the War Department on this very subject, in which I observed that those Indians could not be kept on reservations near their old homes; that they would run back to their native wilds in spite of guards, and the only way which occurred to me was to place them on some of the islands near this coast. The sixth resolution of your meeting confirms me in what I had already stated to the War Department.

With great respect, your most obedient servant,