An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 18

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 18
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 18
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 18

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).

THE YAKIMA WAR.

repeated and unprovoked outrages which were committed by savages upon unoffending and defenseless white men, women and children. * *

* * In no respect were any citizens of those territories the aggressors. No act of their citizens nor of their officials provoked hostilities. There was no cause of complaint by - the Indians, nor were they afforded a shadow of justification for that outbreak of perfidy and hate during the summer and fall of 1855. The only offense of the Oregon-Washington pioneers in the Indian estimation was that as American citizens they were in the country. That presence, lawful in itself, was to the Indians a standing menace that others of that race would follow them. The war was initiated by the native popu- lation to discourage immigration or American occupancy. Forced upon our people, it was prosecuted by them solely to hold the country for our race, to protect the settlements, and to effect a peace which would be lasting and enable the white population then in the country, and those who should come thereafter, to remain in safety. This conflict, so unexpected to the American settlers and for which they were so ill prepared, may have been hastened by the negotiating of the treaties and the events which so quickly followed-events which could not have been. anticipated by any, either Indian or white, who participated in these negotiations. In no sense, however, were these treaties the cause of those hostile feelings which brought about the war."

The argumentative tone of the foregoing quotation was inspired by the persistent efforts of the United States army officials, with Major- General Wool, chief in command of the Depart- ment of the Pacific, at their head, to make Governor Stevens and the citizens of Oregon and Washington in some way responsible for the war. General Wool lost no opportunity to slander the people of the two territories and it has been stated that in the prosecution of the war, he proved himself a more bitter enemy of Oregon and Washington than any of the Indian savages in arms. The enmity between the general and Governor Stevens is unsurpassed for venom in the annals of the Northwest.

Just prior to the outbreak of the war an event occurred which brought joy to many hearts. A discovery of gold was reported to have been made in the vicinity of the Hudson's Bay Company's Fort Colville and not a little excitement had been aroused in consequence. It was hoped that this would cause the long-looked-for large immigra- tion of people into the territory and its more com- plete settlement and subjugation. Instead, it furnished the immediate occasion for the melan- choly war, which did so much to retard develop- ment and delay settlement. The young com- monwealth was fated to pass through a period of trials, dissimilar in many respects to that expe- rienced by Oregon in the dark days of the Cayuse

war, yet similar in that it stirred the hearts of the people to their most profound depths and tried their metal as with fire.

So great was the feeling of security engen- dered by the successful negotiation of the treaties at Walla Walla-treaties which incorporated as one of their provisions pledges of good will on the part of the Indians toward the white race- that persons traveling from Puget sound to the Colville gold fields hesitated not to pass through the Indian country singly or in small squads, ill equipped to repel attack. Soon rumors reached the settlements that many such had been murdered by Indians, and that the Yakimas had taken an attitude of hostility toward white men. The rumors in the cases of Mattice, Jamison, Walker, Eaton, Cummings, Huffman, Fanjoy and others being partially confirmed, Sub-agent Andrew J. Bolon, then en route to the Spokane country to meet Governor Stevens, turned aside into the Yakima country to ascertain from Kamiakin himself the truth or falsity of the statements. He never returned to tell the story of his adventures, and as no white man accom- panied him, only Indian evidence could be obtained as to what transpired. According to this the chief received Bolon in a haughty and insolent manner, whereupon the sub-agent made some threats. Kamiakin must have been deeply angered, for it is said he directed that Bolon should be killed. At any rate the sub-agent was murdered in a perfidious and brutal manner, by a son of Owhi, half brother of Kamiakin. Bolon's horse was also killed and the bodies of both were burned.

