USA > Oregon > History of Oregon, Vol. II, 1848-1888 > Part 37
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84
42 Kip's Army Life, 92; Stevens, in U. S. Sen. Ex. Doc. 66, 24, 34th cong. Ist sess.
43 One Whitney was living about a mile from the crossing of the Umatilla River with William McKay, on a claim he was cultivating, belonging to the latter. Kip's Indian Council, 29. This William McKay was grandson of Al- exander Mckay of Astor's company. He resided in eastern Oregon almost continually since taking this claim on the Umatilla.
" Palmer's Wagon Trains, MS., 51; Or. Statesman, June 30 and July 21, 1855; Puget Sound Herald, May 6, 1839; Wood's Young Joseph and the Trea- ties, 10-12; Pendleton Tribune, March 11, 1874; S. F. Alta, July 16, 1835; Sac. Union, July 10, 1855.
367
GOOD BARGAINS.
And attention was also called to the fact that the Ind- ians were not required to move upon their reserves before the expiration of one year after the ratification of the treaties by congress; the intention being to give time for them to accustom themselves to the idea of the change of location.
As soon as these apparently amicable stipulations were concluded, the goods brought as presents dis- tributed, and agents appointed for the different reser- vations,45 the troops returned to The Dalles. That night the Indians held a great scalp-dance, in which 150 of the women took part. The following day they broke up their encampments and returned to their sev- eral habitations, the commissioners believing that the feelings of hostility with which several of the chiefs had come to the council had been assuaged. On the 16th Stevens proceeded north-eastward, toward the Black- foot country, being directed by the government to make treaties with this warlike people and several other tribes in that quarter.
Palmer in the mean time returned toward The Dalles, treating with the John Day, Des Chutes, and Wascopan Indians, and purchasing all the lands lying between the summit of the Cascade Range and the waters of Powder River, and between the 44th paral- lel and the Columbia River, on terms similar to those of the treaties made at Walla Walla. A reservation was set apart for these tribes at the base of the Cas- cades, directly east of Mount Jefferson, in a well watered and delightful location,46 including the Tyghe Valley and some warm springs from which the reserve has been named.
Having accomplished these important objects, the superintendent returned home well pleased with the results of his labor, and believing that he had secured the peace of the country in that portion of Oregon.
45 R. R. Thompson was appointed to the Umatilla reservation, and W. H. Tappan for the Nez Percés.
46 Ind. Aff. Rept, 1857, 370; Letter of Palmer, in Or. Statesman, July 21, 1855; Puget Sound Herald, May 6, 1859.
368
GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL DEVELOPMENT.
The Nez Perces afterward declared that during the council a scheme had been on foot, originating with the Cayuses, to massacre all the white persons present, including the troops, the plan only failing through the refusal of Lawyer's party to join in it, which statement may be taken for what it is worth. On the other hand, it has been asserted that the treaties were forced;47 that they were rashly undertaken, and the Indians not listened to; that by calling a general council an oppor- tunity was furnished for plotting; that there were too few troops and too little parade." However this may be, war followed, the history of which belongs both to Oregon and Washington. But since the Indians in- volved in it were chiefly those attached to the soil and superintendency of the latter, I shall present the nar- rative in my volume on Washington.
47 Wood's Young Joseph and the Treaties.
48 Tolmie's Hist. Puget Sound, MS., 37; Roberts' Recollections, MS., 95.
CHAPTER XV.
FURTHER INDIAN WARS.
1855-1856.
INDIAN AFFAIRS IN SOUTHERN OREGON-THE ROQUE RIVER PEOPLE-EX- TERMINATION ADVOCATED-MILITIA COMPANIES-SURPRISES AND SKIR- MISHES-RESERVATION AND FRIENDLY INDIANS PROTECTED BY THE U. S. GOVERNMENT AGAINST MINERS AND SETTLERS-MORE FIGHTING- VOLUNTEERS AND REGULARS-BATTLE OF GRAVE CREEK-FORMATION OF THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN BATTALIONS-AFFAIR AT THE MEADOWS-RANGING BY THE VOLUNTEERS-THE BEN WRIGHT MAS- SACRE.
