An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 31

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1056

USA > Washington > An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 31

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Company E, sixty-three men. Captain Will- iam P. Pugh; First Lientenant, N. R. Doty; Second Lieutenant, M. Ramsby.

Company (, sixty-six men. Captain, J. W. Nesmith; First Lieutenant, J. S. Snook; Sec- ond Lieutenant, M. Gilliam.

Company HI, forty-nine men. Captain, G. W. Bennett; First Lientenant, J. R. Bevin; Second Lieutenant, J. R. Payne.

Company I, thirty-six men. Captain, W. Shaw; First Lientenant, D. Crawford; Second Lientenant, B. Dario.

Company No. 7, twenty-seven men. Cap- tain, William Martin; First Lientenant, A E. Garrison; Second Lieutenant, John Hersen.

F. S. Waters' Guard, fifty-seven men. Cap- tain, William Martin; First Lieutenant, D). Weston; Second Lieutenant, B. Taylor.

Reorganized Company. Captain, John E. Ross; First Lientenant, D. P. Barnes; Second Lieutenant, W. W. Porter.

This roster shows a force of about 600 enlist- ments besides field and staff officers, and with this force Colonel Gilliam proceeded to The Dalles the last of February, 1848. On the 27th, with 130 men, he moved forward and crossed Des Chutes river, where he was fairly within the enemy's country. A reconnaissance, led by Major Lee up that river about twenty miles, dis- covered a hostile camp and engaged it, when the party returned and reported to the colonel. On the following day Colonel Gilliam moved np to the same place, and the next morning had a skirmish with the Indians of the Des Chutes tribe, which resulted in a defeat of their forces, and was followed by a treaty of peace which withdrew this band from the hostiles for the remainder of the war. Though attended with little fatality, the result of this movement was very important, as it would have been entirely unsafe for the command of Colonel Gilliam to have moved forward, leaving this hostile band in its rear and between it and the Willamette valley, which would have been thus opened to depredation.

Colonel Gilliam immediately pushed forward toward Waiiletpu, about 150 miles distant. His route was over an open, treeless country of great rolling hills, poorly watered, full of ra-

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vines and gulches that afforded many oppor- tunities for the peculiar tactics of Indian war- fare. At Sand Hollow, about half way from the Des Chutes to Waiiletpu, the Indians were en- countered in force. Their field was well chosen. It was a deep depression among the sandy hills, full of cuts and washes, affording excellent hid- ing places for the Indians, and extended across the emigrant road, on which the column was advancing. Up to this time it was uncertain whether the entire Cayuse nation would enter the war to protect the murderers or not, many believing that a large number of them would not. But here all were undeceived. The great body of Cayuse warriors, under the command of their head chief, Five Crows, and a chief named War Eagle, offered to the volunteer force the gauge of battle, which was promptly accepted. Upon the company of Captain Mckay the first assault was made. Five C'rows and War Eagle both made pretensions to the posses- sion of wizard powers, and to demonstrate their powers to their own people dashed out of their concealments, rode down close to the volunteers and shot a little dog that came out of the ranks to bark at them. The orders were not to fire, but Captain McKay's Scotch blood was up, and, bringing his rifle to his face, he took de- liberate aim at War Eagle and drove a bullet through his head, killing him instantly. Lien- tenant McKay fired his shotgun at Five Crows without aim, and wounded him so badly that he was compelled to give up the command of his warriors. Disheartening as was this open- ing of the battle to the Indians, they continned it until late in the afternoon. During the battle Captain Maxon's company followed a party of retreating Indians so far that they found them- selves surrounded, and in a sharp engagement that followed eight of his men were disabled. Before nightfall the Indians drew off the field. The regiment camped npon it without water, while the Indians, who had retired but a short distance, built their fires on a circle of bills about two miles in advance. The next day Colonel Gilliam moved forward, the Indians

retiring before him, and reached Waiiletpu the third day after the battle.

The main body of Indians fell back toward Snake river. The volunteers followed, making fruitless attempts to induce the surrender of the murderers of Waiiletpu. Colonel Gilliam re- solved on a raid into the country north of the river. On his way he surprised a camp of Cayuses near that stream: among whom were some of the murderers. The crafty Indians de- ceived the colonel with professions of friend- ship, and pointed out some horses on the hills that they said belonged to those he was anxions to kill or capture, while the parties themselves were far ont of reach beyond Snake river. The colminn started to return toward Walla Walla, but all the warriors of Indian camp were soon mounted on war horses and assailed the column on all sides, forcing the volunteers to fight their way as they fell back. All day and into the night the running fight continued, and when Colonel Gilliam reached Touchet river he or- dered the captured horses turned loose. When the Indians regained possession of them they returned again toward Snake river, and the vol- unteers continued their retrograde movement to the mission.

Soon after reaching the mission station at Waiiletpu, Colonel Gilliam started to return to The Dalles, designing also to visit Oregon City and report to the governor. While camped at Well Springs, not far from the battle-ground of Sand Hollow, he was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun, and Lieutenant-Colonel Waters was elected by the regiment to its command.

A board of commissioners had been sent by the legislature with the volunteers to negotiate for the peaceful settlement of the difficulties, but all their attempts to bring the Indians to terms failed. They demanded the surrender of those who committed the murders at Waiiletpu, and that the Indians should pay all damages to emigrants who had been robbed or attacked while passing through the country of the Cay- uses. The Indians refused to do either. They

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wished only to be let alone, and the Americans to call the account balanced. As the Ameri- cans would not do this, the Cayuses abandoned their country and crossed the Rocky mountains to hunt for buffalo. The volunteers could only leave the country and return to the Willamette valley. This practically ended the Cayuse war so far as active operations in the field were con- cerned. In a few months the Indians desired to return, but they were made to understand that peace could never exist between them and the Americans unless the murderers were given up for punishment. Finally, they sent a depu- tation of five chiefs to Oregon City to have a talk with Governor Lane, who had succeeded Mr. Abernethy as chief executive. They were thrown into prison, tried, condemned, and exe- ented on the 3d day of June, 1850. Many

doubted their guilt. The chiefs themselves de- clared their innocence of the murders. They declared that there were but ten Indians con- cerned in the murders, and affirmed that they were all dead already. It seems probable that their story was correct in the main, and that the men who were executed were probably not those who perpetrated the bloody deed. Such was the judgment of Mr. Spaulding, and such, too, was the statement of Umhowlish, a Cay- use chief, and others of that tribe, who were personal friends of Dr. Whitman, as communi- cated by them to others a few years ago.

With this execution, however, the whites in the main were satisfied, as the Indians were overawed by it, and fears of further hostilities were allayed.

CHAPTER XXVI.

INDIAN WARS, CONTINUED,

INDIANS GENERALLY DISTURBED-GOVERNOR STEVENS -KAMIAKIN-COUNCIL AT WALLA WALLA- GENERAL PALMER-INDIANS OPPOSED TO TREATING-LAWYER-A CHANGE IN THE INDIANS' MINDS- TREATY CONCLUDED -- GOVERNOR STEVENS PROCEEDS TO THE NORTH-WAR AGAIN BREAKS OUT -- STEVENS RETURNS -- A STORMY COUNCIL,-PLAN OF LOOKING-GLASS -- STEVENS RETURNS TO THE DALLES,

HOUGHI the "Caynse War " had closed, as related in the last chapter, so far as actual hostilities were concerned, it had left that powerful tribe and all the related tribes east of the Cascade mountains in a jeal- ous and embittered state of feeling. In fact the war had only confirmed their opinions of the disposition of the whites to encroach upon the territory of the Indians, as well as of their power to carry that purpose into effeet unless they were speedily checked. Measurably over- awed, as the Indians were, by the unexpected power with which the Americans had avenged Waiiletpu, it was not easy for them to agree among themselves as to the proper course for them to take in the future, but there was ever

after that war a prophecy of even more ex- tensive war in the very atmosphere of the camps and councils of all the tribes east and west of the mountains. However, notwith- standing this embittered and ominous state of feeling on the part of the Indians, some years passed without any general ontbreak among them. But in all these years there were many murders committed by individnal Indians, and by straggling bands of varions tribes, along the emigrant road and on the shores of Puget Sonnd. These murders were the occasional breaking forth of the savage and revengeful spirit that was seething beneath the generally impassive surface of the Indian's life, and each one was only a step toward the wide and dan-

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gerous combinations of savage force, which clear-sighted whites saw was sure to be made at length, when the Indians would make one wide and mighty effort to retrieve their departing power, and recover their country from the pos- session of the hated white man. Some of these incidents were of the most tragic character, es- pecially those that oceurred on the line of emi- grant travel, and to avenge them the various bodies of United States troops stationed in the country were sent far into the interior where they sought out, and, as far as possible, exter- minated the small clans that had been guilty of these atrocities. Thus passed five or six years of disqniet and apprehension.

Meantime no treaties existed between the United States and the Indian tribes east of the Cascade mountains. Governor Stevens, after entering within the boundaries of the Territory of which he had been appointed governor, in 1853, had conferred with these tribes concern- ing the sale of their lands and they had ex- pressed a willingness to dispose of them; but, as months elapsed and no treaties were con- cluded, they began to regret their promises, and gradnally assumed an independent and bellig- erent attitude toward the whites. This feel- ing grew so deep and strong that, in January, 1855, Governor Stevens sent Mr. James Doty, one of his most trusted aids, among them, to ascertain their views on all pending points of controversy before he opened final negotiations with them. Through Doty's mediation the Yakimas, Nez Perces Cayuses, Walla Wallas and several smaller tribes allied to them, agreed to meet Governor Stevens in a general council to be held in the Walla Walla valley in May, 1865. Kamiakin, head chief of the Yakimas, and one of the ablest Indians of his day, chose the council ground, although it was not within the territory of his own tribe, becanse from time immemorial it had been the council ground of the related tribes of this portion of the great Columbia valley. It was on the southern portion of the site of the present city of Walla Walla.

Mr. Joel Palmer, of Oregon, had been asso- ciated by the Government with Governor Ste- ens as commissioner to make the treaties. Prov- viding themselves with a large quantity of In- dian goods and agricultural implements for gifts at the close of the council, and obtaining a military escort of forty dragoons at Fort Dallas, the commissioners arrived at the ap- pointed grounds on the 20th of May. The Indians did not begin to arrive until the 24th, when Lawyer and Looking-Glass, chiefs of the Nez Perces, arrived with their delegations. Two days later came the Caynses, and on the 28th came the Yakimas under Kamiakin. When all had arrived there were not less than 4,000 Indians encamped upon the ground.

It became evident, before the council was or- ganized, that the majority of the Indians were opposed to entering into any treaty; and after negotiations were begun, on the 30th day of the month, they proceeded very slowly for nearly two weeks before any conclusion could be reached.

The Indians delayed and debated, and in every way short of positive hostilities impeded the progress of the negotiations. This was partly owing to their fear that the commission- ers would overreach them, and partly charg- able to "politics" among the Indians them- selves.

The chiefs were ambitious, and hence jealous and envious of each other. The Nez Perces especially were divided. Joseph and Looking- Glass were unfriendly, while Lawyer, who had already pledged his word to Governor Stevens, remained firm in the position he had taken. Looking-Glass was the war chief of his nation, and had great influence. He remained away from the council until the 8th of June, and when he did arrive he was rude and insolent. But Lawyer remained firm, albeit it was more than suspected that there was a bit of shrewd Indian diplomacy in the apparently antagonis. tic positions of these two native statesmen, the design of which was to gain a stronger hold upon the whites, and to secure themselves in

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the chieftainship of their tribes. Whether it was this or bitter political rivalry between them, it is impossible to tell. Whatever it was their antagonisms greatly delayed the proceed- ings of the conncil, and at times threatened to defeat its purposes altogether.

At the beginning of negotiations the chiefs of the Yakimas, Walla Wallas and C'aynses were almost unanimons against treating. Kanı- iakin, Owhi, Peupenmoxmox were decided in their opposition; and, with only Lawyer among the leading chiefs of all these tribes in its favor, it appeared very doubtful if any could be con- cluded, and to fail in this was to render a gen- eral war certain at once.

Thus matters remained up to Saturday eve- ning, the 9th of June, -- at least this was their ap parent position when the conneil adjonrned that day. When it convened on Monday, the 11th, a change had come over the spirit of the In- dians' dream. This probably arose from two canses: first Palmer had receded from his pur- pose to put all the Indians on one reservation and consented that each tribe should have a res- ervation of its own; and, secondly, some means, well understood among other than Indian poli- ticians, had been found whereby the leading chieftains had become "convinced" that it was better for them to accede to the desires of the commissioners, and conelnde a treaty with them. So on Monday, the 11th, all the chiefs, inelnding Kamiakin himself, signed the treaty, Kamiakin declaring that it was only for the sake of his people, and not because he agreed with it, that he signed it. When all was con- cluded the vast Indian camp held a great scalp dance, in which 150 women took part, and after which they broke up their encampments and separated. On the 16th Governor Stevens pro- ceeded towards the Blackfoot conntry, the gov- ernment having directed him to enter into ne- gotiations with that and other powerful tribes in the northeast portion of the Territory. He believed that he had secured peace with the great tribes of the middle Columbia, and went northward with high hopes of securing the

same result with those upon its upper waters.

Governor Stevens was accompanied by a spe- cial delegation of the Nez Perce under the special ageney of William Craig. Craig was a man of much influence among the Indians, his wife being a Nez Perce and he having resided among them for many years. He always used that influence judicionsly, and hence was much trusted by both Indians and whites. He was also attended by Agent R. H. Lansdale, special agent Doty, and Mr. A. II. Robie, all of whom were men well fitted to assist him in his under- taking. He reached the Blackfoot country about the middle of September, and soon con- cluded a treaty with that powerful tribe. Searce- ly was this accomplished before he received intelligence that the Yakimas, Walla Wallas Palonses and a part of the Nez Perces had al- ready violated the treaty of Walla Walla, and were at war with the whites all over the east- ern part of Washington, and that the Indian defection had extended to the tribes on Puget Sound, so that the whole Territory was under the horrors of Indian warfare. These great tribes lay directly across his pathway toward his capital. Advices from army officers recom- mended him to go home to Olympia by the way of St. Louis and New York. It was not like Governor Stevens to take this timorons advice and he determined to face toward the enemies that would dispute his advance, and get among his people at the earliest possible date. He at once sent an express to Fort Benton for ad- ditional arms and ammunition, and, leaving his command to move when their supplies ar- rived, himself moved forward with only A. H. Robie and an Indian interpreter to Bitter Root valley, where Agent Lansdale was in charge of the Flatheads. At Fort Owen, in that valley, he was joined by the Nez Perces delegation under Looking-Glass, Spotted Eagle, and Three Fathers, who agreed to accompany Stevens as a part of his escort, and who also promised to send a large party of Nez Perce warriors if necessary to es- cert him from Lapwai to The Dalles, if neces- sary, to defend him from the Yakimas. At Hell

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Gate l'ass he halted until his company arrived, and then crossed the Bitter Root mountains in three feet of snow, and pushed rapidly down to the Conr d' Alene mission. Within twenty- five miles of it, with only two white men and fonr Nez l'erces, he went forward and threw himself into the midst of the Cœur d'Alenes, as he says, " with our rifles in one hand and our arms stretched ont on the other side, tendering them both the sword and the olive branch." The Nez Perces fully co-operated with Stevens, and the result was that the Coeur d'Alenes gave the governor a cordial welcome. But soon their manner changed, and they seemed undecided whether to commit themselves to peace or ful- fill their engagment with emissaries of Kamia- kin, who had left their camp only five days be- fore Stevens' arrival, and enter the war com- bination extending all over the Northwest. Stevens did not give them any opportunity to retract their friendly professions but hastened on to the Spokane country, where he had re- solved to hold a council. When he arrived here runners were sent to the Pend d'Oreilles, lower Spokane and Colville Indians summoning them to the council, and to Jesuit Fathers Ravelli and Joset, of the missions, to bring them to- gether for that purpose.

The council was a stormy one. The Indians demanded a promise that the United States troops should not pass north of Snake river, but this Stevens would not give. Still he so far succeeded as to satisfy the Indians that the stories told by Kamiakin's agents were false, and they appeared satisfied and promised to re- main peaceable. How far this was real could not be told, as the imperturbable surface of an Indian's face is no mirror to reflect the agitated deep of his heart. An incident will illustrate this.

Looking-Glass was one of the Nez Perces chiefs who had signed the treaty with Walla Walla. After the Blackfoot council Stevens was warned to keep a close watch on this pro- fessedly friendly Indian; one of his own Nez Perce guards. Ile set his interpreter to spy

upon him, and he was soon detected in explain- ing to a Spokane chief a plan to entrap Stevens when he should arrive in the Nez Perce coun- try, and nrging the Spokanes to a similar course. Referring to this incident, Stevens said: "I never communicated to Looking-Glass my know- ledge of his plans, but knowing them I knew how to meet them in council. I also knew how to meet them in the country, and it gave me no difficulty." Still this incident shows that Look- ing-Glass, and without doubt, Kamiakin and Peupeumoxmox had no sincerity when they signed the treaty of Walla Walla, but simply wished to gain time in which to prepare for war.

When the Spokane council ended, the Spo- kanes, doubtless by collusion with Looking- Glass, and to carry out the plan laid by that crafty villain for the destruction of Stevens and his company, offered to escort him through the country of the Nez Perces, but Stevens declined their proffered " friendship." Instead, he en- larged his party by enlisting a battalion of miners to accompany him to The Dalles, so that he had a body of fifty. These he mounted on the best horse of the country, and, thoroughly equipped, then moved rapidly forward to en- counter, for aught he knew, the whole war foree of the confederated bands. A forced march of four days brought him to Lapwai, when the Nez Perces, under the influence of Craig, were al- ready assembled for a council, which was im- mediately ealled by the Governor.

Up to this time Stevens had been ignorant of the events that had been occurring among the Yakimas, Klickitats and Walla Wallas, but in the midst of the council an express arrived from Walla Walla with news of the fighting in that valley and the death of l'eupeumoxmox, together with the occupation of the country by the Oregon troops. The next day he moved forward toward Walla Walla and The Dalles, acompanied by sixty-nine well armed Nez Perces and the, battalion of miners organized at Spokane, by the way of the seat of the war that was raging between him and his capital on Pu

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get Sound. When he arrived, on the 19th Jan- uary, he found the country in a most deplorable condition, as all business was suspended, and the people were living in block houses on ac-

eonnt of the Indian war that was now prevail- ing, not only east of the Cascade mountains but all along the shores of the Puget Sound.

CHAPTER XXVII.

INDIAN WARS, CONTINUED.

INDIANS CONCESSIONS STRATEGETIC --- LAWYER -- KAMIAKIN AND PEUPEUMOXMOX-GOLD DISCOVERIES-

INDIANS GREATLY EXCITED-AGENT BOLON VISITS KAMIAKIN-HIS MURDER-THE PURPOSE OF KAMIAKIN-EXPEDITION OF MAJOR HALLER-BATTLE AT SIMCOE - HALLER COMPELLED TO RETREAT-A GENERAL WAR BEGUN-PUGET SOUND VOLUNTEERS-LIEUTENANT SLAUGHTER'S EXPEDITION EXPEDITION OF MAJOR RAINS SMALL RESULTS- INDIANS ENCOURAGED -- WAR ON PUGET SOUND-ABSENCE OF GOVERNOR STEVENS -- ACTION OF ACTING GOVERNOR MASON -- PEOPLE ON WHITE RIVER DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES THE DECATUR -- PROTEST OF MR. DEN- NY-MASSACRE ON WHITE RIVER-COUNTRY OVERRUN BY HOSTILES-ACTION OF INDIANS -- CAPTAIN MALONEY'S EXPEDITION-DEATH OF CAPTAIN SLAUGHTER-FORCES EXHAUSTED.

P ENDING the events recorded in the last chapter war had broken out, almost si- multaneously on the plains of Eastern Washington and along the Puget Sound, and we must turn baek a little, chronogically, in order to give our reader a knowlede of its story. It is proper also that we say it not only extended thus over all of Washington Territory, but also included nearly all of the frontiers of Oregon as well, and that the history of this war east of the Cascades involves, to a considerable extent, the campaigns of the troops raised by Oregon as well as those raised by Washington, although its theater was mainly in Washington, and so its history belongs properly to this Territory.

Our readers already understand the result of the Council of Walla Walla in May of 1855. Clearly the final eoneessions of the leading chiefs of the Yakima and Walla Walla tribes, together with such chiefs as Joseph and Looking- Glass, of the Nez Perces, were altogether strate- getic. They were at that time unprepared for war, and time must be gained, and to gain time they finally consented to sign the treaty. Prob- ably Lawyer, at that time the most influential chief of the Nez Perces, was sincerely the friend

of the whites, as his subsequent action never in- volved him in any inconsistencies with that pro- fession; but he could not eontrol such men as Looking-Glass and Joseph, of his own tribe, and he had comparatively little influence with Ka. miakin or Peupeumoxmox, of the Walla Wallas, both of whom were men of great ability and thoroughly the enemies of the whites. These men left the council ground of Walla Walla only to conspire for war. They sent emissaries into all the tribes within hundreds of miles, called and held war councils, and by their in- flammatory appeals kept the minds of the tribes far and near in a fever of excitement and aların. Other events also conspired to increase their agitation. During the summer of 1855, dis- coveries of gold were made in the upper Colum- bia regions, and the usual rush of miners into the newly discovered diggings took place, many entering the country by the way of Walla Walla, and others coming direct from Puget Sound over the Naches pass of the Caseades and directly through the country of Kamiakin. The excitement grew intense. Some of the chiefs deelared that no Americans should pass through their territories. Rumors of

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 31

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902 Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1056

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1056