USA > Oregon > Douglas County > History of southern Oregon, comprising Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Curry and Coos counties, comp. from the most authentic sources > Part 33
USA > Oregon > Jackson County > History of southern Oregon, comprising Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Curry and Coos counties, comp. from the most authentic sources > Part 33
USA > Oregon > Josephine County > History of southern Oregon, comprising Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Curry and Coos counties, comp. from the most authentic sources > Part 33
USA > Oregon > Coos County > History of southern Oregon, comprising Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Curry and Coos counties, comp. from the most authentic sources > Part 33
USA > Oregon > Curry County > History of southern Oregon, comprising Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Curry and Coos counties, comp. from the most authentic sources > Part 33
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The different companies (Lamerick's, Miller's, Owens', Goodall's, Rhodes', Wil- liams', Terry's and Fowler's) were mustered out, with the exception of Miller's, during the early days of September, soon after the close of disturbances, and sent home. Peo- ple were now returning to their customary occupations, generally well pleased with the result of the war and hoping that no more "unpleasantness" might supervene, as considerabl force of regular troops had arrived, and Colonel Wright, with four com- panies from Benicia and Fort Reading, was daily expected. Captain Alden, convales- cant, set out for Fort Jones, about the time that the military authorities resolved upon
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founding a permanent fortified camp near Table Rock. The Indians were safely domi- ciled near that locality, their reservation extending north and west of those prominent and celebrated land marks. Their position was a good one and to their liking. Camas and ip-a roots grew there in profusion; salmon in their season swarmed in the river, game of all kinds was abundant in the neighboring mountains. Besides, it was in the land of their nativity; and though nominally confined to the narrow limits of a com- paratively small tract, they were not perceptibly worse off than before. Opposite their home, the new military post reared its imposing front. Appropriately named Fort Lane, it was commodiously and even handsomely built, and in a manner well adapted to the uses of such a post. A stockade enclosed quite a spacious area in which was a parade ground, together with barracks for private soldiers, houses for officers, an armory, hospital, and other necessary buildings, all built of logs. It continned to be the head- quarters of the military forces in this region for three years; at the end of the last Indian war being abandoned. A quarter of a century has seen the old fort fall into ruins, and to-day scarcely a vestige of what was once a lively encampment remains. The officers and men who guarded its wooden ramparts are scattered and many of them have found a soldier's grave. Some of them died fighting for the flag that waved above the old fort; others forsaking that flag, esponsed the "Lost Cause" and were lost with it.
Very soon after the construction of the military post was resolved upon, a circum- stance occurred which ranks as one of the most important, and at the same time singu- lar, that we have to narrate. This was the murder of James C. Kyle, on the sixth of October, 1853, by Indians from the Table Rock reservation. This sad affair took place within two miles of Fort Lane, at a time when the settlers were congratulating. themselves that Indian difficulties were at an end. Kyle was a merchant of Jackson- ville, partner of Wills whose untimely and cruel death has been recorded. A rigid examination and investigation of the homicide proved that it was committed by indi- viduals from the reservation, and the chiefs were called upon to surrender the criminals in compliance with the terms of the treaty. They did so; and two Indians, George and Tom, were handed over to the proper authorities, as the murderers of Kyle, while Indian Thompson, tilicum of the same tribe, who has been previously mentioned, was surrendered as the murderer of Edwards. Like Thompson, the other two suspects were tried before Judge McFadden of the United States circuit court, at Jacksonville, in February, 1854. They were found guilty, and hanged two days later.
At the close of the Evans' creek campaign, General Lane, with commendable humanity and sagacity, remembering the helpless condition of the incoming migra- tion of the season, dispatched a force of mounted men, being Miller's company, well armed and provisioned, to operate against the Indians in the region where such sicken- ing butcheries were perpetrated the year before, and where Ben Wright and Captain Ross had done such good service in aweing the savages and teaching them lessons of the white man's vengeance. Captain Miller proceeded thence with his men and throughout the season did excellent service in scouting, fighting those Indians who showed signs of hostility, and in piloting trains to their destination. They left Jack- sonville September twelfth, and returning at the close of their campaign, were dis- charged from service on the second of November. Their total term of service was about three months. The only casualties happening to them while on the emigrant
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trail was the wounding of Private William Duke by Indians at Goose lake, October fourth, and of Private Watt, at another time and place. Captain Miller's command on this expedition consisted of 115 men.
