USA > Oregon > The Oregon native son, Vol. I > Part 43
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The first iron foundry in the Pacific Northwest was established in 1859. It was located in Portland and Davis &
their looks with interest. Had I been the wildest kind of savage and appeared be- fore a select crowd in the effete East I would not have created more of a sen- sation. I was so dismayed at the excite- ment that I had stirred ap that I resolved never to wear the suit again. I never did. I gave that fine suit away to a farmer. It nearly broke my heart to hear later that he wore it while feeding the pigs and following the plow, but I could not risk another such experience as I had had in that church."
Monastes were the promoters of the in- dustry.
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1
NESMITH VS. JONES.
Some years ago, when Col. J. W. Nes- mith was in the zenith of his popularity and power in Oregon, he and a friend whom I will call Jones were traveling eastward and stopped off at St. Louis They registered at a hotel, Nesmith be- ing assigned to room 20 and Jones to 36. Jones .. like his genial fellow-trav- eler, was an inveterate practical joker, and had made his friend's life miserable the entire journey. They spent the day seeing the sights and returned to the hostelry late at night. Sometime after they had retired the senator returned and, after inviting the clerk to have · something, said :
"Mr. Clerk, will you be kind enough to wake me up for that boat that leaves for - at 4:15?"
"Certainly; what is your number?"
"Thirty-six; Sam Jones of Oregon; and let me tell you, young man, waking me up at 4 o'clock is no picnic, I can assure you.'
"Oh, that's easy; our porter can al- most wake the dead."
"That's all very well. but when it comes to waking up an Oregonian I am sure your accomplished porter will have his hands full. You see we have so lit- tle to do out our way except to shake the pancakes off the trees into rivers of milk and honey that we are great sleep- ers. Good-night, Mr. Clerk. Tell your porter that if he gets Jones down into the office you will pay him this dollar," said the senator, handing the clerk the amount.
"Good-night. Mr. Jones."
"Remember," said the urbane sena- tor, "he must make me get up and come down stairs. I will resist being aroused and make all kinds of excuses."
Two hours later the real Jones was aroused by loud knocking at his door. "Hello! What is it?"
"Get up, Mr. Jones; you have just twenty minutes to catch the boat."
"Boat? I don't want to catch any boats. You've made a mistake, my friend."
"Get up, I say; no nonsense; come out of that!" Bang! bang! went his ponderous fists on the door.
"You go to blazes! You infernal coy- ote, or I'll come out there and cut you off at the pockets," exclaimed the now thoroughly exasperated Oregonian.
"Get up !" Bang! Bang! Bang! "Open this door and show yourself," bawled the burly porter.
Finally Jones sprang to the door, threw it open and confronted his tor- mentor.
You infernal idiot, what in the name of Mount Hood do you want to be dis- turbing a guest at this time of night for? I tell you I don't want any boat; don't want to get up at all for thirty days, and if you don't hyack out of here I'll be blamed if I don't blow up this whole concern," almost yelled the infuriated man, gesticulating wildly.
"Yes. but my dear Mr. Jones, you must dress and come right down to the office," explained the porter, stepping into the room.
"Well, you're a cool one! Now who in the - - told you to call me?"
"The clerk, and he also told me to see that you came down stairs."
"Well, I'll be eternally chawed up if I don't go right down stairs and thrash the living tar out of him and the whole state of Missouri."
Of course, after a few explanations in the office, Jones knew the source of all his trouble, consoled himself with an ex- tra cocktail, or maybe more, and se- renely met the senator at breakfast.
330
CABIN OF THE OREGON PIONEER.
Just back of the spacious farmhouse stands The cabin, low and rude, That was reared by strong, heroic hands In the fenceless solitude.
A dark-plumed fir above it flings His challenge to the stars, And like a chained Prometheus sings Of triumphs won with scars.
O'er that mossy roof his branches trail When the winds arise at night,
And we hear the long and lonesome wail . For departed life and light.
For that homely cabin, yielding slow To the touch of still decay, Was the work of Titans long ago When a foe was held at bay;
When the ready rifle ever hung Above the mantel brown, And ever a quick, stern warning rung When intrusion brought it down.
Then men and women, side by side, And inured to toil and pain, The dangers of the wilds defied As they builded home and fame.
