Having perused Captain [Josiah] Spaulding's report on this country and seen, with surprise and indignation, the false and outrageous statements made by that gentleman in relation to our proceedings towards the Indian population of Oregon, I will subjoin, to the best of my recollection, a rapid sketch of the several hostile collisions that have occurred at different periods of time between the whites connected and unconnected with the Hudson's Bay Company, and the Indian population inhabiting the country south of the Columbia through which the direct route to California passes, that appearing to be the district specially referred to by Captain Spaulding as having been fearfully visited by the depredations of our servants. Captain Spaulding has a manifest advantage on his side, as the bold assertions put forth by him are so indefinite and vaguely stated, that we cannot reply to them distinctly, & moreover have so little real connection with the known events of our history that it is difficult to believe they form part of it, or in fact have had a real existence.
    In 1820 Mr. Thomas McKay was sent with a party to explore the country south of the Willamette. A quarrel arose between his party and the natives, in which some lives were lost, but I cannot say how many--but peace was restored, and a good understanding has subsisted between those Indians and the whites from that time to this.
    In 1829 Mr. Jedediah Smith, an American citizen unconnected with the Hudson's Bay Company, who was traveling with a party of hunters towards the Columbia, at the mouth of the Umpqua left sixteen of his men with his property and about 300 horses, while he went up the river to endeavor to find out a place to ford his horses. During his absence his camp was attacked, and 15 of his men out of 16 murdered. The one who escaped made his way from tribe to tribe, till he came to the Killemaux, who dwell on the coast about thirty miles to the south of Fort George. These brought the man (Black was his name) to Vancouver, who said that on the party arriving at the entrance of the Umpqua, the Indians stole the only axe the party had, and as they absolutely required it, after doing all they could in vain to get it from the Indians, they had recourse as a last alternative to tying the chief, on which the axe the restored. The day following Smith started with two men in search of a ford, and told the people to allow no Indian to enter the camp, but instead of doing so the Indians were allowed to come in the camp and go about as they pleased. On a shout being given, four or five Indians got hold of each white man, threw him down and murdered him. Four or five Indians got hold of Black, but as he held his rifle in his hand and being a strong man, he extricated himself, and by striking on the Indians right and left escaped into the woods, where the Indians would not follow him. Mr. Smith had taken an Indian with him to pilot him up the river. On his way back to the camp, he was met by a band of Indians, who called out to the Indian with Mr. Smith. The Indian seized on Mr. Smith's rifle, threw it in the river and dived in himself also, and at the same time the Indians from the shore discharged a volley of arrows at Mr. Smith, who, to save himself, paddled off as fast as he could to the opposite shore, and when he came in sight of his camp, seeing neither men nor horses, he was convinced that his people had been murdered--landed on the north bank of the river, and (though he never was there before) came through the woods to the Willamette Valley; from whence the Indians conducted him and his two men to Fort Vancouver; he met at the waterside, as he was disembarking from his canoe, a party of the Hudson's Bay Company's people who were on their way to the Willamette in search of him.
    A few days after his arrival Mr. McLeod was dispatched with sixty men to the country where Mr. Smith's party had been destroyed, to compel a restitution of his property. He was two months on his journey, and collected property to the amount of about three thousand dollars, which was restored in full to Mr. Smith, who accompanied Mr. McLeod in the expedition without any charge or deduction whatsoever.
    Mr. McLeod then proceeded on his voyage to California and returned the following year without having had any quarrel with the Indians, except at Rogue River, which owes its name to the conduct of the natives, who were very impudent and troublesome, and went so far as to take the people's kettles from the fire and help themselves to the contents; and when the men proposed to drive them out of camp and then punish them for their impudence, Mr. McLeod from motives of humanity would not allow them, but made them give the contents of their kettles to the Indians, saying to his men, "Take pity on the Indians and give them food." From Mr. McLeod's humanity and forbearance those Indians took a footing, and have been troublesome to the whites ever since. However as the H.B. Co.'s people were in large parties and knew their character they never had any rupture with them--
    But a party of seven Americans and Englishmen coming from California in 1832 were treacherously attacked by these Indians, two of them murdered, and the remaining five robbed of their horses and property. After enduring great suffering and privation as may well be imagined from their being wounded and naked, some only with a shirt on their back, starving, and walking two hundred miles through a woody country, they reached the Willamette settlement in a most miserable plight, their wounds in a dreadful state; one man, in particular, had his lower lip cut to the chin, with several of his teeth broken.
