An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 20

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 20
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 20
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 20

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The Spokanes were even more surprised than the Coeur d'Alenes on seeing us. Three hours before my arrival they had heard that 1 was going to the settlements by way of New York. I immediately called a council ; sent to Fort Colville for Mr. McDonald, in charge of that post of the Hudson's Bay Company ; sent also for the Jesuit fathers at that point. They arrived. A council was held, at which the whole Spokane nation was represented. The Coeur d'Alenes and Colville Indians also were present.

The Spokanes and Colville Indians evinced extreme hostility of feeling; spoke of the war below; wanted it stopped; said the whites were wrong. The belief was cur- rent that Peo-peo-mox-mox would cut off my party as he had repeatedly threatened. They had not joined in the war, but yet would make no promise to remain neutral. If the Indians now at war were driven into their country, they would not answer for the consequences; probably many of the Spokanes would join them. After a stormy council of

THE YAKIMA WAR.

several days, the Spokanes, Coeur d'Alenes and Colvilles were entirely conciliated and promised they would reject all overtures of the hostile Indians and continue the firm friends of the whites.

Having added to my party and organized, etc., we thence made a forced march to the Nez Perce country. Mr. Craig had received letters which informed me that the whole Walla Walla valley was blocked up with hostile Indians, and the Nez Perces said it would be impossible to go through.

I called a council and proposed to them that one hun- dred and fifty of their young men should accompany me to The Dalles. Without hesitation, they agreed to go. Whilst in the council making arrangements for our move- ments, news came that a force of gallant Oregon volun- teers, four hundred strong, had met the Indians in the Walla Walla valley, and after four days' hard fighting, having a number of officers and men killed and wounded, had completely routed the enemy, driving them across Snake river and toward the Nez Perce country. The next day I pushed forward, accompanied by sixty-nine Nez Perces, well armed, and reached Walla Walla without encountering any hostile Indians. They had all been driven across Snake river below us by the Oregon troops.

It is now proper to inquire what would have been the condition of my party had not the Oregon troops vigor- ously pushed into the field and gallantly defeated the enemv.

The country between the Blue mountains and the Columbia was overrun with Indians, numbering one thou- sand to twelve hundred warriors, including the force at Priests' rapids under Kamiakin, who had sworn to cut me off ; it was completely blocked up. One effect of the cam- paign of the regulars and volunteers in the Yakima country under Brigadier-General Rains was to drive Kamiakin and his people on our side of the Columbia river, and thus endanger our movement from the Spokane to the Nez Perce country. Thus we had been hemmed in by a body of hostile Indians through whom we could have only forced our way with extreme difficulty and at great loss of life. We might all have been sacrificed in the attempt. For the opening of the way to my party I am solely indebted to the Oregon volunteers. Peo-peo-mox-mox, the celebrated chief of the Walla Wallas, entertained an extreme hostility toward myself and party, owing to imaginary wrongs he supposed to have been inflicted upon him in the treaty concluded with the Cayuses and Walla Wallas last June, and had been known repeatedly to threaten that I never should reach The Dalles. He was the first to commence hostilities by plundering Fort Walla Walla and destroying a large amount of property belonging to the United States Indian department.

* * *

At Walla Walla I found some twenty-five settlers-the remainder having fled to The Dalles for protection. With these were one hundred friendly Indians. Special Indian Agent B. F. Shaw, colonel in the Washington territory militia, was on the ground, and I at once organized the district, placed him in command and directed him, if nec- essary, to fortify, at all events to maintain his ground should the Oregon troops be disbanded before another force should take the field. The Nez Perce auxiliaries were disbanded and returned home.

Thus we had reached a place of safety unaided, except- ing by the fortunate movements of the Oregon troops. Not a single man had been pushed forward to meet us, and though it was well known we should cross the moun- tains about a certain time, and arrive at Walla Walla about the time we did. Why was this? Arrangements had been made with Major Rains by Acting-Governor Mason to push forward a force under Colonel Shaw to meet me at Spokane about the time of my arrival there. A company had been enlisted, organized and marched to Fort Vancou- ver to obtain equipments, rations and transportation, which Major Rains had promised both Governor Mason and Colonel Shaw should be promptly furnished them. Some little delay ensued, and in the meantime Major-

General Wool arrived, who immediately declined equip- ping the company, as promised by Major Rains, and stated that he could not in any manner recognize volunteers or furnish them equipments or transportation, and declined to supply their places with regular troops, of whom, at Van- couver alone, were some three hundred and fifty men.

