Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/782



the governor, A. C. Gibbs, been any the less of a union man and patriot than he was, Oregon might have had, very likely would have, a civil war at home. The population of Oregon was, in i860, very equally divided between men of northern and southern states, antecedents and nativities. The man at that time U. S. marshal of Oregon — Adolphus B. Hannah — offered his services to the Southern Confederacy ; while John Lane, son of the U. S. senator and former governor of Oregon, enlisted in the Confederate armies and was made a colonel; while John Adair, son of the U. S. collector of customs at Astoria, a graduate of West Point, and lieutenant in the U. S. army, surrendered his commission rather than fight the Southern Confederacy. And according to the testimony of Jesse Applegate, when General Lane returned to Oregon in 1861, he brought with him several cases of rifles to equip an armed force, and detailed to Apple- gate his scheme of setting up a separate national government on the Pacific coast. Disloyalty was rampant all along the Pacific coast ; so much so, that President Lincoln sent his trusted friend, Gen. James Shields to San Francisco with orders to enlist forces on the Pacific coast to put down any uprising against the national authority in California or Oregon.

It was into this seething furnace of loyalty and sedition that A. C. Gibbs was precipitated when he was elected governor ; and right royally did he meet the crisis ; and with a strong hand promptly organized the loyal men through General Coffin, into the "Union League," and through that secret organization, located and made every loyal man in Oregon ready for any coup that might be attempted. The services of Governor Gibbs to the state and nation in the first year of the rebellion, has never been fully appreciated, because it has never been known to but few persons. The Washington government sent out detectives that kept the governor fully informed of the secret movements of the sympathizers with the south, and measures and men were constantly held in readiness to check any rising that might be attempted. And the only official who knew just what was going on behind the screens was the provost marshal sent from Washington to aid Governor Gibbs — Col. J. M. Keeler, and Brig.-Gen. Stephen Coffin. General Coffin rendered a very great and inestimable service to the state and the nation in that crisis. Although not a military man, and with but scant knowledge of military organization, he promptly and effectively organized such elements of safety and precaution as to be able to crush any uprising against the national au- thority. It was through his efforts the two regiments — one of infantry and one of cavalry — were organized to protect the Indian frontier. And in addition to that he quietly organized the Union League throughout the state, which stood ready not only to vote for the union, but also fight for it if necessary,

OREGON IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN.

Oregon's second regiment of volunteer infantry to take the field as a military organization in the national service, came into existence during the first two weeks of 'May, 1898. Declaration of war with Spain and President McKinley's appointment of one regiment for each of the western states, was the cue for action. An admirable militia organization was found in the state from which to build a military command. Working with these materials, taking officers al- ready commissioned by the state, inviting drilled members and ex-members to enter the ranks. Governor William P. Lord, commander-in-chief of the Oregon militia forces, had little difficulty in meeting his country's request for efficient troops.

To Mr. W. D. B. Dodson, who served throughout the war and was twice wounded in battle, the history is indebted for the following account :

Second in line of service sent by the state, the Second Oregon Volunteer In- fantry participated as a leading unit in epochal work. It constituted a portion of the first large expedition ever shipped from an American port for foreign service. Its operations in the Philippine Islands consummated the co