USA > Oregon > The Oregon native son, 1900-1901 > Part 41
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The next day we suffered much from thirst, but finally reached the Yakima Valley by crossing the River at White Bluffs. We camped on the Yakima River one night, losing several horses. The next morning we moved camp to the mouth of Cottonwood Creek. Here Col- onel Cornelius ordered George Zimmer- man and myself back to the camp of the night before, to stay there until morn- ing and then look for the lost horses. Ar- riving at the old camp after dark, we . staked our mules and retired to rest. About midnight two Indian dogs came to our camp, and I assure my readers we felt very blue. At daybreak the next morning we struck out to look for our lost horses, expecting every moment to run into an Indian ambush. After rid- ing several miles we saw a suspicious dust arising ahead of us, and started to return to where we had left the main command. Soon afterwards we ob- served a small party of Indians coming towards us, and our hair raised involun- tarily on end. We spurred our mules to their greatest speed, but the Indians ap-
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peared to gain on us at every jump. We had about determined to give up the race and turn and face our pursuers, to sell our lives as dearly as passible, when, from some undiscovered cause, the In- dians shifted their course and left us to ourselves. A few miles further on we found a note from Lieutenant Hutchinson of my company sticking on a sage bush, which said that the Indians had killed Captain Hembree, and for us to go to Cottonwood Creek and remain there un- til dark, then to follow up the creek at night, as the hills were alive with In- dians. We forged ahead until we came in sight of our old camp, and, to our agreeable surprise, found the command still there. At the last moment the Col- onel had ordered that no movement be attempted until we were heard of, dead or alive.
It appeared, that morning Captain Hembree, accompanied by about ten men had started up the side of the mountain from the Cottonwood, and when nearly a mile from camp, had engaged about seventy-five Indians, who had ridden over the ridge and cut him and his party off from the command.
The Indians killed the Captain, scalped him, stripped him, and relieved his pock- ets of $600 in gold, securing his rifle, two pistols, his mule, saddle, bridle and gold watch, and made away before the command could overtake them, so quickly was their work accomplished.
The day after Captain Hembree was killed we moved camp towards The Dalles, taking his body with us. Pass- ing up Cottonwood Canyon, I was on the advance guard, and was. riding by the side of Colonel Cornelius, when an Indian, ambushed behind a pine tree, fired on us. His shot cut the leather thong of my shot pouch and went through my vest, but doing no serious harm. Af- ter firing, he dodged from behind the trees and scampered off up the hill, try- ing to escape. I raised my rifle to fire at him. but the Colonel pushed it to one side, saying: "I claim that 'Injun. ..
and almost simultaneously blazed away and brought the red devil down. He then ran up and scalped him. After losing his scalp the Indian rose to his feet, when the Colonel made a good Indian of him with a pistol ball through the brains. Meanwhile others of the command had not been idle, but had unearthed several Indians and taken their scalps.
We now crossed the Simcoe Moun- tains, marched through the Klickitat Valley, and went into camp about fifteen miles from The Dalles. Here I was taken down with mountain fever, and was transported to that embryo city and placed in a hospital. A day or two after my departure, the Indians made a dash and secured nearly all the horses and mules belonging to the command, leaving only a few of the poorest ones. This occurred on a cold morning, after the stock had been tied up all night and were shivering with cold. The Indians were in hiding at a convenient distance, and watching for an opportunity, as soon as the stock were turned loose, swept down and dashed between it and the herders and secured not only the loose stock, but a majority of the herders' own horses. The Indians started the stock on the run. and kept them so moving until out of danger. They captured some fine mules. worth on an average, $200 apiece, and many large American horses. This was a great loss to Oregon Territory and to the individuals who owned their own mounts. I lost a horse worth $150, and never received a cent for him.
When able to travel, I bid farewell to the hospital, and proceeded to Salem. where I was discharged.
In this connection I want to say that we were handicapped during the whole campaign for want of suitable horses to follow the hostile Indians. They had plenty of good mounts at all times, while the volunteers had only one horse each. which soon run down in flesh, and could not then keep pace with the Indians.
ISAAC V. MOSSMAN.
