Letters to and from Lieutenant William Carey Brown of Fort Klamath. Scans of letters were downloaded from eBay and retained by transcriber.


Dear Mother
    I expected a letter from home by yesterday's mail but it did not appear.
    We now have two drills per day, both dismounted, and I have more to do.
    Enclosed please find twenty dollars ($20.00) for yourself and the girls this month.
    If you want any more money be sure and let me know.
    It rained here yesterday and snowed in the mountains.
    Please acknowledge receipt of amount I send and a late copy of the St. Peter Tribune for we do a powerful sight of reading at this post.
Envelope addressed to Mr. G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Mother & Sister Helen:
    Your favors of the 10th inst. duly received, acknowledging receipt of $60.00.
    I am very glad to learn that Pa is going to get increase. If the N.Y. Mutual Ins. Co. proposes to charge me $20.00 per year for my insurance and $20.00 per year additional for permit to do frontier duty I don't propose to pay it if I can do better in a good Co. I think I shall try the N.Y. Life--though I shall continue my payments in the Mutual for at least one year longer in order to get a paid-up policy for what I have already paid, and said policy will be paid for all cases except where an officer dies with his boots on.
    That painting of Helen's can be sent with perfect safety by mail. It can be placed on a roller, or if that won't do--and will injure the picture--she can place it between two very stiff pieces of pasteboard, thin pieces of wood, or even shingles and if securely done up they will carry nicely. Matter is sent by express here but it comes only to Ashland and from there here--if it comes by special carrier it is expensive.
    Officers here use the mail constantly for such purposes and it is very safe. I would like to get the St. Peter Tribune regularly if it is not too much trouble to you or at least whenever there is anything [in] it of interest.
    By sending it when you are done with it, it will only cost 52¢ per issue & otherwise it would cost $2.00.
    Col. Whipple appointed me Post Adjutant this morning and so I will have to be present and receive the reports of the two Co.s at Reveille, Retreat & Tattoo & also have to mount the guard daily. It will be a good thing for me however as I want to learn the duties of Adjutant.
    The Adjutant is supposed to be the confidential private secretary, as it were, of the County Officer and to see that the regular routine duties are conducted in a military manner. As I mess with the Col. it is very convenient for both.
    Mrs. Whipple has returned from the East.
    We are all here now as Capt. Riley & family, 1st Lieut. Duncan & his bride have arrived and we are getting settled as fast as possible for the winter. At a small out of the way post like this the officers are very sociable, especially with a bachelor, & I have callers nearly every evening.
    The other evening Dr. & Mrs. Dixon called & Lt. & Mrs. Duncan & the other evening.Lieut. & Mrs. Wittich, so I manage to pass away the time very pleasantly. I am very busy now however settling my Commissary accounts and learning the ropes in the Adjutant's office.
    Shelton & I have picked out a team of black ponies out of the Q.M.'s herd and thus have a good team to hitch to. Envelope addressed to G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Mother & Sister:
    Yours of the 24th ult. was duly received. Lt. Wittich and Mrs. Wittich left today for Ft. Vancouver where Lt. W. is ordered for duty on detached service at Dept. Headquarters. Col. Whipple will also leave soon for the same place as he is to appear as a witness before a Court of Inquiry.
    This will leave Capt. Riley in command temporarily.
    Now officers with Shelton, Duncan & the Post Surgeon Dr. Dickson comprise our garrison officers.
    I have plenty of society as being the only bachelor my "den" is the loafing place for all the other fellows & nearly every evening there are several of them in and often all but the comdg. officer.
    This evening we had a Board of Examination to examine candidates (enlisted men) for the position of school teacher. Dickson, Riley & myself were on the Board & we met in my quarters and had considerable fun examining the three candidates but finally selected two good men, one for a day school for the children of enlisted men and officers & the other (my Sergt. Major) for a teacher of the night school for the men.
    A fire occurred this evening by the burning of an Indian hut (deserted) across the creek.
    I had the garrison turned out & the fire was soon put out.
    Have not heard from Mr. Adams since June.
    Col. Whipple's family consists of himself, Mrs. Whipple, Sophie aged 5 years & Elmer the little boy just able to talk & run around & who thinks "Contenant Brown" is a great fellow. Mrs. W. is a perfect model of a lady and reminds me very much of Mrs. Lyman Marshall.
    No young ladies in the garrison & not likely to be any soon, guess I can stand it though.
    You ask if it is not monotonous & what I do to amuse (?) myself and that seems to be the prevailing idea that we have nothing [to do]. Why it is now 10:15 P.M. and with the exception of an hour's nap between 7 & 8 A.M. I have been "whooping it up" all day & tomorrow it will be the same way only possibly worse, for I expect to have to hear the non-commissioned officers at recitations in tactics 15 pages tomorrow night & will have to bone up beforehand, then I have the proceedings of two Boards to write up & Duncan is going to apply to get another Board convened. I have been trying for two days to get my hair cut & couldn't get time.
