John M. Drake

John M. Drake
Civil War veteran John M. Drake
Born	(1830-12-31)December 31, 1830 Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Died	December 11, 1913(1913-12-11) (aged 82) Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.
Allegiance	United States of America (Union)
Service/branch	Union Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Unit	1st Oregon Cavalry 1st Oregon Volunteer Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War Indian skirmishes
Other work	Purchasing agent for Oregon Railway and Navigation Company

John Miller Drake (December 31, 1830 – December 11, 1913) 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.

Drake was born in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania on December 31, 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.

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 Army. On November 29, 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 May 17, 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.