An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 15

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company
Number of Pages: 1146

USA > Washington > Kittitas County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 15
USA > Washington > Yakima County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 15
USA > Washington > Klickitat County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 15

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).

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

The publication of these accounts of destitu- tion and of stirring appeals for help did not go unheeded. A "Christian commission" on a small scale was organized at Oregon City to provide clothing and comforts for the soldiers. An address accompanying one shipment of goods is here reproduced as vividly reflecting the temper of the pioneer women of the Northwest:

OREGON CITY, April 12, 1848.

The volunteers of the first regiment of Oregon rifle- men will please accept from the ladies of Oregon City and vicinity the articles herewith forwarded to them. The intelligence which convinces us of your many hardships, excessive fatigues, and your chivalrous bearing also satis- fies us of your urgent wants.

These articles are not tendered for acceptance as a compensation for your services rendered; we know that a soldier's heart would spurn with contempt any boon ten- dered by us with such an object; accept them as a brother does, and may, accept a sister's tribute of remembrance- as a token, an evidence, that our best wishes have gone to, and will remain with, you in your privations, your marches, your battles and your victories.

Your fathers and ours, as soldiers, have endured priva- tions and sufferings, and poured out their blood as water, to establish undisturbed freedom east of the Rocky moun- tains; your and our mothers evinced the purity of their love of country, upon those occasions, by efforts to miti- gate the horrors of war, in making and providing clothing for the soldiers. Accept this trifling present as an indorse- ment of an approval of the justice of the cause in which you have volunteered, and of your bearing in the service of our common country as manly, brave and patriotic.

The war which you have generously volunteered to wage was challenged by acts the most ungrateful, bloody, barbarous and brutal.

Perhaps the kindness which the natives have received at the hands of American citizens on their way hither, has, to some extent, induced belief on the part of the natives, that all the Americans are "women" and dare not resent an outrage, however shameful, bloody or wicked. Your unflinching bravery has struck this foolish error from the minds of your enemies, and impressed them with terror, and it is for you, and a brotherhood who will join you, to follow up the victories so gloriously commenced until a succession of victories shall compel an honorable peace, and insure respect for the American arms and name.

We have not forgotten that the soul-sickening massa- cres and the enormities at Waiilatpu were committed in part upon our sex. We know that your hardships and pri- vations are great; but may we not hope that through you these wrongs shall not only be amply avenged, but also that you will inscribe upon the hearts of our savage ene- mies a conviction never to be erased that the virtue and lives of American women will be protected, defended and avenged by American men.

The cause which you have espoused is a holy cause. We believe that the God of battles will so direct the desti- nies of this infant settlement, that she will come out of this contest clothed in honor, and her brave volunteers covered with glory. *

* *

The younger ladies of Oregon also showed their sympathy with the war and its objects by preparing the following:

"RESPONSE BY YOUNG LADIES TO THE CALL OF CAP- TAIN MAXON FOR YOUNG MEN IN THE ARMY.

"We have read with much interest the late report from the army, and feel ourselves under obligation to reply to the appeal made to us in that report. We are asked to evince our influ-

ence for our country's good by withholding our hand from any young man who refuses to turn out in defense of our honor and our country's right. .

"In reply, we hereby, one and all, of our own free good-will, solemnly pledge ourselves to com- ply with that request, and to evince on all suita- ble occasions our detestation and contempt for any and all young men who can, but will not, take up arms and march at once to the seat of war, to punish the Indians who have not only murdered our friends, but have grossly insulted our sex. We never can, and never will, bestow our confidence upon a man who has neither patriotism nor courage enough to defend his country and the girls-such a one would never have sufficient sense of obligation to defend and protect a wife.

"Do not be uneasy about your claims and your rights in the valley; while you are defend- ing the rights of your country, she is watching yours. You must not be discouraged. Fight on, be brave, obey your officers, and never quit your posts till the enemy is conquered; and when you return in triumph to the valley, you shall find us as ready to rejoice with you as we now are to sympathize with you in your sufferings and dangers."

