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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/11508-0.txt b/11508-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..58f004d --- /dev/null +++ b/11508-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5235 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11508 *** + +Reminiscences of a Pioneer + + + +By Colonel William Thompson + +Editor Alturas, Cal., Plaindealer + + + +San Francisco 1912 + + + +Contents + +Chapter + I Farewell to the Old Southern Home + II First Winter in the Willamette Valley + III Indian Outbreak of 1855 + IV In Which Various Experiences Are Discussed + V Taking Revenge on Marauding Snakes + VI One Bad Tale From Canyon City History + VII Col. Thompson's First Newspaper Venture + VIII History of the Modoc Indians + IX The Ben Wright Massacre + X Treaty With the Modocs Made + XI Battle in the Lava Beds + XII The Peace Commission's Work + XIII Three Days Battle In the Lava Beds + XIV Trailing the Fugitives + XV The Great Bannock War + XVI Snake Uprising in Eastern Oregon + XVII Bannocks Double on Their Tracks +XVIII Another Attack That Miscarried + XIX Reign of the Vigilantes + XX Passing of the Mogans + XXI The Lookout Lynching + + + +Illustrations + +Colonel William Thompson Frontispiece + (From photo taken at close of Bannock War) +Typical Scene in the Lava Beds +Runway and Fort in Lava Beds +Captain Jack's Cave in the Lava Beds +Captain Jack + (From photo belonging to Jas. D. Fairchild, Yreka, Cal.) +Colonel William Thompson + (From photo taken at close of Modoc War) + + + +Foreword + +So rapidly is the Far West changing character, our pioneers should feel +in duty bound to preserve all they can of its early history. Many of +them are giving relics of frontier days to museums and historical +societies. And they do well. Yet such collections are unfortunately +accessible to only the few. Hence they do better who preserve the living +narratives of their times. For however unpretentious from the cold +aspect of literary art, these narratives breathe of courage and +fortitude amid hardships and perils, and tell as nothing else can of the +hopes and dreams of the hardy pathfinders, and of the compensations and +pleasures found in their sacrifices. + +It is with this end in view, to preserve the life of the old days in its +many colors, that these recollections are penned. There was more to this +life than has been touched by the parlor romancers or makers of +moving-picture films. Perhaps some day these memories may serve to +illumine the historian delving in the human records of the past. And +perhaps, also, and this is the author's dearest wish, they may inspire +young readers to hold to the hardy traditions of the 'Fifties and to +keep this spirit alive in a country destined soon to be densely peopled +with newcomers from the long-settled parts of the world. + + + +Reminiscences of a Pioneer + + + +Chapter I. + +Farewell to the Old Southern Home. + +I have often wondered, when viewing a modern passenger coach, with its +palace cars, its sleeping and dining cars, if those who cross the "Great +American Desert," from the Mississippi to the Pacific in four days, +realize the hardships, dangers and privations of the Argonauts of +fifty-eight years ago. The "Plains" were then an unbroken wilderness of +three thousand miles, inhabited by hordes of wild Indians, and not too +friendly to the white man journeying through his country. + +The trip then required careful preparation--oxen, wagons, provisions, +arms and ammunition must be first of all provided. These were +essentials, and woe to the hapless immigrant who neglected these +provisions. To be stranded a thousand miles from the "settlements" was a +fate none but the most improvident and reckless cared to hazard. + +It is to recount some of the trials, adventures, hardships, privations, +as I remember them, that these lines are written. For truly, the +immigrants of the early 50's were the true "Conquerors of the +Wilderness." Cutting loose from home and civilization, their all, +including their women and children, loaded into wagons, and drawn by +slow-moving ox teams, they fearlessly braved three thousand miles of +almost trackless wilderness. + +As a small boy I remember the first mention of California, the land of +gold. My father returned from New Orleans in January. On board the +steamer coming up the Mississippi river, he had fallen in with some +gentlemen "returning to the States." They had given him a glowing +description of the "land of gold," and almost the first words spoken +after the family greetings were over was, "We are going to California in +the spring." My mother was more than agreeable and from that time +nothing was talked or thought of but the journey to California. The old +refrain was sung from morning to night, + + "In the spring we 're going to journey, + Far away to California." + +My chum, Tant, a negro boy of my own age, and I seriously discussed the +prospects and dangers of the journey. Direful tales of the tomahawk and +scalping knife were recounted by the older children. But Tant's fears +were allayed by the assurance that the "Injuns" would not kill and scalp +a black boy with a woolly head. For once in my life I envied that imp of +darkness. + +In February a gentleman came to our home and after dinner he and my +father rode over the plantation. The next morning they rode over to +Bolliver, the county seat. Returning in the evening my father announced +that the plantation was sold. Then began the real preparations for the +journey. My father was constantly in the saddle. Oxen, wagons, ox yokes, +ox bows, cattle, covers for wagons, arms, ammunition and provisions were +purchased and brought to the plantation. All was hurry and excitement. +Two shoemakers came to our home to make up the leather purchased at St. +Louis or from neighboring tanneries. Meantime Aunt Ann and the older +girls of the family were busy spinning and weaving. Every article of +wearing apparel must be made at home. "Store clothes" were out of the +question in those days. Wool must be carded and spun into thread for. +Aunt Ann's old wooden loom. The cloth was then fashioned into garments +for clothing to last a year after we should reach our goal far out on +the Pacific shores. The clank of the old wooden loom was almost +ceaseless. Merrily the shuttle sang to an accompaniment of a camp +meeting melody. Neighbors also kindly volunteered their services in +weaving and fashioning garments for the family. All was bustle and +hurry. + +At last all was in readiness for the start. Spring with all its beauty +and glory was with us, and friends from the country round and about had +come to bid us a final farewell--friends, alas, we were destined never +to meet again. The parting I remember as the first real sorrow of a life +that has experienced most of the hardships, dangers, privations and +sufferings of a wild frontier life. It was a beautiful morning early in +April, 1852, that the leaders were pointed to the west and a start was +made. Four wagons were drawn by five yoke of oxen each, while the fifth, +the family wagon, was drawn by three yoke. + +The first weeks of our journey were passed without anything happening +worthy of note. At Caw river we were detained several days by high +water. Here we began falling in with others, who, like, ourselves, were +bound for the golden shores of the Pacific. And it was here that we made +the acquaintance of families, and friendships formed that were to +survive not only the privations of the plains but were to last a life +time. Men were drawn together on the plains as in the everyday walks of +life, only the bonds were closer and far more enduring. The very dangers +through which they passed together rendered the ties more lasting. "Our +train" henceforth consisted of my father's, Littleton Younger, John +Gant, "Uncle" Johnny Thompson and a party of five Welsh gentlemen, under +the leadership of a gentleman named Fathergill, and a prince of a +gentleman he was. At that time there was not a cabin in what is now the +great and populous State of Kansas. Only vast undulating plains, waving +with grass, traversed here and there with timberskirted streams. Game +was abundant, consisting mostly of antelope and prairie chickens. Our +Welsh friends, being bachelors and having no loose stock, were the +hunters for the train, and supplied us with an abundance of fresh meat. + +As we proceeded westward more immigrants were met, and often our camp +resembled a tented city. All was then a pleasure trip--a picnic, as it +were. No sooner was camp struck than a place was cleared and dancing +began to the sound of the violin. Many of these young ladies were well +dressed--actually wore "store clothes!" But alas, and alack, I was +destined to see these same young ladies who started out so gay and +care-free, in tattered dresses, barefooted and dusty, walking and +driving the loose cattle. Too many excursions and pleasure jaunts had +reduced their horses to skeletons before the real trials of the journey +had fairly begun. But the women of '52 and '53 were not of the +namby-pamby sort. When the trials came they were brave and faced +privations and dangers with the same fortitude as their stronger +brothers. + +At Fort Laramie we crossed the Platte river by fording. The stream, as I +remember it, was near a mile wide, but not waist deep. Thirty and forty +oxen were hitched to one wagon, to effect the crossing. But woe to the +hapless team that stalled in the treacherous quicksands. They must be +kept going, as it required but a short stop for the treacherous sands to +engulf team and wagon alike. Men wading on either side of the string of +oxen kept them moving, and soon all were safely on the north side of the +Platte river. + +We soon began to see great herds of buffalo. In fact, at times the hills +were black with the heaving, rolling, bellowing mass, and no meal was +served for many days without fresh buffalo. As we wended our way up the +valley of the Platte one could look back for miles and miles on a line +of wagons, the sinuous line with vari-colored wagon covers resembling a +great serpent crawling and wriggling up the valley. Fortunately for "our +train" we were well in advance and thus escaped the sickness that later +dotted the valley of the Platte with graves. + +On and on. Independence Rock, Sweet Water, and Devil's Gate were passed. +Members of our train had observed two men who traveled with us, yet held +themselves aloof. They appeared to prefer their own company, and while +they traveled along with us, probably for protection, they always camped +by themselves. Some said they were Mormons, while others asserted they +were merely a selfish pair. One day one of the men was missing. The +other on being questioned gave evasive and very unsatisfactory replies. +His actions excited the suspicions of our men. He appeared anxious to +get ahead and left us, making a long night drive. It was then determined +to make an investigation. Two of our party mounted good horses and +started back on the trail. Each camp was carefully examined until they +were rewarded by finding the body of a murdered man beneath the ashes of +a camp fire, buried in a shallow grave. By riding all night they +overtook the train, before starting back burying the body of the +unfortunate traveler. The news spread rapidly and a party followed the +murderer. He was soon overtaken and halted at the muzzles of rifles. +When the train came up a council was held. Probably a hundred wagons +were halted. It was determined to give the man a trial. The evidence was +conclusive, and after conviction the miserable wretch confessed all, but +begged for mercy. He said the murdered man had picked him up out of pity +and was taking him through for his company and his help. There being no +trees, three wagons were run together, the wagon tongues being raised to +form a tripod and to answer for a gallows. To the center of the tripod a +rope was attached with the other end around the neck of the trembling, +writhing, begging wretch. But he had committed a cruel, cold-blooded +murder and his crime could not be condoned. He was stood on the back of +a horse, and a sharp cut being given the animal the wretch was swung +into eternity. A grave had been dug and into this the body of the +murderer was placed. The property of the murdered man was taken through +to the settlements. His relatives were communicated with, the property +sold and the proceeds sent to the proper owners. Such was the swift but +terrible justice administered on the plains. Without law or officers of +the law, there was no other course to pursue consistent with safety to +the living. + +July 4th, 1852, we reached Green river. Traders had established six +ferry boats at the crossing. In order to keep down competition, five of +the boats were tied up and the sum of $18 was demanded for each and +every wagon ferried over the stream. They had formed a kind of "trust," +as it were, even in that day. The rate was pronounced exorbitant, +unfair, outrageous, and beyond the ability of many to pay. Train after +train had been blocked until a city of tents had been formed. On the +morning of the 4th a meeting of immigrants was called to discuss the +situation. A few counseled moderation, compromise, anything to prevent a +clash with the traders, who boasted that they could turn the Indians +loose on us. The great majority defied both traders and Indians and +boldly announced that they would fight before they would submit to being +robbed. Many fiery speeches were made, and about 10 o'clock a long line +of men, with shouldered rifles flashing in the sun, marched down and +took possession of the ferry boats. The traders fumed and threatened, +and Indians with war-whoops and yells mounted horses and rode off from +the opposite side. The traders said they were going after the tribe to +exterminate the entire train. They were plainly told that the first shot +fired by traders or Indians would sound their own death knell--that +they, the traders, would be shot down without mercy. + +The ferry boats were then seized and the work of crossing the river +began. As fast as the wagons were crossed over they were driven down the +river, one behind another, forming a corral, with the open side facing +the river in the form of a half wheel. When the wagons had all been +crossed, the loose stock was swum over into the opening. There was no +confusion, but everything proceeded with almost military precision. A +committee had been appointed to keep tally on the number of wagons +crossed on the boats. The traders were then paid $4 for each and every +wagon. Still they fumed and threatened. The faces of the more timid +blanched and a few women were in tears. I beheld the whole proceedings +with childish wonder. But the circumstances of that 4th of July and the +execution of the murderer were burned into my brain with letters of +fire, never to be effaced while memory holds her sway. + +Every man was under arms that night. Horses were tied up and the work +oxen chained to the wagons, a strict guard being kept on the traders in +the mean time. The next morning the long string of wagons started out on +the road. Two hundred men rode on either side to defend the train, while +scouting parties rode at a distance to guard against surprise. This +formation was kept up for several days, but seeing neither traders nor +Indians the different trains separated and each went its way unmolested. + +Bear river and Soda Springs were next passed. A few miles this side of +Soda Springs the roads forked, one going to California and the other to +Oregon. Here a council was held. A portion of "our train" wanted to take +the California road. Others preferred the Oregon route. A vote was taken +and resulted in a majority for Oregon, and association and friendship +being stronger than mere individual preference, all moved out on the +Oregon road. + +Snake river was finally reached, and here the real trials of the journey +began. From some cause, not then understood, our oxen began to die. The +best and fattest died first, often two and three in one camp. Cows were +drawn into the yoke and the journey resumed. But it soon became evident +that loads must be lightened. Wagons loaded with stores and provisions +were driven to the side of the road and an invitation written with +charcoal for all to help themselves. To add to the difficulties of our +situation, the Snake Indians were surly and insolent to a degree. +Gradually a gloom settled over all. No more of laughter, of dancing and +song. And faster and faster the oxen died. Camping places were almost +unbearable on account of the dead and decaying cattle. And then the +terrible mountains of which we had heard so much were before us. Would +we ever reach the settlements? This was a question that began to prey +upon the minds of many. A few of the young men shouldered a blanket and +some provisions and started on foot to reach the valley. Others began to +despair of ever reaching the promised land. If those who cross the +continent now in palace cars and complain of the tediousness of the +journey could take one look at the wreck and desolation that lined the +poisoned banks of Snake river, they would hide their heads in very +shame. + +As our situation became more desperate it appeared the Indians became +more sullen and mean. Guards were kept night and day, the women and +children driving the teams and loose cattle and horses in order that the +men might get some rest. At one point the danger seemed imminent. The +men on night guard reported that the horses were snorting and acting as +if Indians were about. Mr. Fathergill's mule appeared especially uneasy. +The cattle and horses were then all driven to camp, the horses tied up +and the oxen chained to the wagons. The next morning moccasin tracks +were discovered within a hundred yards of our camp, showing plainly that +only extreme caution and foresight had saved us all from massacre. After +that camps were selected with a view to defense. A point was finally +reached where we were to bid farewell to the dread Snake river. Several +trains camped there that night. Among them was a man named Wilson, a +brother of ex-Senator Henry Wilson of Colusa county. Cattle had been +rounded up and oxen placed under the yoke. Wilson became involved in a +quarrel with a young man in his employ. Suddenly both drew revolvers +and began firing at each other. The duel ended by Wilson falling from +his mule, a dead man. The young man rode away and was seen no more. A +grave was dug, the dead man buried and within two hours the train was in +motion. There was no time for tears or ceremonies. Winter was coming on, +and the terrible mountains must be crossed. Besides the dread of an +Indian attack was ever present. + +After leaving Snake river we lost no more cattle. We crossed the Blue +Mountains without any mishap. We met several settlers coming out with +teams to help any that might be in distress. They were told to go on +back, as others were behind far more in need of assistance than we. On +reaching the Columbia river we found the Indians very friendly and +obtained an abundance of fresh salmon. Trifles were traded for salmon +and wild currants, which formed a welcome addition to our bill of fare. +The dreaded Cascade Mountains were finally reached. A storm was raging +on the mountain and we were advised by settlers whom we met coming out +to assist the immigrants, to wait for better weather. Some disregarded +the advice and paid dearly for their temerity, losing many of their +cattle, and only for the help rendered by the settlers might themselves +have perished. + +As soon as the storm spent its force a start was made and the dreaded +mountains passed in six days, and without any serious mishap. On +reaching the valley we were everywhere greeted with genuine western +hospitality. Vegetables were plentiful and cheap--in fact could be had +for the asking. But while wheat was abundant there were no mills to +grind it into flour, and we soon discovered that that very necessary +article could not be had for love or money. We were therefore soon +reduced to a daily diet of boiled wheat, potatoes, pumpkins and wild +meat, the latter requiring but little exertion to secure. But we were as +well off as anybody else, and with the remnants of clothing saved from +the wreck of the desert and plains passed the winter in health and some +degree of comfort. + + + +Chapter II. + +Our First Winter in the Willamette Valley. + +The winter of 1852-53 will forever be memorable in the annals of pioneer +days in Oregon. Indeed, nothing comparable had been experienced by +immigrants in former years. Deep snows encompassed us from without, and +while we were sheltered from the storms by a comfortable log cabin, and +were supplied with a fair amount of provisions such as they were, a +gloom settled over all. Cattle and horses were without forage and none +could be had. Reduced to skin and bone by the long and toilsome journey +across the plains, they were illy prepared to stand the rigors of such a +winter. In this extremity recourse was had to the forest. The Oregon +woods, as all are aware, are covered by long streamers of yellow moss, +and in the cutting of firewood it was discovered this moss was devoured +with a relish by cattle and horses. + +Then began the struggle to save our stock. From early morning to night +the ring of the ax was unceasing. The cattle, especially, soon learned +the meaning of the cracking of a tree and bolted for the spot. To +prevent them being killed by the falling trees, the smaller children +were pressed into service to herd them away until the tree was on the +ground. The stock soon began to thrive and cows gave an increased amount +of milk which was hailed with delight by the small children and afforded +a welcome addition to their bill of fare--boiled wheat, potatoes, meat, +and turnips. + +Thus wore away the terrible winter of 1852-53. I say terrible, and the +word but poorly expresses our situation during that memorable winter. To +fully understand our situation one has but to imagine oneself in a +strange land, far from human aid, save from those environed as +ourselves. We were three thousand miles from "home," surrounded by a +primeval wilderness, in which ever lurked the treacherous savage. +Happily for us and for all, no annoyance or real danger threatened us +from that quarter. A few years before, a salutary lesson had been taught +the savages. The deadly rifles of the pioneers had instilled into their +bosoms a wholesome fear. Information had reached the settlers that the +Indians contemplated a massacre--that they were going to break out. The +information reached them through the medium of a friendly Indian. The +result was that the settlers "broke out" first. A company was formed, +consisting of about all of the able-bodied men within reach. The savages +were encountered on the Molalley and after a sharp fight were dispersed +or killed. Several were left dead on the ground. The whites had one man +wounded. Thus the war power of the Molalleys was destroyed forever. + +In this connection I wish to make a digression, which I trust my readers +will pardon. It has often been urged that the white man has shown little +gratitude and no pity for the aborigines of this country. This I wish to +refute. The Indian that brought the word of warning to the white +settlers was ever after the object of tender solicitude on the part of +those whom he had befriended. I have seen that Indian, then old and +possibly worse off for his association with civilization, sitting down +and bossing a gang of Chinamen cutting and splitting wood for Dan'l +Waldo. The Indian, "Quinaby," always contracted the sawing of the wood +at $2.00 per cord and hired the Chinamen to do the work for 50 cents per +cord. He had a monopoly on the wood-sawing business for Mr. Waldo, +Wesley Shannon, and other old pioneers. It mattered not to "Quinaby" +that prices went down, his contract price remained the same, and the old +pioneers heartily enjoyed the joke, and delighted in telling it on +themselves. + +But enough of this. Spring came at last and a new world burst upon the +vision of the heretofore almost beleaguered pioneers. We had wintered on +a "claim" belonging to a young man named John McKinney, two miles from +the present town of Jefferson. He had offered his cabin as a shelter +with true Western hospitality, including the free use of land to plant a +crop. Accordingly about twenty acres were plowed and sown to wheat. This +work was performed by my elder brothers. Meantime my father had started +out to look for a claim. Nine miles north of Eugene City he purchased a +"claim" of 320 acres, paying therefor an Indian pony and $40 in cash. To +this place we moved early in May, and there began the task of building +up a home in the western wilds. A small cabin of unhewn logs constituted +the only improvement on the "claim," but a new house of hewn logs was +soon erected and a forty-acre field inclosed with split rails. We had +plenty of neighbors who, like ourselves, were improving their lands, and +mutual assistance was the rule. + +As summer approached it became necessary to return to our wintering +place, where a crop had been sown, and harvest the same. Accordingly, my +father, accompanied by my two older brothers, the late Judge J. M. +Thompson of Lane County, and Senator S. C. Thompson, Jr., of Wasco, then +boys of 12 and 14 years, went back and cared for the grain. The wheat +was cut with a cradle, bound into bundles and stacked. A piece of ground +was then cleared, the grain laid down on the "tramping floor" and oxen +driven around until the grain was all tramped out. After the grain was +all "threshed out," it was carried on top of a platform built of rails +and poured out on a wagon sheet, trusting to the wind to separate the +wheat kernels from the straw and chaff. By this primitive method the +crop was harvested, threshed, cleaned, and then sacked. It was then +hauled by ox teams to Albany where a small burr mill had been erected by +a man named Monteith, if my memory serves me correctly, and then ground +to flour. + +And then, joy of joys! We had wheat bread. No more boiled wheat, nor +flour ground in a coffee mill,--but genuine wheat bread. You, reader, +who probably never ate a meal in your life without bread, have little +conception of the deliciousness of a biscuit after the lapse of a year. +As Captain Applegate once said to the writer, referring to the first +wheat bread he ever remembered eating: "No delicacy,--no morsel of food +ever eaten in after life tasted half so delicious as that bread." It +must be remembered that Captain Applegate crossed the plains in 1843 and +was therefore an "old settler" when we arrived. His trials were +prolonged only a matter of eight years; but looking back, what an +eternity was emcompassed in those eight years. + +One of the leading characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon is that on coming +to the western hemisphere he brought with him his wife and children,-- +his school books, and his Bible. As soon, therefore, as a spot for a +home had been selected and a rude shelter of logs erected for loved +ones, the neighbors began discussing the question of school. It was +finally arranged that we must have a school, and the cabin of a bachelor +settler was tendered and accepted, and my father chosen as teacher. Logs +were split open and placed on legs, with the flat sides turned up to +serve as seats. The floor,--well, Mother Earth provided that. It was +sprinkled and swept out with "split brooms" twice daily. To prevent the +pupils getting lost in the tall grass of the prairies, furrows were +plowed from the settlers' cabins to the school house. This also served +as a protection to the barefoot girls and boys going to and from, +school. My father belonged to the old school and did not believe in +"sparing the rod," and as a result, it became indelibly impressed upon +my juvenile mind that he used the rod upon me to better preserve order +among the other pupils. + +In those days girls dressed in "linsey woolsey," while the boys of all +ages wore buckskin pantaloons and hickory shirts. Now, buckskin is well +calculated to stand the wear and tear of even a robust boy. Yet there +were awkward drawbacks. The legs of the pantaloons absorbed too much +moisture from the dew-bedecked grass and they would stretch out to +almost any length. The boy, therefore, must roll them up at the bottom. +Arrived at school, however, the drying process set in, and he, perforce, +must unroll the legs. As the boy occupied a sitting position, the legs +of his buckskins set to the crook of his knees. Imagine, if you will, a +row of boys ranging from 12 to 17 years, standing in a class reciting +their lessons, straight as hickories, yet the pantaloons of every +mother's son of them still sitting down. But it mattered little to the +boy of that day, as he had only to wet them again, stretch them out +straight and wear them to "meetin' in the grove" Sunday. + +There was no aristocracy--no "four hundred"--in those primitive days. +All dressed alike, ate the same kind of food, and every man, woman, and +child was as good as every other man, woman, and child, provided they +were honest, kind neighbors, ready and willing to render assistance in +sickness or in need. In fine, these pioneers constituted a pure +democracy, where law was the simple rule of honesty, friendship, mutual +help, and good will, where "duty was love and love was law." + +One must not imagine that life was wholly devoid of pleasures in those +days. The young of both sexes always rode horseback, whether to church +in the grove, or going the round of parties, candy pullings, or kissing +bees. O, how in my young days I did dote on the candy pulling and the +kissing bee. To my young and unsophisticated mind they were divine +institutions; and, even now, after the lapse of so many years when the +"heydey in the blood is tame," how I look back upon those few days with +unalloyed pleasure. + +Among the early pioneers, I mean the great masses, there was a stern +code of morals little understood at the present time. Exceptions there +were, to be sure, but I refer to the people as a whole. One instance +will serve as an illustration. The beaux and belles, in linsey-woolsey +and buckskins, were assembled from the country around and about. My +father had sent me along with brothers and sisters to bring back the +saddle horses, as there was not stable room for all. Other neighbor boys +were there on a like errand. We were sitting on our horses and ready to +start, when several of the young ladies, among them my sisters, came out +of the house and told us to wait. Presently, practically all of the +girls came out with hats and riding habits and a consultation was held +in the front yard. While they all stood there a man and a woman came +out, mounted their horses and rode away. We were then told to go on home +with the horses. I afterwards learned that the whole trouble originated +in the fact that the lady who had ridden away was a divorced woman. To +present-day readers, this may appear absurd, prudish, but not so to the +men and women of that day. This is not repeated here to "point a moral," +but merely to "adorn a tale" of pioneer days. + +For excitement, the frequent Indian uprisings, and more frequent Indian +scares, afforded abundant material upon which the young enterprising and +adventurous spirits of the day could work off their surplus energies. +Hunting, too, afforded a pleasurable and profitable pastime to the young +when not engaged in the work of building houses, barns, and fences, and +the boy of ten who could not pick off the head of a grouse or pheasant +at thirty or forty yards was only fit to be "tied to mama's apron +string." In times of danger age was no bar, the boy of 14 marched side +by side with the gray haired volunteer, or remained at home to protect +"mother and the children." I well remember once when the neighborhood +was thrown into a turmoil of excitement. A large grizzly bear had left +his mountain lair and was playing havoc with the cattle and other stock +in the valley. News reached the school house and my father at once +dismissed school, hurrying to join those in pursuit of the robber. +Arriving at home he mounted his horse, and taking his rifle and revolver +galloped away to join the neighbors. Now, I wanted to go and see the +fight, but was curtly told to stay at home. No sooner, however, than my +father had got fairly started than I mounted a pony and followed. I was +warned that punishment would follow. But what cared I for punishment at +such a time? Go I would, though promised a dozen whippings. + +The bear had taken shelter on a small mountain stream that coursed +through the valley, and was bordered on either side by a narrow strip of +ash, thorn, and rose bushes, while beyond this was the level prairie. In +spite of scores of men and dogs the huge beast made progress towards the +mountains. Baying dogs and the quick snarl of the rifles marked the +rapid progress of the beast which at length reached a wooded ravine near +the home of "Squire" Miller, that led up the mountain, where a mile +above an old Indian was camped. The bear evidently came upon him +unawares, but whether he was asleep or was getting water from the small +stream, was never known, for, with one sweep of his mighty paw, the +grizzly completely disemboweled the Indian, strewing his entrails +fifteen feet on the ground. Half a mile above the body of the Indian the +fatal shot, among many, was delivered and the chase was over. + +As the neighbors gathered triumphantly around the dead body of the +monarch of the Oregon forest I saw for the first time sitting on a +horse, a boy destined to make a name in the world of letters, C. H. or +"Joaquin" Miller. I remember him as a slender, light haired boy, several +years my senior. During subsequent years it was given me to see much of +this boy, at school, in the mines and later as an apprentice in the +Eugene City Herald, a newspaper of which he was the editor. + + + +Chapter III. + +The Indian Outbreak of 1855. + +The years of 1853-4 were years of comparative peace, free from actual +Indian wars, and afforded the pioneers an opportunity of improving their +farms, building up more comfortable homes and surrounding their families +with some comforts and conveniences of civilization. Yet even these +years were not free from alarms and stampedes. Time and again swift +riders spread the news that the redskins had dug up the tomahawk and had +gone on the war path. These scares arose from isolated murders by the +Indians, whose cupidity could not withstand the temptations of the white +man's property. It was not, therefore, until midsummer of 1855 that +hostilities began in earnest. A federation had been formed among all the +tribes of Northern California, Southern and Eastern Oregon and +Washington. The great leaders of this insurrection were Tyee John and +his brother "Limpy," Rogue River Indians, and John was one of the +greatest, bravest and most resourceful warriors this continent has +produced. Another was Pe-mox-mox, who ruled over the Cayouses and the +Columbias, and was killed early in the war while attempting to lead the +white troops into ambush. + +The outbreak was sudden and fierce, lighting up the frontier with the +burning cabins of the settlers. Travelers were waylaid, prospectors +murdered and in many instances entire families wiped out, their homes +becoming their funeral pyres. Neither age nor sex was spared. Little +children were seized by the heels and their brains dashed out against +the corner of the cabin. One entire family perished amid the flames of +their burning home. Women were butchered under circumstances of peculiar +and diabolical atrocity. A man named Harris, attacked by Indians on the +Rogue River, defended himself until killed. His wife then took up the +defense of her home and little daughter, and with a heroism that has +rendered her name immortal in the annals of Oregon, held the savages at +bay until relief came twenty-four hours later. + +Mock sentimentalists and fake humanitarians have walled their eyes to +heaven in holy horror at the "barbarities" practiced by white men upon +the "poor persecuted red man." Yet had they witnessed scenes like those +I have so faintly portrayed, they too, would have preached a war of +extermination. You and I, reader, have an exceedingly thin veneering of +civilization, and in the presence of such scenes of diabolical atrocity +would slip it off as a snake sheds his skin. I have seen men as kind and +gentle,--as humane--as yourself transformed into almost savages in the +presence of such scenes. + +For a year previous to the great outbreak, the Indians would leave their +reservations in squads, and after murdering and pillaging the +settlements, would return with their plunder to the protection of the +agencies. Demands made for their surrender by the settlers were answered +by a counter demand for their authority, which required delay and +generally ended with the escape of the murderers. The result was that +squads of Indians off the reservations were attacked and sometimes +exterminated. Thus affairs grew from bad to worse until the final great +outbreak during the summer of 1855. + +Geo. L. Curry, Governor of the Territory of Oregon, at once issued a +call to arms and volunteers from every part of the territory instantly +responded. A company of U. S. dragoons under command of Capt. A. J. +Smith, who subsequently achieved fame in the war of the States, was +stationed in Southern Oregon, and rendered all possible aid, but the +slow tactics of the regulars was illy calculated to cope with the +savages. The main reliance, therefore, must be placed in the citizen +soldiery. Every county in the Territory answered the call to arms, +forming one or more companies, the men, as a rule, supplying their own +horses, arms, ammunition, and at the beginning of the outbreak, their +own blankets and provisions. There was no question about pay. The men +simply elected their own officers and without delay moved to the front. + +Linn county furnished one company under Capt. Jonathan Keeny and went +south to join Col. Ross' command and was joined by many of our +neighbors. My two brothers also went with this command, one as teamster, +the other shouldering the spare rifle. As previously remarked, age was +not considered, the boy of 14 marching side by side with the gray haired +man, armed with the rifles they brought from the States. The ammunition +consisted of powder, caps and molded bullets, nor was the "patchen" for +the bullet omitted. The powder was carried in a powder horn, the caps in +a tin box, the bullets in a shot pouch and patchen for the bullets was +cut out the proper size and strung on a stout leather thong attached to +and supporting the shot pouch and powder horn. + +In the fall after the departure of the first contingent, and at a time +when families were practically defenseless, news reached us by a tired +rider that 700 Indians had crossed the trail over the Cascade mountains +and were burning the homes and butchering the settlers on the Calapooya, +twenty miles away. The news reached us in the night, and one can easily +imagine the confusion and consternation that everywhere prevailed. To +realize our situation one must remember that most of the men and about +all of the guns had gone south. I shall never forget the awful suspense +and dread that prevailed in our home as the family sat in a group +through the long weary hours of that night, anxiously awaiting the +return of the day, yet dreading what the day might bring forth. Horses +were gathered and securely tied about the house, and such arms as we +possessed made ready for instant use. At last day broke, and searching +with the eye the almost boundless prairie, no enemy was in sight. + +As the sun rose above the rim of the distant mountains my father +determined to disprove or verify the rumor. Neighbors sought to dissuade +him, but mounting a swift horse he started for Brownsville on the +Calapooya. Meantime everything was in readiness for forting up should it +become necessary. The day wore on, still no news. In vain we gazed from +the house top over the prairie for a sight of a horseman. Doubt and +uncertainty as to the fate of my father and our own fate was almost +worse than death. The day wore on. Would father never return--had he +been killed? were the questions whispered one with another. My mother +alone was confident, relying on father's discretion and the further fact +that he was riding the swiftest horse in the Territory. At last near +sunset we descried him galloping leisurely toward home. When within a +short distance he settled into a walk, and we then knew that the danger, +at least for the present, was not imminent. The only emotion manifested +by my mother was a stray tear that coursed down her pale and +trouble-worn cheek. My father reported a false alarm, originating in the +overwrought imagination of settlers on the exposed margin of the valley. + +At other times the alarm came from the west side of the river. Fears +were entertained that the savages from the south would cross over the +Calapooya mountains and attack the settlements in Lane county. One +settler had a large bass drum, and the beating of this, which could be +heard for miles, was the signal of danger. More than once the deep roll +of the drum roused the country, only to discover that it was a false +alarm. But these constant alarms were trying indeed, especially on the +timid and nervous, and women became almost hysterical on the most +trivial occasions. + +Time wore on, and at length