John M. Drake
Encyclopedia
John Miller Drake was a Union Army
officer in the 1st Oregon Cavalry
and the 1st Oregon Infantry regiments during the American Civil War
. He eventually reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He led one of the first campaigns to respond to the threat Chief Paulina
posed to settlers and rival Indians in central Oregon
. Later he was a purchasing agent for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company.
, Pennsylvania
on 31 December 1830. He attended Stroudsburg Academy and Yale University
before traveling to California
in 1849 during the California Gold Rush
. After living in California for almost a decade, he moved north to Oregon
in 1858.
. On 29 November 1861, Drake was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the 1st Oregon Cavalry. He was quickly promoted to Captain, taking command of the cavalry regiment’s D Company.
Drake and several other cavalry officers led lengthy explorations through eastern Oregon
, northern Nevada
, and southwestern Idaho
searching for Indian
raiders. Most of these patrols were unsuccessful in finding hostile Indians. However, Drake was involved in several minor skirmishes.
In May 1864, Drake was leading several companies of cavalrymen in the upper Crooked River
area of eastern Oregon. The expedition was in response to Chief Paulina's raids on settlers and rival Indians in that region. Late in the evening of 17 May, Warm Springs Indian
scouts working with the 1st Oregon Cavalry found Chief Paulina’s camp about twelve miles from Drake’s camp, a site that later became Camp Maury. Before dawn the next morning a small group of soldiers and Warm Springs Indian scouts led by Lieutenant Stephen Watson attacked Paulina’s camp from three sides. Chief Paulina and his men quickly retreated to a rocky cliff. In the ensuing battle, Lieutenant Watson, two soldiers, and several Indian scouts were killed. Before Drake’s main force could reach the site of the battle, Paulina escaped leaving behind three dead.
During an expedition to resupply Army posts in eastern Oregon, Drake discovered fossilized bones
in the hills southwest of Sheep Rock in the upper John Day basin. On 19 July 1864, Drake wrote to Thomas Condon
about his discovery. On his way back to Fort Dalles
, Drake loaded empty wagons with fossils to deliver to Condon. Condon, a pastor living at Fort Dalles, had an active interest in the natural sciences. Based on Drake's directions, Condon explored the area that is now the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
.
In late 1864, Drake was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and transferred to the newly established 1st Oregon Infantry as the regiment’s second highest ranking officer. While some detachments of the 1st Oregon Infantry occasionally skirmished with hostile Indian bands, most companies spent their time in garrison duty at small posts in eastern Oregon, southeast Washington, and southern Idaho. They protected immigrant trails and escorted wagon trains from Fort Boise
to the Willamette Valley
. Two companies escorted survey parties; and another, led by Captain Franklin B. Sprague
, constructed a road in southwestern Oregon.
In the fall of 1865, Drake’s regiment was planning a winter campaign against the Indians in eastern Oregon. However, the end of the Civil War in the east had freed up many regular officers for duty in the west. As a result, most of the volunteer officers and men of the 1st Oregon Infantry regiment were released from service in November, so the planned winter campaign never got started. Drake was mustered out of the Army a month later, in December 1865.
area. He died in Portland on 11 December 1913.
has an elevation of 8407 feet (2,562.5 m). There is also a smaller mountain, Drake Butte, located in the Maury Mountains
in Crook County
that is named in his honor. In addition, Drake deserves credit for finding and recording the location of the extensive fossil beds that are now protected in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
During his 1864 campaign against the Snake Indians
, Drake kept a journal describing Army operation in eastern Oregon. In 1906, Drake wrote an article entitled The Oregon Cavalry; however, his article was not immediately published. The Oregon Historical Society
eventually published the article in the Oregon Historical Quarterly in 1964.