    These must be the five men whom Captn. Spaulding says had been so kindly treated by the Indians, as no other five came that way. But these men were not in the H.B. Company's service, but entirely free and uncontrolled by the H.B. Co.
    A few years after, in a party who went from this by sea with Mr. Slacum (and who were unconnected with the H.B. Co.) to California, there were two or more of these men, and in passing the place, one of them shot an Indian in the camp before the others could interfere, and at which one of the party expressed the utmost indignation, but he could neither prevent the deed nor punish the delinquent. Two years subsequently to the event related, a party composed of 16 white men from the Willamette settlement accompanied by a number of Indian followers, in traveling towards California, were waylaid and attacked in a difficult mountain pass by these Indians, who having the advantage of the ground, repulsed and drove them back with the loss of one man killed, and they were discouraged to such a degree by this check that they did not prosecute their journey but returned immediately to their homes.
    The above is a brief and hasty outline of the different affrays that have occurred between the whites of this quarter and the Indian tribes inhabiting the district of country extending from the Columbia to the Bay of San Francisco in California.
    I will not take upon myself to assert that our trapping parties have in no instance exceeded the bounds of moderation in punishing acts of aggression committed by the Indian tribes through whom they passed, nor even that individuals of these parties have not indulged in acts of private revenge when not under the eye of their leader, but this fact I may fearlessly assert, that we have taken every means that could be devised for the prevention of crime, by having these parties well organized, commanded by efficient persons of trust and confidence, by maintaining the strictest discipline among the men, and by punishing every known offense committed; every man in these parties was also directed to be kind and forbearing towards the Indians, and fully understood that any act of wanton murder would expose him to the penalties of a capital indictment in the criminal courts of Canada.
    As to the story "The following winter the notorious Juman went through the district with the Company's trappers committing all sorts of inhuman depredations and marking every step of his way with violence, blood and murder," it is a gross fabrication. I know of no man of the name of Juman in the country, and no party of ours was ever sent out with such instructions, or ever acted in such an atrocious manner.
    It may be seen by a perusal of Washington Irving's "Astoria" that on the first settlement of the country the Columbia Indians were exceedingly troublesome, and in fact until 1834 it was not considered safe to travel up or down this river with less than 60 men, armed with muskets and fixed bayonets. Now even strangers can come down the river from the Snake Country by twos and threes. It is true, it is improper and imprudent for strangers to do so, and they ought not, as it will lead to trouble; but it is a proof the Indians have not been butchered in the way Captn. Spaulding represents, and we brought them to this state by prudent, forbearing conduct joined with firmness. The very nature of the Hudson's Bay Company's business of itself ought to protect them from such foul aspersions. We are traders, and apart from more exalted motives, all traders are desirous of gain. Is it not self-evident we will manage our business with more economy by being on good terms with Indians than if at variance. We trade furs; none can hunt fur-bearing animals or afford to sell them cheaper than Indians. It is therefore clearly our interest, as it is unquestionably our duty, to be on good terms with them, and the Indians of the Columbia are not such poltroons as to suffer themselves to be ill-treated, particularly when the disparity of numbers is so great as to show but one white man to 200 Indians; and to conclude, I will observe that I have been in charge of this department since 1824, and I am convinced that none of our proceedings can justify the slightest reflection being cast on the H.B. Co., and I am also satisfied that in every respect our conduct can bear the closest investigation. Capt. Spaulding has bestowed upon me a more flattering character than I desire, and it is somewhat inconsistent in him to suppose that a person deserving of such high commendation should have permitted the H.B. Co. servants who are under his order to commit the worst crimes that have disgraced the history of man.