    Being Post Adjutant takes a great deal of time, and one has some responsibility also as being the representative of the County Officer. I have to give orders in his absence. I send by this mail copy of Harper's which has a picture that gives an excellent idea of the country around West Point. Ft. Montgomery is a little below (or south) of W.P. Highland Falls. Have indicated same by lead pencil on picture.
    No more news--excuse bad writing as I am in a hurry to get to bed. Envelope addressed to G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Mother:
    Your favor of the 7th together with Helen's oil painting was received today and to say that I am perfectly delighted with it won't adequately express my feelings. Everyone to whom I have shown it admires it very much. Capt. Riley thinks it ought to be worth about $50.00. I want Helen to keep on with her lessons again next summer & I will furnish the necessary lucre. I suppose she does not have time at present while she is going to school--but whenever an opportunity occurs she should take advantage of it and endeavor to improve.
    I have been "celebrating" my birthday by going duck hunting and succeeded in shooting a "great big mallard" and one or two others. We have plenty of ducks here right on the creek that runs through the garrison, and we have them here all winter for this stream coming from a mountain spring near here never freezes over and the ducks come here from the sloughs near here that freeze over.
    I am fortunately not the School Supt. here and am glad of it as I have so much other work to do that I could not attend to it properly. The Post Surg. is the Supt. Do not get extra pay for being Adjt.
    The picture & frame came through very nicely indeed. In sending articles of that kind it would be well however to put over the corners a corner cut out of a pasteboard box with perhaps a little cloth inside. I put up that copy of Tic Tacs that I sent by last mail something in that way. Let me know if it comes through all right.
    We do not have any chaplain at this post--there are only about 55 in the army. Rec'd. the Denver & St. Peter Tribune--thanks.
Envelope addressed to Mr. G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Sister Helen:
    That Panel Painting arrived in good condition this A.M. It is a perfect present.
    I showed that large one to Mrs. Whipple and she was perfectly delighted with it and thinks you are quite an artist. I am ever so much obliged for the picture whoever it came from.
    Although it came very well indeed, it would be well in the future to wrap gilt frames with cotton on the inside to prevent scratching.
Envelope addressed to G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Sister Helen:
    Your favor of the 15th was duly received, and contents noted. The pictures both came through nicely, and are admired very much indeed. I can put on more style than the Comdg. Officer now, for everyone here have heretofore contented themselves with chromos while I have bona fide oil paintings and didn't have to go out of the family for talent either. I propose to make all the ladies jealous by telling them that these are merely "sketches made by my little sister & it wasn't a good day for sketching either."
    Well you say that criticisms are in order and as we say in Courts Martial "having maturely considered the evidence adduced we find" that the flowing water in the stream in the large picture (Castle Rock) might be improved upon; the lines are too straight and lack a smoothness that the water should have in its first plunge over the fall before it breaks.
    The other picture is almost too small to find a fault in it but in a finished painting from the hand of an artist the water would look more smooth & transparent.
    I wouldn't know how myself to remedy either but you know that I am of that disposition that I can find fault with almost anything, hence these criticisms. I am perfectly aware that it is easier to criticize the work than to do it, for I could not begin to do as well myself.
    I hope you will try hard to improve, and take lessons during vacation and I will pay for them, and you may soon find that it will be far easier, more profitable, and better in every way to sell your pictures than to teach school.
    Tell Pa that I want to know if he does not think now that it pays for you to take painting lessons. Tell Grace that I received that paper holder and like it very much.
    By the way do you want any mink or marten furs. I can get mink next month for 15¢ to $1.00 per skin and marten for $1.00. The post trader has also on hand two red fox skins at $1.00 each.
    I just happened to find out the price by asking the Post Trader for Lt. Tom [illegible] who wrote & asked me if I could get some for him and I thought perhaps you would like some also. Let me know how many of each are wanted & give instructions as to selecting &c.
    By the way you wanted to know how I had my room fixed up. Well I have a very handsome pattern 3-ply imperial carpet on my sitting room--painting color green & yellow & a little red--writing desk with pigeonholes in one corner very convenient, in the opposite corner are two shelves on which I have your pictures (I am going to hang them up soon). Also a lounge that Lt. J. Q. Adams left at this post, in another corner is my saber & in the opposite a whatnot with my books. I have a large center table, round with a green [remainder of letter not posted on line]



