USA > Idaho > The history of Idaho > Part 20
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Miss Bowers and little Hill Norton had become separated in their flight in the dark, but both kept traveling, steering their course as nearly as they could in the dark for Mt. Idaho. Little Hill was found next morning about daylight about four miles northwest of Mt. Idaho, by Hon. F. A. Fenn, who was out scouting, and he took the boy on his horse to Crook's ranch, where a general alarm was given. Miss Bowers was found about nine o'clock in the morn- ing by J. A. Swarts two miles from Mt. Idaho, and was taken to that place.
At the Cook's ranch, where Grangeville now stands, F. A. Fenn, C. L. Rice and James Atkinson set out for the scene of the last night's attack. Soon after they arrived there they were set upon by Indians, but fortunately very soon a larger party came to their relief and the Indians withdrew. They gathered all of the victims of the massacre and put them in the wagon, hitched their saddle horses to the wagon and hauled them to Mt. Idaho. Mr. Chamber- lain and his two little children were found about a quarter of a mile from the wagon. He lay with the little ones in his arms, and he and one child were dead. Mrs. Chamberlain was picked up half a mile away. Mrs. Norton, Mr. Day and Mr. Moore were all alive but badly wounded. Mr. Norton was dead. Mr. Day died the
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following afternoon, Mr. Moore lived about six weeks and died from the effects of the wounds he had received; Mrs. Norton, Mrs. Chamberlain and child eventually recovered.
Dr. J. B. Morris, physician of the Prairie people, was at Lewis- ton, but hearing of the outbreak he rode through alone, seventy- five miles, to Mt. Idaho, making fast time and facing great dan- ger. He deserves the highest commendation for his energy, brav- ery and devotion to the people of the Prairie. He remained at Mt. Idaho and attended all the wounded during the war, for which service the United States Government should remunerate him.
On the night of the Norton massacre two freighters, Peter H. Ready and Lew Willmot, with two four-horse wagons loaded with general merchandise, were camped on the road between Cotton- wood and Mt. Idaho. They were warned of the danger by the Norton party as they passed, but they remained in their camp until daylight, then pulled out for Mt. Idaho. They had gone but a short distance when they saw the Indians coming. Each one cut a horse loose from the wagon and mounting, outran the Indians and escaped. They went to their homes and got their guns and joined the party going after the Norton and Chamberlain families. The Indians looted the freight wagons of all they wanted and packed away the goods on the teamsters' horses which were left at the wagons.
Thus within a few days after this outbreak the Indians had murdered about twenty good citizens, wounded several others, out- raged and fearfully abused several noble, good mothers. They had plundered and burned ten dwellings, three stores, a number of miners' cabins, seven barns and shops, captured two freight outfits loaded with merchandise, stolen and driven away several hundred head of cattle and horses belonging to the white settlers, and up to this time not an Indian had been hurt or injured in any way by the white settlers. In fact, the Indians murdered, outraged and robbed them without cause or warning. The whites had given them no cause for complaint and had no reason to expect an attack from them, and were all attending to their respective vocations and wholly unprepared to meet the murderous assault. Think of our Government keeping troops at so many places at heavy expense for the protection of the frontier settlers, and at this critical time, when Joseph and others had been ordered to move on the Nez Perce reservation against their wish, not a soldier placed on any portion of the route over which they were expected to move, to protect the white settlers residing on and adjacent to the route, nor none nearer than ninety miles of the danger line. There were, in fact, but few that close, and no railroad or telegraph lines. It does
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seem that too much reliance was placed in these treacherous In- dians, and not sufficient precaution taken to see that they moved on- to the reservation in an orderly way, without molesting the peace- ful settlers or their property. We leave the reader to determine where the blame, if any, should rest.