the news came of the defeat of Col. Ross' +volunteers and Capt. Smith's dragoons. Many were killed with no +compensating advantage to the whites. Among the number killed was one of +our neighbor boys, John Gillispie, son of a minister, and my father and +mother went over to their home to convey the sad news and to render such +poor consolation to the parents as was possible. Every family in the +land had one or more of its members with the troops, and any day might +bring tidings of death or even worse. Hence there was a close bond of +sympathy between all. Happily, the death of young Gillispie was to be +the only one to visit our neighborhood. + +The stay-at-homes, those gallant (?) soldiers who fight their battles +with their mouths, were loud in fault finding and severe in censure of +those in command, and would tell how the battle should have been fought +and how not. This was especially true of the one-horse politicians, too +cowardly to go to the front, and of disgruntled politicians. To the +shame of our common humanity be it said, there were not wanting those +who sought to coin the very blood of the brave men at the front, and +these ghouls and vampires talked loudest when the war was at length +brought to a close, to be quoted in after years as history by Bancroft +and others. + +Chief John adopted a Fabian policy from the first. He would disappear +with his warriors, hiding away in the deep recesses of the mountains +only to appear again when and where least expected, but towards the +close of 1856 his people grew tired of war. They said the more men they +killed the more came and took their places, and in spite of John and +Limpy they determined to sue for peace. The terms were finally agreed +upon, and John and Limpy, deserted but not conquered, at last +surrendered. + +After the surrender, John and son, a lad of 16, were placed on board a +steamer and started to a reservation up the coast. When off the mouth of +Rogue river and beholding the hunting grounds of his people and the +familiar scenes of his youth, he made a desperate attempt to capture the +ship. It was a "Call of the Wild," and snatching a sabre from his guard +he succeeded in driving them below and for a time had possession of the +ship's deck. But firearms were brought into play, one leg of the boy was +shot off and John, badly wounded, was placed in irons. He told his +captors that it was his purpose to capture the ship, run her ashore and +escape into the mountains. On a reservation, John spent the remainder of +his days,--a captive yet unconquered save by death. As previously +stated, in point of courage, cunning, savage ferocity and soldierly +ability and generalship, Tyee John has had few equals and no superiors +on the North American continent. + +It was not my purpose to attempt a detailed history of the Rogue River +war as that task were better left to the historian with leisure to delve +into the musty records of the past, but I sincerely hope that when the +true story of that bloody time is written the kernel of truth will be +sifted from the mass of chaff by which it has thus far been obscured. My +purpose is merely to give the facts in a general way as I received them, +and the conditions surrounding the pioneers of which I was one. The true +story of the Rogue River war is but a duplicate of many other Indian +wars. It is a story of incompetent, bigoted, self-opinionated, Indian +agents, wedded to form and red tape, without any of common sense or +"horse sense," required in dealing with conditions such as existed prior +to the breaking out of he war. + +The early immigrants to the Oregon, and indeed, to the Pacific coast, +merely sought to better their conditions. They came with their flocks +and herds, their wives and their children, their school books and their +Bibles, seeking not to dispossess or rob the occupants of the land. They +found a vast empire, of which the natives were utilizing but a small +portion. There was room for all and to spare. The natives at first +received the white strangers with kindness and hospitality. There were +exceptions even to this rule, but it was the exception. The white man's +property soon excited the cupidity of the Indian, and knowing no law but +the law of might, he sought to possess himself of the same. And right +here I want to say, that from an experience covering more than half a +century, the only thing an Indian respects on earth, is Power. Courage +he respects for the simple reason that courage is power. And I might +further add, that this rule applies with equal force to the white as +well as to the copper-colored savage. + +Treaties had been made with the Rogue Rivers and the Umpquas but in a +true sense were not treaties, but, on the part of the Government, merely +bribes to be good. They moved to reservations, enjoyed the blankets and +other good things provided by the Government so long as it suited them. +Then they would steal out of the reservations, rob, murder and plunder +the settlers, and return to the protection of the agents. Tracked to the +reservations, the agents refused to surrender them. The red tape here +interposed and red handed murderers were saved, that more murders might +be committed. Instead of the Government and the agents being a +protection to the settlers, they were the protectors of the Indians, and +as sometimes happened, troops were called upon to lend a helping hand. +Such conditions could not last--such outrages could not be endured. +Hence when bands were caught off the reservations they were destroyed +like dangerous, noxious beasts. + +Apologists of murder and rapine have held up their hands in holy horror +at such acts on the part of the settlers. The "poor, persecuted people," +according to them, were foully wronged, massacred and exterminated. They +saw but one side, and that was the side of the savages. With the close +of the Rogue River war, the Indian question west of the Cascade +mountains was settled forever. John and Limpy had made a heroic struggle +for the hunting grounds of their fathers and incidentally for the goods +and chattels, and the scalps of the white invaders. But, moralize as you +may, the fiat of God had gone forth; the red man and the white man could +not live peaceably together; one or the other must go. And in obedience +to the law of the survival of the fittest, it was the red man that must +disappear. It was, in my opinion, merely a continuation of the struggle +for existence--a struggle as old as man, which began when "first the +morning stars sang together," and will continue till the end of time. +That law applies to all creatures. Take for instance, the lower order of +animals. In the tropics the deer is small, not much larger than a +coyote. The weakling as well as the strong and vigorous can survive. +Further north, where conditions are harder, the deer is larger. +Continuing on north, where only the strong and vigorous can survive the +rigors of winter, we find the caribou. + +It may be pointed out that the largest animals of earth are found in the +tropics, where the struggle for existence is least severe. Yet in the +frozen mud of Siberia and Alaska we find the remains of animals the +elephant and the mastodon--compared to which old Jumbo was but a baby. +And imbedded in the asphalt of Southern California is found the remains +of the sabre toothed, tiger, by the side of which the royal Bengal is +but a tabby cat. But I am getting into deep water, and will leave this +question for the naturalist, the geologist and the theorist. And the +passing of the "noble red man" to the gentleman in silk gown and +slippers--and to the sentimental novelist. + +Oregon settlers now had leisure time for building up their homes, so +better houses were erected, fields were fenced and plowed, school houses +and churches built, scythes and axes were wielded in place of the rifle +that now rested in idleness above the cabin door. A new era had dawned +on the Oregon, and gentle peace like a brooding spirit hovered above the +erstwhile desolate land. + +During the succeeding years, up to 1861, there was little to distract +the attention of the pioneers. My time was occupied during that period +in assisting on the farm during summer and attending the district school +during the winter. The loop holes in the wall of the old school house +for the rifles had been boarded up, and the larger boys no longer +"toted" their guns, and stacked them in the corner. + +On the east side of the Cascade mountains, however, the gentle savage +was lord of all the lands over which he roamed. Here he was yet master, +and thereby hangs a tale. In 1845 an immigrant train attempted to enter +the Oregon by way of the "Meeks cut off." With them were the Durbins, +Simmons, Tetherows, Herrins and many others I cannot now recall. The +history of that journey is one of hardship, starvation, and death. After +enduring sufferings such as sicken one in the bare recital the remnant +staggered into the settlements, more dead than alive. They crossed the +Cascade mountains, coming down the Middle Fork of the Willamette river, +and somewhere west of Harney Valley they stopped on a small stream. An +old Indian trail crossed at that point, and the oxen in sliding down the +bank to water uncovered a bright piece of metal. It was picked up and +taken to camp, where a man who had been in the mines in Georgia +pronounced it gold. He flattened it out with a wagon hammer, and was +quite positive it was the precious metal. But men, women and children +subsisting on grasshoppers and crickets and fighting Indians most of the +day, had something else to think about. + +The incident, therefore, was soon forgotten amid the dire stress of +their surroundings. But when gold was discovered at Sutter's Fort in +California, Sol Tetherow called to mind the finding of the piece of +metal on the banks of the stream not far from Harney Valley. He told +about it--told and retold the story, and as the stories from California +grew, so grew the story of the old man, until finally he declared he +could have "picked up a blue bucket full in the bed of the creek." Hence +originated the name, the "Blue Bucket Diggins." + +During the years of 1857-58-59-60 and 61, companies were formed in the +valley counties to search for the "Blue Bucket Diggins." The companies +were loosely formed, with little or no discipline, and were, therefore, +predestined to end in disaster. After crossing the mountains and seeing +no sign of Indians, the officers had no power and less inclination to +enforce discipline. There being no signs of Indians, it was useless to +maintain guards; they could whip all the Indians east of the mountains, +and why attempt to put on "military airs?" They were destined to a rude +awakening. Some morning about daylight, twenty or thirty red blanketed +men, with hideous yells would charge the horse herds, while a hundred or +more with equally hideous yells would attack the sleeping men. Then +would result a stampede, those who had talked loudest and talked most +about cowards, being first to lose their heads. The few cool heads would +make a stand, while the savages after getting away with the horses, +would beat a retreat, leaving the gold hunters to straggle afoot back +across the mountains to the settlements. + +These expeditions served to work off the surplus energy of the +adventurous and restless, until the news arrived in the spring of 1861 +of the discovery of gold in the Nez Perce mountains. The reports, as in +most similar cases, were greatly exaggerated, but it served to create a +genuine stampede, and while yet a boy of 14, I was drawn into that +torrent rushing to the new El Dorado. In justice to the good sound sense +and mature judgment of my parents, I am compelled to say that it was not +with their consent that I was drawn into this wild whirlpool, but, I +argued, was I not a man? Could I not ride and shoot with the best of +them? And, perforce, why should I not go to the mines and make my +fortune? + +I went. But by way of parenthesis, will say to my young readers--Don't. + + + +Chapter IV. + +In Which Various Experiences are Discussed. + +I have now arrived at a point where I shall speak more of myself, and +the insignificant part I was to play in molding history and shaping the +destinies of Oregon and the Northwest. + +Joining a company of neighbors we crossed the Cascade Mountains by way +of the Barlow route. All had saddle horses with one pack horse, or mule, +to two men. At Grass Valley, between the Deschutes and John Day River we +fell in with a large company returning from a search for the "Blue +Bucket Diggins." They, had been successful (in saving their horses) and +hearing of the Oro Fino strike were bound, like ourselves, for the new +El Dorado. + +At the crossing of the John Day River we found a ferry boat kept and +owned by a couple of thrifty traders, who had set themselves down to +make their fortunes quickly and without the aid of the pick and shovel. +But their covetousness was their ruin. The sum of $6 was demanded for a +horseman and $4 for a pack horse. Our party argued with them, but to no +purpose. They would take nothing less. After parleying for some time the +traders were asked the price for ferrying over a foot-man and his +luggage. Wall Cushman, one of the traders, replied, "one dollar." Then +saddles and packs began to come off the backs of horses and mules. +Cushman threatened, swore and plead, but all to no purpose. He should +receive one dollar for ferrying footmen and no more. + +Saddles, packs, provisions, and blankets were piled up at the ferry +landing and the most stupendous amount of luggage ever carried by a hobo +was then, one after another, piled on the backs of footmen. The footman +would stand within a step of the boat and, after his luggage was piled +on his back, would make a step on to the boat, and drop his load. Often +two and three men would steady him until the step was made. All was fun +and laughter except to Cushman and his partner. While this was going on, +others had crowded the horses to the river bank and were endeavoring to +make them swim the river. But try as they would, the horses upon +striking the swift current of the river would swing around and come out +on the same side. It was now Cushman's time to laugh. In this extremity +a reward of $20 was offered any one who would swim his horse ahead of +the band and guide them over. I quickly volunteered. I wanted the +twenty, and I wanted to save my dollar. Some of the older men objected. +But I had swum my horse across the Williamette River and the +insignificant John Day, not a fourth as wide, had no terrors for me. +Mounting my horse, I rode down into the river until almost swimming. +Meantime I had divested myself of all clothing save that provided by +mother nature, and having loaded my saddle and effects on the back of my +partner, fastened my right hand in my horse's mane and gave the word. +Sliding off on the lower side I guided my horse with my hand and he took +the current of the stream like a steamboat. The other horses to an +animal followed, and in a few moments were all safely on the other +shore. The crowd cheered heartily and even Wall Cushman could not +restrain his feelings, but exclaimed, "My boy, you are a brick." + +The $20 was not only given me, but several who had not contributed to +the first "pot" gave a half dollar. Altogether I was handsomely paid for +my few moment's work, and as the water was not cold, I rather enjoyed +the swim. + +From there we went to Walla Walla, following the old Nez Perce trails. +At that time there were not a dozen habitations between the Dalles and +Walla Walla, where now is a densely settled country and one of the great +wheat belts of the continent. A few days after crossing the John Day I +made my first horse trade. An old school teacher in the company fell in +love with my horse, and not only gave me a better animal, but almost the +value of my own to boot. I began then to flatter myself that I was not +only a traveler, but a business man as well. But alas! I had many a sad +lesson to learn ere I got my "teeth cut." + +Arriving at Walla Walla, then a small village, with a Government post +half a mile away, we purchased a few supplies and then pushed on to the +mines. Going down the Alpowwa I saw apple trees planted by Father +Spaulding, of blessed memory, in 1836. The trees were thrifty and some +of them very large, and were being cared for by Nez Perce Indians. The +good Father Spaulding, with other Presbyterian missionaries, had come +among these people bearing the message of peace and good will and they, +with the exception of the rebellion of Chief Joseph, had ever after +adhered to his gentle teachings. The Nez Perce Indians are the most +intelligent and finest looking Indians I have ever seen. They are also a +brave, self-reliant race, and Joseph's band bears the distinction of +being the only Indians on the continent with the steady courage to +charge an equal number of the enemy in the open field. + +We crossed Snake River at Lewiston, then a trading village of half a +dozen tents. The ferry boat was towed up the river half a mile by a +horse and then rowed across with oars pulled by two men. Lewiston is +located at the junction of the Snake and Clearwater, but we went by way +of Camas Prairie and crossed at Craig's ferry, and two days later landed +in Oro Fino city. Hundreds of miners had preceded us, and when we +arrived the ground was all taken up. I, therefore, found a job at sluice +forking at $75 per month, a boy's wages. Men were receiving $5 per day +of ten hours, but for night work $7.50 was paid. + +I remained with my job but a short time, having found a better one in a +store, more suited to my strength and at better wages. I was also agent +for Miller & Mossman's express and received a good commission for all +the envelopes sold bearing their name. Envelopes were sold at $1 each, +and were carried to Walla Walla by pony express. The Miller here +referred to was then plain Heme Miller, express rider, but now known to +fame and the world of letters as "Joaquin" Miller. + +The little store where I was employed was located about three miles +above Oro Fino city on Rhode's Creek, the richest placer diggings in the +district. Sunday was a busy day for miners. Clothes had to be washed, +picks sharpened, letters written to the "folks at home," and as often +happened, "dust" sent to them also. This had to be carefully weighed on +gold scales, a receipt given and the dust marked and placed in a +buckskin purse. There was no other means of communication with the +outside world, and both letters and dust must be sent by Miller & +Mossman's express. To the credit of Mr. Miller, be it said, that +thieves, robbers and murderers let him severely alone. Not only that, +but no one ever lost a dollar entrusted to Heine's care, though murders +and robberies were quite frequent, and it was well known that he always +carried a large quantity of gold dust; but they simply didn't want the +job of taking it away from Heine Miller. + +It was one of my duties to take the "express matter," letters and gold +dust, to Oro Fino in time for the Walla Walla express Monday morning. As +the express started at 6 o'clock I had to get up early, besides it was +deemed safest to "hoof down the trail" before daylight. The trail was a +mere foot path cut through the bull pines, in the shadow of which +imagination more than once pictured a lone robber. But I always carried +my revolver in my hand and, though a boy, I was almost as good a shot as +Miller--at least I thought so. However, I always arrived on time and +without mishap or accident. + +After delivering my express matter I had leisure to walk about town, +view the sights and watch the swaying crowds of gamblers, sure thing +sharps and other forms of human flotsam and jetsam as they fleeced their +victims, the miners. One occasion I shall never forget. It was the +funeral of one of the prominent citizens of Oro Fino. The aforesaid +prominent citizen bore the euphonious cognomen of "Bob-up-the-creek." +Bob, probably at his christening, was given another name answers as well +as another, especially among the aristocracy of which Bob was an honored +member. Bob was a bad actor, too, especially when under the influence of +liquor. One Sunday Bob imbibed quite freely and finally "declared +himself chief." There were none who cared to dispute with Bob his self +assumed title, but he finally ran "up against" an old Frenchman who kept +a pie stand. Bob concluded to take possession of the stand, but his +right to do so was disputed by the Frenchman. To settle the dispute the +Frenchman emptied the contents of a double barreled shot gun into Bob's +head. That settled the dispute and likewise Bob. + +Being a citizen of prominence, his friends and admirers determined to +give Bob a respectable send off. Accordingly a neat coffin was purchased +and Bob reverently placed therein. A procession was formed and from +fifty to seventy-five of his friends followed his remains to the newly +made cemetery on the hill. All were in full dress--black pantaloons, +checked flannel shirt with white collar, and with a revolver and knife +swung conveniently to the belt. Now, no self-respecting or prudent +gentleman of the class of which I am speaking, moved abroad in those +days without the ever handy knife and pistol. As the occasion was one of +importance, I followed after the procession. Arriving at the grave, the +coffin was placed upon two poles laid across the vault. The burial +service was then read by one of the mourners, a faro dealer, if my +memory serves me right, a solemn hymn was sung and then all that was +mortal of "Bob-up-the-creek" was consigned to the grave. Four lusty +mourners then began shoveling in the dirt. When the grave was about +two-thirds filled, a repulsive looking vagabond, the town drunk, threw +himself across the grave bellowing like a bull buffalo, and exclaiming +"here is a poor soul gone to eternity and not one tear shed over his +grave." Meanwhile the dirt kept falling--it appeared to me a little +faster, when the old drunk, seeing himself about to be buried alive, +crawled upon his feet, shaking himself very much as a wet dog is wont to +shake himself. This action was greeted with peals of laughter and shouts +from the mourners. Such was the funeral of "Bob-up-the-creek." Shocked +and disgusted I turned and walked down the hill to town, to be followed +soon after by a laughing, jesting crowd, who dispersed to their +different "places of business" to lie in wait for the unwary sucker, the +miner. + +I remained at the store until the proprietor, Mr. Vaughn, sold out, and +hearing that a company was being formed at Pierce City to go to the +Blackfoot country on a prospecting expedition, I went there and applied +to the, leader for admission. He looked me over, smiled and said that it +was too dangerous an expedition for a boy. I replied that I supposed +there was danger, that I was not afraid and could shoot as good as any +of them. At this the men listening began laughing and the leader told me +he didn't want me. Indignant, I turned away, but was followed a little +way by a rather pleasant looking man. He said, "My boy, you are too +young to go with the crowd. They are a rough set and not fit for a boy +of your age to associate with." He then shook hands with me and bade me +good bye. + +I returned to Oro Fino, and as winter was approaching, I joined a strong +party and started back to Walla Walla. This was deemed prudent, for +besides the robbers, there were rumors of Indian troubles after we +should have passed beyond the Nez Perce country. About this time we +began hearing rumors of the Battle of Bull Run, and this formed the +chief subject for conversation around the camp fire of evenings. At +Lewiston a very dignified Indian, a Nez Perce, asked permission to join +our company to Walla Walla. He was accompanied by a boy about 16 whom we +judged to be his son. Permission, of course, we readily granted and we +proceeded on our way. That evening the usual subject of conversation +came up, Northern and Southern men good naturedly discussing the news, +and each construing a victory for his side. Finally the Indian spoke up +and said, "I think, gentlemen, I can settle your controversy. I have +received the latest papers and all are agreed that the battle resulted +in a disaster to the Federal arms." All looked at him in astonishment, +but he continued and gave us a vivid description of the battle. We at +once knew the speaker to be none other than Lawyer, chief of the Nez +Perces, scholar and graduate of an eastern college, and one of the +bright men of any race red or white. I met him after our arrival at +Walla Walla and recognized in the superbly dressed man our fellow +traveler. He wore a broadcloth suit, silk hat and carried a gold headed +cane. His son was also well dressed. + +Again following the old Nez Perce trails, which everyone who has +traveled over that country during the early days will remember, we +proceeded to the John Day River. Here I met some old Lane county +friends, a Mr. Driskol and his son, a young man of about 21 years of +age. They had driven over the mountains a band of cattle and turned them +on the range at John Day and Rock Creek. Two brothers named John and Zim +Smith, from Douglas county, had also driven out cattle and turned them +loose on the same range. The Smiths had returned to the valley, but were +expected back in a week or such a matter. + +Driskol and his son now asked me to remain with them and assist in +rounding up the cattle preparatory to leaving them for the winter. They +would pay me good wages and then, the Smiths returning, we would all go +home together. The free wild life of the prairie having an almost +irresistible charm for me, it did not require much persuasion to induce +me to remain. + +Our task consisted in riding the river and tributary streams and driving +the cattle back on the range. The men at the ferry told us that the +Columbias were friendly and to be trusted. They cautioned us that the +country further up the river and Rock Creek was frequently raided by +roving bands of Snake Indians. These savages were hostile at all times, +and this was one reason it was desirable to prevent the cattle straying +too far and thus falling an easy prey to the Snakes. They also said it +would be prudent to keep a sharp lookout when riding too far south. We +continued riding and driving in the cattle for a couple of weeks, hoping +for the return of the Smiths before venturing too far. But they not +returning, we decided to go up Rock Creek above the cattle and drive +them down. + +The first day we traveled leisurely along and made about twenty miles. +That night we camped and made our beds in a rye grass bottom, having +previously cooked our supper and riding until after dark. This was done +to prevent any roving band of Snakes that might be in the country from +discovering our camp and attacking us at disadvantage. The old gentlemen +Driskol was uneasy and he and his son watched our camp time about. I +offered to take my turn, but the old gentleman said "the boy will go to +sleep," an arrangement very satisfactory to a tired, sleepy-headed boy. +The next morning we packed up and rode to a favorable place and cooked +our breakfast. While we were eating an Indian rode into camp, who hailed +us in jargon and we assumed at once that he was a Columbia. He said he +had lost a horse while deer hunting and if we were going any further +south he would like to travel with us. We thought little of the matter +and readily gave permission, the more so as he carried a good rifle and +would be a welcome addition to our party in the event of a "scrap" with +the Snakes. As we proceeded up Rock Creek, we still found cattle tracks +and were loth to turn back. We halted at noon to rest our horses and +cook our dinner by the side of a pool in the bed of a creek. While the +younger Driskol was getting dinner, the elder Driskol keeping a watch, a +wild goose lit in the pond 20 feet away. Picking up my rifle I shot its +head off. I will now confess that if ever a foolish, thoughtless boy got +a scolding I got it then and there, from the elder Driskol. He declared +I was trying to bring "the Snakes right down to murder us all." I was +sorry of course for my thoughtlessness, but all the same I got my goose. +That evening that goose was the subject of many lectures, was in fact a +continued story. + +As evening wore on and we were getting further and further away from our +camp on the John Day, we were more than usually careful. Patches of +willows, narrow canyons and high rye grass bottoms were avoided. In +fact, we kept on open ground where we could see an enemy several hundred +yards away. We figured that in an open field fight we could more than +hold our own, notwithstanding the fact that we were only four in number, +counting the Indian. But by-and-by, our traveling companion became a +source of considerable uneasiness. When questioned regarding his lost +horse he did not give straight replies, but was evasive and somewhat +contradictory, and Mr. Driskol began to have suspicions regarding his +friendly intentions. But what to do, or how to rid ourselves of his +presence, was a puzzling question. Besides, we felt that we were safer +where he could be watched than if out of our sight. That night, after +eating our suppers, we traveled some distance after dark and stopped on +a level piece of ground away from the creek bottom. We felt safer in the +open country than in the high rye grass, especially on account of our +Indian companion. We were very careful not to let the Indian see that we +were suspicious of him, and after unsaddling and unpacking our horses +all but the elder Driskol rolled up in their blankets, the Indian +choosing a spot about ten steps away from us. Before lying down, it was +deemed best to keep a strict watch on our fellow traveler, and if +necessary keep him with us if we had to make him a prisoner. Of course +nothing was said to him about keeping watch. During the night he was +several times detected, cautiously rising on his elbow and looking +around. Discovering the guard he would lie down with a grunt as if with +satisfaction. + +When daylight came we started to saddle up and load our two pack horses, +intending to go some distance upon our return trip, before stopping for +breakfast. Saddles were on the riding horses and the Driskols were +loading the packs. I had been directed to keep a close watch on the +Indian, "and if he attempts to get away, shoot him," said the elder +Driskol. They were perhaps twenty steps away, and one of the pack horses +starting off, the young man went to bring him back. The old gentleman +was busy with the pack, when suddenly, quick almost as a flash, the +Indian leaped upon young Driskol's horse and started off. The movement +took me by surprise and for an instant I sat as if stupified. Then +seeing the rascal going like sin, I raised my rifle, took deliberate +aim, and fired. The Indian threw back his head and throwing his arms +aloft, plunged headlong into the grass. + +"There goes that d----d boy, shooting another goose," said old gentleman +Driskol, almost without looking around. + +The young man, however, saw his horse galloping in a circle back to the +other horses. Meantime I had dropped my muzzle loader and with revolver +stood looking at the Indian kicking in the grass forty rods away. Mr. +Driskol flow ran up to where I was standing and pointing to the Indian, +I said, "It wasn't a goose this time, Mr. Driskol." + +We were now all thoroughly alarmed, and imagined the Snakes would be +down upon us in no time. Hastily fastening the packs, we then took the +lock off the Indian's gun and breaking the stock, threw it away. The +pony, belonging to the Indian was unsaddled and turned loose, and we +pulled out for the "home camp" in a hurry. + +Why the Indian came to our camp we could never understand. He would have +stood a better chance of stealing our horses by watching the camp, then +slipping in upon us in the night and driving them away, unless it was to +throw us off our guard. The probabilities are that he was either a Snake +or a renegade Columbia or Umatilla Indian, and counted on getting our +horses. Finding we were on our guard, and seeing an opportunity of +"swapping horses" while the men were busy, paid no attention and gave no +thought to the boy. Certain it was our, or rather the old gentleman +Driskol's watchfulness, that saved us from being left afoot forty miles +from home. Whether he had confederates, we never knew, as we lost no +time in putting as many miles between us and the "Snake country" as +possible. During the day we kept in the open country, avoiding any point +where an advantage could have been taken of us. We of course talked over +the affair of the morning, but not once was the goose mentioned by Mr. +Driskol. He did not even refer to the goose when apologizing to me for +scoldings he had given me. + +We arrived late at night at the ferry, and found everything in turmoil +of excitement. Two men, an old man and his son, Briggs by name, if I +remember correctly, had been killed by the Indians in Tye Valley, about +thirty miles away. The murders created intense excitement, all fearing +it was the signal for a general massacre of the settlers around the +Dalles and the isolated traders on the Walla Walla road. The Smith +brothers had returned and had been assisting the two men at the ferry in +fortifying the post. The house, a mere shack, was being walled in with +rock, port holes for the rifles being left. Our absence had created +uneasiness on the part of the Smiths, but they knew it would be futile +to attempt to find us. Besides, it was thought more than probable that +we had already been massacred and to undertake to find us would be only +to throw their own lives away. + +Their surprise and pleasure was therefore great when we rode into the +station at 11 o'clock at night. They at once informed us of the murder +of the old man and his son, and heartily congratulated us when in return +we told them of our own adventure. The two men at the ferry were +positive that the Indian did not belong in that section, and by our +prudence, they said, we had saved our horses and probably our lives. The +next day we all joined in completing the fortifications, and when +finished felt that we could "stand off" two or three tribes. Yet, +notwithstanding our confidence, we felt that in the event of a general +outbreak we were still in a dangerous position and that every care +should be exercised. Upon my own part, I felt no uneasiness. Zim Smith +was there, a rollicking devil-may-care fellow, and I believed he alone +was the match for all of the Indians east of the Cascade Mountains. A +careful guard was maintained, however, our horses kept near at hand, and +we anxiously awaited results. + +Several days thus passed. The Smiths and Driskols seriously discussing +the situation. They had ventured their all in the cattle speculation, +and to abandon them to the mercy of the red devils was an alternative +hard to contemplate. But what could four men and a boy do opposed by +hundreds of blood thirsty savages? Under all the circumstances, it was +finally determined to embrace the first opportunity of getting out of +the country. Our lives, they argued--I had no say--were worth more +than cattle. Besides, we could not save the cattle cooped up in a stone +fort as we were. We knew that the news would be carried to Walla Walla +and that returning miners would travel in strong parties. + +A few days later a company of forty or fifty men came along, and as they +were well armed, we determined to join them. The two men at the ferry +also abandoned the place and went with us. + +I omitted to say that Wall Cushman, one of the owners of the ferry, had +gone below some time before my arrival there, and I had no opportunity +of renewing my acquaintance of the spring before. + +We arrived at the Dalles without incident worthy of mention. There I +sold my horse, saddle and bridle, rifle and revolver to a man who said +he was going on a prospecting expedition, and took a Columbia River +steamer to Portland. As horses and arms were in demand, not much trouble +was experienced in selling, and most of the company with which I was +traveling made similar disposition of their "outfits." + +Going down the river, Zim Smith, who was quite a talker, told the story +of the goose in my presence and in the presence of a crowd. I was +terribly mortified, and informed his brother that "Zim was making fun of +me." He laughed and mollified my feelings so far as to say, "Zim is only +talking and means nothing by it." "In fact, he thinks you are a great +boy." But I had made up my mind that I had seen enough of the wild life +of the mines, mountains and plains; I would go home and attend school. +No more Indians, miners, and rough men for me. I had seen and +experienced enough, and was heartily sick of it all. I had experienced a +"Call of the Wild" and was satisfied. And I want to say to my young +readers again, whenever you experience a similar call--don't. + +The trip home was made mostly on foot, the great flood of the early +winter of 1861-2 having washed out bridges and roads, seriously +interfering with stage travel. An occasional boat made trips as far as +Albany and Corvallis, but we failed to make proper connections. Hence +from Oregon City to Albany we traveled on foot, but it was a weary +journey in the mud. + +Here, if the reader will pardon a digression, I will relate a little +anecdote illustrative of the times. We were passing through French +Prairie in Marion County. The spot, one of the richest and most +beautiful in all Oregon, derived its name from the fact that it was +settled principally by Canadian French, employees of the Hudson Bay +Company. They were typical frontiersmen, hospitable and generous to a +degree. We had asked at several farm houses for accommodations for the +night, but there was so much travel that all were full and running over. +Our party consisted of six, the Driskols, Smiths, Ben Allen and myself. +Trudging through the mud, all were tired and hungry. As we neared the +upper edge of French Prairie, Ben Allen remarked that he had an old +friend, a Frenchman, and he was satisfied we would be welcomed to his +home. He lived nearly a mile off the road, but that was better than +walking to Salem, six or seven miles. Accordingly, we turned off to the +home of Ben's friend. The old Frenchman received us with open arms. He +was simply delighted and gave us the best of everything the house +afforded. In fact, the old man fairly danced with delight that "Bin" and +his friends had paid him a visit. + +Seated in home-made rocking chairs, before an open fire place in which +was a roaring fire of oak logs, it was, as Zim Smith expressed it, +"solid comfort." Finally supper was announced, and the announcement was +never more welcome than to that hungry crowd. Besides ham, vegetables +and other accompaniments of a farm house dinner, there was a certain +stew with dumplings. This was an especially toothsome dish, and all +partook freely and with relish. As we neared the end of the meal our +host exclaimed, addressing Mr. Allen: + +"Well, Bin, how did you like the cat!" + +"Cat, h--l" said Ben. + +"Oh, yes Bin, he very fine cat. We fatten him three week." + +Somehow, our dinner came to a sudden close. Urged by our host to have +more, all politely declined, "Bin" saying it was very good, indeed, but +he had eaten heartily and didn't care for more. + +The next morning we bade our hospitable host adieu, before breakfast, +saying we were anxious to get to Salem as we expected to catch a boat +for Albany, Corvallis or possibly Eugene City. + +That was the first cat I ever ate and since that time I have eaten bear, +wild cat, horse, mule, but as a matter of fact, I never ate a more +toothsome dish than the old Frenchman's cat--until I discovered it was +cat. Hence I am inclined to the opinion that it is all a matter of +education. + +I arrived at home after Christmas and during the rest of the winter +attended the district school. Had I been told that that little district +school was destined to be the last I should ever attend, I possibly +should have better applied myself to my studies. I remained on the farm +that summer assisting in the general work. In the fall of 1862, Joaquin +Miller and Anthony Noltner started the "Herald," a weekly newspaper, at +Eugene City. Instead of going to school, as my father wished, I applied +for and obtained a position as "devil" in the office. Mr. Noltner was of +the opinion that the name was very appropriate in my case. However, I +soon gained the confidence and esteem of my employers. As evidence of +this, I remained three years, and during the time did not lose three +days, that is, if we except the several occasions when for a week or +two, the Herald was "excluded from the United States mails for disloyal +utterances." Publication would be suspended for a week or so and then +come out under another name. The columns would be filled with news and +"strictly literary matter" for a short time. Then Mr. Miller would +launch out and give expression to his opinion on things in general and +certain politicians in particular. After a few weeks something said +would incur the displeasure of the postmaster, and we would then have to +begin all over under a new name. And do you know, I grieve to admit it +now, but those little vacations came so regularly that I began to enjoy +them--I could go hunting. + +Thus Miller and Noltner struggled along, issuing their publication under +three or four different names. There was talk at different times of +providing Mr. Miller a residence