Forth from that humble door, erstwhile, The undaunted settler strode, To conquer a space for Ceres' smile Around his bleak abode.
The loyal wife, his hope and stay, Kept the rugged heartstone bright, Where his "young barbarians at play" Grew strong for the coming fight.
And so, with labor, faith and pray'r, The enduring home was wrought, And its angels, on Hope's golden stair, Bright wreaths of blessing brought.
In homes like this was fitly reared Full many a Spartan son. To hold the fields the fathers cleared And extend the triumphs won.
And from them, too, in grace and bloom, Aspiring, undismayed, The crown of wifehood to assume, Went forth the Spartan maid.
By toil and patience, blood and tears, This soil was sanctified, And beautiful, in flowing years, Shall all its fruits abide.
So let the memorial cabin stand Beneath its guardian tree, As a beacon in this favored land For proud posterity.
And may God bless its timbers old!
· On such the state arose,
From whose high dome, to heaven unrolled, Our banner floats and flows.
-Sam L. Simpson.
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INDIAN WAR RECOLLECTIONS. Related by A. H. Sale, an Indian War Veteran, to H. S. Lyman.
(Continued)
On our arrival at Salem. we found ex- citement at its height. To enumerate the various rumors which were being told, racking the nerves of the timid and rousing the martial order of the more warlike, would be impossible. It was known to a certainty that attacks were being made in various sections of Ore- gon and Washington upon the settle- ments by the Indians. Those in South- ern Oregon had been beset on all sides by them. Their numbers they knew not how numerous, nor where they might strike. Massacres of individuals had ta- ken place, families and small numbers had been murdered in cold blood. Here the families of the settlers were hurried to stockades, and the citizens shouldered their arms to protect, defend and avenge, and the history of their move- ments will read that they subdued the uprising and punished the perpetrators of the devilish murders and outrages.
In the more central portion of the Willamette valley the people were safe from attack, for the time being, at least. A few, however, living on the Tualitan plains constructed a stockade around the Methodist church there, to which they could retreat in case of necessity.
In Western Washington the situation was about the same as in the Willamette valley, but the country east of the moun- tains was an unknown quantity the pre- vailing idea being that the Indians had and would continue to massacre the whites there located, and then seek to put an end to their existence elsewhere on the coast. Much alarm was manifested over the arrival of news that Major Hal- ler had returned to The Dalles after an unsuccessful expedition into the Yakima country to punish the Indians for the murder of Indian Agent Bolan and for other depredations. The Major's com- mand numbered 107 men, including the officers. On the 6th of October the hos- tiles were met, and the conflict began,
and by the 7th the command was sur- rounded by over 2000 warriors. It being useless to try to do more than get out of a tight place, a retreat was deter- mined upon. The force was divided into two portions, that under the immediate command of Major Haller numbering forty effective men and was to be looked upon as the advance guard. Dur- ing the night of the 7th, the order to move forward was given, and after a hard and hurried march, keeping up a running fight during the time, the force under the command of the Major reached The Dalles on the Ioth. Soon after ordering the retreat, the rear guard became separated from the advance, and, taking another route, reached The Dalles without molestation. Five sol- diers were killed and seventeen were wounded during this expedition.
Major Raines, in command of the United States forces, not deeming their numbers adequate to combat the hos- tiles, requested Governor Mason, of Washington, and Governor Curry, of Oregon, to furnish two companies each of volunteers. The two companies asked of the former were enlisted, but Gov- ernor Curry, through advices received from Indian Agent Olney, together with his knowledge of the exigencies of the hour, believed that the amount of men wanted being insufficient, called for eight companies. These companies were to be enlisted from the counties of Mult- nomah, Clackamas, Washington, Yam- hill, Marion. Polk, Linn and Wasco. The company from Marion county was enrolled as company F. It numbered eighty-one men, rank and file, and its officers were: Chas. Bennett, captain; A. M. Fellows, first lieutenant; Andrew Shephard, second lieutenant; Richard A. Barker, orderly sergeant, and I was bugle-man. My bugle-which had to serve in the absence of a better-was an old tin dinner horn. Captain Ben- nett possessed the confidence of all and
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INDIAN WAR RECOLLECTIONS.
was well liked, both by volunteers and regulars. -
Our regiment was officered as fol- lows: J. W. Nesmith, colonel; James K. Kelly, lieutenant-colonel; A. N. Arm- strong, major of the first battalion, and Mark A. Chinn, major of the second battalion. L. F. Grover, afterwards governor and United States senator, was nominated for major, but, owing to the confusion, some voting for him for first, and some for second major, he did not obtain a majority for either, but it was evident that the command desired to have him elected to either one or the other of these positions.
