The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-20
vuE scRTHEyss PACIFIC MILITARY RoD.

n ES>AASsSss-
prorrexs OF the Road Erom Fort Benton
80 Wanm-Wana - Description or the
mountaineering Letter from Mr.. Cain
20 Mr. Dc Lacy.
o,rp EXTRAORDINARY CORRESPONDENCE
CAMP ON TIE coEuR p'ArExE RIVER, / |
,sl Miles from walla. walla W. r., Aug. 8, 1859 |
.s The ewes Of The whole country are at this time |
centred towards the opening up Of great public highway
stretching from the PaQnc to tho Atlantic coast under e
ausuiees OF the Northern Pacific Military Road Expedi
,.On The points being Fort wsiwaa and Fort Benton,
,he whole under the general supervision aud charge OF
.,op, A,au Of tho army intelligence relative TO the sue
a s,ers in the progress success and Incidents attend
,ug the construction Of this roai aust necessarily 90
erused with intense interest By all hence nave aken
,ho liberty from time 10 time leisure Afforded itself, TO
- post" the HERALD shereupon.
wrote 10 YOU last from our camp on inc ~
Josepb River distant from abe initial point OF The
xno nyalla wala) hundred and sixty nine miles My
natter then left us comfortably encamped, awaiting the
camueou Of The atboa wnerewith 10 make the crossing
Of the St. Jeseph whilst, as usual, working parties and
corps of competent engineers We're kept in advance, ex
aiming and eeong agererl reconnaissance Ct the coun
Try in line with approaching the contemplated course
CT the road The being finished them LIST of
August the artillery escort commanded by sIieutenants
White and Howard, with their supply traia under the
direction Of Lieutenant Lyon took up the line of march
and ELECTED the crossing Of the river without accident or
se slightest daInagethe entire time spent in so doing
amounting 10 three hours and half
Lieutenant Mulian gave orders for his train and com
rand to move ever on the I'd, and beautiful brgh,
tuesday eve found the expedition pleasantly in camp
she right bank the We remainei at this poin
Sill the 5th during which sessrs wiaasonan Spangler
with a working party of Lieutenant Muans mand,
unied with detail from the soldiers ard were preparing
and constructing the road hence TO the Occur dAlenc
river This truly laborious and tedious in cha
rasier and was well calculated the p,aic OF the
men, Who with zeal and energy scarcely ever equal!ed,
sailed forth aborcd for several days, cutting through
o dangerous and difficult canon for the distance Of
twelve miles This passage being finished by the 5h the
command prepared TO move onward
While the St. Joseph Lieutenant Mullan received
express from Lieutenant Wckine, temporarily command
ing the Colvle post at the hands OF Qua ham, Occur
dAene chief, informing us that Qua ham, ieteeshe and
Ncapsee three Occur dAene chiefs had visited the gar
rson with OF their people, and informed him of the
determination OF the Neg Perces " not to go to with
the whitesn This is quite different story from that
which had from said quarter three months SINCE
which represented these scoundres as being much dis
affected and bcicose Lieutenant Wckiiic adds II
reasonable to oppose that that tribe finding that the
road did not pass through their country as it first
contemplated 10 run it, have abandoned any hostile
Intentions they may have had This is probably the
version Of the matter These Nez Perces
he the terror Of the mountains they number some 500
Warriors and hold kind of balance of power There
thing evident they must through the ordeal common
70 all Indian tribes before they be made submissive,
and 10 feel the power of our government The
en that these scamps taste OF something in the shape
powder and balls the better will be both for ourselves
and them.
The passage Of this military road through the Indian
country by the way promises to disclose the true charac
Der Of the different tribes we have their good will aud
friendship let encourage it, and strive keep at
peace; but they obstinate and disposed to annoy
rs rather than manifest open hostility by committing
predations in our rear upon the line of the road let
those high in command Immediately send out troops and
the ns ahs PS tina. has been
correspondent to be the only true to be instituted
The government officers have in all their intercourse
endeayored 10 impress them with the spirit of their
sion into their country; have, AN occasions, by
word and act, treated them friends; but
hand have taken good to let them know what they
may expect in the event OF any Of them committing
anght against our men, animals property. And your
correspondent would suggest to those who may pass
through the country to practise this Of conduct
justice blended with hrmness.
The arrival OF express from the Palouse landing
the 18th bringing the States mail to 10th June
pleasant 70 the dull and monoonous OF things
ia camp All hearts made glad by the announce
ment Of "Naill MALL" and very after officer soldier
teamster and cook, could be deserted reading Of good
Men and animals having had good rest in camp, we
left the St Joseph August s, and marching for twelve
miles through the canyon spoken of above, camped
The Occur dAene river, about fifteen miles from the
Catholic mission The working parties, with engineers,
here to the mission they viii urobabv have pushed on
sufficiently far TO enable US TO march forward to-day or to-
Mr.. W. w. de Lacy, who since the indspositon of Mr..
Howard at Fort Wala- Walla has been in charge OF a
party running line OF levels along the shores OF the
Columbia having completed his abors started from the
mouth of Paouse August and with party arrived here
to-day The party have had hard time of it 81 nee May
last All are weL;-Messrs de Lacy Mitchell, Smith and
Mitchell engineers; Messrs Hudson, Scully, johnson
and Graham working men, &c. We were visited this
morning by many Of the Cur Aenes, with their
and children The women offer moccasins for sale OF
course they complain OF being "very poor, and always
"need shirt blanket" You will hear from again
when arrived at the mission.
l append copy Of letter received by Mr.. de Lacy,
whilst en- route Join the main body Of command from
Mr. Il (atn liam a Ia vail Az
refers the disposition of the NeZ Perces
party deem fit subject for publication Up to this
place mies OF the road have located good
and practicable wagon road could be built in any
country of similar character.