at Fort Alcatraz, with board and +lodging at the expense of the U. S. Government. Now, I may be "telling +tales out of school" but there are few left to care, save Mr. Miller and +the writer, and I trust that "Heinie" will pardon me in thus living over +the stirring times of our youth. + +In the spring of 1864, I think it was, Mr. Miller sold his interest in +the paper to his partner, Mr. Noltner. After that the office had few +charms for me, and more and more my spirits bent to a "Call to the +Wild." This feeling became the more pronounced by reason of a little +misunderstanding with Major Rinehart who commanded the troops at that +time stationed at Eugene City. The circumstances leading up to the +"misunderstanding," briefly are that a friend, Henry Mulkey, had been +arrested for a political offense by order of Major Rinehart, and it had +been determined to send him to Ft. Vancouver and possibly to Alcatraz. I +went to Major Rinehart's headquarters and applied for a pass to see Mr. +Mulkey. That I played good-goody--lied like a tombstone in order to get +the pass, is not necessary here to state, but I got it and arranged an +escape with Mulkey. That the arrangement miscarried was due to Mr. +Mulkey, and not to the prudence of Major Rinehart or the failure upon my +part to carry out the program. + +Be that as it may. Mulkey was re-captured, and my own arrest was +ordered. A little boy, God bless him, overheard Major Rinehart give the +order to Lieutenant Tichnor, and ran and told me. Now, I did not relish +the idea of a residence either at Ft. Vancouver or Alcatraz--nor did I +know how long it would last. Consequently I leaped upon the best horse I +saw standing hitched to the Court House fence and rode out of town, +sending the horse and saddle back by a son of "Uncle Jimmie" Howard. +That boy is now a Baptist minister and I seriously question if he would +now accommodate me so far as to return a "lifted horse." + +Under all the circumstances, I concluded to absent myself permanently-- +at least until Major Rinehart's soldiers should move on. Securing an +"outfit" I joined a small company in the mountains, crossing the +Cascades by McKinzie Pass. + + + +Chapter V. + +Taking Revenge on Marauding Snakes. + +On reaching the east side of the mountains, it became necessary to +travel in the night, at least through the open country between the +Deschutes and Bridge Creek. The Snake Indians were raiding the country, +and encumbered as we were with a small pack train, and with only a small +company, we deemed that plan safest. During the day a careful guard was +kept out and no fires lit. We thus passed safely through the dangerous +country to Bridge Creek. We arrived there in the morning and finding +quite a company from the Dalles, concluded to "lay by" a day or two and +rest our animals. + +About 3 o'clock that evening we saw a horseman coming, and riding as if +his life were at stake. Coming up, the horseman proved to be Jim Clark, +who informed us that the Indians would be upon us in a few minutes and +that they had killed his brother-in-law, George Masterson, a lad of 18 +years. Horses were at once rounded up and preparations made for defense. +While the horses were being driven in, Clark related the circumstances, +which left a doubt in our minds as to the fate of young Masterson. +Accordingly, and as quickly as possible, every man that could be spared +from camp saddled his horse and started back with Clark, either to save +the boy or avenge his death. + +The circumstances, as related by Clark, were that he and the boy had +left the house, afterwards known as the "Burnt Ranch" for a load of fire +wood. The house was located on the John Day River about a mile below the +mouth of Bridge Creek. Opposite the house the river makes a sudden bend +around the point of a high mountain, where the action of water and +erosion of time had washed away the base of the mountain leaving a +precipitous cliff, hundreds of feet high. Under this cliff a great +amount of drift wood has been deposited, and here Jim Clark went for his +fire wood. The high bank of the river next the house, which was 600 +yards away, had been cut down so as to give an easy grade for loaded +wagons. Clark said for the first time they had left their rifles and +other arms at the house, immunity from attack rendering them careless. + +While loading the wagon they happened to look towards the house, which +was in plain view, and saw it in flames. They could also see the Indians +around the house. Now the only means of escape was crossing the river, +the way they had come. The mountains rose hundreds of feet +perpendicularly at their backs, rendering escape impossible in that +direction. Hastily cutting the harness from the horses they mounted, and +Clark, who was a cool headed man in danger, and brave as a lion withal, +told the boy to follow him. As they plunged into the ford they saw a +number of Indians lined upon the opposite bank. But it was the only +alternative, and the Indians thinking the two men were charging them, +ran back out of sight. As they emerged from the river, which here was a +shallow ripple, and started up the cut in the bank, the Indians +discovered they were unarmed and attempted to close in on them. However, +Clark and the boy had reached the top of the bank, and turning their +horses up the river towards the mouth of Bridge Creek, sped for dear +life. + +As soon as they had passed beyond the reach of the bullets and arrows of +the savages, Clark tried to persuade the boy to hold up and save his +horse. The boy, however, was thoroughly frightened and drove his horse +to the top of his speed. Clark, meanwhile, had looked back and saw the +Indians mounting, and now began a race, on one side for life, on the +other for scalps. The race was prolonged scarcely two miles when young +Masterson's horse began to fail. He was then a quarter of a mile ahead +of Clark, who, nursing his horse, kept just beyond reach of the bullets. +Gradually the gap between Clark and the boy narrowed, and slowly the +Indians began to gain. At last Clark rode up beside the boy whose horse +was thoroughly spent. He remained beside him until an Indian, riding a +black horse, Clark said, ran up within twenty feet of him. The boy saw +him raise his gun, and throwing himself from his horse with the +exclamation, "O, Lord," was lost to view in the dust. The Indian was at +least fifty yards ahead of the others and did not stop to kill the boy, +probably leaving him for those behind. Sure of Clark, he kept on, his +black and savage heart leaping with joy in anticipation of torturing +him. + +After tolling the Indian some little distance and coming to a turn in +the road, Clark let his horse out and did not slacken his speed until +our camp was reached. + +As may be well imagined, we did not spare our horses on the return, +Clark having been provided with a fresh animal. But it was six or seven +miles back to where Masterson left his horse. When we arrived there the +search began. But failing to find the body, the awful possibility began +to dawn upon us that he had been captured alive. Clark was wild. Had he +found the dead body of the boy, it would have been nothing compared to +the thought of his capture alive and death at the stake. A search now +began for the trail of the Indians, as they had evidently left before +our approach. But while this was going on, some of the men found the boy +under a bank, shielded from sight by over-hanging earth and matted +roots. When pulled out he was more dead than alive, his long bath in the +water rendering him practically helpless. + +When sufficiently revived, he told us that when he threw himself from +his horse, he leaped into the brush, and coming to the creek, a small +stream, ran down until he saw the overhanging bank. He said several +times the Indians in their search for him were within a few feet of him. + +After finding of young Masterson, we returned to camp. Clark had lost a +great deal of property, besides that which had been consumed in his +burned home. He was positive the party did not comprise more than +fifteen or twenty warriors. He begged us to help him recover his +property, or to at least get revenge. Accordingly Perry Maupin, John +Atterbury, myself and three others, whose names I cannot now recall, +volunteered for the undertaking, making seven in all. + +Getting off at daybreak we struck the trail of the Indians and followed +as fast as the nature of the country would permit. In places the trail +was very dim, and this occasioned considerable delay, but just about +sunset the camp of the savages was located. As night was now upon us, it +was deemed best to await until daylight to make the attack. We were +satisfied they would remain until morning, probably feasting on some of +the stolen stock. They were camped on the west branch of Trout Creek +about one mile above the forks. Their position was two hundred yards +from the creek at a spring, and surrounded by a few scattering willows +and quaking asps. On every side was open ground, with a high, bald +mountain on the north side, and presenting a splendid opportunity for +attack. The location of the camp also indicated that they felt secure +from pursuit. Everything being settled, both as to the manner of +approach and point of attack, we withdrew and awaited the coming of +morning. Unsaddling our horses and picketing them, a portion lay down in +an effort to get some sleep, the others standing guard. + +At 3 o'clock we saddled our horses and by taking a circuitous route were +enabled to approach the camp from the southwest side, and by following a +slight depression in the ground reached a point within 150 yards of +where the savages rested in fancied security. To prevent the possibility +of arousing them by any accidental noise, we had dismounted some +distance back, and carefully led our horses by the head, lest a stumble +or neigh might discover us to the enemy. It was yet dark when we reached +a spot opposite the camp, and standing at our horses' heads, impatiently +awaited the dawn. Streaks of light soon began shooting through the +eastern sky, but it seemed an eternity before we could see well enough +to shoot. Any one who has ever experienced waiting under similar +circumstances will appreciate our impatience and the slow passage of +time. + +But daylight came at last, and swinging into our saddles, we formed in +line and slowly, cautiously advanced. As our heads rose above the slight +elevation that had obscured the camp, our revolvers in hand, we spurred +our horses into a run and began yelling like furies. Scarcely had we +done so when several Indians sprang up and rushed towards us with hands +up and calling at the top of their voices: + +"Warm Springs! Warm Springs! Wascos, Wascos!" + +They were calling in jargon, and recognizing them as friendly Indians, +and not Snakes and therefore enemies, both Jim Clark and Perry Maupin +called out, "For God's sake, boys, don't shoot!" We halted among them +without firing a shot. They then related to us their story. They were +camped at the place hunting when the Snakes came upon them about 1 +o'clock the previous evening. A skirmish had taken place, but without +serious consequences on either side, when the Snakes made overtures for +peace, saying they did not want to fight them, that they were only +enemies of the white man. They proposed, in order to settle the terms of +peace, that the two chiefs, Polina, or as some give the name, Penina, +chief of the Snakes, and Queapama, chief of the Warm Springs and Wascos, +should meet half way alone and unarmed. + +All the Warm Springs earnestly opposed the meeting, feeling certain that +treachery was meditated. But Queapama believed otherwise, and the two +chiefs, in sight of their people, went out to the meeting. Scarcely had +Queapama reached the Snake chief when he was treacherously murdered by a +concealed assassin. Burning for revenge, the Warm Springs renewed the +fight, when the Snakes drew off and were seen no more. + +They now volunteered to go with us in pursuit of the Snakes, who, they +declared, could not be many hours ahead. The Snakes, they argued, could +be easily overtaken as they were practically in their own country and +would travel leisurely. We knew the two tribes were traditional enemies +and the presence of their dead chief was evidence that their friendship +for us could be relied upon. The Warm Springs, however, held the Snakes +in great dread and never ventured far into their country. The present +camp was on neutral territory, and was the main hunting grounds of the +former tribe. Polina was especially dreaded, and was believed by the +Warm Springs to be bullet-proof. Many told of having shot him in the +middle of the forehead, but that the bullet dropped down without +injuring him. But may-be-so the white man had "good medicine" and could +kill him. Although with such superstitious dread we did not value the +aid of the Warm Springs very highly, yet we knew them to be good +trailers and skillful scouts, hence their company was accepted, the more +readily as we would soon enter the pine timber of the McKay mountains. + +Accordingly, after filling our "cantenas" with dried venison from the +camp of our allies, we again took the trail. Our horses were fresh and +as the Warm Springs were such splendid trailers we made good progress, +especially after entering the pine timber. The Indians acted also as +scouts, skirting each side of the trail and keeping well in advance. No +effort had here been made by the Snakes to cover their tracks, and we +followed at a rapid pace. The trail led up the west branch of Trout +creek and in a southerly direction. We had not gone more than four miles +when we came to the camp of the night before. Their fires were still +burning, showing their utter contempt for the Warm Springs. We followed +up Trout creek to its head and passed through a low gap on to the head +of McKay creek, which flows in a southwesterly direction to its junction +with Crooked river. Just after passing the divide one on the scouts +dropped back and informed us that the enemy was not far ahead. They said +the grass cut by the hoofs of their ponies was as fresh as when growing. +It was not thought advisable to overtake them in the timber until they +had gone into camp. We therefore sent word ahead to proceed with great +caution, and to keep well back from the trail. Proceeding now with the +steathliness of a cat creeping upon a bird, the scouts kept well behind +the ridges and only occasionally venturing to peep over a ridge or point +into the creek bottom down which the Snakes were traveling. + +About 3 o'clock they came back and announced that the Snakes had gone +into camp about a mile or such a matter ahead. A council was now held to +discuss the advisability of attacking them at once or waiting until +morning. The Warm Springs were eager for an immediate attack. The camp +was located in the edge of an open glade, presenting a splendid +opportunity for a close approach. We naturally looked to Jim Clark as +our leader and adviser, he being older and far more experienced than any +of our party, unless it was our allies. Clark finally advised an +immediate attack. "We are getting into the Snake territory, they might +move again tonight and we would be compelled to go further on," and, he +declared, "we might bite off more than we can chew." That settled the +matter, and our allies were in high glee. + +It was arranged that a portion of the Warm Spring should approach from +the west, keeping well behind the hill, and at the moment of attack +should stampede their horses, while we were to make a detour and +approach at the point of timber nearest the camp. + +After separating we turned to the left through the thick timber, keeping +well behind the ridge until we were about opposite the camp. Here we +dismounted and tied our horses in a thicket of firs. Silently, almost as +shadows, we moved up the ridge and crossing over the crest began the +descent through the woods, the moccasined feet of our dusky allies +falling noiselessly upon the pine quills. We almost held our breath, +lest the least noise, the accidental breaking of a twig, should startle +the enemy. Though this was to be my first real Indian fight, I felt no +fear and not so much excitement as when stalking my first buck. As we +neared the edge of the wood and were almost prepared for the rush, the +Indians on the other side raised the yell. Led on by their eagerness +they had come into view of the camp and seeing they were discovered +raised the war-whoop and made for the herd. The Snakes sprang to their +weapons and started to save their horses. Concealment being now useless +we burst out of the wood and opened fire. As we did so the savages +turned down the creek and fled toward the nearest shelter. I remember +dropping upon my left knee, and taking deliberate aim at a big fellow, +fired. At the crack of the rifle he sprang into the air and fell, and I +then knew I had made one "good siwash." Springing to my feet I drew my +revolver, a Colt's navy, and kept with the crowd in a running fight +until the Snakes reached the shelter of the woods. To have followed +further would have been madness, notwithstanding they were thoroughly +frightened and running, as one of the Warm Springs expressed it, "like +klanacks" (black-tailed deer). + +Jim Clark now called a halt. To follow further would result in some of +us getting killed, as the Snakes would then have the advantage. +Reloading our rifles we returned to count the result of our victory. We +found four dead Indians, including one that had had his leg broken by a +rifle ball and had been dispatched by our allies, who now proceeded to +scalp the dead according to the usages and traditions of their race. It +was a gory spectacle, and when they generously offered to divide the +bloody trophies, we politely declined, saying the scalps belonged to +them, as they had lost their great chief by the treachery of the dead +Indians. The operation of lifting the scalp was a simple one. A knife +was run around the head just above the ears and the skin peeled off. +That was the first I ever saw, and I had no desire to see the operation +repeated. Some of those that escaped must have been wounded, but we had +no means of knowing the number of these. + +The expedition had been partially successful, but keen regret was felt, +not alone by our party, but by our allies, that old Polina had escaped. +He was the scourge of the whites in all southeastern Oregon, and while +he lived there could be no such thing as peace. He was reserved, +however, for the rifle of Howard Maupin, father of the youth who was +with us and was kneeling by my side when I fired at the fleeing savages. +But that will be reserved for a future chapter. Besides killing four +Indians we had captured a number of ponies and some of the stolen stock +belonging to the whites. The ponies we gave to our friends, the Warm +Springs, besides a captured gun. After destroying everything of value +that we could not carry with us, including some camp effects, we +returned to our horses and started back. We parted with our friends at +their camp of the night before, who lost no time after their arrival +there in packing up and, taking their dead chief with them, making haste +to reach the reservation as soon as possible. + +After bidding them adieu, we traveled on our return until daylight when +we stopped, unsaddled our horses and picketed them to graze and rest for +a couple of hours. Saddling up again we pushed on to Bridge Creek, where +we arrived towards evening. We had been in the saddle now, with slight +intermissions, for more than forty-eight hours, and rest and sleep were +a most welcome boon. Our horses, too, were nearly spent, and here we +remained to rest and recruit. + +We remained at Bridge Creek several days, recruiting our horses and +resting from the fatigues of our recent severe and trying expedition. In +reading my simple narrative some may say we were taking desperate +chances in following an enemy, outnumbering us several times, into his +own country. That is true in a sense. But we had adopted his own +tactics, and depended on a surprise. Had we come out in the open and +shown ourselves, we would probably have fared badly in such an unequal +contest. Secrecy, therefore, was our only safe course, and that required +both skill and caution. We knew the Indians would be off their guard, +that they would never dream of pursuit, and when surprised would scatter +like a covey of quail. Another object was to come to close quarters as +quickly as possible, so as to use our revolvers when the rifles had been +emptied. Howard Maupin, an old Indian fighter, and father of the youth +who accompanied us, once remarked that in "close quarters an Indian +can't hit the side of a barn." I understood this when, years after in +the first battle in the lava beds with the Modocs, I asked General +Wheaton to signal to Colonel Bernard to cease firing and I would charge +with the volunteers. We had them hemmed between two lines, with an +intervening space of not more than 150 yards. He refused, saying we had +lost too many men and the country would not justify the sacrifice of +human life. We had fought them all day, and had suffered severely, and +finally retreated under cover of darkness. It cost nearly three hundred +men to close the Modoc war, including the life of the gallant General +Canby. I believed then--I know now we could have whipped them in twenty +minutes with the loss of less than a dozen men. + + + +Chapter VI. + +One Sad Tale From Canyon City History. + +After a few days at Bridge Creek we joined a pack train going to Canyon +City from The Dalles, and though the road was infested with savages, who +mercilessly slaughtered small parties, we arrived at the then +flourishing mining camp without mishap or adventure. Canyon City at that +time was a typical mining camp. There were congregated every known +character, race, profession and creed. Under a rough exterior the +lawyer, doctor, minister, the rude western frontiersman and the staid +and sober farmer, worked side by side. There was no distinction of dress +among that restless, surging, throbbing throng of humanity, drawn +thither by the all-absorbing motive--the glittering dust that lay +hidden beneath the gravel and sands of the streams and along the +ravines. The bond of sympathy, however, among the miners was close, and +as warm hearts beat beneath the flannel shirts as ever throbbed in the +breast of man. + +Here, too, were congregated those human vultures that feed and fatten +upon the frailties and follies of their fellowmen. The town proper +numbered about six saloons to every legitimate business house. Of +evenings the gambling hells were a glare of light, and music, both vocal +and instrumental, floated out upon the streets to tempt the miners to +enter, while away an hour, and incidentally part with their well-earned +dust. Some of these hells had "lady waitresses," poor, faded, blear-eyed +creatures, in gaudy finery, and upon whose features was stamped the +everlasting brand of God's outlawry. These dens of iniquity were only +too frequently the scene of awful tragedies, and the sawdust floors +drank up the blood of many a poor unfortunate. If the encounter was +between two gamblers the miners paid little attention. But if, as was +often the case, some miner, crazed with an overdose of "double-distilled +damnation," fell a victim to the revolver or knife of a gambler, there +was sure to be "something doing." Among these restless, adventurous men +there was a semblance of law, but its administration was too often a +mockery and a farce. This, however, only applies to the early days of +the camp. + +One of the saddest of life's tragedies is associated in my mind with an +employee of one of these places. His name was Brown, and he was a +musician of some merit. He had with him a young and beautiful wife and +infant daughter. He played the violin at night and received $10 for each +of the seven nights of the week. He was a man of good morals as far as +could be observed, and sober withal. One morning he left the saloon at 2 +o'clock, as was his custom. From the moment he passed out of the door he +disappeared from the sight of men as effectually as the light of an +extinguished candle. He was popular and had not a known enemy in the +world. But whether he was murdered and his body concealed, or whether he +left the country, remained an unsolved mystery. The latter theory had +few or no adherents, as he was tenderly attached to his wife and child. +Be that as it may. Soon after the disappearance of the musician, a young +physician, who was handsome, accomplished, and talented, made his advent +into Canyon City. In due time he became interested in the comely widow, +and when sufficient time had elapsed, and no tidings came back of the +missing husband and father, legal steps were taken, a divorce secured +and the young physician made the widow his wife. As years rolled away +and the mines "played out," the Doctor and his wife and little girl +moved to a town in the Willamette valley. There he prospered, gaining +not only gold but that which is far more precious the love and respect +of his fellow-man, and, being a public-spirited man, he took an active +interest in political and other public matters. In the campaign of 1874 +he received the nomination from his party for State Senator. His +election was a foregone conclusion, as his party had not only a majority +of votes, but his talents as a speaker and his popularity among all +classes were in his favor. About that time, however, the exposures +regarding the past life of Senator John H. Mitchell were given to the +world by the press of Oregon. To offset the charges, there were dark +hints and innuendoes thrown out about the disappearance of Brown and the +subsequent marriage of the widow to the young doctor. The talk was +easily silenced, as it was shown that the doctor came to Canyon City +after Brown's disappearance; but it was enough to sting the proud, +sensitive heart of the young man to the quick. The mere fact that a +suspicion of dishonor attached to his name was sufficient to cause him +to withdraw from public life forever. As an orator he had few equals and +no superiors, and only for his innocent connection with the Brown +tragedy at Canyon City would have achieved a name the equal of that of +his distinguished brother, Senator and Vice-President Hendricks of +Indiana. + +Dr. Hendricks and his wife have long since passed over the river, to the +white walled city of God. And there, let us hope, their rest will be +eternal, and that the poison tongue of slander will come not to blast, +to blacken and to sting. + +I remained at Canyon City and vicinity until September and then returned +to the valley. During the summer and fall many depredations were +committed by Indians. A party of eight men prospecting in the mountains +to the west were surprised and all killed. Every one had died apparently +in his bed. The little stream, a tributary of the south John Day river, +was ever after known as "Murderers' Creek." The next year, I think it +was, Joaquin Miller, then judge of Grant county, led a company of a +hundred miners against the Snakes in Harney valley. He was joined by +Lieutenant, now Judge Waymire of Oakland, in command of a troop of U. S. +volunteers. They were repulsed with some loss and returned without +accomplishing anything of importance. The war dragged along until the +summer of 1867, when Chief Polina led a band of warriors into the John +Day country north of Bridge Creek, where they robbed a settler named +Clarno of a number of cattle and horses and started back. Howard Maupin +then lived at Antelope valley, 15 miles from the Clarno place. The +Indians attempted to capture his horses in the night, but were +frustrated by the watchfulness of the dogs that gave the alarm. The +horses were corralled, and Maupin and his son and a young German stood +guard all night. The next morning Jim Clark and John Attebury arrived at +the station, and it was determined to follow and punish the Indians and +recover the stolen stock. They followed the trail into the rough brakes +of Trout Creek and located the camp. The Indians had halted in a small +basin on the mountain side through which ran a small branch, bordered +with willows, where they had killed an ox and were enjoying a feast. The +five men approached as near as possible and then leaving their horses +made their way up the ravine upon which the unsuspecting savages were +camped. Howard Maupin was armed with a Henry rifle, a present to the old +hero from General George Crook. Silently the men made their way up the +rough and rugged ravine until they lay concealed seventy yards away. +Taking deadly aim the five men fired, killing four Indians. The Indians +fled to the protection of a rugged cliff of rocks, but Maupin's rifle +kept following them with deadly effect. One Indian was picked out as the +chief and fell at the crack of the rifle. He raised on his hands and +halloed to the others until they reached the shelter of the rocks. It +required two more shots to finish him, and thus died Polina, or Penina, +the leader of the Snakes and scourge of the white man. The shot from +Howard Maupin's repeating rifle closed the Snake, or Shoshone war, and +peace reigned until their great uprising under Chief Egan in 1877. + +For a year or more, or until the spring of 1868, I followed the hum-drum +life of a printer. A call of duty compelled me to lay all else aside to +care for an invalid brother, Judge J. M. Thompson. He was dying of +chronic dyspepsia. Physicians had given him up. He was a mere shadow, +and while we had little hope of recovery, we determined to take him into +the mountains. As soon, therefore, as spring opened we made our +preparations. Our provisions consisted of unbolted flour and salt. +Nothing else was taken--no tea, coffee, or indeed anything else save +our bedding, guns and ammunition. We journeyed up the McKinzie fork of +the Willamette. Game was everywhere abundant and this and bread baked +from our flour constituted our only food. It was going back to nature. + +A week or so after we arrived at our camp, my younger brother killed a +very large bear that had just come out of his hibernating quarters and +was as fat as a corn fed Ohio porker. An old hunter endeavored to +persuade my brother to eat some of the fat bear meat, assuring him it +would not make him sick. Now, grease was his special aversion, and to +grease the oven with any kind of fat caused him to spit up his food. +Finally, to please the old hunter, he ate a small piece of fat bear +meat. Very much to his surprise, it did not make him sick. The next meal +he ate more, and after that all he wanted. He gained flesh and strength +rapidly, and it was but a short time until he could walk a hundred yards +without assistance. After that his recovery was rapid and sure. + +Now, high up on the McKinzie we were told of a hot spring, and that vast +herds of elk and deer came there daily to lick the salt that was +precipitated on the rocks by the hot water. We determined to move there. +But when we arrived we found a rushing, roaring, turbulent river, 75 +yards wide, between us and the hot spring. The deer and elk were there +all right, the great antlered monarchs tossing their heads in play, but +safe as if miles away. In vain we sought a narrow place where we could +fell a tree. We found, however, a spot where the water was smooth, +though swift as a mill-race, and we determined to make a canoe. +Accordingly we set to work, and after many tedious days laboring with +one axe and fire our canoe was completed. I was something of an expert +in the management of a canoe and when it had been placed in the river, +made a trip across. It was a success, and delighted with our +achievement, we began ferrying over our effects. One after another, +everything but our clothing and cooking utensils were ferried over, +provisions, that is, the flour and salt, rifles, ammunition, bedding, in +fact all but the above articles. My younger brother was assisting me +with the canoe, and the last trip with the last load was being made. +Like the pitcher that goes often to the well, immunity had bred +carelessness, with the result that the boat was turned over in the +middle of the river, and we only saved our lives by swimming. That night +we camped beneath the forest giants. A good fire was lighted, bread made +on a piece of cedar bark and meat cooked on a stick and eaten out of our +fingers. That was indeed getting back to nature, but a more dire +misfortune was to befall me the first night. As before stated, we had +pitched our camp beneath the shelter of forest giants. Age after age the +quills had been falling, forming a mould several inches thick. Before +retiring that night I laid my solitary pair of trousers and drawers on +the ground before the fire to dry out by morning. They dried. I awoke in +the middle of the night to find that my last garments had been consumed, +leaving but the waistband of my trousers. The mould slowly dried, the +fire had followed, leaving me about the most forlorn individual that +ever was blessed with white hide. Now that was going back to nature with +a vengeance. In front rushed a roaring, foaming river, and relief was +fifty miles away. But what was I to do, but simply do the best I could +with a shirt and the waist-band of my trousers. + +The next day we constructed a shelter of cedar bark in the event of +rain. And now I am going to repeat a story at the risk of being +denounced as a "nature fakir." We had with us a band of dogs, trained +for hunting. There were seventeen, all told, and of every breed, but +with a mixture of bloodhound to give the "staying qualities." We, or +rather I, had borrowed them of settlers living on the river fifty miles +below. They would chase a bear or cougar all day, and if treed, would +remain and bay around the tree until I came. The second night in camp an +immense timber wolf came up close to camp and gave a prolonged howl. The +dogs all broke away, but they came back faster than they went out. The +wolf followed and caught one of them, a large, full-grown dog, and gave +him one bite behind the shoulder. The dog gave one yelp and when we +reached the spot, ten feet from our bed, he was dead. To make sure that +the dog was bitten but once, the next morning I partly skinned him and +found that the ribs were crushed and broken. Now if a timber wolf can +kill a dog with one bite on the back, why not a young caribou at one +bite on the breast? That question I leave to others to solve. + +But to return to my forlorn and altogether ridiculous situation. With +needle and thread it would have been an easy matter to manufacture a +pair of buckskin pantaloons such as I had worn in years gone by and +would have welcomed in my present predicament. But needles, thread, +scissors, razor and combs had followed the cooking utensils to the +bottom of the river. There was nothing to do but simply to "grin and +bear it," and I did so with the best possible grace. On an exploring +expedition one day I found a tall tree on the bank of the river at a +spot where the channel was contracted between narrow banks. I had no axe +and therefore set to work to burn it down, but it was a weary task. Day +after day I tended that fire, keeping in the shade to avoid the hot rays +of the sun, and after six weeks of waiting had the satisfaction of +seeing the tree spanning the river, and affording me a means of reaching +clothing. But I could not go to the settlements clothed like the Georgia +Major, minus the spurs. During the period of waiting for the tree to +fall, I had made a needle of bone and taking an empty flour sack +proceeded to manufacture a pair of legs which, with infinite pains, I +stitched to the waistband of my long lost trousers and added wooden pegs +to insure stability and strength to the flimsy ravelings. In order to +form a fair idea of my appearance, one must imagine a youth with a six +weeks' growth of hair and beard, a shirt that had to be taken off once a +week to wash, a black band around his waist, to which was stitched and +pegged parts of flour sacks. I say, imagine all this and you can form +some idea of a youth who, under ordinary circumstances, was rather proud +of his good looks. My brothers called me "Robinson Crusoe," and I +imagine the resemblance between the unlucky sailor, marooned on an +island, and a wretched young fellow marooned in the depths of the +Cascade mountains without clothing enough to hide his nakedness, was not +an inapt comparison. + +However, I was now happy. A tree spanned the river and parts of flour +sacks covered my limbs, and I would go to Mr. Allen's place, sixty miles +below and get my clothing. Crossing the river, however, I discovered +that our horses, left in a prairie, had "skipped out." I knew they would +be caught at Mr. Allen's place, and the next day I started out. All the +dogs followed. They seemed to have an antipathy for my brothers, and, +try as they would, they could not make friends with them. Indeed, I have +observed through life that children and dogs have an affinity for me. I +started in the morning and made about 35 miles the first day, camping +and sleeping beside a fallen tree against which I kindled a big fire. +After a breakfast of cold bread and venison roasted on a stick, I +started on the final lap of my journey. About a mile from Mr. Allen's +home is a spot known to campers as "Rock House," where the mountains +crowd the river bank, leaving a space of not more than thirty feet +between the almost precipitous bluff and the roaring, foaming river. +From an overhanging rock a spring of ice-cold water, rivaling the +Hypocrene in purity, bursts forth and plunges into the river. The space +had grown up with young maples, and the underbrush being cleaned out, +formed an ideal camping place for hunters and berry pickers. I was +congratulating myself on not meeting a solitary individual when I +reached "Rock House" and found it blocked with wagons and tents. I cast +one look at the foaming river and another at the bluff. I had passed +through some scenes of danger, but never before had I been half so +frightened. It was too late to retreat, the bluff could not be scaled +and the river was out of the question. Nerving myself, I determined to +go ahead, come what might. In front of one of the wagons stood a lady +with whom I was well acquainted. I asked her how I could get through. +She replied without recognizing me that I would have to go through camp. +As I passed around the wagon I came face to face with Judge Lemley's +wife. Her home had been my home for years and next to my mother and +sisters I reverenced her above all women of earth. She looked at me. I +bowed and she nodded her head and I passed on. No sooner had I passed +out of sight than Mrs. McDaniels, the first lady I met, ran to Mrs. +Lemley and said: "Did you see that man?" "O," replied Mrs. Lemley, "it +was only some old lousy hunter." I had made my escape and no one had +recognized me. I was jubilant, happy. But horror of horrors! At a turn +of the road I came full on a whole bevy, flock, troop or herd of young +girls, and at their head was my "best girl." I here submit and affirm, +that had I foreseen this, rivers, mountains, grizzly bears, Indians, all +the dangers of the wild would have had no terrors for me at that moment. +My dogs closed round me and the girls at sight of that "old man of the +woods," that awful apparition, ceased their laughter. With sobered faces +they shied around me as I strode past, and when fairly safe broke into a +run for camp. I heard them running, and in imagination could see their +scared faces. But I was safe--no one had recognized me and I was again +happy. + +Arriving at Mr. Allen's, I related to him the story of my misfortunes. +He trimmed my hair, gave me a shave and after changing my "clothes," I +once more assumed the semblance, as Mrs. Allen expressed it, "of a +Christian man." + +That evening I saddled a horse and rode back to the camp. I began then +to see the full humor of the whole affair, but it required an hour to +convince them that I was really the strange apparition that passed +through camp that morning. + + + +Chapter VII. + +Colonel Thompson's First Newspaper Venture. + +I remained at the home of Mr. Allen a few days, making frequent visits, +you may be sure, to the camp of my friends. I then returned to our camp +at the hot springs. My brother had become quite strong and my other +brother then decided to return to the valley. Left alone, we indulged in +long rambles in the mountains. Taking a pair of blankets each, and +baking up a lot of bread, we would strike out. We never knew where we +were going, but wandered wherever fancy led. These tramps often lasted a +week or ten days. If our bread gave out we simply went without bread +until our return to camp. During one of these trips we ascended one of +the Three Sisters, snow mountains standing together and reaching to the +realms of the clouds. Like mighty sentinels, white as the driven snow, +they constitute one of the grandest sights to be seen on this or any +other continent. To the north of these mountains and in a valley formed +by the angle of the three mountains, we explored the largest glacier to +be found in the United States. In this manner the months wore away until +the approach of the fall storms admonished us that our wandering life +must come to a close, but we had found that which we sought, perfect +health. When we went to the mountains in the spring my brother weighed +84 pounds, and when we reached Eugene City on our return he weighed 165, +nearly doubling his weight. I had also gained