2 C. F. COAN
ments; and the pauperization of the Indians by unprincipled whites. 1
The Willamette Valley Indians had never made any serious opposition to the settlement of their country, but the Indians of the southwestern coast of Oregon, of the upper Rogue River Valley, of the Klamath Lake region, showed a decided determination to prevent the settlement of their districts. Of- fences by the Coquille Indians were committed in 1851, such as the attack upon TVault's party. In the winter of 1853-54, Indians were killed along the Illinois River, at the mouth of the Chetco River, 2 and at the mouth of the Coquille River. 3 According to some reports the settlers were the aggressors. They claimed that the Indians had threatened to destroy the settlements. In August, 1853, the Rogue River Indians at- tacked the settlements in the upper Rogue River Valley. 4 (The mounted rifle regiment had been attacked at the crossing of Rogue River in the fall of 1851, and there had been trouble in 1852 with these Indians.) After an armed conflict the Indians sued for peace and agreed to cede their lands. Joseph Lane, who commanded the volunteers, made a treaty with them that became the basis for the first treaty made with the Oregon Indians. Later, during the winter, the Indians were attacked on Cottonwood Creek on the ground that they were planning to destroy the settlements. 5 The emigrant parties of 1853 and 1854 passed through the Klamath Lake region without being attacked, due to military protection of the volunteers. In January, 1854, four men were killed near lower Klamath Lake, and in May the settlers attacked the Indians at Klamath Ferry. 6 In almost every case the Federal authorities reported that the whites were entirely responsible for the outbreak, and that the Indians were being exterminated. These reports of army and Indian officers, accusing the whites of attacking the Indians, mark the beginning of the quarrel between the people
1 Joel Palmer to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, June 23, 1853, C. I. A., A. R., Nov 26, 1853 (Serial 710, Doc. i), p. 449.
2 Palmer to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Sept. n, 1854, C. I. A., A. R., Nov. 25, 1854 (Serial 746, Doc. i), p. 467.
3 F. M. Smith to Joel Palmer, Feb. 5. 1854, C. I. A., A. R., Nov. 25, 1854 (Serial 746, Dec. i), p. 476.
4 Victor, The Early Indian Wars of Oregon, p. 308.
5 A. J. Smith to George Wright, Jan. 31, 1854, m Message from the President . . . communicating . . . the instructions and correspondence between the government and Major General Wool, in regard to his operations on the Coast of the Pacific, Dec. 26, 1854 (Serial 751, Doc. 16), p. 18.
6 J. C. Bonnycastle to John E. Wool, May 28, 1854, ibid., p. 76.