But, as we have stated before, General Howard started Colonel Perry from Fort Lapwai on the night of the 15th for the scene of the trouble, with about ninety men, and sent to Walla Walla and other posts for more troops. From Lapwai to the scene of the first trouble is about ninety miles. Colonel Perry reached Grange- ville late in the afternoon of the 16th. (This place is fifteen or twenty miles short of where the outbreak commenced.) Here he rested a short time and consulted with some volunteer settlers, then, in company with eleven volunteers commanded by the late Major George M. Shearer, started for the locality where the first mur- ders were committed. They arrived near White Bird Creek about daylight on the morning of June 17th. Here they discovered a few Indians in a rough canyon with rough, rocky and brushy sides. We cannot give the full particulars of the battle that followed soon after their arrival, but suffice it to say that the Indians seem to have played some kind of a ruse to get Colonel Perry down in the canvon, while the volunteers went on the opposite side of the canyon. The troops had not gone far before the Indians opened fire on them from all sides where they were concealed behind the brush and rocks. Several of the soldiers fell at the first firing, and the others seeing their comrades falling from the firing, and not being able to see the Indians, became frightened and ran away. The Indians kept firing at them with the result that 36 of the 90 soldiers were killed or left on the battlefield, and no Indians were hurt that were ever heard of. The Indians also poured a hot fire into the eleven volunteers but they escaped by a trail, with two of their number wounded. They made their way to Mt. Idaho, got more volunteers and returned and helped Colonel Perry fight his way back to Grangeville. The Indians kept up a firing at them at long range until they were within four miles of Grangeville. This was a complete victory for them as they had killed about forty per cent of Perry's men, captured forty or fifty guns and a good supply of ammunition, and had lost nothing. So far they had had everything their own way, and must have been very much elated over their success in the destruction of life and property.
Colonel Perry reorganized his troops at Grangeville and put them in as good condition as he could for further action. During this time General Howard was at Lapwai waiting for more troops hc had sent for to come from the several military posts. As soon His-14
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as the Norton party was brought in, the people of Mt. Idaho or- ganized a company of volunteers, and every man or boy able to bear arms or work was enlisted. Arthur Chapman was selected captain for the volunteers, and a retired English naval officer named H. E. Croasdale was put in charge of the fort they built for the protection of the women, children and wounded. The people of Grangeville also built a fortification for protection, and a company of volunteers was organized by Captain Bloomer. At Slate Creek, near the Salmon where the trail leaves the river for Florence, where there were quite a number of women and children and not many men, the people built a stockade, this being the danger line. Men and arms were scarce. The people there prevailed on a friendly Indian woman to go to Florence, a mining camp twenty-five miles distant in the mountains, for help. This Indian woman, whose name was Too-Lah, was a friendly Nez Perce. She was faithful to the trust and returned very shortly with twenty-five men, well armed, to help guard and protect the people at Slate Creek. The people at Warrens on the south side of the Salmon also built forts for protection. Elk City at the northeast, a mining camp, had quite a number of men but few arms; in fact, there were but few arms among the settlers in any part of the country. About the 17th the people all over Nez Perce County became alarmed, including the people in Lewiston, the head of navigation and the base of all supplies. It was feared that the success that Joseph and Look- ingglass had met with might induce all the Indians in the country to join them and raid the town of Lewiston. As they had but few armas with which to protect themselves, they sent to Portland, Ore- gon, for arms and ammunition, and Captain Ed McConville organ- ized a company of sixty men on short notice for the protection of life and property at Lewiston and in that vicinity.
By the 21st of June eight small companies of the United States army, numbering only about 200 men, had gathered into Lapwai, and a small company of volunteers under Captain Paige, who had joined under Captain Whipple in command of the cavalry, were on hard to fight Indians. Captain Paige was from Walla Walla and bad about twenty-five volunteers in his company. General Howard wa; all ready, and starting with his command from Fort Lapwai at noon on June 22nd, on the afternoon of the 23rd he arrived at Cottonwood, Mr. Norton's place, which had been abandoned on the night of the 14th. It appears that he rested here the next day and obtained such information as he could. On the 25th he sent the infantry south to Johnson's ranch and he with the cavalry went to Grangeville, where was Colonel Perry's command. After visiting Mt. Idaho for information, the General returned to Grangeville and
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proceeded with his command to Johnson's ranch where the infan- try had been sent. At 6:30 next morning, June 26th, the command marched to the scene of Perry's defeat at White Bird canyon, doubtless for the double purpose of looking for Indians, and to bury the Perry soldiers who had fallen there a week before. While the soldiers buried their dead comrades, Captain Paige and his volunteers, guided by Capt. Arthur Chapman, scoured the country and found that the Indians had crossed the Salmon River to the west bank, where the country is mountainous and heavily timbered. Here on June 26th appears to have been the location of the contending forces. General Howard with his force, consisting of about 200 regrlars and perhaps 100 volunteers, all well armed and supplied, was on the east side of Salmon River near the mouth of White Bird Cr ek, while Joseph and White Bird were on the west side of Sal- mon River, with about 150 warriors, and encumbered with all of their women and children and household traps, and about 1,500 head of loose horses and cattle. From the junction of White Bird Creek and Salmon River it is about twenty-five miles to where Sal- mon River empties into Snake River. The general course of both these streams over this distance is north, running almost parallel to each other, until within a few miles of the junction, where the Sal- mon turns to the west and makes its junction with Snake River. The average distance between these two streams from White Bird to the junction is about ten or twelve miles. The Indians have an old trail down between these two streams to a point on the Salmon River about fifteen miles below White Bird, and the crossing there, commonly called the Craig or old Billie Crossing, was considered about the best place in the country to cross Salmon River. Near the east bank of the river here are craggy rocks behind which a few men could conceal themselves and pick off Indians while cross- ing, without danger. There is a good trail from this crossing on to Craig Mountain, to the main road leading from Lewiston to Camas Prairie.