(Signed by fifteen young ladies. )

The same report impelled the government to issue the following proclamation :

Recent accounts from the seat of war show that the Indians are in pretty strong force, and determined to fight. Many of the tribes have expressed a desire to remain peaceful, but there can be no question that the slightest defeat on our part will encourage portions of them to unite against us, and if they should unfortunately succeed in cutting off or crippling our army, it would be a signal for a general union among them; fear is the only thing that will restrain them. It is necessary at the pres- ent moment to keep a strong force in the field to keep those friendly that have manifested a desire for peace, and to keep the hostile Indians busy in their own country, for the war must now either be carried on there, or in our valley. The question is not now a matter of dollars and cents only ; but whether exertions will be made on the part of citizens of the territory to reinforce and sustain the army in the upper country, and keep down the Indians (which our men are able and willing to do if supported), or disband the army and fight them in the valley. One of the two must be done. If the army is disbanded, before two months roll around we will hear of depredations on our frontiers, families will be cut off, and the murderers on their fleet horses out of our reach in some mountain pass before we hear of the massacre.

Many young men are willing to enlist and proceed to the seat of war, but are unable to furnish an outfit; let their neighbors assist them, fit them out well and send them on. As a people we must assist and carry on the war. I hope sincerely that the government of the United States will speedily extend its protecting care over us, but in the meantime we must protect ourselves, and now is the time. I therefore call on all citizens of this territory to furnish three hundred men in addition to the number now in the field. Three new companies will be organized and attached to the regiment commanded by Colonel H. A. G. Lee; each company to consist of eighty-five men, rank and file; the remainder will be distributed among the compa- nies already organized; the enlistments to be for six

THE CAYUSE WAR.

months, unless sooner discharged by proclamation or relieved by the troops of the United States. Each man will furnish his own horse, arms, clothing and blankets. The companies will bring all the ammunition, percussion caps and camp equipments they can, for which they will receive a receipt from the commissary-general.

All citizens willing to enlist will form themselves into detachments in their several counties and be ready to march to Portland, so as to arrive there on the 18th day of April, on which day Colonel Lee will be there to organize the new companies; after which the line of march will be taken up for Waiilatpu. If a sufficient number of men to form a foot company appear on the ground, they will be received as one of the above companies.

In witness whereof I have signed my name and affixed the seal of the territory.

Done at Oregon City this first day of April, 1848.

An appeal was also made in vigorous language by one of the officers, supposed to be Lee, designed to stimulate enlistment. The heart of old Oregon was not steeled against such appeals, and though she had drawn heavily upon her resources in raising, arming and equipping, with- out help from any power outside herself, the men already in the field, she now made still greater exertions that the campaign might be prosecuted with even greater vigor. Polk and Clackamas counties came forward with one company, Linn with one, Yamhill and Tualatin with one, and Clatsop with a few volunteers, numbering in all about two hundred and fifty men.

The amount of exertion this required can hardly be realized at this date. "Popular as was the war," writes Mrs. Victor, "it was a difficult matter putting another battalion in the field. The commissariat had at no time been main- tained without great exertion on the part of its officers, and often great sacrifice on the part of the people. The commissary-general's sworn and bonded agents in every county had from the beginning strained every nerve to collect arms, ammunition and clothing, for which they paid in government bonds or loan commissioner's scrip. As there was very little cash in circulation, and as the common currency of Oregon had been wheat, it had come to pass that 'wheat notes' had been received in place of cash as contributions to th war fund. The wheat thus collected could be sold for cash or its equivalent at Vancouver, and thus, after passing through the circumlocution office, this awkward currency, which had to be gathered up, stored in warehouses, hauled to boat landings, set adrift upon the Willamette, hauled around the falls at Oregon City, and there reloaded for Vancouver, was there at length exchanged for real money or goods. The collec- tion of provisions for the consumption of the army was another matter, and not less burden- some. The agents could refuse no lot of provi- sions because it was small or miscellaneous, nor reject any articles of use to soldiers because they were not of the best. Lead was purchased in any quantities from one to several pounds, and was hard to find, all that was in the country

being that which was brought across the plains by the immigrants for use upon the road. Pow- der and percussion caps were obtained in the same way, or purchased with wheat notes at Vancouver."

