Bruce and Harris of the volunteers, had returned exhausted from a long and fruitless pursuit, and when Ross expressed the opinion that the main body of the enemy was still in the vicinity of The Meadows, and below Galice Creek on Rogue River, the Indians suddenly appeared October 23d in the Cow Creek valley, and began their depredations. Their first act of hostility in this quarter was to fire upon a party of wagoners and hog-drovers at the crossing of Cow Creek, instantly killing PI. Bailey of Lane county, and wounding Z. Bailey and three others. The remaining men retreated as rapidly as possible, pursued by the savages, who followed and harassed them for two or three hours. The same day they attacked the settlements on Cow Creek, burning the houses of Turner, Bray, Redfield, Fortune, and others.
On the 28th of October Fitzgerald being in the vicinity of Grave Creek discovered Indians encamped a few miles south of Cow Creek in the Grave Creek hills,[1] and determined to attack them. Ross, on receiving a despatch from Fitzgerald, set out on the 29th for the rendezvous, having sent to captains Harris, Welton, George, Williams, and Lewis. Bruce and Rinearson, who had but just come in, were directed to join the combined forces at Grave Creek, where were concentrated on the 30th about 250 volunteers[2] and 105 regulars, only a portion of Fitzgerald's troop being available on account of the illness of its commander. Two companies of a battalion called out by Governor Curry were lying at a place about a day's march south of Umpqua cañon, under the command of captains Joseph Bailey and Samuel Gordon.
When Ross reached the rendezvous late at night, he found the captain of the 1st dragoons awaiting him, impatient for an attack.[3] Spies from his own
- ↑ This band had attacked Kautz and his surveying party a few days previous, killing two soldiers and three settlers.
- ↑ Letter of L. C. Hawley in Or. Statesman, Nov. 24, 1855. Another gives the number at 387. Dowell's Or. Ind. Wars.
- ↑ Letter of John E. Ross to C. S. Drew in Dowell's Or. Ind. Wars, MS., i. 93.
