The daily mountaineer. (Dalles, Or.) 1861-1866, 1866-04-19
LETTER FROM CAPT. SMITH.
April llth, 1866. !

cessity of military protection for the Reserv-
alton now under my charge, and for the
various white settlements and the routes of
travel leading to them. 1t is not necessary
for me to describe in detail the several bands
or tribes of Snake Indians their numbers,
condition and disposition, are quite as well
known to YOURSELF as to me. II is merely
| with reference to their relations to the Warm
l;Springs Agency that now address you :.
| The Agency, as you are aware, is located
on the edge of the Snake country, and be-
yond' it, in an eastery and south-easterly
I!drecton, are no settlements for several hum
dted miles.
| The Snakes or Shoshones who nhabitthis
region are a fierce, predatory race, whose
nomadic habits, superior vigor, and intense
hostility to the whites, render them dread
ed enemy. Their hostility is of the most
malignant and uncompromising character,
land extends not only to the whites, but to
| all Indian tribes who are in relations of
amity with the whites.
| 1uC NuitVo nv" uuuOl my NhulBO oiO w.
pecially objects of enmity. They have at
| various times within the last eight years
committed depredatons upon the Reserva-
tion at Warm Springs. In each heyears,
1859, 1860, 1861, 1862 and. 1868, they made
a raid upon the Agency, and drove off each
time a'large amount of stock. In 1859, they
took from the Indians and the Government
at this place, seven hund; ed horses and all
the cattle then upon the Agency, in humber,
I believe, about twenty. In that'year they
not only drove off the loose stock within
reach, but they also drove the whites and
friendly Indians from the Agency, and kept
possession Of it for several days, with the
arms and other Government property sew
eral of the friendly Indians were killed by
who, if they are alive, are now in the Snake
country.
In 1863, the last raid they made, they cap
/ tured about two .lruAdred horses, although
thirty soldiers under command of'Li eutenant
Haloran were stationed at the Agency.
Sincesthat date they havenot visited the
Agency, but the recent very bold depreda
tions upon the'grent road leadingto Canyon
| City, are such as TO excite apprehension that
we may again be troubled with their
presence.
! 4 They have within the last.two, months not
only stolen horses and cattle from several
stations on the Canyon City road, robbing
and breaking up completely severul stage
stations, but they y'iave come to Trout Greek
| within, twelve. miles of this Agency, and
robbed the ranch of the Messrs Scot of q
large number of cattle and horses. / donot
undertake to recount the immense loss of
property in other localities, or the many
barbarous murders of whites committed by
them. Of these you, are doubtless as well
informed as lam, but,I do ask youc earnest
attention to the exposed condition of this
Agency.
The troops at Camps Polk, Wright, Curry
Logan and Watson, are all ordered in, and
these POSTS are to be abandoned. When
this order is carried into effect las it will in
a few days) there will he absolutely no bar
rier between the Warm Springs Reservation
and the Snake country of the south ant
southeastern portion OF the State.
The small number Of employees at tht
Agency are quite inadequate, for protection
and the friendly Indians are from their vo'
cations so necessarily scattered that they
cannot be relied upon for defense. Twent!
resoiute Snake Indians can at any time take pos
session of this Agency, and They are fully a,oar
of its exposed, condition.
fThehrcrnedy for this exposed condition o
affairs, in my judgment, lies wholly with til
military.
A small military post established at som
point between Crooked River and the Can
yop.City road, and west of the Blue Noun
iains, could afford protection not only to th
| Do,n,y,t;,n and Aopncv INIT also to tl