BEFORE midsummer, 1855, war was again brewing in southern Oregon, the Applegate Creek and Illi- nois Valley branches of the Rogue River nation be- ing the immediate cause. On one pretence or an- other, the former spent much of their time off the reservation, and in June made a descent on a mining camp, killing several men and capturing considerable property; while the murder of a white man on Ind- ian Creek was charged to the latter, of whom a party of volunteers went in pursuit.
On the 17th of June a company styling themselves the Independent Rangers, H. B. Hayes, captain, organized at Wait's mills in Jackson county, report- ing to Colonel Ross for his recognition,1 this being
1 The original copy of the application is contained in the first volume of Dowell's Oregon Indian Wars, MS., 1-3. This is a valuable compilation of original documents and letters pertaining to the wars of 1855-6 in southern Oregon, and furnishes conclusive proof of the invidious course of the Salem clique toward that portion of the territory. Dowell has taken much pains to secure and preserve these fragments of history, and in doing so has vindi- cated his section, from which otherwise the blame of certain alleged illegal acts might never have been removed. Then there are his Indian Wars; HIST. OR., VOL. II. 24 ( 369 )
370
FURTHER INDIAN WARS.
the first movement toward the reorganization of mil- itary companies since the treaties of September 1853.2 Knowledge of these things coming to Ambrose, in charge of the reservation Indians, Smith of Fort Lane started off with a company of dragoons, and collecting most of the strolling Indians, hurried them upon the reservation. Those not brought in were pursued into the mountains by the volunteers, and one killed. The band then turned upon their pursu- ers, and wounding several horses, killed one man named Philpot. Skirmishing was continued for a week with further fatal results on both sides.3
A party of California volunteers under William Martin, in pursuit of hostile Indians, traced certain of them to the Rogue River reservation, and made a de- mand for their surrender, to which Commander Smith, of Fort Lane, very properly refused compliance. Let the proper authorities ask the surrender of Indians on a criminal charge, and they should be forthcom- ing, but they could not be delivered to a mere volun- tary assemblage of men. Afterward a requisition was made from Siskiyou county, and in November two
Scrap-Book; Letters; Biographies, and various pamphlets which contain al- most a complete journal of the events to which this chapter is devoted.
Benjamin Franklin Dowell emigrated from New Franklin, Mo., in 1850, taking the California road, but arriving in the Willamette Valley in Nov. He had studied law, but now taught a school in Polk county in the summer of 1851, and afterward in the Waldo hills. It was slow work for an ambi- tious man; so borrowing some money and buying a pack-train, he began trr ding to the mines in southern Oregon and northern California, following it successfully for four years. He purchased flour of J. W. Nesmith at his mills in Polk county at 10 cents per lb., and sold it in the mines at $1 and $1.25. He bought hutter at 50 cents per lb., and sold it at $1.50; salt at 15 cents per lb., and sold it at $2 and $3 per lb., and other articles in propor- tion. When Scottsburg became the hase of supplies, instead of the Willa- mette Valley, he traded between that place and the mines. When war broke out, Dowell was 'the first in and the last out' of the fight. After that he settled in Jacksonville, and engaged in the practice of law and newspaper management.
2 Or. Argus, June 16, 1855; Sac. Union, June 12, 1855; S. F. Chronicle, June 15, 1855; S. F. Alta, June 18, 1855.
3 A bottle of whiskey sold by a white man to an Indian on the 26th of July caused the deaths, besides several Indians, of John Pollock, William Hennessey, Peter Heinrich, Thomas Gray, John L. Fickas, Edward Parrish, F. D. Mattice, T. D. Mattice, Raymond, and Pedro. Dowell's Or. Ind. Wars, MS., 39; Or. Argus, Aug. 1855, 18; S. F. Alta, Aug. 13 and 31, 1855.