When the news of this melancholy event became known to the whites, Acting-Governor Mason, of Washington territory, made a requisi- tion upon the military for a force to protect the route of the returning Colville miners. Major Rains, in charge at Vancouver, ordered Brevet- Major G. O. Haller, with one hundred men and a howitzer, to proceed from The Dalles into the Yakima country, there to co-operate with fifty men under Lieutenant W. A. Slaughter, for the purpose of inquiring into the difficulties. The Indians were abundantly prepared to meet him, not in council but on the battle-field. Ever since the signing of the Walla Walla treaty, the Yakimas had thought of nothing but war. The organizers of the hostile confederacy had steadily pointed out to those inclined to be peaceable that for fifteen years the whites had been pour- ing through their country into the Willamette; that their purpose not only to hold the country but to keep open the routes of travel for more to follow was plainly manifest; that a settlement in the Colville country and an open road thereto was an entering wedge by which the whites would gain possession of the interior, and that if anything was to be done to prevent white supremacy and the total subjugation of the

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

Indian race, it must be done quickly. In con- firmation of their statements that the whites were determined to keep open the route by which should come uncounted hordes of their race, they pointed to the fact that but recently United States troops had passed through their country going to the Snake river with intent to protect the immigrant road from Fort Hall westward. A horrible massacre had taken place there during August, 1854, in which all the members of an immigrant train, except one boy, were murdered and outraged in the most brutal manner. one woman being compelled to witness the torturing of her children over a slow fire. To prevent the recurrence of such acts, Major Haller had gone in May, 1855, to the scene of the carnival of slaughter. This natural and praiseworthy act had furnished the Indian demagogues with an effective argument in their philippics against the white race. And indeed, though he succeeded in his expedition, capturing and hanging many of the perpetrators of this horrible crime, the Indian orators did not hesitate to publish assiduously a rumor to the effect that he had been cut off by the Snakes and his men all killed. By such false reports and appeals to their jealousy and prejudices, the Yakimas were wrought up to the fighting point and made ready to bear their part in the general outbreak. Similar argu- inents were used to inspire other Indians from California's northern boundary to the British line with similar passions, and a like eagerness to engage in acts of hostility.

Thus it came to pass that Haller with his handful of men met a determined foe, well equipped for battle. Leaving The Dalles on October 3, 1855. he fell in with the enemy three days later. The Indians were defeated in the first engagement, but on Sunday, the 7th, com- pletely turned the tables upon the whites, who were surrounded by a large and constantly increasing force of Indians. These were kept off by bayonet charges until nightfall, when a retreat back to The Dalles was decided upon. A running fight was maintained during the next day, but that night the Indians suffered a repulse, after which the whites were permitted to complete their journey without further moles- tation. The fighting on the retreat was all done by the advance guard, the rear guard having taken another trail, by which it reached The Dalles in safety. The loss on the expedition was five killed and seventeen wounded, though much property had to be abandoned or. destroyed. Lieutenant Slaughter, as soon as he became aware of the defeat of Haller, prudently recrossed the Cascades to the White river country.

Under date of October 12th, 1855, United States Indian Agent Olney wrote from Walla Walla to Governor Curry, of Oregon, as follows:

"I beg to draw your attention to the fact that all the Indians north and south of the Columbia,

this side of the Nez Perces and Spokanes, have either commenced open hostilities upon the whites, or are concentrating their forces for that purpose. I just arrived at this place this morn- ing from The Dalles, and find the most alarming state of affairs as to the friendly relations hereto- fore existing between the Americans and the Walla Wallas, Palouses, Umatillas and Cayuses. I am doing all in my power to check the gather- ing storm ; but I fear nothing but a large military force will do any good towards keeping them in check. The regular force now in the country I do not consider sufficient for the protection of the settlers and the chastisement of the Indians. One thousand volunteers should be raised imme- diately and sent into this part of Oregon and Washington territories. Delay is ruinous. Decisive steps must be immediately taken. They must be humbled; and in all conscience send a force that can do it effectually and with- out delay. These Indians must be taught our power. The winter is the very time to do it."

It would seem that Major Rains took the same view of the emergency and of the inade- quacy of the regular force to meet it as did Mr. Olney, for he called upon Acting-Governor Mason, of Washington territory, for two compa- nies of volunteers, and upon Governor Curry, of Oregon, for four. Both the Washington compa- nies, when organized, were mustered into the service of the United States, though it was understood that one of them should be sent upon the mission for which it was raised, namely, the relief of Governor Stevens. The Oregon gov- ernor refused to have the men who volunteered in response to his call mustered into the regular service, so the identity of the Oregon volunteers was maintained throughout the war, though their leaders at all times expressed a willingness to act in harmony with the United States troops for the vigorous prosecution of aggressive war- fare.