(To be continued.)
HOW CAPTAIN DOBBINS WAS PROMOTED.
A SCRAP OF IDAHO HISTORY.
(Copyright 1900, by G. A. Waggoner. ) (Concluded.)
W'e traveled along with the timber line until we reached a point overlooking a large basin in the hills. Cautiously peeping over a ledge of rocks, a large Indian village was in full view, about a miile below. We counted forty-three lodges. Our glass enabled us to get a good view. Evidently the lodges had just been put up, as the grass was still standing about the doors and the chil- dren were frolicking about with that childish curiosity which indicated they" were not among familiar objects. The horses were feeding briskly away from where they had just been turned loose. The young girls were wandering about the camp with all the aimlessness of youth, while some of the elder women liacked away the brush from the willow- fringed stream that they might reach the water. The men were evidently pre- paring for a grand hunt, as they were seen with bows and arrows and guns in hand, passing from lodge to lodge. It was a beautiful sight. The whole pic- ture is stamped upon the retina of my mind today. I can call it up at will ; even now I am seated again in the rocks and drinking in the wild, ravishing beauty of the scene.
The encampment is near the center of the valley, which is circular in form, re- sembling a huge basin whose well de- fined rim touches and rests against the darker green of the pine-clad hills, wild flowers and yellow sage mingle with the green grass, and give the basin a rich tan color. The hills overlap, concealing from view the entrance and exit of the willow-fringed stream, which is thrown carelessly with many windings and doublings, like a green thread across the basin.
The Indian women have lighted the fires, and each wigwam is rolling from its summit heavy folds of blue smoke, causing me to imagine an impossible group of miniature volcanic pyramids, from which the fire is just ready to burst. The immense herd of horses just freed from the day's journey are moving leisurely toward the western edge of the basin, industriously cropping the grass which grows in wild profu- sion among the sage.
I can see the dark warriors, with bare limbs an dshoulders, standing or moving about the ledges, and the lit- tle wolf-like dogs, the children, the young men and maidens. One among the latter catches my eye, and the glass is leveled long where she stands. It is apart from the village, down the stream, which seems to have carelessly doubled about to throw a fold of tall wil- lows to conceal her from prying eyes. She is young, lithe and apparently slight built for one of her race. The top of her shoulders, her neck and arms are bare. Some kind of beads encircle her wrists and neck; her long, black hair, uncaught by braid or band, thrown backward reaches to her waistband ; her face, when she turns toward me. by its tinge here and there of vermillion. tells me she has carefully made her toilette, although lately arrivd from a dusty journey, and, I believe, she has delib- erately laid her plans to ensnare a young brave, one just a little braver than all the rest. He is standing by her side. and I verily believe is fully aware she has wandered away from the rest that he might follow: that her lips and cheeks were painted for his especial no- tice, and that all the fond endearments
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which she is lavishing upon a little spot- ted colt, which stands quietly for her caresses, are intended for him. He waits patiently while her arms are about the neck of her little pet; then as its dam walks away and it breaks loose to follow, he twirls a finger in a lock of the raven liair of his pet, and playfully they wander on together.
All this is in my picture, seen dis- tinctly, while two snow-clad peaks on the north and west look down to re- flect the rays of the setting sun and hold in check the gathering twilight, re- lighting the whole basin and bringing out in clear outline and almost startling distinctness, the whole scene below.
Of all the pictures memory has pre- served of that eventful raid, this one has been the least touched by time, and is the most tenderly cherished.
Of all the habitations of man, that of the Indian is, to my mind, the most picturesque. But to us the grandest sight was the horses. They covered the entire western half of the basin. For hours we lay and watched the village. Our glass was of service to us in en- abling us to see without being seen and to know without being known. Besides it gave us much food for after thought, if rightly understood. How much of the story of life came crowding through the lenses of that glass as we lay among the rocks and watched that Indian vil- lage !
"We have a streak of luck," said Bob, "and are going to have things all our way. By dark those horses will be over that hill, two miles from the village, and very likely without a single herder."
