] We were divided into four
war parties: one which acted against the Bonnaxes and the Flat-heads, in
the north-east; the second, against the Cayuses and Nez-perces, at the
forks of the Buona Ventura and Calumet rivers; the third remained near
the settlement, to protect it from surprise; while the fourth, a very
small one, under my father's command, and to which I was attached,
remained in or about the boat-house, at the fishing station. Independent
of these four parties, well-armed bands were despatched into the Umbiqua
country both by land and sea.
In the beginning, our warfare on the shores of the Pacific amounted
merely to skirmishes, but by-and-bye, the Callapoos having joined the
Umbiquas with a numerous party, the game assumed more interest. We not
only lost our advantages in the Umbiqua country, but were obliged little
by little to retire to the Post; this, however, proved to be our
salvation. We were but one hundred and six men, whilst our adversaries
mustered four hundred and eighty, and yet full one-fifth of their number
were destroyed in one afternoon, during a desperate attack which they
made upon the Post, which had been put into an admirable state
of defence.
The roof had been covered with sheets of copper, and holes had been
opened in various parts of the wall for the use of the cannon, of our
possession of which the enemy was ignorant The first assault was
gallantly conducted, and every one of the loopholes was choked with
their balls and arrows.
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