NARRATIVE AND ITINERARY'—LOSS OF ESCORT. 
103 
pectedly deprived, at a time when its services were greatly needed, of an escort ordered by the 
War Department and detailed by General Wool, I first proceeded to Fort Vancouver, a distance 
of about nineteen miles, and addressed a written remonstrance to Major Rains, who was then 
at or near Fort Dalles. No reply, either to this or to that made by Lieutenant Williamson, 
was ever received. I have considered it incumbent upon me to communicate the whole corres¬ 
pondence ; as the loss of the escort, besides occasioning great trouble, prevented some examina¬ 
tions very important to the determination of the practicability of the route for a railroad, and 
thus defeated, in part, the object for which a large appropriation of Congress had been set apart 
by the War Department. Before any of our escort left Vancouver, and before Major Rains’ 
final orders in the case were issued, intelligence was received of the safe arrival of Major 
Haller’s party at Fort Dalles. 
Letter of Major G. J. Bains, Fourth Infantry, to Lieutenant B. S. Williamson, United States 
Topographical Engineers. 
Headquarters, Columbia River and Puget Sound District, 
Fort Vancouver, W. T., October 10, 1855. 
Sir: From current rumors and the opinion of the Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Oregon, 
and from the report of Brevet Major Haller, in the field, with more than 100 men checked and 
surrounded by Indians, the lives of our citizens and even the safety of the military being in 
question, the services of every available man are required for the emergency. The body of 
nineteen dragoons, brought as your escort to this post, we are, therefore, obliged to detain for 
the time being—a kind of force most required. 
I regret being thus compelled to break in upon any of your arrangements, and may be enabled, 
perhaps, in a few days to dispense with their services. 
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
Second Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, 
Topographical Engineers. 
G. J. RAINS, 
Major, Fourth Infantry, Commanding District. 
Letter of Lieut. B. S. Williamson, United States Topographical Engineers, to Major G. J. Bains, 
Fourth Infantry. 
Fort Vancouver, W. T., October 10, 1855. 
Sir: I have received your letter informing me of your intention “to detain for the time 
being” the body of eighteen dragoons which form the escort to my party. I conceive it my 
duty to lay before you the circumstances of the case, thinking that your instructions may be 
modified when the embarrassed position in which I shall be placed, without an escort, is made 
fully apparent. 
The Secretary of War, in my instructions, says that the commanding officer of the department 
of the Pacific will detail 100 men, with not less than three commissioned officers, one of the 
latter to act as commissary and quartermaster to the expedition, to form the escort of the party; 
and, in obedience to these instructions, General Wool made the detail accordingly. Upon 
leaving the valley of the Des Chutes, I informed Lieutenant Gibson, commanding the escort, 
that I should have no further need of the services of his command, excepting Lieutenant 
