R. C. Drum to James H. Carleton, November 16, 1861

No. 214. j San Francisco, Cal., November 16, 1861. * * * * * * *

2. The headquarters of the Third Regiment of California Volunteer Infantry will be established at Benicia Barracks. The companies of this regiment will be placed in camp near the barracks.

By order of Brigadier-General Wright:

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., November 16, 1861. (Received 25th.) Col. JAMES H. CARLETON, Los Angeles, Cal.:

The troops to concentrate at San Diego will sail on the next steamer. Send word to Andrews. By order:

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Hpgrs. DETACH. 1sT REGT. INFTY. CALIFORNIA VOLS., Camp Wright, Warners Ranch, San Diego County, Southern California, November 17, 1861. [Col. JAMES H. CARLETON, First California Volunteers, Commanding : COLONEL: Your letter of the 9th containing instructions in reference to Colonel Andrews’ command was received this morning too late for me to act. I had already given him transportation for his command, and I suppose by this time he has arrived at Los Angeles in person. The train arrived here just in time for him to get it without any delay, and to-day they are all in San Diego. I followed your instructions and discharged Banning’s and Kitchen’s train at once. Your letter received to-day instructed me to take that train and move to Oak Grove or Temecula, but too late—they had gone. I sent on a messenger to Oak Grove, where I knew they would encamp the first night, and requested Mr. Sanford to return here this morning in time to make the return trip, thus not losing time, not feeling authorized, under your positive orders to discharge them at this point, to order or employ them. Mr. Sanford wrote to me that he would very much like to accommodate me and my command, but that his teams could not do it; his animals were worn out; and although he woul: like to accommodate me without extra

charge, but under the circumstances it could not be done. I finally concluded to employ him for one day, and sent Lieutenant Wellman with a proposition to that effect, but on his arrival at Oak Grove the train had gone, and as my instructions to him were not to follow unless he (Sanford) was but a short distance on the road from that point, I have missed the transportation and disarranged your plans, but from no fault of mine, as I conceive. Your orders not to employ, or rather to discharge, their train upon their arrival here, were positive, but the whole cause is the delay of your messenger. He has been nearly five days on the road, and reports having broken down several horses. Your calculation as to the time of arrival here of Colonel Andrews’ command was exact, and twenty-four hours earlier arrival of the express would have found the train here, and our camp would now have been at Oak Grove, just where I want to be at this particular time if the information is correct which I have received from your informant. I will now have to remain here until our own train returns, which will not be before the 20th and perhaps not before the 23d, as it has been raining in torrents for several days. To-day we have had a specimen of the climate on this ranch. While I am writing (9.40 p. m.) the rain is falling in torrents and the wind is whistling through the camp. If we have any tents standing in the morning I will consider ourselves fortunate. It will depend altogether upon the peg ropes and guys. It was reported to me to-day that the messenger stopped, unsaddled, and remained at Oak Grove for three hours. He must have pursued the same course at other places on the route. The horse he brought in here was entirely broken down, and I had to furnish him with another to proceed to Yuma. Your communication of the 15th instant came in this morning early, and as Colonel Andrews’ command has gone on and you have been notified of it I will send him (expressman) back in the morning to Los Angeles. My officers are very busy getting their returns in shape, but without proper blanks it will be difficult for them to have them perfect. I forwarded the post returns to your headquarters a few days since, as well as our weekly return. For several days I had not paper enough in camp to make one out on, and finally had to consolidate. I had sent to Lieutenant Thompson, acting assistant quartermaster, San Diego, several times for some stationery, but he would not send it. I think from the reports of Acting Assistant Quartermaster Vestal, Wagon-master Peale, and Sergeant Wheeling, both he and Captain Roberts were anything but courteous. Major Haller sent me some, which arrived to-day by the ambulance from San Diego. Colonel West sent on the post ambulance with Mrs. Captain Dryer, and as I had no mules for our own I sent it on the San Diego ambulance with her, and by instructions from him will keep it here until I hear from him. I intend to send to Oak Grove a lookout for my friend, Mr. Showalter, and will stop him if I can catch him, or anyone else whom I know to be as deeply dyed a traitor as he is. He has not the excuse that some others have of being born and educated in the South. He is a Penn. sylvanian, and never lived in a Southern State in his life, and could have no sympathies of a family nature to excuse him, and I want to see him and a few more. If the party is as large as your informant thinks it is we may have an opportunity to expend some extra cartridges. I have an Indian prisoner here that I would like to have some disposition made of or receive some instructions in regard to him. He has killed several Indians lately, and the chiefs in council decided to hand him over to me for safe-keeping until they could hear from the superintendent of Indian affairs. I addressed a letter to Mr. Baker, supervisor of Indian affairs for the southern district, located at Los Angeles, but

Cuar. LX11.] CORRESPONDENCE—UNION AND CONFEDERATE. 7129

have not heard from him. I would like to know from you what disposition to make of him. The Indians have heretofore tried their own people, but they have learned that they have a new chief, and respectfully submit the case to him. At all events, I would like to be advised whether I should hand him back to his people for trial, or what to do with him. I was interrupted by a cry, “The hospital tent is down !” and found it partially true. By lashing and tying it was kept from coming down. We have had a stormy night of it. The guard tents have blown down. Officers’ tents, kitchen tents, tent in which I had the ammunition, and a number of others were laid to the ground. It was a gale, and the rain came down in torrents. I think that I have never seen it rain harder. Our tents were all full of water. The men were cheerful and worked hard all night. The morning broke with but little change, excepting it did not rain so hard. The hills all around us are covered with snow. Ice was formed on our tents and ropes. We have had really a specimen of the weather I had reason to expect. I cannot get away from here until our train comes up. We managed to keep our sick from the weather by using all the blankets we could find, the men cheerfully going without themselves. As they were out all night and wet they had no use for them. It continues raining and hailing, but with less wind. We are preparing for another stormy night. It is impossible for the company officers to have all the returns ready that you require by this messenger. Their tents are wet, and writing or ruling is almost out of the question. I have directed them to forward to you letters of explanation. I hope this storm will blow over soon, or we will be in a bad fix. I called your attention in a former letter to you to Jones, of Company D, against whom charges were preferred by Lieutenant Martin.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, .