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Indian Hostilities in Oregon and Washington. Message from The University of Oklahoma College of Law University of Oklahoma College of Law Digital Commons American Indian and Alaskan Native Documents in the Congressional Serial Set: 1817-1899 4-17-1856 Indian hostilities in Oregon and Washington. Message from the President of the United States, communicating information relative to Indian hostilities in the Territories of Oregon and Washington Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.law.ou.edu/indianserialset Part of the Indian and Aboriginal Law Commons Recommended Citation H.R. Rep. No. 93, 34th Cong., 1st Sess. (1856) This House Executive Document is brought to you for free and open access by University of Oklahoma College of Law Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in American Indian and Alaskan Native Documents in the Congressional Serial Set: 1817-1899 by an authorized administrator of University of Oklahoma College of Law Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 34th CoNGRESS, ~ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 5 Ex. Doc. 1st Session. 5 ~ No. 93. INDIAN HOSTILITIES IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON. ~IESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF TilE UNITED STATES, COM"1UNICATING Information relative to Indian hostilities in the TeT'ritories of Oregon ancl Washington. ArmL 17, 1856.-lleferred to the Committee on l\1ilitary Affairs. To the Speaker of the House of Representat·ives : I transmit herewith reports of the Secretaries of the vVar and Inte­ rior Departments, in response to the resolution of the House of Repre­ sentatives of the 31st ultimo, calling for information in relation to the origin, progress, and present condition of Indian hostilities in the Territories of Oregon and Washington, and also of the means which have been adopted to preserve peace and protect the inhabitants of said Territories. FRANKLIN PIERCE. WASIIINGTON, .April17, 1856. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, .April 4, 1856. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith copies of all official let­ ters and other information on file in this department, and not already communicated to Congress, touching the origin, progress, and present conc1ition of Indian hostilities in the Territories of Oregon and \Vash­ ington, an<l also the measures which have been adopted to preserve peace, and protect the inhabitants of said Territories, as required by the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 31st ultimo. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JEFFERSON DAVIS, Secreta1·y of JVar. To the PRESIDE~T OF THE UNITED STATE~ . , . 2 INDIAN HOSTILITIES TERRITORY OF OREGON' .A.dfutant General' 8 Office, Portland, October 24, 1855. SIR: I have the honor, herewith, to enclose certain papers, which I deem it my duty to forward to you, relating to an Indian war now waging in this Territory. The intelligence of the late engagements of Major Haller with th" United States troops under his command, against the Yakama Indi­ ans in the vicinity of Fort Dalles, has, doubtless, reached your offic.' by the last steamer, and apprized you of the serious and threatening nature of Indian hostilities in this quarter. The reports and letters of the governor of this Territory, George L. Curry, which go out by the same mails with this, will fully apprize the department at w~shington city of the character of the war, and of the military force called into the field in this country against the combined hostile tribes, comprising the Yakama, Pelouse, Klikatat, Walla-Walla, Cayuse, Dechute, U rna till a, and other tribes on the north, and the Rogue-river, Klamath, Shasta, and other bands in the south. The extent and number of those hostile tribes which have joined the confederation against the whites is at this time not fully known. Copies of newspapers published in this place, and herewith sent, will give the particulars of those hostilities more fully than time ~will permit at the pr8sent to give. The rough draught from which was taken the accompanying sketch of the theatre of war on the north, has been furnished by an old moun­ taineer, an agent of the Hudson Bay Company, and may be relied upon as very correct. Of the progress of the war; and its termination, I will endeavor to keep you fully advised; meanwhile, allow me to ask for instructions in the further duties of the office of which I am the incumbent. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, E. M. BARNUM, .A.d}utant General of Oregon. Gen. SAMUEL CooPER, AdJutant General' 8 Office, U.S. .A.. [GENERAL ORDER No. 1.] HEADQUARTERS, ADJUTANT GENERAL's OFFicE, Portland, 0. T.) October 13, 1855. SIR: You will purchase, at market prices, the following articles, and in such quantities as are herein given, for the use of the troops called into service by the proclamation of the governor of Oregon Territory, dated Portland, 0. T., October 11th, 1855. You will purchase such articles to be approved and accepted by yourself, and upon the condi­ tion that the payment for the same will be made from appropriations n1ade by the Congress of the United States, to be applied to defraying the expenses of the campaign under said proclamation, viz: 1,000 horses and mules. _ ' .., IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON. 3 400 saddles and bridles. 