Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/242

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against peace and order, apparently to test the ability of the settlers to protect themselves.

The most impudent of these raids were the rape of a young girl in Lane county, some cattle thefts in Benton county, and an attack on the house of Richard Miller in Champoeg(now Marion) county. It happened that one Knox, whose home was in Linn county, was carrying the first United States mail ever delivered in this part of Oregon, and saw a man running from Indians, to gain the shelter of Miller s house. He put spurs to his horse, and notified the settlers along his route as quickly as he could. These mounted and spread the alarm, until by morning a company of men and boys numbering one hundred and fifty were rendezvoused at Miller s place, from which the Indians had in the meantime retired with threats of mis chief. An organization of this force was at once effected, Daniel Waldo being elected colonel, and R. C. Geer, Allen Davy, Richard Miller, and Samuel Parker, captains.

The Indian encampment was on the Abiqua creek where it comes down from the Cascades to the valley, and towards this the volunteers marched, the mounted men proceeding up the north side, and the foot soldiers up the south side. 26 When the Indians discovered the horsemen, they began crossing to the south side and fell into an ambuscade of the footmen awaiting them. After a few shots had been exchanged, the Indians retreated up the creek, having two killed. As the day was nearly spent, those who had fam ilies to protect returned home, and the single men and boys encamped at a farmhouse to be ready for an early start next morning. Those who could do so rejoined them at daybreak, and they overtook the Indians, retreating on

26 R. C. Geer wrote an account of this affair in the Salem, Oregon,, Statesman, which was copied into the San Jos6 Pioneer of September 1, 1877, from which the above is taken. He mentions the following names: William Parker, James Harpole, Wilburu King, James Brown, S. D. Maxon, L. A. Bird, Israel Shaw, Robert Shaw, King Hib- bard. William Brisbane,. Winchester, Port. Gilliam, William Howell, Thomas Howell, George Howell, William Hendricks, Len. Goff, Leander Davis, G. W. Hunt, James Williams, J. Warnock, J. W. Schrum, Thomas Schrum, Elias Cox, Cyrus Smith T. B. Allen, Henry Schrum, and Jacob Caplinger.