Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/528

510 Six companies were formed within the limit, and two more before the first of April 1865.

Early in January 1865 General McDowell made a requisition for a second regiment of cavalry, the existing organization to be kept up and to retain its name of 1st Oregon cavalry, but to be filled up to twelve companies. In making his proclamation Governor Gibbs reminded those liable to perform military duty of the bounties provided by the state and the general government which would furnish horses to the new regiment. But the response was not enthusiastic. About this time the district was extended to include the southern and south-eastern portions of the state, heretofore attached to California, while the Boisé and Owyhee region was made a subdistrict of Oregon, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Drake. These arrangements left the military affairs of Oregon entirely in the hands of her own citizens, under the general command of General McDowell, and thus they remained through the summer. On the 14th of July Colonel Maury retired, and Colonel B. Curry took the command of the district.

In the summer of 1864 General Wright, though retaining command of the district of California, was relieved of the command of the department of the Pacific by General McDowell, who in the month of August paid a visit of inspection to the district of Oregon, going first to Puget Sound, where fortifications were being erected at the entrance to Admiralty Inlet, and thence to Vancouver on the revenue cutter Shubrick, Captain Scammon. On the 13th of September he inspected the defensive works under construction at the mouth of the Columbia,