USA > Oregon > Pioneer days of Oregon history, Vol. II > Part 13
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
We were now captives of a horde of savages. The house we were held captive in was a large, square adobe building, containing five rooms, one being a bedroom and the others large living rooms. Each of these rooms had two families living in it. The Indians supplied us with plenty of food. Every morning early they would come from their village, a mile or two away, and stay until late at night. We had to prepare food for them, of which they would make us eat first, for fear that we had put poison in it. The women seldom came around. When night came and the beds were made down, the Indians would take possession of them, and we would frequently have to sit up until midnight before they would leave the house.
On the 5th of December my little sister, six years old, died; three days afterwards Helen died. There were two young men at the sta- tion who were sick with a fever at the time of the massacre. These men were not killed at that time. One of them spent the night of the 29th of November alone in his room, not knowing that any one else was alive aside from himself. They had both been removed to the house where we were staying. One evening we were startled by the savages attacking these men as they lay in their bed. We all rushed outside, supposing that we were all to be killed. An Indian told us to come back, that only the two were to be killed. Late that evening there was a knock at the door, and a voice in English called the name of one of the young women named Mary Smith. It proved to be her father, who with his family and another family had arrived from the saw mill, where they were employed. They had been brought down
540
Pioneer Days of Oregon History
to be murdered, but word had come from the fort that no more Americans were to he slaughtered. It came too late to save the two young men, who had been dead several hours. These men were set at running the grist mill.
One evening an Indian came to the house and seemed to be looking for some one. We learned that it was Miss Bewley. She was sick with the ague, and was lying in bed. He went to the bed and began to fondle over her. She sprang up and sat down behind the stove. He sat down by her and tried to prevail upon her to be his wife. She told him that he had a wife, and that she would not have him. Find- ing that persuasion nor threats availed, he seized her and dragged her out of the house, and tried to place her upon his horse; he failed in this also. She told him that she would tell the chief of his conduct the next day. He said he would not let her do so. She replied that she would call loud enough for him to hear her and come to see what was the matter. He tried to stop her screams by placing his hand over her mouth. The contest lasted for some time, when, becoming enraged, he threw her with violence upon the ground. After per- petrating his hellish designs upon her, he ordered her to go to the house. The poor, heartbroken girl came in, shaking with agitation. One of the women sent Eliza and I to get some medicine for her. It was in another room; the fiend was in there, and wanted to know what we wanted of the medicine. We told him it was for a sick child. We carried it in, well pleased with our ruse. A few days after this a chief of the Umatillas sent for and carried Miss B. there and held her as his wife. The evening after she left the other came with a wagon and a team. He had ropes and men to assist him to carry her to his lodge.
Previous to this the Indians had held a council to decide what to do with their prisoners. Many speeches were made; the savage mentioned above said he could see no use in bothering with them; the easiest and quickest way to get rid of them was to kill them. He sat down, and a Nez Percé arose and gave him such a scathing rebuke that he cowed down and had no more to say. They decided to keep us during the winter, and then send us below in the spring. We were informed of this, with the assurance that we would all be killed if our country- men attempted our rescue. A few evenings after this another council was held, at which we were required to be present. This council was for the purpose of setting before the young women the policy of taking chiefs for their husbands to protect them from violence. The
541
In Captivity
poor girls had to submit to the decrees of their captors. The remem- brance of these things takes all admiration for the noble red man from those who had the experience. Our captors kept us busy mak- ing them shirts out of the goods taken at the station-we knew that the Indians were planning an expedition to The Dalles. It was no unusual thing for one to come and demand a shirt made against a set time, as he was going to The Dalles. We would make the shirt, he would come and get it, bid us good-bye, and leave, but in a day or so be back with another shirt to make. We learned that this was a ruse adopted to have their sewing done first. Sometimes it was done to see if we would sew upon the Sabbath. One Sabbath evening a fel- low came and wanted us to make him a shirt that evening. We re- fused, telling him it was the Sabbath. He became very abusive, so we commenced the shirt, and seeing this he left. We then laid it aside, and next day complained to the chief, and he forbid them bringing us work to do upon the Sabbath.