H. A. G. Lee was appointed colonel, vice Cornelius Gilliam, deceased. His appointment was unsatisfactory to some, as Captain Waters was the man to whom, in the natural order of promotion, the honor belonged. Accordingly, there were some resignations of inferior officers, causing annoyance and delay to the new coin- mander, who had also been entrusted with the duties of Indian superintendent, Joel Palmer having resigned. But these difficulties were in due time overcome, and on May 3d Lee set out for Fort Waters. He had learned from Maxon at The Dalles that the Yakimas were friendly. Some of the chiefs had visited the major and expressed themselves in this language:

"We do not want to fight the Americans nor the French; neither do the Spokanes, a neigh- boring tribe to us. Last fall the Cayuses told us they were about to kill the whites at Dr. Whit- man's. We told them that was wrong, which made them mad at us, and when they killed them they came to us and wished us to fight the whites, which we refused. We love the whites; but they say, 'If you do not help us to fight the whites, when we have killed them we will come and kill you.' This made us cry, but we told them we would not fight, but if they desired to kill us they might. We should feel happy to know that we died innocently."

Upon arriving in the Cayuse country, Lee, in his capacity as superintendent, held a council of Nez Perces and others, on request of the Indians. Peo-peo-mox-mox, whose friendship had been alienated by the act of the legislature withhold- ing ammunition from all Indians, again took a friendly attitude toward the whites, and it was evident that reinforcements from the Willamette and the expectation that a regiment of mounted riflemen would soon arrive from the United States were bringing the Indians to a humble and peaceable frame of mind. The red men in council were informed that the whites were deter- mined to hold the country until the murderers were punished and the stolen property re- turned.

When Lee reached Waiilatpu, about the 9th of May, he reviewed the situation and determined that it were best he should resign the colonelcy in favor of Lieutenant-Colonel Waters. "I have great confidence in him, "he wrote, "and doubt not the troops will find him competent to the task before him. To prevent any discord or rupture in the regiment, at the request of the officers and men, I have consented to act as lieu- tenant-colonel during the approaching cam- paign." This act of self-abnegation and patriot- ism at a critical juncture restored harmony in

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

the ranks and put the volunteers in condition for a vigorous campaign.

On the 17th of May more than four hundred men started for the Nez Perce country, whither, it was reported, the murderers had gone. At the Coppei river the forces divided, one hundred and twenty-one men under Lee going to Red Wolf's camp to prevent the fugitives escaping to the mountains; the remainder of the volunteers going to the mouth of the Palouse to cut off their retreat down the Columbia. Lee learned, on reaching Red Wolf's camp, that Tiloukaikt's band, two days before, had escaped from the country with everything they owned except some stock at Lapwai. There he went, arriving on the 21st and taking charge of the abandoned cattle. By aid of the friendly Nez Perces, he was enabled to drive back to Waters' camp one hundred and eighteen head of horses and forty head of cattle.

The main command, under Colonel Waters, had succeeded, after considerable delay, in cross- ing the Snake river, and had also pushed on toward Lapwai. On the 22d a letter was received from Rev. Cushing Eells stating that the Spokanes were divided in their sentiments toward the Americans and the war, though all condemned the massacre. The messengers who brought the letter volunteered to bring in a number of Tiloukaikt's cattle and succeeded in doing so, bringing in also two Nez Perces, who informed the colonel that the main band was near Snake river. They also stated that Tilou- kaikt himself had fled to the mountains. Major Magone, with a hundred men, was sent to bring in the stock belonging to the hostiles and to cap- ture any Indians suspected of acting with the fugitives. The stock was brought in, according to orders, but the only suspect encountered was run down and killed, contrary to orders.

