, 1856-07-11
From the Oregon Weekly Times.
Col. Cornelius Letter.

We are indebted to Adjutant Farrar for
1 copy Of the following letter, which gives
the lie to many of Gen. Wool's assertions.
This coming from the Colonel in command
Of the Northern Regiment, will have neu-
tralzing effect on Gen. WooPs misrepre-
sentations
HEAD-QuARrERs lst Regt. o. NJ. Vols,
Portland, o. T., June IS, 1856.
SIR-In a communication under date Of
Benicia. Cal, April 2, 1856" published
in the National IntelligenoeT, over his own
signiture, Gen. Wool INDUCES in several
direct and weighty charges against the
Volunteers who were then under my com
mand In the Walla-wslla country, indirect
" rejecting upon myself 1t is due the
Volunteers and the people of Oregon that
these malicious inventions, unsupported by
o single circumstance and having no foun-
daiion in truth, should be noticed and re-
futed.
Gen. Wool asserts" As the Volunteers
having no boats, could not cross Snake
river, the retreat of the Indians closed the
winter campaign except TO plunder the
friendly Cayuses Of their horses and cattle"
This charge is unquali6edly false. 1t has
no relationship with truth. And as Gen
Wool has never placed his foot within n
distance Of nearly two hundred miles of the
"friendly Cayuse" camp, he cannot con-
sistently make claim TO any personal knowl-
edge Of the correctness Of his grave accu
sation. Not an officer or soldier under him
has visited the Walla-w0lla country since
the inception Of the present Indian war
Who impaired to him the information he so
boldly declares and Vouches to he true, he
docs not disclose but whoever his inform
ant Is, that man has imposed upon the aged
and credulous General, and deceived him
by statements the reverse Of truth. On
the approach Of our troops in December
last to the occupancy Of the Walla-walla
country, the friendly Cayuse and Walia-
walla Indians implored our protection from
the threateped vengeance Of their own
brethren. These friendly Indians number
cd, men, women and children, about one
hundred and thirty The remainder Of the
Cayuse and Walla-walla, the Umatila and
Deshutes Indians were in open hostility to
us, and this rupture had long been planned
aud determined. II was the result Of no
sadden impulse 1t was not produced by
the forward movements Of our troops TO
their country. The legitimate certainty Of
these facts will be apparent from the testi-
uso0y adduced on the trial Of certain Indi-
ans in February last, report of which will
be submitted to you by Judge Advocate
w. II. Farrar.
The protection claimed by the friendly
Indians was readily promised and afforded,
although to the serious Inconvenience and
detriment Of the service and the company
employed therein.
Throughout the winter, and until the re-
moVal Of those Indians to the Nez Perces,
they were encamped at distance Of ten
miles from the encampment Of our troops,
except that, at their urgent solicitation,
the French and half-breed company TX J
camped at their village. Several times in
the winter l was at the Indian village, and
held council with the chiefs and principal
men. Never q word Of complaint was lisp
ed to me against company K. Twice, and
twice only, did the Indians complain of any
wrong having been done them by The Vol.
unteers, and both acts consisted in taking
Of q horse. In each instance the horses
we're restored and the Indians were salts
6ed. On one occasion some three hundred
head OF horses were driven into our camp
Nearly oil we're wild, unbroken animals
They were believed to belong to members
Of the war party. They were, however
claimed by some Of the friendly Indians as
their individual property, and, although
the brands upon the animals did not cor.
respond with the brands given to US by the
Indians as their own, in order to prevent
any ill-feeling and difficulty all but one
horse were turned over to the Indians Oh
their mere claim Of ownership. The reten
ton OF the single horse l Justify. 1t bore
the brand Of the notorious Five Grow, ont
Of the principal hostile chiefs. 1t wa.
identified by large number Of Volunteer.
Is having been used by him in the battle
Of Walla-walla, and it bore the evidence o
gun-shot wound received in that battle
It Is true we obtained, and used for sub
sistence, some of the cattle claimed by tn,
friendly Indians. This was neyer done
however, when we had, or con1as pcure
beef from any other quarter. But Eeyery
~inStance the cattle were purchased from tht
Indians, and the price agreed on therefor
was the same as allowed to our own citi