These occurrences complete the history of Indian difficulties for the year, and together constitute the natural termination of what is known as the "War of 1853." There is a short note to be appended relating to the indebtedness which grew out of the war. This was assumed by the United States; and however, the people of South- ern Oregon might grumble-and grumble they did-at the attitude of the govern- ment and its army toward the settlers and the Indians, there was no grumbling heard concerning the assumption of the debt by the government, nor at the way in which that debt was paid. The muster-rolls and accounts of all the eight companies and General Lane's staff (the General refused to accept compensation for himself), were made out and adjusted by Captain Goodall, as inspecting and mustering officer, acting under orders from General Lane, at the close of the war; and these papers were forwarded to Captain Alden at Washington, and being presented to congress were promptly acted upon at the instance of that officer and General Lane, in his capacity as delegate to congress from Oregon Territory. Major Alvord, paymaster of the United States army, under orders from the secretary of war, paid off the volunteers, in coin, at Jacksonville and Yreka, in June and July, 1855. The commissary and quartermaster accounts were at the same time sent in draft to Governor Curry, and by him disbursed to the proper creditors. The total cost to the United States was about $285,000.
CHAPTER XXVII.
EVENTS OF 1854.
A Year of Comparative Peace-Tipsu Tyee His Career-The Cave Fight- Death of Tipsu-The Cotton- wood War -- Walker's Expedition - His Muster-roll - Fight at Warner Rock- Return to Jacksonville- Murder of Phillips.
Eighteen hundred and fifty-four was a year of peace for most of the Rogue River tribe, safely gathered on their reservation. The military force at Fort Lane kept in awe such roving vagabond savages as desired or might be led to commit outrages, and also such whites as, not having the fear of the law before their eyes, might seek to interfere with the natives. This latter class, numerous in most frontier countries, was doubly troublesome in Southern Oregon. There were grasping, avaricious men who seemed to begrudge the poor savages the very air they breathed. The reservation, some would say, is too good for them; it ought to be thrown open to settlement by whites. This class, too, were dissatisfied with the annuity that was promised the
WALLING-LITH- PORTLAND -OR.
FARM RESIDENCE OF W. M. MATHES, IZ MILES N. E. OF PHOENIX, JACKSON CO.
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Indians. Nothing in our government's Indian policy commended itself to such men, unless it was the policy of referring the least of the Indians' faults to the stern arbit- rament of bullets, while permitting white men to ride rough-shod over them, regard- less of right or justice.
Tipsu Tyee, however, did not join his brother chiefs in their friendly attitude toward the whites, but on the contrary entered systematically upon a career of stealthy warfare which was manifested in attacks on quite a number of parties on and near the Siskiyou mountains. He effectually terrorized a tract of country reaching from Ash- land to beyond the Klamath, and during many months made unexpected descents upon white settlements, or robbed towns, with almost entire impunity. The first notable outrage was the affair near Ashland on August 17, 1853. The visit of General Lane to Tipsu's headquarters would appear to have been abortive, for at various times we find the chief active against the whites. The principal affair of the season was the fight near Cottonwood, resulting in the death of Hiram Hulen, John Clark, John Oldfield, and Wesley Mayden, who were killed in Jannary, 1854, on the road between Jacksonville and Yreka, by Shasta Indians. This affair had a curious origin. A num- ber of "squaw men" were living along the Klamath and about Cottonwood in the winter of 1853-4, and the women of two of these-Tom Ward and Bill Chance- deserted them and returned to their kindred, who were members of Tyee Bill's band of Shastas, dwelling in a large cave on the north bank of the Klamath, some twenty miles above Cottonwood. The squaw men proceeded after them, but on reaching the cave were ordered to leave. They immediately went to Cottonwood and falsely reported that a large number of stolen horses were in the possession of these Indians, when a company of men was raised to go and recover the animals. They went, and a fight ensuing, the four above mentioned were killed, and the rest driven away. The indig- nation in Cottonwood was great ; the deceased were well known citizens, and the people were not aware how they had been duped by the squaw men. Notice of the difficulty was sent to Captain Judah, commanding at Fort Jones, and he came up with a detach- ment of troops. A company of volunteers was raised at Cottonwood, commanded by R. C. Geiger, with James Lemmon as lieutenant. Their first act was to bury the bodies of Hulen and his friends, who served to start the new cemetery at Cottonwood, and were all buried in one grave. The regulars and volunteers went then to the cave, and laid siege to it, until Captain Geiger was killed by a bullet in his brain, from incau- tiously exposing himself. This happened on the twenty-sixth of January. On the same day Captain Smith arrived from Fort Lane with a detachment of regulars, and a mountain howitzer, and being the senior military officer, took command of the forces. He advanced to the vicinity of the cave and opened fire upon the mouth of it with his howitzer, but ineffectually except as to endangering the volunteers who were sta- tioned near the Indians' den. An old trapper, Robinson by name, now arrived and told Captain Smith the origin of the difficulty. The officer suspended the bombard- ment and went to the cave accompanied by two men only, and conversed with Tyee Bill, who confirmed the trapper's story. Words, it was said, had no power to describe the officer's indignation. Exasperated at the idea of a military force belonging to the United States being engaged in a dispute concerning the possession of squaws, he took his departure with his command in great anger. The inhabitants of Cottonwood 31
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and of all the surrounding country were displeased with this action, and for years the people and press of the border refused to be placated.