In October we were ready for the ad- vance. There were about a thousand of the mounted volunteers and two com- panies of infantry. The design was for all to proceed to The Dalles and then to advance by two columns on the south and one on the north side of the Colum- bia
From Portland a part were to go by transports a part way up the Columbia, and another part took the Barlow road. to cross the Cascade mountains, both divisions to meet at The Dalles.
My company went with the trans- ports, two steamboats and a large barge being required to move us. It was fine, clear weather. The Willamette and Co- lumbia were in their beauty, with the yellowing trees on the shores and is- lands. No snow had as yet fallen on the mountain ranges, although the great peaks were glittering with their drapery of white. As we were ascending the Willamette, Judge Strong, captain of company A, one of the two volunteer companies of Washington, and T. J. Dyer, then editor of The Oregonian. who were with the expedition as far as Vancouver, entertained the men with lively speeches. Near Washougal we were put on shore and proceeded up the north bank of the river until we arrived at a point opposite Hood River, where we crossed to the south side, continuing the march on that bank until our arrival at The Dalles, where we found the other column encamped.
Here Major Chinn endeavored to se- cure from the regular army officers some
wagons in which our baggage could be transported, but they refused to grant his request.
It was. while we were at The Dalles or near that town that General Wool, of the United States army, arrived in Oregon, and he was soon attacked bit- terly in both the Salem Statesman and The Oregonian for the policy of carry- ing on the war with "headquarters in the saddle." Though Bush, of the former, and Dryer, of the latter journal were po- litical opponents, they agreed in de- nouncing Wool.
On the 30th of October Major Raines broke camp and with 350 regulars began the march to the Yakima country, fol- lowed on November Ist by Colonel Nes- mith, commanding the volunteers. Over the rolling hills near where the town of Goldendale now stands and across the crest of the Simcoe mountains a rapid march was made. Along the line the regulars found the bones-literally, the bones-for the flesh had been eaten from them by the wolves-of some of their comrades of the Haller expedition killed during their retreat to The Dalles.
After descending into the valley we traveled some distance over sagebrush plains our objective point being towards a gap in the hills beyond, where two lofty peaks known as the "Two Buttes" reared far above surrounding elevations. Through this gap the Yakima river dashed with great rapidity. We could see that at this location the river was fringed with a considerable growth of cottonwood, cherry and other kind of trees. Little did I imagine as I con- templated the scene that there would I gain my first knowledge of actual war- fare.
The regulars, who were in the ad- vance. arrived at the timber line of the river about 2 o'clock in the afternoon and halted. Our command was signaled to stop and make camp, and soon our horses were turned loose to graze.
The location across the river was nat- urally well adapted for defense, and the Indians could not have chosen a better one for battle-ground, and it was not much of a surprise when a courier came hastened to Colonel Nesmith with
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OREGON NATIVE SON.
advices from the major that his troops had been fired upon and that as- sistance was requested. Major Raines had tried to effect a crossing of the river. but its swiftness prevented his infantry from doing so, and his dragoons being few in numbers, he asked for two com- panies of volunteers. Both commands had halted for camp, and our horses had been turned loose to graze, but it was only the work of a moment to re-saddle and soon we were speeding to the camp of the regulars. On our arrival there a short consultation was held between the major and the-colonel when the com- mand-
"Column, right, forward" was given, and we were away. This threw us double file into the timber, which was, as I sup- posed, crammed with hostile savages. I, as bugleman, following Colonel Nes- mith, led the charge, and for the moment the idea of plunging into the ambuscade to be shot by an unseen enemy almost unnerved me, and I thought hastily of stopping to tighten my cinch, so as to let some one else go on and take the brunt. But the thought of the jeers of the men if I faltered, at the first pros- pect of danger, steadied my courage wonderfully, and, spurring my horse, I wheeled and darted into the woods, de- termined to go forward even though my body was filled full of lead. Snap, snap. came something about my head which, in my excitement, I took to be Indian bullets. "There. they have begun," I said to myself. It was, however, noth- ing but the snapping of leaves or twigs about me as I rode through.