John McLoughlin, The Letters of John McLoughlin: From Fort Vancouver to the Governor and Committee, Champlain Society 1943, pages 113-119

    Joint Resolution relative to the payment of the volunteers called into service for the protection of the emigrants in 1854.
    Resolved, by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Oregon, that the secretary of the territory be and he is hereby requested to transmit copies of His Excellency the Governor's annunciation of the 18th of December last and the accompanying documents, and copies of this resolution, to His Excellency James Buchanan, President of the United States, and to Hon. James B. Floyd, Secretary of War; also, to send copies of the same to Hon. Joseph Lane, delegate in Congress from Oregon, and that he be requested to present the same to Congress and urge an appropriation to pay the Oregon volunteers who were called into service for the protection of the emigrants in eighteen hundred and fifty-four, and all just and necessary expenses.
    Adopted in the Council
        February 3rd 1858,
                                                Ira F. M. Butler
                                                    Speaker of the House of Representatives
    Adopted in the House
        February 3rd 1858
                                                H. D. O'Bryant
                                                    President of the Council
A true copy.
   
Your committee to whom was referred the Governor's message and resolution No. ____ relative to the protection of emigrants in 1854, with instructions to report as far as practicable the number, date, places and names of persons killed by Oregon Indians and their allies in times of peace, and those killed in times of war by Indians supposed to be friendly, submit the following report. The deadly hostility of the Indians inhabiting the extreme northern and southern portions of our Territory may be traced back to a very early period:
    As far back as 1834, a party of about thirty persons under the control of a Captain Smith were massacred near the mouth of the Umpqua River.
    In June 1835, George Gay, Daniel Miller, Edward Barnes [sic], Dr. Bailey, Mr. Sanders, John Turner, John Woodworth and an Irishman called Tom. were attacked by Rogue River Indians near where Mr. Birdseye now lives in Rogue River Valley and Mr. Miller, Mr. Burns [sic], Mr. Sanders, and Tom. were killed. The other four were badly wounded, but made their escape.
    In August, 1838, as a party of citizens of Oregon were driving the first cattle from California to this Territory, they were attacked near the same spot where the party was attacked in 1835, by the same Indians, and Mr. Gay, who was of the party of '35, was again wounded.
    In the fall of 1846, a sick immigrant was killed on the southern Oregon emigrant road, near Lost River, by Modoc Indians.
    On the 29th Nov. 1847, Dr. Whitman, a Protestant missionary, his wife, two orphan children, a Frenchman, and about eleven emigrants were massacred at and near the mission in Walla Walla Valley by Cayuse Indians. This was the commencement of the Cayuse War.
    In 1851, an exploring party of eight or ten men were attacked near the mouth of the Coquille River, in Southern Oregon, and six of the number killed.
    Early in the spring of 1851 two men were killed on Grave creek and one or two more on Rogue River, by Rogue River Indians, for which they were chastised by Maj. Kearny, U.S. army. It was in some of Maj. Kearny's engagements with those Indians that Capt. Stuart, U.S. army, was killed.
    In May 1851 Mr. Dilley was killed near Camp Stuart, in Rogue River Valley, by R.R. Indians.
    In October, Mr. Moffitt was killed near the same place and by the same Indians.
    In June 1852 Calvin Woodman was killed in Scotts Valley, California, by R.R. Indians.
    In June 1852 James L. Freaner, John Brando, "Cayuse" Jackson and "Adobe" John, a Mexican, were killed by Pit River Indians, in the valley of that name, while viewing a wagon road from Sacramento Valley to the southern boundary line of Oregon.
    In August 1852 Mr. Coats, John Ornsby, James Long and thirty-three immigrants were murdered by the Modoc Indians on the southern Oregon emigrant road.
    In December 1852 William Grendege, Peter Hunter, James Bacon and brother, Mr. Bruner, Mr. Allen, and Mr. Palmer were massacred by Rogue River Indians on Rogue River near the mouth of Galice Creek.
    In 1853, Aug. 4th, Edward Edwards was killed by Rogue River Indians in his own house on Stuart Creek.
    Aug. 5th, Thomas Wills was mortally wounded by Rogue River Indians within three hundred yards of the town of Jacksonville.
