Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/404

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when it was indicated to him that he should give bis per sonal attention to Oregon and Washington, he had yielded and come in person to look after army affairs in the north west.

The first visit of the general to Vancouver was in November, 1855, and he returned to San Francisco with out communicating in any way with the governor of Oregon. About midwinter he paid a second visit to Van couver to inquire into the conduct of some of his own officers who had so far forgotten themselves as to fight in the same battles with volunteers even to call for the assistance of volunteers. Again in March he returned, accompanied by the troops intended to answer the petition of Jackson county, and conquer the Indians at the same time. It was while on his way to Vancouver that he left at Crescent City, March eighth, Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Buchanan, with officers and men to the number of ninety- six, rank and file. On arriving at Vancouver he ordered to Port Orford, Captain Auger of the fourth infantry, to reenforce Major Reynolds of the third artillery, who was directed to protect the friendly Indians and the army stores at that place. Captain Floyd Jones, fourth infantry, at Fort Humboldt, was ordered to Crescent City to protect friendly Indians, and to guard army supply trains, a duty performed for months by the volunteers. Captain Smith of Fort Lane was directed to repair to Port Orford with eighty dragoons, to make a junction with Buchanan, and a general rendezvous was appointed in the Illinois valley, where the superintendent of Indian affairs was to meet the Indians in council after the troops had brought them to reason, and the volunteers were prevented from harrass- ing them. Such were the general s plans.

But these too deliberate movements did not commend themselves to the governor or the people of Oregon. The legislature of 1855-6 had elected a southern Oregon man, J. K. Lamerick, brigadier-general, and, as was probably