An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 18

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1172

USA > Washington > Skagit County > An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 18
USA > Washington > Snohomish County > An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 18

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These extracts will give a specimen of the kind of "talk" which went on day after day. All but the Nez Perees were evidently disinclined to the treaty, and it was melancholy to see their reluctance to abandon the old hunting-grounds of their fathers and their impotent strug- gle against the overpowering influences of the whites. The meeting closed to-day with an affecting speech by Governor Stevens, addressed to the chiefs who had argued against the treaty. I give it in part :

"I must say a few words. My brother and I have talked straight. Have all of you talked straight? Lawyer has and his people have, and their business will be finished to-morrow. Young Chief says he is blind and does not understand. What is it that he wants? Steachus says his heart is in one of these places-the Grand Ronde, The Touchet and the Tncanon. Where is the heart of Young Chief? Peo-peo-mox-mox cannot be wafted off like a feather. Does he prefer the Yakima to the Nez Perce reservation ? We have asked him before. We ask him now. Where is his heart? Kamiakin, the great chief of the Yakimas, has not spoken at all; his people have no voice here to-day. He is not ashamed to speak ? lle is not afraid to speak? Then speak out. Owhi is afraid to, lest God be angry at his selling his land. Owhi, my brother, I do not think God will be angry with you if you do your best for yourself and your chiklren. Ask yourself this question to-night. Will not God be angry with me if I neglect this opportunity to do them good?

INTRODUCTORY

But Owhi says his people are not here. Why, then. did he tell us, come hear our talk? 1 do not want to be ashamed of him. Owhy has the heart of his people. We expect him to speak out. We expect to hear from Kamiakin and from Schoom. The treaty will have to be drawn up to- night. You can see it to-morrow. The Nez Perces must not be put off any longer. This business must be des- patched. I hope that all the other hearts and our hearts will agree. They have asked us to speak straight. We have spoken straight. We have asked you to speak straight ; but we have yet to hear from you.'

The council then adjourned till six o'clock. In the evening I rode over as usual to the Nez Perces camp and found many of them playing cards in their lodges. They are the most inveterate gamblers, and a warrior will some- times stake on successive games, his arms and horses and even his wives, so that in a single night he is reduced to a state of primitive poverty and obliged to trust to charity to be remounted for a hunt. In the other camps everything seemed to be in violent confusion. The Cayuse and other tribes were very much incensed against the Nez Perces for agreeing to the terms of the treaty, but fortunately for them, and probably for us, the Nez Perces are as numer- ous as the others united.

Perceiving that the only hope of overcoming the opposition of the Indians unfriendly to the treaties, lay in acting upon the suggestion of Steachus, the commissioners decided to offer a third reservation for the Cayuses, Umatillas and Walla Wallas in their own country. The offer was made in council Friday, June 8th, and explained in a lengthy speech by General Palmer. Some other concessions of less moment were also made to the Indians, and the result was quite satisfactory. All the chiefs gave their assent to the treaties as modi- fied, except Kamiakin, who had maintained an atti- tude of sullen silence throughout the entire council and still obstinately refused to give the commis- sioners the slightest encouragement.

Just at the moment when the hopes of Stevens and Palmer were at their height and a successful termination of the business in hand seemed visible in the near prospect, a new element of difficulty was brought into the negotiations. A small party was seen approaching with much pomp and circum- stance, painted, armed, singing a war song and flourishing at the end of a pole a horrible trophy of a recent combat. The leader was found to be none other than Looking Glass, war chief of the Nez Perces, who had long been absent in the buffalo

country. He was not effusive in his greeting of the friends that gathered round him, and soon mani- fested his anger at their doings in a fierce little speech delivered from the saddle. "My people." said he. "what have you done? While I was gone you have sold my country. I have come home and there is not left for me a place on which to pitch my lodge. Go home to your lodges. I will talk with you."

Next day in council, the evil influence of this pettish old man was keenly felt. After Stevens had again explained the proposed treaties for his espe- cial benefit, he made a violent speech against the sale of the lands. The Cayuses, ready to withdraw

their assent, strongly supported him. So emphatic were their and his assertions that he ( Looking Glass) was head chief of the Nez Perces, that Law- ver, apparently angry, abruptly left the council and retired to his lodge.

