USA > Oregon > The Oregon native son, Vol. I > Part 66
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I saw some one in the grass a short distance in front and could not at first tell whether it was a white man or an Indian, as he was wearing a gray French capote drawn over his face. as some of our own soldiers were dressed. I thought he might be one of them, and I did not wish to repeat an accident that had hap- pened in the Walla Walla. where one of our men had been shot in the back by one of the officers. So I called out, ask-
ing who he was, and saying if he were not a white man I would shoot. He made no answer, but turned his head, and I saw the long hair and dark skin of an Indian.
"It's an Indian, boys," I said. "I don't care to shoot him."
"I will," said one of the men-a sol- dier whose father had been killed in the Cayuse war, and who was anxious to kill an Indian. So he shot and scalped the man. This, especially the scalping, was generally disapproved, and we found that the Indian had been wound- ed-his thigh broken-so that he was helpless.
By this time my movement was ob- served by the Indians, and as they were unable to resist us on their flank and at the same time to repel Connoyer, who was nearing them in front, at a signal from Kamiakin, they abandoned their breastworks, carrying off their dead with them. We came near to Kamiakin himself on his crag. As nearly as I could discover, he was a man about six feet tall. of a heavy. muscular build and spoke in a voice almost literally of thunder. To our interpreter, a French- man, who had once been a partner of his in the horse business and who called out defying the Indians to come down into the valley and fight like men. Kam- iakin shouted back that one of his braves was worth half a dozen Boston dogs and he would not fight them man for man.
By this time, Connoyer's men were within the abandoned stronghold and we joined them. Upon the ground we found considerable blood in clots and pools, showing that our fire had taken effect; and the rocks behind which the hostiles fought were well-peppered with our bul- let marks. On the other hand, the firing of the Indians had done no damage whatever. They had shot too soon or over our heads, and ran away before we were near enough to be a good mark. The fortifications we found to be piles or coops of stone: not a continuous wall.
Night now coming on and the In- dians having disappeared, we returned.
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to the camp and were disturbed only by a few random shots of the hostiles fol- lowing us under cover. Our total loss in the day's fighting was only that of Hembree.
Kamiakin had been driven from his position, and considerable loss inflicted. He had been defeated, though by no means conquered. Cornelius thought, however, that the object of his cam- paign, which was to bring the Indians to battle and whip them, had been at- tained, and as provisions were short, it was decided to move over the mountains to The Dalles. We, accordingly, crossed the Simcoe mountains amid some difficulties in deep snow, and pass- ed through the Klikitat to the Columbia. In crossing the mountain we encoun- tered a heavy snow storm. in which the entire command was lost for awhile, being bewildered by the snow that came in minute flakes, filling the air like a cloud.
While still in the Yakima country, I had been sent on an excursion out to the Natchess pass, in the country of the Isle Piere Indians, who were said to be very ferocious. To avoid them we kept in constant motion and, owing to the ex- posure, I got an attack of inflammatory rheumatism, from which I suffered se- verely. We found no Indians whatever, as all had gone to their retreats in the mountains; but we discovered several good caches, full of peas, corn, dried salmon, deer meat, etc. In coming back we passed by the scene of Haller's first battle.
Among those coming here with Ew- ing Young was Webley J. Hauxhurst. To him belongs the credit of having erected the first grist mill built in the Willamette valley, which. it is said, he erected at Champoeg during the sum- mer of 1834. Prior to this time the set- tlers and the missionaries living on French prairie were obliged to grind their barley in large wooden mortars, and their wheat in a small cast-iron mill
Although while we were pursuing ti: Indians we found them not, yet as sont. as we turned back to retreat to The Dalles, we began to be followed by mid rauding parties who sought to steal ou: stock; and actually at the camp on the north side of the Columbia, just oppo- site The Dalles, they succeeded in stam. peding some three hundred of our horses.
The conduct of the war, however, w ... now formally turned over to the reg !! lars, and the volunteers were mustercu out, after nine months' continuous hard service.