Dear Father:
    Yours of Jan 1st just received.
    I am very much obliged for that change which you sent, as we get nearly everything by mail here. We have to have change. The Paymaster is coming up soon and he has been requested to bring change when he comes.
    Mrs. Whipple saw that panel picture of Helen's last evening and she is very much pleased with it.
    If Helen would like to sell some of them I can write to N.Y. and try to find a house that will purchase but I suppose her Instructor will know better than anyone else. I think she should take lessons, even during term time if she can do so and keep up with her studies.
    We will not have to go campaigning this winter--at least that's the way things look now, and the papers seem to think that we will have no war this winter though a few weeks ago they thought that war was imminent.
    Glad you like the Tic Tacs. The word "Tic Tacs" is the "short" for Tactics at W.P.
    I am kept quite busy every day for when I am not busy with the duties of Post Adjutant we have drill or target practice to occupy the time. We have just rec'd. for "L" Co. 100 lbs. powder 10,000 bullets & primers and are going to make our own ammunition as we also rec'd. a reloading apparatus. After firing we save the empty brass shells & then reload them.
P.S. I will send by this mail a Harper's containing a picture of my "first fight." Please preserve the same.
    Won't you please get the table of rates if have from the agent of the N.Y. Life Ins. for me. Don't say anything to McMann about it for I am not certain that I will change cos.
    It is not necessary to direct my letters to Co. "L" 1st Cav. except when I am in the field.



Dear Sister:
    I was agreeably surprised to get a letter from you in French. It seemed like the good old times when I was a "yearling."
    The French was very good indeed except a few slight mistakes. The "Dutch," as far as I was able to judge, was far above [any] of the Inductions of Schiller himself.
    You request that since I have nothing to do I will write you a French letter--. Well I have something to do slightly and am so rusty on my French that I couldn't do anything without a Dictionary--so you will have to excuse me though I will be glad to hear from you in French or English at any time.
    We had about six or eight inches of snow last night and this afternoon I took a sleigh ride with Dr. Dickson--The first one I have had to my recollection since the winter of 1872 & 3. By the way I find that those furs when matched will be about $1.70 to 2.00 apiece.
    Please let me know whether you wish any or not.
    Tell Ma & Grace that I have several other letters to write this evening & they will have to excuse me.
    I just received a letter catalogue from a firm in N.Y. City that deals in Rubber Goods and though I shall be glad to get the Pillow if I need anything else I can write direct.



Dear Mother,
    I did not receive a letter from home a letter from home [sic] today but will write a few lines anyhow and enclose $20.00 for yourself & the girls. Pa needn't send that change with the stylographic pen as the paymaster disbursed $1100.00 in one & two dollar bills here the other day & I got $100.00 worth of change myself, and in new, crisp bills. Dr. Dickson got his month's pay in two packages of new 1 dollar bills.
    We are through with Gen. Court-Martial, and I am glad of it, one night I was up until after 12, another until after 1 and another till after 3 o'clock in the morning making out the proceedings, and this after working hard all day taking testimony, examining witnesses and acting as prosecuting attorney for the Gov't.
    Well it is after 10 o'clock & I will close.
    Please acknowledge receipt of the money.
Yours affectionately
    W. C. Brown
        2nd Lt. 1 Cav.