heavily, in fact, nearly +50 pounds. I mention this that others seeking that most precious of all +blessings, perfect health, may know how and where to find it--by simply +going back to nature. + +Soon after my return to civilization I embarked in my first newspaper +venture. I was employed in the office as compositor and foreman and at +the expiration of the first month had to take the "plant, fixtures and +good will," for my pay. In fact, I was given the office on a promise to +run the paper and keep it alive. I so far succeeded that after a year +and a half I sold out, clearing $1200. The paper, the Eugene City Guard, +is still in existence. + +From there I went to Roseburg and started the Plaindealer. In this I had +the moral support and hearty good will of General Joseph Lane, as well +as other citizens of the county. My success was phenomenal, my +subscription list running up to 1200 in two years. But as in all else in +this world, success was not attained without gaining the enmity and +bitter hatred of my would-be rivals in business. Theirs was an old +established paper, conducted by two brothers, Henry and Thomas Gale. +They soon saw their business slipping away and sought to regain it by +indulging in abuse of the coarsest character. I paid no further +attention to their attacks than to occasionally poke fun at them. One +Saturday evening I met one of the brothers in the post office. He began +an abusive harangue and attempted to draw a pistol. I quickly caught his +hand and struck him in the face. Bystanders separated us and he left. I +was repeatedly warned that evening to be on my guard, but gave the +matter little concern. The next morning, Sunday, June 11, 1871, I went +to my office as was my custom, to write my letters and attend to some +other matters before going to church. On leaving the office I was joined +by a young friend, Mr. Virgil Conn. As we proceeded down the street +towards the post office I saw the brothers standing talking on the +street. One looked up and saw me, evidently spoke to his brother, and +they then started toward me. I saw at once that it was to be a fight and +that I must defend myself. Some said I could have avoided a meeting by +turning in a different direction. Probably I could, at least for a time, +but I had started to the post office and there I intended to go. As we +approached the young men, one of them dropped behind, and as I passed +the first one he dealt me a blow with a heavy cane. At the same instant +the other drew a pistol and fired, the bullet taking effect in my side +and passing partly through. Stunned by the blow on my cheek, I reeled +and drawing my pistol fired point blank at the breast of the one who had +shot me. I was then between the men, and turning on the one with the +cane, he threw up his hands, as if to say "I am unarmed." As I again +turned he quickly drew his revolver and shot me in the back of the head, +and followed it up with another shot which was aimed at the butt of my +ear. I felt the muzzle of the revolver pressed against my ear, and +throwing up my head the bullet entered my neck and passed up through my +mouth and tongue and lodged back of my left eye. As I rushed at him he +fired again, the bullet entering the point of my shoulder while another +entered my body. That was his last shot. + +I was taken to my home in a blanket and few thought that I would live to +reach it. I was not, however, done for yet, and the next Thursday was +out riding with one of my physicians. The affair created the wildest +excitement, a noted surgeon, Dr. Sharples, coming from Eugene City to +attend me. Throughout the Eastern States there was various comment by +various publications, referring to the affair as "The Oregon Style." I +refer to the matter here because of the many distorted and unfair +stories that have appeared from time to time. It is in no spirit of +braggadocio, but simply to give the facts. That I deplored the affair, +and deeply, too, I freely confess, but only for the necessity which +compelled me to defend my life. + +On the following February 1 received an offer to take charge of the +Salem Mercury. Leaders of the party, among them three ex-Senators, the +Governor of the State and many others prominent in the affairs of +Oregon, purchased the paper and plant and tendered me a bill of sale for +the same. Ex-Senator Nesmith, ex-Senator Harding, Governor Grover, +ex-Governor Whitaker, General Joseph Lane and many others urged me to +the step. They argued that I could unite all the factions of the party +in support of a party paper at the capital of the State. To a young man +scarcely twenty-three this was a tempting and flattering offer. I sold +my paper, therefore, at Roseburg and with $4000 in money and good paper, +and a bill of sale of an office costing $2500, started to Salem. My +success there as a newspaper man was all that could be desired. A large +circulation was rapidly built up, and a daily as well as weekly started. + +In November of the same year occurred the first outbreak of the Modoc +Indians and a score of settlers and a few soldiers had been killed. +Governor Grover had ordered out two companies of volunteers under +General John E. Ross, a veteran of the Rogue River war, to assist the +regular army in quelling the insurrection. The outbreak, only for the +butchery of the citizens along the Lost river and Tule lake, was not +regarded as at all serious, as a few weeks would suffice to crush or +destroy the savages. But as weeks rolled on and still no surrender, nor +even a fight, the Governor became uneasy, since he could not understand +the delay. Finally, early in January, Judge Prim arrived from Jackson +county and had a conference with the Governor. It was scarcely 9 o'clock +in the morning when Mr. Gilfrey, private secretary to the Governor, came +to my office with a message that Governor Grover wished to see me at his +office at once. When I arrived there I found the Governor, Judge Prim +and General John F. Miller in consultation. The Governor explained to me +that there were stories of needless waste of time, that the Indians had +not been attacked, though there were 450 men within a few miles of their +camp, that hints of graft were afloat. Would I go in company with +General Miller and when could I start? I replied that I would go and by +the eleven o'clock train if General Miller was ready. + +Perhaps here is a proper place for a short history of the Modoc Indians; +their long series of murders and massacres--a series of appalling +crimes that have given to their country the name of "the dark and bloody +ground of the Pacific." Of all the aboriginal races of the continent the +Modocs stand pre-eminent as the most fierce, remorseless, cunning and +treacherous. From the day the white man first set foot upon his soil the +Modoc has been a merciless foe with whom there could be no peace. The +travelers through his country were forced to battle for their lives from +the day his country was entered until the boundary was passed. Trains of +immigrants, consisting of men, women and children, worn and weary with +the trials and hardships of the plains, were trapped and butchered. The +number of these victims mount up into the hundreds and constitute one of +the saddest chapters in the annals of American pioneers. + + + +Chapter VIII. + +History of the Modoc Indians. + +Voltaire describes his countrymen as "half devil and half monkey," and +this description applies with equal force to the Modoc tribe of Indians. +In general appearance they are far below the tribes of the northern +country. They did not possess the steady courage of the Nez Perces, nor +the wild dash of the Sioux, but in cunning, and savage ferocity they +were not excelled even by the Apaches. In war they relied mainly on +cunning and treachery, and the character of their country was eminently +suited for the display of these tactics. + +Our first knowledge of the Modocs was when they stole upon the camp of +Fremont in 1845 at a spring not far from the present site of the now +prosperous and thriving village of Dorris. It was here that Fremont +suffered the loss of some of his men, including two Delaware Indians, in +a daylight attack, and it was here that he was overtaken by a courier +and turned back to assist in the conquest of California. From that day +to the day when Ben Wright, with a handful of Yreka miners, broke their +war power in the so-called "Ben Wright massacre" the Modocs were ever +the cruel, relentless foe of the white man, murdering and pillaging +without other pretext and without mercy. It has been estimated, by those +best capable of giving an opinion, that from first to last not less than +three hundred men, women and children had been relentlessly murdered by +their hands, up to the beginning of the last war. + +The shores of their beautiful lakes and tributary streams are scattered +over with the graves and bleaching bones of their victims. Even among +neighboring tribes they were known and dreaded for their cunning +duplicity and savage ferocity. They are yet known among the Klamaths, +Pits, and Piutes as a foe to be dreaded in the days of their power, and +these people often speak of them in fear, not because they were brave in +open field, but because of their skulking and sudden attacks upon +unsuspecting foes. + +During the early 50's many immigrants, bound for Southern Oregon and +Northern California, passed through their country, traveling the road +that passed round the north end of Rett, or Tule Lake, and crossed Lost +river at the then mouth of that stream on a natural bridge of lava. A +short distance from where the road comes down from the hills to the lake +is the ever-memorable "Bloody point." This place has been appropriately +named and was the scene of some of the most sickening tragedies that +blacken the annals of this or any other country. At this point the rim +rock comes down to the edge of the waters of the lake, and receding in +the form of a half wheel, again approaches the water at a distance of +several hundred yards, forming a complete corral. Secreted among the +rocks, the Indians awaited until the hapless immigrants were well within +the corral, and then poured a shower of arrows and bullets among them. +The victims, all unconscious of danger, taken by surprise, and +surrounded on all sides, with but the meager shelter of their wagons, +were at the mercy of their savage foes. + +In 1850, an immigrant train was caught in this trap, and of the eighty +odd men, women and children, but one escaped to tell the awful tale. On +the arrival of the news at Jacksonville, Colonel John E. Ross raised a +company of volunteers among the miners and hastened to the scene of +butchery. Arriving at Bloody Point, the scene was such as to make even +that stern old veteran turn sick. The men had died fighting, and their +naked bodies lay where they fell. Those of the women not killed during +the fight were reserved for a fate ten thousand times worse. The +mutilated remains scattered about the ground were fearfully swollen and +distorted and partly devoured by wolves and vultures, little children, +innocent and tender babes, torn from their mothers' arms, had been taken +by the heels and their brains dashed out against the wagon wheels, +killed like so many blind puppies. One young woman had escaped out of +the corral but had been pursued and butchered in a most inhuman manner. +Her throat was cut from ear to ear, her breasts cut off, and otherwise +mutilated. Her body was found a mile and a half from the wrecked and +half-burned train, and was discovered by her tracks and those of her +pursuers. + +Again in 1851 Captain John F. Miller raised a company of volunteers at +Jacksonville and went out to meet and escort the immigrant trains +through the country of the Modocs. Arriving at Bloody point at daylight +one morning and finding a train surrounded, he at once vigorously +attacked the savages and drove them away, with the loss of several of +their warriors. His timely arrival prevented a repetition of the +previous year's horror. The savages were followed into the lava beds, +but here he was compelled to give up the pursuit, as further advance +into this wilderness was to court disaster. The train had been +surrounded several days and a number of its members killed and wounded. +An escort was sent with the train beyond Lost river and then returned to +guard the pass until all the immigrants should have passed through. + +During Captain Miller's stay here his scouts discovered smoke coming out +of the tules several miles north and west of the peninsula. Tule Lake at +that time was a mere tule swamp and not the magnificent body of water we +see today. Taking a number of canoes captured from the Indians to lead +the way, and mounting his men on their horses, the spot was surrounded +at daylight and a large number of women and children captured. +Notwithstanding many were dressed in bloody garments, they were all well +treated. They were held prisoners until the company was ready to leave, +when they were turned loose. + +Another company of immigrants was murdered on Crooked creek not far from +the ranch of Van Bremer Bros. on the west and south side of lower +Klamath lake. Who they were, where they came from, how many in the +train, will ever remain an impenetrable mystery. Waiting friends "back +in the States" have probably waited long for some tidings of them, but +tidings, alas, that never came. We only know that the ill-fated train +was destroyed, the members murdered and their wagons burned. Scarface +Charley told John Fairchilds that when he was a little boy the Indians +killed a great many white people at this point. The charred remains of +the wagons and moldering bones of the owners were yet visible when I +visited the spot during the Modoc war. Charley said that two white girls +were held captives and that one morning while encamped at Hot creek the +Indians got into a dispute over the ownership of one of them and to end +matters the chief caught her by the hair and cut her throat. Her body, +Charley said, was thrown into the rim rock above the Dorris house. +Hearing the story in February, 1873, while we were encamped at Van +Bremer's ranch, Colonel C. B. Bellinger and I made a search for the body +of the ill-fated girl. We found the skull and some bones but nothing +more. Enough, however, to verify the story told by Charley. What became +of the other Charley did not know, but her fate can better be imagined +than described. + + + +Chapter IX. + +The Ben Wright Massacre. + +This so-called massacre has been the source of endless controversy, and +during the progress of the Modoc war afforded Eastern sentimentalists +grounds for shedding crocodile tears in profusion. They found in this +story ample grounds for justification of the foul butchery of General +Canby and the Peace Commission. According to their view, these "poor +persecuted people" were merely paying the white man back in his own +coin, and a lot more such rot. + +According to this story, Ben Wright had proposed a treaty and while the +Indians were feasting, all unconscious of intended harm, were set upon +and ninety of their warriors murdered in cold blood. Captain Jack's +father, they said, was among the victims, and it was to avenge this +wrong that Canby and the Peace Commission were murdered under a flag of +truce. The story was without other foundation than the bloody battle +fought by Ben Wright and his Yreka volunteers with the Modoc tribe +during the fall of 1852. I will here give the true story as detailed to +me by Frank Riddle, one of Ben Wright's men, and which I believe is +absolutely true. + +In the fall of 1852 Ben Wright raised a company of thirty-six men around +Yreka and went out to guard the immigrants through the country of the +Modocs. The company arrived in time and safely escorted all trains past +the danger point. The lesson taught the year before by Captain Miller +had instilled into the savage heart a wholesome fear of the white man's +rifle and revolver. They dared not attack the ever-watchful white men +openly, but determined to effect by strategy what they dared not attempt +in the open field. Accordingly they sent a messenger to Wright proposing +a treaty. The messenger, among other things, told Wright that they held +two captive white girls, which they wished to surrender as an evidence +of good faith. Ben Wright was anxious to rescue the girls and readily +consented to a treaty, and promised to kill a beef and have a feast. The +Indians in considerable numbers came to the camp, headed by the chief. +Wright was then camped on the peninsula, a place admirably adapted to +guard against surprise. A feast was had and all went well. The white +girls were to be surrendered three days later at the mouth of Lost +river, to which place the white men moved, followed by the Indians. The +latter were very friendly and exerted themselves to win the confidence +of the white men. Three days passed but no white girls showed up. The +chief assured Wright that they were coming, that they were a long way +off and would be on hand two days later. In the meantime the watchful +white men observed that the numbers of the Indians had more than doubled +and more and more were coming with each succeeding day. They became +suspicious and their suspicions ripened into a certainty that treachery +was meditated. At the expiration of the two days Ben Wright informed his +men of his plans. He was satisfied that the girls would never be +surrendered, but that the Indians, now outnumbering them five to one, +intended a massacre. Accordingly he told his men to quietly make ready; +that he was going to the chief and if he refused to surrender the girls +he would kill him then and there. He warned his men to pay no attention +to him, that he would make his way out as best he could; that they must +open fire at the instant his pistol rang out; that they were in a +desperate situation and must resort to desperate measures or all would +be butchered then and there. + +The morning was cool, Riddle said, and Ben Wright covered himself with a +blanket, his head passing through a hole in the middle, as was the +custom of the time, the blanket answering the place of an overcoat. +Underneath the blanket he carried a revolver in each hand. He went +directly to the chief and demanded that he make his promises good. The +chief told him plainly, insolently, that he would not do so, and never +intended to do so; that he had men enough to kill the white men and that +they were now in his power. But the wily old chief little dreamed of the +desperate valor of the man before him, for no sooner had the chief's +defy passed his lips than Ben Wright shot him dead. Then firing right +and left as he ran, he made his escape out of the Indian camp. +Meanwhile, as the first shot rang out from Wright's pistol his men +opened a deadly fire with their rifles. For an instant, Riddle said, the +savages formed a line and sent a shower of arrows over their heads, but +they aimed too high and only one or two were slightly wounded. Dropping +their rifles, Wright's men charged, revolvers in hand. This was too much +for savage valor and what were left fled in terror. It was now no longer +a battle. The savages were searched out from among the sage brush and +shot like rabbits. Long poles were taken from the wickiups and those +taking refuge in the river were poked out and shot as they struggled in +the water. To avoid the bullets the Indians would dive and swim beneath +the water, but watching the bubbles rise as they swam, the men shot them +when they came up for air. + +This is the true story of the "Ben Wright Massacre." It was a massacre +all right, but did not terminate as the Indians intended. Riddle told me +that about ninety Indians were killed in this fight. It broke the war +power of the Modoc Indians as a tribe for all time, and from that day +the white man could pass unvexed through the country of the Modocs. +There were probably isolated cases of murder, but nothing approaching +war ever again existed in the minds of the Modocs. + + + +Chapter X. + +Treaty With the Modocs is Made. + +On the 14th day of October, 1864, the Modocs entered into a treaty with +the Federal government by which they ceded all rights to the Lost river +and Tule lake country for a consideration of $320,000. In addition to +this they were to receive a body of land on the Klamath reservation of +768,000 acres, or a little more than 420 acres for each man, woman and +child. Immediately after the ratification of the treaty all the Modoc +Indians moved to the lands allotted to them, where the tribe remained, +and yet remains. This may be news to most of my readers, but it is a +fact that the Modoc Indians as a tribe continued to keep faith with the +government. The band under Captain Jack were merely renegades who, +dissatisfied with their new home, left the reservation and went back to +Lost river and Tule Lake. Jack himself was wanted for murder, and sought +an asylum in the lava beds, or the country adjacent thereto, where he +gathered around him renegades from other tribes--renegades outlawed by +Indians and whites alike. Some of the Indians in Jack's band were from +the Columbia river region, others from coast tribes, and all were +outlaws. One of the leaders, Bogus Charley, was an Umpqua Indian and was +raised by a white man named Bill Phips. He spoke good English and asked +me about many of the old timers. + +In securing his ascendancy over this band of outlaws Jack was assisted +by his sister, "Queen Mary," so-called, who lived many years with a +white man near Yreka. In the opinion of Captain I. D. Applegate. Mary +was the brains of the murderous crew who gathered in the "hole in the +wall," under her brother. She was the go-between for the Indians with +the whites about Yreka, where they did their trading and where they +supplied themselves with arms and ammunition, and it was through her +that Judge Steele, a lawyer of Yreka, was interested in getting a +reservation for them. Steele made a trip to Washington to plead their +cause, and received a fee of $1000. He failed, but held out hope to his +clients and urged them under no circumstances to go back to their lands +at Klamath, advising them as counsel to take up lands in severalty under +the pre-emption laws of the United States. It is charitable to suppose +that Judge Steele did not foresee the disastrous consequences of his +counsel, yet he knew that Jack was wanted at the Klamath agency for +murder. In furtherance of his advice he wrote the following +self-explanatory letter to Henry Miller, afterwards murdered in a most +barbarous manner by the very men whom he had befriended: + +Yreka, Sept. 19, 1872. + +Mr. Henry F. Miller--Dear Sir: You will have to give me a description +of the lands the Indians want. If it has been surveyed, give me the +township, range, section and quarter-section. If not, give me a rude +plat of it by representing the line of the lake and the line of the +river, so that I can describe it . . . Mr. Warmmer, the County Surveyor, +will not go out there, so I will have to send to Sacramento to get one +appointed. Send an answer by an Indian, so that I can make out their +papers soon. I did not have them pay taxes yet, as I did not know +whether the land is surveyed and open for pre-emption. + +Respectfully yours, +E. Steele. + +Other letters were written by Judge Steele to the Indians. One which was +taken to Mrs. Body to read for them advised them not to go to Klamath, +but to "remain on their Yreka farm," as he termed the Tule Lake and Lost +river country, and told them they had as good a right to the lands as +any one. He further told them to go to the settlers and compel them to +give them written certificates of good character to show to the agents +of the government, which they did, the settlers fearing to refuse. +Shortly after this, Mr. T. B. Odeneal, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, +attempted to have a conference with Jack, who flatly refused, saying he +was tired of talking; he wanted no white man to tell him what to do; +that his friends and counselors at Yreka had told them to stay where +they were. + +Under these circumstances the settlers became alarmed and made the +Superintendent promise that they should be notified before any attempt +to use force was made. How that promise was carried out will appear +later on. Early in November, after repeated attempts to induce the +Indians under Jack to go peaceably back to the reservation, +Superintendent Odeneal determined to turn the matter over to the +military. The Commissioner of Indian Affairs directed him to put the +Indians back, peaceably if he could, by force if he must. He then +referred the whole matter to Major Jackson, then in command at Fort +Klamath, who had at his disposal thirty-six men of Company B, First +cavalry, and proceeded with his command to Linkville, where he was met +by Captain I. D. Applegate, at that time connected with the Indian +department and stationed at the Yainax reservation. Captain Jackson was +warned by Applegate of the desperate character of the Indians, but +informed him the force was sufficient in his opinion if proper +precautions were taken. In the meantime Mr. Odeneal had sent his +messenger, O. A. Brown, to notify the settlers. Instead he proceeded to +the Bybee ranch, carefully concealing from all the proposed movements of +the troops under Jackson. Afterwards when reproached by Mrs. Schira, +whose husband, father and brothers had been murdered, he gave the +heartless answer that he "was not paid to run after the settlers." After +realizing the full extent of his conduct--conduct that could not be +defended any other way--Brown attempted to cast the odium upon his +superior, Mr. Odeneal. However, the latter had a copy of his letter of +instructions, hence Brown lapsed into sullen silence. + +Major Jackson started for the Indian encampment on Lost river on the +28th of November, leaving Linkville, now Klamath Falls, after dark. He +was accompanied by Captain Applegate, and he had supplied his men with +twenty rounds of ammunition. Before reaching the encampment he halted +his men, saddle girths were tightened, overcoats tied behind saddles and +carbines loaded. It was then nearly daylight and proceeding with caution +he reached the encampment just at daylight. It was understood that the +command was to be divided so as to strike the camp on two sides, thus +commanding the river bank and the brush back of the camp at one and the +same time. Instead of this, Captain Jackson galloped his troop in +between the river and the camp and dismounted, his men forming a line +with horses in the rear. + +While all this was going on another force, consisting of a dozen +settlers, had come down from the Bybee ranch to capture the Hot Creek +band on the opposite side of the river from Jack's camp. O. A. Brown had +arrived there in the evening but said nothing to any one until 2 o'clock +in the morning, when he roused them up and told them that the soldiers +would attack the Indians at daylight. They arrived just as Jackson lined +his men up on the opposite side. Jud Small, a stock man, was riding a +young horse and at the crack of the first gun his horse began bucking. +Everything was confusion, the men retreating to a small cabin a hundred +yards away, except Small, who was holding on to his horse for dear life +all this time. Over wickiups, squaws, bucks and children the frightened +beast leaped. Just how he got out safe among his companions Small never +knew, but he escaped, only to be desperately wounded in the first fight +in the lava beds, and later finding a watery grave in Klamath river +while sailing a pleasure boat. + +After dismounting his men, Major Jackson requested Captain Applegate to +go forward among the Indians and tell them they must surrender and go +back to the reservation. But scarcely had Captain Applegate reached the +center of the village, when he saw the women running and throwing +themselves face downward in a low place between the two lines. He at +once called to Lieutenant Boutelle to "look out, they are going to +fire." Scarcely had the words escaped his lips when the Indians, +concealed under their wickiups, opened a galling fire on the line of +troops. Applegate made his way back to the line as best he could and as +he reached the line he picked up a carbine that had fallen from the hand +of a wounded soldier. The poor fellow had just strength enough to +unbuckle his belt and hand it to Captain Applegate, who now called to +Lieutenant Boutelle that "if we don't drive them out of their camp they +will kill us all." Boutelle then ordered a charge, and drove the Indians +out of their camp, through the brush and out into the open hills beyond. +But this was accomplished by the loss of several men killed and wounded. +One Indian had been killed, a Columbia, one of the most desperate of the +renegade band. When Applegate got back to where Jackson was standing he +had all the women and children gathered around him and while several men +had been killed or wounded, he deemed the trouble at an end. + +While the above events were transpiring, Dave Hill, a Klamath Indian, +swam the river and drove in all the Modocs' horses. With the women, +children and horses in their possession all that remained for Captain +Jackson to do to insure the surrender of the men, was to take them to +the reservation and hold them. What was the surprise of Captain +Applegate, therefore, when Jackson announced his intention of turning +them all loose. In vain he and Dave Hill protested, but to no purpose. +Jackson declared he was short of ammunition; besides, must care for his +wounded men. He then told the squaws to pack up their horses and go to +the men and tell them to come to the reservation. No more mad, idiotic +piece of folly was ever perpetrated by a man than this move of Captain +Jackson. + +While they were talking two travelers were seen riding along the road +some hundreds of yards away. In vain the men on both sides of the river +attempted to warn them of danger. The Indians were seen to ride up to +them and deliberately shoot them down. This of itself should have warned +Jackson of the desperate character of the outlaws. But no, he was either +too cowardly to act intelligently or too indifferent of the consequences +to act as he was advised. In fact, there is a certain class of army +officers who deem it a disgrace to accept advice from a civilian. At any +rate he crossed his wounded men over the river in canoes to the cabin +held by the party of stock men, and mounting his men went six miles up +the river to the ford and put the river between himself and command and +danger. + +As soon as the squaws and children reached the men, a party headed by +"Black Jim" mounted and started down the shores of the lake butchering +the settlers. They came first to the Body ranch, where the men were +getting wood from the hills and heartlessly butchered them in cold +blood. The manner is best told in Mrs. Body's own words in a letter to +me in which she says: + +"I reside three miles from the Indian camp on Lost river. The Indians +had told us time and again that if the soldiers came to put them on the +reservation they would kill every white settler. Through hearing of +these threats, we requested the messengers never to come with soldiers +without first giving the settlers warning. This they failed to do. . . . +The male portion of my family, not being aware of any disturbance, were +out procuring firewood, and were suddenly attacked within a mile and a +half of the house and butchered in cold blood. About a quarter to twelve +my daughter saw her husband's team approaching the house at a rapid +gait, and as the team reached the house she noticed that the wagon was +covered with blood. Thinking the team had run away she ran up the road +to find him. About a quarter of a mile from the house she discovered +him. I hastened after her with water, and as I arrived at the spot my +daughter was stooping over the body of her husband. Six Indians then +dashed out of the brush on horseback. Two of them rode up to me and +asked if there were any white men at the house. Not dreaming that there +was anything wrong with the Indians, I told them that the team had run +away and killed white man. They then gave a warwhoop and rode off +towards the house. On examining my son-in-law, we found that he had been +shot through the head. We then knew that the redskins were on the +warpath, and determined to find the other men. Going a short distance we +found my eldest son killed and stripped naked. The four horses were +gone. About a quarter of a mile further on we saw more Indians in the +timber where my husband was chopping wood, so we concluded we had better +not go any further in that direction, and made our way to the hills. My +youngest son, a boy of thirteen years of age, was herding sheep about a +mile from the house when he was killed. They shot him and then cut his +throat. We continued to travel until it became too dark to discern our +way, and then sat down at the foot of a tree and stayed until daylight. +We then started again, not knowing where we were going, but hoping to +strike some house. There was two feet of snow on the ground and our +progress was slow and tedious. Finally we arrived at Lost river bridge +about 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon. Here we learned for the first time +that there had been a fight between the soldiers and Indians. If the +settlers had been warned in time not one white person would have been +killed, as we all had arms and ammunition sufficient to defend +themselves successfully." + +The Brotherton Family was not killed until the next day. They lived +eight miles south of the Bodys, and like the latter were attending to +their duties about the ranch. A twelve-year-old boy, Charley Brotherton, +while the Indians were killing the hired man, cut one of the horses +loose from the wagon and escaped to the house, where he built a pen of +sacks of flour in the center of the floor to protect his mother and the +little children and with a rifle held the savages at bay for three days, +or until relieved by volunteers. The house, a two-story box affair, was +literally riddled with bullets and how the boy escaped being shot is a +mystery. The other settlers, seventeen in all, were similarly murdered. +Henry Miller, who had befriended the Indians, was murdered under +conditions of peculiar atrocity, for the reason, it was supposed, that +he had failed to notify the Indians of the movements of the soldiers as +he had promised. + +During all these three days of murder and horror, Captain Jackson made +no attempt to protect the settlers, but remained forted up at the cabin +on Lost river. As soon as the news reached Linkville, now Klamath Falls, +Captain O. C. Applegate organized a company of settlers and friendly +Indians to protect what was left of the settlement. Captain Ivan D. +Applegate also exerted himself in saving the settlers, and did brave +work, but there were women and children to protect and days elapsed +before an effective force could be gathered to meet the Indians. +Meantime news had reached Jackson county and Captain Kelley hastily +organized a force of a hundred men and by riding night and day reached +the scene of the massacre. It was his company that relieved the besieged +Brothertons, defended by the brave boy. + +In the meantime the Indians had retreated to the lava beds and bade +defiance to the soldiers. General Wheaton, commanding the district of +the Lakes, ordered the concentration of troops from Camps Warner and +Bidwell, while General Canby sent the forces under Colonel John Green +and Major Mason from Ft. Vancouver to join the command under General +Wheaton. As soon as the settlers could fort up for mutual protection, +the entire forces of regulars and volunteers were concentrated at Van +Bremer's ranch west of the lava beds under General Wheaton and at Land's +ranch on the east side of Tule Lake and directly north of the +stronghold. Such was the disposition of the forces when I arrived at +headquarters at Van Bremer's ranch. By orders of Governor Grover of +Oregon the volunteers under Captains O. C. Applegate and Kelley were +placed under the command of General Wheaton. The two companies numbered +about 225 men, and were commanded by General John E. Ross, a veteran +Indian fighter, but too old to withstand the hardships of a winter +campaign against Indians. The men were all poorly provided with clothing +and bedding, most all having taken only what they could strap behind +their saddles, but in spite of this and a temperature often below zero, +no murmur was heard, and all anxiously, eagerly looked forward to a +meeting with the brutal savage murderers of their fellow citizens. Such +were the conditions when I arrived at headquarters. + + + +Chapter XI. + +Battle in the Lava Beds. + +On Sunday, January 12, 1873, a strong reconnoitering force was sent out +under Colonel Perry of the regulars and Captain O. C. Applegate of the +volunteers. On the bluff overlooking the lava beds they found the +Indians and found them full of fight. A picket was surprised and a gun +captured, but they were unable to say whether any of them had been +wounded in the skirmish. The Indians, however, came out in force and a +brisk skirmish was kept up for some time when the troops, having +accomplished the object of their mission, retired. + +All the reinforcements having now arrived it was determined to attack +the savages on the following Friday. The plans of General Wheaton were +submitted to the volunteer officers and fully approved. General Frank +Wheaton was an officer of experience and unquestioned ability. He was a +veteran of the Civil war, and commanded 20,000 troops at the battle of +the Wilderness, besides having the confidence and esteem of officers and +men. Every contingency was guarded against, at least as far as it was +possible to foresee it. The troops organized for the attack were +Bernard's and Perry's troops of cavalry, and Green's and Mason's +infantry, numbering 250 men; Captain Applegate's and Captain Kelley's +volunteers, numbering 225 men, Donald McKay's Indian scouts numbering +fifty and the California volunteers under John Fairchilds and Presley +Dorris. + +By general field order, Bernard was to move down from Land's ranch on +Wednesday, January 1 16th, and occupy a position not less than two miles +from the stronghold. At the same time Colonel Perry was to push across +the trail to the bluff with his dismounted troop, while General Wheaton +with the infantry and volunteers, ambulances, three howitzers, reserve +ammunition, etc., was to go around by Little Klamath Lake and join the +command of Colonel Perry under cover of darkness. This was regarded +advisable as it was feared that the Indians, discovering our numbers, +would leave the lava beds and scatter. Every soldier and volunteer had +been ordered to prepare four days' rations, cooked. There was no +question in our minds as to whipping the Indians, but we wanted to +surround and capture them. + +On the morning of the 16th all was astir and as day began to break the +troops were all drawn up in line. I had determined to cross the trail +with Perry and was sitting on my horse when I heard a man hallo "O," and +as I turned my head heard the report of his gun. The fellow, a recruit +in Mason's battalion of regulars, had deliberately shot off his great +toe to keep from going into the fight. He pulled the trigger of his gun +and halloed, before the gun was discharged. I mention this to show the +difference in men. Here was a poor weak devil who would rather maim +himself for life than to face danger where he might be killed, but it is +safe to say that nine-tenths of the rest would have gone even after the +loss of the toe. + +We arrived in sight of the rim of the bluff about 2 o'clock and saw the +Indian pickets. Colonel Perry threw out a skirmish line and the advance +was ordered. Before getting within rifle range the pickets disappeared +and we took possession. I now got my first view of the lava beds, as +they stretched black and forbidding nearly a thousand feet below. A fog +rested over the lake, but we could soon see through the rifts along the +lake shore the Indians on horseback coming out to attack us. They +appeared like phantom horsemen, and our Indian guide told us they were +coming out to attack us, as there were "only a few and they are afoot." +A few had reached the bluff and had begun a scattering fire, when we +heard several shots that appeared to come directly from the stronghold. +The Indian guide told us he thought they were killing some Indians that +did not want to fight. As he had relatives among them the poor fellow +showed the distress he felt. A few minutes later we heard several more +shots, and I told Colonel Perry I heard Bernard's bugle. A few minutes +later the clear notes of the bugle rang out clear and distinct, though +it was fully five miles away. Yet in that clear, cold, dry atmosphere +every note sounded as clear and distinct as though but a mile away. +Bernard's column had followed the lake, and under cover of the fog +enveloping the shore, had approached much nearer than his orders +contemplated. He was at once savagely attacked and all evening the +rattle of the guns sounded like many bunches of fire crackers. +Repeatedly we heard him sound the charge and we all fretted that we +could not descend and join in the battle. Perry's men were desperately +afraid that "the Apache boys," as Bernard's men were called, would clean +out the Indians and leave them nothing to do on the morrow. But our +orders forbade and we contented ourselves with listening to the fight +from a distance without