    Aug. 6th, 1853, Richard Nolan was killed by Rogue River Indians on Jackson Creek, one mile from the town of Jacksonville.
    Aug. 17th, 1853, John Gibbs, William Hudgins, and three others whose names are not known, were killed in Rogue River Valley by Rogue River Indians.
    Oct. 6th, 1853, James C. Kyle was killed by Rogue River Indians two miles from Fort Lane and about six from Jacksonville. The actual murderer of Mr. Kyle, and those who murdered Edwards and Wills, were subsequently arrested, and were tried for their offenses before the Hon. O. B. McFadden, in the spring of 1854, and were convicted and hung. These three Indians, with those chastised by Major Kearny in 1851, are the only ones ever punished for crime by either the civil or military authorities in southern Oregon.
    In January 1854 Hiram Hulen, John Clark, John Oldfield and Wesley Mayden were killed between Jacksonville and Yreka by Rogue River, Shasta and Modoc Indians.
    April 15th 1854 Edward Phillips was killed on Applegate Creek, near Fort Lane, by Rogue River Indians.
    June 15th 1854 Daniel Gage was killed while crossing the Siskiyou Mountains between Jacksonville and Yreka.
    June 24th 1854 Captain McAmy was killed at DeWitt's ferry, on Klamath River, by Shasta and R.R. Indians.
    August 20th Alexander Ward, his wife and seven children, Mrs. White and child, Samuel Mulligan, Dr. Adams and brother, William Babcock, John Fredrick, and Rudolph Schultz, Mr. Amens and a Frenchman, name unknown, were massacred by Snake Indians on the northern Oregon emigrant road near Fort Boise.
    September Mr. Stewart was killed by Indians on the middle route to Oregon, via the plains.
    May 8th 1855 Mr. Hill was killed on Indian Creek by Rogue River Indians.
    June 1st 1855 Jerome Dyer and Daniel McKew [were] killed by Rogue River Indians on the road between Jacksonville and Illinois Valley.
    June 2nd 1855 Mr. Philpot, killed in Deer Creek Valley by the same Indians next above mentioned.
    July 27th 1855 Mr. Peters was killed on Humbug Creek by Klamath, Shasta and R.R. Indians.
    July 28 1855 William Hennessey, Edward Parrish, Thomas Grey, Peter Highnight, John Pollock, four Frenchmen and two Mexicans, names unknown, were killed by the Indians next before referred to, at Buckeye Bar, on Klamath River.
    September 2nd Mr. Keene, killed by Modoc Indians on the southern Oregon emigrant road, near Rogue River Valley.
    September 1855 Mrs. Clark and a young man were killed in Yamhill County by Coast Indians.
    September 1855 Elisha Plummer and four others, names unknown, were killed at Grand Ronde, east of the Blue Mountains, by Cayuse and Walla Walla Indians.
    September 1855 Indian Agent A. J. Bolon, ____ Matteese and two others, names unknown, were killed by the Yakima Indians east of the Cascade Mountains.
    September 24th 1855 Fields and Cunningham were killed by Rogue River Indians on the Siskiyou Mountains between Jacksonville and Yreka.
    September 25th 1855 Samuel Warren, killed by the same Indians next above referred to.
    October 9th 1855 Mrs. J. B. Wagoner, Mary Wagoner, Mr. & Mrs. Jones, Mr. & Mrs. Haines and two children, George W. Harris, David W. Harris, F. A. Reed, William Gwin, James W. Cartwright, Mr. Powell, _____ Bunch, _____ Fox, _____ Hamilton and _____ White were killed by Umpqua and Rogue River Indians near Evans ferry on Rogue River. This is known as "the Wagoner Massacre."
    October 10th 1855 Messrs. Hudson and Wilson, killed by Rogue River and Klamath Indians on the road between Crescent City and Indian Creek.
    October 16th 1855 Holland Bailey was killed by Umpqua and Cow Creek Indians in Cow Creek Valley.
    November 6th 1855 Charles Scott and Theodore Snow, killed on the road between Yreka and Scotts Bar by messengers from the Rogue River to the lower Klamath Indians.
