HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 491 



a strong military force be maintained on that frontier, 

 it will be impossible to prevent the commission of out- 

 rages upon the Indians ; and they, in turn, will be 

 avenged by murders committed upon isolated parties 

 of whites. Unfortunately, the eagerness with which 

 gold is sought after by detached parties of miners, 

 gives many opportunities for the commission of such 

 outrages. To seek after and apprehend the perpe- 

 trators in cases of this kind, a mounted force is abso- 

 lutely necessary ; and, although great difficulty will 

 be experienced in obtaining forage and replacing 

 horses that may be disabled, its services are so indis- 

 pensably necessary, that I greatly regret my inability 

 to supply more than one company on the Indian fron- 

 tier until after the company now on duty with the 

 commissioner of the boundary survey is relieved. 



I have heretofore called the attention of the War 

 Department and the division commander to the in- 

 sufficiency of the force assigned to this department 

 by general order No. 49 of 1848. As it may not be 

 possible, with the present military establishment, to 

 order any additional force to this country without the 

 action of Congress, I respectfully invite the attention 

 of the commanding general to the views heretofore 

 expressed on this subject. A topographical sketch 

 of a portion of this department is herewith inclosed, 

 upon which I have indicated the positions or neigh- 

 borhoods in which I deem it important that troops 

 should be established. The amount and character of 

 the force required in my report to division headquar- 

 ters, of June 11, is also inclosed. 



The embarrassments under which the service ha3 

 labored will be so readily appreciated at home, that 

 it is unnecessary to refer to them here except to say 



