An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 33

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

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while the army marched forward toward Waii- letpn. On the way, during some firing that prodneed considerable excitement, Peupenmox- mox was shot.

He was a wealthy and powerful chieftain, and a man of great ability. He had figured promi- nently in the conflicts both of opinion and arms that had marked the early years of the occupancy of Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon by the whites, and was considered, on the whole, friendly to the Americans rather than to the Hudson's Bay Company. There was much criticism of the manner of his taking off, but, at this time he was undoubtedly hostile, and no doubt had a complete understanding with Kamiakin, so that, while there was a color of impropriety in his dentention as a prisoner in the manner in which he was taken off, it was after all not so strange that in the excitement of an attack made upon the column in advance by the Walla Walla warriors, his guard should kill the chief as they did. While we cannot fully justity it, we cannot join in the strong sentimental criticism of it in which some writers have in- dulged. Indian conflicts cannot be strictly judged by the codes of civilized warfare.

The fight which began at the killing of Peu- peumoxmox continned through the 8th and 9th of December, in which the whites suffered quite se- verely. Captain Bennett, of Company F, Oregon Volunteers was killed, some others mortally and quite a number severely wounded. It was esti- mated that 100 Indians were killed and wonnded.

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The battle was fought on the Walla Walla river, near the old mission station of Dr. Whitman, and is considered among the greatest struggles of this war.

About this time Colonel Kelly resigned and was succeeded by T. R. Cornelius as Colonel, to whose place Major Davis Layton, of Linn county, in Oregon, was elevated. The year was closing, and with it the active operations of the forces in the field. The time up the first of March, 1856, was spent in the reorganization of the forces and putting the column in readiness for the summer service. This done Colonel Cornelius set out on the 9th of March with 600 men toward the north and west. He led his troops across Snake river and across the Colum- bia to the mouth of the Yakima, about twenty- five miles aboveold Fort Walla Walla, where he arrived on the 30th. He had met but few In- dians. On the 31st he crossed the great river, intending to march up it through the country of Kamiakin, who was conceded to be the leading spirit of the war, and humble that proud chief- tain and subdue his people. Here he received news of a most startling nature from another portion of the theater of war much nearer the settlements of the whites. To the history of this event we must now turn.

Colonel George Wright, at this time in com- mand at Vancouver, early in March moved all his forces but three companies to The Dalles for employment in the Yakima country. About the middle of the month General Wool arrived and took command of the district. He imme- diately ordered two of the three companies to Fort Steilacoom on Puget Sound. This move- ment could only have been the result of palpable ignorance of the topography of the field he would have to cover, and the location and strength of the hostile tribes. It left the most exposed part of that field practically nneovered, and especially the pass or portage of the Cascades, over which all troops and supplies destined for service east of the mountains must pass. At a block-house in this pass a company had been posted, but on the 24th of March this too was ordered away,

leaving only a guard of eight men under a ser- geant to protect this most important point.

This place, known technically as "The Cas- cades," is where the Columbia river has cut its way through the great Cascade range, and where occur the great rapids of that stream which de- stroy its navigation for some miles. A rough road connected the river below with the river above these rapids. This road led through a rough, rocky, heavily timbered pass, dark and dank with the shadows of the great mountains and the enormous timber, and rendered wild and weird by the rush and roar of the stormy waters of the great stream which foamed angrily by. At the upper end of the portage was a sawmill, with several families and a store; a little lower down the trading house of Bradford & Company. Near the middle of the Portage lived the family of Griswold, and at its lower end that of W. K. Kilbourn. From this place a trail led through the eastern spurs of the Cascade mountains to the northeast over the base of Mount Adams into the Yakima country, and another up the river to the country of the Klickitats on the valley of that name north of The Dalles. On these trails this point was open to the incursions of these two powerful tribes, and it was this point, thus exposed, that General Wool aban- doned to the chances of Indian cunning and enterprise. Let us hasten to record the result.

