Fork of the Gila on account of high water. My second note, marked B, after several days was returned from Sonora, as the Mexican expressmen were too much afraid to encounter the dangers of the journey through Chihuahua to El Paso and so on to your headquarters. Of the three men whom I sent with my third notes, marked C and D, two were killed by the Apache Indians near the Chiricahua Mountains on the evening of the 18th of June last. The third, after a miraculous escape and a perilous ride, arrived on the Rio Grande at sunset on the evening of the 20th, 160 miles from where his companions were murdered. Here, in an exhausted, half-delirious state, he was captured by secessionists, and, together with his dispatches, taken to Colonel Steele, C. S. Army. On the 17th of June I directed Lieutenant-Colonel Eyre, First Cavalry California Volunteers, with a small command from his regiment, to make a forced reconnaissance toward the Rio Grande. He started from Tucson on this duty on the evening of June 21. (See my letter to him, marked E.) On the 8th of July I directed some supplies to be forwarded half way to the Rio Grande, to provide for the emergency of Eyre's being obliged to fall back. (See letter to Colonel West, marked F.) Roberts' command, which acted as a guard to these supplies, had a fight with the Apache Indians at Apache Pass, in which he lost 2 killed and 2 wounded, but in which he succeeded in driving the Indians, as he reports, with a loss of 9 killed on their side. From June 7 until July 17 I was busily employed in repairing trains, in getting supplies up from Fort Yuma and from Sonora, and in regulating somewhat the affairs of Western Arizona. On the 17th July, without yet having heard from the Rio Grande, I made the order for the advance to that river. It is herewith inclosed, marked G.* On the evening of the 21st of July, after the second detachment of the column had started from Tucson, I received your note of the 4th ultimo, together with copies of some orders and instructions to the commander of the Southern Military District, Department of New Mexico. I left Tucson on the 23d ultimo and arrived at this point on the 1st instant. I left 100 men at Apache Pass. (See General Orders, No. 12, marked H.) Colonel West's detachment will arrive here to-morrow; Captain Willis' the next day; Lieutenant-Colonel Rigg's on the 5th. I shall halt two or three days on the Miembres to recruit and let the column close up, and shall then proceed by the stage route to Mesilla. I received your letter of the 9th of July day before yesterday. It was not the intention of General Wright to throw a command into your department which would embarrass you to keep it supplied. The troops from California were to draw nearly all their stores from Fort Yuma, to which point they are shipped from San Francisco. Some were to be bought in Sonora.. My supply train, which leaves Tucson to-day, will have forty days' rations for the whole command from the 20th instant. Even those rations of yours consumed by Eyre's cavalry I had hoped to replace, learning to what straits you had been put for subsistence for your own command. I am happy to know that you have now such an abundance of stores, and should I fall short of anything, I will cheerfully avail myself of your authority to draw on your depot at Fort Craig for what I need. A train of about fifty wagons will ply between Fort Yuma and Tucson, starting from Tucson, say, the 12th instant, to accumulate and keep up a good supply at that point. * Inclosure G is a duplicate of General Orders, No. 10, p. 90. + Omitted as of no present importance. A contractor has given bonds to keep the Column from California supplied with fresh beef at nine cents a pound. Stores can be hauled by private trains from the port of Guaymas to Tucson for five cents a pound. This latter information may be of service to you. I have no subsistence funds here; the paper marked I* will exhibit the condition of those in the quartermaster's department. The paper marked K* will tell you of my means of transportation after the arrival of the train which leaves Tucson to-day, minus, say, three teams left at Fort Bowie, Apache Pass, Chiricahua Mountains. All my troops except one company of cavalry have pay due from February 28, 1862. It will be a great kindness to have them paid, if it can be done without inconvenience to the troops of your own department. I have no paymaster with me, and was not counting on the troops being paid by your paymaster. The men are sadly in want of small stores, tobacco, &c. We have no sutler, and of course, on the desert, the soldiers have exhausted what few necessaries they happened by chance to have. I have, say, 100 rounds of ammunition for small arms per man, and can soon have more from Fort Yuma, and I have for the four pieces of artillery the ammunition named in a letter to Lieutenant Shinn, U. S. Third Artillery, marked L. The men have only fatigue clothing and that somewhat worn, but I expect some up from Fort Yuma very soon. Can you spare any? Capt. Tredwell Moore, assistant quartermaster, is the only staff officer belonging to the army with me, and he will be relieved from duty in