George Wright to Lorenzo Thomas, April 30, 1862

Brig. Gen. LORENZO THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: Major Drum is still absent, inspecting the troops at and near Fort Yuma. My latest dates from him are of the 14th instant. It is probable that Colonel Carleton is now at orin advance of Fort Yuma. Colonel Bowie’s Fifth Infantry California Volunteers is concentrating at Fort Yuma as a reserve. Carleton’s movement will sweep the predatory bands of Baylor and Reily out of Arizona and break up their plan of obtaining a foothold in Sonora, and then with the well-appointed force under his command, strengthened, if necessary, by the fine reserve regiment of Bowie, I have no apprehension as to the result in any con. flict with the rebels this side of the Rio Grande. Outwardly everything is quiet in this country, but I know that there are many men on this coast who are traitors at heart, and who are at this moment writhing under the defeats of the rebels. They are harmless now, because so greatly in the minority; but such men require close surveillance. In the southern portion of this State there are more sympathizers with the rebels than anywhere else, and I have now ordered Colonel Forman, of the Fourtb Infantry California Volunteers, now in camp at Sacramento, to proceed by the next steamer to San Pedro with his headquarters and three companies. The colonel will take post at Camp Latham, near Los Angeles, where we have already four companies of the Second Cavalry. It has been my aim not to create any unnecessary alarm in the public mind on this coast, but to watch closely the progress of events and be ever ready to crush any attempt to raise the standard of rebellion on the Pacific. You will observe by my General Orders, No. 17, that I am gradually drawing the cords a little closer around treason.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,