Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/360



Lieutenant Kautz was standing, the ball passing so near that Kautz believed himself to be struck, and fell to his knees. On examination it was shown that the bullet had not touched the lieutenant, and that he had fallen simply from the nervous shock of a belief in a wound. This in cident was greatly enjoyed by civilians, and helped to allay some of the irritation in the public mind of this part of the country. But, although soberer counsels prevailed over an inclination to fight both soldiers and Indians, there was in the air that threat of something to come which would not allow of rest either to the white or the red man.

On the second of September, Greenville M. Keene of Tennessee was killed on the reservation while attempting, with several others, to recover some stolen horses. Two of the party were wounded and forced to retreat. On the twenty-fourth, Calvin Fields of Iowa and John Cunning ham of Sauve Island, Oregon, were killed, and Harrison Oatman and Daniel Britton wounded, while crossing the Siskiyou mountains with loaded teams. Their eighteen oxen were also slain. Captain Smith on receiving the news ordered out a detachment, but was unable to make any arrests. On the twenty-fifth, Samuel Warner was killed near the same place.

Notwithstanding these acts of hostility, such as usually precede a general outbreak, Agent Ambrose occupied him self in writing letters for the public press over the signa ture of "A Miner," in which he declared the innocency of the reservation Indians and their good disposition towards the white inhabitants. "God knows," he said, "I would not care how soon they were all dead, and I believe the country would be greatly benefited by it, but I am tired of this senseless railing against Captain Smith and the In dian agent for doing their duty, obeying the laws, and preserving our valley from the horrors of a war with a tribe of Indians who do not desire it, but wish for peace, and by their conduct have shown it." The nom de plume