in their duty, working day and night at the pumps and
elsewhere, and I would specially notice the three 2d lieutenants
who, being unencumbered with the cares of family, labored
unremittingly, and deserve the highest praise.

My regiment is broken up and disorganized, and it will be many
months before it can take the field successfully. We were all
anxious to reach California; our "all" was embarked in the
expedition, and by the providence of God it has been swept away,
and we are now penniless and destitute. We claim that our tour of
duty in California has been performed, by every military
principle, we have suffered more in the last three weeks than we
could, ordinarily, during a five-year tour in California. "We
have marched off parade," sought our destination, and been
crushed, cruelly crushed, and we now ask that due consideration
be shown us.

I further request that the officers of companies "B" and "L" now
under orders for California be directed to report to me in this
city for duty, with the remnants of those companies.

The officers lost are Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Washington,
Brevet Major George Taylor, Brevet Captain H. B. Field, and 1st
Lieutenant R. H. Smith.

As soon as possible a detailed report with a return of the
survivors will be made to you.

The troops taken off by the "Kilby" and "Three Bells" are at
Bedloe's Island.

I am, Colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
William GATES,
_Colonel commanding_.

_____

ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS.

_Acts of Congress Voting Eight Months' Pay to Lieutenant Francis
Key Murray and others._

_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States in Congress assembled_: That there shall be paid,
under the direction of the President, to each of the officers,
non-commissioned officers, musicians and privates, who, on the
twenty-first day of December, eighteen hundred and fifty-three,
embarked at New York, under orders to California, on the steamship
San Francisco, and who was on board the vessel on the occasion of
her recent disaster at sea, and to Lieutenant Francis Key Murray,
and any other officer or seaman of the United States Navy, who was