History of Benton County, Oregon, Part 39

Author: David D. Fagan
Publication date: 1885
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

USA > Oregon > Benton County > History of Benton County, Oregon > Part 39

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1855-6 is founded upon current traditions; but such should remember that those tradi- tions date their commencement from a time when it was extremely unpopular, even dan- gerous, to oppose the war, and as unpopular to print or speak anything of an opposing character. It has thus far been regarded as indisputable fact that Indian outrages brought on the war, and were the sole cause of it. Keeping in view the principle with which we set out, that the war was unavoidable from the very nature of things, it seems a fair and impartial conclusion that it could have been, by the use of. tact and justice, postponed at least for a time. Instances might be multiplied to show the drift of public sentiment at the time of which we speak; pages might be written and endless quotations made; but it would seem that the foregoing paragraphs set forth the state of affairs with sufficient clearness. The existence of a war party was assured; and with the unexpected stimulus of the terrible massacre of October ninth, this war party proved powerful enough to effect the deportation of the Indians-a fact not to be regretted. Previous to that date no excuses were deemed necessary for even the most violent measures; but when criticism subsequently awoke, editorials were written, affidavits prepared, and another war (of words) was fought to prove the first one neces- sary. For as matters then existed outside sympathy had to be created-the conscien- ces of some people had to be calmed-some men had to be made heroes of-appropri- ations had to be got-and congress had to be won over.

It is undoubtedly true that those writers and speakers who have attempted to apologize for or extenuate certain acts having a bearing on the question have most blunderingly performed their task. To effect this end required a high degree of tact and skill, both of which it would appear were wanting at that date. For example : Although we have evidence to show that the Lupton incident was the work partly of hair-brained enthusiasts and professed ruffians who in no sense represented the com- munity, still their act was adopted and defended by those who took it upon themselves to advocate the what they styled the cause of the people of Southern Oregon. The act should have been promptly repudiated as of too brutal a nature to represent the wishes of an enlightened and humane public. In other respects these apologists far overstepped the bounds of tact and prudence. Officials of the United States government were antagonized, thereby endangering governmental support. Column after column of the Sentinel, the only paper then published south of Salem, was filled with abuse of Gene- ral Wool, Joel Palmer and other officials, and violent recriminations concerning the conduct of the war generally. The result of this was that the government become sus- picious and sent an agent to investigate, as has been before remarked.

It has always been regarded as a remarkable circumstance that the Indians on and near the reservation should have been (with the exception of Sam's band) fully prepared for an outbreak exactly at the time when the "exterminators " made their attack at the mouth of Little Butte creek, thereby furnishing an all sufficient reason for such outbreak. A still more suggestive fact is the simultaneous beginning of war in Oregon and Washington territory-a fact so striking as to suggest the collusion of those widely separated tribes. How this concert of action was brought about, several have attempted to explain, but never in a satisfactory manner. Leaving this subject we will proceed to consider the Lupton affair.

