New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-14
OREGON.
ROGUE RIVER WAR.
20 ~ Tfs ~ Trihrr.r

the last eighteen ddys-leaFlDg Jackboh'uic tuu
Fort Lane week ago this morning-I may give
you as authentic intelligence as you will receive
from any source. Before leaving Willamette
valley old residents Of the country remarked the
smokDess Of the atmosphere, telling ne it was less
smoky in 1853, when the Rogue river war was in
progress They said the mountain atmosphere
was very clear when there were no fires in the
mountains and that these fires were kndled by
the Indians as war signals, and they feared gen.
ersl outbreak But all seemed quiet as we passed
on through the Umquee and out by the Canon
which would be a terrible place to encounter a
band Of desperate red men, it being the worst pass
for wagon road ! ever saw-aRd on through
Rogue river valley. Yet the people were appre-
bensive Of dbDger as we neared Jacksonville, for
the report # the attack on 9agODers in California
near the Oregon line had reached the valley, and
the memory OF 1853 revived.
At Jacksonville the excitement was intense
The report vas believed that Gen. Wool had come
I'D from California for the purpose Of prosecuting
the war; that be had recommended the organize
ton of volunteer companies, and given the soldiers
Of Fort Lane permission TO volunteer, which they
bad Immediately done 10 the number OF sixty, IN
der com pand of Col. Aston AT Sterling, the same
day, Sunday, Oct 7, a volunteer company was made
up under command of smiley Harris, and came TO
Jacksonville toward evening They were to meet
a company from Bear river and another from
Butte creek, and before morning attack on Butte
creek some Of Johns Indians-abOut twelve in
number-wbo with others to the number of
twenty five, had been stopping several days in the
sane place, and could be easily surrounded and
cut off Johns men had long been lawless, and it
was hoped they would now be destroyed. We
bIeakiosted on Monday at Fort Lane, after a
ten miles morning ride from jacksonville and
Hnol n+
there, nor was he expected that the
volunteer companies were not authorized by the
officers at the fort and the soldiers were all there
two companies, one hundred and fourteen each.
Capt Smith, our host, pointed to eight or ten
Indian women and children, who had come to the
fort tor protection about daybreak. The men at
the fort had heard firing little while before and
soon learned that the volunteer companies had not
found the company of Johns tribe, as they ex-
pected for Johns men had heard OF the in
tended attack and gone of upon the reservation.
The volunteers then went to rancheria, contain.
ing ut the time two men and women, and children
to make up Dozen fired into it, killing one old
woman aud slightly wOundng another The
woman killed was Sans mother and the company
were Sans Indians. This Sam was chief Of per
haps hundred men, whom the Shasta Indians had
long tried to induce to join them against the
whites, but Sam had hitherto refused. Whether
this outrage would induce him to turn, Capt
Smith did not know. He thought, whatever law
lessness the indians committed, the whites were the
gQressors, as in this instance. He said If Johns
M had been cut off it would have been unjust,
for they had been peaceably fishing and drying
salmon for several days and he did not think they
bod hostile intentions. left the fort in company
with Mrs. Wagner, from whose house, thirty
miles from Jacksonville, she had attended me on
Saturday. Mr.. ROsenstock, our escort, aud DR..
Drew of Jacksonville, and Judge Deadly, also
Joined us at the Fort, and were going
to the Willamette valley the latter to his
home. He bad been holding court as district
Judge at Jacksonville 1t was his opinion that the
movements of the volunteers might arouse the In
dams to desperation, and that general attack
was to be feared. We called at the house OF Dr.
Ambrose, the Indian agent, who had an engage
ment with the judge to attend hlm TO the villa,
meite but WHEN we called he had just received
summons from the fort to go there
directly. Judge Deadly bid him good morn
inc. ard told him to come on TO Mr..
Wsgener's, where he would spend the night,
and 20 on with him in the morning AS we pro,
ceedtd we heard a report that one or Two hundred
Indians. armed and mostly mounted, were on the
road down the valley, the way we were going
also that a horse and keg of whisky had been
stolen on Saturday night from the premises of Mr.:
Waooner. and that he had sent after aud recovered
them by some of Georges Indians whose encanp-
ment was near his house On reaching our des,
tinat;on. and indeed all along the road, We found
AZ every house renewed fear of the Indians. But
Ceorees tribe were about Mr. Wagoners house,
nor did he seem IL feel in danger. One oil these
friendly indians came to him in the night and
t,,ld him that keg of whisky had been stolen and
he hired him to bring it back. Sunday morn
ING be found that fine horse belonging 10 a
DR. CARPENTER of Sacramento, who was travelling
for pleasure through the country, had been taken
from the house One Of Georges men was hired to
90 after it. and succeeded in bringing it back butts
shoulders were swollen with hard riding All was
quiet here, however At 5 next day Dr. Drew and
Judge Desdy went on | waited for attendance
toward Crescent City taking my horse, which l
had left here to recruit at l04 o'clock, Mr..
Wagner could go with me. had tried to obtain
q little Indian girl for guide, but her mother was
afraid to let her 90, she raid. When We left tue
house, Mrs. Wagner and her little girl, ak years
of age, were the only whites but half dozen Of
Georges Indisns were there round the door. They
had breakfasted at Mr.. VS. table, which they
often did Mrs. w could talk the Che1ook with
them as well as any of them, and did not fear to
be left When We were a half mile or more from
the house heard q musset report, and asked Mr.
W. what il meant He said WAS one Of
Georges men shooting game-ssid they were
good shots. | heard another report, but
thought no more of il. We rode by bad trail
10 Van Noyes's ferry where was to take q good
wagon rOsd and could go alone We found Mr..
Van Moves much excited. man came past an
hour and half before, saying that he took break
fas, st Mr. Jopess. four miles from Mr.. Wagon.
erss, on the Jacksonville road, and after breakfast
had occasion to go off the track on an errani snd
returning in sight of the house il was in flames and
the BAY, stacks also, and he beard reports of guns
snd the cries of women Mr.. Van Noyes h,d
seut the half dozen men he had with him to alarm
the Beghbors and put them on guard Mr. Wag-
oner, of course, was in fear lest his house was at