as a guard to be placed on boards of vessels while discharging cargo, to assist him in his duties, and to prevent frauds upon the revenue. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel J. D. STEVENSON, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, commanding. 7th N. Y. Volunteers, commanding Southern District. P. S.-Enclosed is a letter of this date for Captain J. D. Hunter, subIndian agent. R. B. M. HEADQUARTERS SOUTHERN MILITARY DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA, Ciudad de los Angeles, July 27, 1847. COLONEL: Before the company of Mormons under the command of Captain Davis would consent to be mustered into the service of the United States, they required that the conditions, a copy of which is enclosed, should be signed by me. The only condition upon which I had any hesitation was that agreeing to discharge or pay transportation. or rations for the time it would take them to reach Bear river or San Francisco after they were discharged; but upon reflection I became satisfied that it would be much cheaper to obtain them on these terms than to transport a company from the north to San Diego, to supply their place, and that, by way of saving transportation, they could be ordered to Bear river or San Francisco time enough to enable them to reach there before their term of service expired. The promise to disband them in March you had previously made to Hunt; I therefore had no difficulty on that point. There was a strong effort made to obtain for them other arms, that their own might, no doubt, be sent forward or disposed of to the Mormon association; but I positively refused to receive them without arms, except those who were formerly musicians and had now entered the ranks: these, together with some muskets unfit for service, in all about ten, five bayonets, and some few belts, and four non-commissioned officers' swords, were all the arms issued by the ordnance sergeant, and they were receipted for by the captain. I have promised to send them a garrison flag, which you will oblige me by directing the quartermaster to send me, of a medium size, to that post, by the first opportunity. But for the necessity of having troops to garrison San Diego, I should not have subscribed to the enclosed conditions, but have forwarded them to you. The exigency of the case, however, will, I trust, justify the act. The company left here early on the morning of the 25th, and will reach San Diego by Saturday next. The names of the officers are D. C. Davis, captain; 1st lieutenant, C. C. Canfield; 2d lieutenants, Inel Barras, and Robert Clift, who performed the duties of acting assistant quartermaster and commissary while that post was garrisoned by Captain Hunter's company; and as he is a good accountant, and has the reputation of being a very correct man, I have directed him to perform those duties at that post, under the command of Captain Davis. The christian name of Foster, alcalde at San Juan, is John, which I have inserted in the appointment and forwarded. I have also sent the bond to the collector at San Diego for execution, and I will see that the collectors at Santa Barbara and San Pedro both execute similar ones. your letter of the 14th instant you name the amount of salary the collector In at Santa Barbara is to receive, but omit San Diego. As neither the rate of compensation, nor the office expenses that will be allowed, have yet been fixed for that post, I would respectfully request that you will fix them at your earliest convenience. The mail before last I requested advice as to the extent of my jurisdiction as commander of the southern military district. As your last communication was silent on that subject, I presume it was overlooked. May I request an answer at yourearliest convenience. All is quiet here as when I last wrote you. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel commanding Southern Military District, California. Colonel R. B. MASON, 1st U. S. Dragoons, Governor of California. True copy. W. T. SHERMAN, 1st Lt. 3d Art., A. A. A. G. CUIDAD DE LOS ANGELES, July 23, 1847. DEAR SIR: By the same hand you receive this, I send an official communication announcing the reorganization of one company of Mormons, and their having been mustered into service. Captain Hunt, late in command of the battalion, starts to-day for the north. He will stop at Monterey and proffer his services to raise a battalion of Mormons from those that are coming into the country, and I have given him a letter to you on that subject, a copy of which is enclosed. My intercourse with the Mormons has satisfied me that the great mass of them are a simple-minded, ignorant people, entirely under the control of their leaders, and that in every community or association there is some one man who is the controlling spirit, and that all are under the direction and control of some one master-spirit. In the battalion were two men, one of whom was a private soldier, who were the chief men; and but for them, at least three companies would have re-entered; but they opposed, and not a man would enter; and I do not believe we should have succeeded in getting one company, if they had not given it their countenance, or at least made no formal objection. Both before and since they were mustered out of the service, I have consulted with Captain Hunt and some other leaders, and am satisfied they desire to get the military control of the country, and that from time to time they will supply from 100 to 1,000 men for the service, until their whole com munity shall have had some experience as soldiers, and become furnished with arms; which, by the time the civil government shall be organized, will give them control as well of the ballot-box by their numerical strength, as physically, being corps of many hundred soldiers, well armed and equipped for service in the field. They look forward to the disbanding of any regiment of volunteers, at the close of the war, as an event that will throw the military defence and control of this country entirely in their own hands. This I know to be their calculation, for Hunt and his officers have so expressed themselves to me. This may account for the opposition a re-enlistment of the entire battalion has met from some of their society leaders, as I am well assured they regard an order or instruction from them as paramount to any other power; for at all times I have been told that if a messenger should arrive with but five lines from one of their chief leaders now on the road to this country, all would have re-entered, and all the officers here feel confident that Hunt can raise a battalion if you require it. I deemed it my duty to give you my views of what I conceive to be the Mormon plan of action in California, and you can no doubt judge of the propriety of giving them the military control. The company that is ordered to San Diego will be sufficient for all military purposes at that post and the surrounding country; and I have no hesitation in saying that the force I have here, dragoons and New York volunteers, will be sufficient to keep this place against any force that can be brought against us, especially if you will authorize the filling up of the two companies of my regiment stationed here. Our discipline is strict, drills regular and rigid, and every point, is strictly and vigilantly guarded day and night; and therefore, unless you require them for some other purpose, an additional force will not be necessary here. This place is at the present time quite unhealthy; two of our men have recently died of fever. Our sick list has not, however, increased since my last communication. It may not be improper for me to remark, that many of our disbanded men are now selling their arms to any that will purchase them. This should prevent any further donation of arms to a company or battalion of Mormons, if mustered into the service. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. D. STEVENSON, Colonel, commanding Southern Military District. Colonel R. B. MASON, Commanding 1st Reg't Dragoons, Gov. of California. We, of the Mormon fraternity, whose names are herewith subscribed, purpose to enter the service of the United States as volunteers, on the following terms: 1st. That we enrol to serve under the government of the United States for one year, on condition that the authorized representatives of the government in California pledge themselves, if we require it, to discharge us on the first day of March, 1848. 2d. That we, during the period of our service, have the same privileges, pay, and emoluments granted to us that other volunteers in the service enjoy. 3d. That, on our re-enlistment, we may have the privilege of garrisoning the town of San Diego, and not be sent lower down the coast than that post. 4th. That the authorities of California pledge themselves, on behalf of the government of the United States, at the period of our discharge, to furnish us with the rations and pay allowed by law to the Salt lake, into which Bear river empties, or to the bay of San Francisco, if preferred by us. 5th. That we shall all have the privilege of joining the battalion of Mormons, if there should be one raised. As far as I have the authority, I agree to the foregoing stipulations. Col. Comanding Southern Mil. Dist. of California. CIUDAD DE LOS ANGELES, July 20, 1847. True copy. W. T. SHERMAN, 1st Lieut. 3d Art., A. A. A. G. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Santa Barbara, California, August 2, 1847. SIR: Should any of the Catholic priests come to the mission of San Luis Rey, either to locate permanently or for the performance of any of their religious duties, you will not only cause them to be treated with great courtesy and kindness, but they are to have any of the apartments they desire, and any product of the mission or mission farms for their own use, and the entire management of the Indians, so far as it relates to their connexion with the mission and mission. farms, the only object in placing you in charge of the mission and its property being to guard it from desecration and waste. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, Governor of California. Captain J. D. HUNTER, Sub-Indian Agent, present. P. S.-Colonel Stevenson, at Los Angeles, commands the southern'district, in which you are to be stationed, and may sometimes find it necessary to give you instructions; if so, I desire you will obey them. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, August 13, 1847. SIR: Official intelligence has this day been received of the death of Major J. H. Cloud, paymaster United States army. Colonel Mason directs that you secure all his effects, both public and private, and make an accurate inventory thereof, agreeably to the 94th article of war and paragraphs 115 and 116 of the general regulations. All funds, books, papers, and property that appertain to the paymaster's department, you will turn over to paymaster William Rich, taking his receipt therefor. I have the honor to be your most obedient servant, W. T. SHERMAN, A. A. A. Gen. Capt. H. M. NAGLE, 7th Regt. N. Y. Volunteers, Monterey, California. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DAPARTMENT, Monterey, California, August 13, 1847. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your post returns. for the months of May and June, 1847. Colonel Mason directs me to inform you that you need not make such returns in future, as your command is a detachment of Captain Brackett's company, and is accounted for by him on his post returns for Sonoma. You will please to send to Captain Brackett your blank post returns, and hereafter report to him the actual condition of your detachment monthly, in time to be entered on the post return of Sonoma of the same month. Your certificate of disability for private A. J. Ward, 7th regiment New York volunteers, now acting as the hospital steward at Fort Sacramento, has also been received; and in answer thereto, Colonel Mason directs me to say that he cannot discharge private Ward from service. If physically incapacitated for the duties of a soldier, he can render service, as he now does, as hospital steward for your detachment-thus filling a place that otherwise might require one who is now in the actual performance of the duties of a soldier. Private Ward has been transported to this country at the expense of the United States, and must render his services agreeably to his original contract. I have the honor to be your most obedient servant, W. T. SHERMAN, Lieut. C. C. ANDERSON, 1st Lieut. 3d Art., A. A. A. Gen. Commanding, Sacramento, California. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, August 13, 1847. SIR: Colonel Mason directs me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of July 19, enclosing the resignation of Mr. James Ward as wagon and forage master of the army. You can accept the resignation of Mr. Ward; and in case he held his appointment from the proper authority in Washington, his resignation. necessarily creates a vacancy, which you may fill by appointing Mr. A. J. Grayson to the same office, referring his appointment to the proper authority for confirmation. In case, however, that Mr. Ward did not have the appointment of wagon and forage master under the law referred to by you, you can secure the services of Mr. Grayson by employing him for special service in the quartermaster's department on the best terms you can make with him. I have the honor to be your most obedient servant, Capt. FOLSOM, W. T. SHERMAN, 1st Lieut. 3d Art., A. A. A. Gen. A. Q. M., San Francisco, California. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, August 13, 1847. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter communicating the melancholy intelligence of the death of paymaster Cloud, United States army. The steps you have taken are approved; and you will send to Captain H. M. Nagle, 7th New York volunteers, as soon as convenient, the inventory you have made of the effects of Major Cloud, with all the property, public and private, that he had with him at the time of his death. Your letter asking instructions about the public horses and cattle in the valley of the Sacramento has this day been received; and Colonel Mason. was much astonished to learn that Lieutenant Colonel Fremont had given any orders relating to any public property, subsequent to his being relieved from duty in the Territory, conferring rights which he is forced not to recognise; yet Colonel Mason does not desire to interfere in the least with any horses, cattle, or other property in the Territory of California not clearly and publicly recognised as belonging to the United States. Horses |