The ill-fortune of Colonel Steptoe. who went into the Indian country tha: summer and in the fall attempted to march from Walla Walla to Fort Col- ville, is well-known; how he was at- tacked by the Palouses and Yakima: and cornered on Steptoe Butte. cut off from water as Haller had been on the Natches; and was saved only by the aid of the Nez Perces Timothy, who con- ducted the forlorn command at night by a secret path and brought them. having abandoned everything, to the Snake river. The success of General Wrigh :. who succeeded Steptoe and went into the Indian country expressly to fight. and who departed wholly from Wool's policy and finally brought the Indian- to bay and hanged their chief murderers is also well-known. The idea of the vo: unteers, that the Indians were first to be conquered before treating, was the only one that worked, and that pre- vailed.
belonging to the mission, called a corn cracker. Mr. Hauxhurst is said to have been the first white settler to becon !. converted by the Methodist mission : ries, in January, 1837, and his admission into the denomination taking place 1 :. July following. Many have been en- rolled therein since that date, but none were more consistent followers of the Master than he was up to the time of his death.
THE CASCADE MASSACRE. TOLD BY THREE DIFFERENT EYE-WITNESSES.
Early in the spring of 1856, Colonel Wright, then in command of the gov- ernment forces at. Fort Dalles, began preparations for fitting out an expedi- tion into the Nez Perce country, intend- ing to start with his entire command for Walla Walla on March 20. This was known to the Klickitat Indians, who were supposed to be friendly to the whites. Owing, however, to the non- arrival of supplies, Colonel Wright did not break camp at The Dalles until the morning of the 26th. A fact which the Indians in Klickitat county and the Cascades were not advised of, which probably made them bold in the attempt to do their dastardly work of slaughter.
During the spring of 1856 I was man- ning a flat boat between The Dalles and the Cascades, and on the morning of the 26th had been taken in tow by the steamer Mary, a small boat plying the river, and together the two vessels ar- rived at the Upper Cascades about 8 o'clock A. M., anchoring in the mouth of Mill creek, a small slough on the north side of the Columbia, just large enough to admit the boats.
The morning was calm and clear and about 8 o'clock, when all on board the boats were busily engaged trading and unloading freight. the firing of rifles was heard, but attracted little attention until a half-breed named Montoui came on board the Mary fatally wounded, and stated that he had been shot by the In- dians. He was followed by John Chance who had received a gunshot wound in the heel. who reported Indians every- where. By this time the firing of guns could be distinctly heard in every direc- tion, which caused general consterna- tion aboard the steamer Mary. Being 11narmed, and fearing attack on the boat, Capt. Dan Baughman and the first offi- cer of the Mary left the vessel and se- creted themselves in the woods. I also left the boat, hiding in the Willows near the edge of the water. The negro cook
became so frightened that he jumped overboard, but the engineer and fireman and two or three deckhands remained on board. There was but little fuel on board the boat, but what little there was - Fireman Chenoweth got up steam, and climbing to the wheel he ordered Deck- hand Linsley to cast off the lines. While obeying this command he was shot, though not seriously wounded. The Mary floated down the river some dis- tance until sufficient steam was raised to give her power, when she started up stream. From my place of concealment among the Willows I hailed the boat and was taken aboard, when I relieved Fireman Chenowith at the wheel and steered the Mary to the Oregon side, where enough rails were secured at Mr. Atwell's place to furnish the boat with sufficient fuel to reach the wood yard further up the river.
While crossing the river the people on board the boat witnessed the burning of the sawmill and could see the settlers congregating at Bradford & Co.'s store at the Upper Cascades, while a continual fusilade of firing could be heard.
The steamer Wasco was lying on the opposite side of the river, and as soon as her commander, Capt. McFarland, re- alized what was happening he got all the people near at hand on board and start- ed for The Dalles. The Mary followed and both boats arrived there in due time, giving an account of what -hap- pened at the Cascades. A courier was immediately dispatched to notify Col. WVright, who had encamped his com- mand at Five Mile, and on receiving word of the massacre, brought his com- mand back to The Dalles, and began active preparations to repair to the scene of the disturbances.
But let our narrative leave Col. Wright for a time and return to the events at Upper Cascades.
The Indians who took part in the bloody work were evidently possessed of
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all the cunning and treachery of their race, and had planned their onslaught with such stealth that they were enabled to swoop down upon their victims like so many mad devils, giving them no time to prepare for defense. They were preparing for their day's work when the Indians rushed in and killed them and burned the mill. Mrs. Brown, wife of the mill foreman, was also killed.
