An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 34

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 34

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Doubtless Governor Stevens better compre- hended the perilous situation than did General Wool, or even Colonel Wright, although the latter always judged intelligently and acted efficiently when not obstructed by the prejudices and stubbornness of his superior. Under date of June S, the governor wrote to the Secre- tary of War: "All the information I have re- ceived goes to satisfy me that, unless the most

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vigorous action is at once taken, all the tribes from the Cascades to the Bitter Root will be in the war, a portion of the Nez Perces alone excepted. * * * If the troops reach the Walla Walla before an overt act has been committed, I am certain that the combination can be broken up and that the Nez Perces and the Indians on and in the neighborhood of the Spokane will remain friendly."

In pursnance of this plan the column from the Sound, under the command of Lientenant Colo- nel B. F. Shaw, moved east ward over the Cascade mountains about the middle of June, arriving on the Wenass. on the 20th. Here Colonel Shaw received orders to push forward to Walla Walla, and, nniting his force with that moving eastward from The Dalles, take command of the whole. The united force amounted to 400 men. This display of force had salutary effeet on the condition of the interior, as it induced the Spokanes to decline a union with the Yakimas and other hostile tribes, though that tribe was strongly urged thereto by Kamiakin at a council held to consider that question. Still, though declining active participation in the war, the Spokanes did aid the hostile party by giving them hospitality and moral support. Their neutrality was insincere, if it was not even cowardly and treacherous. At this period the hostile bands were much scattered. The son of Peupeumoxmox was at the head of a large camp at Walla Walla. The Klickitats and Yakimas were in the vicinity of Priest's Rapids on the Columbia. Others were on the head of John Day's river in Oregon and scattered through the Blue mountains and Grande Ronde and Powder river valleys. Another large camp of renegades from all the tribes was north of Snake river and in the vicinity of the Clearwater.

The force that was concentrated at Walla Walla was known as the "Second Regiment W. T. Mounted Volunteers," and was under the command of Colonel B. F. Shaw, with William Craig, an old mountaineer, who was living among the Nez Perces, as Lieutenant Colonel.

Ile had organized a company of sixty of these friendly Indians, led by "Spotted Eagle," to co-operate with volunteers. G. Blankenship and H. J. G. Maxon were majors of the first and second battalions. Of the six companies con- stituting this force four were from Washington Territory and two from Oregon. The command went into camp on Mill creek, two miles above the present city of Walla Walla, and a pack train of 150 mules, loaded with supplies for the friendly Nez Perces, was immediately sent to them under the command of A. II. Robie as spe- eial agent. On the 14th of July, Colonel Shaw himself moved with a column of 160 men, with ten days' rations, to attack a band of hostiles con- centrated in Grande Ronde valley. He entered the valley on the evening of the 16th. having been guided through the Blue mountains by Captain John, a Nez Perces chief. The report of Colonel Shaw is interesting, but too circum- stantial and elaborate for our pages. Its sub- stance is, that, on arriving in Grande Ronde valley he found the Indians in force along the Grande Ronde river, and immediately made dispositions to attack them. He pushed for- ward Captain Miller's company, supported by those of Maxon, Henness, and Powell, and a de- tachment of Goff's company under Lientenant Waite, with orders to dislodge the Indians. This advance was promptly met by a large body of Indians, who came forward whooping and singing, one of them waving a white man's scalp on a pole. A desire for a conference hay- ing been signified by the Indians, Captain John. the Nez Perces guide, was sent forward. When he reached the Indians they cried ont to each other, " Shoot him," wherenpon he retreated to the command. A charge was immediately ordered. The charge was successful, and the Indians were broken and dispersed, and some of them were killed. The conflict, at various points, continued for some time, when the Indians fled across the valley toward the rocky cañons leading toward Powder river. Colonel Shaw continned the pursuit of the flying savages

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until he had but five men with him, leaving his command scattered across the valley, their horses being completely exhausted.

While Col. Shaw was engaged in this conflict, Captain Maxon was engaged with another party on another portion of the field. Ilis contest was, like Shaw's, soon terminated, and he, having become separated from the main com- mand, returned over the mountains to Walla Walla, Col. Shaw following on the 21st, as the Indians had all fled from the immediate vieinity of the troops.

