The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-08-01
LITTER OF COL. coRNELIUs.
HEADQUARTERS isr REQ, o. NV,
Portland, June Is, 1855.

Portland, June IS, 1855.
Sin: In a communication under date OF aBsnicia, (Cal)
Apr 1885, published in the National nelgenesr over
b own signature General Wool INDUCES in several direct
and weghy charges against the volunteers who
dsr my command in the wala Waa country indirectly
rejecting upon myself II Is due the volunteers and the
people Of Oregon that these malicious inventions unsup-
ported by single circumstance and having foundation
in truth should be noticed and refated.
General Wool asserts: aAs the volunteers having no
boats could not cross suake river the retreat Of the In
dams closed the winter campaign except to plumber the
friendly Cayuses OF their horses and cattle This charge
unquafedly false, and Gen Wool has placed his
foot within distance Of nearly two hundred miles OF the
friendy Cayuse camp he consistently make claim
to any knowledge Of the of his grave
cusaion Not officer soldier under him has visited the
Waa- county since the inception Of the present Indian
war Who impaired to him the information he SO boldly
declares and vouches to be true he does disclose
whoever his informant s that has imposed upon the
aged and ereduous General and deceived him by state
the Of truth. On the approach Of troops
10 December last to the occupancy of the WallaWalla
country the friendly Cayse and WaaW ALA Indians i'm
rored our protection from the threatened vengeance Of
their brethren These friendly Indians numbcredmen,
women, and chdren-about one hundred and thirty.
The remainder of the Csyuse and Wall Walla the Una
tla and De Shutes Indians in open hostility to u.s.
1t was the result of no sudden impulse 1t pro-
duced by the forward movement Of troops to their
country The legitimate certainty Of these facts will be
apparent from the testimony adduced on the trial of
tain Indians in February last report of which win be
submitted TO you by Judge Advocate W. H. Farrar.
The protection claimed by the friendly Indians was
readily promised and afforded although to the serious in
convenience and dermen of the service and the compa
ny employed therein.
Throughout the winter and until the removal of those
Indians to the Nez Perces they encamped at dis
tance Of miles from the encampnent of troops
ce that at ,h5 solicitation the French and half
breed company (K) encamped at their village, Several
times in the winter d, the Indian village, and held
council with the chiefs and principal men, Never word
of complaint was lisped to against company X Twice
and twice only, did the Indians complain of any wrong
having been done them by the volunteers and both acts
consisted in taking Of horse In each instance the hor
ses were restored and the Indians satisfied. On
occasion three hundred head of horses driven
into camp. Nearly all wild, unbroken animals.
They believed to belong to members of the
party. They were, however, claimed by some OF the
friendly Indians their individual property, and al
though the brands upon the animals did not cores
pond with the brands given to us by the Indians
their in order prevent any i'll feeling and difficulty,
all but horse turned to the Indians their
mere claim of ownership The retention of the single horse
of the principal hostile chiefs 1t identified by
large number of volunteers having been used by him
in the battle of and it bore the evidence OF
gunshot wound received in that battle II is true OBJ
tanned and used for subsistence of the cattle claimed
by the friendly Indians. This done, however
when had could procure beef from any other quar-
ter But in every instance the cattle purchased from
the Indians and the price agreed therefor the
allowed to citizens with whom contracted for
cattle The Indians repeatedly expressed themselves
perfectly satisfied with the business transactions between
The imputaon that the volunteers and their officers
npiundred the friendly Cayuses" is malignant fabrca-
ton hesitate to believe that Gen. Wool has SO grossly
debascd himself originate this shameless defamation
In his dsempered spleen he has suffered be palmed
upon his eager willingness to believe all things detrmen
TAI to the citizens Of Oregon these shameless bels which
had their origin in the vicious brain of one or two persons
whose reputation for truth and veracity is Of very
high order in the community of their residence.
General FOOL should have made little inquiry as
the character Of bis Informant before lending the pres
tge Of his and official station the endorsement Of
grave charge II would hare been far better for his
reputation for prudence and willingness to accord
the volunteers their DESERT had be resored this pre-
cautionary II would have saved him from the
painful exposure OF portion Of his vindicve sentiments
citizens which be has frequently and weakly suf
fered TO become manifest
Another statement made by General Wool beg to no
tcc. He says: In February, thirteen wagons loaded
with supplies including ammunition for the volunteers
guarded by only four men, captured by the ndif
between the Umaila and Fort waa- waa. This charge
is bssely false the which have above replied
Until read this in the letter Of Gen. Wool to the National
negepcer report had reached my ears and was
aware that unmigaed untruth was employed by Gen
Wool The dsparagemca Of the volunteers and dscred
Of our whole people From the Of the
the mouth of March last single wagon belonging
the volunteer service had beea between the Umatia
and Fort walla walap At no time were there as many
thirteen wagons" in any train loaded unIosdsd
From frst the Indians have captured wagon
train loaded with supplies" During TIE Whois period Of
The wGr ne Indians haze not succeeded in capturing sin
gle article Of guarferna, eommi,say aors or supplies,
aumuaion or rsgon In this respect the volunteer
Wool The Indians hare captured from the forces Of Gen
Wool supplies for the regulars while from the volunteers
they have no, such success boast 10 this connection
may alude to the fact that in April last in the Yakima
country my command captured from the Indians portion
Of the ammunition obtained by them when they attacked
and captured the Cascades within raerange Of the vet
Gran wools own trained bands
have thus noticed the only accusations preferred by
General Wool against the volunteers and their officers since
the date Of my commission colonel Of the northern reg
ent the 2ls Of December regret the necessity that do
manded Of ms the reaon Of the grave and serious false
hoods promulgated by Gen. Wool and perssenty adj
herea to by one who might have added TO his aue and
enhanced the esteem in which be held by the
people Of Oregon he had applied his strength the
defence Of widespread and unprotected settlements in
lieu Of having wasted his energies in unmsnly dssemi
FL. - tNor.