371
ROGUE RIVER TROUBLES.
Indians were arrested for murder on the reservation, and delivered up.4
On the 26th of August, a Rogue River Indian shot and wounded James Buford, at the mouth of Rogue River in the Port Orford district, then in charge of Ben Wright, who arrested the savage and delivered him to the sheriff of Coos county. Having no place in which to secure his prisoner, the sheriff delivered him to a squad of soldiers to be taken to Port Orford; but while the canoe in which the Indian was seated with his guard was passing up the river to a place of encampment, it was followed by Buford, his partner, Hawkins, and O'Brien, a trader, who fired at and killed the prisoner and another Indian. The fire was returned by the soldiers, who killed two of the men, and mortally wounded the third.5
The excitement over this affair was very great. Threats by the miners of giving battle to the troops were loud and vindictive, but the more conservative prevailed, and no attack was made. The savages were aroused, and matters grew daily worse.6
Agent Ambrose wrote several letters which ap- peared in the Statesman, over the signature of 'A Miner,' in one of which, dated October 13th, he de- clared that no fears were to be entertained of an out- break of the Rogue River Indians, affirming that they were peaceably disposed, and had been so
These particulars are found in a letter written by William Martin to C. S. Drew, and is contained in Dowell's collection of original documents of the Or. Ind. Wars, MS., vol. ii., 32-9.
5 Letter of Arago, in Or. Statesman, Sept. 22, 1855; Sac. Union, Sept. 12, 1855; Coos Bay Mail, in Portland Standard, Feb. 20, 1880; Id., in S. F. Bul- letin, Feb. 6, 1880.
6 See Nichols' Rogue River War, MS., 14-15. On the 2d of September, Granville Keene, from Tenn., was killed on the reservation while assisting Fred. Alberding, J. Q. Taber, and a fourth man to reclaim some stolen horses. Two others were wounded and obliged to retreat. About the last of the month, Calvin Fields of Iowa, and John Cuningham of Sauve Island, Oregon, were killed, and Harrison Oatman and Daniel Britton wounded, while crossing the Siskiyou Mountains with loaded wagons drawn by eigh- teen oxcn, which were also killed. An express being sent to Fort Lane, Cap- tain Smith ordered out a detachment of dragoons, but no arrests were made. Of the Indians killed in the mean time no mention is made.
372
FURTHER INDIAN WARS.
throughout the summer. "God knows," he said, "I would not care how soon they were all dead, and I believe the country would be greatly benefited by it; but I am tired of this senseless railing against Cap- tain Smith and the Indian agent for doing their duty, obeying the laws, and preserving our valley from the horrors of a war with a tribe of Indians who do not desire it, but wish for peace, and by their conduct have shown it."
To prevent the reservation Indians from being sus- pected and punished for the acts of others, Superin- tendent Palmer issued an order October 13th that the Indians with whom treaties had been made, and who had reservations set apart for them, should be arrested if found off the reservations without a per- mit from the agent. Every male over twelve years of age must answer daily to the roll-call. Early in October it became known that a party of wandering Indians were encamped near Thompson's Ferry, on Rogue River, and that among them were some sus- pected of annoying the settlers. A volunteer com- pany of about thirty, under J. A. Lupton, proceeded at a very early hour of the morning of October 8th to the Indian camp at the mouth of Butte Creek, and opened fire, killing twenty-three and wounding many. The Indians returned it as well as they were able, and succeeded in killing Lupton, and in wounding eleven others.7 When daylight came it was found by the mangled bodies that they were mostly old men, women, and children, whom these brave men had been butchering! The survivors took refuge at the fort, where they exhibited their wounds and made their lamentations to Captain Smith, who sent his troops to look at the battle-field and count the slain. It was a pitiful sight, and excited great in- dignation among the better class of white men.8
7 Among them Shepard, Miller, Pelton, Hereford, Gates, and Williams. Letter of C. S. Drew, in Dowell's Or. Ind. Wars, MS., 29; Nottarts, in Or. Statesman, Oct. 27, 1855; Nichols' Ind. Affairs, MS., 20.
