a company in your district to taking them from this part of the Territory. A company raised here would be compelled to perform a long march before arriving at a point where assistance or protection could be afforded to the immigrants, and their animals would then be in a condition which would render them ineffectual for such service. Colonel John E. Ross is near the point where such command would be serviceable, and having opportunities of being conversant with the necessity of the case besides, he is the officer whose duty it is, under the orders of the commander-in-chief, to call out and superintend the organization of troops in such contingencies.
I have, therefore, given him discretionary orders^ the exercise of which, as a matter of course, resulting from the condition of things, must be controlled by his own good judgment In the event of such command being raised, all that I can say is, to request you, as quartermaster general, to render them every assistance in your power in the way of equipment and subsistence, and, so far as any expenditures of this kind are made under an evident necessity for such expenditures, every proper effort will be made by this department to obtain compensation from the general government for such outlay. It is true that by the organic law of this Territory the governor is constituted commander-in-chief of the militia a mere authority vested without the necessary means to render it effective. It is certainly, as you suggest, within my power to order out the militia in cases of emergency, yet it is beyond my power, in the absence of any means for that purpose, to pay them for such service, equip or subsist them in the field, much less, however desirable it might be, to render pecuniary assistance to persons immigrating to this Territory.
In view of all these facts., our only resource is to rely upon the voluntary aid and patriotism of our fellow-citizens. I shall by this mail enclose a copy of your letter to General Wool, commander of this military district, with an urgent request that he order up troops for the protection of the immigrants. You may rest assured that in the event of hostilities being commenced in your region by the Indians, under circumstances which may render it necessary, that every exertion will be made to forward arms, ammunition, and men for the protection of your settlers. It will afford me pleasure at all times to receive intelligence from you in relation to the condition of Indian affairs in your region.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. S. Drew,
Quartermaster General, Oregon Militia.
Sir: It having been represented at this office that it might be desirable or necessary for a detachment of volunteers to proceed out upon what is known as the southern route to Oregon for the protection of the coming immigration against hostile Indians, you are hereby
