Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/152

134 By noon of the ninth the company was equipped as well as, with the means at hand, it could be. Meanwhile, the ladies of Oregon City had not been idle, but, assembling at the "City hotel," presented the company with a flag, which was delivered into their hands by Mr. Nesmith, with words of eloquent meaning. The same afternoon the company departed for Vancouver, in boats, amid great excitement.

The legislature also passed a bill on the ninth, author izing the governor to raise * a regiment of volunteers;" which on the tenth was returned with objections by the governor, amended and finally passed the same morning, in these words:—

Section 1. That the governor of Oregon territory be and is hereby authorized and required forthwith to issue his proclamation to the people of said territory to raise a regiment of riflemen by volunteer enlistment, not to exceed five hundred men, to be subject to the rules and articles of war of the United States army, and whose term of service shall expire at the end of ten months, unless sooner discharged by the proclamation of the governor.

Section 2. That said regiment of volunteers shall rendezvous at Oregon City on the twenty-fifth day of December, A. D. 1847, and proceed thence with all possible dispatch to the Walla Walla valley for the purpose of punishing the Indians, to what tribe or tribes soever they may belong, who may have aided or abetted in the massacre of Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife, and others at Waiilatpu, or to be otherwise employed as the governor may direct.

Section 3. That the legislature of Oregon shall appoint one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, and one major to officer said regiment of volunteers when raised by the governor as provided for in the first section of this bill; and, further, that the legislature also appoint a commissary-general, whose duty it shall be to keep a regular account of the disbursements of all the fund placed at his disposal, and faithfully perform all other duties pertaining to his office, and who shall perform the duties of quartermaster-general for the army.

Section 4. Said regiment shall be organized into companies, to consist each of not more than one hundred or less than fifty men ; and each company shall elect their own officers, to wit: One captain, one first and one second lieutenant, one orderly sergeant, and four duty sergeants.

Section 5. That Jesse Applegate, A. L. Lovejoy, and George L. Curry be and are hereby authorized and empowered to negotiate a