, 1856-05-02
LelItr d Cow. Curry 10 th, Sttrttary Of War.
4 TERRITORY OF OREGON,
Portland, April I, 1856. (


Hon JEFFERSON DAVIS, Secretaryof War:
Sir-My attention has been called to a
letter in the public print from Major Gen.
John Z. Wool, to His Excellency Isaac l.
Stevens, Governor of Washington Terrific
ry, a COPY Of which beg herewith to enclose.
In this remarkable production, my official
conduct and the patriotic and selfsacrifcing
efforts Of my fellow-citizens, in the suppress
ion of our present Indian hostiities, are
allnded to with such perversion Of facts as
to impose upon me necessity that because
of the distinguished public service of Gen.
Wool in the past, would most gladly
have been spared. 'a'.
The Legislative Assembly, at its recent
session, adopted, with entire unanimity, q
memorial to the President asking the recall
of that distinguished officer from the com
mand of the Pacific Military Department.
The reasons assigned in that document had
my cordial concurrence, and have now, in
behalf Of myself and the people whom he
has aspersed, to request for the additional
causes herein assigned, that be be with
drawn from position which his prejudiccs
and iudinercnces 10 the dangers which
threaten to dcsolate our settlements have
rendered him incompetent to hold. POI"
Since the commencement of Indian hos
tilities, | have been actuated by the one
purpose Of their speedy and complete sup-
preston To this end have directed all
nv energies. Up to the arrival of Gen
Wool in thc "Columbia river and Pnget
Sound disttictp the volunteers and the
troons Of tbe Trri,od States had acted IN
concert with tbe utn,ost harmony and
GOOD feelinc Rv his order the latter
were Withdrawn from the seld at n seoson
whom tbcir sorv;cos co,,Id bovs boer or tbo
ors,tes, nossiblo ovoil tbe var was moi.
wi,bstandiro sill maintained bv The citi.
zen soldiery and imnottont snccesscss
achieved . i y
Gen Wool arrived at Fort Vancouver
Washington Tertitory in November last
while 7 was enoaved bv pnblic dpties in
Southern OREGON at n point over two hmm
dred miles distant from that most On NV
ra,DrD 7 learned from, tboss ronrosentinc,
me who had made him an Official visit in
NV absence Of the inauguration, Of a plap
utterly at variance with nv own which oh.
vipted the necessity Of a personol interview
The wisdom Of my plans it remains only in
mart for time to yiudicate. What those
plans actually were and the necessity for
their adoption are matters Of record, and
may not with impunity be misrepresonted,
or aspersed, directly or by inuendo. The
ineonslderate and impolltic plans Of Gen.
Wool find fitting illustration in the recent
bold bloody massacres at the mouth Of
Rogue river and at the Cascades, both
within convenient distance Of military posts
of the United States. .r.F ~ 1l
In rsrutatioh of a statement 50 uhfound-
ed and presumptious as that denying the
necessity of volunteers east Of the Cascade
mountains, have the honor to refer you
to my communication of the oath of Octo-
Der last, and also to submit the following
extract from a letter from N. olney, ESQ,
Indian agent for Oregon, addressed to me
under date, Walla-wallsg October 18th,
1856: ''o'' % ''
al beg leave TO draw your attention to
tho fart of all the Indians north and smith
of ,bo rolrmbiaa this side of M Nez percas
and spokaus having either commenced
omen hostillties mon the whites or are
concentrating theft forces for that nurnose