Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/473

Rh George H. Williams; Polk county, Thos. H. Hutchinson, Esq.; Yamhill county, Nathan K. Sitton, Esq.; Clackamas county, George Reese, Esq.

It is very desirable that company K, acting as scouts, first regiment, Oregon mounted volunteers, under command of Captain Connoyer, should be increased to its full complement by a recruit of forty men. For this purpose, additional to the battalion, it is requested that Augustus Dollein, Esq., of Fairfield, Marion county, will act as enrolling officer, to enroll that number of men. After the enrollment the detachment will elect one second lieutenant. This detachment, and the companies as they are organized, will report to the adjutant-general, to be mustered into the service of the territory, and the term of service will be for three months, unless sooner discharged by proclamation or otherwise.

The enrollment and organization of the companies herein called for are desired to be made with the greatest possible dispatch, so that they may march forward promptly to join the regiment now in the field. When the battalion shall have been concentrated, it will be entitled to elect one major to command.

Given under my hand at Salem, this sixteenth day of January, A. D. 1856.

The recruits came in pretty rapidly and by the middle of February the battalion was ready for the march to Walla Walla, where it arrived about the first of the following month.

When the Indian army had quitted the field in December, they had moved north across Snake river, where the volunteers could not for want of boats pursue them. In the latter part of February enough lumber had been gotten out with whip-saws to build six boats; and enough tar obtained from pine knots to calk them. On the ninth of March they were loaded on wagons, and the regiment crossed Snake river thirty miles below the mouth of the Palouse, being opposed by a small band of Indians, who were dispersed with loss, and their horses captured, horse meat being at this time a staple article in the commissariat. From the crossing, the command proceeded up the river to the mouth of the Palouse, and up that stream to