The bodies of all four were stripped of their clothing and thrown in Mill creek. Mrs. Brown's brother, a boy named Kyle, was killed while running from the mill to Bradford & Co.'s store. A car- penter named Watkins and three men, whose names were unknown, all in the employ of Bradford & Co., who were in the woods near the store. were shot down at their work.
Mr. Griswold, who had charge of the portage road, was killed at the Middle Cascades and two or three soldiers, cut- ting wood near by, were surprised and killed where they were working.
An offiecr in the employ of the Hud- son's Bay Co., and a Mr. St Clair, were shot down at the door of Bradford & Co.'s store, making 20 victims in all who were killed. The wounded were James Murphy, John Watkins, Jim Thomson, James Lindsey and Jesse Kempton.
The building was on the bank of the river, but immediately north was a high bluff where the Indians could secrete themselves and fire into the building. From this bluff firebrands were thrown on the roof of the store, and it would have been burned had it not been for Mr. Alexander, who climbed into the comb of the roof, removed a stovepipe, and for forty-eight hours stood in the opening thus made, throwing water on the firebrands. Thus the little band of settlers defended themselves for two days and nights, until the morning of the 28th, when Col. Wright and his com- mand arrived ,and delivered them from their. perils.
All was bustle at The Dalles on the day of the 27th. Col. Wright and his comand had returned from Five Mile
during the night and preparations were being hastily made for transporting the soldiers to the Cascades. It was a late hour, however, before everything could be got in readiness for the little flec: consisting of the steamers Mary and Wasco and a barge carrying two moun- tain howitzers, to start down the river with all of Col. Wright's command on board. Darkness overtook them a: Findley's place where they encamped for the night, and at daylight on the morn- ing of the 28th, the boats quietly glided into the slough at the mouth of Mill creek.
Little time was consumed in getting the soldiers on land, but their coming was observed by the Indians, and those who were taking part in the siege at the store, the ones who were guilty of per- petrating the massacre, stealthily with- drew across the mountains to Klickitat. leaving their more unfortunate brothers, the Indians who lived at Cascades, and who were innocent of any crime, to an- swer for their misdeeds.
Col. Wright put his command in mo- tion and in a short time gathered all the Indians in one body upon the bank, of the river, where a court martial wa- organized for trying the supposed oi- fenders. And then began a persecution of the Indians that has ever been a dis- grace to civilization. A bitter feeling existed among the Indians who lived in the vicinity of the Cascades, and in the trial before the courtmartial one faction was arrayed against the other. Indian- who had grudges against their fellow .. swore away the lives of either ton of eleven perfectly innocent men.
J. H. HERMAN.
CAPTAIN COE'S LETTER.
The following is the account of far tain Coe, by letter to Mr. P. F. Bradion who was at that time on a visit to Mas sachusetts:
Cascades, W. T., 6th April, 1856.
My Dear Put :- We have had a litt ?? tea party since you left, and I will try to give you a little description of the same
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On Wednesday, March 26, at about 8 A. M., after the men had gone to their usual work on the two bridges of the new railway, mostly on the bridge near Bush's house ,the Yakimas came down on us. There was a line of them from the Mill creek above us to the big point at the head of the falls, firing simultane- ously on the men. The first notice was the bullets and the cracks of the guns. Of our men, at the first fire, one was killed and several wounded. Will give vou a list hereinafter. Our men, on see- ing the Indians, all ran for our store through a shower of bullets, except three who started down stream for the Middle block house, distant 13 miles. Bush and family also ran into our store, leaving his own house vacant .. The Watkins family came to our store after a Dutch boy. who was lame from a cut in the foot, had been shot in their house. Watkins, Finley and Bailey were at work on the new warehouse on the island, around which the water was now high enough to run about three feet under the bridges.
