you will take all necessary measures to preserve the public property, buildings, gardens, and vineyards attached to the mission, and will instruct your quartermaster to use all the means under his control for the repair of such of the buildings as may be required as quarters, &c. for troops. The greater part of the 2d infantry (probably nine companies) will be established at San Luis. They will debark at San Diego, and may be expected to arrive at that post in the months of April and May. Select quarters for your command with reference to this and to convenient stabling for your horses. The quartermaster of your command will be instructed to take with him from Los Angeles all the wagons that can be spared from that post. These, with the wagons and carts that have been ordered froin San Francisco to San Diego, will probably be sufficient for the movement of the 2d infantry to San Luis, and the transportation of the necessary supplies. You are desired to instruct your quartermaster to put his wagons, harness, &c. in good condition for this service, and to see that all the spare transportation at your post is placed at the disposition of General Riley, as soon as you hear of his arrival at San Diego. If you should find, upon your arrival at San Luis, any priests belonging to the mission, or if any should arrive there subsequently, you will furnish them with suitable quarters, and treat them with all proper courtesy and respect. It is understood that there are attached to the mis sion a building and garden, intended for the exclusive use of the padres. If now occupied by them, they will be continued in possession, or put in possession if any should reach the mission subsequent to your arrival. Supplies for the troops at San Luis Rey have been ordered by sea from San Francisco to San Diego. Very respectfully, major, your obedient servant, Brevet Major D. H. RUCKER, Assistant Adjutant General. Commanding squadron 1st Dragoons. Under cover to commanding officer at Los Angeles. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, March 13, 1849. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, on the 10th instant, of the general's communication of the 5th instant. You will see by my letter of the 1st instant, (copy herewith,) addressed to Brevet Brigadier General Riley, or senior officer on board the transport ship first arriving at San Diego, as also by my letters of the 7th instant, severally addressed to Brevet Majors Graham and Rucker, (copies already forwarded to division headquarters,) the information communicated relative to the debarcation of the 2d infantry, should any of the ships having companies of that regiment on board first put into San Diego, their taking post at San Luis Rey, and the steps taken to furnish them with transportation and supplies. The country should be well examined with a view to the selection of sites for the posts at Warner's pass, and at or in the vicinity of the mouth of the Gila river, before any detachment to garrison there is made from San Luis Rey.. I am well aware of the necessity of stationing both cavalry and infantry north of the bay of San Francisco; but the only obstacle is the almost absolute certainty of losing seven-tenths of them by desertion from being brought within the direct influence of the gold mines. The company of artillery now here should remain. Instructions will be sent to the collector at San Francisco in accordance with the general's suggestion. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, commanding. Lieut. W. T. SHERMAN, First Lieutenant 3d Artillery, A. A. A. General third division. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, March 22, 1849. SIR: 1 am directed by the colonel commanding the department to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 20th instant, making an application for a change of station from the post of Monterey to that of San Francisco, and asking that your limits may be extended from the latter to a circuit of 160 miles. It is believed that your commanding officer, Captain Burton, has already awarded to you all the indulgences that an arrested officer can reasonably expect, and to comply with your wishes would be attaching no importance to the grave charge which now lies against you. It would be prejudicial to military discipline, in making the service bend to the wishes and convenience of an officer by sending him nominally to a post when his services are not required, and by granting him favors and indulgences which, at the present time, can be extended to no officer of the department. Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, Lieut. M. R. STEVENSON, ED. R. S. CANBY, Assistant Adjutant General. Seventh Infantry, Monterey, California. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, March 22, 1849. SIR: I last night received your letter of the 15th instant. I have directed Captain Burton to send you twenty-five pounds of powder and fifty pounds of lead or balls. Upon the receipt of this powder and lead you will do us the favor to distribute it to the farmers and such other persons as will use it in a proper manner for the protection and defence of the settlement in the vi cinity of San Luis Obispo, and along down in that quarter. Be careful into whose hands you place it; distribute it in small quantities, and, if any should be left, place it in the hands of the alcalde for future distribution, with whom please leave this letter for his guidance as to the persons to whom he should give it. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. B. MASON, Colonel 1st Dragoons, commanding. W. R. GARNER, San Luis Obispo, California. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, March 22, 1849. SIR: I am instructed by Colonel Mason to say that, in the execution of the duties assigned you by department special orders No. 9, of this date, you will govern yourself, unless the plan should be changed by the authority of the division commander, by the plan and instructions prepared by Lieutenant Halleck, corps of engineers, under the instructions of General Kearny of May 4, 1847, for repairing and arming this battery, (San Joaquin,) and submitted by him to Lieutenant J. A. Hardie, 3d artillery, then major New York volunteers, and commanding at San Francisco. These plans, &c., are supposed to be in your office, or in the possession of Lieutenant Hardie. Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, COMMANDING OFFICER EDWARD R. S. CANBY, Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco, California. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, Monterey, California, April 15, 1849. MAJOR: Your several communications of the 25th ultimo have been received, and submitted to the commanding general. Your application for leave of absence has been forwarded by him to division headquarters, with the following endorsement: "Major Graham being under orders from higher authority, (instructions from Adjutant General's office,) I cannot, as I would under other circumstances very gladly do, recommend that the indulgence applied for be granted." The applications for transfer have also been forwarded to division headquarters, with a recommendation that the necessary action should be taken there. Under the peculiar circumstances of the case, the surgeon's certificates of ordinary disability have been forwarded to division headquarters, with a like recommendation. The application of Sergeant Cady for discharge has been approved and forwarded. We have accounts here (not official) of a number of desertions from your command, and particularly from that of Major Rucker, on the march to San Luis Rey, which the general hopes are greatly exaggerated. has, however, directed the immediate transfer of the musicians, farriers, He and privates of your command to the 1st dragoons, and tne abandonment of Los Angeles as a military post. He desires that the measures necessary in consequence of these orders be taken with as little delay as practicable, and with a view to the best interests of the service. At this distance, and in the absence of more certain information, he cannot give you more definite instructions. Captain Kane, after completing the duties necessarily devolving upon him in consequence of these orders, will be ordered by you to report at department headquarters. The general desires that you advise him as early as possible of the receipt of these orders, and the measures you have taken in carrying them out. If any outrages have been committed upon the inhabitants in your neighborhood, please report all the information in relation to them that may be in your possession. Very respectfully, major, your obedient servant, Major L. P. GRAHAM, ED. R. S. CANBY, Assistant Adjutant General. Commanding, Squadron 2d Dragoons, Los Angeles. HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, MAJOR: I have the honor to enclose herewith, by direction of the commanding general, orders 11, 12, 13, and 14, current series. The company required for the escort of the commissioners you will please equip and send to San Diego as soon as practicable. Accounts (of unofficial character) have reached this place with regard to desertions from your command, which the general hopes are greatly exaggerated. He, however, directs that, if the enlisted men transferred from the 2d dragoons be not enough to fill up both of the companies of your squadron, the company designated for the escort of the commissioners be first filled up and sent, as above directed, to San Diego. The headquarters of the other company will remain until further orders at San Luis Rey. You will grant any reasonable indulgences to your men that will, in your estimation, have a tendency to prevent desertion. Secure the public property by paying liberally, under the provisions of division orders No. 5, the non-commissioned officers and men in charge of it. The general directs that the receipt of these orders, and the measures you have taken in carrying them out, be reported to him as soon as prac ticable. For this purpose, you will please communicate with Major Graham, who will probably send an extra express to this post. If any outrages have been committed upon the inhabitants of the country, you will please report all the information in relation to them that may be in your possession. Very respectfully, major, your obedient servant, Major D. H. RUCKER, ED. R. S. CANBY, Assistant Adjutant General. Or officer commanding 1st Dragoons, San Luis Rey HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, SIR: I have bestowed an attentive consideration on the several communications on the files and records of this office from the general commanding the division, and Colonel Mason, recently commanding the department, relative to the temporary disposition of the troops in this Territory, and to the other sources of information within my reach. As this consideration has resulted in a conviction differing materially from that experienced by Colonel Mason, and assented to in great part by General P. Smith, I respectfully submit for his consideration a disposition of the troops intended for this department, which I hope will meet his approbation: The companies "F" and "M," 3d_artillery, are required for the depots at Monterey and San Francisco. The transport Fanny Forrester, which is hourly expected, will, accordingly, after landing the recruits for company "F," be ordered to proceed immediately with company "M" for San Francisco. Two companies of the 2d infantry and one of the 1st dragoons are required, and are now under orders, for service at or near San Diego; one company 2d infantry for the depot at that place; the company 1st dragoons, and other companies of the 2d infantry, for the escort required by general orders No. 65, 1848. Two companies of the 2d infantry, now in this harbor, will, under instructions from division. headquarters of the 19th ultimo, be ordered to the bay of San Francisco. The 5th company of that regiment, now at this place. will be retained here for the present, with a view to reinforce the garrison of San Diego, if it should be greatly reduced, as there is much reason to apprehend it will be, by desertions. The remainder of the troops I propose to distribute as follows: Three companies of the 2d infantry, on their arrival, and the company of the 1st dragoons now at the Presidio of San Francisco, at some healthy position in the immediate vicinity of the mines south of the junction of the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers; the remaining companies of the 2d infantry, and one company of the 1st dragoons, if its organization can be retained, at or in the vicinity of the pass leading from the country in rear of San Luis Obispo to the Zulaces valley. Information from the south, from authentic (although not official) sources, shows that, with very few exceptions, the dragoons of the squadron of the 1st regiment deserted upon being ordered to San Luis Rey. Many had previously deserted from Los Angeles, carrying with them their horses, arms, and equipments; and it is believed that the desertions at that place will be greatly increased when the order breaking up the companies of the 2d dragoons is received; so that I fear I shall not be able to organize from four companies of dragoons one required for the escort of the commissioners. It is known that these deserters had committed many outrages upon the property, and it is feared upon the persons, of the inhabitants they encountered in their route to the mines. Unable to carry the means of subsistence with them, they have plundered from the ranches on the road. The gold mania is greater at a distance from the mines than in their immediate neighborhood. The experiment of preventing desertions by placing troops at a distance from the mines has been fully tried, and has signally failed; and the same result will attend any similar disposition of the troops in future, and will be attended |