October 30th Major Rains set out from The Dalles with a force of three hundred and fifty regulars. November Ist Colonel Nesmith fol- lowed with a force which a few days later was increased to five hundred and fifty-three men. The experiences of both regulars and volunteers up to November 12th, when both were in camp at the Ahtanum mission, were summarized thus in a despatch of that date from Major Rains to Governor Mason:

"Here we are without a battle, except a skir- mish four days since with some forty Indians who defied us as we approached the Yakima river. We thought it was the prelude to the big battle with the whole of their force, and forded the stream to an island with our mounted troops, eighteen dragoons and eight prisoners. Here we commenced the action, firing on the enemy, and ordering up our artillery and infantry to ford the stream. Our troops made a rush into the

THE YAKIMA WAR.

water, but, being on foot, tried again and again to cross the river, but failed, the rapid current sweeping away two of our best men, who were thus drowned; whereupon I sent back to Colonel Nesmith for two companies of volunteers, who, with our dragoons, drove headlong into the foaming current, and reaching the opposite shore, charged the enemy, who fled away over the hills, one of their balls striking, but fortut- nately not wounding, Colonel Nesmith's horse.

"Late in the afternoon, after recalling all our forces to the south bank of the Yakima river, we heard, some distance on the plain, the reports of small arms (indication of a fight), and, taking two companies, we proceeded in that direction until some time after night, when, the firing having ceased, we returned to the edge of the timber and bivouacked for the night. Next day we found a number of Indians around us on swift horses, who were driven off by our mounted volunteer companies. As we approached the mountain gorge, we found the Indians, about three hundred in number, on the hilltops beating their drums and shouting defiance. These were soon driven from their position and scattered by discharges from our howitzers. We cut off some of them by a proper disposition of our troops; and two or more were killed. We continned our march to this place, sweeping the plains with our cavalry, dispersing, killing and wounding all the enemy we saw, and found the mission aban- doned. Captain Maloney not having arrived in conjunction with Colonel Nesmith (who himself went in command), we despatched one hundred and sixty-eight volunteers and regnlars, on our best horses, to proceed in the direction of the Naches pass, and ascertain his whereabouts. We are awaiting their report; for we cannot tell where the large body of the enemy is, unless they have gone that way to attack Captain Malo- ney's command."

The same incidents and those immediately following them are narrated in greater detail in an article in the Portland Daily Standard of the time:

In the engagement at the Yakima river (mentioned in Major Rains' despatch), Captain Bennett's company (Com- pany F) and part of the Clackamas company (Company C) took part and were the first to cross the river and charge the enemy, who fled with great rapidity, so much so that the disabled state of the horses of the volunteers rendered pursuit unsuccessful. Captain Cornelius' company (Com- pany D) having become separated from the main body of the volunteers in the engagement at the river, encountered a superior force of Indians and fought them nearly a half day. He kept them at bay and succeeded in taking some cattle and driving them into camp that night. Two of his men were severely wounded. The damage inflicted upon the Indians was not known. In the attack the next day at the mountain gorge spoken of by Major Rains, otherwise called the Two Buttes, the number of Indians was not less than five hundred. About one hundred and fifty were counted upon the top of the hill, and the remainder were in the brush. By some misunderstanding of the orders given to surround them, a gap was left open; and those

made their escape. Two only were killed. Pursuit was of no avail.

The regulars and volunteers encamped near the mis- sion, which, having been abandoned, it was conjectured that the main force of the Indians had either gone to the Naches pass to attack Captain Maloney, or up the Colum- bia to Priests' rapids. Colonel Nesmith, with a command of two hundred and fifty men, proceeded toward the pass, . and after an absence of three days returned without hav- ing seen the enemy. He found the snow so deep as to prevent the forage of his animals, and was compelled to return. He found caches of Indian provisions, which he destroyed, and several Indian mares and colts, which were killed, as they would be of no service to the volunteers. Some wild Indian cattle were also found and killed, which furnished subsistence for the troops. In and about the mission were found vegetables and a variety of useful articles.

