collected and guarded by the Military at the Grande Ronde, Siletz, & Umpqua Reserves a partial subsistence no longer than till the 1st of December next.
No policy will result in a greater saving of the funds than to place them at once in the hands of the officer here for disbursement, thereby saving the Government from ten to twenty per cent permission charges by creditors upon purchases made on time.
As before stated the supplies raised at the Reservations, together with the appropriations made for subsisting the Indians during the present fiscal year, will be exhausted by the first of December next.
I shall be necessarily compelled, under your instructions of the 2nd April 1858, to discontinue the issuing of rations to those Indians.
I would, therefore, in advance, respectfully suggest the necessity of calling the attention of the War Department to the necessities which will exist for a strong reinforcement of troops at Forts Yamhill, Hoskins, and
Umpqua for the purpose of holding the four thousand starving Indians in check, and preventing them from depredating on the settlements.
I am Very Respectfully
Your Obt Servant,
J W Nesmith
Supt. Ind. Affr O Trr
To Hon. Charles E. Mix
Commissioner Ind Affr
Washington
D C