being able to take a hand. Toward night the fog +cleared away and we had an unobstructed view of the stronghold. + +I have often been asked to describe the lava beds. That is beyond the +power of language. In a letter to the Army and Navy journal, written at +the suggestion of General Wheaton, I compared the Indians in the lava +beds to "ants in a sponge." In the language of another it is a "black +ocean tumbled into a thousand fantastic shapes, a wild chaos of ruin, +desolation, barrenness--a wilderness of billowy upheavals, of furious +whirlpools, of miniature mountains rent asunder, of gnarled and knotted, +wrinkled and twisted masses of blackness, and all these weird shapes, +all this turbulent panorama, all this far-stretching waste of blackness, +with its thrilling suggestiveness of life, of action, of boiling, +surging, furious motion was petrified--all stricken dead and cold in +the instant of its maddest rioting fettered, paralyzed and left to +glower at heaven in impotent rage for evermore." + +Towards night the rattle of the guns gradually died away and the yell of +the savages was hushed for the day. Leaving a strong guard on the bluff +we joined General Wheaton a few hundred yards in the rear, anxiously +awaited the coming of another day, little dreaming what that day was to +bring forth. There was little sleep that night. The frozen ground with a +pair of blankets is not a bed of roses, and is little conducive to sleep +and rest. Most of the night was spent around the fires until 2 o'clock +when all were ordered to "fall in." The order of march and battle was as +follows: The command of Fairchilds and Dorris occupied the extreme left +along the lake shore; Mason's infantry battalion, with mountain +howitzers packed, joined Fairchild's right; Captain Kelley's command +occupied the center with his left resting on Mason's right; Captain +Applegate connected with Kelley's right and Perry's left, who occupied +the extreme left wing; while Donald McKay's Indians formed a skirmish +line in advance. The whole line stretched out a mile or more. As the +line filed out of camp, their arms glittering in the bright moonlight, +they formed a beautiful and inspiring sight. The command, "Forward on +the line" was now given and we moved forward at a brisk walk. I galloped +down the line and watched it as it descended the steep bluff. Low down +and stretching over the lava beds lay a dense fog, and as the head of +the line disappeared it looked as if it were going into the sea. As I +sat there General Wheaton came up and insisted that I should leave my +horse. On my consenting reluctantly, he detailed a soldier who took the +animal back to camp. + +As we reached the bottom of the bluff the entire line was deployed in +the form of a half wheel, the intention being to surround the savages by +connecting with Bernard's left and capture the entire band. Daylight now +began to peep through the fog and night, and "forward on the line" was +given and taken up by subalterns and repeated until it died away in the +distance. There were no skirmishers now. McKay and his Indians fell back +and remained in the rear for the rest of the day. Slowly the line moved +forward, stumbling along over rocks, but keeping in perfect order of +battle. Soon several shots were heard on the extreme right. It was +daylight, and someone called that the Indians were escaping around +Perry's right. Up to this time I had been with General Wheaton in the +rear, but ran out to the line in time to see the Indians in our front +leaping from rock to rock about five hundred yards away. The fog had +lifted and a clear day was promised. I jumped upon a lava wave and +waited for them to stop to get a shot. Instantly a bullet sang over my +head, but thinking they were shooting at me from that distance paid no +attention, but continued watching the leaping red devils. In about the +time that is required to throw in a cartridge and take aim, another +bullet went by, but it hissed this time and raised the hair on one side +of my head. Still thinking that they were shooting at me from a long +distance, I dropped on my knee with rifle to shoulder. Instantly the red +devil, with sage brush tied round his head raised up about ninety yards +from me and again fired. I only caught a glimpse of him as he made a few +zig zag leaps among the rocks and disappeared. I fired at random but +failed to wing my game. That taught a rash, presumptuous young fool a +lesson, and he contented himself for the balance of the day imitating +the men in the line, and keeping well under cover. + +"Forward on the line" was ever the command and by 12 o'clock we had +driven the Indians through the rocks several miles. Presently word came +down the line that the volunteers could not be found. I started up the +line when General Wheaton called to me to come back. Returning he +directed me to give that order to Donald McKay. It was fortunate for me +that I was called back, otherwise I should have gone in behind the +"juniper fort," a strong fort built around a stunted juniper tree, and +standing on a high point of lava. I gave the order to McKay who was +riding a small pony, and he had proceeded but a short distance when the +Indians opened on him from the fort and killed his pony. Some one +remarked that "the volunteers are firing on McKay," as the shooting was +considerably in the rear and to the right. We all ran up on a point when +half a dozen bullets came singing around us. For once in my life I was +glad as I distinctly saw Col. John Green dodge. He was an old soldier +and had probably been in more battles than any man in the army and to +see him dodge from bullets was salve to my pride. + +A few minutes later we heard a yell to the right and rear as Kelley's +and Applegate's men found the fort and charged it on the run. It +transpired that it was Mason's line that had given way and the +volunteers, feeling their way, had found the fort and taken it. But they +lost two men, Frank Trimble and a man named Brown of Kelley's command. +Lieutenant Evan Ream of Kelley's company, was also wounded, but he, +refused to leave the line after his knee had been bandaged. A large +caliber bullet had hit a rock and glancing had struck him on the knee +with the flat side, cutting through his clothing and burying itself in +the flesh. He was knocked down and we all thought for a time he was +killed. He is now a merchant-banker at Klamath Falls. To give the reader +a slight idea of the difficulties under which we labored, I will relate +one incident occurring near where I was standing. A soldier was crawling +up an upheaval, pushing his rifle before him, when he was shot through +the body from underneath. + +At about 2 o'clock Col. Perry came down the line and told Gen. Wheaton +that he could go no further. A deep chasm, he said, in his front could +not be crossed. "By gad," replied the General, "Col. Perry, you must +cross it." "I can cross it, General, but it will cost me half my +command. Every man attempting to cross it has been killed, and two +litter bearers going to the relief of a wounded man were killed." Word +now reached us from Fairchilds that Bernard was calling for help. He had +called across an arm of the lake that ran up into the lava beds that he +had more wounded men that he could take care of. Gen. Wheaton was now +thoroughly distressed, saying "when Bernard hallows he is badly hurt." +We then determined to try shelling the Indians with the howitzers and I +started back to find the pack mules. Reader, if you ever tried to appear +as if you were'nt scared, with bullets screaming around you, and with +your back to the enemy, you will know something of my feelings. Those +big fellows, striking in the rocks would glance and scream with an +unearthly noise. My legs wanted to run, but pride held them in check. +And right here I want to say, that bravery is only pride and a good +control over your legs. I finally found the pack mules and started back, +but it wasn't half as hard facing it and we came bravely up to the line. +The guns were planted and opened with shells timed to three hundred +yards. Two burst and a call came from Bernard's men that we were +shelling their rear guard. + +Firing with the howitzers ceased as it was clearly a failure, and a +consultation was held. We knew our loss was heavy, Gen. Ross declaring +it "is worse than Hungry Hill." It was finally determined to send a +column to relieve Col. Bernard. Accordingly Fairchild's California +volunteers, Mason's battalion and Perry's dismounted cavalry were +ordered to cut their way around the lake shore and join Bernard. +Fairchild's men passed over the point without loss, but several of +Mason's men were killed in plain sight. The soldiers balked and refused +to advance. Col. Green ran down the line and leaping upon the point +turned his back to the Indians and with a gauntlet in his hand used +language that was scarcely fit for a parlor. Gen. Wheaton also joined +and with a sword taken from a bugler boy, ran down the line urging the +men to move forward. They soon began the advance and passed over the +point and out of sight. Meantime I was moving the volunteers down +towards the lake to take the places in our front vacated by the relief +column. The battle now became desperate, the Indians concentrating all +their forces against the column going round the lake. In this situation +the volunteers pressed forward and soon we could hear the women and +children crying. Applegate's men were almost on top of them and were +getting into camp. We were within 50 yards of the scalp pole over Jack's +cave which was the center of the stronghold. The volunteers were anxious +to charge. I went back to where Gen. Wheaton was standing and explaining +the situation asked permission to charge with all the volunteers. The +fog had raised and Capt. Adams of the signal staff was signaling to +Bernard. I told Gen. Wheaton if he would have Bernard cease firing I +would charge and close the Indians out in twenty minutes, that our men +were on top of them. + +The General walked rapidly back and forth, snapping his fingers for a +few moments, and then turning to me exclaimed: "You can go, but not with +my consent. We have lost too many men already--five times more than +Jackson lost at New Orleans. The country will not justify this sacrifice +of human life. You have taken these young men and boys off the farms and +from stores, schools and shops and their lives are worth something to +their families and to their country. You can go but not with my +consent." Then turning to Gen. Ross, who had scarcely spoken a word +during the day, he said: "General, what had we better, do?" "We had +better get out of here, by God," exclaimed the bluff old veteran. "All +right, Capt. Adams, tell Bernard that as soon as the relief column +reaches him to hold his position until dark and then withdraw," +exclaimed Wheaton in rapid succession. Then turning to me he said: +"Colonel, we will have to depend on the volunteers to protect our +wounded and mule train in getting out of this place." It was soon +arranged that the men were to keep firing until dark and then begin the +retreat. Just after sundown Bernard signaled that the relief column had +reached him, but there is not a question of doubt had not the volunteers +pressed the Indians so hard at a critical time Fairchild's, Mason's and +Perry's command would have been annihilated. Jud Small was badly wounded +in the shoulder and afterwards told me that he was shot by an Indian not +twenty feet away. At one point the men lay in the water and rolled over +and over with only their heads exposed. + +Night finally closed in and with the gathering darkness the fog rolled +in from the lake, increasing its intensity. Kelley's company was formed +in the rear with Applegate's company on the flank, and formed parallel +with the lake, along the shores of which we were to make our way, with +the wounded men on litters between. Finally the word was passed along +the lines to move forward. The night had meanwhile settled down to one +of Stygean blackness. Objects a foot away were indistinguishable, and we +had to feel rather than see our way. I fully realized the difficulties +and dangers of our situation, but my anxiety was for the nineteen +wounded men on the litters. I told Col. Bellinger that we must remain +together and behind the litter bearers, that I would rather leave my +body with our dead comrades in the rocks than to leave behind any of our +wounded men. But we had proceeded but a short distance when the lines +crumbled and became mixed up, in fact, an undistinguishable mob. Under +these circumstances, and relying on undisciplined troops, our position +was critical in the extreme. One shot would have precipitated a +stampede. Wheaton, Ross and Miller were somewhere mixed up among the +troops, but Bellinger and I stuck to the litter bearers and kept as many +of the men behind us as possible. + +Donald McKay's Indians were in the advance, somewhere, but we knew not +where. In this order, or rather disorder, we stumbled along blindly, +knowing the waters of the lake were on our right. The bottom of the +bluff was finally reached and word passed back that the Modocs had +captured and held the summit. I stopped as many of the men as possible +and asked Col. Bellinger to remain with the litter bearers and I would +go forward and if necessary capture it back. Reaching the front I found +Indians, volunteers and officers all jumbled together without semblance +of order. The Indians were confident the Modocs had killed the guards +left there in the morning and held the top of the bluff. I called for +volunteers, but not an Indian would go. I finally got a few volunteers +and began the ascent of the steep, rocky trail. The climb was tedious in +the extreme, and one can imagine my joy when on nearing the crest there +came the sharp call, "Who comes there?" I was prompt to reply "friends." +Learning that all was well, I retraced my steps to the bottom and gave +out the welcome news that everything was clear. + +Then began a scramble to reach the top. It was everybody for himself, as +it was too dark to even attempt to preserve a semblance of order or +discipline. Going to the rear I found Col. Bellinger with the wounded +men. Holding as many men as possible we began the ascent. As the litter +bearers gave out others took their places and the tired men slipped away +in the darkness. As we neared the top, Col. Bellinger and I relieved two +worn out bearers and that was the last we saw of them. In this condition +we staggered into camp at 2 o'clock in the morning, more dead than +alive. To add to the discomfort of the situation others had reached our +store of provisions ahead of us, and we simply had to do without. We had +now been on the march 24 hours. Our boot soles were almost cut away on +the sharp lava, and we were all but barefooted. But I had my horse, and +though I had nothing to eat, I felt greatly relieved. A few hours sleep +on the frozen ground and we were again astir. I was holding my horse to +graze when Gen. Wheaton's orderly came to me and stated that the General +wanted to see me at his tent. Handing him the halter strap I walked down +to the tent and stepped in. The General was sitting on the ground with a +can of coffee before him. He said he had a couple of cups of coffee and +four crackers and wanted to divide with me. It required no persuasion on +his part to induce me to accept. + +While we were sipping our coffee we discussed the events of the previous +day. The General was visibly affected and greatly worried. Even then we +did not know the full extent of our losses. The dead were left where +they fell and only our wounded carried out. Would the country justify +the sacrifice of life, not knowing the character of the country over +which we had fought? Speaking of the lava beds, the General remarked: "I +have seen something of war and know something of fortifications. I +commanded 19,000 men at the battle of the Wilderness and saw many of the +great engineering works of the Civil war, but I do not believe that a +hundred thousand men in a hundred thousand years could construct such +fortifications." This will give the reader a faint idea of the lava +beds. Indeed a regiment of men could conceal themselves in its caves and +fissures and ten thousand men could be marched over them without seeing +a man. + +Placing the wounded in ambulances we now broke camp and started to our +camp at Van Bremer's ranch. After a tiresome march by way of Lower +Klamath Lake, the wounded men undergoing terrible sufferings, we reached +camp at 11 o'clock that night. Here another difficulty confronted us. +Our provision train had not arrived and we were reduced to beef +straight. There was some murmuring among the men, kept up and agitated +by a doctor attached to Kelley's company who told the men that they had +been robbed and swindled by the officers. Hearing of this I hunted him +up. He said that a "soldier did not dare to complain without being +called a s-of-a-b." Twenty or thirty volunteers were standing around. I +explained that the wagons had been two weeks on the road; that they had +made only ten miles in seven days; and that a man, private or officer +who would talk about asking for his discharge, though all were entitled +to the same, was a son of a b-h, and a d--d one at that. He went to Gen. +Ross and complained of my language, but was told that the "Colonel knew +what he was talking about." The disgruntled pill mixer mounted his horse +and left, and that was the last we heard about being discharged. We +continued feasting on beef straight and fattened on the diet, at least I +did. + +The day after our return we buried the man I had seen shot through the +stomach, while crawling on his belly. Patrick Maher was buried with +military honors. On the fourth day the troops sent to relieve Col. +Bernard arrived at camp, and the reports all being in we found that 41 +men had been killed in the fighting on the 16th and 17th of January. The +death of Patrick Maher made 42, besides a long list of wounded. When we +consider that there were not more than 500 engaged, counting McKay's +Indians, the loss was heavy, and would the Government endorse or censure +the officers, was the question. + +As before stated, we were camped at the ranch of Van Bremer Bros. On our +return Col. Bellinger and I had to give up our quarters in an out house +to accommodate the wounded men and after that we slept, when we slept at +all, on the frozen ground with two thicknesses of blanket beneath us. +Under such circumstances it may easily be imagined that our periods of +sleep were of short duration. We would drop asleep and in an hour wake +up shivering. We would get up, cut off some beef and roast it before the +fires that were constantly kept burning, get warm and then lie down +again. I mention this, not because we were undergoing hardships more +trying than others, but to show how all, officers and men, fared. There +was no difference. One day a surgeon came to me and asked if I could +obtain some eggs for the wounded men, so I went to Van Bremer and got +half a dozen eggs and paid 50 cents each for them. He would not take +script but demanded and received the cash, nearly all I had. From that +time until our departure I spent a considerable portion of my time in +studying human villainy with the Van Bremers as a model. But I got even +with them--and then some. Before leaving I asked Gen. Ross for +permission to settle our hay bill in place of the Quartermaster, Mr. +Foudray. Capt. Adams and I then measured the hay used respectively by +the regulars and volunteers, and I feel safe in saying that those eggs +cost the Van Bremer Bros. $50 each. + +Of course they raved and ranted, declaring that we were worse than the +Modocs, but when they saw the tents of the regulars and blankets of the +volunteers being pulled down and rolled up they came to me and asked +what it meant. I told them that we had been ordered to the mouth of Lost +River on Tule Lake to protect the Oregon settlers, and that the regulars +were going also, but that Gen. Wheaton was going to leave a detail at +the Fairchilds ranch and that if they did not feel safe with the Modocs +they could move up there. They lost no time in loading a few effects +into a wagon and started with us to the Fairchilds ranch. On the road +they mired down and every man, regular and volunteer, passing them had +something bitter and mean to say to them. The story of the eggs was +known to all, and if ever men paid for a scurvy, mean trick it was the +Van Bremers. + +We moved around to Lost River and struck camp, where we remained about +ten days. As Gen. Wheaton felt competent to protect the settlements, and +as the term of enlistment of the volunteers had expired more than a +month before, we proceeded to Linkville and from there to Jacksonville +where the command of Capt. Kelley was disbanded, Applegate's company +having been discharged at Linkville. I then returned to Salem and a few +days later paid a visit to Gen. Canby at Ft. Vancouver in company with +Governor L. F. Grover. The entire situation was gone over, Gen. Canby +expressing entire confidence in the ability of Gen. Wheaton and his +officers. Fortunate, indeed, would it have been had that brave officer +and splendid gentleman been left to develop and carry out his plans, but +unhappily that was not to be, for the churches succeeded in hypnotizing +the grim soldier in the White House, and the result was the "Peace +Commission." + + + +Chapter XII. + +The Peace Commission's Work. + +A. B. Meacham was at that time in Washington. He had been superseded as +Superintendent of Indian Affairs by T. B. Odeneal. Meacham wanted the +place, and backed by the churches and humanitarians of New England, +thought he could accomplish his purpose by means of a compromise with +Jack and his band. He declared to President Grant that he knew Jack to +be an honorable man and that he could easily effect a compromise and +induce the outlaws to return to the reservation. Meantime a clamor went +up all over the country, especially in the east. Sentimentalists shed +barrels of tears over the wrongs of the Indians, the horrors of the Ben +Wright massacre were recapitulated with all manner of untruthful +variations, and the great Beecher from the pulpit of his Brooklyn +tabernacle sent up a prayer for "that poor, persecuted people whose long +pent up wrongs had driven them to acts of outrage and diabolical +murder." Delegations, at the instigation of Meacham, visited the White +House and finally succeeded in bending the iron will of the grim old +soldier to their own. The hands that slew the Bodys and Brothertons were +to be clasped in a spirit of brotherly love, and the principles and +precepts of the "Lowly Nazarene" were to be extended to these gentle +butchers. + +Accordingly in February a commission was appointed consisting of A. B. +Meacham, Jesse Applegate, and S. Case. The commission arrived at +headquarters towards the last of February. They were instructed by the +Commissioner of Indian Affairs "to ascertain the causes which led to +hostilities between the Modocs and the U. S. troops;" to offer them a +reservation somewhere on the coast with immunity for past crimes. In +vain Gov. Grover of Oregon protested against any compromise with the +murderers of Oregon citizens. He held that they were amenable to the +laws of that State, had been indicted by a grand jury, and should be +tried and executed as the law directs, but his protest was passed +unheeded and the commissioners proceeded to carry out their +instructions. Bob Whittle and his Indian wife were sent to convey the +terms to Capt. Jack and his band, but Jack refused to have anything to +do with the commissioners, although willing to talk to Judges +Roseborough and Steele of Yreka. These gentlemen proceeded to the camp +in the lava beds and held a conference and found that Jack was anxious +for peace; was tired of war; did not know the commissioners; but wanted +to talk to the chief soldiers, Generals Canby and Gillem. The former had +arrived and assumed command of the one thousand or more troops +assembled, while the latter had superseded Gen. Wheaton. John Fairchilds +also had an interview with them in the lava beds and was only saved from +massacre by one of the Indians, who kept him in his cave all night and +escorted him beyond the lines the next morning. After some weeks of +delay Jack finally agreed to a conference with the commissioners, but +the terms were such as to leave no doubt of intended treachery, and Mr. +Applegate and Mr. Case resigned in disgust. It was apparent to these men +that the Indians only sought an opportunity to murder Gen. Canby and +such other officers as they could get into their power, but Meacham was +determined to succeed, as that was the only means of getting back his +job as Superintendent of Indian Affairs. Accordingly Rev. Dr. Thomas of +Oakland and Mr. Dyer, Indian agent at Klamath, were appointed to fill +the vacancies. + +In the meantime Gen. Canby had moved his headquarters to the foot of the +bluff at the lower end of Tule Lake, while Col. John Green with Mason's +command had moved down from Land's ranch to a position within striking +distance of the stronghold. Five mortars and three howitzers with an +abundance of ammunition and provisions were also moved up to the front. + +But the dreary farce was not to be ended yet. On April 10th four bucks +and five squaws rode into Gen. Canby's camp. They were fed and clothed +by the commission, loaded with presents, and sent back asking for a +conference between the lines. Later in the day Bogus Charley, the +Umpqua, came into camp and surrendering his gun, stated that he would +not return. He remained in camp over night and in the morning was joined +by "Boston Charley," one of the leaders who stated that Capt. Jack was +willing to meet the commissioners midway between the lines on the +condition that Jack was to be attended by four of his men, all unarmed. +Boston then mounted his horse and rode away. Bogus accompanying him. + +A tent had been pitched midway between the lines and thither +Commissioners Meacham, Thomas, and Dyer, and Gen. Canby repaired +accompanied by Frank Riddle and his Modoc wife as interpreters. Before +starting both Riddle and his squaw in vain tried to dissuade the +commissioners from their purpose. Meacham told Gen. Canby that Riddle +only sought to delay negotiations in order to prolong his job as +interpreter; that he knew Capt. Jack and that he "was an honorable man." +Rev. Mr. Thomas when appealed to by Riddle replied that he "was in the +hands of his God." Both Riddle and his squaw then, at the suggestion of +Mr. Dyer, went to the tent of Gen. Canby and begged him not to go. With +tears streaming down her cheeks the woman implored the General not to +go, as treachery was surely meditated. Gen. Canby replied that "his +Government had ordered him to go, and a soldier had no choice but to +obey orders." The General was dressed in full uniform, with sword belt +and empty scabbard. + +Gen. Gillem intended to accompany them but was too indisposed to leave +his tent. Riddle, in describing what transpired at the "peace tent," +told me that Meacham made a short speech and was followed by Dr. Thomas +and Gen. Canby. Capt. Jack then made a speech, demanding Hot Creek and +Cottonwood as a reservation, owned at that time by the Dorris brothers, +Fairchilds and Doten. Meacham then explained to him the impossibility of +acceding to his demands, as the property had already passed in title to +these men. Old Sconchin then told Meacham to "shut up;" that he had said +enough. While Sconchin was talking Jack got up and was walking behind +the others. He then turned back and exclaimed: "All ready!" At the same +instant he drew a pistol and snapped at Gen. Canby, but cocking the +pistol again shot him through the right eye. Canby fell dead without a +groan. Almost at the same instant Sconchin shot Meacham through the +shoulder, in the head and in the arm, while Boston Charley shot Dr. +Thomas dead. Just previous to the shooting Mr. Dyer had turned and +walked back behind the tent. At the first crack of the pistols Mr. Dyer +fled for his life, closely pursued by Hooker Jim. Mr. Dyer had concealed +a small revolver about his person and turned at intervals of his flight +and fired at his pursuer. By this means he was enabled to make headway. +and at last escaped. + +Gen. Canby and Dr. Thomas were stripped and the General scalped. Meacham +was insensible and as the Indians started in to scalp him Riddle's squaw +told them that the soldiers were coming, and they left him and fled. To +this fact Meacham was indebted for his scalp, as it was partly cut loose +and in a few moments more would have been stripped off. + +While these scenes were being enacted, two Indians approached the lines +of Mason and Green bearing a flag of truce. Lieutenants Sherwood and +Boyle went out about 500 yards beyond their line to meet them. The +Indians said they wanted to see Maj. Mason and when told by the officers +that Mason would not talk to them, they appeared disappointed. As the +officers turned to go back to their lines they were fired upon by +Indians in ambush and Lieut. Sherwood was mortally wounded. + +Early in the day Capt. Adams had been stationed on Gillem's bluff and +during all the proceedings at the peace tent had watched with a strong +field glass. When the massacre of the commission began he telegraphed to +Gen. Gillem, and the soldiers, held in readiness for an emergency, +sprang to the advance on the double quick, but were too late to save the +life of the gallant Canby and his comrades. + +Thus ended the long, dreary farce of the "Peace Commission." And at what +a price! There lay the noble Canby prone upon his face, cold and still +in death; having breasted the hurricane of many a well-fought field to +fall at last by the treacherous, assassin hand of a prowling savage to +whom he had come upon a mission of peace and friendship. There was +another of the Commissioners, a man of peace, a preacher of the gospel +of eternal love, stricken down with the words of mercy and forgiveness +upon his lips, his gray and reverend locks all dabbled in his own blood. +Another, shot and hacked and stabbed, covered with wounds, beaten down +with cruel blows, motionless but still alive. And there was another, +with warwhoop and pistol shot ringing at his heels, fleeing for his +life; while at the side scene was the "honorable" Capt. Jack, stage +manager of the awful play, arch demon of massacre, with pistol that took +the priceless life of Canby still smoking in his hand, leaping with +glee, his dark face all aglow with the glare of the dread spectacle, +like a fiend dancing in the fire-light of hell. + +No wonder that in its lurid light the Government for a moment forgot its +dawdling "peace policy," and "let slip the dogs of war." No wonder the +canting prayers of maudlin fanatics were stilled amid the wrathful cry +for vengeance. The blood of Canby and Thomas and Sherwood "cried unto +God from the ground" against them. The ghastly, sickening tragedy which +should send a thrill through the very heart of the nation was +consummated. + + + +Chapter XIII. + +Three Days' Battle in the Lava Beds. + +The day following the massacre preparations were made for an attack in +full force upon the stronghold. Only the regulars were to be engaged in +this task, as the volunteers had been discharged, under assurance from +Gen. Canby that he was strong enough to control the situation and +protect the settlements. The plan of battle which was the same as that +adopted by Gen. Wheaton on the 17th of January was to form a cordon of +troops around the hostiles and either kill or capture them. The troops +were supplied with overcoats, blankets, three days' provisions and an +abundance of ammunition. On April 13, Donald McKay arrived with +seventy-two Wasco Indians who were at once armed and assigned to duty, +and who made a splendid record. Some slight skirmishing had taken place, +but no general forward movement was made until the 14th, when the rattle +of small arms, the yells of the savages, and the deep boom of the +mortars and howitzers told that the battle was on. All day long the +troops continued to advance, slowly, keeping under cover as much as +possible, and driving the Indians before them. Even with every +precaution there was a list of killed and wounded. As night closed in +the troops held their position, but the mortars and howitzers continued +to send into the stronghold a stream of shells, mingled with the +occasional discharge of small arms and the yells of the savages. + +During the night Col. Green and Maj. Mason, disobeying orders (I know +what I am saying) drove a column in between the Indians and the lake, +thus shutting them off from water. This was carrying out the plans +formulated and advised by Gen. Wheaton and Gen. Ross after the battle on +the 17th of January. When the Indians discovered this move they made a +determined attempt to break the line, but the troops had had time to +fortify and the attempt proved a failure. + +Gen. Gillem the next morning sent for John Fairchilds and asked him to +go with Capt. Bancroft and show him where to plant the mortars and also +show him the center of the stronghold. Fairchilds told the General that +he would show him, but that he was tired acting as errand boy for Tom, +Dick and Harry--that he had risked his life enough. Under these +circumstances, the General had to go. They started out and had almost +reached the line, bullets were singing around, when the General, rubbing +his hands, remarked: "Mr. Fairchilds, this is a splendid day's work; how +long did it take Gen. Wheaton to get this far?" Fairchilds, as brave a +man as ever trod in shoe leather, replied: "General, I do not remember +exactly, but as near as I can judge it was about twenty minutes." That +remark settled the friendly relations between the two men. I want to say +here that Gillem was not the man for the place. He was self-willed, +self-opinionated, knew nothing about Indian warfare; in fact, got his +shoulder straps through the enterprise of one of his officers and the +treachery of a woman, in killing the Confederate Gen. Morgan. He had +nothing else to recommend him, and would not take advice from old +veterans like Green, Mason, Bernard, Perry and Hasbrook--men who had +grown gray in frontier service. + +At 9 o'clock on the morning of the second day, Col. Green ordered an +advance. The men answered with a cheer, and soon reached a position on +top of the ridge next to Jack's camp. Some of the other lines also +slowly advanced during the day. Towards evening another desperate +attempt was made by the Indians to break the line between them and +water. At this time a very near approach to a battle was reached. Volley +after volley of rifles rang out, and mingled with the yells of the +savages and roar of the artillery made some of the old veterans of the +Civil war think they were really in a fight. All the same, men were +being killed and others wounded, even though there was no battle. + +Col. Green realized that if the Indians could be kept from the water, +they would have to surrender or leave the stronghold, and he held on +with the tenacity of a bulldog. During the night the squaws went out +under the lines and returned with a load of snow, but the warm spell of +weather melted the snow rapidly and soon this source was cut off. Still +the outlaws held on, and for three days and nights, pressed in by men +and guns on every side, subjected to a fire from four sides, with five +mortars and three howitzers raining shells upon them, they held to the +"hole in the wall" that had been for ages their salvation and their +safeguard. The constant rain of bursting shells had filled the caves and +crevices of the lava beds with smoke, and cut off from water, on the +night of the third day they quietly slipped out from under Gen. Gillem's +lines and left--no one knew where. + +It may appear incredible, but it is true, that during all this battle of +three days and nights, amid the hum of tons of leaden bullets and the +bursting of countless shells, not a single Indian was killed. We must +except one buck who started in to investigate an unexploded shell. That +buck was going to "get 'um powder and lead out" with file and hatchet, +and was scattered out over the rocks for his inquisitiveness. But the +other Indians were nowhere to be seen. They had passed out under the +line of troops as ants would pass through a sponge. The troops took +possession of the lava beds, the stronghold, but the Indians were gone. +It yet remained for Gen. Gillem to learn another lesson in Indian +warfare. + +When the news was received by Gov. Grover that the Indians had left the +stronghold and that the settlers were again exposed, he ordered out two +companies of volunteers, one from Douglas county under Capt. Rodgers and +the other from Jackson county under Capt. Hizer. I was not ordered at +the time to accompany the volunteers, the "mad-cap from Salem" was to be +left behind, but not for long. In spite of the abuse of enemies, mostly +those fellows who sought safety with women and children behind strong +stockades, and the declaration of Mr. Meacham that I was responsible for +the slaughter of men on the 17th of January, "when the brave, reckless, +madcap, Col. Thompson, drove his men against the lines of the Modocs," I +was again sent to the front. In my letters and newspaper articles I had +severely censured Mr. Meacham and he took revenge in his "Wigwam and +Warpath" by declaring the mad-cap was to blame for the slaughter. I +never met him but once after the close of the war and that was in the +library of the old Russ House in San Francisco, where I had gone to call +upon a couple of friends. This was in August after the close of the war. +He was walking back and forth in the library, his head yet bandaged +where the Indians had started to scalp him, when he suddenly turned and +said, "Col. Thompson. I want to speak to you." I excused myself to +Rollin P. Saxe, one of my friends, and walked up to Mr. Meacham. He said +"I had made up my mind to shoot you on sight." Then hesitating an +instant, continued, "but I have changed my mind." "Perhaps," I replied, +"Mr. Meacham, it is fortunate for you or I that you have changed your +mind." He then went on to detail how I had abused him. I said, "Mr. +Meacham, before God, you are responsible for the death of Gen. Canby, a +noble man and soldier, and I don't know how many others." After +conversing some time we separated, never to meet again. + +But to return to the war. On the 18th Gen. Gillem sent out Col. Thomas +and Major Wright on a scouting expedition in the lava region to discover +if possible the whereabouts of the savages. The scouting party numbered +sixty-two men, including Lieutenants Cranston, Harve, and Harris. +Instead of sending out experienced men, these men were sent to be +slaughtered, as the result demonstrated. Gillem was not only incompetent +personally, but was jealous of every man, citizen or regular, who was +competent. The party scouted around through the lava for a distance of +several miles. They saw no Indians or sign of Indians. The hostiles had +fled and were nowhere to be found. They sat down to eat their lunch. +They were quietly surrounded and at the first fire the soldiers, as is +almost always the case, became panic stricken. The officers bravely +strove to stem the tide of panic, but hopelessly. The panic became a +rout and the rout a massacre, and of the sixty-two men who were sent out +that morning but two were alive, and they were desperately wounded. + +Had any one of the old experienced officers, like Green, Mason, Perry, +Bernard or Hasbrook been sent on this duty a massacre would have been +impossible. They would never have been caught off their guard and the +sickening massacre would have been averted. The very fact of no Indians +in sight would have taught these men caution. + +The entire command of Gen. Gillem now became demoralized, and desertions +were by the wholesale. Gen. Gillem fortified his camp at the foot of the +bluff, and surrounded it with a rock wall. His communications were cut +off and his trains captured and destroyed. "Gillem's Camp" was a fort as +well as a "graveyard." Trains of wagons were captured, the wagons burned +and the animals taken away. The Indians daily fired on his picket line. + +Such was the deplorable conditions of affairs when Gen. Jeff C. Davis +assumed command. Davis was eminently fitted for the task assigned him. +He at once restored confidence among the disheartened and beaten men. He +declared if there was to be more massacres he would know who to blame, +and led the scouting parties in person. The camp at "Gillem's Graveyard" +was broken up, and leaving a force to hold the stronghold he began +scouting and searching for the enemy. He went with six men to search for +traces of the hostiles. His action restored confidence, and the men +manifested a spirit of fight. Donald McKay and his Wascos were sent to +circle the lava beds. That night his signal fires informed Gen. Davis +that the Modocs had deserted the lava beds. All available cavalry were +sent in pursuit. The command of Capt. Hasbrook had been out all day, and +was accompanied by Donald McKay's Indians. Arriving at Dry Lake, then +politely called Sauress Lake, they found that there was no water. Wells +were dug but to no purpose, and McKay and his Indians were sent back to +Boyles' camp for water. + +From Dry Lake to Boyles' camp the distance was about twelve miles. With +a pack train McKay was in no hurry; as a matter of fact, Donald was +never in a hurry when there was danger about. He was an