Today in History:

309 Series I Volume L-I Serial 105 - Pacific Part I

Page 309 Chapter XLII. OPERATIONS IN HUMBOLDT MILITARY DISTRICT.

ADDENDA.


HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF OREGON, Fort Vancouver, Was. Ter., March 1, 1864.

Captain GEORGE B. CURREY,
First Oregon Cavalry:

(Through Commanding Officer, Fort Walla Walla, Wash. Ter.)

SIR: Your communication of the 24th ultimo, reporting your expedition to Snake River, is received. The general commanding the district desires me to express his gratification at the very favorable result of the expedition and at your prompt and skillful action in the matter.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. W. HOPKINS,

First Lieutenant, First Oregon Cavalry, Act. Asst. Adjt. General

MARCH 24-APRIL 16, 1864. - Expedition from Camp Lincoln, near Canyon City, to Harney Valley, Oreg., with skirmishes.

REPORTS.


No. 1. - Brigadier General Benjamin Alvord, U. S. Army, commanding District of Oregon.


No. 2. - Lieutenant James A. Waymire, First Orageon Cavalry.


No. 1.

Report of Brigadier General Benjamin Alvord, U. S. Army, commanding District of Oregon.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF OREGON, Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter., April 29, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report for the information of the general commanding the department that I have received a report, dated the 7th instant, from Lieutenant Waymire, at South Fork, on the Canyon City road. On the 23rd of February, Lieutenant Waymire, First Oregon Cavalry, with twenty-five men of Company D of that regiment, was ordered to the South Fork of John Day's Rive, with instructions to encamp at some point best calculated to enable him to protect the whites against the incursions of the Indians. About the 17th of March a band of horses and mules, numbering forty or more, was stolen by Indians from a ranch two miles south of Canyon City and run off into the mountains. On the 24th Lieutenant Waymire, with eighteen men, supplied with twenty days' rations, started in pursuit of the stolen animals and their captors. He was preceded by a company of citizens, numbering about sixty, under Mr. C. H. Miller, of Canyon City. On the 30th he reached Harney Valley, where he came up with the company of citizens, who were engaged in digging rifle-pits with a view to establishing a depot preparatory to searching the valley. On the 7th of April, after having followed the trail of the Indians to the south and east by the eastern end of Harney Lake, and about thirty miles beyond, he encountered them in force posted on a sage ridge. He attacked them with his own men and was repulsed. A second attack, assisted by the citizens, met with no better result. The whole party was forced to retire without accomplishing more than to discover the number and home of the savages. The lieutenant attributes his failure to the weak support contributed by the citizens and


Page 309 Chapter XLII. OPERATIONS IN HUMBOLDT MILITARY DISTRICT.