    Dear Mother: Yours of the 1st ult. was rec'd. this evening. Enclosed please find twenty dollars ($20.00) for yourself and the girls. Please acknowledge the receipt. It seems to me that a cover (that won't show dirt) is just what is wanted on that air pillow in the field. A calico pillow case will do just as well as a more expensive one. I hope to be better fixed for a campaign, if we have one next summer, than I was last summer. Even if we don't have a campaign, I am going to try and get the Colonel to let me take a detachment out and scout as I had much rather be out in camp or on the march in summer than doing garrison duty. I am afraid that I am not competent to help Grace out with history much as I would like to help her, for I was never much of a hand at that kind of work.
    I am glad that our General Court is over for I now had a chance to breathe easily.
    We have been having very cold weather of late, the thermometer getting as low as 1° below zero which, although not to be compared with Minn. weather, is we think quite frosty. There is considerable snow on the ground. Duck hunting is very good and the men spear large delicious salmon trout daily weighing from 5 to 20 lbs. There seems to be no limit to the choicest fish in these streams. We are still waiting for the Army Bill. The prospects seem to be for a reduction of Cav. from 10 to 6 Regts. But as a great many will be retired and others take advantage of the clause giving those who desire to resign three years pay, I think on the whole things will be better for us that remain than it has been in the past for promotion will, I think, be more rapid. I received a letter from Homer Tomlinson a few days ago, he says that "Saint Peter is rather dull and although he has considerable affection for the place he will not be deterred from leaving at a fitting opportunity." He wants to go into the stock raising business. J. R. Gardner has sold out his interest in the [pork] packing business. On dit ["It is said"] that Miss Hattie and Mr. Andrew Williamson are just a "spring" couple.
    Tell Helen that I can't say when I shall get home but am afraid that I shall have to wait until I get a [illegible] leave then as we will like to have lineal promotion, the chances are that I will go to some other region & some time later a furlough en route to my new station, or soon after. I can thus save considerably on traveling expenses.
    I am very hard up for news. I guess I will have to stop and let the $20.00 bill go for the rest.
Tell Helen that I will answer her letter soon.



Dear Father:
    Enclosed find twenty dollars ($20.00) to pay for my Life Ins. due I think May 8th. Please ask Mr. McMann when you pay him how soon I will be entitled to a dividend. This dividend I wish to go toward paying the premium.
    The latest rumor is that eight Co.s of troops in this Dept. are to take the field in April to overawe some of the Indians who are yet sullen. Probably it will be 7 Co.s of the 1st Cav. I do not know whether "L" Co. will go or not. The chances look as though we would not.
    I have been very busy all day making out a copy of the Post Return, administering oaths on affidavits, trying to straighten out my Q.M. papers &c. I received a letter tonight from the Q.M. Gen. calling me to account for one woolen blanket ($4.25) which I had issued to a prisoner in the Guard House at Walla Walla. I shall have to write to his Co. Commander at Ft. Snelling, Minn., sending a Clothing Receipt Roll to get the man's receipt. If I can't get his receipt or account for it properly it will be stopped against my pay. I am just getting my Q.M. Returns ready to make up that ought to have been rendered last July.
Envelope addressed to Mr. G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Mother
    Yours of 27th ult. rec'd. I have just returned from Ashland 101 miles from here from a chase after a deserter, who used to be my cook and "striker" in the field. After an almost constant ride (horseback & on buckboard) for nearly two days and one night I overhauled him near Ashland. I made a complete surprise. The first intimation I think that he had of being followed was when I told him that he was my prisoner and he turned and looked at the muzzle of my revolver. I took him to Ashland and locked him up in the calaboose and the ingenious wretch cut through the floor with a pocket knife which he had concealed and made his escape.
    I have circulated telegrams and posted freely and have some hopes of catching him again. I rode in the buckboard yesterday from about 4 A.M. till 11:30 P.M. and have ridden 37 miles today in the saddle, consequently as I have plenty to do excuse this short letter from
    P.S. My stylographic pen came through all right and will be a splendid thing in the field where carrying an ink bottle is very inconvenient if not altogether impracticable. This is the kind of writing that it does--the writing would look better perhaps if a more skillful hand guided the pen than that of
Envelope addressed to G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Father
    Yours of the 16th rec'd. today. Glad to see that [illegible] is improving. I hear this evening that the Senate passed the Army Appropriation Bill but had left for the next session the Reorganization Bill which was tacked on to the Appropriation Bill.
    I wish they would hurry up and do something with us and then let us alone. The Army is just full of old Majors & Capts. & Lts. that are carried on as being [fit] for duty but who are totally unfit for hard field service and as we 2nd Lieuts. have to do all the work, or next to it [illegible] I think it is about time that there was someone "retired."
    Tell Grace that Gen. Howard is a Brigadier General and commands the Dept. of the Columbia which embraces Wash. Ter., Ogn. & part of Idaho. He was a Maj. Gen. of Volunteers during the War. He graduated in 1854.
    I had the honor of commanding his escort last summer for about a day and reserved with the Gen. & his staff.
    I received the Denver & St. Peter Tribune the other day.
    I cannot find anything more to write about and so will close.
Envelope addressed to Mr. G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