Showing the extensive combination of the Indian tribes in this war, it may be stated that in this battle were Indians of the Walla Walla, Umatilla, John Day, Tygh, Des Chutes and Snake tribes, led by some of their most re- nowned chiefs, among whom were Stock Whitey of the Des Chutes, and Tygh, Achakiah and Win- imsnoot of the Cayuse, Tahkiason of Penpeu- moxmox, Walla Walla, and many others of lesser note.

A small column of about 200 men under Major Layton and Captain Goff was also directed against the Indians on John Day's river. These retired before the troops into the recesses of the mountains between John Day and Powder River valleys, and there awaited the advance. . A battle was fought on the head of Burnt River on the fifteenth of July, and continued on the sixteenth, but on the seventeenth the Indians disappeared, and the march of the columns to- ward Grande Ronde valley was resumed. From this point the column returned over the Blue mountains to the general rendezvous on Mill ereek.

When Colonel Shaw reached Mill creek from the Grande Ronde expedition he found that his embassy of peace to the Nez Perces nn- der Special Agent Robie had failed. The war party in that tribe, even, had gained the ascend. eney, and Robie had been ordered ont of their country with his goods. The complication was now more difficult, and the fears of Gov- ernor Stevens as to a universal combination of these powerful tribes seemed about to be rea

ized. But Colonel Shaw aeted promptly and intelligently in the trying emergency. He made his late expedition to Grande Ronde, and his complete victory over the strong combination of his tribes there, the ground on which he could successfully appeal to the fears of Nez Perces. He immediately sent the Nez Perces chief, C'ap- tain John, to his countrymen at Lapwai, with detailed intelligence of that event, and also with this plain but deeisive message: "I am your friend. I have not come to fight you, but the hostiles; but if you beat your drums for war, I will parade my men for battle."

This message, enforced by the news of his victory in Grande Ronde, decided the question. The peace party again gained control of the tribe and the great danger was averted. It needed ouly that the Nez Perces should declare for war to make the combination perfect from California to British Columbia, and to let loose five thousand warriors as a cordon of consum- ing fire around all the white settlements of all the northwest. It was the battles of Grande Ronde and Burnt river, so small and compara- tively insignifieant in themselves, and fought hundreds of miles away from the center of the Nez Perces tribe, that made it possible to secure even this doubtful friendship of that most powerful of all the tribes of the interior.

Colonel Shaw remained in camp on Mill creek. Colonel Wright had returned to The Dalles from his bootless Yakima expedition. Ile decided now to carry out the design from which he had been drawn by the attack on the Cascades previously related, that of establishing a military post in the Walla Walla country. This duty he assigned to Lieutenant Colonel E. J. Steptoe, placing under his command a battal- ion of two hundred and fifty men. In connee- tion with this the people were notified that the treaties that had been negotiated with the Indi." ans were not yet in force, as they had not been ratified by the Senate, and consequently the country was not yet open for settlement. As soon as this notice was promulgated. Governor Stevens, having conferred with Colonel Wright

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as to his plans, went up to the camp at Walla Walla to minster out the volunteers whose term of enlistment expired on the eighth of Septem- ber, by which time it was expected that Step- toe's battalion would arrive to relieve them. On his arrival at the camp of Colonel Shaw he sent out a summons to all the tribes inviting them to a general council in the Walla Walla valley. Steptoe's command arrived and went into camp on the fifth of September, and orders were pro. mulgated to the volunteers to start for home on the eleventh.

By the evening of the tenth the Indians in- vited to the council had all arrived and eamped on the council ground except the Yakimas un- der Kamiakin. They were all hostile except a part of the Nez Perces. The delay of the Yak- imas in coming postponed the departure of the volunteers and Governor Stevens for the issue of the council. The council opened on the elev- enth, and continued on the twelfth and thir- teenth in the absence of Kamiakin, but there was little progress toward a settlement. The condition was so alarming that Governor Stevens moved his camp to the immediate vicinity of Steptoe's. Kamiakin had encamped on the Touchet,a few miles away, and everything showed that the hostiles only awaited his arrival to at- tack the camp of Stevens, which was indiscreetly located some five miles distant from that of Steptoe. The plans of the Indians were discon- certed by this movement of the Governor, as they expected, on thearrival of Kamiakin, to at- tack his camp, which was guarded by less then a hundred men. When the camp was moving up toward Steptoe's it met Kamiakin and his warriors coming. This was a great surprise to the wary chieftain, and before he could perfect his arrangements the two camps were united and his most favorable opportunity to strike an effective blow was gone.

