This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Rollins, Mitchell, Watson, Grigsby, Brown, Nichel, Jasper, Holeman, Collins, Duncan, Dickey, Helm, Noland, Gibson, Miller, Wilson, Beebe, Kelly, Foster Classification: Biography Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ok.2ADE/1895.5 Message Board Post: OREGON, MO., Dec. 30, 1847. Dear Friend Hall: "Enclosed I send you papers which will show you that about the First of last June one James Rollins of this county had a waggon and two yoke of oxen taken from him by R.B. Mitchell, Indian sub agent at Council lBluffs, for confiscation. The papers will show all about the affair. "I took some affidavits showing you that Rollins is a good honest man. Now sir, I want you if you please to take the necessary trouble to go the proper department at Washington city and try and get a remission of the penalty. This I am advised to do by Mr. Thomas Y. Garitt of St. Louis, U.S. Attorney for Missouri and he has had the case continued in the U.S. Court until the next March Term to give us an opportunity for the remission of the penalty. "He said to apply to the Treasury Department. It is a small matter with the Government and a very large one with Mr. Rollins as it was his all. I can assure you that the people of this county would unaminously sign a petition to have Rollins' property released, and by attending to this you will confer a lasting favor on me and do Rollins and his family a great act of kindness--Let me hear from you soon. "You wrote me from Savannah about the time you started for Washington but I have deferred answering not knowing where to write you until you would get there. You want me to give you the names of the Leading Democrats of the different neighbourhoods of this county. And I will now comply: Samuel Watson, B. B. Grigsby, Abraham Brown, Robert Nichel, Capt. Jasper, Daniel B. Holeman, John Collins, David H. Duncan, Y. V. Dickey, Lenes Helm, H. G. Noland, John Gibson, James Miller, John Wilson, Israel Beebe. "There is an other matter that I would be pleased to have you attend to that is this George W. Kelly the post master at this place has gone into the Oregon Battalion as a volunteeer and has left the office in the charge of Whigs and I am his security and dont want to stand any losses. I wrote to J. W. Brown on the subject but get no answer. I recommended John Dozier as a suitable person for Post Master. He is a good Democrat and well qualified and would give general satisfaction. I hope that you will attend to this at your earliest convenience.--I remain your sincere Friend. James Foster. (I shall look for Documents from you.)" N.B.: The Oregon Battalion (so called) was stationed at Old Fort Kearney. Its engineer established new Fort Kearny at Grand Island; and the Platte Valley was purchased from the Indians to be used as the Oregon Trail through Indian Country--hence it has been called the "Oregon Battalion".--W.F.