Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/549

Rh Being refused by Steele, Woods appealed to Halleck as division commander, who also refused, using little courtesy in declining. The quarrel now became one in which the victory would be with the stronger. Woods telegraphed to the secretary of war a statement of the case, and asked for authority to carry out his plan of fighting Indians with Indians. Secretary Stanton immediately ordered Halleck to conform his orders to the wishes of the governor of Oregon in this respect; and thus constrained, authority was given by Halleck to Woods to organize two companies of fifty Indians each, and appoint their officers. Accordingly, W. C. McKay and John Darragh, both familiar with the Indian language and customs, were appointed lieutenants, to raise and command the Indian companies, which were sent into the field, with the humane orders to kill and destroy without regard to age, sex, or condition.

About the time that the Warm Spring Indians took the field, George Crook, lieutenant-colonel 23d infantry, a noted Indian-fighter in California, was ordered to relieve Marshall in the command of the district of Boisé, as the Idaho newspapers said, "to