over the mountains; there is also an abundance of fine timber in this country for all farming purposes. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, E. STEEN, RAYADO, NEW MEXICO, July 31, 1850. SIR: For the information of the colonel commanding department, I have the honor to make the following report of an expedition lately made by troops under my command against the Apache Indians. The force placed under my command consisted of G and I companies 1st dragoons, and K company 2d dragoons-total strength 78 (seventyeight;) Lieutenant Adams, 1st dragoons, commanding K company dragoons, and Lieutenant Taylor, 1st dragoons, in command of G company 1st dragoons. With the permission of the colonel commanding, about ninety Mexicans from "Loda Mora," with officers chosen by themselves, joined me at this place on the 22d inst. On the morning of the 23d inst. I marched from this place, moving northerly along the base of the mountains until I reached the Verniegoup that river nearly to its source, thence across the headwaters of the Canadian or Red river. Having travelled two days and nights, we struck the Indian trail, leading over mountains and difficult cañons-followed it, and about 12 m. on the 23d our spies reported a small party of the enemy in sight. I despatched Lieutenant Adams with the advance guard to the attack, and by a rapid and well executed movement he killed or wounded the whole party, and captured the animals which they were driving. On the same day, late in the evening, a party of the Mexicans who went in advance as spies surprised another small party of Indians, killed one or two of them, and brought into camp seven animals. We marched again at night, and the next day (July 26) until 1 p. m., when we came upon the main village, situated on the edge of a mountain, in a thick and almost impenetrable growth of aspens; the ground for some distance being full of springs and very marshy. When we discovered them the Indians had removed their families, having probably heard of our approach from some of the parties previously attacked, and at the sight of my command abandoned their camp and fled. I pursued them immediately, encountering great difficulties from the nature of the ground, until they finally disappeared; and the peculiar nature of the country rendered further pursuit useless: they were then descending the mountains in the direction of "Guajatoyas" or "Spanish peaks. In this chase the Indians lost five or six, killed and wounded. I lost one non-commissioned officer, (Sergeant Lewis V. Guthrie) who was mor tally wounded and died the next day. I captured also a number of horses, mules, sheep, and cattle. The total loss of the enemy in the several affairs was: six killed, and five or six wounded, about sixty horses and mules, eighty head of cattle, and one hundred and fifty sheep, and a quantity of provisions and camp materials, captured. The cattle, being part of those stolen at Rayado by the Indians, have been returned by me to their owners. The horses, mules, and sheep I left in the possession of the Mexicans who accompanied the expedition. The next day, July 27th, I started on my return in the direction of the "Costilla," down that stream some ten or twelve miles, thence across the mountains, and through cañons, to the "Morena" trail; following that trail until it crossed the trail from Taos to Rayado, thence to this place, where we arrived on the 30th inst. Total distance travelled nearly two hundred miles, over a rugged and mountainous region. Credit is due to Lieutenants Adams and Taylor for their gallantry and the skill with which they conducted their respective commands, and to the non-commissioned officers and men, who acted at all times with energy and efficiency. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. N. GRIER, Captain 1st Dragoons, and Brevet Major, U. S. A. Lieut. L. McLAWS, A. A. Adj. Gen. 9th Mil. Dept., Santa Fe, New Mexico. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, CAPTAIN: On the first day of April I left San Francisco, in the steamer for San Diego, accompanied by Lieut. Colonel Hooker, Assistant Adjutant General, and Lieut. Gibbs, aid de-camp, to examine the southern part of the territory, and fix on the position of posts. Two days and a half took us to San Diego. I there visited the boundary line, as established and marked by the commission. The end of the line on the Pacific ocean is about fifty feet south of latitude 32°. If this determination be correct, the position of the entrance of San Diego bay must be a little south of that assigned to it by Brevet Captain Halleck, engineer corps. The troops (two companies second infantry, under Major Heintzelman) were situated on the beach at the usual landing, near the mouth of the harbor, without fresh water or wood near, while a few men occupied the mission about five miles from the bay, where both are convenient, and where good gardens can be cultivated. General Riley had already directed Lieut. Colonel Magruder's company to occupy San Diego on its arrival, and I see no reason to change its destination. This will leave the two companies under Major Heintzelman disposable, and a post will be occupied as soon as possible at the mouth of the Gila, by these or other two companies, as General Riley may direct. The missions are generally claimed by individuals. I cannot assume to decide on the validity of such claims; but assuming that such of them as are now in possession of government troops are public property, I