After it had been discovered for certain that the Indians were on the west side of Salmon River, the volunteers held a consultation as to what course was best to pursue, all being well acquainted with the geography of the country, and familiar with the customs of the Indians. They unanimously agreed upon a plan of operation, and appointed Hon. Frank A. Fenn, Joseph Peasley and John Mc- Pherson to wait on General Howard and lay their plan of operation before him, expecting, of course, it would be approved by him and put into execution. The committee proceeded to perform the duty assigned it, and laid before the General their plan, which was for him to send twenty or thirty men, some soldiers and some volun-
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teers, to the Craig or Billie Crossing, where they were to conceal themselves. The General and the rest of the command were to cross the Salmon River near the White Bird, go behind the Indians and attack them, when they would naturally follow down the trail to the crossing named. Pursued by the General to the crossing and prevented from crossing by the men concealed on the east bank, the Indians would be bagged and would either have to surrender or be killed. There can be no doubt that if this plan had been adopted and put into execution, the war would have been ended in a few days, but, says Mr. Fenn, "He politely listened to us and then bowed us out, with the remark that he was capable of managing his own campaign."
This committee explained to the General how, if he crossed the river, the Indians would most surely go below to the Craig cross- ing and cross back, and when back they could raid the people in both Idaho and Nez Perce counties. Having some knowledge of the country we are writing about, we cannot conceive why this plan of operations was rejected by the General. We know that Mr. Fenn's statement is correct and the plan was the best that could have been devised. But it was rejected, and the General crossed over the Salmon River with all of his command, except Captain Whipple with his small company, who had been left at the Norton House on the Cottonwood, where the road from Lewiston comes down from Craig's Mountain to Camas Prairie.
Events soon proved that the plan suggested by Mr. Fenn and others was the right one, for as soon as the Indians found that Gen- eral Howard and his main force was on the same side of the Salmon River that they were, they moved down to the Craig Billie Cross- ing, crossed over, took the trail for the wagon road on Craig's Mountain, and thence down near the Norton House where Whipple was stationed, and killed thirteen of his soldiers. It appears that General Howard remained on the west side of the Salmon River until the Indians went down and crossed back and went up to the Norton House and killed thirteen of Whipple's men, then a message was sent to General Howard by Peter H. Ready, telling him where the Indians were and what they had done. The General seems to have followed the Indians to the Craig Billie Crossing but they were over and gone before he got there and he could not or did not cross after them, but went back up to the White Bird, where they had boats, crossed back and went through the Prairie by way of Grangeville, the same route he traveled when going out, reaching Grangeville on July 9th.
