of Humboldt. The activity and zeal exhibited by Colonel Lippitt and the troops under his command is highly commendable, and promises a speedy termination of the Indian disturbances in that quarter.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. WRIGHT,

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

HEADQUARTERS HUMBOLDT MILITARY DISTRICT,
Fort Humboldt, May 20, 1862.

MAJOR: The following is a summary of my operations against the Indians in my district since my last dispatch in April last:

On the 6th of April Captain Ketcham, with a scouting party of Company A, Third Infantry California Volunteers, found near yager Creek the rancheria of the Indians that had previously robbed Cooper's Mills of 2,500 pounds of flour. The Indians had just fled, leaving some 700 pounds of the flour, together with belting from the mills, mill files, baskets, bullets, lead, shot pouches, bullet molds, &c., all which articles were burnt, there being no means of packing them. On the 10th of April a detachment of five men of Company E, Second Cavalry California Volunteers, stationed near Cooper's Mills, on Yager Creek, re-enforced by four or five citizens, went in pursuit of a band of some forty Indians that had robbed the mills of some 3,300 pounds of flour the night before. After a very difficult march to the northward of ten miles they came upon a rancheria, where they found the flour, which, having no means of packing, they destroyed, together with the lodges and their contents. No Indians were seen as they had all fled on the approach of the party. During a scout of Company F, Second Infantry California Volunteers, commenced April 2 by Lieutenant Flyyn, three Indians near Trinidad, going toward the mouth of Redwood Creek, where it was reported there was a band of some 200 hostile Indians, were captured by him, to prevent their giving the band notice of his approach. After being fully warned of the consequence of their attempting to escape, they suddenly broke and ran in the same direction they were going when taken. Lieutenant Flynn, who had no one with him but the guide, instantly fired at them with his pistol. One was killed on the spot; the two others escaped, one of them with a bullet through his head.

On the 27th of April Captain Ketcham, of Company A, Third Infantry California Volunteers, returned to Fort Baker from a scout to the southward of Van Dusen's Fork with twenty-four Indian prisoners, all women and children except two young bucks. In attacking the rancheria four Indians were killed, including a squaw shot by mistake. During the scout Captain Ketcham came upon a rancheria which had been fortified by piles of logs around it, but which the Indians had deserted.

On the same day Lieutenant Staples, with a detachment of the same company, came upon a large band of Indians by surprise (having previously managed to kill their scout of sentinel without giving the alarm), killed 15 of them and took 40 prisoners, three of whom he left behind, being unable to travel. On the 7th of May, instant, Captain Ketcham reported eleven Indians as having come in at Fort Baker, eight bucks and three squaws. He sent out two of them as runners to bring in as many more as possible, assuring them (under my instructions to that effect) of protection. On the 14th of May, instant, Captain Ketcham reported the return of ten men sent out by him as an escort to such Indians as could be found by the runners willing to come in, with 19