    February 23rd 1856 Capt. Benj. Wright, Capt. John Poland, H. Braun, E. W. Howe, Mr. Wagoner, Barney Castle, George McClusky, Mr. Lara, W. R. Tullus, James Seroc and two sons, Mr. Smith, Mr. Warner, John Geisel and three children, S. Heidrick, Pat. McCullough and four others whose names are unknown were killed by Indians in charge of agent Capt. Benj Wright near the mouth of Rogue River.
    March 26th 1856 George Griswold, Norman Palmer, Mr. & Mrs. Brown, William Watkins, James St. Clair and eleven others, names unknown, were killed by Cascade Indians.
    This is known as "the Cascade Massacre."
    June 1856 Charles Green and Thomas Stewart, killed on McKinneys Creek near Fort Jones by Shasta Indians.
    Jany or Feby 1857 Harry Lockhart, Z. Rogers, Adam Boles, D. Bryant, and John, a German, killed in Pit River Valley, by Pit River Indians.
    It will be seen from the foregoing list that prior to 1851, upwards of fifty citizens were murdered by Oregon Indians. Since 1851 upwards of one hundred and forty citizens have been murdered by the Indians of Southern Oregon and their immediate allies; and about fifty by the Indians of Northern Oregon and their allies, since 1851. Many more names could be obtained from papers and living witnesses, but your committee have not time to investigate any farther.
   
    Your committee report the resolution back without amendment, and recommend that it be adopted. All of which is respectfully submitted.
                        Nathaniel Ford
                        Chairman Military Affairs
Feby. 3rd 1858.
   
Endorsed Report of the Committee on Military Affairs. Adopted February 3rd 1858.
Territory of Oregon
    I, B. F. Harding, Secretary of the Territory of Oregon, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and perfect copy of the original, now on file in my office.
    In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed the seal of the Territory this 21st day of February, A.D. 1858.
   
Messrs Miller & Brandenburg--
    Dear Sirs: I send you by this mail a copy of a joint resolution of the Legislative Assembly and the report of the committee on military affairs thereon including as far as they could collect them the names of whites killed by Indians in times of peace and those killed in times of war, by Indians supposed to be friendly.
    It is a good document to show the necessity for all the Oregon volunteers and to contradict General Wool's falsehoods about the citizens of Oregon.
    Press the claim before Congress and get at least commissioners appointed to audit the accounts, and if possible get an appropriation to pay the claims. I sent you by last mail several copies of the Governor's message referred to in the enclosed resolution. The Secretary says he will send Genl. Lane a certified copy by next mail. Write and direct to Jacksonville, Oregon. Give me all the news. What is the prospect of Congress paying the Oregon war debt? What is the auditor doing with the spoliations of 1853? Give me a minute [omission?] of the prices recommended by the commissioners on the late war claims &c; you can get them from some of the clerks that have the papers in charge.
                    I remain yours very respectfully
                        B. F. Dowell
Jo Lane Letters


    "October 6, 1853, James C. Kyle, a merchant of Jacksonville, in Southern Oregon, while on his return from Scottsburg, with goods, and when he was within six miles of home, and two miles from Fort Lane, was killed by Indians of the Rogue River tribes.
    "In January, 1854, Hiram Hulen, John Clark, John Oldfield and Wesley Mayden were killed by Rogue River, Shasta and Modoc Indians, near the Siskiyou Mountains, about halfway between Fort Lane and Fort Jones, and near the main thoroughfare between those posts.
    "April 15, 1854, Edward Phillips was killed in his own house on Applegate Creek, about fourteen miles from Fort Lane, by Rogue River Indians.
    "June 15, 1854, Daniel Gage, a trader of Yreka, Cal., while crossing the Siskiyou Mountains, on his return from Crescent City, Cal., with merchandise, was killed by Modoc Indians, and it is probable that Rogue River Indians had a hand in the matter also. Distance from Fort Lane, twenty miles.
    "June 24, 1854, Mr. McAmy was killed near Klamath River, between Forts Lane and Jones, by Rogue River and Shasta Indians.
