Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/485

Rh which had fled into Harney Lake Valley after being attacked a second time. This incident, with the general hopelessness of his errand, caused Geary to return to The Dalles, while an express was sent forward to warn Smith, then two days on his march toward the City of Rocks. Steen also moved his camp to Harney Lake to be within communicating distance in case Smith should be attacked, and he spent two days looking for Indians without finding any. A few days later Smith was attacked, as above related.

In the mean time Harney had been summoned to Washington city on business reputed to be connected with the war debt of Oregon and Washington territories, and Colonel Wright was placed in command of the department of Oregon. On hearing of the interruption of the explorations, Wright at once ordered three companies of artillery under Major George P. Andrews to march to the assistance of the explorers, while a squadron of dragoons under Major Grier was directed to move along the road toward Fort Boisé to guard the immigrant road, and be within commanding distance of Steen, who it was supposed would also be upon the road in a few weeks.

When Steen had been reënforced by the artillery companies, he marched on the 4th of August toward a range of snow mountains east of Harney Lake, extending for some distance southward, near which he believed the Indians would be found, taking with him a hundred dragoons and sixty-five artillerymen. The remainder of the command under Major Andrews moved eastward to a camp near the Owyhee to await orders. Major Grier being on the road to Boisé with his dragoons, looking out for the immigration, Steen hoped to catch the Indians and drive them upon one or the other of these divisions. Attached to Steen's division was a small company of scouts from the Warm Spring reservation, who on the fourth day