thievery, intelligent by imitation, and powerful by accretion of allies from beyond the border. This increase of strength, notwithstanding Indian superintendents and posts on Indian reservations, was a continual occasion of remark, the favorite explanation being the bad treatment of Indians by volunteers—state troops and emergency organizations—accounted for it. But the facts will show that until the regular army listened to advice from those who had acquired their knowledge by experience, they made no headway in securing peace. Then the long marches and hardships, with occasional fighting of the First Oregon Cavalry, were found to have revealed the things important to be known before Indian wars could be brought to an end.
A history of the wars of Eastern Oregon from 1862 to 1868 would embrace that of the First Oregon Infantry, the permanent establishment of Forts Lapwai, Klamath, Boise, and Lyons; the reports of many exploring expeditions, among which one by Maj. C. S. Drew is of particular interest, together with many incidents worthy of remembrance.[1] It would also embrace a list of casualties and losses of appalling length, the memory of which is rapidly fading, as has faded the story of the whole continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
FRANCES FULLER VICTOR.
- ↑ I avail myself of this opportunity to suggest to the readers of the Quarterly, that already it is almost, if not quite impossible, to find the printed reports of officers connected with these expeditions, and other historical matter of date forty or forty-five years past. The state library does not contain them, the city and private libraries have been searched in vain, and the conclusion follows that the people have not, and the state officers have not, properly comprehended the value of such "documents," which should, if any still exist, be preserved by binding and placing where they can be found by students of history.
Among the most valuable of documentary matter is the report of Adjt. Gen. Cyrus A. Reed, 1865-6, which is not preserved in the state library, nor can I learn that any effort has been made to secure it since my earnest inquiry for it some time ago. The only copy I can hear of is one in General Reed's hands, which he generously loaned me for reference in this article. Yet this volume contains information about every man who served in the volunteer regiments from 1862 to 1866, a period of great interest to the people of Oregon.
FRANCES FULLER VICTOR.
