HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, March 28, 1861.

Captain C. S. LOVELL,

Sixth Infantry, U. S. Army, Commanding Fort Humboldt, Cal.:

CAPTAIN: The commanding general directs me to inform you that in addition to the detachments sent from your company in the region of country watered by the Eel and Trinity Rivers, he has ordered to the same district two detachments of a sergeant and eighteen men each, from Fort Gaston, and one of a subaltern and fifty-nine men from Fort Bragg. He directs you to exercise a general supervision over the movements of all these parties, and see that they are kept actively engaged in moving over the country requiring protection, and that you charge yourself with supplying them from time to time with provisions. Send an extract from this letter to each, that your authority may at once be recognized and such reports as are needed sent to you. He further informs you that at his request the Governor of this State will cause to be enrolled at Humboldt two sergeants, two corporals, and twenty-six men. This party you will muster into service as infantry, and assign them as guides in equal numbers to the detachments above mentioned, taking care to assign the guide-sergeants to detachments commanded by commissioned officers. The employment of these volunteers in an experiment, from which the general hopes to derive an advantage to the Government more than commensurate with the expense, and he relies on your exertions to take such measures as will render their service most effective. If depredations are now committed on the settlements by Indians, with guides thoroughly acquainted with the country and the Indians, and a sufficient force to chastise the parties when found, he thinks security should be given to the frontier.

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

W. W. MACKALL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

DRAGON BRIDGE, HONEY LAKE VALLEY, CAL.,

April 1, 1861.

Major W. W. MACKALL, U. S. Army,

Assistant Adjutant-General, San Francisco, Cal.:

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that a band of Indians, supposed to be under the control of on eknown as Smoke Creek Sam, has driven stock from this valley at three different times within the past six weeks-in all, supposed to be about fifteen head. The fact of the depredations was reported by some prospectors recently returned from the Humboldt. All stock has been driven from the mountains where the cattle were taken, so that no opportunity or inducement is now presented for similar thefts. The war chief of the Pah-Utes, Winnemucca, was here about two months ago. He said that he could not control Sam; disclaims all responsibility for his thefts, and that he will punish him. Sam is partly a Pitt River Indian, his mother being a Pitt. His band is composed of renegade Indians from both tribes. With the citizens Sam is reputed a very bad Indian, and accused as the originator of hostilities between them and the Pah-Utes last spring. Recent valuable discoveries of gold and silver on the Humboldt will cause a large amount of travel between this valley and that river.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. R. WARNER,

Second Lieutenant, Third Artillery, Commanding.