, 1860-03-09
From the San Franeiseo Herald
Lieutenant MuIlan's EXpedltiop
SAY FRANcIsco. Feb. Is 10

Editor Of the HraH:-Hayinc so.-.
many exaggerated accounts of the silua,;on
of Lieut.. Mulan's command, published !.
the Oregon newspapers, l would be mnaE
obliged if you would insert the followina
statement, which may, perhaps, relieve tho
anxiety of many of those who have either
friends or relatives in the party: .tf
On the 26th of November last. I,isr,
Mullan's train arrived at their pressr,
camp, on the Little Mesula or ST. Rsoi.
Borgia river, within thirteen miles of tbo
Bitter Root river-leaving Lieut.. Whit
with portion Of his escort in camp on
small prairie on the same stream, nine mil..
above; and Lieut.. Lyons with the remain.
der Of the escort and half Of the sDpnrs.
of the commissary department in carnn n,
a small prairie six miles east of the summit
of the Ceur d'Alene Mountains, and fifteen
miles west Of Lieut. Mulan's camp On
the 9th of November, it began to snow.
and on the morning Of the 2Sth, there was
over foot Of snow on the ground. To
work on the road, cutting and clearing
heavy timber, was impossible; and as the
season was already fur advanced, and win.
ter was now upon US, it was deemed best
to erect winter quarters where we were IN
the woods, and await the opening Of spring
to resume our labors.
A depot warehouse had already been
erected, and an Office was next built, in or.
der to have reports, maps, etc, prepared
as soon as possible. Next the houses for
the laboring men were made; and by Christ
mas, all we're finished aud comfortable
The dwellings for the officers were nearly
completed when left, (January 9.)-
While this was going on at our camp, 1t.
White and Lieut., Lyons, with their respec.
tive parties, were engaged in conveying the
stores from their camps down to the main
camp, called "Cantonment Jordan.n,T This
was done on hand-sleds, as our cattle were
all sent through tp the Bitter Root Valley
as soon as possible, after the fall Of snow.
BY the end Of December, all the supplies
for the escort were brought down and safe
ly slowed away in large warehouse erect
ed by Lieut.. Howard, which was filled to
its ridgc-pole with -four, pork, coffee, sugar,
and all the other articles comprising com
missary stores, and, on the beginning Of
January, the entire party were once more
together.
1t has been stated that VIC have lost all
our animals. The escort, on account Of
their. heavy train, requiring two trips to
move it, have lost nearly half Of their cat
tie and males, while Lieut.. Mullan's loss is
only some few yoke of cattle, about six
mules, nearly all his horses-some ten or
fifteen head-and about thirty head of beef
cattle, including estrays, which is his entire
loss since leaving Walla Walla last June.
1t is stated that we have suffered great
ly from the cold This is not so. Several
Of the men have had their fingers and toes
nipped little by the frost. This would
not have occurred, il the supply Of mittens,
boots and shoes had reached Us; but as
Capt. Friedman was obliged to abandon
them on the eastern side of the divide
about forty miles from our camp, We were
obliged to make moccasins Of raw hide,
ETC.. for protection. The suffering caused
by this is but little, for under the good care
Of DIR. Mullan all were well, and none we're
idle more than a week on account Of this
misfortune. The only case which is any
way serious is that Of soldier, named
Mahon, who started out on search for
whskey was gone three days aud was found
so badly frozen that his life was despaired
Of Both bis feet were amputed, and when
left, his recovery wGs doubtful. i
We have an abundance Of supplies 10
last us until spring, with large amount Of
fresh beef. 1t. Mullan will send his pack
train to Fort Benton early in March to
bring over supplies left there by the steam.
er last summer, amounting to some sixty
tons
Work will be resumed on the road about
the FIRST of April, perhaps before, and
three months Of laber will complete the
work as far as He'll Gate, seventy miles
west Of our camp, whence to Fort Benton
there is natural road over which wagons
have already passed loaded with ton
each.
Some eight or ten men only have left the
party. Some of these have gone to the
Bitter Root Valley to see the place, aud
will return in the spring to the command,
and five only have left the party to better
their condition; of these three came down
with me to Walla Walla, and two proceed
ed TO Colville. sy
l left the party in good health and sPir-
its on the 9th Of January, all cheerful and
comfortable. There was two feet of snow
on the ground at Cantonment Jordan; Eve
feet eight inches on the summit Of the
Ceur d'Alene mountains; two feet at the
western base of the mountains, which depth
continued as far as the Ceur d'Alene Mis-
sion, whence to the Pyramid Butte, the
snow kept gradually growing thinner, and
at last disappeared almost entirely.
am, sir, very respectfully,
Your most obedient,
W. W. JOHNSON, uI
Girl EngiHeery
Fort Walla Walla and Fort Benton Mill
tary Road.