Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/141

Rh military etiquette as to summon together the loyal young men of the state and address them in camp at Oregon City, appealing to their patriotism to organize for services in the field, even to fight Indians, in order to release the regular troops for immediate duty in the East.

There was, indeed, no difficulty about raising one or more regiments of the best blood in the state for services in the East, to which their loyalty and their ambition prompted them; but not a man of them at this time wanted to fight Indians. He wanted to get at a "foeman worthy of his steel." They were in this mood when Wright was transferred to California to suppress rebellion in the southern part of that state, and Lieutenant Colonel Cady, of the Seventh United States Infantry, took command of the District of Oregon. Promotions were rapid during this period of military history. Before the end of the year Colonel Wright was made brigadier general and given the command of the Department of the Pacific.

As troops continued to be withdrawn from the several Oregon posts, General Wright replaced them with volunteer companies from California. Three hundred and fifty Californians were divided between Forts Yamhill and Steilacoom, and soon after five companies arrived which were stationed at The Dalles, Fort Walla Walla, and Fort Colville.

This was a rebuke the loyal youth of the state could understand; and when in November, 1861, the war department made Thomas R. Cornelius, of Hillsboro (veteran of the Cayuse and Yakima wars), a colonel, directing him to raise ten companies of cavalry for three years' service, there was no further hesitation. Although expecting to be sent into the field against the Indians to get a seasoning, it was believed that when they had learned the trade of war they would be sent East to fight the battles of their country should it come to that at last.