Drake’s records from his military service along with his journal describing the Army’s 1864 campaign against the Snake Indians are held by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library. The library also has Drake’s personal letters, legal papers, private account books, business correspondence for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, and receipts for the Portland Board of Trade.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
officer in the 1st Oregon Cavalry
1st Oregon Cavalry
The First Regiment, Oregon Cavalry was a regiment in the volunteer Union army that participated in the American Civil War. With many men recruited from California, the regiment primarily served to protect the state of Oregon and surrounding territories in the Pacific Coast Theater of the American...
and the 1st Oregon Infantry regiments during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He eventually reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He led one of the first campaigns to respond to the threat Chief Paulina
Chief Paulina
Chief Paulina was a Northern Paiute war leader.During the late 1850s and 1860s, Northern Paiute bands attacked both settler communities and Native American reservations in central and eastern Oregon, as well as the Klamath Basin. Chief Paulina became the most notorious war leader in those raids...
posed to settlers and rival Indians in central Oregon
Central Oregon
Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon and is traditionally considered to be made up of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Other definitions include larger areas, often encompassing areas to the north towards the Columbia River, eastward towards Burns, or south...
. Later he was a purchasing agent for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company.
Early life
Drake was born in StroudsburgStroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state, approximately five miles from the Delaware Water Gap, at the confluence of the Brodhead and Pocono Creeks. It is the county seat of Monroe County. Stroudsburg is part of the...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on 31 December 1830. He attended Stroudsburg Academy and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
before traveling to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1849 during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. After living in California for almost a decade, he moved north to Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in 1858.
Military service
Drake served as an officer in both the 1st Oregon Cavalry and 1st Oregon Infantry volunteer regiments during the Civil War. When the American Civil War began, he volunteered for service in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. On 29 November 1861, Drake was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the 1st Oregon Cavalry. He was quickly promoted to Captain, taking command of the cavalry regiment’s D Company.
Drake and several other cavalry officers led lengthy explorations through eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is not an officially recognized geographic entity, thus the boundaries of the region vary according to context. It is sometimes understood to include only the eight easternmost counties in the state; in other contexts, it includes...
, northern Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and southwestern Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
searching for Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
raiders. Most of these patrols were unsuccessful in finding hostile Indians. However, Drake was involved in several minor skirmishes.
In May 1864, Drake was leading several companies of cavalrymen in the upper Crooked River
Crooked River (Oregon)
The Crooked River is a tributary, long, of the Deschutes River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The river begins at the confluence of South Fork Crooked River and Beaver Creek. Of the two tributaries, the South Fork Crooked River is the larger and is sometimes considered part of the Crooked River proper...
area of eastern Oregon. The expedition was in response to Chief Paulina's raids on settlers and rival Indians in that region. Late in the evening of 17 May, Warm Springs Indian
Warm Springs (tribe)
The Warm Springs tribes are several Sahaptin Native American tribes of northern Oregon. They were also known as the Walla Walla . The Warm Springs tribes are the Upper Deschutes , the Lower Deschutes , the Tenino, and the John Day...
scouts working with the 1st Oregon Cavalry found Chief Paulina’s camp about twelve miles from Drake’s camp, a site that later became Camp Maury. Before dawn the next morning a small group of soldiers and Warm Springs Indian scouts led by Lieutenant Stephen Watson attacked Paulina’s camp from three sides. Chief Paulina and his men quickly retreated to a rocky cliff. In the ensuing battle, Lieutenant Watson, two soldiers, and several Indian scouts were killed. Before Drake’s main force could reach the site of the battle, Paulina escaped leaving behind three dead.
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
in the hills southwest of Sheep Rock in the upper John Day basin. On 19 July 1864, Drake wrote to Thomas Condon
Thomas Condon
Thomas Condon was an Irish Congregational minister, geologist, and paleontologist who gained recognition for his work in the U.S. state of Oregon....
about his discovery. On his way back to Fort Dalles
Fort Dalles
Fort Dalles was a United States Army outpost located on the Columbia River at the present site of The Dalles, Oregon, in the United States. Built when Oregon was a territory, the post was used mainly for dealing with wars with Native Americans...