When Captain Whipple was left in Camas Prairie at the time General Howard started to the front on the Salmon, he had been
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instructed by the General to try to gather in Lookingglass and his band who were camped upon a creek called Clear Creek, a tribu- tary of Clearwater River, northeast of Mt. Idaho, as they were sup- posed to be still friendly to the whites, and have them come to Mt. Idaho and remain under the care and protection of the volun- teers, to prevent them from joining Joseph. Soon after General Howard left for the front, Captain Whipple with a detachment of his men and a few volunteers went cautiously to the camp of Look- ingglass, very early in the morning. A peace talk was in progress, most of the men remaining back some distance from the camp, when to the surprise of all a bugle sounded which flustrated the Indians, and a little later some person among those remaining at a distance, fired a shot into the Indian camp. The shot was said to have been fired by a man named Washington Holmes, who had a half-breed wife. Be that as it may, the firing of the shot alarmed the Indians so that they scattered and the council was broken up. The Indians under Lookingglass soon after joined Joseph's band and went on the warpath. Captain Whipple returned to Cottonwood. After arriving there he sent two scouts, Foster and Blewitt, in the direc- tion of the Craig Billie Crossing to see if there was any sign of Indians. After going several miles they saw Indians driving horses. They turned back, but were pursued by Indians firing at them. Blewitt's horse fell, presumably from a shot. He took to the brush and Foster pushed on safely to camp. Captain Whipple immediate- ly sent Lieutenant Rains with ten soldiers and the scout Foster to try to find Blewitt and to learn all he could about the Indians. He had not gone more than a mile or two before they were attacked by the Indians. Captain Whipple started as soon as he heard the shooting, with some men. On arriving at the scene he found the Indians in large numbers and that they had already killed part of Lieutenant Rains' men, and had the balance so completely in their grasp, and outnumbered his men so much, that he concluded it was useless for him to try to rescue the remainder of Lieutenat Rains' men. He therefore kept out of close range, and Lieutenant Rains, his men and the scouts were all shot down by the Indians. Captain Whipple and his detachment went back to camp. These operations appear to have taken place on July 3rd.
That night a courier arrived informing Whipple that Colonel Perry was on the road from Lapwai to Cottonwood with a pack train loaded with supplies, and wanted more protection. Early in the morning of July 4th Whipple went out with some men, met Perry nine miles out, and came into Cottonwood safely with the pack train. About noon that day, according to Whipple, the In- dians began to gather and soon had the camp of Cottonwood sur-
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rounded, and for hours they made frantic efforts to dislodge the soldiers. Every man of the command was kept on the line during the afternoon-rifle pits having been dug at a little distance from the Cottonwood House. About sundown the Indians withdrew for the night.
Colonel Perry was now in command at Cottonwood. On the morning of July 5th Lieutenant D. B. Randall of the volunteers, with sixteen of his men, left Mt. Idaho for the Cottonwood House to assist the United States troops in repelling the Indians. When within less than two miles of their destination, in plain view of the troops at the Cottonwood House, Lieutenant Randall was attacked by about 150 Indians, whose line of attack was formed so as to cut the volunteers off from going to the Cottonwood House. The Lieu- tenant and his men charged through the Indian lines, securing the best place they could for a stand, dismounted and commenced to defend themselves against the superior force of Indians as best brave men could, believing that Colonel Perry would soon come with his troops to their assistance. He did not come. One of the Lieutenant's men, F. D. Vansise, escaped and rode in for help, but Colonel Perry seemed to think it of no use to go. We presume he thought the volunteers would all be killed before he could get there, and he and his men might suffer a like fate. The brave volunteers stood their ground and contested the battle with the Indians with- out yielding a foot, though they were outnumbered ten to one. It is said that at last one Simpson, a sergeant, one of those at the Cot- tonwood House, sprang to the front and cried out, "If your officers will not lead you to the rescue, I will." He was quickly joined by twenty-five others and they made their way to their horses. Perry, seeing that a part of his men were determined to go, ordered Cap- tain Whipple to take charge of them. When the troops arrived at the scene they found the brave volunteers still holding their ground, although their leader, Lieutenant Randall, had fallen mortally wounded, and B. F. Evans was killed and three others were wounded. With the assistance of the troops the Indians were soon put to flight. All honor to those brave volunteers, who held their positions for more than an hour against such great odds. We also honor and admire the act of that noble Seargeant Simpson in going and inducing others to go to the front when help was so badly needed. May the Lord and the people make his path smooth in this and the world to come.
After the Indians had retreated, the men all went to the Cotton- wood House. The names of these volunteers were as follows: Lieutenant D. B. Randall, B. F. Evans, both killed; D. H. Hanson, mortally wounded; A. B. Lealand and Charles Johnson, wounded;
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L. P. Willmot, J. L. Cearley, James Buchanan, William B. Burner, Charles W. Case, E. J. Bunker, Frank D. Vansise, C. M. Day, George Riggins, A. D. Bartley, H. C. Johnson, F. A. Fenn.
