Today in History:

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

Page 574 Chapter LXII. OPERATIONS ON THE PACIFIC COAST.

including transportation, for the expedition to be commanded by General Sumner, and that you will be ready in time for the movement of forces.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS A. SCOTT,

Assistant Secretary of War.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, August 19, 1861.

Lieutenant Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General, U. S. Army,

Headquaraters of the Army, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: I have received your letter of the 23rd ultimo in relation to the arms. They had been privately shipped a week before I got your letter. I sent a detachment of a captain and thirty men with them as far as Panama, and I cofident them particularly to the naval officer at Aspinwall. I inclose a copy of my letter to him.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. V. SUMNER,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army, Commanding.

[Inclosure.] HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC, San Francisco, August 8, 1861.

Captain EDWARD W. CARPENDER,

Commanding U. S. Ship Falmouth, Aspinwall:

SIR: Captain Wallen with his company leaves in the Sonora to-morow in charge of 30,000 stant of arms, which have been ordered to be sent from this department to New York immediately. As these arms would be a double loss to the Governemnt if they should be captured, I would resptfully and earnestly ask your co-opertion in this affair. Althought it is higlyh important that no time should be lost in the transmision of these arms, it is still more important that they should go safety. I am not sure that in tah absence of orders you may not think it advisable to send them in a Government ship or immediately under convoy. The security of these arms is so vitaly important that I am cofident the Government will approve of any measures you may think proper to take to insure it.

Veryrespectfully, your obedient servant,

E. V. SUMNER,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army, Commanding.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, August 19, 1861.

Captain JOHN W. DAVIDSON,

First Regiment of Dragoons, U. S. Army,

Commanding Camp Fitzgerald, near Los Angeles, Cal.:

SIR: In compliance with the recommendation contained in your letter of the 13the instant, the general commanding the department has this day directed the ordnance officer at Benicia Arsenal to invoice to you 150 muskets with 6,000 rounds of ball ammunition. The general desires you to be particularly careful into whose hands these arms are


Page 574 Chapter LXII. OPERATIONS ON THE PACIFIC COAST.