We lay quietly until dark. and then started to skirt around the encampment to where the horses were last seen. We walked swiftly and silently along, our moccasined feet falling without a sound upon the thick carpet of grass which covered the hills. In about an hour we were feeding rapidly away from the came up with the hindmost horses, which a couple of miles, Bob said. "Let us mount and drive a little faster." The hindmost horses were easily approached.
We noosed a couple, and, mounting, brought in the stragglers, crowding the herd closer together without a sound louder than a low hist. We had the whole band in motion, going at a full trot. Luckily there was a good trail. Many of the horses had been stolen from the Boise country, and some of them were leading out briskly for home.
WVe changed our riding horses fre- quently, trying to get the best ones within reach of our ropes, and increased our speed until midnight, when the whole herd was going at full run. We had dropped out most of the mares and colts, knowing they would follow along and cover up the tracks of the horses. We rode back and forwards in driving, thereby destroying the evidence that the band was being driven. By this man- euver we honed to deceive any Indians who might follow into the belief that their stock was taking a journey of their own accord, in which case they might follow to overtake them without alarm- ing the village.
We were driving over light alkali soil. Clouds of white dust arose, float- ing off to the south, and showed in the clear moonlight like billows of mov- ing snow. On we thundered. A thou- sand horses and but two to ride. The air was cool and bracing, the moon was at the full. We had no thought of weariness : danger and hope carried ns beyond fatigue. There was danger be- hind, there was hope ahead, but not one drop of our blood but was doing active duty in sustaining our spirits which had now risen to the highest pitch. It was a glorious ride. Back and forth we darted with the fury of devils. utter- ing vehement hisses and lashing the hindmost horses with our ropes. Throughout the night we galloped and ran. When daylight began to dawn we were in sight of Snake River, ten miles above Salmon Falls.
Looking back we saw a dust about a mile back, which told us we were about to be overtaken. At last Boh stopped to see what was coming I heard him fire two shots. He soon overtook me and said,"It was only a couple of
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los. and they were not armed. I could mit bear to hurt them, but shot their horses. You should have seen the ras- cals run : they dived into the sage brush like a couple of rabbits. When the others come on, those boys and their dead horses will tell a big tale. They did not see me, and will think there was a dozen of me."
After awhile six or eight Indians came in sight, and Bob stopped again. Hle fired several shots in rapid succes- ion. "They ran at the first fire," said Bob. "I don't think I killed an In- dian, but I crippled two or three horses. They will rally around a while to work up their courage before they come on. An Indian cannot fight in a cold collar, no more than a balky horse will work in one."
I proposed to stop back the next time, but Bob said he was afraid the Snakes would play some trick upon me. Be- sides, he added, "you will have plenty of fighting before the sun is an hour high. There are more coming, and they will fight when they get warmed up to it. Yonder they come now. Every cussed old mare we let go is tearing along our trail with a Snake on her back. Let us both stop and give them a dose."
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We tied our horses out of range, and, concealing ourselves behind some rocks, waited. "Now," said Bob, "draw your breath slow and deep, and raise your sights for 300 vards. When they come over that hill let them have it. Fire as fast as you can. I don't care about kill- ing many of them, but want to make them think there are twenty-five or thirty of us. We came after horses, not In- dians."
As soon as they came in sight we commenced firing. I don't think I ever leard such rapid firing from two guns. The Snakes knew nothing about repea .- ing guns at that time, and might easil . have imagined a small army was shoot. ing at them. At any rate, they took the back track in a hurry. Again we crowded our horses forward.
"If we can only reach the Falls," sa: 1 Bob, "there is a place there where we can whip the whole Snake nation. The
old mare brigade is coming on pretty lively, but we must not give up our horses while we have a cartridge lef .. Now, let's drive like h-1 for the Falls."
The Indians came in sight again, but a single shot turned them back, and we rushed on. Darting against the herd, we shouted, waved our blankets, and fired our guns to frighten the horses to renewed speed, and they thundered down the long slope to the Falls, the noise ot their hoofs drowning the roar of the water.
"Here," said Bob, "we will whip the mare brigade or immortalize this place by making of it a new Thermopyle."
