, 1856-02-08
INDIAN AFFAIRS.

RepuIar rTroops-PreparntIOns for the ContIn-
uance Of the War---Spec uIatIOns, sc.
In our last issue we announced the arri-
val, at Fort Vancouver, of the steamers
Oregcn and Republic, with some 500 regu-
lar troops of the 9th Infantry-6OO Of
whom were retained at Fort Vancouver,
and some l40-aOt one fourth, having
been dispatched for Puget Sound on the
Republic. We then briefly alluded, depri-
catingly, to the disparity of the force as
signed for the protection of the country
between the Sound and the base of the
Cascade mountains, as compared with the
force retained for the protection of the Co
lumbia river, and the prosecution of the war
east of the Cascades. We still hold to the
opinion expressed last week, that the coun-
try between the eastern shores of the Sound
and western base Of the Cascade mountains,
may rOtO be regarded as properly, and cnphat-
ieaIly, tie seat Of tear and that the safety
of our people, both in town and country,
demands, that at least an equal dirisiOn Of the
forces provided by the government for the
protection Of the people of this and Oregon
territory, should be quartercd amongst us,
and take the field, this side-operating in
conjunction with the volunteer force pro-
posed to be raised against the Indians
Under the present circumstances, the dan
ger Of the utter ruin, and devastation Of
this entire portion of the territory, and the
indiscriminate murder of our scattered pop
ulation, is indeed imminent, for many rea-
sons, such as do not exist along the Colum-
bia river, or in Oregon, west of the noun
tains And in Verifcation Of this position,
it may not be amiss to Introduce few
well known facts, for the more serious con-
sideration Of the people, and Of the officers,
and commander in charge Of the movements
of the regular forces.
In the first place, then, the Indians, east
of the mountains have never presumed or
dared to attack the settlements soest Of the
summit. Although the war in the Yakima,
Walla Walla, and other Indian countries,
eastward, was justly provoked by the muir
der, in detail, of some Is or 20 of our citi-
zens yet, since its commencement there, it
has been more of defensive than an often
sire war on the part Of the Indians; where
as, exactly the reverse state of affairs now
exist here.
Again, the Willamette valley-the set
Elements of Oregon proper, ore not infested
with numerous bands Of Indians-possessed
of arms and Misunderstanding ready
at any time to join and make common war
with the victorious combatants-whites or
redskins as the case might be ; whereas,
along the Sound-the Pacific shore-along
our various riVers-throughout our settle
ments, back to the mountains, numerous
bands of Indians amounting in the aggre-
gate to 1900 fighting Cpen, arc now
standing ready-poised in ap even balance,
to fall with the first signal Fhdian victory,
into the hostile ranks of thSsSat present
engaged in the offensive yar-tb share ib
the plunder of our people, and assist in the
murder-we might say, utter determination
of our population. The relative situation
of Washington and Oregon territory in the
present war, is dissimilar in almost every
essential particular. At this season Of the
year, it would be next to impossible for the
hostile Indians east, to gain access to the
Willamette settlements with their animals
without which, they could accomplish
little or nothing but here, the hostile In-
dians have an abundance Of horses, arms,
ammunition, &C., and the Yakimas, Clicki-
tats, &C., could easily make their way from
their own country to this side, through the
mountains, on snow shoes-join the hostile
bands-overawe those now supposed to be
friendly into their ranks, and then with our
present inadequate force, our settlements,
and the last vestige of civilization would
speedily be blotted out. Wenever traversed
q country better adapted for Indian ambus-
cade, than is the country along the Puyallup
in the direction Of the mountains. Prudence
and safety, with an object to success, would
dictate force of almost ten to orc against
the Indians nearly every where on the Puy-
allup, White and Green rivers, &C., along
which, the Indians can now subsist on fish,
and as occasions are favorable, make rapid
incHrsions into the ettlements-drive off
bands Of stock, and reach their Businesses in
the almost impenetrable underbrush of will
low, vine maple, &c, in safety. Who is
there that does not know that such things
have been done, and that too, very recently
Let us here, for moment, compare notes