point between the Klamath and Goose Lakes, near the southern immigrant road; and in the spring of 1863 Major Drew, who in May was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel of the 1st Oregon cavalry, sent Captain Kelly with company C to construct and garrison Fort Klamath. The remainder of the regiment was employed in the Walla Walla and Nez Percé country in keeping peace between the white people and Indians, and in pursuing and arresting highwaymen, whiskey-sellers, and horse-thieves, with which the whole upper country was infested at this period of its history, and who could seldom be arrested without the assistance of the cavalry, whose horses they kept worn down by long marches to recover both private and government property.
On the 13th of June an expedition set out, whose object was to find and punish the Snakes, consisting of companies A, D, and E, with a train of 150 pack-mules under Colonel Maury from the Lapwai agency. Following the trail to the Salmon River mines, they passed over a rugged country to Little Salmon River, and thence over a timbered mountain ridge to the head waters of the Payette.[1] The command then proceeded by easy marches to Boisé River to meet Major Lugenbeel, who had left Walla Walla June 10th by the immigrant road to establish a government post on that river near the line of travel. On July 1st, the day before Maury's arrival, the site of the fort was selected about forty miles above the old Hudson's Bay Company's fort, and near the site of the present Boisé City.[2] While at the encampment
- ↑ Or. Argus, July 27, 1863, contains a good description of this country, by J. T. Apperson, lieutenant.
- ↑ The immigration of 1863 was escorted, as that of the previous year had been, by a volunteer company under Captain Medorum Crawford, who went east to organize it, congress having appropriated $30,000 to meet the expense; $10,000 of which was for the protection of emigrants by the Fort Benton and Mullan wagon-road route. See Cong. Globe, 1862–3, part ii. app. 182, 37th cong. 3d sess.; letter of J. R. McBride, in Or. Argus, May 16, 1863. The immigration was much less than in the previous year, only about 400 wagons. Among them was a large train bound for the town of Aurora, founded by
