The Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1852-1872, 1853-03-12


We take TIE following extracts from the 81
nual Report of Gen. Scott, commander-in-chief,
to the Secretary of War. They embrace all said
relative to TIE movements of the troops in this
portion of the State.
The hostile disposition manifested by the In
dians IN California and Oregon, requiring that
our troops ia that quarter should be reinforced,
the fourth regiment of Infantry Withdrawn
frosa the northern lakes and ordered thither
The force under Brevet Brig. Gen. Hitchcock,
who commands the Pacific Division, will soon
consist OF three companies of dragons, tive COM
pauies OF artillery, and two regiments (twenty
companies) of infantry-in all twenty-elght
companies. The whole of the fourth
infantry, eight companies of which have already
arrived out, is to be stationed in Oregon and
Northern Callfornia-the headquarters, with
four companies at Vancouver, one company at
the Dalles of the Columbia River, and the re-
mander of the regiment disiributedas to guard
and keep open the communications between
Oregon and California.
1t will thus be seen, when the two entire
regiments of Infantry have arrived, that an am
pie force will be placed in the Northern portion
of this State and in Oregon, to keep the Indians
in subjection and protect the whites against
their incursions. 1t is useless to disguise the
fact that this portion of the State has heretofore
been shamefully neglected. not so much by the
Government at home by Gen. Hitchcock.
Henceforth we hope better things We trust
that by this time Gen. II. has recovered from
the diseased, we may say, maudlin sympathy
for the squaws and children of these savage
murderers and constitutional thieves, which
some months since induced him TO refuse to send
troops to our relief when some one or more Of
our citizens were being killed by them every
week. We trust that the awful sacrifice of hui
man lie on the Yreka Emigrant Trail, that re-
suited in consequence of that refusal, has restor-
ed his sympathies to healthy tone, and direct
ed them towards his own fcllow-countrymen,
But let by-9ones be by-gones.'
In this connection we may state. that the idea
now preva ling in this community that the
commanding officer at Fort Reading has not the
full disposition of the troops in this particular
district and that he has not the authority to pur
sue and cllastise the Indians for depredations
committed against the whites, is entirely erro-
neous. This is precisely what those troops are
stationed here for. And if, when incursions are
made by the Indians into the settlements, and
stock run off, or other property injured, word to
that effect is communicated to Col Wright we
doubt not he will cheerfully and promptly send
his men in pursuit of the depredators. 1t is I'M
just to censure the officers of Fort Reading be-
cause they have not pursued and punished the
Indians for offences committed, when they have
never been informed of such offences. When
they refuse to redress the wrongs of the white
citizen, then censure them-not before We
have been assured that the only word ever com
municated to the officers of the Fort relative to
Indian affairs was taken to them few weeks
since by Judge McMurtry, of this place, after
the murder of Owens, on the the Sacramento
trail Whose fault is it then that the military in
this portion of the State have been up to this
time, of comparatively little benefit! Let JUS
tice be done, though the heavens should fall.
In this connection we cannot refrain from ex-
pressing our surprise at the absurd reports in
relation to the officers at Fort Reading that OBJ
tanned place in the Sacramento Union. That
paper, before admitting such SANDERS in It's
columns, should have thought just moment,
and remembered that the officers at Fort Read
ing are high minded American gentlemen