    "August 20, 1854, Alexander Ward, Mrs. Ward and their seven children, Mrs. White and child, Samuel Mulligan, two brothers Adams, W. Babcock, John Frederick, Rudolph Shults, Mr. Ames, and a man unknown, emigrants, were killed by Indians, on Snake River, between Fort Boise (a Hudson Bay post) and the Dalles of the Columbia River, Northern Oregon.
    "September, 1854, Mr. Stewart of Corvallis, Oregon, was killed on the middle emigrant road, whither he had gone to meet some friends who were coming in via the plains, by Klamath Lake Indians.
    "May 8, 1855, Mr. Hill was killed on Indian Creek by Rogue River Indians. Like Phillips, he was killed in his own house.
    "June 1, 1855, Jerome Dyer and Daniel McKew were killed by Rogue River Indians on the road from Jacksonville to what is now Kerbyville, about sixteen miles from Fort Lane.
    "June 2, 1855, Mr. Philpot was killed near the place and by the same Indians next above mentioned. Up to this time the regular troops, particularly at Fort Lane and Fort Jones, had made little or no effort to restrain the Indians in their murderous depredation, either in the settlements or on the highways. None of the Indians had been punished except the three who were the principals in the murder of Mr. Kyle in 1853. These had been arrested through the agency of a young Rogue River chief, Jim, for which he was shot by some of the friends of the prisoners. But, on the next day after Philpot's death (June 3), about thirty United States dragoons were dispatched from Fort Lane in pursuit of the Indians who had just murdered Dyer, McKew and Philpot, and were then jeopardizing the safety of the settlements of Applegate, Deer Creek and Illinois valleys. The mountainous regions of country to which the Indians had betaken themselves rendered it almost impossible for United States troops, unused to mountain service, to pursue them with any possibility of success, and, in view of this, a company of citizens started upon the trail of the Indians, and came so near them that they left their hiding places and fled to the detachment from Fort Lane for protection. The citizens then returned home, and the Indians had the honor of a United States military escort back to the Table Rock Reservation, adjoining Fort Lane, and were there left again, unrestrained and unguarded, and allowed to roam whithersoever their thirst for white men's blood might lead them.
    "July 27, 1855, Mr. Peters was killed on Humbug Creek, Cal., by Shasta and Rogue River Indians. Distance from Fort Jones about twenty miles.
    "July 28, 1855, William Hennessey, Edward Parrish, Thomas Grey, Peter Hignight, John Pollack and four Frenchmen and two Mexicans, names unknown, were killed by Rogue River Indians at Buckeye Bar, on Klamath River, about fourteen miles from Fort Jones. Regular troops remained in quarters.
    "Sept. 2, ------ Keene, who, with a party of other citizens of Rogue River Valley, was in search of a horse that the Indians had stolen, was killed by Rogue River and Modoc Indians on the Southern Emigrant Road, about twenty miles from Fort Lane, in the direction of Fort Jones. A detachment of troops from Fort Lane reached the spot where Keene was killed either the second or third day after, but did not follow the Indians.
    "Sept, 1855, Mrs. Clark, and a young man of Yamhill County (Middle Oregon) were killed by an Indian or Indians of the Tillamook tribe. I believe that one Indian was given up by the tribe as the party who committed the deed, and I think he was hung.
    "Elisha Plummer and four other persons were killed at Grand Ronde (Northern Oregon) by Cayuse and Walla Walla Indians. Troops quiet.
    "Same month--Indian agent Bolon, ------ Matteese, and two others, whose names are unknown, were killed by the Yakima Indians, east of the Cascade Mountains.
    "Sept. 24, 1855, Calvin Fields and John Cunningham were killed while crossing the Siskiyou Mountains (Southern Oregon) by Rogue River Indians. Distance from Fort Lane about twenty miles, in the direction of Fort Jones.
    "Sept. 25, 1855, Samuel Warner killed near the same spot, and by the same Indians next above mentioned. Troops at Fort Lane and Fort Jones visited the scene of these disasters soon afterward, but returned again to their quiet quarters.
    "Oct. 9, 1855, Mrs. J. B. Wagoner, Mary Wagoner, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Haines and two children, George W. Harris, Daniel W. Harris, F. A. Reed, William Guin, J. Cartwright, Mr. Powell, Mr. Bunch, Mr. Fox, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. White and probably several others were killed by Rogue River Indians near Evans' Ferry on Rogue River, about 20 miles north of Fort Lane, and along the same thoroughfare leading from Yreka, California, Fort Jones, Fort Lane and Jacksonville, northward into the Umpqua and Willamette valleys.
    "Oct. 9, 1855, Messrs. Hudson and Wilson, traders, were killed while en route from Crescent City, California to Indian Creek, with merchandise, by Rogue River and Klamath River Indians."
C. S. Drew, "The Oregon War and Its Debt," New York Tribune, September 24, 1859, page 9


Dear Sir:
    I take the liberty to send you a few extracts from my report to General Wright--20th ultimo--relative to the necessity for a military post in the Klamath Lake country, the disposition of the Indians, &c., &c.
    "With regard to the necessity for, and the location of, a military post in the Klamath Lake region, I have to report that I deem it indispensable to the public safety in this vicinity that a post should be established there at the earliest date practicable, whether a treaty with the Indians--the authority for which is now pending in Congress--is effected or not. . . .
    "The section of country I propose for the Indian reservation borders on and lies due west of Upper or Big Klamath Lake and extending westward to the summit of the Cascade Mountains. This would give the Indians (Klamaths & Modocs) all the hunting ground they now use, and their usual advantages for fishing. . . .
    "The Klamath Lakes, Modocs and Piute Indians, so far as relates to their general character, are virtually one tribe, and none of them are in the least reliable for any good whatever. On the contrary it is susceptible of the clearest demonstration that they are a horde of practical thieves, highwaymen and murderers--cowardly sycophants before the white man's face, and perfidious assassins behind his back.
    "Their history, so far as generally known, begins with the summer of 1846--the date of the first overland emigration via what is now known as the southern Oregon emigrant road. Their operations that year were mainly of a thieving character--the emigration having been a surprise to them, and allowing no time to mature a concert of action for more bloody purposes, such as they adopted in subsequent years. They made a beginning, however, by murdering one--if not more--of that year's emigration, and committing many thefts and robberies.
    "The following year--1847--Levi Scott, of Oregon, and of the emigration of the previous year, returned with a small party along this route to make further explorations, but on arriving at Goose Lake was attacked by the Indians, wounded, and had one of his party--Garrison--killed. About the same time a train of twenty-three persons was massacred at Bloody Point.
    "In 1849, another train--about eighteen persons--were massacred at the same place, and
    "September 26, same year, Captain Warner, U.S. Engineer Corps, and several of his party were murdered east of Goose Lake.
    "In 1851, Charles Smith, Reason Haines and ------ Terwilliger were murdered near the head of Deschutes River.
    "In August 1852, John Ormsby, James Long, Felix Martin, Mr. Coats, Mr. Wood and thirty-four of the overland emigration were murdered at Bloody Point.
    "Ormsby, Long and Coats were citizens of Yreka, and in company with several others had gone out to protect some friends whom they expected overland against the identical Indians by whom they themselves were murdered. Martin and Wood were of the emigration, as were the thirty-four not accounted by name. It is very evident, however, that the murders here reported fall far short of the actual number committed. Such was the opinion at that time of those who visited the scene and buried such of the bodies as they happened to find.
    "These companies (from Yreka & Jacksonville) found and buried thirty-nine bodies. The body of one female only was found, and none of children, though evidences that numbers of each had been murdered were numerous.
    "It was the belief of the relieving parties, and of many of the emigration who had any opportunity to know much about it, that as many or more persons than are here reported were murdered whose bodies were not found, and it is more than probable that this estimate is not more than correct. If so the total is at least seventy-eight.
    "In 1853, the Indians were anticipated in their designs by a volunteer force being sent to meet the emigration before its arrival at the usual points for attack. The result was [that] it passed in unharmed. . . .
