, 1856-04-11
From the San Francisco Herald.
The Indian Var in The North.


trying to the patience and temper of the
citizens Of Oregon and Washington Terri
tories, those whose homes are here, and
who are acquainted with all the facts and
circumstances connected with the Indian
war that is now desolating our unhappy
country, TO read the articles published in
the San Francisco papers, and purporting
to be written by persons who have visited
this country, and who pretend to be well
Informed in regard TO the Indian affairs in
this region. was just reading an extract
from letter written 10y 81. q. b." in the
Herald of February 7th. lie pretends to
be well informed, aud yet shows his igno-
rance Of Indian warfare in these parts in
the first few lines. lie says he expected,
when he left San Francisco, to march i'm
mediately into the Indian country, and as
rumor said the Indians were occupying a
fortified position, TO strike them down with
q single blow. may not quote his exact
words, as / have not the article before me,
but have the substance. Why, sir. the
most gullible person in either of our Terri
tories, would have laughed at him for
walking mile, much more for coming
from San Francisco here, with the idea Of
catching our Indians in any such fix
They know too much to be caught in such
q position. Experience has shown us that
these Indians must be corncred, or else Ia
ken on the run, to get any fight out Of
them, unless they number at least ten to
the whites one. Again, he says that Gen.
Wool ordered an examination Of the Gov
ernment animals, in order that, if possible,
q command might be sent among the Wal
la-wallas, to prevent them from comb!-
ming with the tribes already hostile Here
again he shows either his ignorance, or if
las he pretends) he is well informed, his
wilful Misrepresentation. He is either ig-
norant Of, or does not wish to remember
the fact, that council was held on Wap-a-
too Lake, in the month of August last, in
the Yakima country, by the Yakimas, Cay
uses, Walla-wallas, Palouses, and part of
the Klickitats, at which time it was deter
mined to commence hostilities against the
whites last fall, instead Of waiting until this
spring, as had been agreed upon between
the combined tribes. This decision dis
pleased some few Of nearly all the tribes,
and these few held themselves aloof from
the rest until the others had succeeded in
driving Major Haller with his handful Of
men back TO the Dalles, when they, en-
boldened by the success, joined the war
parties. He also labors under q mistake,
when be says that animals could moth OBJ
tanned in the Territories to pack provisions
for the troops during O winter campaign.
With the cash, any requisite number Of
animals might have been obtained at rea-
sonable prices. To DO sure, the volunteer
Quartcr-masters are obliged to pay large
prices in scrip, for the reason that the citi-
zens Of Oregon were obliged 10 wait so
long for the payment of the Cayuse and
Rogue River war scrip, and they will not
let their provisions and animals go without
q large per centage to cover the time and
trouble Of getting their pay. But at the
same time cash would buy any number of
animals and any quantity of provisions,
even from men who would not sell for scrip
at any price. He alleges the freezing Of
the Columbia River as the reason why d
winter campaign was abandoned. This is
certainly misrepresentation of the fact
For there were two or three companies Of
regulars, and one company of volunteers
who were mustered into the regular service,
already at the Dales, but were ordered
down about the 5th of December, long be-
fore the river closed, or showed any signs
Of closing. This company of volunteers
were there with fresh horses, the men fine
y armed and equipped from the regular
army stores at this place; but, unfortunate
ly, they had mustered in, and must come
back. The winter campaign had then been
abandoned. The Columbia river was closed
with ice, and navigation stopped from the
26th day of December to the l4th day Of
January, and no more before and since
which time it was, and has been, as free
for navigation, and steamers plying as reg
ularly between Vancouver and the Dalles,
as in midsummer. He also says that the
volunteers, after asking and being refused
aid by Gen. Wool, pushed on and finally
did succeed in getting some of the Walla-
wallas to array themselves as enemies. We
will say nothing about this, as we have
shown above the relation in which the
Walla-wallas stood to the whites, except
that in the battle SO gallantly fought by
our volunteers, there were Yakimas, Walla-
wallas and Cayuses, as any one acquainted
with the different tribes will testify, as
some of each of the above named tribes
were found dead upon the battlefield. He
also says that Gen. WooPs ief wish was
to get the volunteers to go tg'their homes
and attend to their farms. 1t is very easy
for Gen. Wool to say, "Go home, boys,
go home, and I'll thrash the Indians for
you next spring" How gladly would
eSf them be to go home and live qui-
letyy once more-but where are the homes
Of many Of them I Gone to the clouds in
smoke-houses, barns, fences, everything
but the land they cultivated, sent there by
the burning torch Of the hostile Indians,
their fnmilies living in small rooms, and
even barns, in the small towns scattered
through the Territory, with nothing to