There was grand confusion in the store at first, and Sinclair-of the H. Sinclair B. Co., Walla Walla-going to the railroad door to look out, was shot from the bank above the store and in- stantly killed. Some of us then com- menced getting the guns and rifles, which were ready loaded, from below the counter. Fortunately, about one hour before there had been left with us, for transportation below, nine United States rifles. with cartridge boxes and amunition. (By Mr. Jehu Switzler, who was returning from having taken 965 head of horses from Vancouver to Col. Wright's command at The Dalles.) These saved us. Asthe upper story of the house was abandoned, Smith. the cook, having come below. and as the stairway was outside, where we dlare not go, tlie stovepipe was hauled down, the hole en- larged with axes, and a party of men crawled up, and the upper part of the house was soon secured. We were sur- prised that the Indians had not rushed into the unner story as there was noth-
ing or nobody to prevent them. Our men soon got some shots at the Indians on the bank above us. I saw Bush shoot an Indian, the first one killed, who was drawing a bead on Mrs .Watkins, as she was running to our store. He drop- ped instanter. Alexander and others" mounted in the gable under the roof, and from there was done most of our firing, it being the best place of observa- tion. In the meantime we were barricad- ing in the store, making portholes and firing when opportunity presented. But the Indians were soon very cautious about exposing themselves. I took charge of the store, Dan (Bradford) of the second floor. and Alexander of the garret and roof.
The steamer Mary was lying in the mouth of Mill creek, and the wind was blowing hard down stream.
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When we saw the Indians running to- ward her, and heard the shots, we sup- posed she would be taken, and as she lay just out of our sight, and we saw smoke rising from her, concluded she ' was burning; but what was our glad surprise after awhile to see her put out and run across the river. I will give an account of the attack on her hereinafter. The Indians now returned in force to us, and we gave every one a shot who show- ed himself. They were nearly naked, painted red, and had guns and bows and arrows. After a while Finley came creeping around the lower point of the island to our house. We halloed to him to lie down behind a rock and he did so. He called that he could not get to the store, as the bank above us was cov- ered with Indians. He saw while there Watkins' house burning. The Indians first took out all they wanted, blankets, clothes, guns, etc.
By this time the Indians had crossed in canoes to the island, and we saw them coming, as we supposed. after Finley. We then saw Watkins and Bailey run- ning around the river side toward the place where Finley was, the Indians in full chase after them. As our men came the point in full view Bailey was
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shot through his arm and leg. He con- tinued on, and, plunging into the river, swam to the front of our store, and came in safely except for his wounds. He nar- rowly escaped going over the falls. Fin- ley also swam across and got in unharm- ed, which was wonderful, as there was a shower of bullets around them.
Watkins came next running around the point, and we called to him to lay down behind a rock, but before he could do so he was shot in the wrist, the ball going up the arm and out above the elbow. He dropped behind a rock just as the pursuing Indians came following around the point, but we gave them so hot a reception from our house that they backed out and left poor Watkins where he lay.
Wecalled to Watkins to lie still and we would get him off, but we were unable to do so until after the arrival from The Dalles of the steamer Mary with troops -two days and nights afterwards. Dur- ing this time Watkins fainted several times from weakness and exposure, the weather being very cold, and he was stripped for swimming, down to his un- derclothes. When he fainted he would roll down the steep bank into the river, and, the ice-cold water reviving him, he would crawl back under fire, to his re- treat behind the rock. Meantime his wife and children were in the store, in full view, and moaning piteously at his terrible situation. He died from ex- haustion two days after he was rescued.
The Indians were now pitching into us right smart. They tried to. burn us out; threw rocks and firebrands, hot irons, pitchwood - everything that would burn-on the roof. But you will recollect that for a short distance back the bank inclined toward the house, and we could see and shoot the Indians who appeared there. So they had to throw from such a distance that the largest rocks and bundles of fire did not quite reach us, and what did generally rolled off the roof. Sometimes the roof got on fire and we cut it out, or, with cups of brine drawn from pork barrels, put it
out, or with long sticks shoved off the fire balls.
The kitchen roof troubled us the mo -: How they did pepper us with rock- some of the big ones would shake the house all over.
There were forty men, women and children in the house-four women and eighteen men that could fight, and eigl: teen wounded men and children.
The steamer Wasco was on the Ore- gon side of the river. We saw her steam: up and leave for The Dalles. Short !; after the steamer Mary also left. She had to take Atwell's fence rails for wood.
So passed the day, during which the Indians had burned Iman's two houses. and the lumber yard at the mouth of Mill creek.