April 15th [1879] Dear Mother, Your letter & Helen's received today. Tell Pa that he mustn't send a note for that $200.00 and that I do not intend to charge him any interest. I wish you would tell Pa that I said to get his life insurance as soon as his health gets good and he can pay the premium from that $20.00 that I sent about a year ago and the interest from the $200.00 that I have lent him. I am glad to learn that you now have a piano to use and agree with Pa that Grace ought to begin and take lessons at once and get all the benefit she can get from the instrument. Please let me know how much to send for Grace's music lessons and Helen's course in Painting and Elocution & I will remit the amount. Have been on a Board of Survey today on a lot of canned Asparagus, Lima Beans, Cranberries, Mushrooms, French Peas, Irish Potatoes & Egg Plums which there is no sale for among the officers and which we recommended be sold at public auction. Will be on a Garrison Court tomorrow to try a Corporal for selling some of his clothing to an Indian.
    We have 11 "reds" in the Guard House and I may get the detail to take them to Portland & Ft. Vancouver en route to the Yakima Reservation. Well as I think there can be no cause for complaint on account of the shortness of this letter I will close.
Envelope addressed to Mr. G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Sisters:
    Being in camp & having but little to do I thought that perhaps you might like to hear how I was getting along with my "Siwashes." All the men have their feet shackled and at night I have them all lie in a row with their feet toward the fire and run a chain between their feet and thus confine them as you would string popcorn. The squaws & papooses stay nearby & all closely guarded. I have 18 men & 13 squaws & papooses guarded by a detachment of 15 men. Have two wagons for the Indians and one for our use. I expect to be in Vancouver about the 12th, and unless sent to Yakima or delayed at Vancouver will start back on the 14th. We have a very pretty camp here with abundance of grass, wood & water on the slope of a hill. We have been traveling through a very pretty and fertile country the past few days viz: Rogue River Valley. It is well timbered and slightly undulating. I expect to meet Col. Whipple on the 10th between here & Roseburg. He is returning from Portland where he has been on a court martial.
    One of my men of the infantry co. got too much benzine aboard the other day and got himself into trouble & if I conclude to prefer charges against him he will stand a fair chance of one year in the guard house or prison at hard labor. It is about 210 miles from Klamath to Roseburg the way we had to come through. It is but 70 miles in a direct line and I am thinking some of asking to be detailed to find or make a trail through direct which will save a great deal of distance if one goes mounted. How would Brown's Trail sound anyhow?
    May 10th--Four miles south of Myrtle Cr., Douglas Co., Ogn. Have a very good camp here and expect to make Roseburg (21 miles) by 1 P.M. tomorrow and will immediately make arrangements for taking my prisoners aboard the train Monday morning. I let my white prisoner off on consideration of his apologizing and taking a pledge. I have just administered the oath to him (I being a Post Adjt. & having authority to do so) not to use liquor during the balance of his term of enlistment, i.e., till Mch. 21, 1883.
    Yesterday we had, I think, the muddiest roads that I ever saw in my life and today they were very bad indeed. It rained a good part of the day yesterday but this evening we are all dry & comfortable again and I am sitting in my "A" tent on the bed of leaves & blankets with a good oak wood fire out in front.
    We find the Indians very handy in getting fuel, and when I want it I just let my "striker" take a carbine & go out with half a dozen of "Los" and they bring me all I want. I expect to see some fun when I get them on the cars at Roseburg, as I don't suppose one of them ever saw a locomotive in his life.
    Roseburg May 11th--Just got in and have a crowd of a hundred or more at my camp looking with eyes, mouths & ears all open to see the Indians.
    Had the worst road for mud today that I ever saw. One of the wagons which was empty got mired and it was all that the team could do to haul the empty wagon out. Rained last night and this morning also is raining now.
Envelope addressed to Miss M. Grace Brown, Denver, Colorado.


