Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/515



mentioned as detrimental, there could be no doubt that it was a great protection to the troops, and that without it the loss would have been twice as great. All through the Indian wars there was no small jealousy between volunteers and regulars. In this instance Applegate was accused of doing nothing with his company when, in reality, he was preparing to charge the stronghold at the other end of the line when ordered to withdraw, and lost two of his men. Boyle says the Oregon volunteers were discouraged, and therefore failed to keep up the connection with the right of Perry, when the fact is that so far from being discouraged or reluctant to join Perry on their right, they had passed Perry and were on his right, and so far in advance of him that when the command was given to withdraw toward the left they did not hear it and were left behind. A portion of Perry's troop which failed to connect was excused on account of the fog. Boyle dismisses the volunteers with the remark that although there were a few brave men among the volunteers, notably, Captain Kelly and Lieutenant Ream, "their services did not renmnerate the government for the rations consumed and the large amount of forage furnished their horses." Boyle, being quartermaster, may have felt the drain on his supplies; but as to the value to the government of anything that was done in the Modoc country about this time, there might have been grave question without casting slurs upon the people of Oregon.

For some reason, which could probably be explained in military circles, Boyle also blames Captain Bernard for the slaughter which occurred in passing the stronghold on the north, saying that he did not obey Colonel Green's order to advance his left and draw the fire of the Modocs while the troops were trying to make the connection with his forces; and this, although Green says in his report that he " sent Bernard with his troop to drive them—the Indians—back, which he did successfully." Bernard had more than his share