As we took our places behind a ledge of rock to await the savages I could but smile at the incongruity of Bob's appear- ance and his knowledge of Greek history. This time it was no trifling matter. There were not less than fifty Indians, and they were approaching with great caution.
"No foolishness now," said Bob, "kill an Indian every shot."
They came within a hundred yards be- fore we opened fire. They attempted a charge, but as several fell they ran. Again they rallied, but in confusion re- ceived our fire until they broke again. All but one brave fellow who charged di- rectly upon us, yelling like a demon and swaying his body so rapidly from side to side that we missed him several times. With those two Henries blazing at him, he came within fifty feet of us before horse and rider fell. I took this oppor- tunity to secure a saddle, which, although of Indian make, was better than no sad- dle. While I was adjusting it to my horse, the blast of a bugle came clear and sharp, and, looking, we saw a body of United States troops charging down upon us.
"Stand perfectly still and point the muzzle of your gun down," said Bob. "We are white men," shouted he, as the troops closed around us.
"Throw down your gun, you red skunk." velled the Captain, "or you are a dead Indian." We did not obey this or- der.
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Bob said, "If you are hunting Indians, they are there," pointing to some yet in sight beyond our battle-field. Leaving a guard with us, the troops charged back to where the Indians were seen. After a fruitless chase they returned.
"You say you are a white man." de- manded the Captain, riding up to Bob.
"Yes, sir, as white as you are."
"Then you are the most devilish look- ing white man I ever saw. How came you with those blood-thirsty Snakes?" "We were bringing in our horses when the Snakes attacked 11s. That they were no friends of ours you may know from the dead Indians lying along our trail "
"You don't pretend to say all these horses are yours, do you ?"
"Yes, sir. Every one of theme. We have had them out in the hills, where the. grass is good, and were bringing them in when these cussed Indians tried to take them away from us. By the way, I am glad you came along, Captain, and shall be obliged to call on vou for protec- tion until we reach the settlements."
The Captain laughed but said, "All right, I will help take the stock in. Are you a white man, too?" he said, ap- proaching me.
I was standing stock still where I had remained since the troops first charged upon us. I had been stricken dumb with astonishment, but the muzzle of my gun was thrust into the ground as Bob had directed, and I had taken the precaution to remove my wig, and was holding the ugly thing in my hand. My position was very humilating. The thought had crossed my mind that my brown curly hair, which rose in triumph above my paint and grease, was the only thing that would save me from an ignominious death at the hands of my own country . men. I answered. "Yes. sir. I am a miner and shall join my partner in beg- ging your protection until we reach Boisc City.
He laughed and said. "All right. I will protect you from the Indians. but you must take your chances with Uncle Sam. Your stock is worn out. We will camp here."
This was done in true military fashion. Guards were placed around the camp and stock, and Bob and I, laying down upon our blankets, were soon fast asleep. The Captain and part of his command went back to our battle ground. They found eight dead Indians and twelve horses. After resting a few hours, Bob secured an escort and went after our camp fixtures and horses left as we went 011t. They returned at dark. I was pleased to recover my handsome bay, but I don't think I was ever so much re- lieved in my life as, when, after a thor- ough scrubbing, I was arrayed in my own clothes and was able again to look like a white man. I could not under- stand why Bob still retained his dis- guise, but as he generally had good rea- sons for what he did, I asked no ques- tions. We were treated with great re- spect by the soldiers, who seemed to have a high opinion of our fighting qual- ities. When we arrived at Boise the stock was turned on the hills east of the fort.
The Captain said, "I must leave a guard with these horses. It is evident you have taken them from the Indians. Uncle Sam does not allow citizens to keep or dispose of stock taken in that way."
"All right," said Bob. "I will go with you to your quarters, as I want to talk with you a little before this matter is finally settled."
When they reached the Captain's quai - ters Bob said, "do you know Bob Fitz- high?"
I know him well. A braver or better man does not live."
"Would you do him a favor if you could?"
"I would risk my life for hint. He saved mine once at the risk of his own."
"Well. I am Bob Fitzhugh. Let me have some soap and wate: and you sha !! know me."
The Captain could not believe him but stood looking on until he emerged from the wash bowl. and extending hi- hand, said. "How are you. Captain Dob- bins. It is strange you did not know me, paint or no paint.