    Last evening's regular train from the south brought down the thirty-one captive Bannocks and Snakes that we heard were coming from the north under military guard. During the winter these renegades have been gathered up and taken care of at Fort Klamath. They are supposed to have had a hand in the raid made on Umatilla last summer and are bad fellows. They are charged, some of them, with murder committed on that raid, and such are brought down in irons. They are natives of the wild sagebrush ranges of the interior, including the desolate area that spreads from Fort Hall to Steens Mountains, and including the mountain wilderness as well as sagebrush plain; a region that in its wild state could hardly bring up an average coyote, and has made a signal failure in producing Indians, as the natives are not equal in character to those on the upper Columbia. These poor wretches must have been astonished to find themselves railroad travelers, and it required all the stolidity of the race to prevent the appearance of curiosity as they were transferred to a steamboat for transportation to Vancouver. They had a look at Portland and its glimpse of civilization must have discouraged their appetite for any further demonstration of hostility. They will remain at Vancouver until further disposition is made of them.
Willamette Farmer, Salem, May 16, 1879, page 5



    The detachment of U.S. troops that lately escorted the Indian prisoners to Vancouver returned with their wagons from Roseburg on Sunday afternoon. We hear that there are fifteen more prisoners at Fort Klamath soon to be sent below.
"Local Items," Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, May 21, 1879, page 3



    The troops that escorted the Indian prisoners from Fort Klamath to Roseburg have returned and will probably take another lot of renegades below before long.
"Southern Oregon," Willamette Farmer, Salem, May 30, 1879, page 5



    General Howard has received authority to enlist twenty Indian scouts, the number to be finally increased to forty, for permanent service in this department. Lieut. W. C. Brown, 1st Cavalry, has been appointed to take command of them, and has gone up the river to begin his selection of men.--Bee.
Grant County News, Canyon City, Oregon, May 31, 1879, page 1



    Lieutenant W. C. Brown, of the First Cavalry, passed through Jacksonville, Oregon, says the Sentinel, with three wagons and an escort of fifteen cavalry and infantry, having in charge thirty-one Indian prisoners destined for Vancouver. The prisoners belong to Egan's and Ochoho's bands of Piutes, and have been picked up as stragglers since the close of the late Piute war. They are heavily ironed, and for better security a chain is run through their irons every night upon camping. It is not known what disposition is to be made of them by the War Department, but they will probably be sent to Yakima, where the remainder of the tribe are at present. The poor devils wore a sad and dejected look, and were a hard-looking lot, one of them having acquired distinction as a murderer.--Silver State.
Grant County News, Canyon City, Oregon, May 31, 1879, page 2



