Unknown to R. C. Drum, U. S. Army, February 26, 1862

Maj. R. C. DRUM, U. S. Army, Assistant Adjutant-General, San Francisco, Cal. :

MAJOR: You will see by my letter to Major Fergusson, commanding at Camp Carleton, that 1 ordered the arrest of a noted secessionist in that vicinity named Calvin M. Chriswell, the man whom the soldier knocked down last fall for proposing the health of Jefferson Davis, «ce. With the generals approval I will send him to Fort Yuma. His arrest

894. OPERATIONS ON THE PACIFIC COAST. (CHap. LXI.

seems to have had a salutary effect on other secessionists at San Bernardino (see Major Fergusson’s letter of the 20th instant). I inclose herewith invoices of the effects transferred to Lieutenant-Colonel Eyre by the different members of Showalter’s party. As the Government is responsible for these animals and arms, and is obliged to feed the animals, I am now using and shall continue to use them in the public service. You will see by Major Rigg’s letter of the 20th of February that he has in confinement one John Kilbride, who would not take the oath of allegiance. I beg to know the general’s wishes as regards this man. You will see by my letters to Major Rigg, to Colonel West, to Major Fergusson what I have directed those officers to do. We have just experienced another long rain-storm, which has made the country a quagmire again. The strong secession force in Arizona having dwindled down from 1,200 to 12, I have but little anxiety about the southeastern frontier. No barley can be bought here, so that I am obliged to depend on San Francisco for all the animals of the First Cavalry, the artillery, and the quartermaster’s mules. To be sure that some will be sent down at once, not only to meet the great demands here, but to be on hand for a forward movement, I beg you will give the necessary orders to have it sent at once. As long as the country remains in its present miry condition, if we had all the transportation needed we could not move. You can form no conception about the horrible condition of the roads. You see what Major Rigg says of those guns. Either Holladay and Flint, or Robinson, or all of them should themselves be sent to Yuma. Captain Cremony informs me that four of his best men, i. e., Privates Swan, Carroll, Wilson, and Haskins, of Company B, Second Cavalry, were taken out of his company by Colonel Sims’ order for the band. The captain says they are fine soldiers, and as his company is now small, and will perhaps be required for immediate field service, he desires to get them back. Pray order them down on the next boat, as you know it is more important to have those men here than to have them at Camp Alert. Other musicians can doubtless be enlisted at San Francisco. I send inclosed herewith my action on letter from Colonel West, stating that Company A, First Infantry California Volunteers, had refused to drill with knapsacks.* I think it would be a good . example if the general would order all the men at Camp Wright who refuse to obey this order forthwith discharged the service. You will see by the correspondence that Colonel West still has some of them in confinement.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,