Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/376

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southern


Oregon and northern California have exhibited hostile demonstra tions endangering the peace of the settlements in the valley; it is, therefore, ordered that the Indians embraced in the treaties of nine teenth of September, 1853, being the Cow-creek band of Umpquas, and those of the Umpqua and Calapooia tribes, treated with on the twenty-ninth of November, 1854, be assembled on the reservation designated by that treaty.

William J. Martin is appointed special sub-Indian agent for the bands embraced in these two treaties, and as such will cooperate with agent George H. Ambrose in carrying out the foregoing regu lations. Sub-Indian agent E. P. Drew, and special sub-Indian agent Benjamin Wright, will, if they believe the peace of the settle ments require it, adopt the same precautions with the tribes and bands within their districts.

JOEL PALMER.

It will be seen from this action of the superintendent that before he had been made aware of the great provoca tion given the white population of southern Oregon to treat as " persons dangerous to the peace of the country," and to be "dealt with accordingly," all Indians absent from their reservations, as well as strangers roving over the country, he had arrived at conclusions which justified them in holding this view.

Governor Curry, too, on receiving information of the ninth of October massacres, together with a petition from Umpqua valley asking for five hundred volunteers to defend the country, issued a proclamation October fifteenth, calling for five companies of mounted men to constitute a northern battalion, and five companies of mounted men to constitute a southern battalion, to remain in service until discharged; each company to consist of sixty men, with the usual complement of officers, making a total of seventy-one, rank and file; each volunteer to furnish his own horse, arms, and equipments, and each company to elect its own officers, and thereafter to proceed at once to the seat of war.

The proclamation required Jackson county to furnish the number of men called for to form the southern bat talion, who should rendezvous at Jacksonville, elect a major to command, and report to headquarters.