, 1859-05-06

Of that company, considering the misfor-
tunes aud suffering, and massacrGs, and
burniugs with which their country was
afflicted. considering the recommendations
Of the Territorial government, 10 refuse to
make payment for services actually ren.
dcred, aud which were of signal value aud
Of imperative necessity.
Mr.. Chairman, propose in these re-
marks rather to fasten upon points, than TO
into the whole subject. But the Auditor
has gone into implied censures OF the
organization we adopted in Washington
Territory in order TO wage that war; and
he has covertly INDUCED in slurs against
the service. lie complains because there was
so large staff, because there was so many
Quurtermasters aud CommisSaries and Sur
geons, and so many higher officers Well
the Commission examined that matter
What does the Third Auditor presume to
know abont those matters? How can he
apply the reasons to the factsg The mill.
tary gentlemen OF that Commission, men
who served in that country, examined that
territorial staff and organization, and they
we're satisfied that the organization was
good and effective; and that the staff was
simply adequate to the duties they had to
discharge. 1t is proper to state, that it is
an axiom with military men that the staff
is not so much proportioned to the force,
as to the extent and character OF the
country over which that force operates.
And, sir, iD the extent Of oar operations,
in the character Of our country, you find
the conclusive aud overwhelming reason for
the organization adopted
The Auditor complains that our compa-
nies were small. But you must recOllect
that our population was sparse. If we or
ganized at all, we had 10 organize in small
companies. That is conclusive refuta-
ton Of that objection.
But, Mr.. Chairman, in certain part Of
the report, the Auditor disparages the
service, by speaking Of it, "such as it was "
have, sir, served in one campaign and
Eve pitched battles. | have heard the
whistling Of bullets; and l carry on my
person the marks Of honorable wounds re-
ceived in the service of my country; but !
have never been in q service of such danger
aud difficulty as the service characterized
by the Auditor "such as it was" make
no special complaint Of the Auditor II
was unfortunate that he went out of bis
province to cFiticise what was not within
bis knowledge. When l re,urned from the
BlackfoOt country to Puget's Sound in the
months Of November and December, 1855
through thousands Of hostile Indians with
party Of twenty-five men-we moved
through forests and over mountains for -four
hundred miles-not man Of my party be.
lievug that we wonld get through, but
every man expecting that his bones would
be left to wbiten upon the great plain Of
the Columbia. That was service charac-
terized by the Auditor such as 1t was" !
feel proud Of that service, not for myself
alone, but for the noble devotion and hero
ism Of my party; men who had crossed the
continent with me in 1858, and whose
nerves and hearts were hardened to steel
/ will give some facts showing the immi.
nence Of the danger in my own mind.
We had crossed the Bitter Root noun.
tains in snow three feet deep. and had
reached a camp twenty-five miles from the
FIRST Indian village. was satisfied the In
dams had no notice Of our coming. They
were reported and believed to be hostile
Ny animals were tired out and my men
brokeHdown with the long march, 1t was
impossible for me TO move my train in q
single day to the village, and if / did make
the attempt, ! was Of opinion that our
movement would be slow and struggling, and
that we could not reach the Indians before
they would hear Of our coming, and that
they would have time for preparation 81
| determined with two men to go in ad
vance of my party and see whether in thi:
way, IA king them by surprise, l could moi
direct their minds from hostility and thu,
insure the safety of my party. So, mounted
on our best horses, the two men aud my,
self with four friendly Indians, started
leaving directions for the train to reach tht
village the following day. We moved OF
rapidly. Soon after noon we came in sight
of the Indian village. We~Tode into th,
midst Of the indians, dismounted from oul
horses, and with our rifles in one hand, We
offered the other to the Indians. They
were taken entirely by surprise They hac
not the slightest intimation of our ap
4 proaeh. Their preparation to give us 1
hostile reception had only been abandoned
few days, us they had given up oil ex
pectation Of our coming. They grOspcC
our outstretcbcd hands, and through tn,
aid Of the friendly Nez Perces their mind
were softened, and my party, the next day
were received with kindness by them.
Mr. Chairman, that was done by me a
matter Of judgment. was satisfied tina
l was safer with that tribe with two men
the tribe not knowing of my coming, thai
would be-they having notice-witl
twenty-five men at my back My judgmen
was satisfied MS to the course Of safety
and, thank God, l did happen TO have
nerve enough to act as my judgment die
tatea. We moved on 10 the Spokane Will
the same party. 1t was these same Cou,
d dAienes aud Spckanes who drove Steptoe anG
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