An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 21

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 21
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 21
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 21

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 settlements were on a narrow strip of bottom land on the north bank of the river. The south bank was precipitous, affording no opportu- nity for settlement. A saw-mill stood near the upper end of the portage; a little below were a number of houses and shops, among which was the store of Bradford & Company. Directly in front of this building's site is an island, and a bridge to connect it with the mainland was then in process of construction. The Bradford Broth-

THE YAKIMA WAR.

ers had been for some time building a tramway or species of wooden railroad between the upper and lower cascades. Upon this workmen were engaged building another bridge. There was considerable activity in the little village, whose importance the Indian war operations had greatly increased. Two steamers, the Mary and the Wasco, lay at anchor in the river on that event- ful March morning, the quiet industry of which was to be so rudely disturbed.

The usual activities had just begun when the blood-curdling savage war whoop awoke the echoes. Then came the sharp reports of many rifles all along the line of the settlements. For- tunately an extended account of the attack on and defense of the Bradford store by one who was present and saw what he narrated has been preserved for later generations. It was embodied in a letter by Lawrence W. Coe, a partner of the Bradford Brothers in their store, to Putnam T. Bradford, who was east at the time:

On Wednesday, March 26th, at about 8:30 A. M., after the men had gone to their work on the two bridges of the new railway, most of them on the bridge near Bush's house, the Yakimas came down on us. There was a line about us from Mill creek to the big point at the head of the falls, firing simultaneously at the men; and the first notice we had of them was the firing and crack of their guns. At the first fire, one of our men was killed and several were wounded. Our men, on seeing the Indians, all ran to our store through a shower of bullets, except three, who started down the stream for the middle blockhouse, distant one and a half miles. Bush and his family ran to our store, leaving his own house vacant. The Watkins family came into our store, after a Dutch boy (brother of Mrs. Watkins) had been shot in the house. Watkins, Finlay 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 deep under the bridges. There was grand confusion in the store at first; and Sinclair, of Walla Walla, going to the door to look out, was shot in the head and instantly killed. Some of us commenced getting guns and rifles, which were ready loaded, from behind the counter. For- tunately, about an hour before, there had been left with us for shipment below nine government muskets, with car- tridge boxes and ammunition. These saved us. As the upper story of the house was abandoned, Smith, the cook, having come below, and as the stairway was outside, where we dare not go, the stovepipe was hauled down, the hole enlarged with axes, and a party of men crawled up; and the upper part of the house was secured.

Our men soon got 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 run- ning for our store. He dropped instantly. Alexander and others mounted into the gable under our roof; and from there was done the most of our firing, as it was the best place for observation. In the meantime, we were barri- cading the store, making loopholes and firing when oppor- tunity presented itself. 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 Mill creek; the wind was blowing hard down stream. Then we saw Indians running towards her and heard shots. I will give you an account of the attack on her hereafter. The Indians now returned in force to us; and we gave everyone a shot who showed himself. They were nearly naked, painted red and had guns and bows and arrows. After a while, Finlay came creeping around the lower point of the island towards 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 covered with Indians. He saw Watkins' house burn while there. The Indians first took out everything 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 Finlay. We then saw Watkins and Bailey running around the river side towards the place where Finlay was, and the Indians in full chase after them. As our men came around the point in full view, Bailey was shot through the arm and leg. He continued on and plunging into the river swam to the front of our store and came in safely, except for his wounds. Finlay also swam across and got in unharmed, which was wonderful, as there was a shower of bullets around him.

Watkins came next, running around the point; and we called to him to lie down behind the rocks; but before he could do so he was shot through the wrist, the ball going up the arm and out above the elbow. He dropped behind a rock just as the pursuing Indians came 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. We called to him to lie still, and we would get him off; but we were not able to do so until the arrival of the troops-two days and nights afterwards. During this time he fainted several times from cold and exposure, the weather being very cold; and he was stripped down to the underclothes for swimming. 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 retreat behind the rock. Meantime his wife and children were in the store in full view, and moaning piteously at his situation. He died from exhaustion two days after he was rescued.

The Indians were now pitching into us "right smart." They tried to burn us out-threw rocks and fire brands, hot irons, pitch wood-everything onto the roof that would burn. But as the bank for a short distance back of the store inclined towards us, we could see and shoot the Indians who appeared there. So they had to throw for 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 caught 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-ball. The kitchen roof troubled us the most. How they did pepper us with rocks! Some of the biggest ones would shake the house all over.