The Indians generally stayed around until near midnight. After they would leave some of the vagabonds would come in and harass us and manage to frighten us thoroughly for their own amusement. To prevent this we adopted the plan of hiring some of the influential men to stay with us until 1 or 2 o'clock. The one who oftenest per- formed this service was Beardy. He had remained in the lodge upon the day of the massacre till late in the day, when he came upon the scene and made a touching appeal for the lives of the women and children. He was a professor of religion and was regarded as a good Indian. The ladies were in the habit of setting him a lunch before he left. One of them had baked some pies made of dried peaches, and which were kept hid from the other natives. These particularly suited old Beardy's taste, and notwithstanding he had eaten several hearty meals during the day, he partook freely of them. After reaching home his stomach rebelled and rejected the load. Seeing the fruit thrown from his stomach, he mistook it for blood and concluded that we had poisoned him, and vowed that our lives should pay the forfeit. He was sick three days; on the fourth he came armed with a band of savages to wreak vengeance upon our defenceless heads. During the night an Indian woman had arrived from Fort Hall. Her husband was a white man, and she spoke the English language well. As soon as she heard of the massacre she started for the station, and her arrival was very opportune. She pleaded our cause with Beardy and convinced him that he alone was
542
Pioneer Days of Oregon History
to blame-that he had only overeaten himself. He was very much ashamed of the affair, and used to laugh over it. It came near being a serious joke to us.
It was our custom to gather in some one of the rooms to spend the evenings; we felt better when thus together. One evening I was sitting by the fire in a room some distance from the one I occupied, when a stalwart savage came in, seized me by the arm and dragged me shrieking through the house to our room, which was empty at the time, excepting the sleeping children. Placing a chair, he told me to sit down; he then began to court me for his friend. The friend soon came in and I was compelled to listen to their love speeches. A half-breed present came in and told them not to try to carry me away. They said they did not intend to; they only wanted to amuse them- selves. I could not see the fun, but sat shivering with fright and cold. I begged them to let me go to the fire; they refused and wrapped a blanket around me. They made my life a torment to me, and so afraid was I of being carried off by them that I was tempted to end my troubles by jumping into the mill pond. My fellow-prisoners sympathized with me, and laid many plans for eluding them. Jo Stanfield proposed that I should go to the straw stack and sleep, but this the women would not allow, as they were suspicious of him. Some proposed that I go to Jo Finlay's lodge in company with one of Mr. Young's sons. This was also abandoned. Mr. Young and his wife then laid a plan by which they thought I could elude them. During the day their extra beds were thrown upon the bedstead. In the evening the old gentleman was in the habit of lying on the front of the bedstead. The girls were to watch their chance, when the Indians would be out of the room, and take me in. 1 was then to get over behind the pile of bedding and lie down. A few evenings after- wards they came and the plan was carried out with complete success. I lay quiet, and although they searched the house, they failed to find me, and left, giving vent to their chagrin in loud whoops. Soon after one of them came again. I went to bed and was asleep, as was every one else. I felt some one pulling me by the arm; starting up, I confronted my enemy; he wanted me to sit by the fire with him; I refused. He tried coaxing and threats, but in my desperation I lost all fear of him, and fought with teeth and nails. He said if I would sit and talk with him he would go away, but I would not. The contest lasted for some time, then he raiscd his whip and said he would whip me, but I cared not, and still fought
543
In Captivity
him, calling upon other Indians who were sleeping near to help me. They paid no heed, but the white men, getting tired of the row, jumped up, when he left and never came back. The Indians called me a brave girl, that would thus fight a man.
