Oregon and Washington Volunteers/22

[Verified statement of E. W. Conner on the same subject next above referred to, dated November 18, 1857.]
 Statement of E. W. Conner.  In the spring of 1854, in company with James Chapel and others, I left Arkansas for my second trip to California across the plains, passing Fort Bridger and Bent’s Fort, and coming into Yreka, California, over the southern Oregon immigrant route. There were several other trains that came in company with us as far as the Humboldt river, where the greater portion left, taking the Carson valley and Truckee routes, leading further south than we desired to go. It was our invariable custom to guard at night; and up to the time of our arrival at the Humboldt we had lost but a few head of stock, and I do not know whether these were taken by the Indians or the Mormons.

On arriving at the Humboldt, however, we discovered that the Indians became more numerous than we had before seen them, and they began to show signs of open hostility. Here, too, many of the immigration had used the last of their supplies, and were compelled to seek aid from their more provident neighbors. Having been accustomed to travelling in this manner, I had laid in a good supply of provisions at our starting point. I issued all I possibly could spare, keeping only enough to last me to where I anticipated we should meet with friends from the settlements. Mr. Chapel also divided his stock of supplies, taking the chances of again supplying himself on the route. We were shortly afterwards met by the advance detachment of Captain Jesse Walker’s company of mounted volunteers, and provided with an escort, of which we were beginning to stand very much in need; and also with a scanty supply of provision, the detachment sharing their own rations with such as were destitute.

At the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, on the east side, we overtook a train of about sixty persons, mostly families, who were out of provisions, and could proceed no further until relieved. Their teams had nearly given out, and none could possibly be spared for subsistence, and they had no other stock. Our escort being on short allowance, Mr. Chapel and myself again divided our supplies, giving sufficient to last them to Captain Walker’s headquarters, on Clear lake, where the train could get further assistance, and where we could be reimbursed in kind for that which we had furnished. I was reimbursed in full for what I issued. Mr. Chapel was not, as he only drew from Captain Walker such an amount as he required to reach the settlements. I also furnished this train with additional teams from my drove, to bring them over the mountain and to Shasta valley, free of cost.

From the Humboldt river to Klamath lake, a distance of about four hundred miles, the Indians were constantly on our trail and closely watching our movements, with the evident intention to attack us as soon as a favorable opportunity offered to insure success. Through the vigilance of Captain Walker, however, who had made such a disposition of his command as to render the greatest possible protection to the entire immigration, by merging as many small trains into one as found convenient, and providing them strong escorts through the hostile country, the Indians were kept completely at bay, and the whole immigration passed through without loss of life, and with only a comparative small loss of stock or other property.

I was one of the party who opened this road from Yreka to Humboldt river in 1852, and I have a personal knowledge of the character of the Indians along this route. The Pi-utes, on the east, and the Modocs and their immediate allies, on the west side of the Sierra Nevadas, have ever been hostile to the whites since they first saw white man’s flesh, and have ever sought, and never lost, an opportunity to commit murders and depredations upon every emigration that has ever passed through that section of country since 1846 up to the present time, 1857. In 1852 many bodies of immigrants were reported to have been found and buried by Captain John E. Ross, afterwards a colonel in the Rogue River Indian war of 1853, and late colonel of the 9th regiment Oregon militia, which rendered service in the Oregon Indian war of 1855-'56; Ben Wright, afterwards Indian agent, Port Orford district, Oregon Territory, and killed by Rogue River Indians in the late Indian war while on duty as agent; Charles McDermit, then sheriff of Siskiyou county, California; and D. D. Colton, afterwards sheriff of Siskiyou county, and at present holding the office of brigadier general, 2d brigade, 6th division, California militia. And I believe the Indians themselves boasted, in 1854, to Joel Palmer, then superintendent of Indian affairs for Oregon, that they had killed numbers of the immigrations of the previous years.

I am confident that the opportune arrival of Captain Walker and his command in the Klamath lake country saved many if not all the lives of the immigration of 1854, and saved their entire stock and such other property as they had with them from total destruction. Besides this, had there been no aid given to the emigration in the shape of subsistence, much suffering from hunger, and no doubt starvation itself, must have been the consequence.

From my own personal knowledge of the disposition of these Indians, I freely affirm that a military force is absolutely necessary on this route every summer, or at least whenever an emigration passes over it.

I crossed the plains to California again in 1856, making my third trip; but not knowing, on my arrival at the Humboldt, that Major General Cosby, 6th division California militia, with a suitable command, was on duty in the Klamath lake and Modoc country, which I afterwards found to be the case, I took the Honey lake route to Pitt river, several hundred miles out of my way, and even then was extremely fortunate in getting through safely.

No United States force whatever was on duty in the Klamath lake country in 1854.

I further affirm that I have no claim or claims, nor any interest in any claim or claims, growing out of or arising from the service of Captain Walker’s company as aforesaid, nor do I expect to be benefited in any manner whatsoever by such service being recognized and paid by the United States; but I make this statement freely and voluntarily, in the hope that simple justice may be rendered to those who performed such service or who furnished the necessary supplies.

I would further add that, in my judgment, the necessity for the service rendered by Major General Cosby in 1856 on the southern Oregon emigrant road was as great as it was in 1854, or as was the service under Captain Walker.  E. W. CONNER. 

Sworn and subscribed to before me, at my office, in Yreka City, California, this 18th day of November, A. D. 1857.  GEORGE W. PIERSON, Justice of the Peace. 

County of Siskiyou,

I, F. A. Rogers, clerk of the district court in and for said county and State aforesaid, hereby certify that G. W. Pierson, before whom the foregoing statement was subscribed and sworn to, and whose genuine signature is thereto affixed, was, at the time of signing the same, a justice of the peace in and for the aforesaid county, duly authorized by law to administer oaths and to take acknowledgments of deeds, and that full faith and credit are due to all his official acts.

I further certify that I am personally acquainted with E. W. Conner, who subscribed the foregoing statement, and know him to be a truthful and reliable man.

Given under my hand, and the seal of said court, this the 18th day of November, A. D. 1857.  F. A. ROGERS, Clerk. 