Pritchard. Explicit instructions for my guidance in such cases would greatly assist me and settle questions which are becoming rather embarrassing to me. As a general thing I am pleased to say the citizens of Upper Mattole have rendered me all the assistance in their power, accompanying me on each scout, acting as faithful and efficient guides, furnishing me with such transprotation as they had. Messers. Tewksberry, Brown, Pritchard, Lafferty, Mann, and others, being constantly with me and furnishing me with useful information, and it is now suggested by them that with the two Indian guides now at Fort Humboldt, named Joe and Charley, who acted as guides for the citizens last fall, we would be very likely to be successful in getting in many of the Indians voluntarily. With ample assurances reaching the Indians ins uch a way as to claim their confidence, I believe much can be done, and it is believed that with those two Indians much could be accomplished. The detachment from Company A, Second Infantry California Volunteers, now with me, I cannot but speak of in the highest terms of praise for their promptness, obedience, energy, and endurance; in fact, exhibiting thus far every soldierly quality, and under many trying circumstances for beginers, bearing u without murmur and with great cheerfullnes, I have on fault to find and believe that there can be no better men in the regiment. this section is, in my opinion, the finest field in the whole district for operations against the Idnians, and which can be most successfully carried out from this direction, but in order to do so, a detachment should always be kept int he field of at least fifteen men. Plenty of occupation can be found for a whole company, with which the Indians, if not captured en masse, would be so hemmed in as either to be picked up in detail by Captain Ketcham, Lieutenant Staples, or the command from this direction, surrender at discretion, or be driven into would be impossible. If driven in from the coast by different detachments from the coast at the same time (as can easily be done) and met from the eel River direction by other detachments, the nature of the country is such that in my opinion immense success would be inevitable, and this is based upon personal acquaintance and examination of the country, both on Eel River and on the coast. This valley and its vicinity has always been the back door to let the Indians out from Eel River when hard pressed from that direction; but with so small a command and scarcity of transportation scouts as a matter of necessity are both in time and number limited, and of doubtful success. I would call attention to the necessity of prompt and early supply of rations, which should be so aranged as to arrive at least ten days before the previous supply is supposed to be exhausted, in order to provide against contingencies, such as having prisoners to provide for, as I have had from the 7th of this month, cutting our rations down to such as extent that we are now without a pound of flour, coffee - in fact, everything except rice. I would also call attention to the fact that there are no means of communication with Fort Humboldt, except by the trains arriving would be a vast accommodation, so that communication could be had with headquarters if necessary.

I remain, your most obedient servant,

CHARLES G. HUBBARD,

First Lieutenant, Second Infantry California Vols., Commanding Detachment.

Colonel FRANCIS J. LIPPITT,

Commanding Humboldt Military District.