At daylight they set fire to our new warehouse on the island, making it light as day around us. I suppose they re- served this building for night, that we might not get Watkins off. They did not attack us at night, but the second morning commenced as lively as ever We had no water, but did have abou: two dozen bottles of ale and a few bot- tles of whisky. These gave out during the day. During the night a Spokane Indian who was traveling with Sinclair and was in the store with us, volunteerce to get a pail of water from the river. I consented and he stripped himself na ked, jumped out and down the bank and was back in no time.
By this time we looked for the steamer from The Dalles, and were greatly disappointed at her non-arrival We weathered it out during the day every man keeping his post and never re- laxing in vigilance. Every moving oh ject, shadow or suspicious bush on the hill received a shot. The Indians mus; have thought the house a bombshell.
Night came again and saw Sheppard'- house burn; Bush's house, near by, was also fired, and kept us in light until about 4 A. M., when, darkness returning. I sent the Spokane Indian for water from the river, and he filled two barrels. He went to and fro like lightning. We also
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slipped poor James Sinclair's body down the slide, outside, as the corpse was quite offensive.
The two steamers now having exceed- ed the length of time we gave them in which to return from The Dalles we made up our minds for a long siege, and, until relief came from below. We could not account for it, but supposed the Ninth regiment had left The Dalles for Walla Walla, and had proceeded too far to return.
The third morning, and lo! the Mary and the Wasco, blue with soldiers and towing a flatboat, with dragoon horses, hove in sight. Such a hallo as we gave! As the steamers landed the Indians fired twenty or thirty shots into them, but we could not ascertain with any effect. The soldiers, as they got ashore, could not be restrained, and plunged into the woods in every direction, while the howitzers sent grape into the now-retreating red- skins. The soldiers were soon at our store, and we, I think I may say, experi- enced quite a feeling of relief on open- ing our doors. During this time we had not heard from below. A company of dragoons, under Colonel Steptoe, went down. Dan went with them. The blockhouse at Middle Cascades still held out. Allen's house was burned, and every other one below. George W. Johnson's, S. M. Hamilton's, F. A. Chenoweth's .the wharfboat at Lower Cascades-all gone up.
Next in order comes the attack on the Mary. She lay in Mill creek-no fires- and the wind hard ashore. Jim Thomp- son, John Woodard, Jim Herman were just going up to the boat from our store, and had nearly reached her when fired upon. Herman asked if they had any guns. No. He went on up to Iman's house, the rest staying to help get the steamer out. Captain Dan Baughman and Thompson were ashore on the up- per side of the creek, hauling on lines. When the fire from the Indians became too hot they ran for the woods. The fireman, James Linsley was shot through the shoulder. , Engineer Buckminster
shot an Indian on the gangplank with his revolver, and little Johnny Chance, Watkins' stepson, climbing up on the hurricane deck with an old dragoon pistol, killed his Indian. Johnny was shot through the leg in doing so. Dick Tur- pin-half crazy, probably-taking the only gun on the steamboat, jumped into a flatboat lying alongside, was shot, and jumped overboard and was drowned. Fires were soon started under her boiler and steam was rising. About this time Jesse Kempton, shot while driving an ox team from the saw mill, got on board; also a half-breed named Bourbon, who was shot through the body. After suffi- cient steam to move was raised, Hardin Chenoweth ran up into the pilot-house, and, lying on the floor, turned the wheel as he was directed from the lower deck. It is almost needless to say that the pilot house was the target for the Indi- ans. Afer the steamer was fairly backed out and turned around, he did toot that whistle at them good. Toot! toot! toot! It was music in our ears. The steamer picked up Herman on the bank above. Iman's family, Sheppard and Vanderpool, all got across the river in skiffs. and, boarding the Mary, went to The Dalles.
Col. George Wright and the Ninth regiment, First dragoons, Third artil- lery, had started for Walla Walla and were out five miles, camped. They re- ceived news of the attack at II P. M., and by daylight were back to The Dalles. Starting down they only reached Wind mountain that night, as the Mary's boil- er was in bad order because of a new fireman the day before.
They reached us the next morning at 6 A. M.
Now for below. George Johnson was about to get a boat's crew of Indians. when Indian Jack came running to him, saying the Yakimas had attacked the blockhouse. He did not believe it, al- though he heard the cannon. He went up to the Indian village on the sandbar to get his crew; saw some of the Cas- cade Indians. who said they thought the
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