Jesse Applegate, and A. L. Lovejoy became personally
responsible for such supplies as were necessary to furnish
and forward to The Dalles, the company of Oregon rifle
men already on the way. The amount of credit thus
obtained was within a few cents of one thousand dollars.
Thus the commissioners set the example of self-sacrifice
and devotion to country.
Before leaving Vancouver, Governor Abernethy issued his first general -order to Captain Lee, of the volunteer company on its way to The Dalles, in language as fol lows :
FORT VANCOUVER, llth December, 1847.
SIR : On receipt of this you will with all dispatch proceed with the company under your command to The Dalles, on the Columbia river, and occupy the mission station there until otherwise ordered.
As the Indians in that neighborhood are friendly to the whites, you will see that their property and persons are not molested, at the same time keeping them at a distance, not permitting them to crowd into the camp. If they have any business in the camp, as soon as this business is disposed of, see that they are gently con ducted outside. If you hear of any property in the neighborhood that has been stolen from the immigration, endeavor to get it into your charge, keeping an exact account of all property thus obtained. I remain, sir, yours truly,
GEO. ABERNETHY, Governor of Oregon Territo^.
To Capt. H. A. G. Lee,
First Company, Oregon Riflemen.
Returning immediately to Oregon City, the commission ers called a meeting, and addressed a circular to the "merchants and citizens" of Oregon, which differed from the letter to Mr. Douglas only in the concluding para graphs, which were couched in these words:
Though the Indians of the Columbia have committed a great outrage upon our fellow-citizens passing through their country, and residing among them, and their punishment for these murders may, and ought to be, a prime object with every citizen of Oregon, yet, as that duty more particularly devolves upon tjie government of the United States, and admits of delay, we do not make this the strongest ground upon which to found our earnest appeal to