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On the seventh of October, 1855, a party of men, principally miners and men- about-town, in Jacksonville, organized and armed themselves to the number of about forty (accounts disagree as to number), and under the nominal leadership of Captain Hays and Major James A. Lupton, representative-elect to the territorial legislature, proceeded to attack a small band of Indians encamped on the north side of Rogue river near the mouth of Little Butte creek a few miles above Table Rock. Lupton, it appears, was a man of no experience in bush fighting, but was rash and headstrong. His mili- tary title, says Colonel Ross, was unearned in war and was probably gratuitous. It is the prevailing opinion that he was led into the affair through a wish to court popu- larity, which is almost the only incentive that could have occurred to him. Certainly it could not have been plunder; and the mere love of fighting which probably drew the greater part of the force together was perhaps absent in his case. The reason why the particular band at Butte creek was selected as victims also appears a mystery, although the circumstances of their location being accessible, their numbers small, and their reputation as fighters very slight, possibly were the ruling considerations. This band of Indians appear to have behaved themselves tolerably ; they were pretty fair Indians, but beggars, and on occasion thieves. They had been concerned in no considerable outrages that are distinctly specified. The attacking party arrived at the river on the evening of the seventh, and selecting a hiding place, remained therein until daylight, the appointed time for the attack. The essential particulars of the fight which followed are, when separated from a tangle of contradictory minutiæe, that Lupton and his party fired a volley into the crowded encampment, following up the sudden and totally unex- pected attack by a close encounter with knives, revolvers, and whatever weapon they were possessed of, and the Indians were driven away or killed without making much resistance. These facts are matters of evidence, as are also the killing of several squaws, one or more old decrepit men, and a number, probably small, of children. The un- essential particulars vary greatly. For instance, Captain Smith reported to govern- ment that eighty Indians were slaughtered. Other observers, perhaps less prejudiced, placed the number at thirty. Certain accounts, notably that contributed to the States- man by A. J. Kane, denied that there were any "bucks" present at the fight, the whole number of Indians being women, old men, and children. It is worth while to note that Mr. A. J. Kane promptly retracted this supposed injurious statement, and in a card to the Sentinel said he believed there were some bucks present. Certain "Indian fighters," also appended their names to the card.

The exact condition of things at the fight, or massacre, as some have characterized it, is difficult to determine. Accounts vary so widely that by some it has been termed a heroic attack, worthy of Leonidas or Alexander; others have called it an indiscriminate butchery of defenceless and peaceful natives, the earliest possessors of the soil. To temporize with such occurrences does not become those who seek the truth only, and the world would be better could such deeds meet at once the proper penalty and be known by their proper name. Whether or not Indian men were present does not con- cern the degree of criminality attached to it. The attack was indiscriminately against all. The Indians were at peace with the whites and therefore unprepared. To fitly characterize the whole proceeding, is to say that it was Indian-like.

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The results of the matter, were the death of Lupton, who was . mortally wounded by an arrow which penetrated his lungs, the wounding of a young man, Shepherd by name, the killing of at least a score of Indians, mainly old men, and the revengeful outbreak on the part of the Indians, whose account forms the most important part of this history.

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE MASSACRE OF OCTOBER NINTH, AND WAR IN GRAVE CREEK HILLS.

A Memorable Day-The Indians Leave the Reservation-The Murder of Twenty People- Women in Cap- tivity-Mrs. Harris Defends her Family-Volunteers to the Rescue-General State of Alarm-An Army Organized-An Example of Promptness-Siege of Galice Creek-Discovery of the Indians' Where- abouts-Lieutenant Kautz Surprised-Expedition to Hungry Hill-Battle at Bloody Spring-A Defeat- Causes-The Volunteers and Regulars Disagree-A Parallel-Proclamation of Governor Curry-Army Reorganized-The Indians Retreat to the Meadows.

Immediately succeeding the event last detailed, came a series of startling and lamentable occurrences, which produced an impression on the community which the lapse of over a quarter of a century has by no means effaced. The ninth of October, 1855, has justly been called the most eventful day in the history of Southern Oregon. On that day nearly twenty persons lost their lives, victims to Indian ferocity and cruelty. Their murder lends a somber interest to the otherwise dry details of Indian skirmishes, and furnishes many a romantic though saddening page to the annalist who would write the minute history of those times. A portion of the incidents of that awful day have been written for publications of wide circulation, and thus have become a part of the country's stock-in-trade of Indian tales. Certain of them have taken their place in the history of our country along with the most stirring and romantic episodes of border warfare. Many and varied are this country's legends of hair- breadth escapes and heroic defense against overpowering odds. There is nothing told in any language to surpass in daring and devotion the memorable defense of the Har- ris home. Mrs. Wagner's mysterious fate still bears a melancholy interest, and while time endures the people of this region cannot forget the mournfully tragic end of all who died on that fateful day.