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"Know you!" said Dobbins, "I would defy the devil to have known you had been his own imp, after you were painted and fixed up in that style. I. watched you closely as we came along, and thought you had the most frightful ap- pearance of any human being I ever looked at. I was of the opinion you might secure the chieftainship of the Snake nation on your general appear- ance. But I am awful glad to see you, Bob, and now what do you want?"
"Well, you see, Mr. Snell and I have had some hard work and taken a good many chances in getting those horses. Most of them belong to the whites who will claim them. If the Government re- turns them we will get nothing for our trouble. Now, there is very little pleas- ure in riding a hundred miles, bare back, over a rough trail, with a band of hostile Indians velling and shouting behind, to say nothing about the danger of being liit by a bullet. You must admit we have been rather successful and struck the hostiles a hard blow. All the fight- ing done for the last five years has not crippled them as much as Dave and I did in that night's ride and morning's fight. They laugh at the efforts of a body of men following them to retake stock which they have stolen. They only drive it further into the hills. But it is a very different thing when I go after them and employ their own tactics. Now, Captain, I don't care so much about myself as I do for that boy whom I pursuaded to go with me. He is good stuff and I like him. I promised to make some money for him, and I've got to do it some way. I know the regula- tions the Government has made about captured stock. and know you will take some little chances of getting into trouble by doing what I'want you to, but a man ain't much account in this world un- less he will take some chances for a friend. I want you to notice that a nuin- ber of horses have been taken which the owners can have by paying for bringing in and herding. Proof of ownership can be made to me without putting the Government to any trouble. You can take credit for killing those Snakes. We
will make a report of the affair which will help you along in the line of pro- motion and do no one any harm as far as the honor attending that raid is con- cerned. I assure you Snell and I care nothing about it."
For a moment the Captain was silent. Then he said, "The law is against your request, but the equities are all with you. Besides I do not forget that you are the man who swam to the middle of Snake River to save my life when I was drown- ing, and that you did it while others were paralized with fright and unable to as- sist me. Go ahead, Bob. I will take all chances. I only wish they were equal to those you took for me."
When Bob returned we were in un- disputed possession. We counted our band and found we had seven hundred and fifty-five horses. In a few days the settlers began to come to prove and take their property. We charged $10 a head and no trouble collecting our fee, as the horses were worth from $75 to $150 eaclı, and there were plenty of owners for them, especially when it became known we were not particular about the proof. A good, strong claim, accompan- ied by the fee, was considered sufficient evidence of ownership. Even the spot- ted ponies, which had probably never seen a white man before, found some one to claim them. In fact, any one who had $10 and wanted a horse, did not hesitate to lay claim to one of our band. We were liberal, too. and often threw in a small horse when any one had proven a number of them. They went off so rapidly that we raised the reclamation fee to $20, and still found owners. A mining excitement springing up aided materially in closing out the remnant of the band.
One day Captain Dobbins called upon us, saying he wanted to confer with us about the affair at Salmon Falls.
"Of course," he said, "my report to the Department has been forwarded, but vou know the newspapers expect some- thing a little more detailed and graphic than a dry military report, so I thought we might give them something not un- complimentary to the actors in the skirm-
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ish. How many Indians do you think we killed?"
"About forty," said Bob. "There were twenty-two found dead, and many were carried away by their friends.'
"How many were engaged?"
"Over five hundred.
"Were any chiefs killed?"
"Yes Old Crazy Horse was killed."
"How did you recognize him?"
"By his horse. He always rides a spotted horse. By his dress, and by the way he fought."
"Why! I thought he was a Sioux chief."
"Oh! that's another one. In fact, every tribe has a chief or medicine man of that name. It is a kind of title of nobility among them like the name of Douglas among the Scots. They are all desperate fighters. There will be but little trouble with the Snakes after this. How many horses did we take? About two hundred head "
"My command fought well, I thought."
"Yes. It fought most desperately." "I believe the engagement com- menced near the Falls, did it not?"
"Yes. The dreadful roar of the waters at times drowned the frightful din of the carnage "
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