Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 16.djvu/56



48 WILLIAM H. PACKWOOD

he told me to tell Thompson to parade his teamsters. In a short time the 28 teamsters were formed in line in front of Captain Morris' tent. Captain Morris came out. He said he had been informed that the teamsters had refused to obey Lieutenant Haynes' order to stand guard over the stock. He explained that his men would not be able to continue the strain they had been under, and that he thought it was un- reasonable in the teamsters to refuse to share the guard work, and concluded: 'All of you who refuse to obey my orders, should I order you to stand guard every other night, step to the front two paces.' Mr. McKibbin, General Wilson's car- riage driver, and O. A. Brown were on the right of the column. They immediately stepped out, then others, until 15 were in front two paces.

"Thirteen stood fast. The captain turned to Mr. Thomp- son and said: 'Give the 15 men their dunnage and see that the men and their dunnage are outside the lines of camp in 10 minutes.' Captain Morris then ordered me to call the sergeant and direct him to place four sentinels, one on each side of the camp, and to arrest any one attempting to enter camp. The next order was to the commissary, to make out 10 days' rations for the 15 men and take it to them over the lines. The orders were all delivered in an even tone, as though we were on parade or at drill.

"You can imagine the haste to pack up and get outside the square formed. The 15 men went about a quarter of a mile from our camp and made a fire of sagebrush. To the 13 who stood fast during the time the captain was giving the orders, he said : 'I shall double your wages from today, until I discharge you.' Their wages were $40 a month, so this would give them $80 a month. Extra guards were placed on the stock that night. On one side was Hangtown, on the other side of the Sierras. This was the nearest point to the westward. Fort Hall was the nearest point on the north. We were in a hostile Indian country, and the striking teamsters had 10 days' grub and no transportation, with a 60-mile