Today in History:

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

Page 437 Chapter LXII. CORRESPONDENCE- UNIN AND CONFEDERATE.

that the arrangemetn will be satisfactory. I have to mentio before closing that I had applied to the Secretary of War for a leave of absence of twelve months before the receipt of Orders, Numbers 1, from the headquarters Deaprtment of the Pacific.

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

G. WRIGHT,

Colonel Ninth Infantry, Commanding.

VICINITY OF FORT TEJON, CAL, February-, 1861.

General A. S . JOHNSTON, U. S . Army:

We, the subscribers, having heard the removal of Fort Tejon is in contemplation, desire to enter our earnest protest aginst this intention, representing for your consideration the following facts: The position of Fort Tejon is such as entirely to command three populous and rapidly increasing disrits, which by its abgandonment would suffer the most disastrous consequences from the incursions and inroads of the Indians from which it now protects us. Thwese people are as yet without the means of self- defense, and relying upon the permanence of the fort and the protection oft e Government, have passed thisu far into the interior, settling and defveloping the reseurces of ta new country, with the implied assurance, from the laocation of Fort Tejon, of protection for their lives and peoperty. If this protection is to be withdrawn, those who have under its promises made their homes in the wilderness will be left to the mercy of ruthless savages, and a beauriful district about to be reclaimed by civilization again abandoned to its origainal condition. These resources are agrecultural and grazing, and it would be useless to remind you of the vast mining interest stritching from Mono Lake to the Colorado, over an immednse extent of country rich in every mineral, and now being examined by thousands of our citizens, which the abandonment of Fort Tejon would leafve entirely wuithout protection, and in consequence of which all the anticipated wealth of that region be utterly ost to the country. Under these cicumstances we feel justified in remonstrating in the strongerst manner against the removal of Fort Tejon. The value of our property and our personal security all render imperative the protetion it affords.

We have the honor, to be, very resepctfulloy, your obedient servants,

SAMUEL A. BISHOP,

E. F. BEALE,

F. E. KERLIN,

[AND 85 OTHERS.]

OFFICE SECRETARY OF TERRITORY,

Olypia, February 3, 1861.

COMMANDER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,

San Francisco, Cal.:

SIR: I have th honor to transmit herewith a certified copy of a memoraial of the legislative assembly of this Terrritory passed at its session just closed, and respectfully to call your attention to the same.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

HENRY M. McGILL,

Secretary of Washington Territory.


Page 437 Chapter LXII. CORRESPONDENCE- UNIN AND CONFEDERATE.