Oregon and Washington Volunteers/17

[Memorial of the legislative assembly of Oregon, relative to the service of Captain Jesse Walker’s company of mounted volunteers, passed January 31, 1856.]
 MEMORIAL ASKING CONGRESS TO PAY CERTAIN SOLDIERS AND OTHER PERSONS FOR SERVICES RENDERED AND SUPPLIES FURNISHED IN THE ROGUE RIVER WAR OF 1854.

To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled:  Your memorialists, the legislative assembly of the Territory of Oregon, most respectfully represent to your honorable body, that in compliance with an order and instructions issued by his excellency John W. Davis, late governor of Oregon Territory, dated July 17, 1854, and directed to John E. Ross, then acting colonel of the 9th regiment of Oregon militia, to call into service, for the public good, any amount of volunteers he might deem necessary for the protection of the emigrants upon the southern route to the Territory of Oregon; and that in pursuance of said order and instructions, he, the said Ross, issued, in his official capacity, a general order, dated August 3, 1854, calling into service one company of volunteers from the county of Jackson for the above service; and that a volunteer force, chiefly composed of the citizens of Jackson county, immediately responded to the above call and proceeded to the election of their officers; whereupon Jesse Walker was elected captain of said company, and after paid company being duly mustered into service by said Ross, proceeded on the 8th day of August, 1854, to the above mentioned emigrant trail; and your memorialists would further represent to your honorable body that the said company, under the command of the aforesaid captain, Jesse Walker, were in actual service upon the aforesaid route ninety-six days; and that they furnished a great amount of the provisions, forage, horses, clothing, and munitions of war necessary for the carrying on of the above expedition; and that they had several battles with the different tribes of Indians, among which were the Modocs and Piutes; rescuing many emigrant trains from the hands of the relentless savage, and killing some thirty or forty of their number. For further particulars in relation to the service rendered the emigrants on the way to our coast, we would refer your honorable body to the correspondence which took place in the year 1854 between his excellency John W. Davis, the then acting governor of this Territory, and Adjutant C. S. Drew, Colonel John E. Ross, and Captain Jesse Walker; all of which have been transmitted to the War Department.

Your memorialist would further represent that said company, together with those who furnished means for the use of said company, have not as yet received anything as compensation for their services or for the amount of necessary supplies furnished by them, nor have those who did not belong to, but who furnished means for the use of, said company, received any pay for the same. And your memorialists would also say, that the service of said company was highly necessary, and resulted in the doing of much good, both to the emigrants and the citizens of this coast.

We therefore ask your honorable body that a law be passed granting to the officers and privates who composed said company, and also all those who furnished necessary supplies for the use of said company, such compensation as may be provided by law for similar service performed and like supplies furnished in the year 1855; and as in duty bound will ever pray.

Passed January 31, 1856.  DELAZON SMITH, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

A. P. DENNISON, President of the Council. 