fully killing two Indian men and one Indian woman in their canoe on the Snohomish River. Soon afterward two Snohomish River Indians suddenly murdered two innocent white men, Mr. Casto and Mr. Holstead, and one white woman, Mrs. Casto, near Squak Lake, in King County, and said Indians tried to kill still more whites by repeatedly shooting at the family of their next neighbor, Mr. Bush, when an Indian and his wife suddenly killed the two murdering Indians while they were still firing at the house of Mr. Bush. Mr. Waterman very properly procured warrants from the judge of the district against the white men who had been guilty of the first depredations by killing the three Indians on the Snohomish and took with him, from Major Rumrill's command at Steilacoom, about fourteen soldiers, under Captain Tucker, and went to the Snohomish River; there found and arrested- Riley, the principal murderer, but to their surprise they found about forty drunken men, mostly armed who had gathered together to go up the Snohomish River, threatening to kill all the Indians settled along the banks of that river. The promptness of Mr. Waterman in taking troops to arrest the murderers most fortunately had the happy effect of checking and preventing that intended wholesale murder of the Snohomish Indians at that time. I therefore earnestly and respectfully request you will immediately send an order to Major Rumrill to forward without delay twenty or thirty soldiers, to be stationed on the Snohomish River, as their presence alone will be the only thing that will effectually preserve while at Steilacoom they are not needed at this time to preserve the public peace. There are sufficient buildings ready for the winter accommodation of the troops, erected within the last three years by Father Chirouse, the school teacher, at the southeast corner of the Tulalip Reservation, near the mouth of the Snohomish River, which will only require slight repairs to make comfortable quarters. From every consideration I sincerely hope you will immediately send the requisite number of troops to the Snohomish River, for preventing an outrageous and murderous outbreak between our white and Indian population is certainly our first and most imperative duty. In the prompt performance thereof I have great pleasure, in the full confidence that all your past management proves that your sentiments entirely agree with my own on this subject.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM PICKERING.

Governor of Washington Territory.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF OREGON,
Fort Vancouver, Wash., Ter., November 29, 1864.

His Excellency CALEB LYON,

Governor of Idaho Territory, Lewiston, Idaho Ter.:

GOVERNOR: I have recommended to Major-General McDowell that a call be made on your Territory for troops. The Oregon Legislature before adjourning on the 24th ultimo passed a law (see act of 24th of October) giving to volunteers $150 to each soldier that enlists for three years; $50 at the time of enlistment, $50 at the end of the first year of such service, and the remaining $50 at the end of the time of enlistment. It also passed another law, approved 24th of October, giving $5