Today in History:

433 Series I Volume L-I Serial 105 - Pacific Part I

Page 433 Chapter LXII. CORRESPONDENCE- UNION AND CONFEDERATE.

ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEAPRTMENT OF THE PACIFIC, Numbers 1.
San Francisco, January 15, 1861.

The arrival of Bvt. Brigadier General Albert S. Johnston completes the arrangements contemplated in General Orders, Numbers 10, of November 22, 1860, headquarters of the Army. The Deaprtments of California and Oregon are merged into one department. The general assumes command of the Deaprtment of the Pacific.

By command of Brigadier-General Johnston:

W. W. MACKALL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, January 15, 1861.

Colonel G. WRIGHT,

Ninth Infantry, U. S . Army,

Commanding Dist. of Oregon, Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter.:

COLONEL: By direction of Brigadier-General Johnston I transmit the order* by which he assumes command of the Deaprtment of the Pacific, and requests you to furnish him with a report of the conditin and station of the troops int he District of Oregon and the state of the Indian relations and of all movements in contemplation; also the state of the funds int e hands of disbursing officers.

I am, sir, very eseptfully, your obedient servant,

W. W. MACKALL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEAADQUARTERS DEAPRTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,

San Francisco, January 17, 1861.

Colonel S. COOPER,

Adjutant-General, Wsshington, D. C.:

COLONEL: I have th honor to report my arrival at this place on the 14th instant, and that, in accordance with the orders of the General- in- Chief, I assumed command of the department on the 15th. I beg leave to ask the attentio of the General- in- Chief to the fact that the different staff deaprtments of this deparmtent are without funds. The quartermaster's department is destitute, and the other departments nearly so, having on hand only very small amounts of money. It is indispensable to the public interest that they should be promptly furnished with funds. If it be true that there is a large amount of public money int he mint at this place, which I have heard, I would respctifully suggest that a sufficient portion of it to meet the wants of tehe Government for the military service be placed to the credit of the disbursing officers of the department. The requisitions of the chiefs of the staff deaprtments not having been filled- it is to be presumed from a scarcity int hesub- treasuries of the East- it is therefore that I take the liberty to suggest that there probably exists the ability to comply with them at this place.

I am, with great resepct, your obedientservant,

A. S. JOHNSTON,

Colonel Second Cavalry and Brevet Brigdier-General.

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*See next, ante.

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28 R- R- VOL L, PT I


Page 433 Chapter LXII. CORRESPONDENCE- UNION AND CONFEDERATE.