Knowing how treacherous the nature of the savages was, we lived in constant fear of their murdering us. We watched for their coming in the morning and only felt safe when they departed at night. It was my custom to take my sister, who was three years old and was prostrated by a long and severe illness, in my arms and sit down behind the stove every morning and thus await their coming, resolved to die with her in my arms should they murder us. Occasionally I would go over to my desolated home. What a scene was presented there! Mutilated furniture, feathers, ashes, straw and blood, all commingled in one indiscriminate mass; desolation reigned where once had been peace and harmony. Amid all the anguish and turmoil of those dark days there would sometimes things occur that were ludicrous enough to make us for a moment forget sorrow and indulge in a hearty laugh. One day an Indian brave came riding to the house with a large map of the world thrown over his horse for a blanket. At another time the voices of the children would be heard singing hymns, accompanied by the natives. Oh, blessed childhood, that can thus throw off sorrow and gloom !
On the 26th of December word came that three boats had arrived at the fort. This news caused great excitement, both to captors and captives, and a messenger was dispatched to learn the particulars. In a few hours he returned with the information that the great chief of the Hudson's Bay Company had come and wanted the Indians to meet him in council next day. The greatest excitement prevailed among the captors and their captives. While the hope of rescne was feebly entertained, it was overshadowed by the thought of another terrible massacre, in which we would be the victims. Our captors left for their village, but in the course of a few hours returned in their hideous war paint and armed to the teeth. They remained a short time to finish their preparations, and then departed for the fort. It was just nightfall when they left
Oh, what anxious days those were; how slowly the hours seemed to drag along! On the evening of the second day we were overjoyed at receiving Miss Bewley again. She gave us a graphic account of her life during her absence. We slept but little that night, and as
544
Pioneer Days of Oregon History
soon as daylight appeared we started for the fort. All of us wept as we drove away from that scene of suffering; wept for joy at our escape and for sorrow for those who had been slain and could not go with us. As we left an Indian woman came from a lodge near by and told us to hasten for our lives, that her people had repented and were coming to kill us. We made all speed we could, and as darkness came on the welcome walls of the fort loomed dimly before us and we were soon inside, but did not feel safe until a week afterwards, we reached the settlements. Thus ended our captivity among the Indians.
CHAPTER LIII
THE CAYUSE WAR
WHAT has preceded this has given the details of life at Waiilatpu and the massacre of November 28, 1847, also the warnings given by the agents of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany that the Cayuses were becoming dangerous and liable to outbreak. Agent McKinlay, at Walla Walla (now Wallula) station, advised Whitman to leave there long enough to let them find out his value to them, for he felt sure they would soon be glad to ask his return, and willing to accord him proper respect. But Whitman could not consent to leave the home he had made and all the improve- ments of the mission he had founded, with the many warm friends he had among them. Meanwhile, the Catholic priests had come among the Cayuses, and to leave even tem- porarily would be to abandon the field to give them oppor- tunity to supplant him. To many of the Cayuses the forms and ceremonies of that church appealed with striking effect ; he had reason to fear that absence would be fatal to his labors, so determined to work on and hope for the best.
Such was the condition in the fall of 1847, when the immigration passed through. Unfortunately for all con- cerned, the newcomers had the measles among them, and this disease in a virulent form attacked the people at the mission as well as the Indians. The result was fearful. The Cayuses relied on their sweat-houses and the magic of their medicine men. When they took the medicine Dr. Whitman
546
Pioneer Days of Oregon History
gave, they did not follow directions, so there was no good effect.
The best efforts of the Hudson's Bay people availed noth- ing. They had warned Whitman of his danger when they heard what threats the Cayuses made, but he could not be- lieve they had murder in their hearts. Nothing could pacify or satisfy the Cayuses; they were frantic at the loss of friends and children, and although the disease prevailed also at the mission and was in some cases fatal, they listened to the words of a half-breed miscreant, named Jo Lewis, who assured them that they were being poisoned purposely by Dr. Whitman, who wanted their lands for friends of his who were to come in the future. He even asserted that he heard the doctor, Mr. Spaulding and Mrs. Whitman plot- ting in his hearing how to destroy them in the most certain manner.