General Wool had returned to California. Colonel Wright had marehed his whole force out from the The Dalles, leaving his rear en- tirely unguarded. The Yakimas and Klickitats, anticipating such a movement on the part of Wright, had gathered their warriors near the Cascades, and on the morning of the 26th of March suddenly appeared in force in the woods and on the rocky pinnacles about the Cascade settlements. The hour was early, just after the people had begun their work, and when they were entirely unprepared to meet the savage assault. A small steamer-the Mary -- was lying at the little wharf and about to leave for her daily trip to The Dalles. From this point the story of the attack can be better told by a

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participant in the defence, Mr. L. W. Coe, ad- dressed to Mr. Putnam F. Bradford, who, with his brother, D. F. Bradford, was at that time engaged in building a wooden tramway around the rapids. In a letter to Mr. Bradford, written but two or three days after the events recorded, he gives this graphic description of them:

"On Wednesday, March 26th, at about 8:30 A. M., after the men had gone to their work on the two bridges on the tramway, the Yakimas came down upon ns. There was a line of them from Mill ereek above us to the big pond at the head of the falls, firing simultaneously on the men; and the first notice we had of them was their bullets and the crack of their guns. Of onr men at the first fire one was killed and sev- eral wounded. Onr men, on seeing the Indians all run for our store, through a shower of bul- lets, except three who started down stream for the middle blockhouse a mile and a half distant. Bush and his family also ran into our store, leaving his own house vacant. The Watkins' family came to our store after a boy had been shot in their house. There was grand confusion in our store at first; and Sinclair, of Walla Walla, going to the railroad door to look out, was shot from the bank above and instantly killed.

" Some of us then commenced getting the guns and rifles, which were ready loaded, from behind the counter. Fortunately about an hour before there had been left with us for transportation below nine United States Government rifles with cartridge boxes and ammunition. These saved ns. 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 stove-pipe was hanled down, the hole enlarged with axes, and a party of men crawled up, and the upper part of the house soon secured. We were surprised that the Indi- ans had not rushed into the upper story, as there was nothing nor nobody to prevent them.

"Our men soon got some shots at the Indians on the bank above ns. I saw Bush shoot an Indian who was drawing a bead on Mrs. Wat-

kins as she was running for our store. Hle drop- ped instantly. Alexander and others mounted into the gable under the roof, and from there was done most of our firing. In the meantime we were barrieading in the store, making port- holes and firing when opportunity offered; but the Indians were soon very cautious about ex- posing themselves. I took charge of the store, Dan Bradford of the second floor and Alexander of the garret and roof.

" The steamer Mary was lying at the mouth of Mill creek, and the wind was blowing strong down stream. When we saw the Indians run- ning toward her and heard the shots, we sup- posed she would be taken; and as she lay just out of our sight, and we saw smoke rising from her, concluded she was burning. but what was our glad surprise after a while to see her put out and run across the river?

"The Indians now returned in force to us, and we gave every one a shot who showed himself. They were nearly naked, painted red, and had guns and bows and arrows. After a while Finlay carne creeping around the lower point of the island toward our house. We hallooed to him to lie down behind a rock, and he did so. He called to us 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 all they wanted,-blankets. clothes, guns, etc. By this time the Indians had erossed 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 toward the place where Finlay was, and the Indians in full chase after them. As our own men came around the point in full view, Bailey was shot through the arm and leg. IIe continued on, and, plunging into the river, swam to the front of our store and came in safely, except for his wounds. He narrowly escaped going over the falls. Finlay also swam across and got in unharmed, which was wonder- fnl, as there were showers of bullets all around them.

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"Watkins next came running around the point, and we called to him to lie down behind a rock ; but before he could do so he was shot in the wrist, the ball going up the arm and out above the elbow. Ile dropped behind a rock just as the pursuing Indians came following around the point, but we gave them so hot a reception from our house that they backed ont 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 from The Dalles of the steamer Mary with troops, two days and nights afterward. During this time Watkins fainted several times from weakness and ex- posure, the weather being very cold, and he was stripped down to his underclothing for swim- ming. When he fainted he would roll down the steep bank into the river, and, the ice-cold water numbing 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 terrible situ- ation. He died from exhaustion two days after he was rescued.

