other authority for his return, and says he desires to live peaceably, and attend to his private affairs. He denies ever having said that he came back with powers to resume his gubernatorial functions, and that he rebuked such of his friends as he had seen for their last attempt at a revolution, and advises that they remain quiet and obey the laws, as no part of the people of the conquered Mexican territory have been treated as kindly as the Californians have been by the American authorities. He thanked me for my personal kindness to his family and countrymen in general, and said if I would permit him he would go to San Fernando, from whence he would answer that part of my order which required a written communication from him. I gave him permission to leave, and offered him an escort, which he thanked me for, but declined. Don Pio Pico is about five feet seven inches high, corpulent, very dark, with strongly-marked African features; he is, no doubt, an amiable, kind hearted man, who has ever been the tool of knaves; he does not appear to possess more intelligence than the rancheros generally do; he can sign his name, but I am informed he cannot write a connected letter; hence, as he informed me, he would be compelled to send for his former secretary before he could answer my order or communicate with you, which he advised me he intended doing. I have promised to take charge of and forward any communication he may choose to make you. He left town on Wednesday morning very early, as obscurely as he had entered it; and those who advised him to assume the bombastic tone he did upon his first arrival, have done him irreparable injury for he is now ridiculed by many who before entertained a high respect for him. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. D. STEVENSON, _Colonel 1st New York Regiment, commanding S. M. District_. Colonel R. B. Mason, _1st U. Dragoons, Governor of California_. P. S.--Since writing the above, I have received the inclosed note from Don Pio Pico, inclosing a communication to your excellency. In the note of Don Pio to me, you will perceive that he is no sooner arrived at San Fernando than he claims to have returned to California as its Mexican governor, to carry out the provisions of the armistice. I shall not answer his note until I have heard from you; but I shall keep an eye on him, and if I find he is preaching sedition, I will bring him in here at short notice. J. D. STEVENSON, _Colonel, commanding_. W. T. SHERMAN, _First Lieutenant 3d Artillery, A.A.A. General_. APPENDIX K.