, Drake loaded empty wagons with fossils to deliver to Condon. Condon, a pastor living at Fort Dalles, had an active interest in the natural sciences. Based on Drake's directions, Condon explored the area that is now the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a U.S. National Monument in Wheeler and Grant counties in east-central Oregon. Located within the John Day River basin and managed by the National Park Service, the park is known for its well-preserved layers of fossil plants and mammals that lived in the...
.
In late 1864, Drake was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and transferred to the newly established 1st Oregon Infantry as the regiment’s second highest ranking officer. While some detachments of the 1st Oregon Infantry occasionally skirmished with hostile Indian bands, most companies spent their time in garrison duty at small posts in eastern Oregon, southeast Washington, and southern Idaho. They protected immigrant trails and escorted wagon trains from Fort Boise
Fort Boise
Fort Boise refers to two different locations in southwestern Idaho. The first was a Hudson's Bay Company trading post near the Snake River on the Oregon border, dating from the era when Idaho was part of the fur company's Columbia District. After several rebuilds, it was ultimately abandoned in...
to the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
. Two companies escorted survey parties; and another, led by Captain Franklin B. Sprague
Franklin B. Sprague
Franklin Burnet Sprague was an American military officer, businessman, and judge. He joined the Union Army during the Civil War, serving on the Oregon frontier. During his military service, Sprague explored much of Southern Oregon. While building a road near Fort Klamath, Sprague led a party...
, constructed a road in southwestern Oregon.
In the fall of 1865, Drake’s regiment was planning a winter campaign against the Indians in eastern Oregon. However, the end of the Civil War in the east had freed up many regular officers for duty in the west. As a result, most of the volunteer officers and men of the 1st Oregon Infantry regiment were released from service in November, so the planned winter campaign never got started. Drake was mustered out of the Army a month later, in December 1865.
Later career
After leaving the Army, Drake became the purchasing agent for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company. He worked for the company in that capacity for 17 years. Drake built three homes in the PortlandPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
area. He died in Portland on 11 December 1913.
Legacy
There are two mountains in Oregon named after Colonel Drake. Drake Peak in Lake CountyLake County, Oregon
Lake County is a county in the high desert south central region of the U.S. state of Oregon, so named for the many lakes found within its boundaries, including Lake Abert, Hart Lake Reservoir, and Goose Lake. While Lake is among Oregon's largest counties, it is sparsely populated with 7,895...
has an elevation of 8407 feet (2,562.5 m). There is also a smaller mountain, Drake Butte, located in the Maury Mountains
Maury Mountains
The Maury Mountains are a mountain range in Crook County, Oregon....
in Crook County
Crook County, Oregon
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,182 people, 7,354 households, and 5,427 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 8,264 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile...
that is named in his honor. In addition, Drake deserves credit for finding and recording the location of the extensive fossil beds that are now protected in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
During his 1864 campaign against the Snake Indians
Snake Indians
Snake Indians is the common name given by American immigrants on the Oregon Trail to the bands of Northern Paiute, Bannock and Shoshone Native Americans in the Snake River and Owyhee River valleys of southern Idaho and Eastern Oregon...
, Drake kept a journal describing Army operation in eastern Oregon. In 1906, Drake wrote an article entitled The Oregon Cavalry; however, his article was not immediately published. The Oregon Historical Society
Oregon Historical Society
The Oregon Historical Society is an organization that encourages and promotes the study and understanding of the history of the Oregon Country, within the broader context of U.S. history. Incorporated in 1898, the Society collects, preserves, and makes available materials of historical character...
eventually published the article in the Oregon Historical Quarterly in 1964.
Drake’s records from his military service along with his journal describing the Army’s 1864 campaign against the Snake Indians are held by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library. The library also has Drake’s personal letters, legal papers, private account books, business correspondence for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, and receipts for the Portland Board of Trade.