Chapter 16: 1858-1860, The Department of Oregon

“I want you to assume command of the Department of Oregon and prosecute the present campaign against the Indians there with all of the vigor that you previously demonstrated in your dealings with the Sioux and Seminoles,” Secretary of War Floyd told General Harney. “Any hostile bands that remain in that territory must be subdued and prevented from posing any further threat to our people there.”

2 This was the kind of assignment that Harney loved. He would be in near complete control of what happened in the Department. After all, as communication between Washington and Oregon required several weeks, the capital would have to defer to his judgment on most matters. In other words, circumstances dictated that he would wield great personal discretion in the formulation and implementation of policy there.

3 In September of 1858, the general boarded The Star of the West and arrived on the eastern coast of Panama a little over a week later. From there, he boarded a train and traveled to the Pacific coast where he boarded a steamship bound for San Francisco.

4 He arrived there in mid-October. By the end of the month, he was ensconced at Fort Vancouver and began looking over maps and old reports to better familiarize himself with his new department.

5 Over the months that followed, Harney was preoccupied with administrative matters. He focused on the logistics of keeping his command supplied, meeting with Indian chiefs and agents, and road construction within the territory.

6 At the end of June 1859, the general decided to tour the northern reaches of his command and personally assess the situation there. He spent a couple of days each at Fort Steilacoom and Fort Bellingham and visited with the commissioners charged with resolving the boundary dispute between Great Britain and the United States (both countries claimed San Juan Island). On July 8, he met with Governor James Douglas of Vancouver Island at Victoria.

7 The following day, Harney crossed the Haro Strait and visited San Juan Island. Upon arrival there, the general was met by an excited U.S. customs officer.

8 “General, I have to inform you of a serious incident that occurred here last month,” Paul Hubbs began. “A local farmer by the name of Lyman Cutlar shot a pig that was rooting around in his potato crop and which happened to belong to a British citizen,” Hubbs continued.

9 “Cutlar offered to pay the man for the pig; but he demanded one hundred dollars, and Cutlar refused. A few days later, the man went to Cutlar’s home with a number of British officials who threatened to arrest him if he failed to pay the man. You should also know that Governor Douglas’ son-in-law was part of the party who threatened Cutlar, and that the only thing that prevented them from taking him into custody was a promise to shoot them if they tried!”

10 Harney scratched his whiskers and tapped his foot as he listened to the story. “I want you to gather all of the Americans on this island,” the general began. “Get me a pen and some paper,” he added.

11 After writing for several minutes, Harney finally looked back up at Hubbs and pushed the paper toward him. “I want you to get everyone together and compose a petition along these lines asking for the Army’s protection from Indian depredations and British interference,” he told him. “I will, general!” Hubbs smiled.

12 From there, Harney proceeded to Fort Townsend and then on to Olympia to meet with former Governor Stevens. “San Juan Island is part of this territory!” Stevens declared. “Any fool can see that it should be regarded as the natural boundary between us and the British,” he continued.

13 “This recent incident clearly threatens our interests there and should be challenged by the army of the United States!” the former governor concluded. “There is no question in my mind that it is the best position available to us for defending the Sound,” Harney agreed.

14 A few days later, the petition arrived from the islanders. “I am hereby directing Capt. George Pickett to proceed immediately to San Juan Island and establish a post there for the protection of our citizens living around Puget Sound,” Harney wrote.

15 For Captain Pickett, the unquestioning way that he followed those orders would foreshadow his conduct at Missionary Ridge during the Battle of Gettysburg a few years later. In short, he proceeded on his mission without a clear understanding of the bigger picture and everything that had transpired beforehand. He wrongly assumed that his superior was operating on instructions from Washington.

16 Hence, toward the end of July, Pickett and about sixty men landed on the island and proceeded to carry out Harney’s orders. This was immediately challenged by one of the British magistrates on the island.

17 “Why are you here, and who sent you?” John DeCourcy demanded. “I am here on lawful orders of the Army of the United States,” Pickett replied. “You are trespassing here, and you must abandon this post as soon as possible,” DeCourcy persisted. “I will not leave here without express orders from my government to do so,” the captain insisted.

18 Governor Douglas was furious when news reached him of the incident. He promptly dispatched three British warships to the island to protect his country’s interests there.

19 Capt. Geoffrey Hornby was the senior British naval officer aboard the ships anchored just off the island. After some wrangling over the arrangements for a meeting with his American counterpart, he went ashore and formally met with Capt. Pickett.

20 “I find it difficult to believe that your government has sanctioned this landing,” Hornby stated bluntly. “I propose, therefore, that we jointly occupy this island until we receive clarification from our governments about how to proceed.”

21 “I do not have the authority to enter into such an agreement,” Pickett replied. “If you would put your proposal in writing, I would be glad to submit it to General Harney.” Hornby consented and handed the captain a written copy of his proposal for joint occupation of the island.

22 “That is not going to happen!” Harney exclaimed after reading the document. He then ordered Col. Casey to reinforce Pickett’s men on the island and sent a note to Governor Douglas explaining his actions.

23 “As commander of the Department of Oregon, I sent troops to the island to protect American citizens there,” he wrote. “They had suffered numerous attacks from Indians on your side of the Sound, and one of our citizens there had been threatened with arrest by British officials on the island,” he continued. “Therefore, I intend to keep the troops in place on the island until I receive further orders from my government.”

24 In the meantime, news of what was happening on San Juan Island finally reached Washington. President James Buchanan was surprised to learn that Harney had sent troops to occupy the island.

25 “The President wants you to assure the British that your action was not meant to influence the talks over the boundary dispute in any way,” the Secretary of War wrote to the general. The President also ordered General Scott to leave as soon as possible for the territory and attempt to resolve the situation peacefully without tarnishing the nation’s honor.

26 General Scott arrived there in late October and immediately commanded his old nemesis General Harney to appear before him the following morning. Harney reported promptly at 8:00 A.M. and joined Scott aboard the steamer Northern. Over the next several hours, Scott reviewed all the documents connected with the incident and talked with his subordinate.

27 “I think that it would be wise for you to resign your command here and return to St. Louis and resume command of the Department of the West,” Scott told him. “I don’t understand why that is necessary,” Harney replied. “I haven’t done anything wrong!”

28 “This is a mess, and I’m going to have to try to sort it out,” Scott snorted. “I think that it would be easier to deal with the British if you were gone,” he said bluntly. “I am not abandoning my command here!” Harney barked and then took his leave of the general.

29 Scott then sent a conciliatory note to Governor Douglas that resurrected Capt. Hornby’s proposal for a joint occupation of the island. As a further gesture, he reduced the number of American troops on the island and ordered Pickett back to the mainland and replaced him with Capt. Hunt. After some consideration and posturing, the British finally accepted Scott’s solution to the crisis, and the general was able to return to Washington.

30 Scott, however, had failed to tell General Harney about the joint occupation of the island. Hence, when the British sent Capt. Hunt notice of their intention to station a force at the other end of the island, Harney was shocked.

31 Even so, Harney knew that the president had not approved of his actions on the island. As a consequence, he decided not to contest the British landing. He did, however, relieve Hunt of command and restored Pickett as head of the American garrison there.

32 In June of 1860, Harney was ordered to relinquish his command to one of his subordinates and report to the Secretary of War in Washington. “General Scott failed to tell me about the agreement to jointly occupy the island,” Harney protested when he arrived in the capital. Once again, the general managed to escape with a slap on the wrist and was restored to his previous command of the Department of the West.