arrant coward, +but had some brave men of the Wascos with him. I speak advisedly of what +I know. + +Capt. Hasbrook's command went into camp feeling secure, as the Indians +were in hiding. But Hasbrook, old soldier as he was, had a lesson to +learn. During the night a dog, belonging to the packers, kept growling. +The boss of the train, Charley Larengel, went to the officer of the +guard and told him the Indians were about and that they would certainly +be attacked at daylight. Mr. Larengel told me that the officer treated +his advice with indifference, not to say contempt. The "boss of the pack +train was unduly alarmed, there were no Indians around." But Charley +Larengel knew a thing or two. He had been with Crook and knew that +hostiles did not come out, shake their red blankets and dare the +soldiers to a fight, so he barricaded his camp, using the apparajos as +breast works and told the packers to "let the mules go to the devil. We +must look out for ourselves." + +Just as day began to break over the desolate hills, the fun began. From +three sides the Indians poured into the camp a withering fire. As a +result the entire command became panic stricken. Seven men were knocked +down, almost at the first fire, and it has always been a matter of +surprise to me that Hasbrook, old campaigner as he was, should be caught +off his guard. It began to look like another Wright-Thomas massacre. +Captain Jack stood well out of harm's way, dressed in the uniform of +Gen. Canby, and giving orders. It was surely another massacre. + +But the Modocs had not seen Donald McKay and his Wascos leave the camp +the evening before, nor were they aware that he was within striking +distance that morning, at a most critical time. Hearing the firing and +yells McKay left his pack animals, and under the leadership of Captain +George, chief of the Wascos, attacked the Modocs in the rear. + +From a rout of the soldiers it became a rout of the Modocs. They quickly +fled and Jack was the first man to run. This brought on dissensions, for +the Hot Creeks claimed they had to do all the fighting, all the guard +duty, had, in fact, to endure all the hardships, while old Jack in his +gold braided uniform stood at a safe distance giving orders. During the +dispute Hooker Jim shot at, or attempted to shoot Jack. + +The Modocs, or renegades were now out of the lava beds, and with +soldiers and volunteers practically surrounding them, and with +dissensions in their own camp, the band broke up. Jack and his band went +in a northeast direction, closely followed by Hasbrook and McKay's +Indians, and two days later surrendered. + +The Hot Creeks went around the lower end of Tule Lake and surrendered to +Gen. Davis at the Fairchilds-Doten ranch. Hooker Jim, followed them and +seeing they were not massacred by the soldiers, determined to surrender. +Yet this Indian, one of the worst of the band of outlaws, was an outlaw +to every human being on earth. He dared not go to Jack's band, his own +party had disowned and tried to kill him. He watched the band from the +bald hills above the ranch enter the camp of the soldiers. He saw they +were not massacred. He then made up his mind to surrender. He fixed in +his mind the tent of Gen. Davis. Crawling as close to the line of +pickets as possible, he raised his gun above his head and yelling "Me +Hooker Jim," ran through the lines, among soldiers, and up to the tent +door of Gen. Davis, threw down his gun, and said, "me Hooker Jim, I give +up." + +In speaking of the surrender, Gen. Davis said to me: "Here was a man, an +outlaw to every human being on earth, throwing down his rifle and +saying, "me Hooker Jim, me give up." He stood before me as stolid as a +bronze. I have seen some grand sights, but taking everything into +consideration, that was the grandest sight I ever witnessed." + +Hasbrook followed relentlessly Jack's band and captured them in the +canyon below Steel Swamp. Jack was an arrant coward, but old Sconchin, +whose bows and arrows I retain as a souvenir, and which were presented +to me by a sergeant of the troop, was a fighter, and would have died +fighting. + + + +Chapter XIV. + +Trailing the Fugitives. + +While all this was going on I was riding from Salem, Oregon, "Gov. +Grover's mad-cap Colonel," as Jas. D. Fay, Harvey Scott of the +Oregonian, and some other of my enemies, designated me. Fay did not like +me and I happened to to be with Senator Nesmith when he caned Harvey +Scott in the Chemeketa Hotel at Salem. My meeting with Senator Nesmith +was accidental, but Scott never forgave me, nor did he in fact neglect +any opportunity to "lambaste" me after that time. + +But to return to my trip. The Oregon volunteers had been ordered out, +with General Ross in command. The murderers of the 17 settlers along the +shores of Tule Lake had been indicted by the Grand jury of Jackson +County, Oregon. The Governor demanded the surrender of the murderers +from the United States authorities. The murderers were not yet captured +but we knew it was only a matter of days. I left Salem on Thursday and +went by train to Roseburg that evening. There I took the stage, and +telegraphing ahead for horses at Jacksonville found a magnificent saddle +horse awaiting me. Did you ever travel from Salem to Roseburg by train +and then by stage to Jacksonville through the long weary night? + +If so you will have some faint idea of my condition. Arriving at +Jacksonville I lost no time in proceeding on my journey. That night I +rode to Coldwells' place, sometimes called the Soda Springs. The next +morning at 4 o'clock, after only about 4 hours' rest in 48, I started on +my journey. I knew how to ride a horse, how to save him and how to rest +him. At the head of "Green Springs" I met a Government courier. He told +me that Gen. Ross had left Linkville that morning with his entire +command. + +Thanking the courier, I then began to ride, and at precisely half past +11 o'clock was shaking hands with Alex Miller at Linkville. I had ridden +one horse 55 miles that morning over a range of mountains. Mr. Miller +asked me, when did you leave Salem?" + +"Day before yesterday noon," I replied. + +"If I did not have all kinds of respect for you I would call you a liar" +remarked Mr. Miller. Just them J. B. Neil and Mr. Jackson, District +Attorney and Sheriff of Jackson County came up, and showing these +gentlemen my papers with the dates, stopped all further discussion of +the matter. But I said, "Alex, I want the best horse in Linkville, for I +am going to overtake Gen. Ross tonight." + +"You shall have not only the best horse in Linkville, but the best horse +in the State of Oregon." A ride of 45 miles that evening accompanied by +Mr. Neil and Mr. Jackson, convinced me that Alex. Miller told me the +truth. We reached the headquarters of Gen. Ross late in the night. I had +ridden that day 95 miles on two horses, and I want here to plead guilty +to cruelty to animals. The horse I rode into Linkville, to use the +common expression, "quit," and the only means I could use to get a "move +on," was to shoot the tips of his ears off with my revolver. I will say +further that this is the only instance in my life when I was cruel to a +dumb brute, but I justified myself then and now on the grounds of +"Duty." + +Arriving at Headquarters, "for the night," as the General expressed it, +the next morning we took up the trail of a band of Jack's renegades. +Black Jim, one of the worst of the band of murderers, headed the band. +There were only about twenty men in the outfit, and the only means we +had of following them was by a crutch used by an Indian shot by John +Fairchilds on the 17th of January. Late one evening, in fact just at +sundown, we lost the trail. We had tracked the stick to a juniper tree, +but there lost it. Finally one of our boys discovered a hand up in the +juniper and leveling his gun, told him to come down. + +After some parley the Indian came down. Gen. Ross and I told him we were +chiefs and that all Indians surrendering would be protected. A hundred +yards away, somewhere between Tule Lake and Langel Valley, there was a +rim rock, and in this the Indians were hiding. On assurance from our +juniper tree man they finally surrendered. Only Black Jim showed any +hesitancy, but the muzzle of a 50 caliber Springfield answered as a +magnificent persuader. + +We then returned to Tule Lake, sending for Mrs. Body and Mrs. Schira to +identify the murderers of their families. We were still on the Oregon +side of the line, but much to our disappointment neither of the ladies +could identify any of the men. We had Black Jim but the ladies did not +and could not identify him. We therefore took them to the headquarters +of Gen. Davis and surrendered them at the Peninsula. + +We arrived about 10 o'clock. I went to the tent of Gen. Wheaton and told +him my business. Mr. Neil and Mr. Jackson were with me. Gen. Wheaton +took us up to the tent of Gen. Davis and introduced us. I presented to +Gen. Davis my papers and told him that the officers of the law were +there. The General replied, as nearly as I can remember, "Colonel, I +will deliver them to you at any time after 2 o'clock, at least, I will +deliver to you their bodies." I simply replied, "that is entirely +satisfactory, both to the officers present, the Governor of Oregon and +to your humble servant." + +He then told me that he had the timbers all framed and ready to put +together and intended to hang all the murderers promptly at 2 o'clock. + +While we were talking a courier arrived with dispatches from the +Secretary of War instructing him to hold the murderers until further +orders. All were astounded, but a soldier has no choice but to obey +orders. Gen. Davis was angry, and remarked to me that if he "had any way +of making a living for his family outside of the army he would resign +today." + +Mrs. Body, Mrs. Schira, Mrs. Brotherton were all there. Their entire +families had been wiped out-butchered. The Indians took a large amount +of jewelry, pictures, and more than $4,000 in money. A tent had been +spread for the ladies and Gen. Davis had ordered a tent, with tables, +chairs, bed, writing material, etc., arranged for my convenience. The +correspondent of the New York Herald was living at the sutler's tent, in +fact, with good old Pat McManus. + +Mrs. Body and Mrs. Schira had also been provided with a tent. They sent +to Gen. Davis and asked that they be permitted to talk with Black Jim, +Hooker Jim and one or two others. They said that possibly some of the +family relics could be reclaimed. The order was issued and the General +and I were talking of the awful results of the war and its blunders. + +Suddenly Fox of the New York Herald called at the door of Gen. Davis' +tent and said, "the women are going to kill the Indians." Both of us +sprang from the tent door and rushed to the tent where the women were +domiciled. Davis was ahead of me. I saw Mrs. Schira with a double edged +knife poised. Hooker Jim was standing fronting the women, as stolid as a +bronze. Mrs. Schira's mother was attempting to cock a revolver. Gen. +Davis made a grab for the knife, catching the blade in his right hand +and in the struggle his hand was badly lacerated. A surgeon was called +who dressed the wounded hand, and then we all went to dinner at "Boyles' +mess." At the dinner table were seated about forty officers, men grown +gray in the service of their country and young Lieutenants just out from +West Point. The latter, as is always the case, were in full uniform, +while the old fellows wore little or nothing that would indicate their +calling or rank. During dinner one of the young men made some slighting +remark about the conduct of the women in attempting to kill the Indians, +characterizing their act as unwarranted and a breach of respect to the +General. + +Instantly Gen. Davis pushed back from the table and rose to feet, fire +flashing from his eyes, and if ever a young upstart received a lecture +that young officer received one. I was sitting to the left of Gen. Davis +while Jesse Applegate, one of the "Makers of Oregon," sat at his right. +The General spoke of the women as the wife and daughter of a +frontiersman, and before whom stood the bloody handed butcher of +husbands and sons. It was one of the most eloquent, at the same time one +of the most withering addresses that it has ever been my fortune to +hear. Resuming his seat the General continued his conversation with +those about him, but there were no more remarks, you may be assured, +upon this incident. + +The next morning at daylight the orderly to Gen. Davis came to my tent +and awaking me said that the General wanted to see me at once. Hastily +dressing I walked over to the General's tent. He was sitting on the side +of his camp bed, partly undressed. Jas. Fairchilds was sitting in the +tent talking as I entered. The General asked him to repeat to me what he +had been saying. Mr. Fairchilds then proceeded to relate that a bunch of +Indians, four bucks and a lot of women and children, had come in to the +ranch and surrendered. He had loaded them into a wagon and started to +the Peninsula to turn them over to the military authorities. When within +about six miles of his destination he was headed off by two men who were +disguised past identification. They ordered him to stop and unhitch his +team and after doing so was told to drive the horses up the road. When +about thirty yards away he was ordered to stop. The men then began +killing the Indians while he stood looking on and holding to his team. +After firing a dozen shots into the wagon, the men rode away, telling +him to remain there and not to leave. He remained until dark and then +mounting one of his horses rode to camp. + +While we were talking Donald McKay came up and accused the volunteers of +the massacre. I told Gen. Davis that it was impossible that the +volunteers could have committed the crime. McKay was drunk and swaggered +around a great deal and finally asked the General to let him take his +Indians and follow the volunteers and bring them back. + +Becoming angered at the talk and swagger of McKay I told the General to +let him go, and plainly told McKay that I would go with him. That he, +McKay, was an arrant coward and could not take any one, much less a +company of one hundred men. I then expressed my belief to Gen. Davis +that the killing had been done by some of the settlers whose relatives +had been massacred by the savages; that Gen. Ross had gone around the +south end of the lake and that Capt. Hizer must have been many miles on +his road towards Linkville. + +I told him, however, that I would make an investigation and if possible +bring the perpetrators of the act to justice. Mounting my horse I rode +rapidly back to where the wagon was standing in the road. The women and +children were still in the wagon with their dead, not one of them having +moved during the night. It was a most ghastly sight, the blood from the +dead Indians had run through the wagon bed, and made a broad, red streak +for twenty yards down the road. Soon after my arrival Donald McKay rode +up, and I ordered him to go to the lake and get some water for the +women, one of whom had been severely wounded. Soon after his return with +the water Mr. Fairchilds came with the team and all were taken to the +camp. The woman was not seriously hurt, but the four bucks were +literally shot to pieces. + +I remained several days at the Peninsula, making an excursion into the +lava beds in company with Capt. Bancroft of the artillery, and with +Bogus Chancy as guide. We explored many of the caves, at least as far as +we were able with poor lighting material at our command. I then started +to overtake the volunteers, coming up with them before reaching +Jacksonville, where Capt. Hizer's company was discharged. Capt. Rogers, +of the Douglas county company, was discharged at Roseburg. After this I +returned to my newspaper work at Salem, Oregon. + +The Indians were moved from Boyles' Camp at the Peninsula to Fort +Klamath where five of them, Jack, Sconchin, Black Jim, Hooker Jim and +Boston Charley were all executed on the same gallows. One of the +murderers of the Peace Commission, "Curley Headed Doctor," committed +suicide on the road to Klamath. The remainder of the Indians were then +moved to the Indian Territory, where the remnants now live. + +Thus ended the farce-tragedy of the Modoc war, a farce so far as +misguided enthusiasts and mock humanitarians could make it in extending +the olive branch of peace to redhanded murderers. And a tragedy, in that +from first to last the war had cost the lives of nearly four hundred men +and about five millions of dollars. + +The foregoing pages describe in simple language what I saw of the Modoc +war. Several so-called histories have been written purporting to be true +histories. One by A. B. Meacham in his "Wigwam and Warpath." Meacham +wrote with the view of justifying all that Meacham did and said. It was, +in fact, written in self defense. Another, by one "Captain Drehan," who +claimed to have been "Chief of Scouts." The gallant Captain was simply a +monumental romancer. No such man served at any time during the war. +Donald McKay was chief of scouts, and the exploits of Drehan existed +only in his own imagination. I was personally acquainted with all the +officers and know that no such man was there. For the truth of all I +have said I simply refer the Doubting Thomases to the official reports +on file at Washington. + + + +Chapter XV. + +The Great Bannock War. + +The last Indian war worthy of mention broke out in the spring of 1877. +It was preceded by none of the acts of outlawry which usually are a +prelude to savage outbreaks. There were none of the rumblings of the +coming storm which are almost invariable accompaniments of these +upheavals. Indeed, it came with the suddenness of a great conflagration, +and before the scattered settlers of western Idaho and eastern Oregon +were aware of danger, from a thousand to twelve hundred plumed and +mounted warriors were sweeping the country with the fierceness of a +cyclone. + +As a rule the young and impatient warriors, thirsting for blood, fame +and the property of the white man, to say nothing of scalps, begin to +commit acts of outlawry before the plans of older heads are ripe for +execution. These acts consist of petty depredations, the stealing of +horses, killing of stock, and occasional murder of white men for arms +and ammunition. But in the case of the great Shoshone, or Bannock, +outbreak, there were none of these signs of the coming storm. Settlers +were therefore taken completely by surprise. Many were murdered, their +property stolen or destroyed, while others escaped as best they could. + +From observation and experience I make the assertion that nine of every +ten Indian outbreaks are fomented by the "Medicine" men. These men are +at the same time both priest and doctor. They not only ward off the "bad +spirits," and cure the sick, but they forecast events. They deal out +"good medicine," to ward off the bullets of the white man, and by +jugglery and by working upon the superstitions of their followers, +impress them with the belief that they possess supernatural powers. + +This was especially conspicuous in the Pine Ridge outbreak. The medicine +men made their deluded followers believe the white men were all to be +killed, that the cattle were to be turned to buffalo and that the red +man would again possess the country as their fathers had possessed it +in the long ago, and that all the dead and buried warriors were to +return to life. This doctrine was preached from the borders of Colorado +and the Dakotas to the Pacific, and from British Columbia to the +grottoes of the Gila. The doctrine probably had its origin in the +ignorant preaching of the religion of the Savior by honest but ignorant +Indian converts. They told their hearers of the death, burial and +resurrection of the Son of Man. The medicine men seized upon the idea +and preached a new religion and a new future for the red man. +Missionaries were sent from tribe to tribe to preach and teach the new +doctrine, and everywhere found willing converts. + +The craze started in Nevada, among the Shoshones, and in a remarkably +short time spread throughout the tribes on both sides of the Rocky +Mountains. Lieutenant Strothers of the United States Army and I talked +with Piute Indians in Modoc County, after the "ghost dance" scare had +subsided, who were firm in the belief that a chief of the Piutes died +and then came back. They assured us that they had talked with a man who +had seen him, and that there could be no mistake. But they said: "Maybe +so; he did not know. The white man medicine heap too strong for Ingin." + +So it was with the Bannocks. Their medicine men taught that the white +man was to be destroyed, that his horses, his cattle and his houses and +land were to revert to the original owners of the country. Accordingly +few houses were burned throughout the raid of several hundred miles. +Even the fences around the fields were not destroyed, but were left to +serve their purposes when the hated white man should be no more. The few +exceptions were where white men were caught in their homes and it was +necessary to burn the buildings in order to kill the owners. The home of +old man Smith in Happy Valley, on the north side of Stein Mountain, the +French ranch in Harney and the Cummins ranch on the John Day were +exceptions. In the fights at these places some of the Indians were +killed and the houses were burned out of revenge. With characteristic +Indian wantonness and wastefulness hundreds of cattle were shot down, +only the tongue being taken out for food. They, however, would come back +as buffalo and cover the land with plenty. But horses were everywhere +taken, and when that armed, mounted and tufted host debouched into +Harney Valley they had a mighty herd of from seven to ten thousand +horses. + +The Bannocks, under their noted chief, Buffalo Horn, left their +reservation in Idaho and at once began the work of murder and plunder. +Buffalo Horn had served under Howard during a portion of the Nez Perce +war, but left him because of his dilatory tactics and his refusal to +attack when he had the enemy at his mercy. He told Col. Reddington, who +was following Howard as correspondent of the Oregonian and New York +Herald, that Howard did not know how to fight, that next summer he would +fight and show him how to make war. + +About the same time, the Shoshones, under Egan and Otis, left their +reservation and united their forces in Harney Valley, numbering at that +time from a thousand to twelve hundred warriors. They were encumbered, +however, by their women and children and a vast herd of stock, and as a +result moved slowly. Meantime the scattered detachments of troops were +being concentrated and sent in pursuit. But while this was being done +the tufted host swept a belt thirty miles wide through western Idaho and +eastern Oregon, spreading death and destruction in its path. At Happy +Valley they killed old man Smith and his son. Both had escaped with +their families to Camp Harney, but had imprudently returned to gather up +their horses and bring away a few household effects. Another brother and +a young man had accompanied them, but had turned aside to look for +stock. The two young men arrived at the ranch after nightfall. It was +very dark, and before they were aware of the fact they rode into a herd +of horses. But supposing they were animals gathered by the father and +brother, rode on. When near the center a mighty wail smote their ears. +Some of the Indians had been killed by the Smiths, and the women were +wailing a funeral dirge. One who has never heard that wail cannot +imagine its rhythmic terrors. + +When the appalling noise broke upon their ears the young man with Smith +started to wheel his horse and flee. But Smith caught the bridle reins +and whispered to him, "For God's sake don't run," and, holding to the +reins, quietly rode out of the herd, the darkness of the night alone +proving their salvation. + +At the French ranch on Blixen River an attack was made by a detached war +party, but Mr. French saved himself and men by cool daring and steady +bravery. All were endeavoring to make their escape, French holding the +Indians at bay while the others fled along the road. He was the only man +armed in the crowd, and at turns in the road would make a stand, +checking for a time the savages. The Chinese cook was killed and left +where he fell, being horribly mutilated by the Indians. Most of the men +with French were in wagons, and only for the bravery displayed by him +would certainly have been killed. + +About the same time two men were coming out with teams, and hearing of +the Indian raid, left their wagons and fled to the Shirk ranch in Catlow +Valley. After a few days they returned for their wagons, being +accompanied by W. H. Shirk, now a banker at Lakeview, Oregon. The wagons +were found as left, and after hitching up the horses, Mr. Shirk rode on +ahead, imprudently leaving his rifle in one of the wagons. On the grade +above the Blixen ranch Shirk looked back and saw the men coming and had +little thought of danger. The men drove up to the crossing, when they +were fired upon and both killed. Mr. Shirk was also fired upon, but +miraculously escaped death. An Indian on a fleet horse was pursuing him, +and his own horse was lagging. As he neared the sage brush toward which +he had been making, Mr. Shirk looked back and to his relief saw the +Indian off his horse. He thinks the horse fell with the Indian, but they +pursued him no farther and he made good his escape. Many other +miraculous escapes were made by both men and women, some of the latter +escaping almost in their night clothes and on barebacked horses. + +During all this time the scattered forces of the department were being +concentrated and sent in pursuit. That indomitable old Scotch hero and +Indian fighter, Bernard--who had risen from a government blacksmith to +the rank of Colonel of cavalry--who believed that the best way to subdue +Indians was to fight and kill them and not to run them to death--was +following with four companies of cavalry, numbering 136 men. Behind him +was Gen. Howard, with 400 infantry, but with his ox teams and dilatory +tactics managed to herd them two days ahead. As the cavalry under +Bernard drew near, the Indians called in all detached parties and +concentrated their forces. On the 7th of June Pete French joined Bernard +with 65 ranchers and cowboys. + +Bernard had been ordered by Gen. Howard not to attack, but to wait until +he came up. At old Camp Curry, on the western side of Harney Valley, or +more properly speaking, on Silver Creek, on the evening of the 7th, +Bernard's scouts reported the Indians encamped in the valley, at the +Baker ranch, seven miles away. In spite of orders, Bernard, always +spoiling for a fight, determined to make the attack at daylight. His +four companies numbered 136 men, besides French's volunteers. Bernard +had no confidence in the French contingent and declined to permit them +to accompany his command in the attack. He directed French, however, to +make a dash for the horse herd and if possible capture the animals, +while with his regulars he would charge the main camp. Bernard +afterwards, in explanation of his disobedience of orders, claimed that +he was misled by his scouts. + +Bernard broke camp two hours before daylight, or about two o'clock in +the morning. He reached the camp just at break of day. Evidently the +Indians were not prepared for him, and "Little Bearskin Dick," one of +the chiefs, rode out with a white flag in his hand. Bernard had already +made a talk to his men, especially to the recruits, telling them they +might as well be killed by the Indians as by him, as he would kill the +first man that flinched. As Dick rode up, Bernard spoke to a sargeant +and asked him if he was going to "let the black rascal ride over him." +Instantly several carbines rang out and "Little Bearskin Dick" for the +first time in his life was a "good Indian." + +At the same instant the bugle sounded the charge, and the troops bore +down upon the encampment, firing their rifles first and then drawing +their revolvers and firing as they swept through the great camp. But +Bernard had not been fully informed regarding the lay of the camp. After +sweeping through he discovered to his dismay that the Indians were +encamped on the margin of an impenetrable swamp--in a semi-circle, as +it were, and he could go no farther. Nothing dismayed, the column +wheeled and rode helter-skelter back the road they had come, this time +his men using their sabres. When clear of the camp Bernard turned his +attention to the men under Pete French. The latter had gotten into a +"hot box," two of his men had been killed and one or two wounded and +required help. Bernard was not slow in giving it, and when all were +safely joined, Bernard dismounted his men and fought the Indians for +several hours with his carbines. + +The loss sustained by Bernard in the charge and subsequent engagement +was four men killed and several wounded, not counting the loss sustained +by French. Bernard continued to hover near the Indians throughout the +day. He had taught them a lesson they would not forget. Those terrible +troopers on open ground, they discovered, could go where they liked, and +that nothing could stop them. Accordingly toward night they withdrew to +a rim rock, protected on three sides by high perpendicular walls. The +neck of their fort was then fortified and the savages felt they could +bid defiance to the fierce troopers. In this fight the Indians lost +heavily, forty-two bodies being pulled out of a crevice in the rim rock +where they had been concealed. Among this number was Buffalo Horn, the +greatest leader of the hostiles. + +Toward evening Gen. Howard arrived within seven miles of the hostiles. +Bernard sent a courier telling of the position of the Indians and that +with reinforcements and howitzers under Howard the surrender could be +forced in a few hours, or days at most. They had entrapped themselves, +and without water must surrender at the discretion of the soldiers. Gen. +Howard, however, complained that his troops were worn out, that he could +not come up until the following day, and ended by ordering the command +under Bernard to return to his camp. This was Gen. Howard's first fatal +blunder, to be followed by others equally as serious. The Indians +remained in their position until the next day, when they moved out +towards the head of the South Fork of the John Day River. They camped on +Buck Mountain three days while Howard was resting his troops. They then +moved out leisurely to the north, keeping in the rough mountains to be +out of the reach of Bernard's terrible cavalry. + +Meanwhile Gen. Howard followed, keeping pace with the Indians. His men +were mostly employed in grading roads through the rough, broken country +to enable his ox teams to follow. Some have questioned this statement. +But I saw with my own eyes the road down Swamp Creek and the mountain +road leading down to the South John Day River, seven miles south of the +mouth of Murderer's Creek. At the South John Day crossing he again laid +over three days while the Indians were resting at the Stewart ranch, +seven miles away. Think of an army following a horde of Indians through +one of the roughest countries imaginable! No wonder that the fiery +Bernard hovered close up to them, ready to strike when opportunity and +an excuse for disobeying orders was presented. + +Rumors of the coming of the Indians had reached John Day Valley, and my +old friend Jim Clark gathered a force of 26 men and started out to +discover, if possible, which way the Indians were heading. At Murderer's +Creek he ran into them almost before he knew it. They were not the +skulking Indians of former years, armed with bows and arrows, but +fierce, wild horsemen, armed with modern weapons. In a running fight +that followed, a young man named Aldrige was killed and Jim Clark's +horse shot from, under him. He escaped into the brush and defended +himself so successfully, more than one of the redskins biting the dust, +that when night closed in he made his way on foot through the brush to +the river and followed the stream all night, wading and swimming it +twenty-six times. The balance of his command escaped by outrunning their +pursuers and all reached the valley in safety. + +As soon as the news spread, the women and children were sent to Canyon +City and something over a hundred men gathered at the ranch of a man +named Cummins. The latter had seen some service and was elected captain. +Some were horseback and others had come in wagons. While the men were +making final preparations for starting out in search of Jim Clark, a +horseman was seen riding along the side of the mountain to the east of +the Cummins ranch. Warren Cassner pointed to the horseman and asked +Cummins what it meant. "Oh, I guess it is a sheep herder," replied the +old man. "A queer looking sheep herder," replied Cassner, and mounting +his horse started out to make an investigation. West of the Cummins +house the river was lined with tall cottonwoods which obscured a view of +the bald mountain side beyond. As Cassner raised the side of the +mountain, enabling him to look over and beyond the cottonwoods, he +discovered that the whole mountain side was covered with Indians. Twelve +hundred Indians and eight thousand head of horses blackened the side of +the slope. He called to the men below to get out. At the same time he +saw a party of Indians cutting him off from his men. + +Then began a race seldom witnessed in Indian or any other kind of +warfare. Men on horseback fled for dear life, while others piled into +wagons and followed as fast as teams could travel. But Cummins was a +brave man and had a cool head. He succeeded in rallying a half dozen +horsemen and at points on the road made such a determined stand that the +wagons were enabled to escape. At one point Emil Scheutz was standing by +the side of Cummins, when some Indians that had worked around to the +side fired a volley, one of the bullets ripping a trench in Scheutz's +breast that one could lay his arm into. Scheutz staggered and told +Cummins he was shot. The latter helped him to mount his horse and amid a +rain of bullets fled for life. That was the last stand. But only for the +fact that Bernard had followed the Indians closely, preventing them from +scattering, all would have been massacreed. As it was most of the men +kept running until Canyon City was reached, each imagining the fellow +behind an Indian. + +At the Cassner ranch many halted and were that evening joined by Col. +Bernard with his cavalry. Bernard was told that there were six hundred +Umatilla Indians at Fox Valley only a few miles from the John Day River, +and knowing that they were only waiting to be joined by the Bannocks, +determined to attack the latter before reaching them. He was told that +the Bannock's must pass through a canyon to reach Fox Valley. That was +his opportunity, and he had sounded "boots and saddles" when Gen. +Howard, surrounded by a strong body guard, rode up and ordered him to +remain where he was. This was an awful blunder, and cost the lives of a +number of settlers in Fox Valley. They, all unconscious of danger, were +resting in fancied security when the Bannocks arrived, fraternized with +the Umatillas and butchered them in cold blood. + +But Gen. Howard had made a still more serious blunder. Gen. Grover was +coming into John Day Valley with 400 troops and had reached Prairie +City, south of Canyon City, and about 45 miles from the Cummins Ranch. +He was coming in ahead of the Indians and would have been in a position, +with the troops under Howard, to surround and destroy the savages. He +was, however, halted by orders from Howard and turned back to the +Malheur Reservation. In justice to Gen. Howard it should be said that he +claimed his aide misunderstood the orders, and caused the fatal blunder. +But be that as it may, it saved the savages from annihilation or +surrender and cost the lives of a large number of citizens throughout +eastern Oregon. + +From John Day Valley, Gen. Howard continued to herd the savages, +following with his ox teams and his army of road makers, while the enemy +were sweeping a belt thirty miles in width through the State and +spreading death and desolation in their path. Many skirmishes took place +before the Indians reached the Umatilla Reservation. Here Gen. Miles +encountered them and in the battle that followed completely routed them. +Disheartened and losing confidence in the good medicine of their +medicine men, the savages split up, a portion going on to Snake River +and the Columbia, while the Stein's mountain and Nevada Piutes doubled +on their tracks and started back, for a greater portion of the way over +the road they had come. This again left the settlers exposed to butchery +and plunder. The military had followed the main bands towards the +Columbia and Snake Rivers. One band attempted to cross the Columbia by +swimming their stock. A steamer had been despatched up the river armed +with gattling guns and protected by a force of soldiers. While the vast +herd of horses and Indians were struggling in the water the boat came in +sight and opened with the gatlings. Some of the Indians succeeded in +crossing, but most of them were driven back, and the carcasses of +Indians and horses floated down the river. + + + +Chapter XVI. + +Snake Uprising in Eastern Oregon. + +While these events were transpiring all eastern Oregon was wild with +excitement. There were no telegraphs through the country in those days, +if we except a line running up the Columbia from The Dalles to Pendleton +and Walla Walla. The wildest stories were set afloat, which of course +lost nothing by repetition. + +When the first news of the outbreak reached me I was doing jury duty in +Judge L. L. McArthur's Court at The Dalles. I was engaged in the cattle +business in what is now Crook County, and my ranch was 95 miles to the +south of The Dalles. My family had been left on the ranch which was +being cared for by a couple of young men in my employ. My brother, +Senator S. G. Thompson also lived a couple of miles from my ranch. + +On coming down stairs at the Umatilla House one morning I met Judge +McArthur who expressed surprise at finding me yet in town, saying he +supposed I and my friends were well on our way home. I replied that I +was waiting the good pleasure of the Court. + +"Why, man, have you not heard the news?" replied the Judge. + +"I have heard no news," I replied, but seeing that the Judge was in +earnest asked to what news he referred. + +Judge McArthur then told me in a few excited words of the outbreak of +the Bannocks, declaring that in all probability the Indians would reach +my section before I could get there. + +I waited to hear no more, and running across the street to the livery +stable ordered my team harnessed. While I was waiting three young men, +one of them being a lawyer named G. W. Barnes, and with whom I had come +to The Dalles in a two-seated rig, came up. While the team was being +harnessed we secured from a store several hundred rounds of Winchester +ammunition, besides a couple of needle guns and some ammunition which we +borrowed. One of my friends ran across to the hotel and returned with +some provisions for breakfast. We had no time to wait. Other thoughts +occupied our minds. We then began the home run, ninety-six miles away. I +insisted on driving and nursed the team as best I could, giving them +plenty of time on the uphill grade, but sending them along at a furious +pate on level ground and down hill. From The Dalles to Shear's bridge on +the Deschutes we made a record run. There we changed horses, the +generous owner returning not a word when our urgent errand was told. +Mrs. Shear also kindly gave us some food to eat on the road. By 1 +o'clock we were at Bakeoven, 45 miles from The Dalles. Here we again +changed horses, and secured some food, which we literally ate on the +run. + +Our next lap was a long one and it was necessary to save our horses as +much as possible. But we had a good team and made good progress, and +when night closed in we were more than 25 miles from home. We finally +reached the ranch of old man Crisp, whose son was most savagely +butchered a few days later by the Indians at Fox Valley. + +My ranch was reached about midnight, possibly a little later, and I +found, to my inexpressible relief, that all was well. My wife hastily +prepared a cup of coffee for my companions and set them a lunch. While +they were eating the young men harnessed up another team, with which Mr. +Barnes and companions reached Prineville some time after daylight. + +Almost the first word spoken by my wife to me after I had asked the +news, was that Capt. George, Chief of the Warm Spring Indians, had been +there and enquiring for me. I asked her where he had gone. She replied +that he had come there in the evening, and she had ordered supper for +him and that he had put up his horse and was sleeping at the barn. The +news was a relief to me, you may be sure. + +After my friends had gone and while my wife and I were discussing the +news, George walked in. He shook hands with me and I gave him a seat. I +knew he had news for me. But an Indian always takes his time. After he +had sat for some time, and consumed with anxiety to know the nature of +his visit, I said: + +"Well, George, what is it?" + +"Have you heard about the Snakes," was his instant answer. + +"Yes, I heard about it at The Dalles, and that was what brought me home. +But what do you think about it?" + +"I do not believe the Snakes will come this way, but, if