eneral Wool made no secret of his contempt for Governor Isaac Stevens and the Volunter militia. He believed that Army could do a better job of making treaties with the Indians, and that eastern Washington Territory had few resources worth the cost of war.

Letter from Major General John E. Wool to Asst. Adjt. Genl., New York City

General John Wool, from the collections of the Washington State Historical Society.

Head Quarters, Dept, of the Pacific
Benicia, Call, 1st Nov. 1856.

Colonel:

For the information of the Lieut. General Commanding the Army and the Secretary of War i transmitted, on the 19th October, several communications relating to Indian difficulties with Governor Stevens and his party on Mill Creek near Fort Walla Walla. It appears to have originated in the attempt of the Governor to force upon the Indians treaties made with them in the summer of 1855, but not confirmed by the Senate of the United States. This attempt at the time was extremely injudicious knowing as he no doubt did that his former treaties were in part if not entirely the cause of the war with the Yakimas. The Governor and his party were driven out of the country protected by the regulars.

Since which Colonel Wright, with an additional company, proceeded to Walla-Walla without meeting with any hostile Indians. He reports that he apprehends no difficulty whatever with them. All is quiet and I have no doubt will remain so, if the Whites will only let the Indians alone.

Governor Stevens has returned to Puget Sound where it is hoped he will remain, although it is apprehended that he will attempt the renewal of the war in that region. By his efforts to cause another outbreak at Walla-Walla he induced Looking Glass, the great war chief of the Nez Perces, a numerous and powerful tribe, to favor Kamiakin of the Yakimas who has a few followers. He, however, has informed Colonel Wright that he is friendly to the whites and does no want to fight. The Walla-Walla's and Cayuses say "that they do not desire to fight, but want to be paid for their lands before any more talk is had about taking them away for the whites to settle upon ,and prescribing them to certain limits". Lieut. colonel Steptoe says, he urged Governor Stevens to adjourn his council with the Indians weeks before it was brought to a close, as it was plainly to be seen that no good would result form it. He further says "there would have been no further disturbance but for the council—it was premature and inopportune". It was no doubt an effort to create another outbreak with the Indian, with the hope by such a course to induce Congress to pay the enormous debt contracted to carry on the war, which there was no circumstance to justify. The scrip has been sold as low as ten and twelve cents in the hundred.

If the United States desire to extinguish the Indian title to the lands east of the Cascade range of mountains, which, with the exception of the Colville mines is entirely uninhabited by whites, the effort should be made by Commissioners of high character and standing, and not interested or residents of the country. I do not believe it can be done by residents of either Oregon or Washington without a large force to support them. It appears to me the country is not worth the expense. It is a mountainous region with valleys that could perhaps be advantageously used for raising stock, but not for cultivation. This is the opinion of all I have converged with on the subject, acquainted with the country. Regular officers, however, would, undoubtedly, do much better than Civilians in making treaties with the Indians, indeed under any and all circumstances they can control Indians much better than civilians. The Indian Department, in my opinion, ought not to have been taken from under the control of the War department.

From the exaggerated and false reports by the newspapers in Oregon, lest they should produce a panic among the people of Oregon and Washington and consequently Volunteers to go against the Indians, I was induced to order Brevel major Wyse with his company to the Dalles.

I am, Very respectfully,
Your obedient Servant
/s/ John E. Wool
Major General

To
Lieut. Colonel L. Thomas
Asst. Adjut. Genl.
Head Qrs. of the Army
New York City

RECORDS OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
107/336-P-1856

Printed in House Doc. No. 76 3rd Session 34th Congress page 218