104 
NARRATIVE AND ITINERARY-LOSS OF ESCORT. 
Sheridan and the dragoon detachment, thus reserving only such portion as I deemed indis¬ 
pensable. Lieutenant Crook would still he required as commissary and quartermaster. Accord¬ 
ingly, Lieutenant Gibson, with the remainder of the men, proceeded to Fort Jones and Fort 
Reading, from which places they were drawn. It now becomes necessary, in the prosecution of 
the duties assigned to me, to proceed to California, where I am instructed to make further 
surveys. The road leads through the Umpqua, Rogue river, and Siskiyou mountains, which 
are filled with hostile Indians. But three days ago I received intelligence of five men being, 
murdered on the main road in the last mentioned mountains, and the newspapers for the last two 
months have been filled with accounts of Indian depredations in that vicinity. Without an 
escort, I shall incur the risk of losing my animals, and perhaps placing my men in a critical 
position. 
The animals of the dragoons have been travelling in the field for nearly three months, sub¬ 
sisting upon grass, and the officer commanding the escort reports them unfit for service in any 
expedition where they will have to make other than short marches and cannot be provided 
with grain. Three animals have already completely given out, and had to be left at the head of 
the Willamette valley. These animals can go to Fort Lane, on a good road, where forage can 
be obtained every day, and there I expected to exchange them for fresh ones, with which to 
prosecute the other surveys ; but they are incapable of being applied to the use for which you 
require them. The small number of men will be of great service to me, and they will not 
materially increase your forces in the field. Should I increase my party by hiring citizens, or 
should I lose my animals, in consequence of not having a proper escort, I shall incur expense 
which will fall upon an appropriation designed for a different object, and a deficiency in the 
amount to be devoted to the survey and office work may materially diminish the value of the 
results of the expedition, for which so large an amount has already been expended, and the 
importance of which, as estimated by the War Department, may be judged by the large appro¬ 
priation ($42,000) and the large number of men devoted to obtaining the information desired. 
I have the honor, &c., &c., 
R. S. WILLIAMSON, U. S. Top. Engs. 
Maj. G. J. Rains, ttli infantry, U. S. Army , 
Commanding Columbia River and Puget Sound district. 
Letter of Lieutenant Henry L. Abbot, United States Topographical Engineers, to Major G. J. 
Rains, Fourth Infantry, United States army. 
Vancouver, Washington Territory, 
October 21, 1855. 
Sir : I have the honor to report to you that I have arrived here with my detached surveying 
party, and have found that Lieutenant Williamson has returned to California by steamer, and 
left me in command of his whole party, with orders to proceed at once and survey the route 
from Vancouver, by Forts Lane and Jones, to Fort Reading. I deem it my duty before 
starting to explain to you the very embarrassed state in which the loss of my escort places me, 
thinking this may induce you to modify your previous instructions, and allow the eighteen 
dragoons, with Lieutenant Sheridan, to rejoin me. 
As Lieut. Williamson, in his letter to you of the 10th inst., has explained very fully the 
