Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/213



LAST PHASE -OF OREGON BOUNDARY 203

On the American tide Coloney Casey displayed a more mocleratfr spirit than his general, or than Captain Pickett. In reporting to General Winfield Scott, General Harney related the story of Pickett's adventures in a way that shows the Gen- eral's turn for heroics:

"The senior officer of three ships-of-war threatened to land an overpowering force upon Captain Pickett, who nobly replied that whether they landed fifty or five thou- sand men, his conduct would not be affected by it; that he would open his fire, and, if compelled, take to the woods fighting." 35

Though brave and capable, Colonel Casey does not seem to have had the lust for martyrdomThe sought rather to reach an agreement uith tin- foe. lie vi-ite. >r of F.M|uimalt on August ll and there tried to come face to face with Admiral Baynes for conference. Only what seems to the layman an unimportant point of etiquette prevented Baynes would not go to Casey on the "Shubrick," nor would Casey go to Baynes on the "Ganges." General Harney expressed regrets that this visit had been made, and pushed along war-like preparations, taking up the matter of war supplies with Governor Gholson of Washington Territory.

WASHINGTON INTERVENES AND SCOTT ARRIVES.

British sanity bore u[<n the filiation from the threat -pare- of the Pacific; American wisdom came from the east. When despatches from the west reached Washington, negotiations had reached the point where Lord Lyons i British Minister) was proposing the middle passage as a compromise. The news of the occupation was a shock. Acting Secretary of War Drinkanl wrote to Ilarney: "The President was not prepared to learn that you had ordered military possession to be taken of the Island of San Juan." If Harney had reason to think that the British authorities were about to disturb status, then he was right to anticipate them. The President was especially anxious to know if he had consulted with Commissioner Camp-

35 Ex. Doc. No. 65, 36th Cong., 1st SMS., p. 28.