this column shortly after my arrival at Mesilla. I have with me two surgeons, one assistant and one acting assistant surgeon, all of the volunteer service. For the state of my medical supplies see Surgeon McNulty's letter, marked M. The strength of the command when it arrives at Mesilla will be approximately: I will send you an accurate field return as soon as the command under Captain McCleave reaches Mesilla. I inclose herewith a letter from Maj. Richard C. Drum, assistant adjutant-general, Department of the Pacific, marked N; also a copy of General Orders, No. 29, [1862], from the War Department, on the same sheet. I beg to be fully instructed by you in all measures wherein myself or the California Column can be of the most service. We have not crossed the continent thus far to split hairs, but with an earnest resolution to do our duty whatever be our geographical position; and so the marches of this column tend always toward the heart of the rebellion. The men will forget their toils and sufferings on the Great Desert in their hope ultimately to reach the enemy. In all this I am sure I but express the sentiments of General Wright. As the gallantry of the troops under your command has left us nothing to do on the Rio Grande, it would be a sad disappointment to those from California if they should be obliged to retrace their steps without feeling the enemy. I hope I do not ask too much when I inquire whether a force could not profitably be thrown * Omitted as of no present importance. into Western Texas, where it is reported the Union men are only waiting for a little help to run up the old flag. I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. E. R. S. CANBY, JAMES H. CARLETON, Brigadier-General, U. S. Army. Commanding Department of New Mexico. [Inclosure A.] HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, Col. E. R. S. CANBY, Commanding Department of New Mexico: COLONEL: Having no means of getting reliable information from you except by a special express, I send the bearer of this to you for that purpose. He will be able to tell you about this part of the country, and will bring to me any communication you may desire to write. I have a force of light battery (Company A, Third Artillery) of two 12-pounder howitzers and two 6 pounder guns, and fifteen companies of infantry and five companies of cavalry, California Volunteers, well armed and provided for, and the men are as fine material as any in the service. I can move on from Tucson or Fort Breckinridge as soon as I hear from you. I am ready and anxious to co-operate with you. If necessary I can be followed by still another regiment or more of infantry, to be sent by steam to the mouth of the Colorado. It will afford me pleasure to enter into any plan you may suggest, so my force can be of service to you and to the cause. Let me know your strength, your situation, your purposes; the strength, situation, and probable purposes of Sibley and his troops. Please send an escort with my messenger to get him safely through the Apaches. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, JAMES H. CARLETON, Colonel First California Volunteers, Commanding. [Indorsement.] At the time this letter was written it was the intention of General Carleton to move forward to the Rio Grande five companies of the Fifth Infantry California Volunteers. Some of those companies are now serving in Western Arizona. BEN. C. CUTLER, First Lieut., First Infty. California Vols., Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen. [Inclosure B.] HEADQUARTERS COLUMN FROM CALIFORNIA, General E. R. S. CANBY, U. S. Army, Commanding U. S. Forces in New Mexico: GENERAL: I had the honor to write you on the 3d ultimo from Fort Yuma, Cal., that I was on my way to Arizona, and desired to co-operate with you in driving the rebels from New Mexico. My messenger was unable to reach you via the Salinas Fork of the Gila on account of high water. I therefore dispatch another through Mexican territory. I am ordered to recapture all the works in New Mexico which had been surrendered to rebels. This I shall proceed to do, starting from here as soon as the rains have filled the natural tanks, say early in July. What number of troops can find subsistence, say at twenty days' notice, at Mesilla and Fort Bliss, in Texas? I can start from here with sixty days' supply for one battery of artillery, one regiment of infantry, and five companies of cavalry. With this force I desire to co-operate with you. This will enable me to hold this country besides. I have placed Arizona under martial law, and shall continue it so until th civil officers come. I can bring more force if necessary. Let me know by the bearer your wishes, purposes, strength; the strength, position, and apparent purposes and condition of Sibley and his forces. I am, general, your obedient servant, JAMES H. CARLETON, Colonel First California Volunteers, Commanding. [Inclosure C.] HEADQUARTERS COLUMN FROM CALIFORNIA, General E. R. S. CANBY, Tucson, Ariz., June 15, 1862. Comdg. Department of New Mexico, Fort Craig, N. Mex.: GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that I have advanced thus far from California with a