"The Indians were now pitching into us ' right smart.' They tried to burn us ont; threw rocks and fire-brands, hot-irons, pitch-wood, every- thing on to the roof that would burn. But you will recollect that for a short distance back the bank inclined toward the house, and we could see and shoot the Indians that appeared there. So they had to throw from such a distance that the largest rocks and bundles of fire did not quite reach ns, and what did generally rolled off the roof. Sometimes the roof got on fire, and we ent it out, or with cups of brine drawn from the pork barrels put it out, or with long sticks shoved off the fire-balls. The kitchen roof troubled us much. How they did pepper us with rocks! some of the big ones would shake the house all over.

"There were now forty men, women and child- ren in the house-four women and eighteen men that could fight, and eighteen wounded men and children. 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. So passed the day, during which the Indians had burned Inman's two houses, your sawmill and honses, and the lumber yards at the mouth of Mill Creek. At daylight they set fire to your new warehouse on the island, making it light as day around ns. I suppose that they reserved this building for night that we might not get Watkins off. They did not attack us at night, but the second morn- ing commenced as lively as ever. We had no water, but did have about a dozen of ale and a few bottles of whisky. These gave out during the day. During the night a Spokane Indian who was traveling with Sinclair, 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. By this time we looked for the steamer from The Dalles, and were greatly disappointed at lier non-arrival. We weathered it ont during the day, every man keeping his post and none relaxing in vigilance. Every moving object, shadow, or suspicions bush upon the hill received a shot. The Indians must have thought the house a bomb-shell. To our ceaseless vigilance I ascribe our safety. Night came again; Bush's house near by was also fired, keeping us in light un- til four A. M., when darkness returning I sent the Spokane Indian for water from the river and he filled two barrels. He went to and fro like lightning. We also slipped poor James Sin- elair's body down the slide outside, as the corpse was quite offensive.

"The two steamers now having exceeded the length of time we gave them in which to re- turn from The Dalles, we made up our minds for a long siege and until relief came from below. We could not account for it, but snp- posed the Ninth Regiment had left The Dalles for Walla Walla, and had proceeded too far to return. The third morning dawned, and lo! the Mary and Wasco, blue with soldiers, and towing a flat-boat with dragoon horses, hove in sight. Such a hallo as we gave!

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"As the steamer landed the Indians fired twenty or thirty shot into them, but we could not ascertain with any effect. The soldiers as they landed could not be restrained but plunged into the woods in every direction, while the howitzers sent grape after the retreat- ing redskins. The soldiers were soon at our store, and we, I think I may say, experienced quite a feeling of relief on opening our doors. "During this time we had not heard from be- low. A company of dragoons under Colonel Steptoe went on down. The block-lionse of the middle cascades still held out. Allen's house was burned and every other one below: G. W. Johnson, S. M. Hamilton, F. A. Cheno- weth, the wharf-boat at the cascades, -- all gone up.

"Next in order came the attack on the Mary. She lay in Mill creek, no fires, and the wind hard ashore. Jim Thompson, John Woodward and Jim Herman were just going up to the boat from our store as they were fired upon. Hamilton asked if they had any guns. No. He went up to Inman's house, the rest staying to help the steamer out. Captain Dan Baughman and Thompson went ashore on the upper side of the creek, hauling on lines, when the firing of the Indians became so hot that they ran for the woods, past Inman's honse. The fireman, James Lindslay, was shot through the shonl- der; Engineer Buekminster shot an Indian with his revolver on the gang-plank, and little Johnny Chance while climbing upon the hurri- cane deck with an old dragoon pistol killed his Indian, but he was shot through the leg in doing so. Dick Turpin. half erazy probably, taking the only gun on the steamboat, plunged into a flat-boat lying along side, was shot, and plunged overboard and was drowned. Fire was soon started under the boiler and steam was rising. About this time Jesse Kempton, shot, while driving an ox team from the sawmill, got on board; also a half breed named Bourbon, who was shot through the body. After suffi- cient steam to move was raised, Hardin Cheno- weth ran up into the pilot house, and, lying on

the floor, turned the wheel, as he was directed, from the lower deck. It is needless to say that the pilot house was the target for the Indians. After the steamer was backed ont and turned around he did toot that whistle at them good. Toot! toot !! toot !!! It was music in our ears. The steamer picked up Herman from the bank above. Inman's family, Shepperd and Vander- pool all got across the river in skiff's, and, boarding the Mary, went to The Dalles.

"Colonel George Wright and the Ninth Regi- ment, Second Dragoons and Third Artillery had started for Walla Walla, and were out tive miles and camped when the Mary reached The Dalles. They received news of the attack at . 11 P. M., and by daylight were back to The Dalles. Starting down, they only reached Wind mountain that night, as the Mary's boiler was in bad condition because of a new fireman the day before. They reached us the next morning at six o'clock.

"Now for below. George Johnson was about to get a boat crew of Indians when Indian Jaek came running to him saying the Yakimas had attacked the block-house. He did not believe it, though he heard the cannon. He went up to the Indian village on the sand-bar to get his crew, 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 block-house 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, about thirty Indians in chase. After reaching Johnson's he continued on and gave Hamilton and all below warning, and the families all em- barked in small boats for Vancouver. The men would have barricaded in the wharf-boat bnt for want of ammunition. There was considera- ble Government freight in the wharf-boat. They stayed about the wharf-boat and schooner nearly all day and until the Indians began firing at them from the zinc house on the bank. They then shoved out. Saminy Price was shot

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through the leg in getting the boat into the stream. Floating down they met the steamer Belle with Phil. Sheridan and fifty men, sent up on report of an express sent down by Indian Simpson in the morning. George and those with him went on board and volunteered to serve under Sheridan, who landed at George's place and found everything burned. The steamer returned and the Indians pitched into Sheridan and fought him all day and drove him with forty men and ten volunteers to be- low Hamilton, notwithstanding he had a small cannon. One soldier was killed.

" The steamer Belle returned the next day (third of the attaek) and bronght ammunition for the block house. Your partner. Bishop, who was in Portland, eame up on her. Steamer Fashion, with volunteers from Portland, eame at the same time. The volunteers remained at the Lower Caseades. Sheridan took his eom- mand, and with a battean loaded with ammu- nition crossed to Bradford's island on the Ore- gon side, where they found most of the Cascade Indians, they having been ordered by George Johnson to go there on the first day of the at- tack. They were crossing and re-crossing all the time and Sheridan made them prisoners. He passed a boat's crew, and as they towed up to the head of the island and above saw great numbers of Indians on the Washington Terri- tory side and opposite them. Sheridan ex- pected them to cross and fight him, and between them and the 'friendly' (?) Indians in his charge thought he had his hands full.

"Just then Sheridan discovered Steptoe and his troops coming down from the Mary. sur- prising completely the Indians, who were eook- ing beef and watching Sheridan across the river. But on the sound of the bugle the Indians fled like deer into the woods with the loss of only one killed-' old Joanam.' But for the bugle they ought to have captured fifty.

"The Indians Sheridan took on the island were elosely guarded. Old Chenoweth-chief-

was brought up before Colonel Wright, tried, and sentenced to be hung. The Cascade In- dians, being under treaty, were adjudged guilty of treason in fighting. Chenoweth died game. He was hung on the upper side of Mill creek. I acted as interpreter. Ile offered two horses, two squaws, and a little something to every ' tyee' for his life; said he was afraid of the grave in the ground, and begged to be put into an Indian dead-house. lle gave a terrifie war whoop while the rope was being put abont his neek. I thought he expected the Indians to come and rescue him. The rope did not work well, and while hanging he muttered, ' Wake nika kwass kopa memaloose' (I am not afraid to die). He was then shot. I was glad to see the old devil killed, being satisfied that he was at the bottom of all tronble. * *

* * We do not know how many Indians there were. They attacked the block honse, our place, and drove Sheridan all at the same time. We think there were not less than three hundred."

Sneh is the account, somewhat abbreviated, of this, one of the most thrilling and tragie events in all the Indian wars of Washington. by a careful observer as well as a brave partic- ipant in it. The course of Colonel Wright, who had command of the United States troops in the department, met the unqualified favor of the people of the Territory. Here " Phil. Sheri- dan," then a lieutenant only, first appears prominently on the page of history. His eon- duet was greatly praised. On the part of the Indians there was not only cunning and per- sisteney, but intelligent tacties and bravery. That they did not sneeeed in entirely destroy- ing the settlement at the Cascade was due first to the fortuitous-or it may be Providential -- leaving of the nine United States rifles with plenty of ammunition at the store only a few hours before the attack began, and the Saxon eonrage and determination with which the de- fenee was made.

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CHAPTER XXX.

INDIAN WARS, CONTINUED.

COLONEL WRIGHT MOVES NORTH-FINDS THE INDIANS IN THE NACHES-REINFORCEMENTS-RETURN TO THE DALLES-DANGER OF INDIAN CONFEDERACY-STEVENS' WISE ACTION COLUMN FROM PUGET SOUND CROSSES THE CASCADES-HOSTILE BANDS SCATTERED TROOPS CONCENTRATED AT WALLA WALLA-COLONEL SHAW MOVES TO GRANDE RONDE VALLEY- BATTLE IN THAT VALLEY- MAJOR MAXON-MAJOR LAYTON'S MOVEMENTS TO JOHN DAY'S-BATTLE ON BURNT RIVER PEACE EMBASSY FAILED-PROMPT ACTION OF COLONEL SHAW-THE NEZ PERCES APPEARED COLONEL WRIGHT- MILITARY POST ESTABLISHED-GOVERNOR STEVENS CALLS A GENERAL COUN- CIL -- SITUATION ALARMING-ARRIVAL OF KAMIAKIN-FAILURE OF COUNCIL-STEVENS' ADDRESS- MILITARY AND CIVIL OFFICERS DISAGREE -- STEVENS SET OUT FOR THE DALLES-ATTACKED BY THE INDIANS -- A BLOCK HOUSE BUILT-A TEMPORARY PEACE.

I N the last chapter our readers have seen that the movement of Colonel Wright and his troops into the Walla Walla country was suddenly interrupted by the attack of the Yak- inas and Klickitats on the Cascades. After he had succeeded in relieving that imperiled point, and had inflicted a heavy retribution on the Indians engaged in it, he returned to the Dalles, and soon moved northward into the Yakima country, the scene of Major Haller's former campaign. General Wool had instructed Colo- nel Wright to find Kamiakin, the great chief of the Yakimas, and hold a council of peace with him. He moved north from The Dalles about the first of May, and on the 8th met the Indians near the Naches river. They declined all his advance toward negotiations. On the elev- enth, having ascertained that not less than 1,000 warriors confronted him, he dispatched a courier to the Dalles for reinforcements. Three companies responded to his call. With these his effective force was only 350 men. Ile re- mained at this point for several weeks vainly endeavoring to hold a council with Kamiakin. No chiefs came near him, although a few In- dians visited him occasionally to spy upon his movements. The Indians at last moved away from the vicinity, and nothing was left the Colonel but a return to The Dalles, having ac- complished nothing, and only leaving the In- dians more firmly fixed in their hostility, and

the danger of a thorough confederacy of all the tribes east of the mountains against the whites more imminent.

The war on the Sound had closed. Governor Stevens, who had but recently passed through the country of the hostiles, saw the peril, and early in May, while yet Colonel Wright was in the Yakima country, with his characteristic en- ergy began the organization of a force to pre- vent it. His plans were comprehensive. Their main elements were to move with a strong show of force eastward from the Sound over the Naches Pass into the Yakima country and northward from The Dalles into the same re- gion, and occupy the Walla Walla region also with a large column, so that the Indians would be thrown back from the settled portions along the Columbia river and Puget Sound to the in- terior, and thus fully occupy them in defend- ing their own country from invasion. He could also thus be in readiness for a winter campaign if it was necessary to undertake it.

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 33

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