502 MILITARY ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS.

of five Indians was captured forty miles beyond. Surmising that they belonged to the band which attacked the rancho on Jordan Creek, they would have been hanged but for the interference of the miners of Puebla, who thought they should be more safe if mercy were shown. Yielding to their wishes, the Indians, who asserted that they were Pah Utes, were released. But the mercy shown then was atro ciously rewarded, for they afterward returned and murdered these same miners. 26 The heat and dust of the alkali plains of Nevada retarding the convales cence of the troops, Curry proceeded no farther than Mud Lake, returning by easy marches on the west side of Steen Mountain to Camp Alvord September 16th, breaking camp on the 26th and marching to Fort Walla Walla, the infantry and baggage- wagons being sent to Fort Boise. Curry took the route down the Malheur to the immigrant road, where he was met October 14th by an express from district headquar ters directing him if possible to be at The Dalles before the presidential election in November, fears being entertained that disloyal voters would make that the occasion of an outbreak. If anything could infuse new energy into the Oregon cavalry, it was a prospect of having to put down rebellion, and Curry was at Walla Walla twelve days afterward, where the com mand was formally dissolved, company A going into garrison there, the detachment of F to Lapwai, and company E to The Dalles, where the election proceeded quietly in consequence. Drake s command remained in the field until late in autumn, making his head quarters at Camp Dahlgren, on the head waters of Crooked River, and keeping lieutenants Wayinire, Noble, and others scouring the country between the Cascade and Blue mountains.

While these operations were going on in eastern Oregon, that strip of southern country lying along

26 Report of Captain Curry, in Rept Adjt Gen. Or., 1866, 46.