As the present memories describe it, the attack was by most people wholly unex- pected, in spite of the previous months of anxiety. The recklessness of the whites who precipitated the outbreak by their conduct at the Indian village above Table Rock, had left unwarned the outlying settlers, upon whose defenseless and innocent heads fell the storm of barbaric vengeance. Early on the morning of October ninth, the

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bands of several of the more warlike chiefs gathered at or near Table Rock, set out traveling westward, down the river, and transporting their families, their arms and other property, and bent on war. It is not at this moment possible to ascertain the names of those chiefs, nor the number of their braves ; but it has been thought that Limpy, the chief of the Illinois band, with George, chief of the lower Rogue river band, were the most prominent and influential Indians concerned in the matter. Their numbers, if we follow the most reliable accounts, would indicate that from thirty-five to fifty Indians performed the murders of which we have now to discourse. Their first act was to murder William Goin or Going, a teamster, native of Missouri, and em- ployed on the reservation, where he inhabited a small hut or house. Standing by the fire-place in conversation with Clinton Schieffelin, he was fatally shot, at two o'clock in the morning. The particular individuals who accomplished this killing were, says Mr. Schieffelin, members of John's band of Applegates, who were encamped on Ward creek, a mile above its mouth, and twelve miles distant from the camp of Sam's band.

Hurrying through the darkness to Jewett's ferry these hostiles, now reinforced by the band of Limpy and George, found there a pack-train loaded with mill-irons. Hamilton, the man in charge of it, was killed, and another individual was severely wounded, being hit in four places. They next began firing at Jewett's house, within which were several persons in bed, it not being yet daylight. Meeting with resistance they gave up the attack and moved to Evans' ferry, which they reached at daybreak. Here they shot Isaac Shelton, of Willamette valley, en route for Yreka. He lived twenty hours. The next victim was Jones, proprietor of a ranch, whom they shot dead near his house. His body was nearly devoured by hogs before it was found. The house was set on fire, and Mrs. Jones was pursued by an Indian and shot with a revolver, when she fell senseless, and the savage retired supposing her dead. She revived and was taken to Tufts' place and lived a day. O. P. Robbins, Jones' part- ner, was hunting cattle at some distance from the house. Getting upon a stump he looked about him and saw the house on fire. Correctly judging that Indians were abroad, he proceeded to Tufts and Evans' places and secured the help of three men, but the former place the Indians had already visited and shot Mrs. Tufts through the body, but being taken to Illinois valley she recovered. Six miles north of Evans ferry the Indians fell in with and killed two men who were transporting supplies from the Willamette valley to the mines. They took the two horses from the wagon, and went on. The house of J. B. Wagner was burned, Mrs. Wagner being previously murdered, or, as an unsubstantiated story goes, she was compelled to remain in it until dead. This is refinement of horrors indeed. For a time her fate was unknown, but it was finally settled thus. Mary, her little daughter, was taken to the Meadows, on lower Rogue river, some weeks after, according to the Indians' own accounts, but died there. Mr. Wagner being from home escaped death. Coming to Haines' house, Mr. Haines being ill in bed, they shot him to death, killed two children and took his wife prisoner. Her fate was a sad one, and is yet wrapped in mystery. It seems likely, from the stories told by the Indians, that the unhappy woman died about a week afterwards, from the effects of a fever aggravated by improper food. When the subsequent war raged, a thousand inquiries were made concerning the captive, and

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not a stone was left unturned to solve the mystery. The evidence that exists bearing upon the subject is unsatisfactory indeed, but may be deemed sufficiently conclusive.