On Colonel Nesmith's return, a council of officers was held, by which it was deemed inexpedient to proceed to Walla Walla, owing to the scarcity of forage, the weak condition of the animals, and the difficulty of crossing the Columbia with the sick and wounded. It was decided to return to The Dalles and recruit. After burning the mis- sion and a house owned by Kamiakin, the whole force, regulars and volunteers, took up their line of march for The Dalles. On their way they met Captain Wilson's command (Company A) with the pack train of supplies. which train had suffered great loss of animals and supplies by reason of the snows in the mountains, which in some places were four or five feet in depth. The expedition reached the Klickitat river, about twenty-five miles distant from The Dalles, on the 17th, and there encamped. The most cordial co-operation had existed between the regular and volunteer officers. All seemed animated with a com- mon interest in accomplishing the ends and objects of the campaign.

Mention should be made of the fact that while Major Rains was at the Ahtannm mission he received a letter from Kamiakin, head chief of the Yakimas, making overtures of peace and friendship on certain terms. The reply of Rains was certainly vigorous enough and gave the chief an unequivocal statement of his position and intentions. It read as follows:

HEADQUARTERS YAKIMA EXPEDITION, ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSION, November 13, 1855. KAMIAKIN, HYAS TYEE OF THE YAKIMA INDIANS:

Your talk by Padre Pandozy is just received. You know me and I know you. You came among the white people and to my house at The Dalles with Padre Pandozy and gave me a horse, which I did not take, as Panawok had given Lieutenant Wood another horse for him. You came in peace-we come in war. And why? Because your land has drunk the blood of the white man, and the Great Spirit requires it at your hand.

You make the sign of the cross, and pray to the God of truth for mercy, and yet you lie when you say you "were very quiet, the Americans were our friends; our hearts were not for war." until Governor Stevens changed your feelings; for long before the treaty, which you agreed to, you proposed to the Walla Walla chief, Peo-peo-mox- mox, to go to war, and kill off all the whites. He told us so. You have been preparing for this purpose a very long time; and your people agreed with the Cayuses, at the Walla Walla council, before the treaty was made, to mur- der all the whites there, which was only prevented by the Nez Perces disagreeing.

You know that you murdered white men going to the mines who had done you no injury, and you murdered all persons, though no white man had trespassed upon your lands. You sent me a delegation to stop Hamilton and Pierce from settling in your country. I wrote them a

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

letter and they leit. You murdered your agent Bolon for telling you the truth-that the troops would come upon you for these murders. Has his death prevented their coming? I sent a handful of soldiers into your country to inquire into the facts. It was not expected that they should fight you, and they did right to return back. Your foul deeds were seen by the eye of the Great Spirit, who saw Cain when he killed his brother, Abel, and cursed him for it. Fugitives and vagabonds shall you also be, all that remain of you, upon the face of the earth, as well as all who aid or assist you, until you are gone.

You say now, "If we will be quiet and make friendship, you will not war with us, but give a piece of land to all the tribes." We will not be quiet, but war forever, until not a Yakima breathes in the land he calls his own. The river only will we let retain this name to show to all people that here the Yakimas once lived.