force of regulars and volunteers sufficient in numbers to occupy this Territory. I have assumed to represent the U. S. authority, and for the time being have placed the Territory under martial law. Inclosed herewith please find a procla mation to this effect. I send this to you by express, that you may not go to the expense of sending troops from your department to occupy Arizona. I congratulate you on your success against the Confederate forces under Sibley. If you can send an escort to the expressman who takes this I shall feel greatly obliged. I am, general, respectfully, JAMES H. CARLETON, Colonel First California Volunteers, Commanding. To all whom it may concern: [Inclosure to C.] The Congress of the United States has set apart a portion of New Mexico and organized it into a Territory complete of itself. This is kuown as the Territory of Arizona. It comprises within its limits all the country eastward from the Colorado River, which is now occupied by the forces of the United States known as the Column from California; and as the flag of the United States shall be carried by this column still farther eastward, these limits will extend in that direction until they reach the farthest geographical boundary of this Territory. Now, in the present chaotic state in which Arizona is found to be, with no civil officers to administer the laws-indeed, with an utter absence of all civil authority-and with no security of lite or property within its borders, it becomes the duty of the undersigned to represent the authority of the United States over the people of Arizona as well as over all those who compose or are connected with the Column from California. Thus, by virtue of his office as military commander of the U. S. forces now here, and to meet the fact that wherever within our boundaries our colors fly there the sovereign power of our country must at once be acknowledged and law and order at once prevail, the undersigned, as a military governor, assumes control of this Territory until such time as the President of the United States shall otherwise direct. Thus also it is hereby declared that until civil officers shall be sent by the Government to organize the civil courts for the administration of justice the Territory of Arizona is hereby placed under martial law. Trials for capital offenses shall be held by a military commission, to be composed of not more than thirteen nor less than nine commissioned officers. The rules of evidence shall be those customary in practice under the common law. The trials shall be public and shall be trials of record, and the mode of procedure shall be strictly in accordance with that of courts-martial in the Army of the United States. Unless the public safety absolutely requires it, no execution shall follow conviction until the orders in the case by the President shall be known. Trials for minor offenses shall be held under the same rules, except that for these a commission of not more than five nor less than three commissioned officers may sit and a vote of a majority determine the issue. In these cases the orders of the officer organizing the commission shall be final. All matters in relation to rights in property and lands which may be in dispute shall be determined for the time being by a military commission, to be composed of not more than five nor less than three commissioned officers. Of course appeals from the decisions of such commissions can be taken to the civil courts when once the latter have been established. There are certain fundamental rules for the government of the people of this Territory which will be rigidly enforced : 1. No man who has arrived at lawful age shall be permitted to reside within this Territory who does not without delay subscribe to the oath of allegiance to the United States. II. No words or acts calculated to impair that veneration which all good patriots should feel for our country and Government will be tolerated within this Territory or go unpunished if sufficient proof can be bad of them. III. No man who does not pursue some lawful calling or have some legitimate means of support shall be permitted to remain in the Territory. Having no thought or motive in all this but the good of the people and aiming only to do right, the undersigned confidently hopes and expects in all he does to further these euds, to have the hearty co-operation of every good citizen and soldier in Arizona. All this is to go into effect from and after this date, and will continue in force, unless disapproved or modified by General George Wright, U. S. Army, com manding the Department of the Pacific, under whose orders the Column from California has taken the field. Done a the headquarters Column from California, in Tucson, Ariz., this 8th day of June, A. D. 1862. JAMES H. CARLETON, Colonel First California Volunteers, Major, Sixth U. S. Cavalry. [Inclosure D.] HEADQUARTERS COLUMN FROM CALIFORNIA, Brig. Gen. E. R. S. CANBY, U. S. Army, Tucson, Ariz., June 15, 1862. Comdg. Department of New Mexico, Fort Craig, N. Mex.: GENERAL: I have forwarded by another express the originals of the notes numbered 2, which the bearer of this takes to you. My wagons 7 R R-VOL L, PT I |