Soon I emerged on the river and saw that there were no Indians in the woods but that the regulars were engaging them on the other side. We plunged into the river, which here run very swift over a hard bottom, and in the powerful current I felt my horse roll under me, but with a struggle regained his footing and safely took me to the shore. Major Haller had advised that the crossing be made further up the iver, as he had lost two men at the point where we entered it. in trying to get a line over. But thirteen of us were already in the water and pushing for-
ward, and there was nothing to do but go ahead.
The fight began at once, but the red skins showed no desire to face deter- mined foe and fled. During the fray I noticed that we were being fired upon by a couple of Indians some distance up the hillside who were sheltered by some cherry trees. Captain Bennett gave my- self and a fellow volunteer by the name of Barker, permission to effect their dislodgment. Upon an advance they be- gan to run. Barker, deeming discretion the better part of valor, did not continue the chase, but, being over my scare and more reckless than I should have been, I kept on and followed beyond point of safety, for, as I was pursuing, a band of Indians dropped down off of the heights to cut off my retreat. My com- rade began to shout for me to come back; so it was my turn to run, which I did, though the Indian I had been chasing turned and followed me, and tried to make me delay until I should be in the power of his savage companions, but I made my way back in safety.
This was, howover, but a skirmish. The Indians had no idea of fighting, but were trying to draw us on to the Two Buttes, where they were in force, and upon whose steep sides cavalry could not be used. Of the infantry the In- dians had but little fear, as they could keep out of their way, but for the cav- alry they had much respect.
By nightfall all had disappeared, and we crossed back to our camp.
After dark we were joined by Captain Cornelius, who had come into the Yaki- ma by the Coppei. and had had a run- ning fight. Two of his men had been badly wounded. and as Dr. Shaw, our surgeon, had stopped four miles back to attend a typhoid case in company F, our captain-Bennett-called for a vol- unteer to go for a doctor. I responded. The captain said he did not want me as I had seen hard service that day already, but, no one else offering, I was accepted. Bcale, a comrade, then offered to go with me.
The captain advised us to go on foot, as there was every chance that there were Indians skulking in the sagebrush
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INDIAN WAR RECOLLECTIONS.
or behind knolls. But as it was quite dark-only starlight-and as a consid- erable mist lay over the lowlands, we decided to risk it with horses. We took the ride without harm and brought up the doctor.
The next morning it was decided to send Captain Cornelius with some eigh- ty men, in company with Lieut. Phil Sheridan, afterwards lieutenant-general, and nineteen dragoons towards the Buttes, where the Indians had built stone walls across the road and had otherwise . fortified themselves, the ob- ject of the move being to bring on a general engagement. After reaching a point near the walls it was thought a howitzer was needed, and Sheridan sent back for one. Lieutenant Hazelton soon came up with the gun, it being mounted upon the back of a mule. Wishing to get an elevation for the gun and its position on the mule's back being about the right height, Lieutenant Haz- elton fired it from there. His shots were wild and caused the Indians much sport, shouts and indecent gestures, until he had a trunyon made of poles, and from this placed the piece and fired a shell- a very small one-which, however, took great effect, bursting underneath an In- dian brave, who rode, conspicuously attired in a red blanket, upon a white horse and blew him over the steep. Then the braves scattered. Col. Jos. Meek. who was supposed to understand Indian, said that he heard them shout that the lieutenant had loaded his mule and fired a saddle at them.
The next day a column was led around and up the Butte nearest us on the west side of the river, and the In- dians were dislodged. It was the idea of the volunteers, especially such of them as Joe Meek and Major Conoyer. who knew Indian character well, to ad- vance at once into the upper valley through the river gorge. Between the two buttes we could look over into the valley and see it alive with Indians driv- ing cattle and horses. But Major Raines advised waiting a day. That delay, how- ever, allowed the Indians time to es- cape. Coming into the valley on the
morrow we found they all had disap- peared.
The Indians having disappeared, with all their stock, so that there was no en- emy to fight, and there being no way of stopping over winter in the Yakima, it was thought necessary to fall back upon The Dalles, which we reached in No- vember. For what was reported by my superior as to my conduct in the skir- mish on the Yakima I was promoted to post commander, with rank of captain.