Dear Mother
    Enclosed please find check for thirty & 21/100 dollars ($30 21/100) for yourself and the girls.
    Took Thanksgiving dinner with Capt. Riley yesterday. We expect Lt. Parke tomorrow. Have not as yet received your letter of the 7th inst.--was there anything of importance in it? Rec'd. Denver Tribune yesterday.
    Have been at work all day drawing a map of the Dry Creek Country where we were last summer & fall.
    Please acknowledge receipt of money and oblige.   
Envelope addressed to Mr. G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Mother
    Yours of Nov. 7th came yesterday via Pendleton--If I can get ordered to San Francisco for anything this winter I will probably take a month's leave from this as I can take a leave better this winter than next summer, as I have too many irons in the fire for next summer to take a leave at that time. I am having a very lazy time so far this winter, as I am not Post Adjutant and have but little duty to perform.
    I was looking over some old orders the other day and find that Brevets are only to be given in time of War, and for services done in presence of the enemy and as we had no "war" in the military some of the time this summer and as I could hardly be said to have performed service in presence of the enemy (as I did not have a hostile shot fired at me during the summer) there is no danger that the War Department will offer me any Brevet on Gen. Howard's or anyone else's recommendation so I will let the matter drop right here, and you needn't say anything more about it.
    It is raining today and I hope the snow will go off.
    On the 27th I sent home a check for $250.00 and on the 29th a check for $30.00 which I hope you will receive in due time and acknowledge receipt. By the way please let me know how much is wanted to pay for Grace's & Helen's Music, Painting & Elocution lessons &c., &c. and I will remit the amount.
    As I wrote you before I suppose a ticket home would cost me about $125.00 each way exclusive of meals, sleeping and &c.
    Hoping that you are well I remain yours affectionately--Will. By the way can't you buy & send me a couple of Christmas presents suitable for Cal Whipple's two children Sophie 7 yrs. old & Elmer 4 yrs. old to cost 3 to 5 dollars--If you get them & send them off they will be here in time for Christmas--W.C.B.
Envelope addressed to Mr. G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Mother,
    Yours of the 1st was rec'd. but not fully answered for want of time. Sent check for $40.00 by last mail (Dec. 12th or 13th). Did you get it?
    Glad to see that the girls have such good reports.
    As to writing a composition you will remember that this used to be my poorest "hold" and I am getting worse in that direction every day for it is entirely out of my line, it is about all I can do to record the Post Orders so there will be no "loopholes" in them. I pay for

	Board per month	$25.00
	Washing per month	5.00
	Striker per month	6.00
	Oil per month	1.00
	Wood per month about	3.00
	Total	40.00

    We expect Shelton & Whipple back from Portland the last of this month.
    Being Co-Commander & Post Adjt. keeps me pretty busy. I attended the payment of Co. "L" the other day. We got over $4000.00, $535 of which went back as deposits on which the men get 4 per cent interest & their money is perfectly safe.
    Haven't time to render a sketch of Ft. Klamath even if I was an artist but hope to send you some views of the place next summer. We have about 8 inches of snow now & the weather is some what like Minn. weather.
    I have a soldier clerk now in my office who with the Acting Sergt. Major do all my writing and then I have the Orderly, Trumpeter or Musician to carry orders & run errands and we are slowly getting things "put to rights" in the office.
Enclosed find a "pome" on Lo the Poor Indian. Please preserve the same in [illegible] camp book.