    "In 1854, January, Hiram Hulen, J. Clark, J. Oldfield and Wesley Mayden, of Shasta Valley, were murdered near Lower Klamath Lake while in pursuit of horses, which the Indians had stolen and were driving away.
    "June 15--The pack train of Gage & Claymer was attacked and captured on the post road over the Siskiyou Mountains, between Jacksonville and Yreka, and Mr. Gage was killed. The main object of the attack was to obtain ammunition, of which the Indians secured an ample quantity. The designs of these Indians to again waylay the emigration was frustrated by another volunteer force being sent there by the governor of Oregon, and it came safely through.
    "September 2, however, on the middle Oregon route, Stewart, of Corvallis, was murdered while going out to meet some friends whom he desired to have come in by that road.
    "In 1855, September 2, Granville M. Keene was murdered near the mouth of Applegate Pass, while, with others, he was in pursuit of horses the Indians had stolen.
    "[September] 24th the Indians again waylaid the post road over the Siskiyou Mountains, and murdered Calvin M. Fields and John Cunningham, and next day--25th--Samuel Warner, near the same place. No military force being provided for the southern Oregon emigrant road this year, it was effectually blockaded, and no emigration allowed to pass over it.
    "In 1856 a volunteer force was sent into the Klamath Lake country by the governor of California, and the emigrant route fully protected.
    "In 1857, no force of any kind being sent there, the road was again effectually blockaded.
    "In 1858--about September15--Felix Scott and seven other persons were murdered near Goose Lake, and several thousand dollars' worth of blooded horses captured. Other parties were also robbed of much valuable stock at the same time.
    "In 1859 the Piutes turned their attention towards the settlement of Honey Lake Valley, and 'Gravelly Ford,' on the Humboldt. Of the depredations they committed there I have no accurate memoranda. That they were considerable, however, both upon life and property, cannot be questioned.
    "In 1860--August--Eli Ledford, Samuel Probst, James Crow, S. F. Conger, and James Brown were murdered in Rancheria Prairie, thirty-five miles east of Jacksonville, and close upon the eastern border of the settlements of Rogue River Valley. This is wholly chargeable to the Klamath Lake Indians. . . .
    "In 1861 Lieut. Alexander Piper, third United States artillery, with 62 men, was stationed for a few months in the Klamath Lake country, and they relieved the people of Rogue River Valley and Siskiyou County, California from apprehension of Indian forays for that season. But the result was less beneficial beyond the point where Lieut. Piper was stationed, for near Goose Lake Joseph Bailey, Samuel Evans and Edward Simms were murdered, John Sheppard and others wounded and nine hundred and ten head of fine cattle taken. . . .
    "The aggregate of these murders is one hundred and twelve, exclusive of the estimate for the year 1852--thirty-nine--and the number of Captain Warner's party, who shared his fate. Assuming this estimate to be correct, and it is very evident that it is not any too large, and independent of Warner's party, for which I have no data for an estimate, and the aggregate is increased to one hundred and fifty-one.
    "How many were wounded during the commission of these murders and escaped, some mortally, and others maimed for life, it is impossible to say. Two for every one killed is probably a fair estimate. This would give three hundred at least, and a total of killed and wounded [of] four hundred and fifty-one--equal to twenty-eight per annum for the last sixteen years.
    "The value of property destroyed during this period cannot fall short of three hundred thousand dollars, probably.
    "All of these murders and depredations have been committed without the least provocation, and in no instance have the Indians been punished. Success has rendered them more and more insolent and defiant, and consequently the more dangerous and formidable enemies."
    I have been as thorough in making up my report as the occasion would justify, exceeding to a very considerable extent the limit of the department commander's inquiry. I deemed such a course necessary because it has always suited the purpose of bad men to so misrepresent Indian matters here as to create abroad an incurable prejudice against the state and the belief at Washington and at department headquarters, and even in Oregon outside of this particular locality, that the service I have recommended is wholly unnecessary. Of these matters, however, you are conversant.
Hon. J. W. P. Huntington
    Superintendent Indian Affairs
        for Oregon
Microcopy of Records of the Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 20; Letters Received, 1862, No. 63.  The full letter is online.