Oregon and Washington Volunteers/3

[Governor Davis’ orders to Quartermaster General C. S. Drew, dated July 17, 1854.]
 , Salem, July 17, 1854.  Your communication of the 7th instant is before me, and I avail myself of the earliest opportunity to reply. Judging from your representations, and such other information as I have been able to obtain in relation to the state of the Indians in southern Oregon and northern California, I have no doubt but what a military force would be of great service in affording protection to the coming immigration; but, unfortunately, while the necessity of such a force is obvious, I am, in the absence of the funds necessary to carry out such a design, utterly precluded from, rendering that prompt and efficient aid which the circumstances of the case seem to demand.

The attention of the general government has frequently, within the last few years, been called to the necessity of affording protection to persons immigrating to this coast, yet no appropriation of means have been taken for the accomplishment of that object. There is not a single dollar in my hands which could possibly be applied to the outfitting or paying such an expedition, and the only alternative which presents itself to my mind is to authorize Colonel John E. Ross, of your regimental district, to enlist and muster into service a volunteer company for that purpose, should an evident necessity arise for so doing; they, as a matter of course, will be compelled to await the action of Congress for their pay.

There are many reasons why it would be preferable to raise such a company in your district to taking them from this part of the Territory. A company raised here would be compelled to perform a long march before arriving at a point where assistance or protection could be afforded to the immigrants, and their animals would then be in a condition which would render them ineffectual for such service. Colonel John E. Ross is near the point where such command would be serviceable, and having opportunities of being conversant with the necessity of the case; besides, he is the officer whose duty it is, under the orders of the commander-in-chief, to call out and superintend the organization of troops in such contingencies.

I have, therefore, given him discretionary orders, the exercise of which, as a matter of course, resulting from the condition of things, must be controlled by his own good judgment. In the event of such command being raised, all that I can say is, to request you, as quartermaster general, to render them every assistance in your power in the way of equipment and subsistence, and, so far as any expenditures of this kind are made under an evident necessity for such expenditures, every proper effort will be made by this department to obtain compensation from the general government for such outlay.

It is true that by the organic law of this Territory the governor is constituted commander-in-chief of the militia—a mere authority vested without the necessary means to render it effective. It is certainly, as you suggest, within my power to order out the militia in cases of emergency, yet it is beyond my power, in the absence of any means for that purpose, to pay them for such service, equip or subsist them in the field, much less, however desirable it might be, to render pecuniary assistance to persons immigrating to this Territory.

In view of all these facts, our only resource is to rely upon the voluntary aid and patriotism of our fellow-citizens. I shall by this mail enclose a copy of your letter to General Wool, commander of this military district, with an urgent request that he order up troops for the protection of the immigrants. You may rest assured that in the event of hostilities being commenced in your region by the Indians, under circumstances which may render it necessary, that every exertion will be made to forward arms, ammunition, and men for the protection of your settlers. It will afford me pleasure at all times to receive intelligence from you in relation to the condition of Indian affairs in your region.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,  JNO. W. DAVIS, Governor.  , Quartermaster General, Oregon Militia.