Dear Helen:
    Yours of the 9th received. I am sorry indeed that I cannot be home to your graduation but enclose one hundred & fifty dollars ($150.00) hoping that may in some measure repay you for my absence. The $150.00 is for yourself & Grace to purchase whatever you may need in the way of clothing &c. before going east.
    I wish I could tell you when I can come home but you must appreciate the fact that in the army one can't go & come just as we please. Please acknowledge receipt of money and oblige.
To
    Helen M. Brown
        Denver, Colorado
Envelope addressed to Mr. G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Mother:
    I arrived here last evening and will have to wait until tomorrow evening to take the stage for Pendleton & Walla Walla. On acct. of the boats not running above here at present I have to take the stage.
    This is a very lively place, which depends on the country in north central Ogn. which is some of it I believe a good agricultural country. This is the point where the only wagon road of any importance between Umatilla & Portland reaches the interior, and we are also here at the lower end of the longest of the portages on the river.
    Old Fort Dalles is situated about half a mile from town. It was I believe Sheridan's station at one time.
    There is a Co. of the 21st Inf. camped there now en route to Fort Canby W.T. and delayed here temporarily.
    The town here is nearly half flooded on acct. of the rise in the Columbia. At this hotel, which by the way would do credit to Denver, the water on the 1st floor is within 4 or 5 inches of being up to the windows. To get here one has to walk on raised planks for about two blocks, business is conducted in the office from a raised platform and in the dining room a floor about 4 feet above the floor proper answers the purpose, while the mighty Columbia rolls and splashes underneath. Baggage is carried to & from the house in a "Gondola." The water is falling slowly but may rise again if the hot weather continues. The celebration of the 4th will I suppose take place here tomorrow.
    Warm weather is the cause of high water here on acct. of melting the snow rapidly on the mountains.
    July 5th    The boats on the river above Celilo have commenced running and I leave on the boat this evening for Wallula.
Envelope addressed to Mr. G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Mother:
    Yours of Sept. 30th was received today and contents noted. Yours of Sept. 21st was also received some days ago.
    I am glad to learn that the girls have got off at last and hope they will enjoy their visit before reaching Philadelphia.
    That package containing pants please to simply "redirect" to "Fort Klamath Oregon" and they will come here--it is not necessary to restamp the package. I received a letter today from Lt. Lymons in which he states that his application for me to go below to work in his office was not approved. As far as I am personally concerned I am just as well satisfied however I have been knocking about the country since last June and would just as leave stay here for a while, and it's more expensive living at Vancouver than it is here. I am at present engaged on a map of the country between this place & Roseburg--plotting the trail I took coming over &c., &c. We are having delightful weather here now--though it is a little cool mornings & evenings.
    Capt. Burton & family arrived here a few days ago. His company will be here probably in two or three weeks. Capt. B. has been on a 2 yrs. recruiting detail in Columbus Ohio & has just returned. I suppose I can get my leave at any time after "C Co. 21st Inf. arrives here.
    [omission] and wrote you a week or so ago asking what time you wished me to come home. I send by this mail a circular of the American Book Exchange from which you will see that their books are very cheap indeed--I have been buying some for the post library, as I am post Librarian & Treasurer, and am well satisfied with them.
Envelope addressed to Mr. G. A. Brown, Denver, Colorado



Dear Mother
    Yours of the 6th inst. just rec'd. I sent my application in for a leave a day or so ago but cannot take advantage of it until the arrival of C Co. 21 Inf. which will be a month yet. Nat package came today.
    Those pocket scales were lost in the mail--never received. Have sent for others. I do not expect to survey any more on that road this fall. Did not [see] the President party. I leave tomorrow morning on a 7 days leave to visit the "Lava Beds" where Gen. Canby was killed and see the whole seat of the Modoc War. I am going with the Post Trader Mr. Worden, who was there during the war & can tell me all about it so I will be able to tell you all about it when I go home & bring some relic &c.




Lt. Brown,
    Dear Sir,
        I take the present time to write you a few lines in answer to yours of Dec. 5th which I received with pleasure, and which reminded me with the many incidents and pleasant recollections of your mountain engineering trips in the Cascades when I was acting as guide, and to tell you that in January I received my check for services for the same, which makes all satisfactory on that point. There is a big boom in regard to what is known as the Lt. Brown route, and the Hon. L. F. Lane and other leading men in Roseburg and vicinity got up a petition to Congress asking for a thirty thousand dollars appropriation to build a wagon road from Roseburg to Ft. Klamath.
    I was in Roseburg 4th inst. I seen a petition that they had got up sixteen feet long, and in part double columned which contained several hundred names. They have written to Col. Whipple, and other leading military men east of the mountains, and perhaps the military and citizens will go hand and hand in this matter. I have talked to a number of their leading farmers and others at Roseburg, and it is the feeling here, that you would be the proper officer to put in charge of this work on this much needed road, knowing your perseverance and energy of the past, they think you the proper man to engineer this work through if it passes Congress. We could get up a rousing petition to send to the War Department to this effect. Saturday, when in Roseburg, the Hon. L. F. Lane and others asked me to write to you. They desire you to write to Senator Grover, the facts in regard to this route. I would like to hear from you soon. You have many well wishers in this portion of Oregon, remembering your former efforts in our behalf. They have written to Senator Grover and Representative George. And then the appropriation asked for heretofore for a fifteen thousand dollars to improve the road from Old Ft. Umpqua to Camp Stewart, has fallen through with, which will make in our favor. I will close.
Envelope addressed to Lieut. W. C. Brown, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas