THE INDIAN WAR OF 1855-6.



   Volunteer companies were already raised and sent into
the Indian country, when Brevet Major G. 0. Haller ar-
rived at Vancouver, now a part of the United States. He
had been as far east as Fort Boise to protect the incoming
immigration; and finding on his return that there was an
Indian war on hand, proceeded at once to the Yakima
country with his small force of one hundred men, only
fifty of whom were mounted. Much solicitude was felt
for the result of the first engagement, every one knowing
that if the Indians were at first successful, the war would
be long and bloody.
  Major Haller was defeated with considerable loss, and
notwithstanding slight reinforcements, from Fort Vancou-
ver, only succeeded in getting safely out of the country.
Major Raines, the commanding officer at Vancouver, seeing
the direction of events, made a requisition upon Governor
Curry for four of his volunteer companies to go into the
field. Then followed applications to Major Raines for
horses and arms to equip the volunteers; but the horses
at the Fort being unfit for service, and the Major unau-
thorized to equip volunteer troops, there resulted only
misunderstandings and delays. When General Wool, at
the head of the Department in -San Francisco, was con-
sulted, he also was without authority to employ or receive
the volunteers; and when the volunteers, who at length
armed and equipped themselves, came to go into the field
with the regulars, they could not agree as to the mode of
fighting Indians; so that with one thing and another, the
war became an exciting topic for more reasons than be-
cause the whites were afraid of the Indians. As for Gen-
eral Wool, he was in great disfavor both in Oregon and
Washington because he did not believe there ever had
existed the necessity for a war; and that therefore he
bestowed what assistance was at his command very grudg-



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