Office. Ind. Agt.
Rogue River O.T.
Dec 2nd 1855
Sir
Agent Metcalfe arrived at this agency on yesterday bearing dispatches containing instructions for the removal of the Rogue River Tribe of Indians to the Willamet Vally it is quite unfortunate such instructions did not arrive earlier. Winter with all its severity has fully set in. Snow is several inches deep on the ground at the time of my writing, and falling fastly yet. from all appearances it may be very deep before night. I regard it as almost impossible to remove the Indians at this time, for several reasons, first the unusual severity of winter at this early season, secondly they are destitute of winter clothing, not having received their annuities but very few of them have either shoes or stockings, many of them are sick; peace and plenty seem to be far more destructive to the Indian than war, surround him with comforts, and gratify his appetite he grows dull, lethargic, and losses what energy he was once possessed of in which state sickness and death soon over take him the healthy excitement of the chase or even the greater excitement of war; [...]