Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/293

Rh the field. Those of McBride s party who were mentioned by him for their bravery in the fight, were A. Richardson of San Jose, California, James Barlow, Captain Turpin, Jesse Dodson and son, Aaron Payne, Dillard Holman, Jesse Runnels, Presley Lovelady, and Richard Sparks of Oregon.

This affair, following on the heels of those of the first and second, showed the gravity of the situation. Oregon was threatened with another Indian war indeed it was already begun. It happened, however, that the government was just on the point of carrying out Thurston's rejection of the mounted rifle regiment, which was depart ing in divisions overland for California, and thence to Jefferson barracks, the first division having taken up the march in April, and the last, under Major Kearney, in June.

Kearney was moving slowly southward exploring for a road that should avoid the Umpqua cañon, when at the north end of the pass he was met by the information that the Rogue-river Indians were engaged in active hostilities, and were massing their fighting men at the stronghold of Table Rock, twenty miles east of the crossing of Rogue river. He pushed on with a detachment of only twenty-eight men, but a heavy rain had raised the streams on his route and otherwise impeded his progress, so that it was the seventeenth of June before he reached the river at a point five miles below Table Rock. Discovering signs of Indians, he ordered his command to fasten their sabers to their saddles, that they should not by their noise apprise the Indians of their approach, and dividing his force, sent a part of it up the south side under Captain Walker to intercept any Indians who might escape him, while the remainder, under Captain James Stuart, advanced on the north side, hoping to surprise the Indians.

He found the Indians quite prepared and expecting an attack. His men dismounted in such haste that they left their sabers tied to their saddles, and made a dash upon