There were now forty men, women and children in the house-four women and eighteen men who could fight, and eighteen children and wounded men. The steamer Wasco was on the Oregon side of the river. We saw her steam up and leave for The Dalles. Shortly 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 Inman's two houses, Bradford's saw- mill and houses, and the lumber yards at the mouth of Mill creek. At daylight they set fire to Bradford's new warehouse on the island, making it as light as day around us. They did not attack us at night, but on the second morning commenced again lively as ever. We had no water, but did have about two dozen of ale and a few bot- tles of whiskey. These gave out during the day. During the night, a Spokane Indian, who was traveling with Sin- clair and was in the store with us, volunteered to get a pail of water from the river. I consented, and he stripped himself naked, jumped out and down the bank, and was back in no time. We weathered it out during the day, every man keeping his post, and never relaxing his vigi- lance. Every moving object, bush, shadow or suspicious thing on the hillside received a shot. Night came again; we saw Sheppard's house burn. Bush's house was also fired, and kept us in light until four A. M., when, darkness returning, I sent the Spokane Indian for water from the river; he filled four barrels. He went to and fro like light- ning. He also slipped poor James Sinclair's body down the slide outside, as the corpse was quite offensive.

The two steamers having exceeded the length of time

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

which we gave them to return from The Dalles, we made up our minds for a long siege, until relief came from below. The third morning dawned; and lo! the Mary and the Wasco, blue with soldiers, and towing a flatboat loaded with dragoon horses, hove in sight. Such a halloa as we gave! As the steamers landed, the Indians fired twenty or thirty shots into them; but we could not ascer- tain with what effect. The soldiers as they got ashore could not be restrained, and plunged into the woods in every direction; while the howitzers sent grape after the retreating redskins. The soldiers were soon at our doors; and we experienced quite a feeling of relief in opening them.

Now as to the attack on the steamer Mary on the first day of the fight. She lay in Mill creek, and no fires, and wind blowing hard ashore. Jim Thompson, John Woodard and Jim Herman were just going up to her from our store when they were fired upon. Herman asked if they had any guns. No. He went on up to Inman's house, the rest stayed to help get the steamer out. Captain Dan Baugh- man and Thompson were on shore, hauling on lines in the upper side of the creek, when the firing of the Indians becaine so hot that they ran for the woods past Inman's house. The fireman, James Lindsay, was shot through the shoulder. Engineer Buckminster shot an Indian with his revolver on the gang plank, and little Johnny Chance went climbing up on the hurricane deck, and killed his Indian with an old dragoon pistol; but he was shot through the leg in doing so. Dick Turpin, half crazy, probably, taking the only gun on the steamer, jumped into a flatboat alongside, was shot, and jumped overboard and was drowned. Fires were soon started under the boiler and steam was rising. About this time, Jesse Kempton, shot while driving an ox team from the mill, got on board; also a halfbreed named Bourbon, who was shot through the body. After sufficient 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 a target for the Indians. The steamer picked up Herman on the bank above. Inman's family, Sheppard and Van- derpool all got across the river in skiffs, and boarding the Mary were taken to The Dalles.

In the same letter Mr. Coe thus narrates the incidents of the attack which was made on the Lower Cascades simultaneously with that on the store :

George Johnson was about to get a boat's crew of Indians, when Indian Jack came running to him, saying that the Yakimas had attacked the blockhouse. He did not believe it, although he heard the cannon. He went up to the Indian village on the sandbar to get his crew, and saw some of the Cascade Indians, who said they thought the Yakimas had come; and George, now hearing the muskets, ran for home. E. W. Baughman was with him. Bill Murphy had left the blockhouse early for the Indian camp, and had nearly returned before he saw the Indians or was shot at. He returned, two others with him, and ran for George Johnson's, with about thirty Indians in chase. After reaching Johnson's, Murphy continued on and gave Hamilton and all below warning; and the fami- lies embarked in small boats for Vancouver. The men would have barricaded in the warehouse, but for want of ammunition. There was considerable government freight in the wharf boat. They stayed about the wharf boat and schooner nearly all day, and until the Indians commenced firing upon them from the zinc-house on the bank. They then shoved out. Tommy Pierce was shot through the leg in getting the boats into the stream. Floating down, they met the steamer Belle with Sheridan and forty inen, sent up on report of an express carried down by Indian Simpson in the morning. George and those with him went on board the steamer and volunteered to serve under Sheridan, who landed at George's place and found everything burned.

The timely warning by Indian Jack enabled all the people to escape with their lives, though the houses were burned and much government property destroyed.

