the district until July, when Brigadier General Alvord arrived to take command, and Steinberger repaired to Walla Walla to assume command of the post resigned by Cornelius.
On the fourth of May, 1863, a long contemplated expedition against the Snake Indians was set on foot by Colonel Steinberger, Lieutenant Colonel Maury of the cavalry being assigned to the command of the expedition, which was intended to punish the Snakes for atrocities committed in 1860, as well as to protect the immigration of the current year. At the same time there was need of troops on the Nez Perce Reservation, where trouble was threatened between two political parties among the Indians, a portion, under Lawyer, being favorable to Americans, and another division under Big Thunder, opposing the passage of miners across the reservation. That there was some justification for this opposition was probable, but it could not be allowed to bring on a war, especially with the Nez Perces, who had never yet been at war with the white race.
The population of Eastern Oregon was at this period increasing rapidly. The two principal causes operating to produce this increase were the civil war, from which many southern and southwestern men desired to escape, and the mining excitement which drew large numbers to the Northwest Pacific Coast from 1860 to 1865, and later.
To such an extent had the rush to the mines depopulated Western Oregon of its able-bodied men that a call made in January, 1863, for six companies to fill up the First Cavalry Regiment produced only one during the whole summer, and it was feared a draft would be resorted to. The state had not raised her share of troops for the United States service, and had but seven companies in the field, while California had not only nine