Bill's band remained at the cave but made no hostile demonstration. On the twelfth of May a Shasta named Joe, made a felonious assault on a white woman, but was driven away by the approach of some men. He was pursued and fled to the cave. Lieutenant J. C. Bonnycastle, then in charge of Fort Jones, set out for the cave to com- pel his surrender, but halting on Willow creek, was informed of the attack by Tipsu Tyee on Gage and Clymer's pack-train on Siskiyou mountain wherein David Gage was killed and the mules stolen. The next day Lieutenant Bonnycastle and command set out for the scene of the last outrage, and on arriving they found that the murder had been committed by six Indians, of whom four had departed toward the cave. The detachment immediately followed, and reaching that place, they found that the Indians they were in pursuit of had arrived there, and they were none other than Tipsu Tyee, his son, and son-in-law, and another member of their band. But justice had overtaken the notorious old creature at last, for Bill and his party had fallen upon the four and killed them just before the troops arrived, being incited thereto by a desire to win the friendship of the whites, to whom they knew Tipsu to be a bitter enemy. They scalped the dead chief and sent that ghastly trophy to the office of Judge Roseborough in Yreka where it was seen by that gentleman, as he informed the writer. Lieutenant Bonny- castle and Captain Goodall also saw the scalp, and not feeling perfectly assured of its identity, went to the cave and twice exhumed the body, finding satisfactory evidence that it was the old Tyee and none other. Tipsu, is described by Colonel Ross and others who knew him as a tall and powerful man, wearing a beard or goatee which was tinged with gray. He had high cheek bones and a distinctively Indian appearance, but was a fine looking brave. "He was a quiet, reserved man, who never went among white people, when he could avoid it, but staid almost constantly in the hills. He never begged, but if provisions or other gifts were offered, he would allow his squaws to receive them."
The end of the Cottonwood affair is not yet told. The Shastas in the cave were visited by several individuals, among them Lieutenant Bonnycastle, Judge Steele, Judge Roseborough, special Indian agent ; old Tolo chief of the Yreka Shastas and a friend of the whites ; Captain Goodall and others, and persuaded to set out for Fort Jones, where they were to be kept. On arriving at Cottonwood creek on June 24, they were fired. upon by a gang of the miners of that vicinity, and Chief Bill was killed, and several others wounded. The whites lost one man, Thomas C. McKamey. The Indians finally got securely on the Fort Jones reservation. This is the extent of our chronicles concerning the Cave Shastas, and they drift now out of our story.
The remaining incidents of 1854, are connected with the expedition of Captain Jesse Walker to assist the immigrants of that year through the dangerous grounds infested by the Modocs and other hostile tribes who had been punished by the previous expeditions of Captain Ross, Ben Wright and Captain Miller. Under date of July 17, 1854, Governor Davis addressed Colonel John Ross, authorizing him by virtue of his office as colonel in the Oregon militia, to call into service a company of volunteers to protect the immigration and particularly to suppress the Modocs, Pintes, and other . disaffected aborigines. Colonel Ross accordingly made proclamation on the third of
1
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August following, inviting enlistments for the term of three months. Some sixty or seventy men responded, whose names, with the officers they elected, are annexed : Captain, Jesse Walker; Lieutenants, C. Westfeldt, Isaac Miller ; Sergeants, William G. Hill, R. E. Miller, Andrew J. Long; Privates, Benj. Antum, John Bormonler, David Breen, William Bybee, T. C. Banning, O. C. Beeson, Newton Ball, J. H. Clifton, R. S. A. Caldwell, Hugh C. Clauson, J. J. Coffer, W. W. Cose, David Dorsey, Henry C. Eldridge, W. M. D. Foster, T. V. Henderson, Jesse Huggens, J. B. Henit, J. M. Holloway, J. H. Hoffman, James Hathaway, John Head, John Halleck, John Hawkins, David W. Houston, Samuel Hink, William H. Jaquette, Eli Judd, J. P. Jones, L. W. Jones, John F. Linden,, Peter Mowry, John Martin, Greenville Matthews, John M. Malone, B. McDaniel, James McLinden, John Pritchett, J. B. Patterson, Warren Pratt, Sylvester Pase, J. A. Pinney, George Ritchy, W. M. Rise, R. M. Robertson, E. A. Rice, Thomas Swank, Seth Sackett, J. R. Smith, N. D. Schooler, John Smith, John Shookman, Silas R. Smith, Marion Snow, Vincent Tullis, John Thompson, David Thompson, Peter H. Vanslyke, Samuel Wilks, Lafayette Witt, Squire Williams, Elijah Walker, George W. Wilson, M. Wolverton, James Wilks, Thomas P. Walker, James W. Walker, H. Wright.
