Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/457

Rh delay at Portland. I go to Oregon City this evening, and tomorrow to Portland.

, The men of The Dalles, where Orlando Humason lived to whom Governor Curry referred in his letter, did not wait for any action by the executive, but proceeded October ninth to organize a company of which James McAuliff was chosen captain. It was not, however, mustered into service as first formed, but was reorganized under Humason as captain, with McAuliff as second lieutenant, on the receipt of the Governor's proclamation.

The organization called into the field by Governor Curry for service in the Yakima war, was styled the "First Regiment of Oregon Mounted Volunteers," being raised to ten companies through ready volunteering. J. W. Nesmith, formerly brigadier-general of Oregon, was chosen colonel; James K. Kelly, lieutenant-colonel; Ambrose N. Armstrong, senior major; and Mark A. Chinn, junior major.

The facilities for moving troops, subsistence, and baggage into the Indian country east of the Cascades were scarcely better than during the period of the Cayuse war. A few small and slow steamers had been placed upon the Columbia, above and below the cascades, which were used to convey troops to this point, whence they marched by land to The Dalles, where Nesmith arrived, as we have seen, in time to join Rains in the Yakima country. He was followed very soon by three companies under Major Chinn, who marched from The Dalles for Walla Walla on the twelfth of November. At Wells springs on the seventeenth he was met by John McBean with Raymond's letter, informing him that Fort Walla Walla was in possession of the Indians, and that the force of Peu-peu-mox-mox was too strong to be encountered by one hundred and fifty men.

Acting on this information, Major Chinn proceeded as far as the Umatilla river and encamped to await reënforcements, in the meantime erecting a fortified post. This