ARMS SENT TO LEWISTON BY U. S. GOVERNMENT.
Soon after the outbreak of Chief Joseph and his hostile Indians the people of Lewiston and vicinity became alarmed for fear the Indians might make a raid on them. They had but few arms for protection and it was decided to wire our delegate in Congress, Hon. S. S. Fenn, and see if he could not secure arms from the U. S. government. Receiving the dispatch early in the day, Delegate Fenn at once introduced a joint resolution in the House authorizing and directing the Secretary of War to order by wire U. S. arms shipped by steamer from Fort Vancouver, on the Columbia river, to Lewiston, Idaho, for the use of the citizens, to protect their lives and property against the hostile Indians.
Before the sun set that day this resolution was passed by both houses of Congress, approved by the President and a copy furnished the Secretary of War, and the Secretary had sent a telegram to the proper officer at Vancouver to forward the necessary arms by the first steamer.
This we think was about the quickest work ever done in Congress by any delegate or member from the Pacific coast. It shows our Idaho delegate was not only alive and active to the interests of the people, but also commanded the respect of both branches of our National Legislature.
Up to the time of the attack of the Indians upon these volunteers they had not met with a single loss of any kind. It is believed that in this engagement their loss in killed was nine, and that sev- eral were wounded. At least, nine graves were found at their first camp after they left the battle ground. This was the first reverse they had met since they started on the warpath. It appears that on this day, July 5th, General Howard had got back to White Bird Creek. Captain McConville of the Lewiston volunteers and Captain Hunter of the Dayton volunteers, who were with General Howard, on arriving at White Bird and learning of the Indians being in large numbers around the Cottonwood House, and of the killing of Captain Whipple's men, Howard, made a forced march and arrived at the Cottonwood House on the afternoon of July 5th. They had nearly one hundred men, but the Indians had gone to the mountains. It is said that General Howard managed to get his command into Grangeville from White Bird on July 9th, a distance nearly as far as McConville and Hunter's troops marched in one day.
These volunteer companies set out the next morning to find
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where the Indians were located, and discovered them about the 7th near the junction of the south and middle forks of the Clear- water River, in a rough country. There appeared to be large force of the Indians. They had some skirmishing with them the next day, when the Indians tried to cut off a small number of volunteers under Major Shearer, but they succeeded in getting into camp. They decided it was not best for their small party to attack such a large number, but to send a messenger for General Howard to come with his force, and for all hands to make the attack. They sent a messenger and went to work themselves making breastworks for defense against the Indians. That night the Indians made a raid and got 43 of their horses. Their messenger did not return, and being short of provisions and horses, they decided to go back to Cottonwood. On arriving there they found that their messenger was sick and unable to return, and that General Howard was wait- ing for reinforcements which he expected soon. On July 11th General Howard moved with his whole command, including Captain Trimble from Slate Creek. It was found that Joseph, White Bird and Lookingglass with their hostile bands were all encamped in a deep, rough canyon, a little below where White Bird Creek enters into Clearwater, about thirteen miles from Grangeville, and they were fairly well fortified with breastworks and rifle pits. About noon on this day, July 11th, Lieutenant Fletcher discovered the location of the Indians, and by 10 o'clock A. M., General Howard had his men operating one howitzer and two Gatling guns, throw- ing destructive missiles into the Indian camp. This appears to have been a hard and closely contested battle. No doubt Joseph and his followers expected to win a great victory there in their mountain fastness over the U. S. troops, and would then have things his own way. They fought desperately all that afternoon and went at it again early the next morning and kept it up until late in the afternoon. Finding they were getting the worst of it all the time, they finally very reluctantly began to move away for more secure quarters. During the fighting of this day and a half the resourceful, wily and bloodthirsty Chief Joseph watched every move made by General Howard or his men, and tried many times to cut off some of the General's men, horses, or pack trains, but with- out success. The Indians found for the first time, and much to their surprise, that General Howard was at home when in a pitched battle. While in many respects the Indians had the advantage of the canyon, rocks and brush they had selected and fortified for this great battle, they did not seem to think that General Howard could ride or walk as he chose coolly along the hillside, with his field glass, and watch their every move and direct his men and big guns
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