"The commanding general of the TransMississippi Department could best judge of the propriety of detaching any portion of his command for the proposed expedition into New Mexico and Arizona. We can here decide that if a large force would be requisite that it would be impracticable to spare it. If it be possible to raise in Mexico and in New Mexico and Arizona a number of Southern refugees from California and elsewhere equal to the smallest number named, and who would organize themselves for service with our armies in the field, it would certainly invoke every feasible effort to accomplish such an end. Colonel Harrison thought that could be done and suggested the peculiar capacity of the Hon. Mr. Baylor for the service indicated that of raising the force and putting it into service." January 24th, 1865, Col. Baylor again urged the Secretary of War for permission to fit out the expedition in Texas to invade New Mexico and Arizona. I make the following extract from his letter: "Once in the Territories, which are now abundantly supplied with goods, enough property could be confiscated for the use of the Government to defray the expenses of the troops, and as the United States Government is now working numerous silver mines I see no reason why we might not control the same mines and make them yield a revenue for our purposes. * * * * * * * * * * * "It will be remembered that there has been no attempt to recruit for our Government in this section of the country, and so strong is the Southern feeling in Southern California that the United States Government has never succeeded in enforcing the conscript law or draft there. The people, never having felt the ravages of war, are enthusiastic and would not hesitate to join us in this struggle for independence. Should you think proper to honor me with a commission for the enterprise I have suggested I can only say that I will, as I have ever done, serve my country with all the zeal and ability I possess. At this time Grant was hammering Lee's dwindling army in front of Richmond; Sherman was driving before him the small force of Johnson on his victorious march from Atlanta to the sea; everything indicated the speedy collapse of the Confederate Government, so no action was taken in the matter, and it is surprising that Col. Baylor could not realize the fact that the Government at Richmond was rapidly nearing its downfall. CHAPTER V. THE LABORS OF THE CALIFORNIA COLUMN. ASSEMBLING OF COLUMN AT FORT YUMA-ITS MARCHES ARRIVAL AT TUCSON-LETTER OF COLONEL CARLETON-ORDER FOR ARREST OF SYLVESTER MOWRY-MOWRY HELD PRISONER AT FORT YUMA AND HIS PROPERTY CONFISCATED-MOWRY'S SIDE OF THE STORY-HIS RELEASE AND RESTORATION OF HIS PROPERTY IN VALUELESS CONDITION-CARLETON PLACES TERRITORY UNDER MARTIAL LAW-CARLETON MADE BRIGADIER-GENERAL- TAXES UPON MERCHANTS IN TUCSON-FOOLING THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS BILL BOWERS AND HIS CONTRACT FOR BARLEY-HANK 'N' YANKC. O. BROWN'S CONTRACT WITH LIEUT.-COL. WEST-FIGHT WITH APACHES CAPTAIN T. J. JEFFORDS GENERAL CARLETON'S REPORT TO ADJUTANT-GENERAL-OUTRAGES BY THE INDIANS. In relation to the expedition of the California Column up the Gila River, I quote from the "Record of California Men in the War of the Rebellion," Adjutant-General's Office, 1890: "The troops composing the column were assembled at Fort Yuma in April, and early in that month information was received at that post that the Confederates, under Hunter, were on their way down the Gila, when a reconnoitering party, under Captain William P. Calloway, consisting of his own Company I, First California Infantry, a detachment of Company A, First California Cavalry, under Lieutenant James Barrett of Company A and E. C. Baldwin of Company D, and a detachment of Company K, First Infantry, under Lieutenant Jeremiah Phelan, with two mountain howitzers, was sent out with orders to proceed along the Overland route as far as Tucson. This command reached the Pima Villages with no other signs of the Confederates than a number of burned haystacks at the different stations. Upon approaching the Picacho, April 15, 1862, the Indian scouts brought information that a detachment of Confederates was in the immediate front. The detachment of cavalry was ordered to make a wide detour, so as to strike them on the flank, while the Captain, with the main party, was to attack them in front. The enemy was not found in the immediate front, but, after travelling several miles, rapid firing was heard in advance, and, arriving upon the spot, it was found that Lieutenant Barrett had located the Rebel pickets, and the first information they had of the Union forces was their charging in among them. Lieutenant Barrett and two men were killed and three men wounded. These were the first California Volunteers killed or wounded during the The Rebel loss was two men wounded and three prisoners. The graves of the Union Lieutenant and his men may now be seen within twenty feet of the Southern Pacific Railroad, as it goes through Picacho Pass. The Union forces remained on the ground that night, and the next morning, the Captain, against the protest of all his officers, ordered his party to fall back. Near Stanwix Station they met the ad war. vance of the 'California Column' under Colonel West, when all proceeded to the Pima Villages, where a permanent camp was established, and earthworks thrown up about the flouring mill of Mr. Ammi White, who had been carried away prisoner by Captain Hunter, a few days before. This earthwork was named Fort Barrett, in honor of the young Lieutenant who had been killed in the skirmish at the Picacho. A halt was made here to allow the different detachments of the 'Column' to close up, as not over four companies could move together over the desert on account of the scarcity of water. On the fifteenth of May Colonel West, with the advance detachment, moved out of Fort Barrett for Tucson. They moved up the Gila River to old Fort Breckenridge, near the confluence of the Gila and San Pedro Rivers, where the Amercan flag was again run up on the flagstaff of the Fort, amid the cheers of the men. On the morning of the twentieth, Tucson was occupied, the Confederates having abandoned it on the approach of the 'California Column,' and returned to the Rio Grande." According to the official communication of Colonel Carleton to the Adjutant-General of the United States Army, San Francisco, California, under date of May 25th, from Fort Barrett, Pima Villages, the advance guard of the California Column, under Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph R. West, First Infantry, California Volunteers, took possession of Tucson, Arizona, on the 20th of that month, without firing a shot. The report says that all the Secession troops who were in the Territory, and all the Secessionists, had fled, the |