This infamous creature came there wandering and home- less, naked and hungry, and Whitman, whose nature was generous, took him into his employ and treated him with kindness. When he saw that the influence of Jo Lewis was evil, he was discharged, but he soon returned and begged so piteously, that he was again set to work, against the doctor's better judgment. He repaid this kindness with the basest treachery ; calling up the fate of their race on the Atlantic ; he stimulated their native ferocity with this fact of history, then added the perjured lie, that they were to be victims of the doctor's art, and that Whitman's medicine was deadly.
False and savage as these Cayuses were, ill as they had treated this benefactor, who abandoned civilization to bring them news of salvation, one cannot but feel some leniency
547
The Cayuse War
toward a race terrorized by falsehood, who were so tena- cious of their rights and their homes.
On that fatal 28th of November, 1847, a few of the most fanatical and savage of the Cayuses murdered Dr. and Mrs. Whitman, and many more, including men and boys who were sick in their beds; sparing only three men, who could manage the mills, and the women, girls and children- some of them for a fate worse than death. A few escaped to the trading fort, but there were eleven ghastly corpses and mangled remains of those zealous servants of God who surrendered civilized life for that of the wilderness, and devoted themselves to the service of these very mur- derers !
These were the incidents that led to the Cayuse war. Dr. Whitman had been warned by Dr. McLoughlin, Agent Mc- Kinlay and others, that the Cayuses were becoming danger- ous before the immigration brought the measles among them. The doctor and Mrs. Whitman talked over their danger at this very time, and wept over the possibilities of their fate. Agent McBean, in charge at this time at Fort Walla Walla, was most apprehensive from what he heard and saw, but with a courage that defied fate, the devoted missionaries remained at their posts and became martyrs to their faith.
We must remember that they were handicapped by the promises and assurances given the Cayuses in advance of their coming by Rev. Samuel Parker, that they should be paid for their land and receive annual gifts. Of course, he referred to the course he supposed the government would pursue, but while he dealt in suppositions, the Indians treasured every word as a specific promise, from one who
548
Pioneer Days of Oregon History
came to them representing the white man's God in his own person.
The writer of this secured from a lady who was at thir- teen years of age a survivor of that fearful time, a full and complete account of the massacre and of her captivity, as also the beautiful family life in the Whitman home, where they cared for a large number of children, orphaned on the plains, who became their own children by adoption. He learned many facts from this lady, who was his near neighbor, also from the nephew of Dr. Whitman and from the Spauldings, all of which confirm the belief that Whit- man labored, endured and suffered in the effort to benefit this savage race, much more than could have been expected of the most self-denying martyr.
The fate of the Whitmans, of the many who composed their family and persons in their employ, came upon the pioneers of the Occident with fearful effect. The Hudson's Bay Company took immediate steps to free the captives, sending an armed company under Peter Skeen Ogden, one of their leaders, who went to negotiate for the purchase of the women and children, paid their ransom as agreed and conveyed them to the settlements in safety-a work of hu- manity much to the credit of that company.
The question of permitting savage murderers to go un- punished had to be met, and the decision of the brave pioneers was, that the safety of their settlements, as well as of future immigrations that must pass through that country, demanded that the Cayuses should be severely punished and every one of the murderers convicted and suf- fer death as punishment.
At that time the few pioneers had inaugurated a pro-
549
The Cayuse War
visional government that had no means at command; a gov- ernor who had no reliable salary, a legislature that had no resources to draw from.
The few thousands of early settlers were scattered over a wide region west of the Cascade Range, far from the hostile tribe, with but scanty means to live and no sources of revenue but the acres they had subdued. Wheat was legal tender and the currency in circulation was the promises of the Hudson's Bay Company, of the missions, and of individuals who were in trade, or had more than ordinary resources. To prosecute war, equip a regiment, and secure material was scarcely possible.