Colonel Ross' instructions to the officers before their departure, were to proceed immediately to some suitable point near Clear lake, in the vicinity of Bloody Point, and protect the trains. These instructions concluded: "Your treatment of the Indians must in a great measure be left to your own discretion. If possible, cultivate their friendship; but, if necessary for the safety of the lives and property of the immi- gration, whip and drive them from the road." Simultaneously with their starting, a small party of Yreka people also set out with the same object. These were only fifteen in number, but included, also, some very experienced Indian fighters. While traveling along the north shore of Tule lake, they were greeted by a shower of arrows from the tules. They retired to await the Oregon company. When Captain Walker arrived, he sent forty men of his company with five Californians to attack the Indian village, which was situated in the marsh three hundred yards from where the attack had been made. This was destroyed without resistance, and all the men returned to camp at the mouth of the Lost river. The permanent rendezvous was made at Clear lake; and here both companies established their headquarters. Lieutenant Westfeldt, with a mixed detachment of Oregonians and Californians, went eastward on the trail as far as the big bend of the Humboldt, to meet the coming immigrants. Trains were made up of the scattered wagons, and being furnished with small escorts, were sent on westward. The Californians soon returning home, Captain Walker set out to punish the Piutes, who had stolen stock from the immigrants. On October third he started with sixteen men, traveling northward from Goose lake, when meeting a band of Indians, he chased them forty miles, coming the second day upon them where they were forti- fied on the top of an immense rock, named by him Warner's rock, in remembrance of Captain Warner, killed there in 1849. The small party made a furious attack upon the stronghold, but was repulsed with one man, John Low, wounded. Returning to Goose lake, they met and killed two Indians. Setting out again with twenty-five men, . the determined captain again headed for Warner's rock, and by traveling in the night, reached it without being suspected by the savages, who, it was found, had gone down
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from the rock, and were living on the bank of a creek. The men rode up to the camp, and formed a semi-circle about it. At daydreak they began firing, and drove the Indians pell-mell into the brush, killing many. The only white man injured was Sergeant William Hill, who was severely wounded in the arm and cheek by a bullet from the gun of one of his companions. Returning now to Goose lake and then home- ward, they were mustered out of service at Jacksonville on November 6, 1854.
Before closing this account of the events of 1854, there is mention to be made of two murders committed by Indians, the one of - Stewart, an immigrant, while proceeding westward on the wagon trail, in September; the other that of Edward Phillips. The latter homicide occurred on the Applegate, about the middle of April. It was supposed to have been the deed of certain Indians residing thereabouts, but which was laid to the charge of the tribe on Rogne river. Captain Smith detailed a detachment to inquire into the matter, whose commanding officer reported that the man had been killed in his own cabin, and evidently for the purpose of robbery, as his gun, ammunition and tools had been taken.
As we have seen, the greater part of the difficulties which occurred during the year 1854, were outside of the Rogue river valley, but they were still near enough to keep a portion of its inhabitants in a state of alarm.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
CAUSES OF THE WAR OF 1855-6.
Character of the Events of 1855-Public Opinion-Situation of the Indians-The Speculative Class-Murder of Hill-Of Philpot-Of Dyer and McCue-The Humbug War-Invasion of Jackson County-Resolutions- The Invaders Retire-Death of Keene-Murder of Fields and Cunningham-Reflections The Lupton Affair.