The council, which had been adjourned a day or two, now opened on the sixteenth. The in- fluence of Kamiakin was controlling over the Indians, and all efforts to make an arrangement with the hostiles, or to do away with the dissat-

isfaction of the Nez Perces, being unavailing, on the seventeenthi the general council closed. The next day a separate council was held with the Nez Perces. This, too, closed without a favorable result. At its close Governor Stevens made a short and plain address to the Nez Perces, in which he expressed his regrets that he had failed in his mission and said, "Follow your own hearts. If you wish to go to war, go." The propositions of the Governor were, uncon- ditional submission to the justice and mercy of the Government and surrender of the mur- derers.

The justice of history requires that it be said here that there was not harmony between the civil and the military authorities. The inherent and cultivated jealousies between the two had kept them at cross purposes all through the war up to this time. The chapter of their disagree- ments reveals much acrimony and bitterness on both sides, and, as a civilian is sure to think, a great want of the proper appreciation of the condition and needs of the country, or else a criminal indifference to them on the part of the army in the field. As the story of this disa- greement, beginning with General Wool and descending through rank and file, is too volum- inous for our pages, and must be dealt with cir- cumstantially if at all we can only state it as a general fact, and say that these personal jeal- ousies and rivalries did infinite harm to the country in every way, and finally greatly pro- longed and greatly intensified the wars of the Territory.

Something of this appeared in the afternoon of the day in which Governor Stevens held his last council with the Nez Perces. Colonel Step- toe informed the Indians that he came there, not to fight them, but to establish a post, and trusted that they would get along as friends, and asked them to come and see him the next day a little after noon. However, they declined. In the meantime, at eleven o'clock, Governor Stevens raised his camp and set ont for The Dalles, forming his whole party into order of battle and moving away from the presence of

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the Indians prepared for a conflict. Ilis pre- cautions were wise, for he had not reached three miles from the camp before the Indians attacked him. He moved on in close order a mile or more to water, where he took position in a low open basin, formed a barrica le of his corral and proceeded to defend himself. The fight was protracted far into the night, with many inci- dents of daring on the part of the Indians as well as much courage on that of the volunteers.

Stevens sent a conrier to Steptoe notifying him of the state of affairs. Steptoe replied that the Indians had burned up the grass around his camp, and requested the return of the volun- teers so that he might have the use of their wagons for the transportation of his camp ma- terial to the Umatilla, where he could find suste- nance for his animals. On the reuniting of the volunteers and regulars the next day, it was re- solved, at Stevens' urgent advice, to build a block house where they were, leave all the supplies with one company to defend them, and Colonel Steptoe to march to The Dalles, procure rein- forcements and additional supplies, and return prepared for a vigorous winter campaign for the

subjugation of the Indians. In ten days the block house was completed, and on the 23d of September the column took np its march, reach- ing the The Dalles on the 2d of October.

So far as fighting was concerned, this was practically the end of the war at this time. Early in November Colonel Wright marched into the Walla Walla valley at the head of the regular troops, where he held a council with the tribes and agreed on terms of peace. The terms were: immunity to the Indians for past misconduct; treaties not to be enforced until ratified by the Senate; and no white men to be permitted to settle in the country without the consent of the Indians. This agreement may be considered as ending the war, or, to speak more accurately, temporarily composing the tron ble and relieving the Indians from the contemplated winter cam- paign, and giving them time for recuperation and preparation for further conflicts. It was simply an armed truce, purchased at great price by the army, and sure to be broken at an early day by one or the other, if not by both, of the belligerent parties.

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CHAPTER XXXI.

INDIAN WARS, CONCLUDED.

