in this vicinity before winter. A large portion of the Nez Perces refused to come into concuil and receive their annuities, and it is expected they will shortly join the Snakes, and unless I am re-enforced by a company of infantry and another of dragoons, I shall be unable to do anything beyond taking care of the post. There are now but forty-eight men for guard duty at the post. The Snakes have been in the valley already within fifteen miles of the post. They ran off five horses, killed three, and wounded two more. It was not ascertained until several dys afterward who committed the act, when Mr. Craigie identified the arrows as Snake arrows, and it was then too late to send out a small party. We are also in want of officers, myself and the surgeon being the only ones who belong here. The other are promoted away from the post, and only waiting to be relieved in order to join their proper companies.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

E. STEEN,

Major, First Dragoons, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC, Numbers 138.
San Francisco, July 31, 1861.

Forty muskets and 400 musket-ball cartridges will be loaned from the Benecia Arsenal temporarily, on proper receipts, to the Pacific Steamship Company, for the purpose of arming the ateamer sailing on the 1st proximo; the arms which the company have for that purpose having been detained by the non-arrival of the steamer due on the 24th instant.

By order of Brigadier-General Sumner:

RICHD. C. DRUM,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

CONFIDENTIAL.] HEADQUARTERS CAMP FITZGERLAD,

Near Los Angeles, Cal., July 31, 1861.

Major D. C. BEULL, U. S. Army,

Assistant Adjutant-General, San Francisco, Cal.:

MAJOR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 18th instant. It seemed to have been delayed upon the road. I left for San Bernardino, on the 24th, and returned thence this morning. I beg respectfully to report that I took many and various measures to learn the political sentiments of the people in that region, and also their sympathies with reference to this party or that, North and South. The population of San Bernardino is about 1,500 souls; 1,000 of these are Mormons. The rest may be made up of some few respectable Americans, of a good may Jew merchants, who control the business of the town, and go with any side that pays best for the time being; and then follow adroit horse thieves and other unprincipled and desperate men, gathered into that point, as well from other parts of California as from Utah. There is a large sprinkling of this latter class. You can judge of a man whose character is such he could not be folerated in Utah. New, the Mormons, whatever their professions, hate us at heart. I append a paper in relation to this people which the general may regard as made up from reliable information. The Jews, as a rule, have no love for us. The outlaws hate, because they fear us. To these latter any change would be congenial which by hook or crook could be made profitable. All but the few respectable Americans would set us at defiance to-morrow if they dared