MASSACRE ON SNAKE RIVER. 469

the summer; that nothing more needed to be done or could be done, with regard to the Shoshones, before spring, when the superintendent would essay a treaty at Salmon River, which would serve every purpose; 1 but urged the construction of a fort at Boise, which had already been directed by the secretary of war, delayed, however, for reasons connected with the threatening aspect of affairs in the southern states. Major Grier s command, which had taken the road to Boise to look after the immigration, returned to Walla Walla in Sep tember.

The troops were no sooner comfortably garrisoned than the local Indian agent at the Umatilla, Byron N. Davis, notified the commander at Fort Walla Walla that a massacre had taken place three weeks previous on Snake River, between Salmon Falls and Fort Boise, wherein about fifty persons had been killed, or scattered over the wilderness to perish by starvation. Davis also reported that he had imme diately despatched two men with a horse-load of pro visions to hasten forward to meet any possible surviv ors; and at the same time a loaded wagon drawn by oxen, this beinsf the best that he could do with the

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means at his command. As soon as the disaster be came known to the military authorities, Captain Dent with one hundred mounted men was ordered to pro ceed rapidly along the road and afford such assistance as was required by the sufferers, and if possible to punish the Indians. At the same time it was thought that the report brought in by the three known sur vivors might be exaggerated. 17

The story of the ill-fated party is one of the most terrible of the many terrible experiences of travellers across the Snake River plains. On the 13th of Sep tember, between nine and ten o clock in the morning, a train of eight wagons and fifty-four persons was

36 U. S. Seii. Doc. 1, vol. ii. p. 136, 1860-61, 36th cong. 2d sess. 17 Report of Colonel Wright, in U. S. Sen. Doc. 1, vol. ii. p. 141, 1860-1, 36th conor. 2d sess.