James H. Carleton to D. Buell, U.s. Army, July 31, 1861

Maj. D. ©. BUELL, U.S. Army, Assistant Adjutant-General, San Francisco, Cal. :

MAJOR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 18th instant. It seemed to have been delayed upon the road. I left for San Bernardino on the 24th, and returned thence this morning. I beg respectfully to report that I took many and various measures to learn the political sentiments of the people in that region, and also their sympathies with reference to this party or that, North and South. The population of San Bernardino is about 1,500 souls; 1,000 of these are Mormons. The rest may be made up of some few respectable Americans, of a good many Jew merchants, who control the business of the town, and go with any side that pays best for the time being; and then there follow adroit horse thieves and other unprincipled and desperate men, gathered into that point, as well from other parts of California as from Utah. There is a large sprinkling of this latter class. You can judge of a man whose character is such he could not be tolerated in Utah. Now, the Mormons, whatever their professions, hate us at heart. I append a paper in relation to this people which the general may regard as made up from reliable information. The Jews, as a rule, have no love for us. The outlaws hate, because they fear us. To these latter any change would be congenial which by hook or crook could be made profitable. All but the few respectable Americans would set us at defiance to-morrow if they dared to do so. The Americans seem to be the only ones there who really have principle enough to feel anything like patriotism. I believe the presence there of two or more companies of U. 8. troops would encourage and sustain in their loyalty to the Union all those who yet have reverence for it, would bring back the wavering, and would exercise a wholesome restraint over the treasonable and vicious. A commander there would have to contend against Mormon influences. The county judge is a Mormon, the sheriff is a Mormon, the justice of the peace is a Mormon. In all.ordinary trials the most of the jurymen would be Mormons. You can foresee that the administration of civil law by these officers would continue to be, as it doubtless is now, a farce. Following this idea you can figure at times difficulties between the men of a command and the citizens, and you can figure the results. If some plan could be devised by which these civil officers could be got to perform their duties in good faith, or resign and give place to others who would, or some plan by which the military could exercise more than a negative control, all that section of country might be counted on as for the Union, whatever betide our fortunes in this battle or that, and preSupposing that no sane man doubts how the scales will finally preponderate. There is a place called Agua Mansa, six or seven miles from San Bernardino. It is settled mostly by Spanish people from New Mexico. It contains 600 souls. In the mines (in Holcomb and Bear Valleys), eight hours’ ride from San Bernardino, there are 1,000 men. Of these 200 are said to be in favor of secession. The troops to be stationed at San Bernardino would doubtless exert a wholesome influence over all these. There is another thought in connection with this matter. Should it so happen that troops may be required to oppose enemies coming overland into California by the way of Arizona, those then stationed at San Bernardino would be already three marches from this point (the terminus of the telegraph) in that direction. Should they at any time be required to help fortify and to defend the harbor of San Diego (the most important on this coast after that of San Francisco, as the general well knows), they could in one day be set en route by telegraph and a dragoon express from here. Barley can be bought there at a cent a pound; beef for 5 cents, while all kinds of vegetables, fruit, poultry, &c., are cheap and abundant. The general did not wish persons to suspect the real purpose of my visit. I inclose the copy of a letter written by his Excellency Governor Downey to Mr. Sherman, at San Bernardino.* It arrived in that place before I did. Mr. Sherman may have had more reticence than most political men, for as a rule “to do good by stealth and blush to find it fame” is not their motto. What they do for the people they want the people to know, particularly when they seek the people’s suffrage. 1 mention this to show how these matters go. I inclose a communication from Mr. Sherman in relation to the feeling of the people in that quarter.

All of which is

respectfully submitted.