8 Cram's Top. Mem., 44; Letter of Palmer to General Wool, in U. S. H.
373
SOUTHERN OREGON ABLAZE.
On the morning of the 9th of October the Indians appeared in the upper part of the Rogue River Val- ley in considerable numbers. They were first seen at Jewett's ferry, where during the night they killed two men in charge of a train and wounded another. After firing upon Jewett's house, they proceeded to Evans' ferry about daybreak, where they mortally wounded Isaac Shelton of the Willamette Valley on his way to Yreka. Pursuing their way down the val- ley to the house of J. K. Jones, they killed him, wounded his wife so that she died next day, and burned the house after pillaging it. From there they went to Wagoner's place, killing four men upon the way. Wagoner had a short time before left home to escort Miss Pellet, a temperance lecturer from Buffalo, New York, to Sailor Diggings, where she was to lecture that evening. Mrs Wagoner was alone with her child four years of age, and both were burned in the house. They next proceeded to the house of George W. Harris, who seeing their approach, and judging that they meant mischief, ran into the house, seized his gun, and fired two shots, killing one and wounding another, when he received a fatal shot. His wife and little daughter defended themselves with great heroism for twenty-four hours, when they were rescued by Major Fitzgerald. And there were many other heroic women, whose brave deeds during these savage wars of southern Oregon must forever remain unrecorded.10
As soon as the news reached Jacksonville that the Rogue River settlements were attacked, a company of some twenty men hastened to take the trail of the Indians down the river. An express was despatched
Ex. Doc. 93, 112, 34th cong. Ist sess .; Sober Sense, in Or. Statesman, Oct. 27, 1855; Letter of Wool, in U. S. Sen. Ex. Doc. 66, 59; 34th cong. Ist sess. 9 Or. Argus, Sept. 29, 1855.
10 See California Inter Pocula, this series, passim. 'It was stated that Mrs Harris, when relieved, was so marked with powder and blood as to be hardly recognizable.' Or. Statesman, March 3, 1856. Mrs Harris afterward married Aaron Chambers, who came to Oregon in 1852, was much respected, and died in 1869. Jacksonville Or. Sentinel, Sept. 18, 1869.
374
FURTHER INDIAN WARS.
to Fort Lane, to Captain Smith, who sent a detach- ment of fifty-five mounted men, under Major Fitzger- ald, in pursuit of the savages.11
The volunteer and regular forces soon combined to follow, and if possible to have battle with the Indians. Passing the bodies of the slain all along their route, they came to Wagoner's place, where thirty of the savages were still engaged in plundering the premises. On the appearance of the volunteers, the Indians, yelling and dancing, invited them to fight,12 but when the dragoons came in sight they fled precipitately to the mountains. After pursuing for about two miles, the troops, whose horses were jaded from a night march of twenty-five miles, being unable to overtake them, returned to the road, which they patrolled for some hours, marching as far as Grave Creek, after which they retired to Fort Lane, having found no Ind- ians in that direction. 13 The volunteers also returned home to effect more complete organization before un- dertaking such arduous warfare against an implacable foe who they now were assured was before them. There were other parts of the country which likewise required their attention.
About the 10th of October, Lieutenant Kautz left Port Orford with a small party of citizens and sol- diers to examine a proposed route from that place to Jacksonville. On arriving at the big bend of Rogue River, about thirty miles east from Port Orford, he found a party of settlers much alarmed at a threatened
11 At that very moment an express was on its way from Vancouver to Fort Lane, calling for Major Fitzgerald to reenforce Major Haller in the Yakima country Or. Statesman, Oct. 20, 1855. Peupeumoxmox was threatening the Walla Walla Valley, and the Indians on Puget Sound preparing for the blow which they were to strike at the white settlements two weeks later, a coincidence of events significant of combination among the Indians. Dowell's Letters, MS., 35; Grover's Pub. Life, MS., 74; Autobiog. of II. C. Huston, in Brown's Or. Misc., MS., 48; Dowell's Or. Ind. War, MS., 33-9; Or. Argus, Oct. 27; Evans' Fourth of July Address, in New Tacoma Ledger, July 9, 1880. 12 Hlayes' Ind. Scraps, v. 145; Yreka Union, Oct. 1855.
