Today in History:

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

Page 479 Chapter LXII. CORRESPONDENCE - UNION AND CONFEDERATE.


SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC, Numbers 76.
San Francisco, May 7, 1861.

1. The garrison of Fort Umpqua, Company L, Third Aritillery, with the exception of one subaltern and twelve men, will be brought to the Presidio of San Francisco by the Government transport brig Floyd.

2. Captain Henry B. Judd, Third Artillery, will proceed to Fort Umpqua, embark, and accompany the command.

3. The assistant surgeon will accompany the troops.

By command of Brigadier-General Sumner:

W. W. MACKALL,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC, Numbers 77.
San Francisco, May 7, 1861.

Special Orders, Numbers 76, is so far modified as not to prescribe the mode of transportation of the troops from Fort Umpqua.

By command of Brigadier-General Sumner:

W. W. MACKALL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE,

Los Angeles, Cal., May 7, 1861.

Major W. W. MACKALL,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. Dept. of the Pacific, San Francisco, Cal.:

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that a site for an encampment for the troops has been selected, which will be assigned to them unless it is not approved by the general commanding. It is outside of the town, beyond all buildings some distance, and directly in front of my corral, and in full view of it. I am putting up store-tents in the corral and will remove all the public property from the present store-house, so that there will be but one point to guard. The troops will be half a mile distant therefrom or less and on the side of the town toward San Pedro. Water will be hauled to the troops by water carts, for which facilities are at hand, as the town is supplied in that manner. The horses will have to be ridden about half a mile to water. But the advantage is that you do not have to pass through the town to get to the point to be protected, which would be the case were they encamped along the river above the town. With the troops placed as proposed there would probably be no necessity of having more than a picket guard of three men in my corral, and they only at night. Possibly they would not be required at any time, as the troops would have entire command of the corral from that point. I do not think that there will be serious trouble here soon. Still a command of troops under good discipline stationed near the town would be well enough, judging from recent developments. No good citizen would be interfered with, and their presence is desired by many of the population. The "bear flag" was paraded through the streets of El Monte (twelve miles eastward) on the 4th instant, and was escorted by a number of horsemen, varying (according to the reports) from forty to seventy, most probably the former. It was understood that it would be paraded here the next day. It was not. Then it was said that it would be on the subsequent day (yesterday, the day of the municipal election). I was prepared for it. It was not attempted, however. The "bear flag"


Page 479 Chapter LXII. CORRESPONDENCE - UNION AND CONFEDERATE.