, 1863-08-22
Letter from the Plains.

to lndlte the following as to how we are
getting along, the strength of our command
and prospects, ETC.:
The expedition is composed Of five COM
panies, three of cavalry and two of Col,
Steinberger's Infantry The whole num-
bering something near two hundred effec-
tive men, all told. Our horses, so far, are
all in excellent condition and the men gen
orally in fine spirits-not whisky, of course
for there is none of that delectabie article
obtained in this country At present we
are employed upon a small stream, (name
unknown) recruiting our horses and ma
king the necessary preparations for the fur
theraaee of our journey to Fort Hail.
The Infantry are to to be left at this place
to eat rations until our return from the
above named Fort So far not ons Of us
has been blest with the sight of one of the
''Plumed Riders of the Desert" The
Col. sent out this morning three scouting
parties in different directions in search of
the hostile Snakes. They expected to re-
turn in five days. Major Rinearson head
ed one party in person. Capt. Curry, who
/ is always on hand when there is any Indian
! fighting to be done, led the second detach-
ment, consisting Of twenty men from the
indomitable E. squadron. Lieut. Apper-
son led the third, consisting of twelve men
from A. squadron. The writer will lay a
wager that if there is Snake Indian with
in one hundred miles of this place, that
these scouting parties will succeed in fer
retting his Snakeship out of his hiding
place One thing is evident, and that is
that if hard riding plenty Of scouting and
the proper necessary precautions are the
| necessary requisites towards bringing
these Indians to justice Col. Maury will
not fail of giving general satisfaction to
the country at large. However, we may
ride and hunt all all summer long and not
find one hostile foe, but it will be no fault
of the Oregon Cavalry or of the command
| ing officer, and upon the other hand should
we not find an Indian the expedition will
be attended with great many good re-
suits, while it will at least keep the In
dians beat back into the mountains and
allow the emigration to pass through the
country safe and secure in both person am
property.
With the return of the above mentioned
scouting parties, or as soon thereafter as
possible, the Cavalry will take up the line
of march for Fort Hall or vicinity.
There is a rumor in camp this morning
that two men-who have just arrived from
Fort Hall-state that there are about one
thousand Indians at that place on their way
to Soda Springs to make treaty with
Gen. Connor. | do not give this as a fac
but merely as rumor, and for my own
part place no reliance in the report. There
is no doubt though but that Connor has
pretty we'll succeeded in convincing the
Snake Indians of his abilities as an Indiar
fighter, and may possibly succeed in bring
ing them to a treaty this summer.
We anticipate returning to Fort Walls
Walla Oh or about the 1st of November
next. But enough of Indians and Indar
fighting, l will now say a word about the
Northern route up Snake river and the
country.
The road so far as we have come, and
that is about one hundred miles from Boise
we have found to be excellent; plenty o.
good and wholesome water and an abund
ance of grass In fact the whole distance
from here to Boise river is a vast meadow
and I am credbly informed that the
road is good on to Fort Hall.
Now here is something about which
would like to talk, and that is (: Why was
not the new Government Post, which /:
being built on Boise river, located in this
valley. Here in this place (Cammas P a
irie) is valley variously estimated at from
sixty to seventy miles in length and from
twenty to thirty miles in width, and one
of the finest bodies of land on the Pacific
coast. There is also plenty Of water ant
any amount of timber upon the surround
ing hills; and situated, too, as this valley
is, in the very heart of an indian country
But no. instead of locating a Regimen
post here, as should have been done, Gov
ernment goes to work and locates a For
within few miles of a mining country
where there is no more need of soldier:
than there is upon the top of Mount Hood
Had Fort been built here l will ven
ture to assert, and 1 believe every inteni-
gent person in this command will beaf me
out in it, that within the next twelve
months there would be at least five hun
died permanent settlers in this valley, anC
more than that three companies of sol
diers located here would absolutely sue
ceed in entirely overthrowing the Snake
Indians and so guard the Emigrant Road
that travellers might pass through this re-
zion of country attended with little or nc
danger. And again, it would be saving
to the Government Of thousands Of dollars
annually. Government, after the first
year, could raise her own supplies or pur-
chase them of the farmers. Now l have
no disposition to quarrel with the powers
that be, for locating the new Fort where il
is, but in my opinion, however little it may
| be worth, l think the country at large
would have reaped ten times the benefit
had the post been erected here instead o1
upon Boise river as it is. With the per-
manent establishment of a post here and
/ one at Fort Hall, safe and secure line OF
communication between Walla Walla and
/ the States could at all times be kept open
The result would be that fair portion OF
the vast tide of emigration which is pour
ing into the Northern mines from the
States would stop in this country, and the
| Government could soon avoid the other
wise imperative necessity Of sending out
every summer, at great expense, COM
mand Of soldiers to guard the way of en-
| igrants. Perhaps Government will locate
Post here next summer. Who knows
We are all anxious to learn how the
elections went in w. T., and who goes to
Congress and who don't. For my part
think Raynor will not go to Washington
unless he goes at his own expense. How
ever, as Raynor is an Itinerant Minister, il