Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/751

CHAPTER XXV.

THE CAYUSE WAR.

1848.

Organization of the Army—Colonel Gilliam in Route for the Dalles—Thomas McKay's Canadian Company—Captain English's Company— Captain Martin's Company— Captain Shaw's Company— Captain Garrison's Company— The Army at Fort Gilliam —The Army at Fort Lee—Meek's Party—Peace Measures—A Brush with the Enemy—Official Correspondence—Headquarters at Waiilatpu—Action of the Peace Commissioners—Council with the Cayuses—The Murderers must be Delivered up—Death of Colonel Gilliam—Major Lee Assumes Command—The Governor's Proclamation—Scarcity of Ammunition—The War Ended and Troops Mustered out—Biographical Sketches.

The arrival of the rescued captives and the recital of their wrongs greatly accelerated the preparations for war. The letter of Spalding counselling peace would have been suppressed but for the request of Ogden that all if any of the correspondence should be published. But it was easy to see that Spalding had written as he did, because, as the natives said, "he was in a hole," and could not otherwise get out. He had heard, through the Nez Percés, of the escape of Hall, and supposed he would have reached Vancouver or Oregon City, and that steps would be taken for the relief of all who were left alive. He rightly surmised that his countrymen would wish to be avenged, and he took measures to warn them not to precipitate him and all the other Americans in ruin by coming with an army to fight the Cayuses. No humane and reasonable being could blame him for dissembling to the Indians when so many lives were at

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