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APPENDIX I.

The following despatch from Governor Mason, gives an account of the state of affairs in Upper California, in October, 1847:

HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, October 7, 1847.

SIR: I returned from San Francisco yesterday, and found here Mr. Toler, with despatches from Washington, the receipt of which I have the honor to acknowledge. I am also informed by Commodore Shubrick that the sloop-of-war Preble is ready to sail for Panama, with Passed Midshipman Wilson as bearer of despatches for the United States. I therefore avail myself of the opportunity to send you my letter of the 18th of September, with its several packages, and now have to communicate the result of my visit to San Francisco.

I found the town flourishing and prosperous, with a busy, industrious population of Americans, and refer you to the copies of my military correspondence for the steps adopted to give them a good town government. The Bay of San Francisco, you are well aware, is a spacious, elegant harbor, susceptible of the most perfect defence; but as yet nothing has been done towards fortifying it, or even placing any of the heavy guns in position at the old fort. It is found almost impossible to get much work out of the volunteers; and all that I can now expect of the two companies of Major Hardie's command will be to improve their quarters at the old presidio. This they are at present engaged upon, using lumber made at the horse sawmill, under direction of the assistant quartermaster,

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Captain Folsom. All this labor is done by the volunteers, so that the improvements will be made at very little expense to the government. The price of lumber at San Francisco is $50 per M.; but Captain Folsom says that he has it sawed and delivered, by the labor of the volunteers and his own machinery, at about $16. The mill is placed in the timber known as the Red Woods, near the mission of San Rafael, on the west and north sides of the bay, where any amount can be had. If the government design to erect permanent structures to any extent in this country, it would be advisable to send out a steam engine, with all the necessary frames and iron-work to adapt it to immediate use in connexion with the saw and grist mills now in possession of the quartermaster's department here. The site at present selected by Captain Folsom is well adapted, as easy water communication is had with the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers as well as the parts of the country south of San Francisco.

At San Francisco I found all the powder, arms, accoutrements, and perishable ordnance property well stored in a building prepared for the purpose at the presidio barracks; but the guns, mortars, carriages, shot, and shells are in the town in the open air, protected by paint alone. The great difficulty of hauling such articles over the rugged hills between the town and presidio will prevent their being hauled to the latter place this season.

I did design to continue my tour of inspection to Sonoma and the Sacramento River, but was recalled. by hearing of the arrival of the bearer of despatches at Monterey.

When on my way up to San Francisco, I was overtaken by Captain Brown, of the Mormon battalion,

who had arrived from Fort Hall, where he had left his detachment of the battalion, to come to California to report to me in person. He brought a muster-roll of his detachment, with a power of attorney from all its members to draw their pay; and as the battalion itself had been discharged on the 16th of July, Paymaster Rich paid to Captain Brown the money due the detachment up to that date, according to the rank they bore upon the muster-rolls upon which the battalion had been mustered out of service. Captain Brown started immediately for Fort Hall, at which place and in the valley of Bear River he said the whole Mormon emigration intended to pass the winter. He reported that he had met Captain Hunt, late of the Mormon battalion, who was on his way to meet the emigrants and bring into the country this winter, if possible, a battalion according to the terms offered in my letter to him of the 16th of August, a copy of which you will find among the military correspondence of the department.

In my letter I offered Captain Hunt the command of the battalion with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, with an adjutant; but I find, by the orders lately received, that a battalion of four companies is only entitled to a major and acting adjutant. I will notify Captain Hunt of this change at as early a moment as I can communicate with him. I am pleased to find by the despatches that in this matter I have anticipated the wish of the department.

Last season there was a great scarcity of provisions on the coast of California; but when the stores are received that are now on their way, there will be an ample supply for the coming winter. The crops in this country have been very fine this season, and at

present wheat is plenty and cheap at San Francisco. Beef is also plenty. Beans can be purchased at the southern ports, and sugar imported from the Sandwich Islands; but for all other subsistence stores we are dependent upon the South American ports or those of the United States. I have directed Captain Marcy, acting commissary of subsistence at this post, to supply the chief of his department with the market price of all kinds of provisions, with such other facts as may enable his department to act with the proper economy. The want of good clothing for the regulars and volunteers is already felt in California; and unless a supply has already been despatched, many of the garrisons will be without shoes and proper clothing this winter. The price of such articles here is so exorbitant as to place them beyond the reach of the soldiers. The volunteer clothing brought by Sutler Haight has already been disposed of to citizens and soldiers, and there are no means of his renewing the supply except by sending to the United States. Justice to the soldier demands that he either be comfortably clad by the government, or that it should be within his power to clothe himself on the allowance provided for that purpose by law.

I respectfully recommend, if it has not already been done, that a large supply of infantry undress winter clothing be sent immediately to this country, to be distributed, so as to enable each volunteer to purchase for his own immediate use at cost prices. No summer clothing is needed, as the climate is too severe, summer and winter. Such articles as good blankets, cloth overcoats, caps, jackets, overalls, stockings, and shoes, with stout shirts and drawers, are the only ones that will ever be needed here.

General orders No. 10, of 1847, promotes Lieutenant Loeser, third artillery, and orders him to join his company. I regret that at this moment his services cannot be spared, and I am compelled to retain him on duty with company F, third artillery, because the absence of Captain Tompkins, the death of Lieutenant Minor, and Lieutenant Sherman being detached as acting assistant adjutant general, has reduced the number of officers of that company to but twoLieutenants Ord and Loeser. I trust that the two companies of regulars in this country will be kept with a full supply of officers, that an officer, upon being promoted, may be enabled to join the army in the field, and participate in the active operations to which he looks for distinction and experience.

Captain H. M. Naglee, seventh New York volunteers, with a strong detachment of his company, is now absent in pursuit of Indians in the valley of the San Joaquin. He has with him Lieutenant Burton's company of California volunteers, which is expected to return to Monterey before the end of this month; in which case I shall cause it to be mustered out of service, and discharged on the 31st day of October.

Again I have to report the death, by sickness, of an officer of my command-Lieutenant C. C. Anderson, seventh New York volunteers, who contracted a fever when on duty at Fort Sacramento, and died in consequence at San Francisco on the 13th of September. He was buried with military honors by the troops. at San Francisco, under direction of Major Hardie. This death reduces the number of officers in Captain Brackett's company, seventh regiment New York volunteers, to one captain and one second lieutenant.

Commodore Shubrick will sail for the west coast of

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