IINDIANS IN A IFOSTILE FRAME -- STEPTOE'S EXPEDITION-TIMOTHY-IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOS- TILES -- BATTLE OF STEPTOE'S BUTTE-WHITES DEFEATED- RETREAT-GENERAL INDIAN COM- BINATION-GENERAL ('LARKE'S COURSE-COLONEL WRIGHT TREATY WITH THE NEZ PERCES- WRIGHT'S ADVANCE NORTHWARD-BATTLE OF ". FOUR LAKES "-BATTLE OF " SPOKANE PLAINS" -- MARCH TO SPOKANE RIVER-GEARY VISITS WRIGHT'S CAMP-INDIAN HORSES TAKEN AND SHOT -COEUR D'ALENE COUNCIL -- SPOKANE COUNCIL-KAMIAKIN-OWHI --- QUALCHIEN ARRESTED AND HUNG -- OWII SHOT-CLOSE OF THE WAR.

W ITH the elose of 1856 there was at least at semblance of peace with the Indians all over the Territory. The volunteers had been disbanded, but the regular forces had been greatly increased, and were stationed at various points over the Columbia, on Puget Sound and in the Walla Walla country.

The Indians, however, were still in a hostile frame, and all through 1357 the spirit of war was in the air. A general rising of the tribes was greatly feared in the spring of that year, but did not occur. But it was sure to come, and but little provocation was required to bring it.

Early in April Colonel Steptoe, who was in command at Walla Walla, informed General Clarke, commanding the department, that an ex- pedition to the north of Snake river seemed to be required, as the Indians in the C'olville re- gion were hostile. Two white inen on their way to the Colville mines had been murdered by the Palouses, who had also made a foray into the Walla Walla country and even driven off the cattle belonging to the fort. The l'alonses were not a strong tribe, and Steptoe did not deem a large force necessary, but believed they should be chastened to prevent future and perhaps greater trouble. On the 6th of May Steptoe left Walla Walla with 130 dragoons, and, in a leisurely way, proceeded up the Nez Perces trail toward Snake river, which they reached at the mouth of the Alpowa, where resided the Nez Perce chief Timothy. Timothy ferried the little army over the river, and with a band of his men

accompanied it northward toward the Spokane country as its guide.

This Indian, en passant, is worthy of a brief notice. He was a large man, with a square, open, benignant countenance, who had never faltered in his friendship to the whites. Under the missionary labors of Mr. Spaulding at Lapwai, not far away from Timothy's home, he had embraced the Christian faith, and was the first Indian to be propounded for membership in the Presbyterian Church under Mr. Spauld- ing's labors. He was a sincere, honest, unaffected man, securing the confidence of all who knew him, and living a sober, industrious and Chris- tian life. In later years the writer knew him well, and has often sat with him on the ground under the shade of one of the great apple trees on the Alpowa creek, whose seed was planted by Mr. Spaulding in 1837, near the tepee of the then youthful Timothy, and conversed with him of the men and the times of which he now writes. Not more than a decade ago his white soul passed into the eternity of the good.

On the morning of the 16th of May, having crossed Snake river and passed on toward the Spokane, Steptoe suddenly found himself con- fronted by a force of not far from a thousand Indian warriors in their war paint determined to dispute his advance further northward. They were Palouses, Spokanes, Coeur d' Alenes, Yaki- mas, and warriors of the smaller related tribes. They had taken position near a ravine through which the road passed and where they could assail

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the troops from the front and flanks, while they themselves would be sheltered by the trees and brush and rocks from the sight of the soldiers. Seeing the danger Steptoe halted his troops and held a parley with the Spokanes, but the Indians declared their intention to fight, declaring that they would not permit the soldiers to cross Spokane river. Assured now that he would be compelled to fight Steptoe turned aside to avoid the ravine, and in about a mile encamped near a small lake. The Indians had elosely followed the troops all the way, tannting them with in- sulting words and gestures, but no shots were fired, each party being anxious that the other should be the aggressor. The dragoons did not dare to dismount even after they had reached the place for encampment. They had only their small arms, and were not at all prepared to fight the Indians.