they do I will +know it in plenty of time. I will then bring lots of Indians over from +the reservation, we will gather up your horses, all of Georges' horses +and all of Maupin's horses and will take them and all the women and +children to the reservation and then we will go out and fight Snakes and +steal horses." + +That was George's idea of war. It mattered not to him if everybody else +was killed, so long as the property and families of his friends were +safe. The conversation, of course, was carried on in the Chinook +language, which is a mixture of the Wasco tongue and Hudson Bay French. + +Captain George was, as I have stated, Chief of the Warm Spring and Wasco +Indians. He was one of the most perfect specimens of physical manhood I +have ever beheld. He was proud as Lucifer and would scorn to tell a lie. +In fact, he was one of the really good live Indians I have known. Years +after, when residing at Prineville, my front yard was the favorite +camping place of Capt. George, and my stables were always open for the +accommodation of his horses. He was my friend, and as he expressed it, +"we are chiefs." + +Poor old George! He has long since been gathered to his fathers. I do +not know that I shall meet George in the happy hunting grounds. But this +I know, I will meet no truer friend or braver or nobler soul than that +of this brave old Indian. + +The next morning after my arrival at home George went up to see my +brother, and from there went on to the ranch of Mr. Maupin. So far as I +was concerned, after my talk with George, I felt perfectly at ease. I +knew he would do as he had promised. But the whole country was in panic +and it could not be stayed. Some had abandoned their farms and fled +across the mountains to the Willamette Valley, while others were getting +ready to go. I allayed the fears of immediate neighbors as far as +possible by selecting the ranch of Dr. Baldwin as a rallying point in +case of danger. But each hour, almost, would bring a new story of danger +and a new cause for a stampede. Some of my neighbors buried their +effects and prepared to flee. In the midst of this word reached me one +afternoon that the people at Prineville were forting up, and that a +company had been organized to go out to meet the Indians. Mounting good +horses my brother and I set out for Prineville, nearly thirty miles +away. We arrived there about dark after a hard ride, but it did not take +me long to size up the situation. The "company" was worse panic stricken +than the people, and the fort that had been started was worse than a +trap. It was absolutely worthless for defense. Everything, however, was +confusion and one scare followed another in rapid succession. + +I tried to get a few, men to go with me on a short scouting expedition +to discover if the Indians were coming that way. Not one could be found +who would volunteer to go. I then returned home and taking one of my +young men and a younger brother, struck out for the old Indian trail +leading along the crest of the McKay Mountains. After riding some +distance, keeping well in the timber, we met two white men who were +making their way through the mountains. They told us that the Indians +had crossed the John Day at the Cummins ranch, of the fight Jim Clark +had at Murderers Creek and the death of young Aldridge. As it was now +useless to proceed any further we turned back, and reached Prineville +next day. All the ranches were deserted, but we had no difficulty in +obtaining food for ourselves and horses. + + + +Chapter XVII. + +Bannocks Double on their Tracks. + +Matters now settled down, the scare was over and ranchers returned to +their homes and began repairing damages. Fences that had been thrown +down that stock might help themselves were repaired that as much as +possible of the crops might be saved. I returned to my ranch and was +busy with haying and harvest when another report reached us, borne on +the wings of the wind, that the Bannocks had doubled on their tracks and +were scattering death and destruction in their path. The last scare, if +possible, was worse than the first. About the same time the Governor +ordered Gen. M. V. Brown with the Linn county company, under Capt. +Humphrey, to hasten to our aid. This was the only organized troop of the +militia available for immediate service, and without loss of time they +crossed the Cascade Mountains and arrived at Prineville about the 10th +of July. + +The company was a magnificent body of men, and represented the best +families of Linn County. One of the privates was the son of a former +United States Senator, while others were young men of superior +attainments--law and medical students. George Chamberlain, present +United States Senator from Oregon, was first sergeant of the company, +Capt. Humphrey was a veteran of the Civil War, commanding a company in +many sanguinary battles. Gen. Brown had seen service during the war +between the States, but he, and all were ignorant of Indian warfare. On +his arrival at Prineville Gen. Brown sent a courier to my ranch with a +letter urging me to join the expedition. My business affairs had been +sadly neglected during the past three months, and I was loth to start +out on an expedition, the end of which was impossible to foresee. I +however went to Prineville and had a consultation with him. Gen. Brown +was exceedingly desirous that I should go with him. He called my +attention to personal obligations of friendship due from me to him. That +settled it and I told him I would go. He authorized me to enlist 15 men +as scouts and placed me in command. The number were readily found, they +providing their own horses, arms, ammunition and blankets. Provisions +were supplied from the commissary. + +In Humphrey's company there was a character known as "Warm Spring +Johnny," whom I shall have occasion to mention further on. He was +transferred to my contingent by order of Gen. Brown, as it was believed +he would be of service to me. The start was made from Prineville the +next day, our course leading toward the head of Crooked River and the +South John Day. + +On the evening of the second day we arrived at Watson Springs where we +camped for the night. Guards had been placed around the camp and I had +laid down on my saddle blanket to rest when Warm Spring Johnny came and +sat beside me. He then told me that at this place he saw his first white +man. Going into the history of his life--he was then a man about 38 +years of age--he told me the Snake Indians had captured him when he was a +mere child--so far back that he had no recollections of his parents or +of the circumstances of his capture. He was raised by the Snakes, and +always supposed he was an Indian like the rest of them, only that his +skin was white. He did not attempt to account for this difference--he +was an Indian and that was all he knew. + +In the spring of 1868, Lieut. Watson arrived and camped at the spring +which was forever to bear his name. Here the rim rock circles around the +head of the spring in the form a half wheel. Willows had grown up along +the edge of the stream that flowed out into the dun sage brush plain. +Into this trap Lieut. Watson marched his men and camped. Evidently he +felt secure, as no Indians had been seen, besides the Warm Spring scouts +were out scouring the country. Probably not a guard or picket was placed +about the camp. They had been in camp an hour, and were busily engaged +in cooking their meal when from the rim of the bluff on three sides a +host of tufted warriors poured a shower of arrows and bullets upon them. +Lieut. Watson was killed with several of his men at the first fire, +while a number were wounded. The soldiers for protection took to the +willows and defended themselves as best they could. But the Snakes had +overlooked the Warm Spring scouts, who, hearing the firing, rushed to +the rescue and attacking the Snakes in the rear, which was open ground, +routed them with the loss of several warriors killed and half a dozen +captured. + +Among the latter was Warm Spring Johnny. He was taken to the officer who +had succeeded Watson in command. Great surprise was expressed at seeing +a white man with the Snakes and the soldiers were for making short work +of the "white renegade." But it soon became evident that he was as much +a wild Indian as any of them, and his youth, about 18, making in his +favor he was turned over to the Warm Spring captors to guard, along with +the other captives. They were all taken down the little branch a few +hundred yards and securely bound and tied to a stunted juniper tree. +During the night the Warm Springs indulged in a war dance, each lucky +warrior flourishing the scalp he had taken. Along past midnight all the +captives excepting Johnny were securely bound to the juniper with green +rawhide, a mass of sage brush collected and the captives roasted alive. +Johnny told me that every moment he expected to be served in the same +manner, and could not understand why his comrades were burned while he +was saved. He said he supposed that his skin being white they had +reserved him for some particular occasion. I asked him if the soldiers +knew that the captives were being burned. He replied that he learned +afterwards that the Indians told the soldiers they had all escaped +except the white one. The probabilities are that the soldiers were too +busy with their own troubles to pay any attention to what was going on +in the camp of their allies. + +Johnny could speak fairly good English, but to all intents and purposes +he was as much of an Indian as any of his copper colored friends. He was +adopted into the Warm Springs tribe and remained with them for a number +of years, but marrying a squaw from another tribe moved to the +Willamette Valley, where he lived and died an Indian. He was almost +invaluable to me because of his knowledge of the ways and signs of the +Snakes. But aside from this he was absolutely useless as he was an +arrant coward and could not be depended on when danger threatened. + +The next day we moved south and after a rapid march reached the Elkins +ranch on Grindstone, a tributary of Crooked River. It was known that the +Indians were returning practically by the same route they had previously +traveled, and our duty was to prevent raids from the main body and +protect the property of the settlers as far as was possible. + +First gaining permission from Gen. Brown, with my scouts and four +volunteers, I started out to discover the camp of the Indians, which +from the lay of the country, I thought likely would be at the head of +Buck Creek, at a spring in the edge of the timber. About 2 o'clock we +arrived at the vicinity of the supposed camp of the Indians, and taking +an elevated position, patiently waited for dawn. Finally the gray dawn +began to peep over the crest of the eastern mountains, and leading our +horses we moved closer. When daylight finally arrived we were within a +hundred yards of the spring, but nowhere was there a sign of life. + +Assuring ourselves that the renegades had not passed that point, and +that they were further back, we started to meet them, meantime keeping a +careful lookout ahead. We continued on to Crooked River and despairing +of finding or overtaking them, we retraced our steps to camp, arriving +there about dark after riding 75 or 80 miles. + +The next day it was determined to send a strong detachment into the +rough brakes of the South John Day. Accordingly Capt. Humphrey detailed +36 men and I joined him with the scouts. We were absent three days and +returned to camp without encountering or seeing any signs of Indians. +After resting our horses one day we again struck out, this time going +farther north in the direction of Murderers Creek. The country was +indescribably rough, and our first night's camp was at the John Day at a +point on the trail made by Gen. Howard when he was herding the Indians +north. About 10 o'clock one of the men from a picket came in and told me +that the Indians were signaling from two sides of the camp. I walked +down to where Capt. Humphrey was sleeping and woke him up. We watched +the signaling for a few minutes and then sent for Warm Spring Johnny. He +said they were signaling that we were a strong party of soldiers and had +come from the south. He then explained how the flashes were made. A pile +of dry grass was collected and then surrounded by blankets. The grass +was then fired and when the blaze was brightest the blankets on one side +was quickly raised and again lowered, giving out a bright flash light. + +I advised Capt. Humphrey to hold his men in readiness for a daylight +attack, feeling certain nothing would be attempted until just at the +break of day. We knew, however, they were not far distant and that great +care was necessary. After discussing the situation with Capt. Humphrey +it was determined to go on as far as Murderers Creek, striking the +stream at the Stewart ranch. As we passed over the intervening space we +saw abundant evidence of the presence of Indians and proceeded across +the bald hills with caution. On the hill overlooking the Stewart ranch +we saw quite a commotion, a cloud of dust raising and pointing back +towards a deep, rocky, precipitous canyon. Believing the Indians were +beating a retreat, we rode forward at the gallop, but arrived only in +time to see the last of them disappear in the mouth of the canyon. + +On the open ground at the mouth of the canyon we halted. The canyon +presented a most forbidding appearance, and to follow an enemy of +unknown strength into its gloomy depths was to court disaster. The +canyon into which the Indians had been driven was steep, rocky and with +the sides covered with brush, while the ridge was covered with +scattering pines back to the timber line where rose the jagged, serrated +peaks of the extreme summit of the mountain. After taking a careful view +of all the surroundings we retreated down the mountain pretty much as we +had ascended it. + +Capt. Humphrey agreed with me that we did not have men enough to attack +the Indians in such a stronghold. There remained nothing but to return +to the Stewart ranch and go into camp for the night. While returning we +decided to hold the Indians in the canyon if possible and send a courier +back to Gen. Brown for reinforcements. Accordingly Ad. Marcks was +selected for the night trip. He was familiar with the country and +undertook the night ride without hesitation. That night a strong guard +was kept around the camp, and daylight came without incident worthy of +mention. + +It was then decided to circle the canyon into which we had driven the +Indians on the previous day. We made the start soon after sun-up, taking +a course to the east of the point ascended the day before, and which +would enable us to ascend with our horses. We reached the summit of the +first steep raise and were rewarded by seeing three scouts disappear in +the canyon. We gave chase and fired a few shots from the rifles of the +scouts which had no other effect than to cause them to lean a little +further forward on their horses and go a little faster. As we passed up +the ridge we could see the smoke from the camp fires of the Indians +coming out of the canyon. The camp was evidently several hundred yards +long and indicated they were in considerable force. Nearing the timber +line, the pines became very thick, in fact so dense that we could force +our horses through with difficulty. My scouts were a couple of hundreds +yards in advance, and as we burst out of the brush we came upon the +horse herd guarded by four Indians. Taking in the situation at a glance, +I put spurs to my horse, and calling to the men to come on, made a dash +to cut them off from the canyon down which the herders were endeavoring +to force them. We made no attempt to use our rifles, but drawing our +revolvers opened fire on the scurrying herders. It was quite a mix-up, +but we managed to capture nineteen head of good horses. After the fray I +looked around for the first time and discovered that instead of all, but +one man had followed me, that was the young boy, Eugene Jones. The +others had taken to trees, one going back to hurry up Capt. Humphrey. +Had they all followed as did the boy we would have captured every horse +and probably have got the herders as well. Descending the ridge on the +west side we crossed the trail made by the Indians when coming into the +canyon. + +At 2 o'clock the next morning I again started to circle the camp with +twenty men, leaving Capt. Humphrey at the Stewart ranch. I ascended the +mountain farther to the east than the day before and reached the timber +line at daylight. A hundred yards or more from the timber line was a +clump of stunted trees. I determined to dismount my men and rest our +horses. As we were dismounting one of the scouts, Al Igo, asked +permission to ride up the ridge a ways and get a better look at the +country. I gave consent but cautioned him not to venture too far. As +soon as the girths of our saddles were loosened and guards placed around +I threw myself on the grass and was asleep in five minutes. But my sleep +was of short duration, for Igo came dashing back, calling, "get out of +here, we are being surrounded." He said he had counted eighty odd +warriors on one side and fifteen on the other. + +We lost no time, allow me to assure you, in "getting out of there." A +quarter of a mile above us, and about the same distance from the timber +line on every side, were three jagged peaks, and not more than twenty +yards apart. Here I stationed the men, first dismounting them and +securing our horses among the rocks so as to shield them from the +bullets of the Indians. I felt sure that we were going to have a fight, +and against heavy odds. But the rocks made a splendid fort, and I +explained to the men that if they would save their ammunition and not +get excited we could stand off all the Indians west of the Rocky +mountains. After talking to them I took two men, Charley Long and a +young man named Armstrong, two of the best shots in the company, and +crawled down through the grass about 150 yards to another pile of rocks. +I calculated that if I did not hold that point the Indians could unseen +reach it and pour a deadly fire into our position above. Besides I had +hopes of getting some of them when they came to the edge of the timber. +We had reached the position but a few minutes when two rode out of the +timber to our left and about 400 yards away. The boys wanted to fire, +but I held them back telling them that we would get surer shots by not +disclosing our position. We could see them watching the men in the rocks +above, and soon they turned and rode straight towards us, all the while +watching the men in the rocks. When within 100, yards I told the men to +take deliberate aim and we would fire together. I pulled on the trigger +of my needle gun until I could feel it give. But something told me not +to fire and I told the men to wait. On they came, and again we drew +deadly beads on the unsuspecting horsemen, but there was an undefinable +something that told me not to fire. When they had come within thirty +yards we discovered they were white men. We rose up out of the rocks and +grass and when they came up I discovered that one of them was an old +friend, Warren Cassner, from John Day Valley. We also discovered for the +first time that the sun was in total eclipse. Everything looked dark, +and they had taken us for Indians and we had came within a hairs breadth +of sending them into eternity under the same false impression. When I +saw how near I had come to killing my friend I was all in a tremble. + +The two men belonged to a company of 125 men raised in John Day Valley +and Canyon City and were pursuing a large band of Indians that had come +in the night before. They made a trail as broad as a wagon road and +evidently numbered a hundred or more warriors. Joined with those we had +been watching they constituted quite a force and would evidently put up +a stiff fight. We returned with the John Day men to the Stewart ranch, +and Gen. Brown having arrived during the day, our forces numbered full +250 men, and all full of fight. That night plans were discussed for the +coming attack. I favored dividing our forces and attacking them from +both sides of the canyon. In this, however, I was overruled and all was +arranged for a combined attack on the Indian position from the west +side. It was arranged that I should start at 2 o'clock with 25 men, +circle the west side of the camp, and if the Indians had slipped out +during the night I was to follow and send back a messenger to the main +command. That there might be no mistake as to the course we should take +in the morning, I pointed to the canyon in which the Indians were +encamped and the ridge up which we would go. + + + +Chapter XVIII. + +Another Attack that Miscarried. + +Everything was in readiness. Two hundred rounds of ammunition was +distributed to the men, and all were in high glee at the prospect of +being able to revenge the cruel murder of friends and neighbors. + +At 2 o'clock we were roused by the guards. Horses were quickly saddled +and after a meal of bread, meat and coffee we mounted and filed out of +camp. Besides the scouts I had ten men belonging to the John Day +volunteers. As daylight began to peep over the mountain tops we reached +the head of the canyon in which the Indians were encamped. We had kept a +close lookout for any signs of the Indians abandoning the canyon but +found none. There could be no question as to their whereabouts--not +more than a mile below us. + +We halted here and engaged in a discussion as to the advisability of +going around to the west side of the canyon, and when the attack began +to open on them from that side. The John Day men were decidedly in favor +of the move. But Gen. Brown had especially requested that I should be +with the main force when the fight began, and I must return and meet +him. It was finally arranged that I should return, taking one man with +me, while the others should go down the west side of the canyon. +Accordingly I selected the boy Eugene Jones and we started back. It was +arranged that the main force should follow me up the mountain within an +hour after I left camp, and I expected to meet them about the time the +attack began. I did not consider it as being particularly hazardous, as +they could not be very far away. We rode at the gallop, expecting every +moment to hear the report of the opening guns. It was broad daylight now +and we sped on as fast as our horses could carry us. But nothing could +be seen or heard of the command. Our situation was now serious in the +extreme. We passed within 600 yards of the Indian camp and could see the +smoke curling up out of the canyon. But the only alternative that +presented itself to us was to go ahead as we should certainly meet the +troops within a short distance. As a matter of fact we were "so far +stepped in that to retreat were worse than going o'er." On and on we +sped until the brow of the mountain was reached overlooking Murderers +Creek Valley, and nowhere could we get sight of man or beast. "What does +it mean?" These were the questions repeated one with the other. We +finally concluded that the Indians had slipped out behind us, or that we +had overlooked their trail, and that Gen. Brown finding it had started +in pursuit. + +Descending the mountain we struck across the valley and at or near the +creek we found the trail of the command. It was easy to distinguish the +trail as our men rode shod horses while the Indian ponies were +bare-footed. Picking up the trail we rode as fast as the condition of +our tired horses would permit. About four miles from where we struck the +trail we found the carcass of one of our pack mules. We at first thought +there had been a skirmish and that the mule had been killed. An +examination, however, showed us that the mule had fallen over an +embankment and broken his neck. Following a well beaten trail we did not +discover that the command had left it until we had gone some two or +three miles past the carcass of the dead mule. We therefore began to +retrace our steps. It should be understood that the course taken by the +command was due east, at right angles to that which they should have +taken in following me in the morning. Returning, we carefully examined +each side of the trail in order to discover where it had been left. We +finally came back to the carcass of the dead mule. We knew they had been +there, but what had become of them? Eugene suggested that they had "had +an extra big scare and had taken to wing." + +While we were looking for the trail six of the men from whom we had +separated in the morning rode up. They were as much bewildered as I. In +fact, I could not account for the actions of the command except that +there was rank, craven cowardice somewhere, and the language I used was +freely punctuated with adjectives not fit for print. After a long search +we discovered where they had left the trail. They had followed a shell +rock ridge for a quarter of a mile, probably, as some of the men +suggested, to hide their trail for fear the Indians would follow them. +The course was now due north. This they kept until reaching the summit, +when they again turned west. We followed on as fast as the jaded +condition of our horses would permit, until I discovered pony tracks +following behind. Keeping a sharp lookout, however, we continued on +until we came to where one of the Indians had dismounted, the imprint of +his moccasin being clearly outlined in the dust. This presented a new +difficulty, and we now understood why they had not picked us off in the +morning. They were entrenched and were waiting to be attacked, but +seeing the main force turn tail, the hunted had turned hunters. + +To follow the trail further appeared madness, and we turned down the +mountain, keeping in the thick cover. I concluded the command would +simply circle the camp and return to the Stewart ranch that night. +Accordingly we bent our course so as to strike the head of the valley, +which we reached at sundown, but nowhere could we discover the presence +of man or beast. We waited until dark and then led our horses up through +the willows lining the banks of the creek, and finding an open space +picketed our horses, and leaving a guard of two men, laid down to sleep. +I told the boy Eugene to wake me up and I would stand guard, but he +failed to do so, saying he was not as tired as I and stood both guards. + +At daylight we again saddled up and began a search for the command. We +had eaten nothing since 2 o'clock on the previous morning and began to +feel keenly the effects of hunger. All that day we wandered through the +mountains, returning to our hiding place in the willows of the night +before. At daylight I wrote a note and left it at the Stewart ranch and +then determined to reach John Day Valley. Food we must have, and we knew +we could find something there. Striking a course through the mountains +we reached the Cummins ranch at 4 o'clock that day. We had now been +without food for 62 hours, and from that day to this I could never bear +to see anything hungry--man or beast. Here we found Gen. Brown with +most of his command enjoying their ease. Some kind ladies at the house, +learning our condition, quickly set us some food, mostly soups and +articles of light diet. + +In explanation of his remarkable course, Gen. Brown declared he was +misled by the John Day volunteers, while they in turn laid the blame on +Gen. Brown. I was furious over the whole shameful affair and took no +pains to conceal my disgust. Capt. Humphrey told me that he knew they +were going in the wrong direction, and told Brown so, but the latter +said Lieut. Angel was acting as guide and that they would follow him, +and on the head of that officer the blame finally rested. + +This incident and others led next day to the enforced resignation of +Lieutenant Angel and the election of George Chamberlain as his +successor. + +From the Cummins ranch we went to Canyon City for supplies, and from +there to Bear Valley, on the mountain to the west, and on the road +leading to Camp Harney. After resting our horses for a day, Gen. Brown +and I, with a small escort, went to Camp Harney hoping to get some news, +and while awaiting the return of Chamberlain. At Camp Harney a small +force of regulars was posted and some thirty or forty families had +gathered there for protection. Many of the women and children had +escaped from their homes, scantily dressed, and had been unable to +procure any clothing during the lapse of more than a month. It was a sad +sight, especially those who had lost husbands, sons and brothers. + +The day after our arrival, two ladies, the wives of Major Downing and +Major McGregor, sent for me. The latter had two or three children +besides her mother. Their husbands were with Howard's column and they +were anxious to reach Canyon City and go from there to Walla Walla. +Would I escort them to Canyon City? I said certainly, I would do so, as +I would go within a few miles of that place on my return to camp. Lieut. +Bonsteil of the regulars spoke up and said he would provide them with an +escort at any time. But Mrs. McGregor told him plainly that she would +not go with the soldiers that if they got into trouble the soldiers +would run away--but the volunteers would stay with them. The Lieutenant +suggested that "it was a fine recommendation for the United States +Army." "I know the army better than you do, Lieutenant, and have known +it much longer, and I will not risk my life and the lives of my children +with them," said the plain spoken Scotch lady. The next morning, bright +and early, we started out. The ladies were riding in an ambulance, +driven by a soldier. When near half way to Bear Valley and near Mountain +Springs, we crossed the fresh trail of a strong party of Indians, but we +arrived at our destination safely, and next morning returned to camp. +Here we rested a couple of days and, Chamberlain returning, we moved to +our head camp at Grindstone. We had accomplished nothing in the way of +destroying hostiles, but had prevented them from scattering and +committing all kinds of atrocities as they had done before reaching John +Day Valley. + +Arriving at our camp we found ourselves without any provisions. +Accordingly Gen. Brown and I started to Prineville with a four horse +team to obtain supplies to send back to the men who were to follow. We +took along a teamster and the quartermaster. Starting in the evening we +arrived at the crossing of Beaver Creek, and I captured an old hen, all +that was left at the ranch after its plunder by the Indians in June. We +drove until midnight and arriving at Watson Springs, stopped for the +night. We dressed the hen and had the driver to sit up the balance of +the night and boil her. When daylight came we tried to breakfast off the +hen, but it was a rank failure, and we harnessed up and drove on, +getting a meal at a ranch ten miles from Prineville, to which place we +drove that night. + +Thus ended my last Indian campaign, and one of which I never felt any +great amount of pride. In one respect it was a rank failure, due, I have +always thought, to the rank cowardice of some one--probably more than +one. We had, however accomplished some good, as before remarked, and +probably saved some lives, and that was worth all the hardships we had +endured. + +I cannot close this narrative without a further reference to the boy, +Eugene Jones. During the first two weeks of the campaign my eyes became +badly affected from the dust and glare of the sun, reflected from the +white alkali plains on the head of Crooked River. At times I could +scarcely bear the light, which seemed fairly to burn my eyeballs. From +the first Eugene had attached himself to me. He would insist on taking +care of my horse in camp, and often would stop at a spring or stream and +wetting a handkerchief would bind it over my eyes and lead my horse for +miles at a time. At Murderers Creek, too, he was the only man to follow +me when I made the dash after the Indian horse herd. Another thing I +observed about the boy was that I never heard him use an oath or a +vulgar, coarse expression. What then was my surprise on arriving at +Prineville to find a letter from Sheriff Hogan of Douglas County telling +me that the boy, Eugene Jones, was none other than Eugene English, a +notorious highwayman and stage robber. He was a brother of the English +boys, well known as desperate characters. I was stunned, perplexed. The +Sheriff asked me to place him under arrest. But how could I do so, after +all he had done for me? It appeared in my eyes the depth of ingratitude. +In my dilemma I laid the matter before Judge Frank Nichols of +Prineville. I related all the boy had done for me, and asked him what, +under like circumstances, he would do. "By George, Colonel, I would not +give him up. It may be wrong, but I would not do it," replied the old +Judge. We then went to Mr. Brayman, a merchant of the town, and laid the +matter before him. He fully agreed with us that the boy should be saved. +I then went to the quartermaster, got a voucher for the boy's services, +obtained the money on the voucher from Mr. Brayman, and putting a man on +a horse, explained to him that he was to hand the letter and money to +Eugene, first having him to sign the voucher, or warrant, over to Mr. +Brayman. + +The young man found the boy with the volunteers. He called him to one +side, gave him my letter as well as the money. He signed the voucher, +and that night disappeared and I never saw or heard of him again. But of +this I feel certain, if he fell in with the right class of men he made a +good man and citizen. Otherwise, otherwise. Do you blame me, reader? I +have never felt a regret for what I did. Put yourself in my place. + + + +Chapter XIX. + +Reign of the Vigilantes. + +Every newly settled country has had to deal, to a greater or less +extent, with lawless characters. Generally these outlaws have been +brought into subjection and destroyed under the operation of law. +Occasionally, however, this, from one cause or another, has been +impossible. It is then that citizens, unable longer to bear the outrages +committed by desperate criminals, take the law into their own hands and +administer justice according to their own ideas of right, and without +the forms of law. Such occasions are always to be deplored. They arise +from two causes, the maladministration of justice and bloodness of +criminals whose long immunity from punishment renders them reckless and +defiant of both law and the citizens. + +Such conditions existed in the late 70's and early 80's in that portion +of Eastern Oregon now embraced in the county of Crook. During several +years desperate characters had congregated in that section. From petty +crimes, such as the stealing of cattle and horses, they resorted to +bolder acts, embracing brutal and diabolical murder. For a time the +citizens appeared helpless. Men were arrested for crime and the forms of +law gone through with. Their associates in crime would go into court, +swear them out and then boast of the act. On one occasion I went to one +of the best and most substantial citizens of the country, Wayne +Claypool, and asked him about an act of larceny of which he had been a +witness. He had seen the crime committed from concealment. I asked him +if he was going to have the men arrested. He replied that he was not. +Then, said I, if you do not I will. "Mr. Thompson," he replied, "rather +than appear against them I will abandon all I have and leave the +country. For if they did not kill me they would destroy all I have." +Under these circumstances I was forced to let the matter drop, and +content myself with writing an article for the local paper. No names +were mentioned and nothing at which an honest man could take offense. +Instead of publishing the article as a communication, it was published +as an editorial. But scarcely had the paper appeared on the street, than +three men, all known to be thieves and desperate characters, caught the +editor, knocked him down, pulled out his beard, and would probably have +done him greater bodily harm had not Til Glaze interfered and stopped +them. While the editor was being beaten he hallowed pitifully, "I didn't +do it, Thompson did it." This embittered the whole gang against both +Glaze and myself. But they appeared satisfied with threats about what +they were going to do, and for the time being made no attempt to carry +out their threats against either of us. + +This was in the fall of the year. On the 15th of March, 1882, a man +dashed into town and riding up to me asked where he would find the +Coroner. He was greatly excited and his horse was covered with foam. I +told him the nearest officer was at The Dalles, 125 miles away, but that +a Justice of the Peace could act in his absence. I then asked him what +was the matter? He replied that Langdon and Harrison had killed old man +Crook and his son-in-law, Mr. Jorey. I then told him to go to Mr. +Powers, the Justice of the Peace. Presently the Deputy Sheriff for that +section of Wasco County came to me and asked me to go with him to assist +in the arrest of the murderers. There had been some dispute between the +murderers and the murdered men, resulting a law suit. It was at best a +trivial matter and no further trouble was apprehended. But immunity from +punishment had emboldened the gang and they believed they could do as +before, simply defy the law. I declined to go with the Deputy, making as +an excuse that I did not feel well. He then summoned me as a posse. I +told him to "summons and be d-d," I would not go. That it was a long +ride and that the men had been seen "going towards The Dalles, saying +they were going to give themselves up." The officer was furious and went +away threatening me with the law. But I had other ideas regarding the +whereabouts of the murderers. An old gentleman living on Mill Creek, +east of Prineville and about thirty miles from the scene of the murders, +had told me of the finding of a cabin concealed in a fir thicket and +that it contained both provisions and horsefeed and had the appearance +of having been much used, but that there was no trail leading to it. As +soon as I learned of the murders I made up my mind that the murderers +would go to that cabin. I did not, for reasons of my own, mainly that he +talked too much, tell the Deputy of my plans. I went to four men--men +of unquestioned courage and discretion--and told them of my plans. +These men were Til Glaze, Sam Richardson, G. W. Barns and Charley Long. +They all agreed to go with me. It was arranged that we were to slip out +of town singly and meet a few miles up the Ochoco Creek, at a designated +place. We deemed this essential to success, as we knew that the men had +confederates in town who would beat us to the cabin and give the alarm. +Meantime the angry Deputy got a posse together and started on his +fruitless errand. We loitered about town until about 8 o'clock, taking +particular pains to let ourselves be seen, especially about the saloons. +We did not talk together, nor did we permit any of the gang to see us in +company. We then dropped off saying we were going home, that it was bed +time. + +But instead of going to bed we mounted our horses and taking back +streets slipped out of town. The night was dark and stormy, but all five +reached the rendezvous on time and we then proceeded to the ranch of Mr. +Johnson whom we requested to pilot us to the secret cabin. The vicinity +of the cabin was reached about two o'clock in the morning, and after +securing our horses we cautiously approached it. A light was soon +discovered and with still greater caution we attempted to surround the +cabin. The barking of a dog, however, gave the alarm and both murderers +seized their rifles, blankets and some provisions and made their escape. +Jumping over a log behind the cabin they stopped to listen and finally +thinking it a false alarm, laid down their guns, etc., and walked around +to the corner of the cabin. The snow was a foot deep and so dark was the +night that they did not see us until we were within a few feet of them. +They then started to run when Richardson, Glaze and Barns opened on them +with their revolvers. Long and I were within a few feet of the front +door and did not catch even a glimpse of the fleeing murderers. They +were chased so closely that they had no time to get either their horses, +guns or blankets, but made their escape in the darkness. When the +shooting began the door flew open and a crowd of eleven men made a rush. +Long and I were armed with double barrel shot guns, and leveling them on +the crowd we ordered them back or we would kill every man of them. You +may be sure they lost no time in getting back and closing the door. I +then stepped to the side of the door and told them we were after Langdon +and Harrison, and did not wish to harm any one else, but that if one of +them stuck his head out of the cabin he would get it blown off. + +We had got the horses, blankets and rifles of the murderers, and now +began the watch that was to last until daylight. The wind was fierce, +even in the shelter of the timber, and a cold snow drifted over us. We +had not only to guard the house, but the shed in which the horses were +tied as well. Besides, we did not know what would happen when daylight +came and they should discover that our party numbered five, instead of +twenty, as they supposed. When daylight finally came I went to the door +and told those inside to come out and to come out unarmed. They obeyed +at once, and eleven men filed out of the cabin. Of the number, there was +but one that any of us had ever seen before, or to my