Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/166

156 American horses captured that had recently been stolen from immigrants, and a large supply of ammunition and provisions, obtained in the same way, destroyed.

The following spring Lieutenant Waymire left Fort Dalles under orders to proceed with twenty-five men, and supplies for ninety days, to the south fork of John Day River and encamp at some point best calculated to protect the settlers against incursions from the Indians. He was instructed to treat the friendly Indians from Warm Springs Reservation with kindness; and if opportunity occurred to investigate the charge that they committed any of the frequent depredations along the Canyon City road.

Way mire's command marched a hundred and fifty miles from The Dalles in severe weather, reaching the south fork, March 15, 1864, where it established Camp Lincoln. On the nineteenth with a detachment of fifteen men the lieutenant proceeded to Canyon City where he learned that a few days previous Indians had made a raid on the ranch of a citizen, driving off about one hundred mules and horses, and that the owner of the ranch with a party of volunteers had gone in pursuit. Leaving word that he held himself in readiness to pursue the thieves on receiving information that there was any likelihood of overtaking them, he awaited such information. Word came to him on the twenty- second that twenty citizens were on the trail of the Indians, at Harney Lake, where they waited for supplies, and that thirty more men, with plenty of provisions and transportation would start immediately to re-inforce them.

Waymire sent word that he would co-operate with them, and asked that guides be sent to bring him to their camp. With eighteen men and twenty days rations he set out on the twenty-fourth, encountering severe weather with snow, sleet, and ice, delaying the march an entire