Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/515

Rh on the 17th on the south fork of John Day River, thirty-three miles from Cañon City. This temporary station was called Camp Lincoln. From this point he pursued a band of Indian horse-thieves to Harney Lake Valley, where he found before him in the field a party of miners under C. H. Miller. The united force continued the search, and in three days came upon two hundred Indians, whom they fought, killing some, but achieving no signal success. Early in June, General Alvord made a requisition upon Governor Gibbs for a company of forty mounted men, to be upon the same footing and to act as a detachment of the 1st Oregon cavalry, for the purpose of guarding the Cañon City road. The proclamation was made, and Nathan Olney of The Dalles appointed recruiting officer, with the rank of 2d lieutenant. The term of service required was only four months, or until the cavalry which was in the field should have returned to the forts in the neighborhood of the settlements and mines. The people of The Dalles, whose interests suffered by the frequent raids of the Indians, offered to make up a bounty in addition to the pay of the government. The company was raised, and left The Dalles July 19th, to patrol the road between The Dalles and the company of Captain Caldwell, which performed this duty on the south fork of John Day River.

In the summer of 1864 every man of the Oregon cavalry was in the field. Immediately after Lieutenant Waymire's expedition a larger one, consisting of companies D, G, and part of B, was ordered to Crooked River, there to establish headquarters. With them went twenty-five scouts from the Warm Spring reservation, under Donald McKay, half-brother of W. C. McKay. This force left The Dalles April 20th, under the command of Captain Drake,