New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-25
The Hon. FELIX DRUsor Chairman Of ne Board Of In
dian Commissioners.

more OF the particulars Of the Indian troubles In
Oregon.
while was in charge OF Indian affairs covering what
Is now Oregon, Washington Idaho and part OF Mon
tana the impression Obtained that ana
good order prevailed throughout that region, and that
superintendent OF Indian Affairs had but little
far back as This impression Is due to the
fact Of the remoeness of the region and the nonpubca
ton o. the details OF the OF peaceabe and
Indians there by authorized and unauthorized
lawless and iuhuman whites
/ purpose to relate 10 you what came within
observation detailed 10 on the spot I'm Of
fetal capacity superintendent OF Indian Affairs. and
trust may be permitted to say brought 10 the inyes
tgatOn Of the facts prejudice partlalty, or favor;
ana H. after lapse Of 20 years the impression OF horror
still remains as vivid ever you may Justly attribute
IL 20 natural repugnance 10 cruelty aud injustice
In June. 1851 while absent official business IN
what known Upper oregon, many hundred miles
from my official residence, Oregon City, received dis
patch requesting my immediate return TO settle the diff
hcuties arising from Indian massacre OF an entire
white settlement" place called Port oxford, the
Pacific coast about 90 miles north Of the California hne
About two weeks from the receipt " the dispatch
was landed from the steamer Sea Gull at Port Oxford.
with inerprcters &c. The first fact learned was in
stead OF an Indian Of white settlement, It
was an arocous Of peaceful and friendly In
dams. The following the facts:
TREAcERoUs RETURN FOR KINDNESS
Some weeks before my arrival there. Port oriorn
party Of Californians. some 60 or more in number,
landed there -Pori Hrford from sch66hSf
with the avowed intention OF laying ont
and building town there. There we're no
Indians located at thar point, but 80 there
during the day ana assisted unload The
labor OF unloading fatiuny and dangerous, owing
TO the surf and depth Of water. Among other things
taken from te vessel two brass cannon six pound
eIsl one Of which, with OF the Indians
taken to the top Of large rock standing three sides
In water. The only approach 10 IL narrow way
from the land side. The piece mounted
and pointed down the way; when
il was charged or loaded did not transpire.
The Indians. 20 more. after laboring zcaously
usctuly In unloading the schooner ordered
little before darE 70 10 the bgrock 10 get their pay
Tor their DAYS work They proceeded to the rock
along the way m single tile. When all the In
dans were tho way, the piece or cannon was
discharged wv OF the parties who came up on the
schooner Twenty-Five Of the Indians instantly
Killed the balance Of the Indians, wounded and I'M
wounded made their escape by jumping into the water
swimming ashore and fleeing into the interior
When the party from the schooner hrst landed party
OF eight was Dispatched % find roadway pass
through the mountains 10 tue Rogue River country
Iii, PARTY OF eight engaged in their work of ex
poration IN she interior when the cannon was dis
charged ana tho Indians killed The morning after the
massacre mon. than two hundred Indians al painted
for war appeared the vicinity and exhibited unmisaI
able signs Of hostility. This alarmed the California
adventures and they asened on board OF the schooner
put ont 70 sea leaving the eight men Of the exploring
y. rty to take care OF Themselves.
rHE SECOND ACT.
You Will please to note the doings OF thrse'eght men,
as the Indian wars oregon in 185l-5 had their ORIGIN
la what followed the dongs OF these eigbt men. They
did not dud their way through 10 the Rogue River
country several days travel they came upon The
head waters Of a which they learned put into the
Pacific some 30 miles north of Port Oxford Here they
N.H=a FHfaFs he ffrff in NfW
boat TO the ocean when the boat party arrived within
mile or 20 OF the ocean, they met on the bank OF the
river the tribe ~ Indians called the Coqu' that being
name OF tho river which ney hsd come 1t being the
In the morning. they concluded to stop there among
the Coquins Tor breakfast. and they turned
their boat 10 the shore they saw nearly
q hundred indians standing the bank apparently
friendly ana clad TO many white men WHO they
supposed had down from the settlements IN Oregon
As the boat approached the shore, an Indian chieI
stopped into water and took hold Of the side Of the
boat TO phil tup the could get out without wet
tua their feet this OF the chief was construed by
ono OF the white men as unfriendly-sruok the chiefs
hand with paddle, drawing blood from the hand ana
bruising II considerably whercupon the cmcf
uInped INTO the boat. At that instant white
/ mao standing in the stern Of the boat
/ fired his rife killing the chief thereupon
Two more Indians jumped into the boat. and they too
ero sbo dead making three dead Indians In the boat
/ before there had been the slightest demonstration on
the part the Indians OF unfriendy feeling ana hls'
/ TOO. while upward OF hundred Indians stood on the
bank the witnessing the whole trahsActo-lue
violence Of the white men and the murder OF their
/ chiefs. IL /, hardly necessary TO say deadly hshl
enSued. 80. -. ,,,,,,v
The Indians supposed they had killed al the white
men, hut IL seems an Indian boy with ms boat saw TWO
men Cwhe) struggling I'm the water, lew rods do"h
IN. river from the scene Of the ARRAY The bog helped
them into his boat and them to the other side Of
IN. river and signed 10 them hide IN the bushes out
81 sight until darkness set in. After dark they crept
along the river side the ocean beach, ana thns hey
proceeded hiding by day aud travelling ny Night uhth
they got within six miles Of Port Orfofd, when they
were discovered BY the indians This was on sunday
| the same day arrived at Port Oxford
POWER OF RED BLANKETS.
NJ ar, act IN landing was to call twelve
Indians who were lowering about the shore. TO me
opened bale Of red blankets and gave one TO each IN
dian They seemed delighted, and after talking TO them
through my Interpreters they started on some up ana
some down the coast Two OF those Indians belonged
10 the band who had discovered the two survivors OF the
eight explorers who making their way to Port Or
ford upon their being discovered by the Indians they
were tied hand and small tree, and tho captors
! were delibemtinR rs 10 the monei OF Pu'''hk
| them 10 death while thus deliberating' two
Of the Indians 10 whom had gwen the red blankets
came ruuuns .a;0 tue ia,s.. 5aHP announcing iha.
good friend the Indians had arrived AZ Port Orforu
from their Great Father and exhibited the red blankets
AZ gifts their good friend. and repeated the talk
had with them. The Indian Council at once liberated
the two white prisoners, dressed their WOUNDS, fea
them bountifully and prepared a bed OF beA-
skins Tor them. The poor wounded, hair dead ana
terrified whites slept in peace. and continued 10 sleep
for "a consecutive hours. On awakening they were
again washed their wounds dressed, again fed, aud
brought into Port oxford filters made BY the Indians
and carried 10y them six miles into Port oxford Most