It became evident that nothing could be accomplished by a regiment in the Nez Perce country, as the Cayuses had fled. Even the capture and confiscation of property was unsatis- factory, as it was sure to be claimed by some professedly friendly Indian, and the volunteers could hardly choose but return it. The governor and military officers, therefore, determined to close the campaign, notwithstanding the mur- derers had not been captured. A detachment of fifty-five men under Major Magone went to Fort Colville to give Missionaries Eells and Walker, who had sought protection there when the war broke out, safe conduct to The Dalles. The remainder of the command returned to Waii-

latpu. There a council of war was held to deter- mine whether to abandon or to hold Fort Waters. The majority favored abandonment, but Lee was determined that the advantages gained by the war should not be lost by a complete with- drawal from the country. By interesting some responsible men in a scheme of colonization, and promising to secure them as far as was in his power against treaty stipulations prejudicial to their interests, he succeeded in inducing fifty-five volunteers to remain in the fort with Captain William Martin until September, when, it was expected, Captain Thompson would return with a colony of intending settlers. The immigrant road was thus kept in a condition of comparative safety, so that the immigration of 1848, number- ing about eight hundred souls, experienced no trouble with Indians.

The results of the war may be summed up briefly. While the murderers were not captured and hanged, they were severely punished by being despoiled of their property and made wan- derers and vagabonds on the face of the earth. The power and prestige of the Cayuse tribe were broken forever. The other tribes of the interior, who had been led by the non-resistance and reluctance to fight displayed by immigrants passing through their country with families and herds to consider the Americans a race of cow- ards, were effectually taught their error, and while the race struggle was not ended, it was delayed until the whites were much better able to contest successfully against the savages arrayed in the pathway of progress.

Negotiations were kept up constantly with the tribes of the interior for the peaceful surren- der of the murderers after the provisional gov- ernment was eventually superseded by a territo- rial form. The Cayuses, though war was no longer waged against theni, saw that their case was becoming more and more hopeless by reason of the fact that the United States government had at last extended protecting arms to Oregon and the American power in the west was rapidly increasing. At last, despairing of their ability to longer protect the murderers, they compelled or induced five of them to surrender for trial. These were Tiloukaikt, Tamahas, Klokamas, Isaiachalakis and Kiamasumpkin. They were given a fair trial, convicted, and on the 3d of June, 1850, executed, all of them, at Oregon City. Thus ignobly perished probably the last of those immediately concerned in the massacre, though the fate of Joe Lewis and others may not be cer- tainly known.

CHAPTER VIII.

EARLY DAYS IN WASHINGTON.

The territory north of the Columbia river did not share in the benefits derived from the earli- est immigrations into the Northwest. In the diplomatic contest for the country, it had been steadfastly claimed by Great Britain, whose pro- posal, several times reiterated, was that the Columbia should form the boundary. Perhaps on account of the industrious inculcation on the part of the Hudson's Bay Company of the belief that northern Oregon would be conceded to Great Britain, the benefits of the provisional government were not expressly extended to the territory now forming Washington state, and for several years after the Americanization of the Willamette valley began, the fur company held undisputed sway over the trans-Columbia region. In order to further strengthen the hands of the British government in its territorial claims that company had organized the Puget Sound Agri- cultural Company, through which considerable progress was made in farming and stock-raising, as is shown by the following description of the Cowlitz and Nisqually tracts, written in 1841 by the pen of Sir George Simpson :

"Between the Cowlitz river and Puget sound, a distance of about sixty miles, the country, which is watered by many streams and lakes, consists of an alternation of plains and belts of wood. It is well adapted both for tillage and pasturage, possessing a genial climate, good soil, excellent timber, water power, natural clearings and a seaport, and that, too, within reach of more than one advantageous market. When this tract was explored, a few years ago, the Hud- son's Bay Company established two farms upon it, which were subsequently transferred to the Puget Sound Agricultural Company, formed under the company's auspices, with the view of producing wheat, wool. hides, and tallow for exportation. On the Cowlitz farm there were already about a thousand acres of land under the plow, besides a large dairy, and an extensive park for horses and stock; and the crop this sea- son amounted to eight or nine thousand bushels of wheat, four thousand of oats, with a due pro- portion of barley, potatoes, etc. The other farm was on the shores of Puget sound (Nisqually plains), and, as its soil was found to be better fitted for pasturage than tillage, it had been appropriated almost exclusively to the flocks and

herds. So that now, with only two hundred acres of cultivated land, it possessed six thousand sheep, twelve hundred cattle, besides horses, pigs, etc. In addition to these two farms, there was a Cath- olic mission, with about one hundred and sixty acres under the plow. There were also a few Canadian settlers, retired servants of the Hud- son's Bay Company, and it was to the same neighborhood that the emigrants from Red river were wending their way."

