Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/187



Kay, Captain Philip F. Thompson, and J. L. Meek and party all of whom were familiar with the ideas and cus toms of, and personally known to the Indians.

It was evident notwithstanding this agreement that Col onel Gilliam, and others of the fighting temper, would have preferred offering the sword rather than the olive branch. The regiment now consisted of seven companies, containing from forty-one to one hundred and twenty-four men, and aggregating five hundred and thirty-seven. The arrival of the French under McKay, and another company under L. N. English, with the cannon, added to the mili tary ardor of the troops, who expended a portion of their scanty ammunition in firing salutes of welcome to the new arrivals, which were promptly returned by the latter, and the regimental flag hoisted.

On the day following, Colonel Gilliam informed the com missioners that he had ordered the army to be ready to march with them on the fourteenth. This order was ex ceedingly repugnant to the commissioners, who did not doubt that the Indians with whom they wished to commu nicate the Nez Percés would be frightened away by the appearance of a large force, and a council with them made impossible.

According to the memorandum kept by Newell, the morale of the army was bad, as naturally it would be in the case of volunteer troops brought together in a wild country, without disciplining under proper officers 13 hav ing some experience. Many of the volunteers were irre sponsible young men of the recent immigration, who had the most unfavorable opinion concerning the natives, obtained from encounters with them along the road. They were ready to punish in an Indian what they had no hesitation about doing themselves. These lapses in

13 Says Newell : i: An Indian was shot by one of our people, H. English, while hunting horses this day; a most shameful thing. * * * The cattle of the immi grants are taken and made use of for the government branded "O. T." * * * Several men leaving for the settlements. Captain Ross resigned. Many displeased with our people in consequence of bad discipline."