In the evening a number of the Indian chiefs rode up to the camp to hold a parley with Step- toe, and ascertain the cause of the invasion of their country by the soldiers. They professed to be satisfied with his explanations, but still maintained an unyielding determination that he should not advance into the Spokane country. Seeing their determination, and feeling his own weakness, Steptoe resolved to retreat, and on the morning of the 18th began his return toward the Palonse. About the time the column started Father Joset, of the Coeur d' Alene mission, with Vincent, a Coeur d' Alene chief, rode up to Steptoe, and as they rode along hield a conference with him. The Indians were following and flanking the little force. In the midst of the interview the chief was called away, and firing was immediately begun by the Palouses, and, in a short time, by the whole Indian force. The small column was moving in close order, the pack train in the center, guarded by a dragoon company, with a company in front and rear. As it crossed a small creek a movement was made by Lieutenant Greig with one company to occupy a hill which the Indians were attempting to gain to get at the head of the advance. The soldiers reached it first, when the Indians at once moved

for one that commanded it. Greig divided his little force in order to drive them from the new position.

By this time all were engaged,-not far from 1,000 Indians against less than 150 whites. The Indians circled the little force with fire. Charge after charge was made to break the array of yell- ing savages that was about them. In one charge, where the company of Captain Greig and that of Lieutenant Gaston met in a triangle among the swarming warriors, Zachary, brother-in-law of Vincent, the Coeur d' Alene chief, and Victor, an influential chief, also a Coeur d' Alene, and some twelve of their warriors, were slain. The rage of the Coeur d' Alenes at this loss was terri- ble, and they had soon revenged themselves. The troops kept moving forward under a raking fire. To stop was to be surrounded at once, and to be surrounded was destruction to all in the com- inand. They were in an open country of high hills and quite a distance from water. About 11 o'clock Captain Oliver, H. P. Taylor and Lieutenant William Gaston, both of the first dragoons, were killed, together with a number of the men. The remainder were gathered' on a rising ground, while every hill around swarmed with exulting foes. It was apparent that the march to water could not be made by daylight, and nothing remained but to defend themselves as best they could where they were and wait for the night. They lay on the summit of a hill, on a small plain, and orders were given to picket their horses, saddle l and bridled, and the men were directed to lie flat on the ground and pre- vent the Indians taking the hill by charges. They were successful, but toward evening, as their ammunition began to give out, and the men were suffering so greatly for the want of water and from fatigne, that it was with difficulty the three remaining officers could inspire them even to defend themselves. Six of their comrades were dead and eleven others were wounded. Many of the men were recruits, now first under fire, and it was not wonderful that their courage had failed them in such an hour. So night : came on.

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Nothing remained now but flight. The bodies of the fallen which could be reached were buried, and taking the best horses and a small supply of provisions; and, guided by Timothy along a dif- ficult way that the Indians had left unguarded, the soldiers crept silently away about 10 o'clock and hastened toward Snake river, which they reached on the morning of the 19th. They suc- ceeded in crossing to its southern shore without the loss of another man. The Indians, apparently satisfied with their victory, and probably engaged in their distributing the plunder left on the battlefield by the defeated troups, did not follow them. From Snake river Steptoe returned to Walla Walla.

This battle occurred on what is known as " Steptoe Butte," called by the Indians Tehoto- mimme-about seven miles from the present town of Colfax, a bald eminence that overlooks a vast extent of the " Palouse country," and one of the finest regions of the State of Washington.

There could be but one result of this victory of the Indians. A league of all the most power- ful tribes of the interior, namely, the Spokanes, the Coeur d' Alenes, the Palouses, the Yakimas, with a portion of the Nez Perees, was formed at once, and a general outbreak took place. The Indians became everywhere bold and defiant. Small parties of whites were cut off in every part of the country, and the Indians even threatened Fort Walla Walla itself. It must now be war indeed.

General Clarke took immediate steps to meet the emergency. Troops were withdrawn from Fort Yuma on the Colorado, Fort Jones, Fort Umpqua, and even from San Diego on the bor- ders of Mexico, and ordered to concentrate on the Columbia. An expedition was resolved upon that should not repeat the blunders of that of Steptoe. The command of the expedition was committed to Colonel Wright, an officer every way qualified to direct it. By the 1st of An- gust all the preliminary movements were com- pleted, and the troops destined to participate in the campaign were united at Fort Walla Walla. At the same time that Colonel Wright was to

conduct the campaign from Walla Walla into the Spokane country, Major Garnett was to lead one of 300 men into the Yakima country to establish a post and aet in co-operation with the movement of Colonel Wright.

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 34

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