100 pack-saddles and rigging. 300 guns. 2,000 pounds buck-shot. 2,000 pounds best rifle powder. 3,000 pounds bar lead. 100 revolvers. 100,000 percussion caps. 300 powder-flasks and shot-pouches. 10 coils lasso rope. Forage for thirty days for all animals procured ; also, stationery as required by the several regiments; also, 1,500 heavy blankets. 1,000 heavy flannel-shirts. 1,000 pairs pants. 1,000 pairs shoes. 1)000 pairs socks. 200 iron or tin six-quart camp-kettles. 200 tin two-quart coffee-pots. 1,000 tin pint-cups. 1,000 tin plates. 1,000 sheath-knives. 200 tin eight-quart pans. 25 camp tents. 50 axes, with handles. 100 hatchets, with handles. And you will forward all of the said ammunition, one half of the horses and mules, saddles and camp equipage, clothing, &c., to the Dalles, at the earliest possible despatch; and the remainder of said supplies you will retain at this point (Portland) to await further orders, and report to this department. By command of the governor: E. M. BARNUM, Aqjutant General. A. ZIEBER, Assistant Quartermaster General. [GENERAL ORDER No. 2.] HEADQUARTERS, AdJutant-General's Otfice, Portland) 0. T., Oct. 15, 1855. M. M. McCarver, commissary general, will be prepared to furnish subsistence, for at least thirty days, for the entire command which has been called into the field by proclamation of the governor dated the 11th of October, 1855. Meanwhile he will have ample time to pro­ cure further supplies if the cam.paign shall be prolonged beyond that number of days; and he will hold himself in readiness for that pur­ pose upon further orders from this office. By command of the governor: E. M. BARNUM, Aqjutant General. 4 INDIAN HOSTILITIES [GENERAL ORDER No. 3.] HEADQUARTERS, ADJUTANT GENERAL's OFFicE, Pm·tland, 0. T., October 15, 1855. By proclamation of the governor this day made, two battalions of mounted volunteers have been called for from southern and middle Oregon, for the purpose of suppressing Indian hostilities in those sec­ tions of our country ; and in view of the probable concert of action among the tribes upon both our northern and southern borders, it is indispensably necessary that a free communication should be kept open between the Rogue river and Willamette valleys. The officers who may be chosen to the command of these battalions, as soon as they are mustered into the field, will therefore employ their respective commands in protecting the settlements in those sections from which they have been raised, and at the same time will keep open the line of communication between the Umqua and Rogue river valleys. Their movements for those objects must necessarily be left very much to their own discretion. For the purpose of effectually chastising those savages who have perpetrated the merciless outrages in their midst, they will treat all Indians as enemies who do not show unmistakable signs of friendship, and deal with them accordingly; and they will also bear in mind, that so far as is practicable, a con­ cert of action will be maintained with the United States forces that may be engaged in that section of the r:rerritory. No change in the plan of operations for carrying on a vigorous war against the Indians at the north will be made in consequence of the call for battalions fron1 the south. The commanding officers will keep this office fully advised, from time to time, of their operations and success. By order of the governor: E. M. BARNUM, Addutant Genera~. [GENERAL ORDER NO.4.] TERRITORY OF OREGON, Headquarters) Portland, October 16, 1855. rrhe regiment of Oregon mounted volunteers, authorized by the proc­ lamation of the governor of the Territory, of the 11th day of October in­ stant, for the suppression of Indian hostilities on the northern frontier, will establish its base of operations at the Dalles of the Columbia, and with all possible despatch subdue the enemy's country, secure indemnity for the past, and conquer a lasting peace for the future. The means ne- - cessary to effect the object of the campaign will be left very much to the prudence, skill, and experience of the colonel in command of the regi­ ment, who will, as far as practicable, co-operate with the commanding officer of the United States troops which now are, or may hereafter be, in the field. Great care will be taken not to confound friendlv with hostile In­ dians; but unmistakable evidence of friendship will b~ requireq of any of the Indians within the field of the regiment's operations, or they will be treated as confederated with those openly in arms.
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