After adjournment the Nez Perces convened in their camp and held a council among themselves. The Cayuses did likewise. An exciting debate was indulged in in the former camp, and their council waxed warm, but in its outcome Lawyer was con- firmed as head chief and Looking Glass was de- clared to be second in authority. A paper was prepared and sent to General Stevens affirming that the faith of the Nez Perces had been pledged and the treaty must be signed.

Peo-peo-mox-mox and Kamiak'in had signed their respective treaties at the close of the council session of June 9th. Stevens states that the latter was no doubt influenced by the former to do so, but subsequent events go to show that both signed the treaty as an act of treachery. their purpose being to create in the breasts of the whites a feeling of security, while they were perfecting their Indian confederacy for a fell swoop upon the hated race. Little remained to be done except to secure the sig- natures of the Cayuses and Nez Perces, and when council convened on Monday, June 11th, Governor Stevens said simply: "We meet for the last time. Your words are pledged to sign the treaty. The tribes have spoken through their head chiefs, Joseph, Red Wolf, the Eagle, Ipsemaleëcon, all declaring Lawyer was the head chief. I call upon Lawyer to sign first." Lawyer did so, then Look- ing Glass, then Joseph and finally the signatures were obtained of all the subchiefs and principal men of both tribes, after which presents were made to the different bands.

"Thus ended in a most satisfactory manner." says Governor Stevens' journal. "this great council. prolonged through so many days-a council which. in the number of Indians assembled and the differ- ent tribes, old difficulties and troubles between them and the whites, a deep-seated dislike to and deter- mination against giving up their lands and the great importance, nay, absolute necessity, of opening this land by treaty to occupation by the whites, that bloodshed and the enormous expense of Indian wars might be avoided, and in its general issuance and difficulty, has never been equalled by any coun- cil held with the Indian tribes of the United States.

"It was so considered by all present, and a final relief from the intense anxiety and vexation of the last month was especially grateful to all con- cerned."

The treaties negotiated as the result of the great Walla Walla council of 1855 provided for the sur- render by the Yakimas of an area some twenty- nine thousand square miles in extent, being substantially that embraced in Chelan, Yak- ima. Kittitas. Franklin and Adams, with large

THE YAKIMA WAR

portions of Douglas and Klickitat counties. From it, however, was to be excepted and reserved the princely domain known as the Yakima reservation. The Nez Perces relin- quished the territory out of which were formed in large part the counties of Whitman, Garfield, Co- lumbia and Asotin, in Washington; Union and Wallowa, in Oregon, and Washington, Nez Perces and Idaho, in Idaho, retaining therefrom a very large reservation. This included not only the Nez Perce reserve as it was prior to its opening a few years ago, but in addition large tracts between the Alpowa and Snake rivers and the Wallowa valley. That the Wallowa was originally included in the reservation was due to old Chief Joseph, and the surrender of it in 1863, against the wishes and ad- vice of Chief Joseph, Jr., was one of the principal causes of the Nez Perce war in 18:1. The Uma- tillas, Cayuses and Walla Wallas, by their treaty, gave up the territory embraced substantially in Walla Walla county, in Washington; Umatilla and Morrow counties, Oregon, also parts of Union and Gilliam counties in the latter state. Their original reservation was but little larger than that now known as the Umatilla reserve.

For the whole vast area ceded, the Indians were to receive about six hundred and fifty thousand

dollars, of which two hundred thousand dollars were to be paid the Yakimas in the form of annui- ties, with salaries for the head chiefs of five hundred dollars per annum for twenty years, and some special concessions in the way of houses, imple- ments, tools, etc. The compensation of the Nez Perces was the same. The Umatillas, Cayuses and Walla Wallas were to receive one hundred thousand dollars; each of the head chiefs to have an annuity of five hundred dollars for twenty years, and special compensation in the form of houses, tools, etc. Peo-peo-mox-mox, who was wily enough to drive a hard bargain, was granted the privilege of draw- ing his salary at once without waiting for the treat- ies to be formally ratified, and was given special concessions in the form of a yearly salary of one hundred dollars with a house and five acres of land for his son; also three yoke of oxen, three yokes and chains, one wagon, two plows, twelve hoes, twelve axes, two shovels, a saddle and bridle, a set of wagon harness and a set of plow harness. Thus for a mere pittance, in comparison with its present value, was secured from the Indians their possessory right to a large portion of eastern Oregon and Washington and northern Idaho, a region rich in wealth already acquired and still richer in its possi- bilities.

