Unknown, September 8, 1861

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, U.S. Army, Headquarters Department of the Pacific, San Francisco, Cal.:

SIR: Captain Davidson returned to this place yesterday with his entire command, and leaving Company F, Fourth Infantry, here, proceeded to Los Angeles without visiting Bear and Holcomb Valleys. As I was not advised by department headquarters of the nature of the instructions under which Captain Davidson acted, I cannot of course say whether he carried them out or not. Captain Davidson left my camp with his dragoons and Company F, Fourth Infantry, on the 5th instant with six days’ provisions, and, much to my surprise, returned on the 7th instant, on which latter-mentioned date, I have been informed, some disguised persons fired upon a party en route to the mines in Santa Aña Cañon, killing one man named Stemper, and wounding another named Bogan. A man by the name of Green, a clerk for Sylvester, at Holcomb Valley, and another man named John Fuller, an expressman, are reported as missing. I have been told that Stemper had $1,300 or more in gold dust about his person. The horse of the expressman, Mr. Mogo, of Holcomb Valley, says, has been seen, but Fuller and Green have not yet been heard of. Mr. Mogo is also of the opinion that had Captain Davidson proceeded on to Holeomb Valley he would not have been far from the place where the party was attacked. The depredation is represented to have been committed between 9 and 10 a. m. on the 7th instant between Deer Creek and Trip’s Station, about five miles this side of Deer Creek and seven miles the other side of Trip’s. As Captain Davidson started for Bear and Holeomb Valleys, I regret that he did not visit them, as his party was 125 strong. The mere show of such a force in such places would, in my opinion, have had a beneficial effect.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,