Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/370



side of Rogue river high, craggy, timbered for the most part densely with live-oak, manzanita, chinquapin, and chaparral, with occasional bald, grassy slopes, the meadows being covered with rank grass and shrubs, on which cat tle could subsist even in winter, they were away on Cow creek committing depredations.

On the twenty-third, while a party of wagoners and drovers were at the crossing, they were ambushed and attacked; Holland Bailey of Lane county being killed, and four others wounded. The remainder of the party retreated with all the haste possible, pursued and har- rassed for several hours. On the same day the houses of Turner, Bray, Redfield, Fortune, and others in Cow-creek valley were burned. It was impossible to guard every settler s home, but the families were gathered at a few for tified places, while the men were on duty elsewhere, and the Indians were destroying their property. Not a settle ment but was threatened, not a pack train on the road but was liable to capture, nor any traveler s life safe. 16

This condition of affairs prevented any concerted action, had it been desired, between the regular and volunteer forces; or any massing of their strength, but kept both in rapid and exhausting movement.

However, on the twenty-eighth, Fitzgerald, being in the Grave-creek hills, south of Cow creek, discovered an Indian encampment, and wishing to attack it sent a dispatch to Ross, who immediately ordered Captains Harris, Welton, George, Williams, and Lewis to reenforce him. Bruce and Rinearson coming in a little later, were also ordered to Grave creek, where on the thirtieth, were concentrated two hundred and fifty volunteers, and one hundred and five

10 The following incident, illustrative of the times, is furnished by John Wallen, later a captain in the volunteer force : Ivens train was ahead, my own next, Lin- ville came behind me, then Fox and Templeton, and last a Spanish train. As we started down the mountain the Indians fired upon the trains. I had dismounted, and as the firing commenced I sprang upon the bell pony, which was passing me without a rider, and started in a run down the mountain. I passed Ivens, and soon Linville passed me. When we reached a place of safety I found all had escaped unhurt except Ivens, who was slightly wounded, and had his clothes riddled with