The report then goes on to make grave accusations against General Wool. "All history," says Professor Lyman, "abounds in instances of intense personal feuds and disagreements, but our Pacific coast history seems to have been especially fruitful of them. That between General Wool, with some of the officers who echoed his opinions, the regulars, in short, on one side and Governor Stevens, supported by the volunteers and the nearly united people of the territory on the other, was particularly acrimo- nious." The following is an extract from Stevens' report showing the ground of his complaint against Wool:

"When remonstrated with by Captain William Mckay, in command of the company to push forward to my assistance, when informed of the object for which the company was enlisted, and that if it was not pressed forward at once, or if some other force was not sent, Governor Stevens and his party would be in the most imminent danger, the general replied that in his opinion the danger was greatly exaggerated. That prob- ably Governor Stevens would be able to protect himself, but if he could not, then Governor Stevens could obtain an escort from General Harney.

"What a reply was that! A moiety of the Indians now in arms had defeated a detachment of one hundred United States regulars; Major Rains had placed on record his opinion that an insufficient force would be defeated by these Indians, and my party was supposed to number no more than twenty-five men. Yet Major- General Wool very coolly says, ‘Governor Stevens can take care of himself.' So, too, in the remark that I could obtain aid from General Harney. Did General Wool know that the distance from Fort Benton to the supposed posi- tion of General Harney was greater than the distance from Fort Benton to The Dalles, and that to obtain aid from him would require not less than six months, and that an express to reach him must pass through the entire breadth of the Sioux? Such ignorance shows great incapacity and is inexcusable.

"Mr. Secretary, Major-General Wool, com- manding the Pacific Division, neglected and refused to send a force to the relief of myself and party when known to be in imminent danger, and believed by those who were less capable of judging to be coming on to certain death, and this, when he had at his command an efficient force of regular troops. He refused to sanction the agreement made between Governor Mason and Major Rains for troops to be sent to my

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

assistance and ordered them to disband. It was reserved for the Oregon troops to rescue us.

"The only demonstration made by Major Rains resulted in showing his utter incapacity to command in the field. As has heretofore been said, his expedition against the Yakimnas effected nothing but driving the Indians into the very country through which I must pass to reach the settlements.

"I therefore prefer charges against General Wool. I accuse him of utter and signal inca- pacity, of criminal neglect of my safety. I ask for an investigation into the matter and for his removal from command."

In January, 1856, Governor Stevens reached his capital at Olympia and found that the storm of war was raging on the west as on the east side of the Cascade range. A full history of opera- tions in the sound country need not here be attempted, but a brief outline is essential to the complete narration of the second great struggle for the possession of Washington territory. In October, 1855, the Indian situation became threatening, so much so that Acting-Governor Mason called for the organization of four additional companies, to be considered as a reserve force, their members a species of minute men, ready for immediate action in case of necessity. Blockhouses were erected by the settlers and other defensive measures adopted. The war was given inception in the manner usual to savages, namely, by the indiscriminate massacre of defenseless settlers. In a letter dated November 5th, Christopher C. Hewitt thus describes the dire results of the outbreak to the unoffending people of White river, upon whom the first blow fell.