At about nine o'clock A. M., the savages approached the house of Mr. Harris, about ten miles north of Evans', where dwelt a family of four-Mr. and Mrs. Harris and their two children, Mary aged twelve, and David aged ten years. With them resided T. A. Reed, an unmarried man employed by or with Mr. Harris in farmwork. Reed was some distance from the house, and was set upon by a party of the band of hostiles and killed, no assistance being near. His skeleton was found a year after. David, the little son of the fated family, had gone to a field at a little distance, and in all likelihood was taken into the woods by his captors and slain, as he was never after heard of. Some have thought that he was taken away and adopted into the tribe-a theory that seems hardly probable, as his presence would have become known when the entire band of hostiles surrendered several months afterward. It seems more probable that the unfortunate youth was taken prisoner, and proving an inconvenience to his brutal captors, was by them unceremoniously murdered and his corpse thrown aside, where it remained undiscovered. Mr. Harris was surprised by the Indians, and retreating to the house, was shot in the breast as he reached the door. His wife, with the greatest courage and presence of mind, closed and barred the door, and in obedi- ence to her wounded husband's advice, brought down the fire-arms which the house contained-a rifle, a double shotgun, a revolver and a single-barreled pistol-and began to fire at the Indians, hardly with the expectation of hitting them, but to deter them from assaulting or setting fire to the house. Previous to this a shot fired by the Indians had wounded her little daughter in the arm, making a painful but not danger- ous flesh wound, and the terrified child climbed to the attic of the dwelling where she remained for several hours. Throughout all this time the heroic woman kept the savages at bay, and attended as well as she was able to the wants of her fearfully wounded husband, who expired in about an hour after he was shot. Fortunately, she had been taught the use of fire-arms; and to this she owed her preservation and that of her daughter. The Indians, who could be seen moving about in the vicinity of the house, were at pains to keep within cover and dared not approach near enough to set fire to the dwelling, although they burned the out-buildings, first taking the horses from the stable. Mrs. Harris steadily loaded her weapons, and fired them through the crevices between the logs of which the house was built. In the afternoon, though at what time it was impossible for her to tell, the Indians drew off and left the stout- hearted woman mistress of the field. She had saved her own and her daughter's life, and added a deathless page to the record of the country's history.

After the departure of the savages, the heroine with her daughter left the house and sought refuge in a thicket of willows near the road, and remained there all night. Next morning several Indians passed, but did not discover them, and during the day a company of volunteers, hastily collected in Jacksonville, approached, to whom the two presented themselves, the sad survivors of a once happy home.

When, on the ninth of October, a rider came dashing into Jacksonville and quickly told of the fray, great excitement prevailed, and men volunteered to go to the aid of whoever might need help. Almost immediately a score of men were in their saddles and pushing toward the river. Major Fitzgerald, stationed at Fort Lane, went

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or was sent by Captain Smith, at the head of fifty-five mounted men, and these going with the volunteers, proceeded along the track of ruin and desolation left by the savages. At Wagner's house, some five or six volunteers who were in advance, came upon a few Indians hiding in the brush near by, who, unsuspicious of the main body advancing along the road, challenged the whites to a fight. Major Fitzgerald came up and ordered a charge; and six of the "red devils" were killed, and the rest driven "on the jump" to the hills, but could not be overtaken. Giving up the pursuit, the regulars and volunteers marched along the road to the Harris house, where, as we have seen, they found the devoted mother and her child, and removed them to a place of safety in Jacksonville. They proceeded to and camped at Grave creek that night, and returned the next day.

A company of volunteers led by Captain Rinearson hastily came from Cow creek, and scoured the country about Grave creek and vicinity, finding quite a number of bodies of murdered men. On the twenty-fifth of October the body of J. B. Powell, of Lafayette, Yamhill county, was found and buried. James White and -- Fox had been previously found dead. All the houses along the Indians' route had been robbed and then burned, with two or three exceptions.