The latter portion of the history of Southern Oregon's Indian wars possesses a peculiar distinction. It describes exclusively the strong; struggles of a single tribe against extermination ; it tells their slow and gradual yielding, and finally the last act of their existence which bears interest to us; namely, their exile from the land of their birth. The subject which we took up lightly at the year 1827 has assumed a weightier character. Year by year the irrepressible conflict of races has taken on more alarming symptoms. The unavoidable termination as it approached, bore to the people a more serious import. We can imagine the situation as after a lapse of nearly three decades we philosophize upon the subject. The Indians toward the end of 1855 are growing restless, even desperate. The have long felt and now recognize the tight- ening bands of an adverse civilization strangling them. The white men who came
METROPOLITAN HOTEL, PROPERTY OF D.C.MCCLELLAN, COR. JACKSON AND WASHINGTON STS. ROSEBURG.
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with fair promises, who brought trifling presents, and who broke their words as twigs are broken, outnumbered them by far. In the minds of the whites distrust increases. There has also crept in a new element and an influential one. Speculative gentlemen mused upon the profits of an Indian war, and took note how surely government reim- bursed the contractors, the packers, the soldiers, of previous wars. Being without other means of accumulating wealth, why should they not keep an eye open to the chance of a war against the Indians. "A good crop pays well, but a good lively cam- paign is vastly more lucrative." These few schemers were ready to take advantage of_ a war, and doubly ready with their little bills; bills that the government found so exhorbitant that it took alarm -- imagined a grand conspiracy to bring on a war and by such means to defraud the treasury ; and, finally, would pay no bills, not even those of honest volunteers who had periled life and limb in the country's need. Years after, there came J. Ross Browne, as treasury agent, who looked into the matter and found therein nothing but the traces of shrewd contractors and unscrupulous purveyors, and he bore evidence to the honesty and uprightness of the people, and to the legitimacy of the war. But this is a digression from our topic. The events of 1855 are easily susceptible of arrangement in historical form. Those which precede the beginning of hostilities (which took place October eighth), we are enabled to arrange in three series with reference to their locality, date of occurrence, and canse.
We are informed that on May 8, 1855, - Hill was attacked and killed on Indian creek, in Siskiyou county, California. Primarily this information is obtained from the official list of white persons killed by Indians, referred to as the work of a legislative committee. The next entry is to the effect that " Jerome Dyar and Daniel McKew" were killed on the first of June, on the road from Jacksonville to the Illinois valley, and that, as in the former case, the killing was done by Rogue River Indians. On June second, says the report, Philpot was killed by the same Indians, in Deer creek valley. These constitute a chain of events to which particular attention should be paid in order to ascertain the comparative trustworthiness of the publication quoted from.
From a careful comparison of accounts, oral as well as printed, it appears that a party of Illinois Indians, belonging possibly to Limpy's band, but more likely being the remnant of those active and formidable savages who so boldly resisted the attacks both of the regulars and the miners, as described in foregoing pages, went over to the Klamath river about Happy Camp, and robbed some miners' cabins, and then proceed- ing to Indian creek, killed a man named Hill-sometimes spelled Hull-and precip- itately returning, stole some cattle from Hay's ranch (afterwards Thornton's), and took their booty to the hills at the head of Slate creek. On the day following, Samuel Frye set ont from Hay's ranch with a force of eight men, and following the Indians into the hills, came upon them and killed or mortally wounded three of them, as the whites reported. The latter retired and probably were followed, as on the next day, while returning with re-inforcements, it was found that the Indians had gone to Deer creek and murdered Philpot and seriously wounded James Mills. The neighboring settlers and others moved immediately to Yarnall's stockade for safety, while Frye, with his military company, now increased to twenty men, were active in protecting them, and seeking the Indians. News was sent to Fort Lane, and Lieutenant Switzer with a force
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of twelve men came down and entered upon the search, only to find that the Indians had murdered Jerome Dyer and Daniel McCue, on the Applegate, where they had gone on their supposed way to the Klamath lakes. A day or so later the Indians, finding their way blocked for escape to the eastward, surrendered to the troops and were taken to the Fort for safe keeping, as there were no regularly constituted author- ities to receive them, and if once allowed to go out of the power of the soldiers would infallibly have been killed by the citizens, as indeed they well deserved. The Indians, fourteen in number were brought up to the reserve, but Chief Sam put in forcible objections against their being allowed to come among his people, saying that some whites were endeavoring to raise disturbances among the latter, and their own good name would suffer, etc. To this Captain Smith and Agent Ambrose assented, and pro- vided a place for the Indians at Fort Lane, where they were kept under guard, as much to prevent whites from killing them as to discourage them from running away.
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