Unknown to His Excellency JoHN G. DOWNEY, March 12, 1861

His Excellency JoHN G. DOWNEY, Governor of California, Sacramento, Cal. :

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency’s letter of the 11th instant on the subject of the depredations of the Indians in the Coast Range, from Mendocino to Humboldt and Trinity, and asking if a sufficient force can be sent to afford protection to the lives and property of the citizens of that region. I beg leave to observe that three companies have been permanently stationed in that region for the protection of the population, viz, one at Humboldt, one at Camp Bragg, and another at Fort Gaston. Since the perpetration of the outrages complained of detachments have been sent out from Humboldt, embracing the whole company, to range as far as the scattered condition of the people will admit in front of the settlements for their protection and the chastisement of predatory Indians. A detachment of the company stationed at Camp Bragg has been some time at the Round Valley Reservation, and I will to-day order the remainder of the company in two parties into the field, and also the company at Fort Gaston, divided in parties of suitable strength, to commence ranging with the same object and with like instructions. This force of about

Colonel Second Cavalry and Brevet Brigadier-General.