It would be difficult to picture the state of alarm which prevailed when the full details of the massacre were made known. Self-preservation, the first law of nature, was exemplified in the actions of all. The people of Rogue river valley, probably without exception, withdrew from their ordinary occupations and "forted up" or retired to the larger settlements. Jacksonville was the objective point of most of these fugi- tives, who came in on foot, on horse or mule back, or with their families or more portable property loaded on wagons drawn by oxen. In every direction mines were abandoned, farms and fields were left unwatched, the herdsman forsook his charge, and all sought refuge from the common enemy. The industries which had suffered a severe but only temporary check in the summer of 1853, were again brought to a standstill, and the trade and commerce which were rapidly building up Jackson and her neighboring counties, became instantly paralyzed. All business and pleasure were forsaken, to devise means to meet and vanquish the hostile bands. Nor was this state of affairs confined to the Rogue river country. Other and far distant regions caught the infection, and for a time the depressing expectation of Indian forays racked many a breast. The people of far removed districts devised means of defense from imagi- nary foes. The Methodists of the Tualatin plains, in peaceful Washington county, built a stockade about their little church, within which, unterrified by imminent danger, they might worship God as did the Pilgrim Fathers while their red-skinned adversaries howled and beat upon their impregnable fortress. An imaginary host of Indians threatened the Willamette valley from north, from south and from east. Three hundred Klamath warriors had arrived, it was rumored, at the head of the Santiam, and were preparing to rush upon the defenseless settlements below. Indian alarmists at Salem and Portland projected measures of defense, and boiled over in indignation when their advice was rejected. A safety meeting was held at Corvallis because three hundred Cow Creek Indians were said to have come north of the Cala- pooia mountains, and threatened the lives of all. The Oregon papers of that date were full of matter calculated to show the extreme state of apprehension which like a

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wave swept over this fair land. It will be believed that there was ample reason for such a feeling in those who lived south of the Calapooias. The settlers on the Umpqua and its tributaries were obviously endangered, nor did they escape the incon- veniencies, and in some cases, the actual presence of war. They, like their less fortu- nate friends on the Rogue river, "forted up," that is, retired to places of safety, and there remained until the Indian scare had settled down to steady warfare. At Scotts- burg, more than a hundred miles from the seat of war, the inhabitants thus took refuge. The commonest form of protective structure was a house of logs with loop- holes between, through which a fire of small-arms might be kept up. At other places more elaborate defenses were substituted, the old-fashioned block house, with its loop- holes and projecting upper story, being a not uncommon sight. Earthworks, consist- ing of rifle pits including a house, were a favorite form. Any structure so situated as to command quite an area, and so built as to resist rifle bullets and afford immunity against fire, served for the temporary habitation of those who were driven from their own homes.

It should be remarked that the situation in Southern Oregon was even more serious than was thought possible by those who viewed these affairs from abroad, or through the distorting medium of the newspapers. The people were beset on all sides by sav- ages, they knew not how numerous, and who might strike, they knew not where. The extent of the Indian uprising was not at first understood. The few Indians who had done so much mischief in the Siskiyou mountains were now imitated on a much grander scale by many times their number of bolder and more skillful fighters, who were well supplied with ammunition, and having in profusion, guns, rifles, revolvers and knives, as great in assortment and better in quality than the whites themselves were provided with. Besides, of the several thousand Indians who inhabited Southern Oregon, no one could tell which band might dig up the hatchet and go on the war parth in imita- tion of those who were already so actively butchering and burning. The Table Rock band, steadfastly friendly, withstood the temptation to avenge their undoubted griev- ances, and remained upon the reservation, thereby diminishing the enemy's force very considerably. The Coast Indians, formidable and dangerous barbarians, as yet had not been influenced to join the malcontents, but we shall see how at a later date they became hostile and equalled their allies in savagery and bloodthirstiness.

To oppose such an array of active murderers and incendiaries, the general gov- ernment had a small number of troops unfitted to perform the duties of Indian fighting by reason of their unsuitable mode of dress, tactics and their dependence upon quar- termaster and commissary trains. The fact has been notorious throughout all the years of American independence that the regular army, however brave or well offi- cered, has not been uniformly successful in fighting the Indians. The reasons for this every frontiersman knows. They are as set forth above. But upon such troops the government in 1855 relied to keep peace between the hostile white and Indian popu- lation in Southern Oregon, and although with final success, we shall see that the operation of subduing the Indians was needlessly long and tedious. We shall also see how an ill-organized, unpaid, ill-fed, ill-clothed and insubordinate volunteer organiza- tion, brought together in as many hours as it required weeks to marshal a regular force, dispersed the savages repeatedly, fought them wherever they could be found, and

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History of Benton County, Oregon, Part 39

Author: David D. Fagan Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: David D. Fagan
Publication date: 1885
Publisher:
Number of Pages: