, 1856-03-28

and the neighboring tribes as war trophies
that he rejected the interccssion Of the
friendly Nez Perces to continue peaceful
that he had sworn to take my life, and cut
of my party-that he and the adjoining
tribes of Oregon and Washington had Ia
ken up their military position as warrior:
at the proper points Of the Walla-walla
valley-and all this before the volunteers o.
Oregon moved upon him.
Peu-peu-mox-mox was slail fairly.
have investigated that matter on the
ground, having not only the testimony o.
the officers of the Oregon volunteers and
the eye witnesses of his death, but the tes
timony Of the friendly Indians, both Cay
use sand Nez Perces He was not entrap
ped by flag Of truce. /, of course, repro
bate the indignities subsequently committed
upon his person.
Are you aware, sir, that the great yicto-
ry achieved by the gallant volunteers OI
Oregon in the Walla-walfA valley was
fought near the line separating the two
Territories, and that more of the Indians
Of Oregon were engaged in it than the In
dians Of Washington Your letter would
seem to show that you were ignorant Of
this fact. Where, sir, did you derive your
information
Half the Walla-walas live permanently
in Oregon all the Umatllas, over one
half the Cayuses, all of the John Days,
Deshutes aud Tyh Indians. These were
the Indians that met the volunteers Of Ore
gon and oil these Indians were, by an ar
rangement made between Gen. Palmer and
myself, under the charge of the Oregon
agents. These Indians were reinforced,
after the first three days fight, by 100 Pa
louses detached from the force under Kam-
ai-akan.
That some turbulent men Of tho Oregon
volunteers have done injury to the friendly
Cayuses is unquestionable, and it is repro
bated by the authorities and the citizens Of
both Territories. 1t has, however, been
grossly exaggerated
Had, sir, the regulars moved up to the
Walla-walla valley, as most earnestly
urged both Major Rains and Col. Wright,
both by letter and in person, these Indians
would have been protected. They could
not act, because they had no authority
from you. The presence Of q single com
pany would have been sufficient.
The responsibility, if evil follows, will at
tach, sir, to you, as well as to the volun-
teers.
The Nez Perces, though portion live
in Oregon, are, by the arrangement before
referred to between Gen. Palmer and my
SELF oil under my administrative charge,
aud if left alone will continue friendly.
have heard from them long since the friend
to whom you allude. have a staff officer
in their country. They arc organized for
self protection, and If your operations are
conducted with ordinary judgment, not q
man Of them will join in the war.
1 have to refer you, sir, to my memoir
for my views, which will! be found TO bear
the test of experience, and / would advise
you, sir, in considering that memoir, to bear
in mind that as regards the opinions ol
men who, with perhaps not very inferior
abilities to your own, having greater spe-
oial experience, and Q knowledge Of che
country and the Indians TO which you cannot
pretend, it will be prudent not to despise
them.
In your letter Of the 18th January, you
state, 81 have recently sent TO Puget Sound
two companies Of the 9th Infantry. These
with the three companies there, will give q
force of nearly or quite four hundred regu-
lars, commanded by It, Col. Casey. This
force, with several ships Of war in the
Sound, to which will be added in few
days the United States steamer MaSsaehW-
sets, it seems TO me If rightly directed
ought to be sufficient to bring to terms two
hundred Indian warriors. Capt. Keyes in
his last report received, says there are moi
quite two hundred in arms in that region"
Here you have exposed a very conf
dent opiniSh. You thought proper tc
quote Capt Keyes as to the number Of In
dians, but you found it did not suit your
purpose to refer to the acquisitions he had
made upon you for six additional compan
les, two Of which only had been sent for,
ward; nor could you find time to refer to
the fact that Col. Casey had recommended
after the war was over, that eight compan
los should be permanently stationed for the
protection of the Sound.
You think volunteers entirely unnecessa
ry, although after having received from the
executive of the territory, Information as tc
the condition Of the country.
1t is now March, month later, ant
you send two additional companies Of reg
ulars, and direct Col. Casey to call upoI
me for two companies Of volunteers.
Thus have you practically acknowledged
that you was wrong, and that was right
and thus have given your testimony, a.
against yourself in Vindicatiou of the ne
cessity of my calling out volunteers.
As regards this call for volunteers, it il
presumed that Col. Casey informed you
that the whole available force of the SounC
territory was bearing arms, and that tht
great proportion Of them were actively en-
gaging the enemy. l 1a.Hi ~. 3D. l9n.-
That organized in two battalions, th,
northern battalion occupied the line o
the Snohomish, where they were establish