You say that you will fight us with thousands, and if vanquished, those of you that remain will kill all your women and children, and then the country will be ours. The country is ours already, as you must see from our assembled army; for we intend to occupy it, and make it too hot to hold you. We are braves, and no brave makes war with women and children. You may kill them as you say, but we will not; yet we are thirsting for your blood, and want your warriors to meet us, and the warriors of all tribes wishing to help you, at once to come. The snow is on the ground, and the crows are hungry for food. Your men we have killed; your horses and your cattle do not afford them enough to eat. Your people shall not catch salmon hereafter for you, for I will send soldiers to occupy your fisheries, and fire upon you. Your cattle and your horses, which you got from the white man, we will hunt up, and kill and take them from you. The earth, which drank the blood of the white man, shed by your hands, shall grow no more wheat nor roots for you, for we will destroy it. When the cloth that makes your clothing, your guns and your powder are gone, the white man will make you no more. We looked upon you as our children and tried to do you good. We would not have cheated you. The treaty which you complain of, though signed by you, gave you too much for your lands, which are inost all worthless to the white man; but we are not sorry, for we are able to give, and it would have benefited you. After you signed the treaty with Governor Stevens and General Palmer, had you told us that you did not wish to abide by it, it would have been listened to. We wanted to instruct you in all our learning; to make axes, plows and hoes to cultivate the ground; blankets to keep you from the cold; steamboats and steam wagons which fly along swifter than the birds fly, and to use the lightning which makes the thunder in heavens to carry talk and serve as a servant. William Chinook, at The Dalles; Lawyer, chief of the Nez Perces; Steachus, and Weattinattitimine, hyas tyee of the Cayuses, and many others of their people, can tell you what I say is true. You, a few people, we can see with our glasses a long way off, while the whites are as the stars in the heavens, or leaves of the trees in summer time. Our warriors in the field are many, as you must see; but if not enough, a thousand for every one more will be sent to hunt you, and to kill you; and my advice to you, as you will see, is to scatter yourselves among the Indian tribes more peaceable, and there forget you ever were Yakimas. (Signed) G. J. RAINS, Major U. S. A., Brigadier-General W. T., Commanding Troops in the Field.

While these events were transpiring in the Yakima country, a movement had been made by Major Mark A. Chinn, who, with Company B, Oregon volunteers, proceeded to the mouth of the Des Chutes, where Company H, under com- mand of Captain Taylor, was encamped. Pro- ceeding toward the Walla Walla country with both companies, he arrived at Wells Springs on

the 17th of November. Here he was met by a messenger from Narcisse Raymond, a French settler in Walla Walla valley, with the following communication addressed to the commander in charge of the forces en route to Walla Walla:

November 14, 1855.

Sir: However urgent and important the news I have to communicate, I almost despaired to despatch any from want of hands who were willing to risk life at this critical time; but Mr. McBean came to my assistance and offered the services of his son, John, who, in company with another man, will be the bearer of this. The news is gloomy and very different from what I had reason to expect when I left The Dalles on my way hither. Serpent Jaune (Peo-peo- mox-mox) has shown his colors, and is a declared foe to the Americans. He has taken possession of the fort and pil- laged it, government as well as Hudson's Bay Company's property ; has placed himself on the south side of the Walla Walla river, on the hills, guarding the road with a force, it is said, of a thousand.

The young men on the Umatilla river are disposed for war, and John Whitford and Tolman instigate them to it. The chiefs of that place, at least the majority of them, are on the balance, and have not yet decided; but Stockalah and Walattelekt, with their people, have joined the Cay- uses, and are doing all in their power to have them join against the Americans. The chiefs of this valley have remained firm and will not join the unfriendly Indians. Their conduct since Mr. Olney's departure has been praise- worthy, and they did all they could to prevent Mr. Brooks' house from being burned and pillaged, but in vain. The chief, Howlish Wampool, did it at the risk of his life.

Two Nez Perce chiefs now here, Joseph and Red Wolf, desire me to tell you that all their tribe is for peace; that they will suffer no hostile Indians to remain among them. In justice to Pierre (Walla Walla chief), I beg to say that he stuck to his charge until forced away by Serpent Jaune and his people, but not until they had robbed three difter- ent times out of the fort. He was alone, and, of course, could not prevent them. As affairs stand, it is my humble opinion that it might not be prudent to make your way hither with the force at your command of one hundred and fifty men. I have requested the bearers of this despatch to proceed to The Dalles with the letters to the respective addresses of Messrs. Olney and Noble; and placed as we are, a mere handful of men, destitute of ammunition, the sooner assistance is tendered to us the better, for Serpent Jaune daily threatens to burn our houses and to kill us, and he is not the only enemy we have to dread.

In haste, I remain, sir,

Respectfully, your obedient humble servant,

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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 18

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