But how fared the middle blockhouse, com- monly known as Fort Rains? As heretofore stated there were at this place eight soldiers under Sergeant Kelly. The commander of this squad had been warned the day previous that Indians in the vicinity were acting suspiciously but gave the matter no serious attention. When the attack came, the members of the detachment were quite widely scattered and one of the num- ber, Frederick Bernaur, had gone to the Upper Cascades for a canteen of whiskey. This man, on attempting to return, was shot through both legs, but managed to keep himself concealed, supporting his failing strength with the whiskey until night, when he stole into the blockhouse. The others, as soon as the truth became known, rushed for the protection of the fortification, and all reached it except Lawrence Rooney, who was captured by the Indians. The few families in the vicinity of the blockhouse also sought its protection, but were not so fortunate, several of their number being severely wounded in crossing the line of Indian fire. "We had," said Ser- geant Robert Williams in his narrative of the attack, "seven wounded and three killed. Among the latter was Mr. Griswold, who might have escaped his death but for his overconfidence in the friendliness of the Indians toward him. The German boy, Kyle, mentioned in Mr. Coe's narrative, was killed while riding on horseback down the road on the hill in front of us. The Indian that shot him stood by the side of a tree close to the road, his gun almost reaching to the poor boy, who fell instantly upon being shot.

"Tom McDowell and Jehu Switzler and another man to me before unknown, were on their way from the Upper to the Lower Cascades, but before they had proceeded far they discovered hostile Indians. Being themselves unarmed, they made a desperate effort to reach the blockhouse, which they did in safety. They proved to our small force a valuable acquisition. The three gallantly aided us during the defense. After they had got in, the door was made secure by a bolt, and then a strong chain was drawn tight across. That being completed, we gave our savage enemy a treat of canister shot, fourteen rounds in all, from our six-pounder gun, after which they precipitately retired. But we still, while in reach, presented them with a few shells. They retired back of the hills, out of' range of o1ir guns, to torture and put to a horrible death our unfortunate comrade (Lawrence Rooney), whom they had captured. We could not see them at it, but we heard his piercing screams. After they had accomplished this last inhuman and diabolical cruelty, the main portion left and went to the lower landing."

THE YAKIMA WAR.

The second day the Indians returned to the siege. The men in the blockhouse were thus pre- vented from getting water, of which the wounded especially were in dire need. Their necessities were relieved by the gallantry of Sergeant Williams and William Houser, who made their way to a saloon near by and succeeded in procur- ing some potables, but no water, also a small box of crackers. Next morning, the third day after the attack, relief came.

The movements by which the horrible siege at the Cascades was raised must now receive brief treatment. The beleaguered people managed to send an express to Colonel Wright, who had proceeded a few miles on his way to the Walla Walla country, apprising him of what was trans- piring in the rear. He forthwith turned back. Word also reached Vancouver, conveyed by fugi- tives from the Lower Cascades, and soon Lieuten- ant Philip Sheridan, who later immortalized his name in the Civil war, was sent to the rescue with forty men. He descended the river in the steamer Belle, reached the Lower Cascades early in the morning of the 27th, disembarked the men at a convenient place and sent the steamer back for volunteer assistance. It is worthy of mention that two volunteer companies were equipped in Portland and Vancouver and came to the scene, but were unable to engage actively in any con- flict. Sheridan's position, after landing, was such that he could not advance upon the Indians in his front without crossing over a narrow neck of ground. He soon learned that the foe was on this narrow strip also.

"After getting well in hand everything con- nected with my little command," says Sheridan, "I advanced with five or six men to the edge of a growth of underbrush to make a reconnois- sance. We stole along under cover of this under- brush until we reached the open ground leading over the causeway or narrow neck before men- tioned, when the enemy opened fire and killed a soldier near my side by a shot which just grazed the bridge of my nose, struck him in the neck, opening att artery and breaking the spinal cord. He died instantly. The Indians at once made a rush for the body, but my men in the rear, com- ing quickly to the rescue, drove them back; and Captain Dall's gun (a cannon borrowed from an oceati steamer) being now brought into play, inany solid shot were thrown into the jungle where they lay concealed, with the effect of con- siderably moderating their impetuosity. Further skirmishing at long range took place at intervals during the day, but with little gain or loss, how- ever, to either side, for both parties held positions which could not be assailed in flank, and only the extreme of rashness in either could prompt a front attack. My left was protected by the back- water driven into the slough by the highi stage of the river, and my right rested securely on the main streamn. Between us was the narrow neck

of land, to cross which would be certain death. The position of the Indians was almost the counterpart of ours."

Both belligerents remained in their respective positions all day and all night, but Sheridan had in the meantime conceived the plan of crossing the command in a bateau, which he had brought with him, to the south side of the Columbia, make his way up the mountain's base to a point opposite the middle blockhouse, cross there to the north bank and endeavor to get to the rear of the Indian position. How this hazardous plan was executed is best told in Sheridan's own language:

"On the morning of the 28th the savages were still in my front, and, after giving them some solid shot from Captain Dall's gun, we slipped down to the river bank and the detach- ment crossed by means of the Hudson's Bay boat, making a landing on the opposite shore at a point where the south channel of the river, after flowing around Bradford's island, joins the main stream. It was then about nine o'clock and everything thus far proceeded favorably. But an examination of the channel showed that it would be impossible to get the boat up the rapids along the mainland, and that success could only be assured by crossing the south channel just below the rapids to the island, along the shore of which there was every probability we could pull the boat through the rocks and swift water until the head of the rapids was reached, from which point to the blockhouse there was swift water.