"We started Monday morning (October 29th) for the scene of action. After two days' hard work we made the house of Mr. Cox, which we found robbed. We next went to Mr. Jones', whose house had been burnt to the ground; and Mr. Jones, being sick at the time, was burnt in it. The body of Mrs. Jones was found some thirty yards from the house, shot through the lower part of the lungs, her face and jaws horribly broken and mutilated, apparently with the head of an axe. The bones of Mr. Jones were found, the flesh having been roasted and eaten off by hogs. Mr. Cooper, who lived with Mr. Jones, was found about one hundred and fifty yards from the house, shot through the lungs. After burying the bodies, we proceeded to the house of W. H. Brown, a mile distant. Mrs. Brown and her infant, apparently ten months old, we found in the well, the mother stabbed in the back and head and also in the lower part of the left breast, the child not dressed but no marks of violence noticeable upon it Mr. Brown was found in the house, literally cut to pieces. We next went to the house of Mr. King, or to the site of it, for it had been burnt to the

ground. Mr. King and the two little children were burnt in the house, and the body of Mr. King, after being roasted, had been almost eaten up by hogs. Mrs. King was some thirty yards from the house. She had been shot through the heart and was horribly mutilated. Three chil- dren were saved, one the son of Mr. King and two of Mr. Jones."

On hearing of the outbreak, General Wool sent additional troops and the regulars and volunteers carried on such warfare with the wily Indians as the nature of the country would permit. But the winter season, which is very rainy on the sound, and the dense primeval forest that covered the land, rendered campaigning against an elusive enemy exceedingly difficult and unsatisfactory. In the desultory fighting which followed the outbreak, a number of reg- ulars lost their lives, among them the gallant and manly Lieutenant William A. Slaughter, and, though losses were also inflicted upon the Indians, little was accomplished toward the win- ning of a permanent peace.

Upon his arrival, Governor Stevens, with his usual vigor and resourcefulness, set about the onerous task of placing the territory on a satis- factory war footing. He contended that the volunteers who had been mustered into the service of the United States liad been treated badly, so that it was proper that volunteers there- after enlisted should be under the direction of the territorial authorities alone. As the term of enlistment of those volunteers called out by Acting-Governor Mason was about to expire, he issued a proclamation calling for six companies, reciting as the occasion for his so doing that "during the past three months a band of hostile Indians had been spreading alarm amongst the settlers residing on Puget sound, murdering the families, destroying property, causing claims to be abandoned, and preventing the usual avoca- tions of the farmer, whereby a large portion of the territory liad become deserted ; and positive want, if not starvation, stares us in the face dur- ing the coming year.'

Three days after this proclamation was issued, an event happened which effectually proved that the call of the executive was not unwarranted. It had been impossible for the hostile Indians to secure the co-operation and support of all their race residing upon the sound, hut many remained friendly to the whites. In order to win over to hostility these friendly and neutral tribes, a bold move was determined upon by the red men in arms, one "utterly inexpli- cable, considering their usual mode of warfare." At 8:30 o'clock in the morning an attack was miade on the town of Seattle, notwithstanding the fact that an American armed vessel was lying at anchor in the harbor. All day long the firing continued. Two white men were killed and a number of Indians, just how many could not be

THE YAKIMA WAR.

ascertained, though a shell from the United States ship (the Decatur) is said to have killed five. The Indians were not successful in their attempt to seize the town. Had they been, "thereby would have been settled the question by the great number of Indians upon the reser- vations who yet doubted as to which party should have their allegiance."

The defeat on White river of the hostile chief, Leschi, by a force of friendly Indians under Patkanim on February 15th, brought the war practically to a close in the vicinity of Seattle and the White, Green and Snoqualmie rivers. Thereafter the scene of hostilities shifted to the Nisqually country, where Quiemuth and Stehi were in command of the Indian enemy. Colonel Casey, of the regulars, was opposed to them and Major G. Hays, with a battalion of volunteers, was ordered to the scene to co-operate with him. March Ioth the volunteers had a battle with the red men on Connell's prairie, the details of which were reported by Hays as follows:

At about eight o'clock this morning, Captain White with his company was ordered to the White river to build a blockhouse and ferry, supported by Captain Swindal and ten privates. He had not proceeded more than half a mile from the camp when he was attacked by a large Indian force, supposed to be at least one hundred and fifty warriors and a large number of squaws. I immediately ordered Captain Henness to his support with twenty men. Captain Henness moved with great rapidity, a tremendous volley of guns announcing his arrival. I became satisfied that an additional force was necessary, and despatched Lieutenant Martin, of Company B, with fifteen additional men. The Indians by this time were seen extending their flank to the left with great rapidity. I then ordered Lieu- tenant Van Ogle, Company B, with fifteen men to check their flank movement, but before he could gain a position they had so extended their line as to make it necessary to send another party of twelve men under command of Captain Rabbeson, who succeeded in checking them. The fight by this time extended the whole length of our line, and one continuous volley could be heard from the Indian guns on the hill and those of our men in the bottom. This firing continued some two hours. I saw the advantage which the Indians had in position, and determined to charge them. I ordered Captain Swindal to charge them from his position. which was central, and Captain Rabbe- son to make a simultaneous move against their extreme left, while Captain Henness and Captain White were ordered to hold the position which they occupied.

This order was promptly obeyed and the charge made in the most gallant style by Captain Swindal against their center, and Captain Rabbeson against their left, through a deep slough, driving the enemy from their position and pursuing them some distance in their flight. Captain Rabbeson returned to camp, while Captain Swindal occupied a high ridge in the rear of the main body of the Indians. I ordered Captain Rabbeson to join Captains Henness and White, and directed Captain Henness to charge the Indians if he deemed it advisable. The Indians in front of Captains White and Henness were in strong position behind logs and trees and upon an elevation. It was deemed too dangerous to charge them in front. Captain Rabbeson was ordered to join Captain Swindal, make a flank movement to the right, and charge the enemy in their rear. This order was gallantly obeyed. Simul- taneously with this movement, Captains Henness and White charged them in front. The Indians were routed and were pursued for a mile or more along a trail covered with blood. It is believed that not less than twenty-five

or thirty were killed and as many wounded. They had been seen carrying off their wounded 'and dead from the time the fight commenced until it terminated. Withes and ropes were found on the ground they occupied, which had been used in dragging off their dead into the brush. Hats, blankets and shirts were picked up with bullet holes in them stained with blood. They were forced to give up their drum, which they abandoned in their retreat. But two Indians were found dead on the field, one of whom was recognized as Chehalis John. The other was placed under a log, and has not yet been examined. The Indians had together their whole force They picked their own ground. They brought on the attack without being seen by our troops. I regard the victory of this day as com- plete-a grand triumph. They exceeded us in numbers nearly if not quite two to one, and we whipped and drove them before us. We had four men wounded, all of whom will soon get well.

After this battle the Indians were never again brought to a general engagement, though there was some desultory fighting. On the 22d of May, Lieutenant-Colonel B. F. Shaw, who was then in command of the volunteers, called a council of his officers to consider the advisability of withdrawing from the sound, leaving the regulars to maintain peace, and making an expe- dition into the Inland Empire. The council unanimously decided in favor of the expedition, giving the following reasons for such decision :

"The mounted volunteers having crossed the mountains, the necessity of protecting the settle- ments west of the inountains devolved upon the United States infantry commanded by Lieuten- ant-Colonel Casey. Should the volunteers remain west of the mountains, they assumed that Lieu- tenant-Colonel Casey would be obliged to go east of the mountains and to join Colonel Wright, and that, while infantry were best adapted to the service west of the Cascades, the mounted volun- teers could operate in the regions east. The Yakimas were the leading element of the hostile party. Their main strength must be broken before pursuing individuals or small parties. They asserted that, if Colonel Wright did whip the hostiles with infantry, he could not follow them after a fight. If the volunteers remained west of the mountains, they were powerless to check an enemy over one hundred and fifty miles off. The volunteers must make a fight before going out of service. Sufficient troops would still remain west of the mountains to protect the set- tlements. It was necessary that depots of provi- sions should be established in the Yakima country before the winter. The Indians west of the mountains had been repeatedly defeated; whilst those east of the mountains had never been checked."