CHAPTER IX

THE YAKIMA WAR

The Walla Walla council successfully termi- nated, Governor Stevens passed on to the north and east to continue the same kind of negotiations. He had not long departed before the great Yakima war burst suddenly over the Columbia plains ; and to regions as far remote as Puget sound, Walla Walla and Rogue river, the horrors of war were simul- taneously brought. The country was face to face with a widespread conspiracy to overthrow white occupancy and re-establish the uninterrupted reign of Indian barbarism over the entire Northwest.

This was the primary cause and purpose of that widespread and pervading outbreak. "While," says Evans, "many causes might be suggested as affecting the Indian mind and provoking hostility to American occupancy of the country; while it was precipitated by the perfidy of Indians who just before had joined in treaties to allure the white

race into a belief in their security ; while those very Indians went to that council to begin war there by the murder of the commissioners-yet that war, so far as the Indians were concerned, was made on their part, not because of any personal outrages committed by the whites, not because of any injus- tice sought to be inflicted by virtue of those treaties, not because the terms of the treaties were unsatis- factory, but solely because it was the Indian purpose to exterminate the white settlement, to force the white race to abandon the territory. That war on the part of the Indians is perhaps sanctioned by what may be called patriotism. If merit it had. then is that merit obliterated by the perfidious cruelty which marked its declaration and com- mencement by them. On the part of the people and authorities of the territory, the Oregon-Washington Indian war resulted from repeated and unprovoked

INTRODUCTORY

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 hos- tilities. There was no cause of complaint by the Indians, nor were they afforded a shadow of justifi- cation 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 population 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 Ameri- can 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 quota- tion was inspired by the persistent efforts of the United States army officials, with Major-General Wool, chief in command of the Department 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 prosecu- tion 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. . 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 immigration of people into the territory and its more complete settlement and subjugation. Instead, it furnished the imme- diate occasion for the melancholy war, which did so much to retard development and delay settlement. The young commonwealth was fated to pass through a period of trials, dissimilar in many respects to that experienced 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 mettle as with fire.

So great was the feeling of security engendered 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 travel- ing 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, Huff- man, 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 state- ments. He never returned to tell the story of his adventures, and as no white man accompanied him, only Indian evidence could be obtained as to what occurred. 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 Kamia- kin. 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 requisition 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 dif- ficulties. 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 pouring 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 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

THE YAKIMA WAR

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 arguments 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 hand- ful 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 Sun- day, the ith, completely turned the tables upon the whites, who were surrounded by a large and con- stantly increasing force. 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 molestation. 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 expe- dition 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 12. 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 morning from The Dalles, and find the most alarming state of affairs

as to the friendly relations heretofore existing between the Americans and the Walla Wallas, Palouses, Umatillas and Cayuses. I am doing all in my power to check the gathering 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 chastise- ment of the Indians. One thousand volunteers should be raised immediately 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 without 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 inadequacy of the regular force to meet it as did Mr. Olney, for he called upon Acting-Governor Mason, of Wash- ington territory, for two companies of volunteers. and upon Governor Curry, of Oregon, for four. Both the Washington companies, 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 governor 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 willing- ness to act in harmony with the United States troops for the vigorous prosecution of aggressive warfare.

October 30th Major Rains set out from The Dalles with a force of three hundred and fifty regu- lars. November 1st Colonel Nesmith followed 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 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,

INTRODUCTORY

one of their balls striking, but fortunately 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 bivou- acked 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 continued 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 regulars, on our best horses, to proceed in the direction of the Nachies pass, and ascertain his whereabouts. We are await- ing their report; for we cannot tell where the large body of the enemy is, unless they have gone that way to attack Captain Maloney's command."

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An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 18

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1906 Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1172

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1172