To still further strengthen British claim to northern Oregon, as the country was then called, the Hudson's Bay Company undertook the task of settling the still unoccupied lands, or some of them, with British subjects from the Red river country of Canada. As an inducement to such to make the tedious journey over the many weary leagues which intervened between the Red River of the North and Puget sound, the company offered to each head of a family, upon arrival, the use and increase of fifteen cows, fifteen ewes, all needful work oxen or horses and the use of house and barns. In answer to this call, an emi- gration left the vicinity of Fort Garry on the 15th of June, 1841. They were overtaken by the party of Sir George Simpson, who described them as consisting of agriculturists and others, principally natives of Red river settlement. "There were twenty-three families," says he, "the heads being young and active, though a few of them were advanced in life, more particularly one poor woman, upwards of seventy-five years of age, who was following after her son to his new home. As a contrast to this superannuated daughter of the Saskatchewan, the band con- tained several young travelers, who had, in fact, made their appearance in this world since the commencement of the journey. Beyond the inevitable detention, which seldom exceeded a few hours, these interesting events had never interfered with the progress of the brigade; and both mother and child used to jog on, as if jog- ging on were the condition of human existence. Each family had two or three carts, together with bands of horses, cattle and dogs. The men and lads traveled in the saddle, while the vehi- cles, which were covered with awnings against the sun and rain, carried the women and young children. As they marched in single file, their cavalcade extended above a mile in length; and

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

we increased the length of the column by march- ing in company. The emigrants were all healthy and happy, living in the greatest abundance and enjoying the journey with the highest relish. Before coming up to these people, we had seen evidence of the comfortable state of their com- missariat in the shape of two or three still warm buffaloes, from which only the tongue and a few other choice bits had been taken."

The company crossed the Rocky mountains early in August, reached Fort Walla Walla on the 4th of October, assisted in removing valua- bles from that fort, which burned that night or the next morning, and finally arrived, after the loss of two or three members who changed their destination while en route, in the Sound country. Some of the families remained at the Cowlitz farm over winter and some at Fort Nisqually. It was claimed by them that the company acted in bad faith in the matter of fulfilling its pledges. Whether or not this be true, not many of the families located permanently in the country, and the colonization scheme may be considered a failure.

The honor of having made the initial attempt to colonize northern Oregon in American inter- ests is universally conceded to one Michael T. Simmons, the "Daniel Boone of Washington." Simmons is described as a stalwart Kentuckian, endowed with the splendid physique and indom- itable courage for which the sons of that state are famous. Arriving at Vancouver in 1844, he spent most of the winter there, and doubtless learned from the chance expressions of Hudson's Bay men something of the value of the country to the northward. At any rate, he gave up his former intentions of going to southern Oregon, as the company wished him to do, and deter- mined to explore the forests of the north, as the company very much opposed his doing. He is credited with having patriotic as well as personal motives for undertaking this spying-out of the land. He started on his exploring expedition with five companions during the winter of 1844-5, purposing to find or make a pathway to Puget sound. But the inclemencies of the season necessitated his temporary abandonment of the enterprise, and having ascended the Cowlitz river about fifty miles, he returned to Vancou- ver. In July he set out again with eight com- panions. Reaching the sound in due season, he made some explorations of its shores in canoes and informed himself of its resources and value. He chose as a site for his colony a picturesque spot near the falls of the Des Chutes river, made a return trip to Vancouver, and soon was back on the sound with James McAllister, Gabriel Jones, David Kindred and George W. Bush and their families, also S. B. Crockett and Jesse Fer- guson. Such is the personnel of the first Ameri- can colony in Washington.

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An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 15

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company
Number of Pages: 1146