"Telling the men of the embarrassment in which I found myself, and that, if I could get enough of them to man the boat and pull it up the stream by a rope to the shore, we would cross to the island and make the attempt, all volun- teered to go, but as ten men seemed sufficient, I selected that number to accompany me. Before starting, however, I deemed it prudent to find out if possible what was engaging the attention of the Indians, who had not yet discovered that we had left their front. I therefore climbed up the abrupt mountain side which skirted the water's edge, until I could see across the island. From this point I observed the Indians running horse-races and otherwise enjoying themselves behind the line they had held against me the day before. The squaws decked out in gay colors, and the men gaudily dressed in war bonnets, made the scene very attractive, but, as every- thing looked propitious for the dangerous enter- prise in hand, 1 spent but little time in watching them and quickly returning to the boat, I crossed to the island with my ten men, threw ashore the rope attached to the bow and commenced the difficult task of pulling her up the rapids. We got along slowly at first, but soon striking a camp of old squaws, who had been left on the island for safety and had not gone over to the

CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

mainland to see the races, we utilized them to our advantage. With unmistakable threats and signs, we made them not only keep quiet, but also give us much needed assistance in pulling vigorously on the tow-rope of our boat.

"I was laboring under a dreadful strain of mental anxiety during all this time, for had the Indians discovered what we were about, they could easily have come over to the island in their canoes, and, by forcing us to take up our arms to repel their attack, doubtless would have obliged the abandonment of the boat, and that essential adjunct to the final success of my plan would have gone down the rapids. Indeed, under such circumstances, it would have been impossible for ten men to hold out against the two or three hundred Indians; but the island forming an excellent screen to our movements, we were not discovered, and when we reached the smooth water at the upper end of the rapids, we quickly crossed over and joined the rest of the men who in the meantime had worked their way along the south bank of the river parallel with us. I felt very grateful to our old squaws for the assistance they rendered. They worked well under compulsion and manifested no dis- position to strike for higher wages. Indeed, I was so much relieved when we had crossed over from the island and joined the rest of the party, that I mentally thanked the squaws, one and all. I had much difficulty in keeping the men on the inain shore from cheering at our success, but hurriedly taking into the bateau all of them it would carry, I sent the balance along the south bank, where the railroad is now built, until both detachments arrived at a point opposite the blockhouse, when, crossing to the north bank, I landed below the blockhouse some little distance and returned the boat for the balance of the men, who joined me in a few minutes."

Hardly had Sheridan landed and effected com- munication with the beleaguered blockhouse, when the advance of Wright's returning command under Lieutenant-Colonel Edward J. Steptoe arrived. A conference between Sheridan and Steptoe resulted in the former's being sent with a reinforcement to the island he had just left to capture the Cascade Indians, who, it was thought, would flee to the island, while the Yakimas would retreat into the interior of their own country. As expected, the Yakimas and Klicki- tats fled precipitately on the approach of Steptoe's command, and the Cascades, deserted by their quondam allies, fell into the power of Sheridan. Some of them were tried by military cominis- sion. Being under treaty, they were adjudged guilty of treason in fighting and nine were summarily hanged. The remainder of the Cascades were kept on the island under military surveillance.

April 28th Colonel Wright with five com- panies started into the Yakima country, and

camping on the Naches river on the 18th of May, he remained there about a month. He was visited at intervals by chiefs professing a desire for peace, but the Indian plan was to affect to have two parties, one wishing hostilities to cease, the other advocating the continuance of the war. Their strategy consisted in the use of dilatory tactics, playing one party in their own ranks against another and making representations, true or false, which would stay the hand of their opponent until they could collect supplies. In this they succeeded admirably.

"The history of Wright's operations, as given in his reports," writes Mrs. Victor, "shows a summer spent in trailing Indians from place to place, from fishery to fishery, and over moun- tains before thought impassable for troops, dragging after them their season's supplies and accomplishing nothing but to collect the noncom- batants of the disaffected tribes upon a reserva- tion in Oregon, where they were secure from the turmoil of war and at liberty to spy on either side. "

As before stated, Lieutenant-Colonel Shaw, of the Washington volunteers, started for the Walla Walla country early in June. Arriving at the Yakima country while Wright was there, he offered to co-operate with the regulars, which offer was declined. He therefore continued his march to the Columbia at a point opposite the mouth of the Umatilla river. Seventy-five men of his command, under Captain Goff, had been sent to co-operate with Major Layton, of the Oregon volunteers, in raiding the John Day country. By capturing horses and supplies, these forces compelled many Indians, some of whom were supposed to be hostile and some who might at any time be induced to become so, to seek the protection of the Warm Springs reservation.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 21

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