THE GATU8E WAR, 191
and of injurious favoritism, even of ignoring the rights of immigrants to their property, in disregard of the instruc tions of the commander -in -chief, Governor Abernethy. These complaints were made by officers, while the privates were not inclined to quarrel with qualities which were likely to be popular in the ranks, nor, perhaps, did they always sympathize with the jealousies of their superiors. Abernethy himself did not escape the criticism of officers in the field, though for reasons quite opposite to those for which Colonel Gilliam was censured.
As an example of the kind of insubordination referred to, the following letter is quoted:
WAIILATPU, May 3, 1848. Adjutant-General Lovejoy :
DEAR SIR : When I received the appointment of paymaster I was wholly ignorant of the duties that devolved upon me by virtue of my appointment, further than that set forth by the commanding officer, whose language to me was as follows : "Paymaster Magone, whatever may be taken by the army as government property, you are directed to keep a correct account of, and whenever I order a sale, either by auction or otherwise, you will appear present and take note of what may be sold, and to whom, &c., &c., that it may appear against the purchaser on the day of settlement with the gov ernment." In our first campaign up Des Chutes river we obtained some property, a goodly portion of which I then viewed as immi grants , having seen several of the same articles on the thirty-first day of last December in their wagons at Welaptulekt s, to which place I had been sent by Captain Lee in search of arms and ammu nition, &c., &c. I merely mentioned these facts to the colonel previous to a sale of the property, for which I received a warm reprimand from that officer. The property was then sold to the highest bidder, and we proceeded on our way to The Dalles. One gentleman discovered, after packing a large pot for miles, that it had a leg broken off, was cracked, &c., either by accident or otherwise as the case might be, and requested me to erase his name from my list. I refused. The colonel then appeared in person and requested me to do it; and so it was, on all occasions. He reserved to himself the right of saying when a man s name should or should not be erased. Several of the horses sold at The Dalles were given up to friendly Indians who claimed them, and also at this place. After Colonel Gilliam left there was a new leaf turned over in the horse account. They were all appraised, and those who stood most in
