Joseph R. West to David Fergusson, January 15, 1862

Maj. DAVID FERGUSSON, First Cavalry California Volunteers, Camp Wright, Cal.: MAJOR: Your two communications of the 11th and one of the 12th instant have been received. Your troubles in regard to forage appear to arise from the fact of your having certain animals at your post which can be sent to other localities without detriment to the service. The nature of your difficulties may be so changed by improved weather ere you receive this as to make it imprudent for me to give you any positive

PN EAN eet orders for their relief, with the exception of this one—that your camp must not be moved from its present site until all other means fail. In that you must exercise your judgment for self-protection. On receipt of the present, if the difficulties in regard to forage still exist, I would suggest to you to send Lieutenant Wellman with that portion of his detachment which belongs to Company B, First Cavalry, to San Bernardino; also to send the detachment belonging to Company C, First Cavalry, to Camp Latham. This will relieve you of the horses. After retaining two teams for camp purposes you had better send the balance of your train to San Bernardino also. But you will not send either the train or the cavalry to San Bernardino until you get information from the commanding officer at Camp Carleton that they can be supported at that point. I send an express to Colonel Eyre to-night directing him to communicate with you on the subject without delay. Should he þe unable to forage the animals, then you may resort to the removal to Temecula, or to such other means of relief as your judgment may dictate. It is out of my power to relieve your wants of trousers for your men, as there are none in the district. Neither are there any means of sending you stationery at present. l Yours,

very respectfully,