At The Dalles we found affairs in a somewhat excited condition. General Wool had been there, but, fortunately for himself, had left for Vancouver, and went thence to California. Such was the feeling against him that he might have been shot if he had remained at The Dalles. Owing to the growing cool- ness between the regulars and the vol- unteers, Colonel Nesmith sent his res- ignation to the governor, to take effect as soon as his successor was chosen.
The most alarming reports now came from Walla Walla. Kam-i-a-kin, as soon as the troops had left the Yaki- ma, was said to have crossed the Colum- bia and had joined Peu-peu-mox-mox, and both combined were ready to fall upon the troops under Colonel Kelly and Major Chinn, who were encamped at Fort Henrietta. This fort was on the Umatilla, and had been named Henrietta in honor of the wife of Colonel Haller, who had given her own private carriage for the use of Chinn's regiment as an ambulance.
Upon receiving news of this peril, Colonel Nesmith, who was still in com- mand at The Dalles, decided to send immediate assistance. Finding the cap- tain of one company, he explained the the condition at Walla Walla and asked how soon he could move to Colonel Kelly's relief. "In about three days," was the reply.
"Kelly will be in perdition by that time," replied the colonel, and sought another captain. but got the same an- swer. Going to Captain Bennett, he put the same question.
"In three hours," was the reply.
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OREGON NATIVE SON.
"Go then," said Colonel Nesmith.
By night we were ready to take up our line of march, each man having two horses and the baggage so divided that there was no pack train. The ride of one hundred and forty miles was made in two nights and the intervening day. It was over a heavy road, which, for much of the way, was sandy and rocky.
Along the conspicuous hill points we could see the signal smoke of Indians, who were watching our march. They were telegraphing our advance in this way, from peak to peak, to the Walla Walla's. .
"A little company,". so interpre- tor translated their signs, "will not ar- rive until two days."
The ride of 140 miles was made in two nights and an intervening day. It . was over a heavy road which was, the most of the way, rocky and sandy.
On arriving at . our destination we found our comrades alive and well, but anxious because of a lack of news from other forces. Here we learned that the Indians, some six hundred braves, with their women and children, together with their cattle and horses, were entrenched on the Touchet river about forty miles away. It was decided that we were strong enough to surprise and attack them, as we understood from the Indian signals that they were not yet prepared to meet us. Accordingly, we at once got ready for the march. As this was our third night in the saddle, we were arranged to ride side by side with Col- onel Kelly's men, thus to be kept upon our horses if we chanced to fall asleep. This move led on to the fight on the Touchet.
Being connected with the commis- sary, I had no very active part in the fight, and will give only a general de- scription of it. Peu-peu-mox-mox (Yel- low Serpent)) who was chief of the Walla Walla Indians, was not yet pre- pared to meet us, and as we approached his stronghold came into our camp under a flag of truce. He professed to be desiring peace and 'to make a treaty. Colonel Kelly offered to treat and to buy cattle for the use of his troops.
Pending this, Peu-peu-mox-mox offered himself and six other Indians as hos- tages. They were placed within our camp. But wholly to the surprise of the colonel and contrary to the terms that the whites supposed the Indians had of- fered, all along our front there soon appeared hostile. Indians, beginning what proved to be a most determined attack. To the colonel's inquiry of Yel- low Serpent what that meant, he replied that it was only a few of the young men whom he could not restrain. But it was soon apparent that it was the whole body of Indians, and the Walla Walla chief was very justly suspected of treachery. For this reason, as well as for the necessity of having all the men ready for action, it was decided, when the fight had become general, to disarm the hostages. But when this was at- tempted they began to fight, but were almost immediately overpowerd and shot down.
Yellow Serpent was then an Indian past his prime, but still vigorous. He was a powerful chief, very wealthy, and up to that time had been a friend of the whites. He was evidntly in the confed- eration against them, but whether he had some plan to bring about peace or whether he was merely misleading the whites, as is not uncommon in the war- fare of Indians, and as Patkanim, in the attack on Fort Nisqually, had done while his men took the opportunity to prepare for battle, will not be known. The volunteers thought it was the lat- ter, and in the midst of a serious en- gagement they could afford to take no chances.
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