Silas Casey to James A. Hardie, January 25, 1861

Capt. JAMES A, HARDIE, sd Arty., Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter.:

CAPTAIN: The copies of communications from Acting Governor McGill and others relating to Indian affairs on the Sound have been received. I have the honor to report as follows: Early in December last a man by the name of Ferguson, living near the mouth of the Skokomish, reported to me that á white man had been killed by an Indian. He informed me that the Indian agent, Mr. Simmons, was then at the reservation, near the mouth of that river. I told him that it was the duty of the agent to make an official report to me of an occurrence that would require military aid, but that I would attend to it. The Massachusetts being about to proceed to San Juan Island with Lieutenant Casey, of the engineers, and a surveying party, I directed that she should go by the way of the Skokomish River. I directed Lieutenant Casey to confer with the agent and investigate the matter so far as he was able. Jt appears that a white man by the name of Carter living near the mouth of the Skokomish was killed by an Indian by the name of Paemps, with the assistance of one of his sons, who was known by the name of Charley. The agent informed Lieutenant Casey that he did not think that any of the other Indians had anything to do with it, and that 100 or more of them were hunting up the murderers, and furthermore that he thought it not best for the troops to interfere, as it would tend to frighten the Indians. Paemps and his son have frequently been at this post, and I know them; he is half Klickitat and half Skokomish, the latter one of the tribes on the Sound. He has been a priest and preacher among the Indians for some time, but of late has taken to drink and lost much of his influence among them. It is the general opinion that his desire not to be considered a kultus fellow has induced him to commit this murder. I endeavor to impress upon the Indians with whom I come in contact the necessity of taking the murderers, aná E ain confident they will do so if possible. I inclose the copy of a communication which I received from Mr. Simmons, late agent. I received not long ago a petition signed by twenty-four citizens of White River, setting forth that they feared an outbreak of the Indians. I dispatched Lieutenant Alexander, of the engineers, with two men to visit the settlements on the Puyallup and White River, and to inquire into the foundation of the report. Lieutenant Alexander reported that so far as he could learn there was no good cause for the alarm, and that the settlers appeared to be satisfied; also that most of their fears were not well founded. A report taken by the mail rider from Steilacoom to Seattle was the principal cause of the alarm. I have information from the Indian agents at Nisqually, Bellingham Bay, and Puyallup, and the agent for Muckleshoot, which is a short distance above the White River settlement, called upon me in person. Their united testimony is that there is no cause to fear an outbreak among the Indians. I concur in that opinion. These Indian rumors on the Sound have not escaped my attention, and had I considered them of sufficient importance to trouble the headquarters of the department it would have been reported before.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,