George Wright to Lorenzo Thomas, March 31, 1862

Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. O. :

GENERAL: As the spring opens we have as usual the annually recurring reports of the difficulties with the Indians in the interior. From Fort Churchill I have just sent a detachment of 50 cavalry south about ple in that quarter, and to see that justice is done to the Indians. About two weeks ago a difficulty occurred between four white men and the same number of Indians; the latter were in the search of some horses which they had lost. The result was that the Indians were all killed. Reports from that country represent that the whites were in the wrong; probably they were, but I cannot let the innocent suffer for the guilty. I am compelled to send troops to preserve the peace. The Mono Indians on Owen’s River have always been considered a very harmless and quiet people, but they are numerous and highly excited at this time, and may possibly give us some trouble. I propose to send a squadron of cavalry from Southern California through the Owen’s River district as soon as the mountains are passable. 1 have also reports of murders by Indians some 200 miles north of Carson City, Ney. Ter., and also east of Fort Dalles in the Snake River country but as yet nothing reliable. In the District of Humboldt, Colonel Lippitt, the commander, is in the field with most of his troops making every effort to collect all the Indians, and placing them on the reservations, Independent of our Indian disturbances the country is quiet.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,