T. B. Campbell to Wildrick, November 25, 1861

Lieutenant WILDRICK, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter.: SIR: I am directed by the commanding. officer of this post to make the following statement: Prior to his arrival at this post the disaffected around this part of the country, as he learns, exulted in the withdrawal of the troops, supposing that the garrison would be a little more favorable to their views. Finding it was not so they seem to have kept pretty still until the garrison was reduced, when they seem to be again about to give some trouble. It seems by the statements made daily and hourly for the past few days that the late commander aided the inhabitants in their nefarious designs on this garrison. Mr. Patton, a packer in the Indian agency employ, came in and avers that when Mr. Newcomb was going away he distributed to the Indians guns and revolvers and ammunition, and told them to fight for Jeff. Davis and the Southern Confederacy. He says the Indians understand too much about this matter, and that they have those arms, which he wishes us to take away from them, as he thinks they will give some trouble by being allowed to keep them, but we have noavailable force to recapture them, as there are only twelve men at the Siletz block-house; not half enough to guard it properly, as there is one year’s supply of provisions there, and as for this post there are only eight men for duty, with two sergeants and one corporal, Lieutenant Watson and eighteen men, with one corporal and two teamsters, having left this post on the 16th for Fort Umpqua. The peaceful inhabitants of this valley are now daily and hourly making reports to us of the disaffection prevailing around us. Yesterday Mr. Wisner substantiated to us as follows: Mr. Jerry Evans, of this valley, told him that Captain Dent gave him a box of ammunition containing 1,000 rounds of rifle musket cartridges; that he knew the said Evans to be a rank secessionist, and that Captain Dent must have known so also when he gave him those cartridges. He is also of the impression that there is more Government ammunition than this box in this valley. Hesays that he and Mr. Allen wentto Mr. Evans and purchased the box of him for $20, but he would not deliver it. Their object was to get it out of their hands and return it to the post, being Government property falsely squandered. He also says that one more reason was that he overheard the disunionists making menacing threats against the garrison, such as, “Well, I have been up there, and I think that we can take that garrison in one hour; there is only five or six men about there.” * How would you doit?” asksone. “Oh, we would fire the buildings and shoot the officers as they come out,” was his reply. Their constantly using those menacing threats against this garrison and the loyal men in it induces meand Mr. Allen to make this statement to the commanding officer. This afternoon Mr. Tateham informed the commanding officer that very lately from 250 to 300 stand of arms have been distributed to the traitors of this valley by, as he supposes, Joe Lane and [the] Governor of the State; that he does not consider the garrison safe, as he has overheard them also make threats against it, such as, “How easy it would be to take it and get all the arms and ammunition in it. We know every nook in it and all the hiding places about it,” &e. These men do not wish their names to be made public at present, as they are generally married through each other, and are afraid of their own lives. An instance occurred to-day to prove this. A young man came to the garrison and told us that he was a Union man but his father was a secessionist. We are at a loss, being strangers here, to know how to take these reports. They, however, emphatically declare that they could place no confidence in the late commander, and learning that we were true to the dear old flag they feel no diffidence in stating the facts, too. They say, moreover, that all the associates of the late commander were with those men, and that they believe that there is a deep-laid plot in this valley to make a move of some kind before long. They ask for arms and ammunition, but we cannot let them have either until we hear from you on this subject. To-day a citizen applied for twenty rounds, but the commanding officer refused him, not knowing who he was. He replied that he was a good Union man, and that he wanted them for self-protection. True the garrison is in a helpless condition, as there is not sufficient men here to garrison it properly. The men are on guard every other day (only eight) until they are perfectly worn out, but what there is of them can be relied upon. I do not consider that anything of the kind would be made until they have all their plans matured, which may take some time yet; yet from what I can learn in case they do move they will immediately attack the garrison for the purpose of securing the arms and ammunition. They seem to be aware of the exact number of arms and ammunition at this post. The commanding officer would respectfully request that in case that Messrs. Wisner and Allen get possession of that box, that they be permitted by the colonel commanding to retain it in their possession, or to pay them $20 and have it returned to this post. There is at this post one 12-pounder and cartridges, shells, «e., about fifteen old flint-lock muskets (useless), eleven pistols nearly all unserviceable, and forty (new) muskets (pertaining to Company B, Second Infantry California Volunteers) in store, together with about 35,000 rounds of rifle-musket cartridges, 400 pistol cartridges, but they are all poorly guarded. The commanding officer would request that these eleven pistols be returned to the ordnance department for repairs, and that about fifty good ones be furnished this post for the purpose of arming the men more effectually. The teamsters going on detached service require one each. The express rider should have one, and the detachment at the Siletz block-house should each be furnished with one. You will please to give this due consideration, as at present things do not look very pleasant in this vicinity.

Respectfully submitted.