13 Three men were killed on Grave Creek, 12 miles below the road, on the night of the 9th. J. W. Drew, in Or. Statesman, Oct. 20, 1855.
375
NOTABLE SAVAGES.
attack from Applegate Creek. Kautz returned to the fort for a better supply of arms and ammunition, in- tending to resist the advance of the hostile party, should he fall in with it. A few days after resuming his march he was attacked by a portion of the band, losing five of his men, two soldiers and three citizens. The Indians were only prevented from securing a considerable amount of ammunition by the precaution of Kautz in unloading the pack-mules at the begin- ning of the battle. He was able to secure an orderly retreat with the remainder of his party.14 The only Indians in the whole country, from Yreka to the Umpqua cañon, who could be regarded other than enemies were those under Rogue River Sam, who since the treaty of 1853 had kept faith with the white people; the Shastas, the natives of Scott Val- ley, and many of the people about Grave and Cow creeks, and the Umpquas being concerned in the war, in which the Shastas were principals, under the lead- ership of Chief John. The Klamaths were also hos- tile. 15
To meet a savage enemy, well armed and prepared for war, knowing every mountain fastness, and having always the advantage of chosen positions, was not practicable with anything like equal numbers. Esti- mating the fighting men of the enemy at no more than 400, it would require three or four times that number to engage them, because of their ability to appear un- expectedly at several points; at the same time to dis- appear as rapidly ; and to wear out the horses and men of the white forces in following them. The armed men that were mustered in Rogue River Valley be- tween the 9th and 11th of October amounted to only about 150, not from any want of courage, but from want of arms.16 No attempt at permanent organiza-
14 Ilenry's Rogue River War Speech, 14.
15 Letter of Ambrose to Palmer, in U. S. H. Ex. Doc. 93, 62-65, 34th cong. Ist sess.
16 Says Ambrose: 'As in the war of 1853, the Indians have all the guns in the country. Those Indians have each a good rifle and revolver, and are skilful in the use of them.'
376
FURTHER INDIAN WARS.
tion was made by the territorial militia before the 12th, the armed companies being governed by the apparent necessities of the case.17
On the 12th of October Colonel Ross began the or- ganization of a volunteer force under the laws of the territory 18 by ordering James H. Russel, major of the 9th regiment, to report to him immediately. Some of the captains of the militia were already in the field; other companies were headed by any one who had the spirit of a leader. These on application of the citizens of their neighborhoods were duly commissioned. 19
17 A company under Rinearson was divided into detachments, and sent, on the evening of the 10th, ten to the mouth of the Umpqua canon, five three miles south to Leving's house, five to Turner's seven miles farther south, six to the Grave Creek house. On the next day thirty men made a scout down Grave Creek, and down Rogue River to the mouth of Galice Creek, the set- tlers placing at their disposal whatever supplies of blankets, provisions, or arıns they were able to furnish; yet twelve of Rinearson's company had no other weapons than pistols. A. G. Henry, in Or. Statesman, Oct. 20, 1855. The troops iu southern Oregon at this time were two full companies of dra- goons at Fort Lane under Smith and Fitzgerald, and sixty-four infantry at Winchester, in the Umpqua Valley, under Lieut Gibson, who had been es- eorting Williamson on his survey of a railroad route from the Sacramento to the Willamette Valley, and who now retraced bis steps to Fort Lane. The small garrison at Fort Orford was not available, and Fitzgerald's company was during the month ordered to reinforce Major Rains at The Dalles; hence one company of dragoons and one of infantry constituted the regular force which could be employed in the defence of the south country during the com- ing winter.