have directed the garrison of San Diego to he established at the mission, and remain there until the permanent bar racks are built at the works to be erected for the defence of the harbor, or the property is legally adjudicated to some claimant. The escort detailed for the boundary commission having been disengaged, by their adjournment to meet on the Rio Grande, and having been relieved by Major Emory and ordered to report to department headquarters, left a company of infantry under Captain Hayden, second infantry, and a company of dragoons under Lieut. Couts, disposable. Major E. Fitzgerald's company was also at San Diego, having been organized from detachments that came across by the Gila, and directed by General Riley to occupy El Chino. These three companies were all too small to occupy any distant or exposed point. But the cavalry was stationed at the mission of San Luis Rey, and a small infantry post determined on at the Cajon pass, twenty-six miles from El Chino, after I had visited those places. At San Luis Rey are good stables for a squadron of cavalry, good quarters (with trifling repairs,) the best of pasturage, a position central as to the Cajon pass, Warner's pass, San Pedro, San Diego, and the southern boundary, and a most valuable (as I think) property going to ruin; good gardens can be made, and there is much fruit on the spot, a consideration of great importance, for the health of the officers and men in California has suffered much from the want of fresh vegetable diet. The Cajon pass admits the ingress of Indians, even from the Colorado, into the great valley of San Bernadino, in which is the rancho of El Chino, and is the only pass in that district by which they can drive cattle or horses rapidly out. A small force of infantry at its mouth will suffice to give notice to the inhabitants when any predatory band enters, and to prevent them driving out herds of cattle. The inhabitants being warned, must undertake the care of their own property, for these Indian expeditions rarely consist of more than a dozen persons. Cavalry could do no more, for the pass is difficult for horses, and they could hardly penetrate at all in the mountains. The cavalry at San Luis Rey, particularly if brought up to its proper strength, can be kept in good order at little expense, and moved even with wagons to any point I have named. I have passed all of the roads myself with a wagon, except between the mission and El Chino and San Pedro, which are well travelled carriage roads. A large amount of supplies had been already moved to El Chino, under General Riley's order; otherwise I am not certain that I should have considered it necessary to plant a detach ment at the Cajon until troops were more numerous in the division. As I passed up on my way northward, I went over the road from San Luis Obispo to San Miguel. General Riley had sent Lieut. Derby, topo. graphical engineers, with a party to open a wagon road from San Miguel to the Mariposa river and mines, thus opening a communication from sea near or at San Luis Obispo to the southern mines. The mountain which lies between San Luis and the head of the valley of the Salinas river, in whose valley is San Miguel, is very difficult to cross with wagons loaded with anything like a full load. My opinion is that a better route for transportation of supplies to the posts to be established on the waters entering into the Tulare, is from the headwaters of the San Joaquin, taking advantage of the high water to reach the uppermost point of navigation, from which it is only twenty-five miles to Los Reges river, over a level road. On this stream the post will probably be established. Its position will be determined when Lieut. Derby's report reaches me. I returned to Benicia on the evening of the 18th instant, having rode 840 miles from San Diego. The distance by the direct route is 487 miles. I diverged to visit Warner's pass, towards the Gila, and the top of the ridge overlooking the great desert, the Cajon pass, San Pedro, Monterey, and other minor points. The time remaining between the delivery of the mail from the Atlantic. and the departure of the next is too short to permit me to give a detailed description of the country. In general it is better for agricultural purposes than I expected to find it. There is much limestone near El Chino and Santa Barbara; many springs of mineral tar near the latter place and the Pueblo de los Angeles; and lagoons near both, in the neighborhood of the sea, that furnish every year, in the dry season, immense quantities of salt of the best quality, in large transparent crystal of the size of a hickory nut. I ate very fine oranges from the tree growing in the open air at Los Angeles, showing a very mild climate. Six thousand people from Sonora and the neighboring Mexican States have come in this year; by the route I came up, the road was covered with them, most of them poor and in extreme want. The Apaches have desolated their own country and left them nothing to abandon or bring. To comply with our treaty obligations with Mexico, will require 600 cavalry and 400 infantry on the line of the Gila and eastward to the Rio Grande, besides those now on the two extremities of that line. The cavalry must be practised dragoons, not recruits that cannot ride. This country is the best school for dragoons in the United States. When I was in Washington, on my return from Mexico, and my regiment under orders for Oregon, I was authorized, on my application to the War Department, to direct that only Americans from the western. States should be enlisted after the fatal act of discharging the men from Mexico was passed. After I left, the recruits, generally the refuse of all the depots, were swept into it; and I am informed that in one instance a body of American western men, enlisted under my order, were turned over to a dragoon detachment, and a body of recruits, many of whom could neither speak English nor ride a horse, but nearer the regiment, were turned over in their stead, thus saving a large amount of transportation. Many men deserted on the route; and, but for the excellent dispositions of Colonel Loring, the regiment would hardly have reached. Oregon. During the absence of Colonel Loring from his headquarters on duty this winter, more than 100 men deserted in a body, and a very unsatisfactory pursuit was made, under the orders of Major Tucker, by Major Ruff. Colonel Loring on hearing of it returned in haste, organ. ized a detachment containing all the officers of his command that could be possibly spared, pursued the deserters in the most inclement season over mountains covered with snow, and through passes thought by the old trappers to be at that season impenetrable, and returned, after a march of a thousand miles, with seventy. Many of the rest perished; but some reached the northern mines, where they are sure of aid and protection. The conduct of Colonel Loring and his officers and men, but especially his own-for his energy animated and moved the whole-is beyond my commendation, and shows that the shot which, at the garita of Belen, took off a limb, in nowise diminished his spirit or even his strength. I hope that in enlisting men for the regiment, fitness for their peculiar service may be considered, and that the choice of men for its ranks may not be committed to officers of other corps who have their own ranks to fill. There is no corps in the army calculated to be so eminently useful on this western frontier as one of mounted riflemen, properly constituted. Last summer, Captain Warner, topographical engineers, was killed by a tribe of Indians on the head waters of the Sacramento; and later in the fall a tribe, or rather a confederacy of several who had long threatened evil, murdered some citizens near Clear lake. Prompt pursuit was made by Lieutenant Davidson, commanding a company of dragoons stationed at Sonoma; but the Indians took refuge on islands in the lake, and could not be reached without boats; they became bold and defied us. I wrote, on my arrival from Oregon and learning these events, that it was my intention to chastise the authors of both outrages, and orders were issued conformably. Lieutenant Davidson, a most intelligent and zealous officer, had submitted a plan of action for the Clear Lake Indians, founded on his experience on the first expedition, which was approved. General Riley detailed his company, and, as I directed an additional force of infantry to be added, the General placed Major Seawell in command of the whole. Many instances were made by citizens to have the expedition start early in the spring; but I gave positive directions that until the route was prac ticable for wagons no movement should be made, as it was intended to carry boats for use on the lake. Major Seawell made every preparation for several months' service, for the detachment was to punish also, if they could be found, the murderers of Captain Warner; but on the eve of starting, the order of the President for a court-martial in Oregon took away Major Seawell, and it was necessary to provide another commander. The lot fell most happily on Brevet Captain Nathaniel Lyon, 2d infantry, and he marched immediately, about three weeks since. My instructions, conveyed through General Riley, were, to waste no time in parley, to ascertain with certainty the offenders, and to strike them promptly and heavily. There was no difficulty in determining the guilty, for they hoasted of the deed and defied punishment, secure of a retreat on their islands in a lake surrounded by mountains impassable for any carriage. Captain Lyon pushed his advance with all his activity, and sent back all his wagons, except those prepared to carry three boats from the foot of the mountain. By putting the teams of all on one wagon, and by the assistance of all the men, the three wagons, with the boats, were gotten over, and the boats concealed on the edge of the lake without the knowledge of the Indians. A body of the latter were driven from a thick jungle by a shot from a howitzer, and all took refuge by their tulé boats on the island. Captain Lyon so disposed his command that a part, principally dragoons under Lieutenant Davidson, lined the shore nearest the island, while the boats manned by the infantry were to attack them in their retreat. The Indians, confident in their position, expected the dragoons would have again to retire without being able to reach them, and taunted them with the distance kept up between themfor some of them spoke Spanish-invited them at least to wade into the water if they came for a fight, &c. When the boats appeared around the point, they set up a howl of despair, but received them manfully with showers of arrows. Soon, however, the fire of the infantry began, as the distance lessened, to tell fearfully, and many fell before our men landed, when they were completely routed, and only those could escape who could reach the water and conceal themselves in the rushes. Another |