Through the Hudson's Bay Company, the news reached Governor George Abernethy, at Oregon City, within ten days after the massacre-on December 8th. The legislature had met, so the matter was laid before that body by the governor. It may be imagined that consternation filled this far community. With energy that was as surprising as it was patriotic, the legislature ordered a company of fifty riflemen enrolled and equipped, which was done in twenty- four hours. The governor, with the loan committee ap- pointed by the legislature, consisting of Jesse Applegate, A. L. Lovejoy and G. L. Curry, went the same day to Van- couver, and by pledging their individual credit, purchased about $1,000 worth of supplies for the use of this company. Further means, to the extent of about $5,000, was raised; $1,000 from the treasury of the Methodist mission, $1,600 from merchants at Oregon City and yet more by contribu- tion of supplies from producers.
In this inchoate condition, few at least too poor to have what are called life's comforts and ill-supplied for absolute
550
Pioneer Days of Oregon History
needs, these intrepid pioneers commenced a war with sav- ages removed two hundred and fifty miles from their base of supplies, in a wilderness inhabited by wild beasts and as wild tribes. Their especial enemy was the most numerous, savage and warlike tribe of all!
The entire American force in Oregon seemed unequal to such an emergency. To be sure, they had their old-fash- ioned rifles, and each man had some powder and ball, but they had no supply adequate for a campaign, for the less than $5,000 at their command was but a drop in a bucket to the needs of such a war. They sent a messenger to the national capitol, three thousand miles away, who, though a mountain man of tried experience, must be months on the way. They attempted to send an embassy to California, but this failed, after risking the lives of the party in vain effort to surmount the snows of the Siskiyou Range. There was no vessel bound for San Francisco that winter; the only craft to leave the Columbia River was bound to Honolulu, and they sent by it a letter to the American consul there, explaining their emergency. Isolated from the world, they summoned all their courage to dare fate and carry the war into the enemy's country !
Has history in America record of any greater pluck than this?
Congress had been talking since 1825 of the Oregon question, and all the United States knew of the importance of the Pacific Coast of America. Discussion in favor of a pending donation land bill had been going on for years. Time and again those Oregonians of the farthest Occident had sent memorials to Congress stating their isolation and danger and pleading their love for their country; urging
551
The Cayuse War
their helplessness and exposure, lack of means and resources, and their weakness in case of difficulty, but no notice was taken-no answer made. So this small band of Americans was left to battle for life or death as they could.
Had our government recognized its duty to itself, even as well as to the struggling patriots who preserved for it an empire on the Pacific that is scarce equalled on the face of earth, they would have been protected and nourished in safety; there would have been fewer outrages on Indians and fewer acts of vengeance in return; there would have been no Indian wars and no such holocaust of victims as were slaughtered at Waiilatpu that November morning in 1847. A firm hand and a just rule on the part of our government could have protected the Indians as a race, as well as the whites, and have left the history of the United States un- stained as to both !
The presence of those rescued women and children was enough to incite men to heroism, and their story of outrage and suffering was potent to arouse vengeance. The mas- sacre occurred November 28th and the rescued survivors reached Oregon City on January 8th. Too much praise cannot be given to Mr. Ogden and to the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company for their noble generosity in purchasing the freedom of the captives, and for their cour- age in risking their own relations with the Indians of the entire region by this interference to protect the victims and restrain further violence.
By act of the legislature the regiment of 500 men was to rendezvous at Oregon City by the 25th of December, then proceed to the seat of war to punish those guilty of the massacre. The features of that time would make a volume
552
Pioneer Days of Oregon History
of romance as well as tragedy, but this is merely a sketch of what actually occurred in prosecution of the war, so we pass over the intervening details.
We will now trace the progress of the war in the field, show how the volunteers went to the front in the depths of winter and drove the haughty Cayuses to sue for peace, and so prevent their taking part in future wars.
The scene of the war was Eastern Oregon, while the white population was all west of the Cascade Range, chiefly in the Willamette valley. For over sixty miles the Columbia River has worn its way through these wide sierras; great difficulty of transportation has always resulted from the existence of formidable obstruction of the Cascades, in the heart of the ranges and at The Dalles, the eastern gateway of the mountains. The fur companies had trouble with the Indians at both these points in earliest times. Now the Indians there were not so dangerous. The obstructions were difficult to surmount at the Cascades, as all goods had to be transported by portage for five miles.
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.