18 The original orders are to be found in Dowell's Or. Ind. Wars, MS., vol. i. 45, 47, 53.
19 M. C. Barkwell wrote Ambrose that at his request R. L. Williams would raise a company for the protection of that locality. The settlers about Althouse, on Illinois River, petitioned to have Theoron Crook empowered to raise a company to range the mountains thereabout; signed by Hiram Rice, J. J. Rote, Frederick Rhoda, Lucius D. Hart, S. Matthews, Charles F. Wil- son, Elias Winkleback, S. P. Duggan, John Morrow, Allen Knapp, W. H. B. Douglas, Wm Lane, J. T. Mann, Geo. H. Grayson, R. T. Briekley, J. H. Huston, L. Coffey, H. Kaston, John Murphy, B. B. Brockway, A. L. Scott, Geo. W. Comegys, James C. Castleman, D. D. Drake, John R. Hale, E. R. Crane, Alden Whitney, Joshua Harlan, S. H. Harper, M. P. Howard, R. S. A. Colwell, George Lake, Thomas Lake, George Koblence, Jacob Randbush, Peter Colean, U. S. Barr, William Lance, Robert Rose, N. D. Palmer, James Hole, E. D. Cohen, Sigmund Heilner, Wm Chapman, John E. Post, John W. Merideth, A. More, Thos Ford, and Gilharts. Dowell's Or. Ind. Wars, MS., vol. i. 33-5.
The white men of Phoenix mills, Illinois Valley, of Deer Creek, and Galice Creek also petitioned for permission to raise companies for defenee, and the outlying settlements prayed for armed guards to be sent them. The petition from Phoenix mills was signed by S. M. Waite, S. Colver, Joseph Traey, Jarius F. Kennedy, M. M. Williams, and J. T. Gray; that from Illinois Val- ley and Deer Creek by John D. Post, William Chapman, G. E. Briggs, J. N.
377
GENERAL UPRISING.
Where the people in remote or isolated situations asked for armed guards, a few men were despatched to those localities as soon as they could be armed.20 Two young women, Miss Hudson and Miss Wilson, having been murdered21 while travelling on the Cres- cent City road, October 10th, A. S. Welton was as- signed the duty of keeping open a portion of that highway, over which was carried most of the goods which entered the Illinois and Rogue River valleys at this time; guards being also afforded to pack-trains on the various routes to prevent their capture by the Indians. Considering the obstacles to be overcome, and the nature of the service, the organization of the 9th regiment was remarkably expeditious and com- plete, and its operations were well conducted.
The first engagement between the volunteers and Indians was on Rogue River, where W. B. Lewis of company E was encamped on Skull bar, a short dis- tance below the mouth of Galice Creek. Scouts re- ported the enemy near, and evidently preparing an attack. In camp were all the miners from the dig- gings in the vicinity, including nine Chinamen, who had been robbed and driven from their claims, and several Indian women and boys who had been cap- tured.
The bar is on the south side of the river, with a high mountain in the background, covered with a dense growth of hazel and young firs. Around the camp for some distance the thickets were cut away, so as to afford no harbor for lurking savages, and a
Knight, A. J. Henderson, William B. Hay, L. Reeves, Joseph Kirby, R. T. Okdis, Samuel White, William E. Randolph, Frederick Rhoda, L. D. Hart, Alexander McBride, C. C. Luther, S. Scott, O. E. Riley, J. T. L. Mills, and Coltinell. On the 26th a company was organized in Illinois Valley. Orrin T. Root was chosen captain, and sent to Jacksonville for his commission. In this way most of the companies were formed.
20 On the 5th of Nov. Ross ordered Gardner with 10 men to protect Thompson's place on Applegate Creek. F. R. Hill was ordered to raise a company for Grave Creek, etc.
21 Evans' Protection to Immigrants, 59. This is a compilation of docu- ments on the subject of the protection afforded by Walker's company in 1854, with statistics of Indian outrages. The same matter is in U. S. Sen. Ex. Doc. 46, 35th cong. 2d sess.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.