Unknown to R. C. Drum, U. S. Army, March 5, 1862

Maj. R. C. DRUM, U. S. Army, Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Pacific:

MAJOR: In my recent ten days’ tour of reconnaissance I traveled over 175 miles from Van Dusen’s Fork, on the south, to Fort Gaston, on the north. From a point near the Van Dusen I saw the whole country to the south to within twenty miles of Fort Seward, and to the southwest the coast as far down as fifteen miles below Cape Mendocino. The country is more alpine than Switzerland itself, and in its physical conformation perhaps the most extraordinary on the face of the globe,

A ee ee ee ee presenting nothing but abrupt mountain ridges from 1,000 to 2,000 feet high. For hundreds of miles around you will searcely find a level spot twenty yards square. The rivers are narrow streams, with rocky beds, gliding swiftly along the bottom of deep and precipitous cañons; confined between almost perpendicular walls, a few hours of rain or snow thawing suffice to render them impassable. The freshet which carried away the bridge over the Klamath filled the river to the height of 150 feet above its natural level. Three-fourths of the country is covered with dense forests of redwood, pine, and spruce. The open spaces are all on the southerly slopes of the ridges, which are less abrupt than the northerly ones. These openings are all excellent pasture land, sufficient to graze immense numbers of cattle, in which the entire wealth of the inhabitants appears to consist. Indian depredations and murders have caused most of them to be abandoned. The half dozen or so stock owners that have the courage to remain on their ranches lie down with their arms by their sides, and dare not go from their house to their barn without their rifles in hand. Every few miles we came to the ruins of ranch buildings which had been burned by the Indians. But a week before we arrived at Minor’s, on Redwood Creek, his next neighbor had been driven away from his ranch, four miles above, by the Indians, who burned his house and improvements. Thousands of cattle are roaming wild over the hills, their terrified owners not daring to return to look after them. At Angel Camp (only twelve miles from Arcata) we found the settlers in the neighborhood in the greatest alarm. One of them had been shot at the day before by an Indian, and on the very day of our arrival large numbers of Indians were seen all around them. We camped there after dark. At the kindling of our camp-fire a signal gun of alarm was fired by a settler, who took us for Indians. The trail we were upon, which was the direct and principal route from Arcata to Weaverville, had been for some time entirely deserted by the whites for fear of the Indians. You may readily imagine that in this state of things no Indian can show his head anywhere without being shot down like a wild beast. The women and children, even, are considered good game, not only in the mountains but here all around us, where familes who have brought up Indian children (whose parents have been massacred) have to exercise constant watchfulness to prevent their being murdered. The horrible massacre some time since on Indian Island, in this harbor, of some 150 peaceable and friendly Indians, mostly squaws and children, you have no doubt heard of. Public opinion here excused and almost justified the act. Beyond all question, the two proximate causes of the present deplorable state of things are, first, the escape of all the bad and turbulent Indians that were captured some years since by General Kibbe (by a breach of faith, I am assured), and sent down to the Mendocino Reservation. The squaws and children of these Indians were either left behind them or killed or captured from them by the hostile tribes through which they passed on their return. These men, having no longer any domestic ties, have become desperate, and take the lead in all expeditions against the whites. Secondly, the State volunteers’ campaign of last year, which was a mere series of Indian hunts, whose only object was to slaughter, of course. The last act in that bloody drama, the fight at the head of Redwood Creek, did not much tend to prepare the Indians for subjection. The company under Captain Werk was there defeated and driven back with loss. In view of the limited number of troops that can be spared for service in this district, making any combined and extensive movement impossible, the policy I have thought it best to adopt is the establishment of posts, consisting of a single company each, at such points as have the most need of protection, combined with a system of unremitting active operations in the field, the purpose of which will be to capture (without bloodshed, if possible), all the Indians that can be found and bring them into this post, where they will be guarded and subsisted until some disposition of them is made by the department commander. One-half of the effective strength of each company will be constantly in the field with a competent guide, each detachment to be relieved after fifteen days’ duty.