In conformity with this decision, Lieutenant- Colonel Shaw set out over the Cascades, via the Naches pass. But before tracing his operations on the east side it will be necessary to return to the Oregon volunteers whom we left in the Walla Walla country and review their further fortunes and movements, as also those of Colonel Wright and the regulars under his command. Details of

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

the winter campaign of the Oregon volunteer regiment need not be given. Much effort was expended in discovering caches of provisions and otherwise foraging for supplies. The Indians in December withdrew across Snake river, whither the volunteers could not follow them for want of boats. But in February six were constructed of whip-sawed lumber and caulked with pine pitch, and in these, transported in wagons to the place where needed, the regiment crossed the Snake twenty-five miles below the mouth of the Palouse, dispersing a small band of hostiles that opposed their crossing, and capturing their horses. An extensive survey of the country between the Palouse and Columbia rivers was made, then a part of the command returned to Walla Walla, but the main body under Colonel Thomas R. Cornelius, who in December had succeeded Colonel Nesmith, resigned, moved to a point on the Columbia opposite the mouth of the Yakima river. Cornelius was delayed some- what in his contemplated march into the Yakima country by lack of supplies, but on April 5th, with two hundred and forty-one efficient men, he started. Next day on Canyon creek the hostiles were met. No engagement took place that night. The following morning, however, Captain Hem- bree with a small detachment was attacked while reconnoitering, and Hembree was killed, after having despatched two Indians, the rest of the squad escaping back to camp and giving the alarm. Major Cornoyer pursued the enemy, came upon them toward evening in a fortified position, charged them and killed six of their number. Thus by a loss of eight did the red men atone for the killing and subsequent mutila- tion of Hembree.

On the 8th the command set out towards The Dalles. While encamped in the Klickitat valley they lost a number of their horses, but further than that experienced no reverses en route and inflicted no damage upon the Indians except the killing of two. In May the regi- ment was disbanded, but from it was formed companies, which, however, were also mustered out in August.

We turn now to the operations of the regular troops east of the mountains, during the year 1856. In instructions to Colonel George Wright, issued in January, General Wool directed that two movements should be inaugurated as soon as climatic conditions should permit. "Expedi- tions should be prepared," said he, "at the earli- est possible moment ; that is, as soon as grass can be obtained, for Walla Walla and the Selah fish- eries. As the snow will not allow the expedition to the latter so early by three or four weeks, the one to the former will be taken as soon as the season will permit, with four or five companies and three howitzers. It is desirable that the expedition should be conducted with reference to selecting a proper position for a post, and to

ascertain the feelings and dispositions of the sev- eral tribes in that section of the country. I do not believe they will continue the war a great while. The occupation of the country between the Walla Walla, Touchet and Snake rivers, and the opposite side of the Columbia, will very soon bring those tribes to terms. The occupation at the proper time of the Yakima country from the Ahtanum mission, and that on the river above and below the Selah fishery, will compel the Yakimas, I think, to sue for peace or abandon their country."

It was such instructions as these that occa- sioned the unfriendly criticism of the people of the Northwest. "Not a word," observed Evans, "as to chastising the perfidious murderers of our citizens, nor the enforcement of the treaties, nor for the punishment of hostile acts which had destroyed the business of the country and retarded its settlement-not a word as to check- ing raids and depredations on isolated settlers." It was such insulting instructions as that sent to Colonel Wright at a later date-"Should you find, on the arrival of the troops in the Cayuse country, that a company is necessary to give pro- tection to the Cayuse Indians from the volun- teers, you will leave a company there with a howitzer"-that incited the positive hostility of feeling of the people towards Wool.

March IIth Colonel Wright arrived at Fort Dalles. By the 26th, he was ready to, and on that date he did, start for the Walla Walla coun- try. The folly of General Wool's orders became at once apparent. Had Wright made a vigor- ous movement against the ablest leader of the hostiles, Kamiakin, as he doubtless would have done if he had been instructed to reduce the belligerent Indians to submission, the Cascades tragedy would not have occurred. But the forces on the Columbia had been diminished by Wool's directions, two of the three companies at Fort Vancouver having been sent to Steilacoom about the middle of March, and on the 24th the com- pany at the Cascades having been sent away. The movement of Wright up the Columbia to The Dalles had brought it about that a large amount of stores and supplies were temporarily at the Cascades, and for them there was no other protection than a detachment of eight men under Sergeant Matthew Kelly. The watchful Kamia- kin was fully aware of the conditions, and had made preparations accordingly.

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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 20

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