I have selected three sites for posts: One at Neil’s ranch, on the hither side of Van Dusen Fork, nine miles eastward of the head of the South Fork of Yager Creek, and about twenty-eight miles to the eastward of Hydesville. The Indians burned all the buildings on it last year, since which it has been abandoned. The second at Bremer’s ranch, on the northerly side of Mad River, about twenty miles east of Arcata. The third on the north bank of Redwood Creek, a mile or two below Minor’s, about twenty-seven miles northeast of Arcata. Each one of these locations is healthy, has sufficient level ground for buildings and a parade, and plenty. of good water, grass, and wood all the year round. In selecting these sites have had reference to their suitableness for purposes of protection for pivots of operations and to their prompt and easy communication with this post and with each other. On receiving (on the 22d of February) your letter per last steamer, I immediately sent Lieutenant Ustick, Third California Volunteer Infantry, to Fort Seward with a small pack-train of provisions (the post being then entirely out of everything) for the purpose of withdrawing the garrison and the public property, and enabling Lieutenant Davis and the other witnesses for the court-martial to come here. He was delayed several days on the route by the swelling of the streams, but he probably arrived at Fort Seward on the 3d or 4th instant. I should have also immediately dispatched the three companies to establish the new posts but for the wantof transportation. I refer you to Regimental Quartermaster Swasey’s report as to the proceedings that have been taken to overcome this difficulty. Suffice it to say, that since my return from my reconnaissance on the 21st of February not one hour has been lost unnecessarily in putting the troops into the field, and that they will be dispatched as fast as the necessary transportation for their sup plies can be obtained. Judging from information received two more posts will probably, or rather, may, perhaps, be required; one in the neighborhood of Larrabee Creek, south of the Van Dusen, and another on the coast in the neighborhood of Shelter Cove. I cannot speak positively on this point till I have visited these localities in person. I shall pass through that section of country when I visit Fort Bragg, which will be as soon as the court-martial is over; but I have no hesitation in stating that one more company, at all events, will be needed at this post, where in a few days there will be but one company left. There should be always two companies here. First, that there may be a reserve ready to be thrown into the field in case of a sudden emergency, which would be by no means improbable if the Indians should band together in large numbers; secondly, because the Indians to be sent in here will require a very strong guard, not so much to keep them from escaping as to protect them from the Indian-killing whites that are but too numerous about here. I therefore respectfully recommend that one more company may be sent here as soon as the convenience of the public service will admit. The location of Fort Gaston, in Hoopa Valley, is such as to render it the most important post in this district,

ve a overawing and holding in check, as it does, the warlike and influential Hoopa tribe, which can turn out its 400 warriors in the valley, and in forty-eight hours 400 more from its allies on the Klamath, and holding in check also, indirectly, through this tribe the thousands of Indians in Del Norte and Klamath Counties. Captain Johns has but forty-six men in his company. This number might suffice as long as no change takes place in the existing state of things; but if anything should occur which should incite the Indians there to hostilities, the present garrison would be entirely too small. I therefore recommend, as a measure of prudence, that Captain Johns’ company should be recruited up to its maximum standard as soon as possible. Since my arrival here I have had no report from Fort Ter-Waw, and, in fact, have had no news concerning the garrison there whatever. Captain May’s replies to my official communications to him, forwarded by the way of Crescent City, have probably miscarried. The direct route from here to Fort Ter-Waw, which is along the coast, has been impassable the whole winter. I had intended to visit it on my late tour, by descending the Trinity and Klamath Rivers from Fort Gaston, but owing to unexpected difficulties in the route, I arrived at Fort Gaston three days later than I had expected, and unless I returned here immediately I should have been too late to receive and answer the dispatches from your headquarters.

March 10, the steamer has just returned from San Francisco and brought a number of dispatches from department headquarters. By the last steamer I had the honor to solicit another or a further detail for the general court-martial already ordered at this post. If the court is to sit with its present detail it would cause great inconvenierce to the service. Of the six members of the court in the district three are the three company officers of Company F, Second California Volunteer Infantry (Captain Douglas, Lieutenants Flynn and Johnson), which company is now just commencing military operations against the Indians in the field, and the judge-advocate, Lieutenant Hubbard, of Company K, Second California Volunteer Infantry, is with his company, which is also in the field. Meanwhile the state of discipline in Captain Akey’s company, and which alone I have retained at this post on account of the court-martial, is such as to require the mutineers to be tried as soon as possible. The witnesses are now expected down from Fort Seward every day. Rather than call in officers from active duty in the field I shall wait two weeks longer till the arrival of the next steamer from below, hoping that it will bring another detail for the court. The three members of the court remaining at this post are Lieutenants Swasey and Hanna and myself. The three officers of Captain Akey’s company are Captain Akey, First Lieutenant Daley (now in arrest under charges), and Lieutenant Davis, now on his way from Fort Seward and the principal witness for the prosecution. At Fort Gaston the officers are Captain Johns, First Lieutenant Anderson, and Second Lieutenant Myers (Company D, Third California Volunteer Infantry). The order convening the court directed that no other charges than those already presented should be tried by the court. I respectfully request that some action be taken in regard to the charges subsequently forwarded, including those against Private Janson, Company K, Second California Volunteer Infantry, herewith inclosed. Captain Stuart, with Company G, of my regiment, has arrived here in the steamer en route for Fort Ter-Waw to relieve, he informs me, the company already there. This change in my command is, of course, perfectly agreeable to me, but it has caused me some surprise, having received no official notice of it.

Captain Stuart not having brought with him any provisions or ammu.: nition, and not knowing whether any supplies will be found at Crescent City or Fort Ter-Waw, I have caused a supply of thirty days’ rations to be issued to him by Acting Commissary of Subsistence Swasey, and 1,000 rounds of ball cartridge to be turned over to him by Captain Ketcham, Third California Volunteer Infantry, whose command is expected to leave here every hour.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,