knowledge ever saw +again. The one was a brother of Langdon, and we at once placed him under +arrest that he might not render his brother assistance. + +We had agreed on our plans during the night, and taking young Langdon, +Long and I started back to town, while the others began to circle for +tracks of the fugitives in the snow. I should have stated that when the +shooting began the night before, Mr. Johnson mounted his horse and rode +home at top speed. Arriving there, he sent one of his sons to Prineville +and the other up the Ochoco, telling them that we had the murderers +surrounded and were fighting as long as he was in hearing, and were in +need of help. Going up the mountain I discovered the tracks of the +fugitives in the snow, and as we reached the summit we met 75 or 80 men +coming out to help us. I turned them all back, saying the murderers had +escaped, and that the rest of our party were coming a short distance +behind. I had directed Long to keep by the side of young Langdon and +that if he attempted to escape to kill him. I then called out four young +men whom I could trust and told them to drop behind and watch for the +trail of the fugitives when they should leave the road. We then all +returned to Prineville and I turned the young man over to the Deputy +Sheriff, telling him to lock him up. + +The four young men struck the trail at the foot of the Mill Creek +mountain, and following it until convinced the fugitives were +endeavoring to reach home to get horses, abandoned it and struck out +through the mountains the nearest route to the Langdon place. They +reached the ranch just as the men had got horses and some food and were +coming through the gate. Five--even one minute and they would have been +too late. But leveling their shot guns on the murderers they +surrendered. They were then brought to town, and instead of awakening +the officers, they came to my house and asked me to get up and take +charge of the prisoners. This circumstance enabled my enemies, +especially the outlaw gang, to accuse me of being the head of the +vigilantes. The prisoners were held at the livery stable, and as soon as +I arrived I sent for the Deputy Sheriff and City Marshal, and on their +arrival moved the prisoners to the bar room of the hotel. The Deputy +asked me to remain and assist in guarding the prisoners. At the hotel +the Deputy and Marshal guarded the street door, while I kept watch on +the back door. Langdon was shackled and laid down on a lounge and fell +asleep. Harrison was sitting near me and had started in to tell me all +about the murder. I was sitting sidewise to the street door, and hearing +it open, turned my head just as four men sprang upon the two officers +and bore them to the floor. At the same instant two men rushed across +the room and leveled their revolvers at me. The whole proceedings did +not occupy five seconds, so sudden was the rush. All were masked, even +their hands being covered with gloves, with the fingers cut off. + +In another instant the room was filled with the uncanny figures. +Apparently every man had a place assigned him, and in less time than one +could think, every entrance to the hotel bar room was guarded by armed +men. As the two men leveled their guns at me I put up my hands, and I +want to say I stood at "attention." At the same time two men ran around +the bar room stove, and as Langdon sprang to his feet one of them struck +him with his pistol. The weapon was discharged and they then emptied +their revolvers into his body. While this was going on other men placed +a rope around the neck of Harrison and as he was rushed past me he +wailed, "For God's sake save my life and I will tell it all." But I saw +no more of him until next morning, when he was hanging under the bridge +that spanned Crooked River. + +Twelve men were left in the room after the main mob had gone. Not a word +was spoken until I asked permission to go to the body of Langdon and +straighten it out. Both men bowed, but followed me closely, at no time +taking either their eyes or revolvers off me. They were, however, very +cool, and I felt little danger of an accidental discharge of their +weapons. After about twenty minutes one of the figures gave a signal and +in an instant all were gone, passing out through two doors. + +It was now nearly daylight and a great crowd gathered about the hotel. +There was a great deal of suppressed excitement, but I cautioned all to +be prudent and not add to it by unguarded language. The mob appeared to +be thoroughly organized, every man having and occupying his assigned +place. This fact gave Harvey Scott an opportunity to declare in the +Oregonian that I "was the chief of the vigilantes, and could have any +man in three counties hanged" that I should order. + +Matters now quieted down for a time and it was hoped that no more such +disgraceful scenes would darken the fair name of our citizens. As time +wore on the gang again became more bold and many acts of outlawry were +committed. Some time in December a stock association was organized, with +a constitution and by-laws. It was agreed that no one should ride the +range without notifying the association. Copies of the by-laws were sent +to every stock owner in the county and all were asked to join. Along in +January, about the 10th, as I remember, a crowd of the rustlers came to +town, and after filling up with bad whisky rode up and down the streets, +pistols in hand, and declared they could take the town and burn it, and +would do so "if there was any monkey business." Little attention was +paid to them, people going about their business, apparently unconcerned. +But that night there was "monkey business." Three of the gang were hung +to a juniper two miles above town, while another was shot and killed in +town. The next morning notices were found posted, with skull and +cross-bones attached, telling all hard characters to leave the county. +There was then such a higera as has seldom been witnessed. Men not +before suspicioned skipped the country. They stood not upon the order of +their going, but went--and went in a hurry. Among the number was an +ex-Justice of the Peace. + +Again things quieted down. The county was divided, courts organized and +justice administered without let or hindrance. The reign of the +vigilantes was over, and citizens everywhere looked to the law for +protection. + + + +Chapter XX. + +The Passing of the Mogans. + +A few years previous to the occurrences before given, two young men +arrived in the county and gave their names as Tom and Frank Page, being +brothers. I gave one of them, Frank, employment on my cattle ranch, but +soon became satisfied that he was not the right kind of a man, and +discharged him. Both remained in the section, accepting such employment +as they could obtain. One day a man came along and recognized the Page +brothers as men he had known in Nevada under a different name. Hearing +of this, they admitted that the name first given was an alias, and that +their true names were Mike and Frank Mogan. They were a quarrelsome pair +and posed as bad men, and were not long in involving themselves in +trouble and were shunned by the better class of citizens. In a case +against the younger of the two, Frank Mogan, a young lawyer, C. W. +Barnes, was employed as opposite counsel. This seemed to embitter both +men against Barnes and some threats were made against him. No attention +was paid to the matter by Barnes, but he kept a watch on them when in +their company. + +Finally in the fall after the last lynching Mike came to town and in +order to pick a quarrel with Mr. Barnes, began to abuse his younger +brother, a boy of about 17 years. The boy went to his brother and told +him of Mogan's conduct. He was told that if he associated with such men +as Mogan he must suffer the consequences. The boy then went home, and +securing an old cap and ball revolver, came back to the street. Mogan +began on him again, and after suffering his abuse for some time, drew +the revolver and shot him through the chest. Mogan ran a short distance +and drawing his revolver, started back. Seeing that young Barnes was +ready for him, he turned off, walked a short distance, sank down and +died the next day. The affair created some excitement. The boy was +arrested but subsequently came clear. + +At the time of the homicide I was out of town and knew nothing of the +shooting until late that night. The other Mogan brother, however, +affected to believe that I had given the revolver to the boy and had +told him to use it. I explained to him the absurdity of the charge, +proving to him that I was out of town. This appeared to make no +difference, he still holding a grudge against me for discharging him. He +made many threats against my life, all of which were borne to me. He +declared he would "kill me if he had to lay behind a sage brush and +shoot me in the back." Still I paid no apparent attention to the +threats, being satisfied he would never at any rate face me. + +One evening I was called to the store of Hahne & Fried to attend to some +business. It was just after dark and while I was there I was notified by +a friend that a daughter of Judge Nichols had overheard Mogan tell one +of his friends that he had come to town to kill me and would not leave +until he had accomplished his purpose. This was going a little too far, +and I determined to settle the matter one way, or the other at our first +meeting. The test came sooner than I anticipated. On seeing me he +attempted to draw his gun but was too slow, and fell with more than one +bullet: through his body. + +I sent for Sheriff Geo. Churchill and surrendered myself as a prisoner. +He told me to go home and if he wanted me he would send me word. The +committing magistrate, at my request, placed me under bonds to appear +before the Grand Jury. The announcement caused an uproar among the +throng with which the court-room was packed, and I was compelled to go +among them and explain that it was done at my especial request. I wanted +the matter to come up in the Grand jury room and so told the people. The +Oregonian published distorted and untruthful statements regarding the +affair, and attorneys from every part of the State volunteered their +services to defend me free of charge. I wrote to them, of course +thanking them, but told them I had no use for attorneys, as the matter +would never go beyond the Grand jury, and there it ended, the District +Attorney, Mr. McBride, proving my strongest witness. + +I have gone somewhat into detail in this matter through no spirit of +bravado, for no one could deplore the necessity of my action more than +I. But to show to those who have never experienced frontier life the +dangers, difficulties and hardships through which one must pass. It may +be said that I should have had Mogan arrested for threatening my life. +To such I will say that under all the circumstances such a course would +only have still more embittered the situation and made the end +inevitable. Another thing, among frontiersmen the man who goes to law +for protection of that kind, makes of himself a pusillanimous object for +every vagabond to spit upon and kick. I was not "built: that way." + + + +Chapter XXI. + +The Lookout Lynching. + +Coming down to a later date, perhaps no event of its character has +attracted so much comment, and been the subject, of more gross +misrepresentation than the "Lookout Lynching." I have, therefore, been +asked to give a true account of the deplorable affair, the causes +leading up to the same, and the sensational trial of nineteen citizens +accused of participating in the act. + +To begin at the beginning: Along in the early 70's the United State +government established a military post at Fort Crook, in Fall River +valley, which was occupied by a company of cavalry under command of one +Capt. Wagner. The post was designed to afford protection to settlers +against depredations by hostile Indians. Soon after the arrival of the +troops the Captain began to cast eyes of favor on a comely young Indian +woman, the wife of a Pit River brave. The Captain had been sent to +civilize the Indians, and was not long in taking the woman under his +protection. The arrangement was agreeable to the woman, who preferred +the favor of the white chief to that of her dusky husband. + +Time wore on and the government concluded to abandon the post, and +ordered Capt. Wagner and his company elsewhere. Of course, he could not +take the Indian woman with him, and she must be got rid of. The means +presented itself in the person of a soldier named Calvin Hall, whose +term of enlistment had expired. He proposed to Hall that if he would +take the woman off his hands he, the Captain, would give him a small +portable sawmill which the government had sent to the post to saw lumber +with which to build quarters, etc. The arrangement being agreeable to +Hall, the trade was made and the woman and sawmill passed to a different +ownership. + +In the course of time Hall sold the sawmill and settled on a piece of +land not far from the present town of Lookout. Here the two full blood +children of the woman grew to manhood. Another child was born to the +woman, the father being a man named Wilson, with whom she lived during +one of her changes of lovers, for Mary (her Christian name) was a woman +of many loves. The half breed boy was fifteen years old, and probably by +reason of environment was not a model. The two full bloods, Frank and +Jim Hall, the names by which they were known, gradually became looked +upon as desperate characters. Their many misdeeds brought them into +prominence, and frequent arrests followed. But somehow Hall managed to +enable them to escape the vengeance of the law. This only served to make +them bolder in their misdeeds. Cattle were killed and horses mutilated, +merely because the owners had incurred their enmity. The school house in +the neighborhood was broken open, books destroyed and other vandal acts +committed. In fact, they became the terror of the neighborhood, the Hall +home being a place of refuge and shelter, and Hall a protector when +arrests followed their crimes. + +This condition of affairs could not exist for long. When the law fails +to protect life and property, I have always observed that men find a way +to protect them. About a year and a half before the finale, a gentleman +living in Lookout visited Alturas and detailed the many misdeeds of +these men to me. One in particular I remember. Dr. Shearer, a wealthy +stock man living some distance this side of Lookout, had employed some +Indians in harvesting his hay crop. Frank Hall had a grievance against +the Indians, and during their absence from their camp went there and cut +their wagons and harness to pieces. The Indians trailed him to within a +short distance of Halls, but were afraid to go further. They complained +to Mr. Shearer, who promptly sent word to Frank Hall that if he ever +came on his ranch he, Shearer, would shoot him. Some time after this Mr. +Shearer found a saddle animal belonging to his wife cut and mutilated in +a most shameful manner. The horse, a beautiful animal and a pet, had his +ears and tail cut off, while deep gashes were cut in his side and hips. +Mr. Shearer could not prove that Frank Hall committed the dastardly act, +but was more than satisfied of his guilt. This and other like acts were +detailed to me, and I wrote an article for my paper detailing the +grievances of the people of that section and ending by predicting that, +unless it was stopped, "juniper trees would bear fruit." My prediction +came true a year and a half later, only that the Pit River bridge and +not the junipers bore the fruit. + +Some time during the year of 1900 a man named Yantes came to the +vicinity of Lookout and took up with the Halls. Later he took Mary, the +Indian woman, away from old man Hall, and lived with her on a ranch he +had located. He carried a big gun and posed as a bad man, and of course +found genial companionship in the sons of the Indian woman. The coming +of Yantes seemed to add to the boldness and reckless conduct of Frank +and Jim Hall and the half-breed boy Wilson. Along towards the last of +May, 1901, a burglary was committed in the neighborhood. Of course the +Hall crowd was suspected and a search warrant obtained. At the Hall home +several of the articles were found, as well as on the persons of the +men. The hides and meat of animals recently killed were found at the +Hall and Yantes homes and the brands identified by the owner. This +discovery led to the arrest of the entire gang, including Hall and the +half-breed boy Wilson. They were taken to Lookout and a guard placed +over them. + +The Grand jury was in session at Alturas, and next morning R. E. +Leventon and Isom Eades came to Alturas to secure the indictment of the +men. The proof was positive, and they felt that at last a conviction +could be secured. But unfortunately the Grand jury adjourned that +morning. They then applied to the District Attorney to go to Lookout and +prosecute the criminals. But Mr. Bonner had a case coming up at Lake +City, and the Justice refusing to postpone it, could not go. The matter +was finally arranged by the appointment by Mr. Bonner of C. C. Auble, an +Adin attorney, as a special deputy to prosecute the cases. The +appointment was made out and given to Leventon and Eades, but Mr. +Bonner, a young lawyer and serving his first, term, made the fatal +mistake of instructing Mr. Auble to dismiss the charge of burglary and +rearrest the men for petty larceny. + +During all this time the five men, two white men, the half-breed boy and +the two Indians, were held under guard, the bar room of the hotel being +used for the purpose. When it became known that the prisoners were +merely to be prosecuted for the smaller crime, the whole country became +aroused. Both Yantes and the Halls made threats of dire vengeance upon +those instrumental in their arrest. They declared they would get even as +soon as they were free. All knew the Indians and Yantes to be desperate +men, and to turn them loose would be equivalent to applying the torch to +their homes, if not the knife to their throats. Accordingly at the hour +of 1:30 on the morning of May 31st a rush was made by masked men, the +prisoners taken from the guards and all five hung to the railing of the +Pit River bridge. + +The news spread like wildfire and created intense excitement throughout +the county and State. The great papers, in two column headlines, told of +the "wiping out of a whole family." "An old man," said they, "his three +sons and his son-in-law," were ruthlessly hung for a petty crime, the +stealing of a few straps of leather. In Modoc county the sentiment of +nine-tenths of the people was that the leaders of the mob should be +punished. Young Banner had made a mistake, due doubtless to youth and +inexperience, but it remained for Superior Judge Harrington to make a +still more serious one. + +Judge Harrington wrote to the Attorney-General asking that detectives +and a special prosecutor be sent to investigate and prosecute the case +against the lynchers. He also called the Grand jury together in special +session. But there never was any evidence. + +The Grand jury convened on June 10th, and a host of witnesses were in +attendance. + +The result of the Grand Jury session was the returning of indictments +against R. E. Leventon, Isom Eades and James Brown. As the case against +Brown appeared to be the best, he was "brought to trial" November 21, +1901. Assistant Attorney-General Post and Deputy Attorney George +Sturtevant were sent from the Attorney-General's office to prosecute the +case. The prisoner was defended by ex-Judge G. F. Harris, E. V. Spencer +and John E. Raker. + +Soon after the trial began Judge Post sent for a noted gunfighter named +Danny Miller. And during all those weary three months of the trial he +could be seen trotting around after Post, his mustache turned up, a la +William of Germany, like a rat terrier following a mastiff, to the +infinite amusement of the small boy and utter disgust of sensible men. +Gibson, the noted San Francisco detective, was here, assisted by other +detectives and a dozen or more local head hunters, who were after a +share of the big reward. District Attorney Bonner was pushed aside and +completely ignored. He was not even given an insight into what was going +on. In justice to Mr. Sturtevant I want to say that he had no hand in +the high-handed measures adopted by Post and Harrington. And had he been +in control the result of the Brown trial might have ended differently. +Indeed, so favorably were the people of Modoc impressed with Mr. +Sturtevant that members of both parties--prominent citizens--went to +him and offered him the Superior Judgeship at the coming fall election. +For reasons of his own he declined, and before the end of the Brown +trial left in disgust. + +At one stage of the proceedings there was talk of supplying troops from +the National Guard to preserve order. And yet there had at no time been +a breach of the peace or threats made except by the man Miller. On one +occasion Miller drew a revolver in the court room and attempted to shoot +Attorney Raker. At another time he beat a young man named Russell over +the head with a gun for some fancied offense. A brother of young Russell +kept the principal hotel in the town, and both had been open in their +denunciation of the lynchers. I mention these facts to show why it was +that the citizens of the county turned from nine-tenths in favor of +prosecuting the lynchers to the utmost limit, to nine-tenths the other +way. + +Early in January Detective Gibson went to a young man who was stranded +in Alturas with his wife and offered him a portion of the reward, +amounting to $900, to testify to a certain matter. The young man and his +wife were working, for their board, but he told Gibson that he knew +nothing of the matter and that poor as he was he would not swear to a +falsehood. Gibson went away, but returned a few nights, later and again +tried to get him to testify, saying that the men were guilty and that no +one would ever be the wiser. Slavin (the young man's name) then told +Gibson that if he ever came to his home with such a proposal that he, +Slavin, would shoot him like a dog. All these attempts at bribery soon +became known and filled citizens everywhere with consternation. They +argued that under such methods an innocent man might be sacrificed that +a lot of head hunters could gain a big reward. + +On January 4th, 1902, Mary Lorenz, a half breed daughter of old Mary +Hall, swore to a warrant charging, fifteen others with complicity in the +lynching. All were arrested, but not one was found to be armed. They +were placed in jail, and on the 10th indictments were filed charging +each one with five different murders. + +The causes leading to these arrests were said to be the confessions of +John Hutton and Claude Morris. + +It subsequently developed that Morris was taken to a room, there plied +with whisky by the detectives, aided by Simmons, and at two o'clock in +the morning signed an affidavit that had been prepared for him. After he +regained consciousness he denied the whole thing, but was told that he +would be sent to the penitentiary for perjury if he went back on the +confession he had signed before a notary public. Under the circumstances +the poor, weak boy, kept under guard and away from friends and +relatives, was compelled to stick to the evidence that had been prepared +for him. + +As the trial of Brown dragged its "slimy length along," the scenes in +the court room at times beggared description. Harrington, badgered by +the attorneys for the defense, raved like a madman, and generally ended +by sending one or more of the attorneys for Brown to jail. He refused to +permit any evidence to be introduced for the purpose of impeachment. +Disinterested men were brought from Tule Lake to prove that the boy +Hutton was on his way to Lookout from that place when the lynching took +place. Another witness was placed on the stand and testified that he +stood on the ground, back of Leventon's shop and saw certain of the +accused, among them Brown, and heard them plotting. Harrington refused +to permit any evidence to be introduced tending to impeach the witness. + +When Harrington would rule against the admission of this evidence, +Harris, Raker or Spencer would argue the point and manage to get the +evidence before the jury and end by going to jail. The attorneys took +turns going to jail, but managed for one to remain outside to conduct +the case. Thus wore away the weary months until the jury brought in a +verdict of "not guilty." In conversation with one of the jurymen that +morning he stated that the character of the witnesses for the +prosecution was enough. They were Indians, half-breeds, and disreputable +characters of every shade and degree. + +The morning after the verdict was rendered not one of these creatures +could be found. During the night they had fled and scattered like a +covey of quail. They feared arrest for perjury, of which they were +guilty. All that remained the next morning was General Post and his gun +man, Danny Miller. They took the stage after breakfast and were seen no +more. The prisoners were discharged one and two and three at a time and +quietly returned to their homes. + +Thus ended the dreary farce of the prosecution of the Lookout lynchers. +It had cost the county about $40,000 and had accomplished nothing, save +to blacken the character of our citizens and cause the outside world to +look upon us as outlaws and desperadoes. + + + +Conclusion. + +The events here recorded were seen with my own eyes, or were received +from the lips of the actors therein. Hundreds of men and boys passed +through equal or greater dangers and privations than I, and are entitled +to equal or greater credit. Reared in the wilderness and on the frontier +of civilization, I was merely the product of environment, and lay claim +to no particular distinction above those who were my companions. And +yet, as I look back over the past, I must be excused for a feeling of +pride in having been a part, however insignificant, in the building here +on the western rim of the continent, of the mighty Empire of the +Pacific. + +To have seen proud cities rear their heads from a wilderness--from a +cluster of log huts in a primeval forest--whose everlasting stillness +was alone broken by the yells of savage men, the long howl of the wolf +and the scream of the panther--is something to have lived for. + +And yet I question if those who now possess this land of plenty--this +land of "milk and honey" ever give a thought for those who "Conquered +the Wilderness" and made it a fit and safe abode for the millions of +civilized men and women who now enjoy its blessings. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Reminiscences of a Pioneer +by Colonel William Thompson + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11508 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e5621f1 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #11508 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11508) diff --git a/old/11508.txt b/old/11508.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4903c91 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11508.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5654 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Reminiscences of a Pioneer, by Colonel William Thompson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Reminiscences of a Pioneer + +Author: Colonel William Thompson + +Release Date: March 8, 2004 [EBook #11508] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REMINISCENCES OF A PIONEER *** + + + + +Produced by David A. Schwan <davidsch@earthlink.net> + + + + + +Reminiscences of a Pioneer + + + +By Colonel William Thompson + +Editor Alturas, Cal., Plaindealer + + + +San Francisco 1912 + + + +Contents + +Chapter + I Farewell to the Old Southern Home + II First Winter in the Willamette Valley + III Indian Outbreak of 1855 + IV In Which Various Experiences Are Discussed + V Taking Revenge on Marauding Snakes + VI One Bad Tale From Canyon City History + VII Col. Thompson's First Newspaper Venture + VIII History of the Modoc Indians + IX The Ben Wright Massacre + X Treaty With the Modocs Made + XI Battle in the Lava Beds + XII The Peace Commission's Work + XIII Three Days Battle In the Lava Beds + XIV Trailing the Fugitives + XV The Great Bannock War + XVI Snake Uprising in Eastern Oregon + XVII Bannocks Double on Their Tracks +XVIII Another Attack That Miscarried + XIX Reign of the Vigilantes + XX Passing of the Mogans + XXI The Lookout Lynching + + + +Illustrations + +Colonel William Thompson Frontispiece + (From photo taken at close of Bannock War) +Typical Scene in the Lava Beds +Runway and Fort in Lava Beds +Captain Jack's Cave in the Lava Beds +Captain Jack + (From photo belonging to Jas. D. Fairchild, Yreka, Cal.) +Colonel William Thompson + (From photo taken at close of Modoc War) + + + +Foreword + +So rapidly is the Far West changing character, our pioneers should feel +in duty bound to preserve all they can of its early history. Many of +them are giving relics of frontier days to museums and historical +societies. And they do well. Yet such collections are unfortunately +accessible to only the few. Hence they do better who preserve the living +narratives of their times. For however unpretentious from the cold +aspect of literary art, these narratives breathe of courage and +fortitude amid hardships and perils, and tell as nothing else can of the +hopes and dreams of the hardy pathfinders, and of the compensations and +pleasures found in their sacrifices. + +It is with this end in view, to preserve the life of the old days in its +many colors, that these recollections are penned. There was more to this +life than has been touched by the parlor romancers or makers of +moving-picture films. Perhaps some day these memories may serve to +illumine the historian delving in the human records of the past. And +perhaps, also, and this is the author's dearest wish, they may inspire +young readers to hold to the hardy traditions of the 'Fifties and to +keep this spirit alive in a country destined soon to be densely peopled +with newcomers from the long-settled parts of the world. + + + +Reminiscences of a Pioneer + + + +Chapter I. + +Farewell to the Old Southern Home. + +I have often wondered, when viewing a modern passenger coach, with its +palace cars, its sleeping and dining cars, if those who cross the "Great +American Desert," from the Mississippi to the Pacific in four days, +realize the hardships, dangers and privations of the Argonauts of +fifty-eight years ago. The "Plains" were then an unbroken wilderness of +three thousand miles, inhabited by hordes of wild Indians, and not too +friendly to the white man journeying through his country. + +The trip then required careful preparation--oxen, wagons, provisions, +arms and ammunition must be first of all provided. These were +essentials, and woe to the hapless immigrant who neglected these +provisions. To be stranded a thousand miles from the "settlements" was a +fate none but the most improvident and reckless cared to hazard. + +It is to recount some of the trials, adventures, hardships, privations, +as I remember them, that these lines are written. For truly, the +immigrants of the early 50's were the true "Conquerors of the +Wilderness." Cutting loose from home and civilization, their all, +including their women and children, loaded into wagons, and drawn by +slow-moving ox teams, they fearlessly braved three thousand miles of +almost trackless wilderness. + +As a small boy I remember the first mention of California, the land of +gold. My father returned from New Orleans in January. On board the +steamer coming up the Mississippi river, he had fallen in with some +gentlemen "returning to the States." They had given him a glowing +description of the "land of gold," and almost the first words spoken +after the family greetings were over was, "We are going to California in +the spring." My mother was more than agreeable and from that time +nothing was talked or thought of but the journey to California. The old +refrain was sung from morning to night, + + "In the spring we 're going to journey, + Far away to California." + +My chum, Tant, a negro boy of my own age, and I seriously discussed the +prospects and dangers of the journey. Direful tales of the tomahawk and +scalping knife were recounted by the older children. But Tant's fears +were allayed by the assurance that the "Injuns" would not kill and scalp +a black boy with a woolly head. For once in my life I envied that imp of +darkness. + +In February a gentleman came to our home and after dinner he and my +father rode over the plantation. The next morning they rode over to +Bolliver, the county seat. Returning in the evening my father announced +that the plantation was sold. Then began the real preparations for the +journey. My father was constantly in the saddle. Oxen, wagons, ox yokes, +ox bows, cattle, covers for wagons, arms, ammunition and provisions were +purchased and brought to the plantation. All was hurry and excitement. +Two shoemakers came to our home to make up the leather purchased at St. +Louis or from neighboring tanneries. Meantime Aunt Ann and the older +girls of the family were busy spinning and weaving. Every article of +wearing apparel must be made at home. "Store clothes" were out of the +question in those days. Wool must be carded and spun into thread for. +Aunt Ann's old wooden loom. The cloth was then fashioned into garments +for clothing to last a year after we should reach our goal far out on +the Pacific shores. The clank of the old wooden loom was almost +ceaseless. Merrily the shuttle sang to an accompaniment of a camp +meeting melody. Neighbors also kindly volunteered their services in +weaving and fashioning garments for the family. All was bustle and +hurry. + +At last all was in readiness for the start. Spring with all its beauty +and glory was with us, and friends from the country round and about had +come to bid us a final farewell--friends, alas, we were destined never +to meet again. The parting I remember as the first real sorrow of a life +that has experienced most of the hardships, dangers, privations and +sufferings of a wild frontier life. It was a beautiful morning early in +April, 1852, that the leaders were pointed to the west and a start was +made. Four wagons were drawn by five yoke of oxen each, while the fifth, +the family wagon, was drawn by three yoke. + +The first weeks of our journey were passed without anything happening +worthy of note. At Caw river we were detained several days by high +water. Here we began falling in with others, who, like, ourselves, were +bound for the golden shores of the Pacific. And it was here that we made +the acquaintance of families, and friendships formed that were to +survive not only the privations of the plains but were to last a life +time. Men were drawn together on the plains as in the everyday walks of +life, only the bonds were closer and far more enduring. The very dangers +through which they passed together rendered the ties more lasting. "Our +train" henceforth consisted of my father's, Littleton Younger, John +Gant, "Uncle" Johnny Thompson and a party of five Welsh gentlemen, under +the leadership of a gentleman named Fathergill, and a prince of a +gentleman he was. At that time there was not a cabin in what is now the +great and populous State of Kansas. Only vast undulating plains, waving +with grass, traversed here and there with timberskirted streams. Game +was abundant, consisting mostly of antelope and prairie chickens. Our +Welsh friends, being bachelors and having no loose stock, were the +hunters for the train, and supplied us with an abundance of fresh meat. + +As we proceeded westward more immigrants were met, and often our camp +resembled a tented city. All was then a pleasure trip--a picnic, as it +were. No sooner was camp struck than a place was cleared and dancing +began to the sound of the violin. Many of these young ladies were well +dressed--actually wore "store clothes!" But alas, and alack, I was +destined to see these same young ladies who started out so gay and +care-free, in tattered dresses, barefooted and dusty, walking and +driving the loose cattle. Too many excursions and pleasure jaunts had +reduced their horses to skeletons before the real trials of the journey +had fairly begun. But the women of '52 and '53 were not of the +namby-pamby sort. When the trials came they were brave and faced +privations and dangers with the same fortitude as their stronger +brothers. + +At Fort Laramie we crossed the Platte river by fording. The stream, as I +remember it, was near a mile wide, but not waist deep. Thirty and forty +oxen were hitched to one wagon, to effect the crossing. But woe to the +hapless team that stalled in the treacherous quicksands. They must be +kept going, as it required but a short stop for the treacherous sands to +engulf team and wagon alike. Men wading on either side of the string of +oxen kept them moving, and soon all were safely on the north side of the +Platte river. + +We soon began to see great herds of buffalo. In fact, at times the hills +were black with the heaving, rolling, bellowing mass, and no meal was +served for many days without fresh buffalo. As we wended our way up the +valley of the Platte one could look back for miles and miles on a line +of wagons, the sinuous line with vari-colored wagon covers resembling a +great serpent crawling and wriggling up the valley. Fortunately for "our +train" we were well in advance and thus escaped the sickness that later +dotted the valley of the Platte with graves. + +On and on. Independence Rock, Sweet Water, and Devil's Gate were passed. +Members of our train had observed two men who traveled with us, yet held +themselves aloof. They appeared to prefer their own company, and while +they traveled along with us, probably for protection, they always camped +by themselves. Some said they were Mormons, while others asserted they +were merely a selfish pair. One day one of the men was missing. The +other on being questioned gave evasive and very unsatisfactory replies. +His actions excited the suspicions of our men. He appeared anxious to +get ahead and left us, making a long night drive. It was then determined +to make an investigation. Two of our party mounted good horses and +started back on the trail. Each camp was carefully examined until they +were rewarded by finding the body of a murdered man beneath the ashes of +a camp fire, buried in a shallow grave. By riding all night they +overtook the train, before starting back burying the body of the +unfortunate traveler. The news spread rapidly and a party followed the +murderer. He was soon overtaken and halted at the muzzles of rifles. +When the train came up a council was held. Probably a hundred wagons +were halted. It was determined to give the man a trial. The evidence was +conclusive, and after conviction the miserable wretch confessed all, but +begged for mercy. He said the murdered man had picked him up out of pity +and was taking him through for his company and his help. There being no +trees, three wagons were run together, the wagon tongues being raised to +form a tripod and to answer for a gallows. To the center of the tripod a +rope was attached with the other end around the neck of the trembling, +writhing, begging wretch. But he had committed a cruel, cold-blooded +murder and his crime could not be condoned. He was stood on the back of +a horse, and a sharp cut being given the animal the wretch was swung +into eternity. A grave had been dug and into this the body of the +murderer was placed. The property of the murdered man was taken through +to the settlements. His relatives were communicated with, the property +sold and the proceeds sent to the proper owners. Such was the swift but +terrible justice administered on the plains. Without law or officers of +the law, there was no other course to pursue consistent with safety to +the living. + +July 4th, 1852, we reached Green river. Traders had established six +ferry boats at the crossing. In order to keep down competition, five of +the boats were tied up and the sum of $18 was demanded for each and +every wagon ferried over the stream. They had formed a kind of "trust," +as it were, even in that day. The rate was pronounced exorbitant, +unfair, outrageous, and beyond the ability of many to pay. Train after +train had been blocked until a city of tents had been formed. On the +morning of the 4th a meeting of immigrants was called to discuss the +situation. A few counseled moderation, compromise, anything to prevent a +clash with the traders, who boasted that they could turn the Indians +loose on us. The great majority defied both traders and Indians and +boldly announced that they would fight before they would submit to being +robbed. Many fiery speeches were made, and about 10 o'clock a long line +of men, with shouldered rifles flashing in the sun, marched down and +took possession of the ferry boats. The traders fumed and threatened, +and Indians with war-whoops and yells mounted horses and rode off from +the opposite side. The traders said they were going after the tribe to +exterminate the entire train. They were plainly told that the first shot +fired by traders or Indians would sound their own death knell--that +they, the traders, would be shot down without mercy. + +The ferry boats were then seized and the work of crossing the river +began. As fast as the wagons were crossed over they were driven down the +river, one behind another, forming a corral, with the open side facing +the river in the form of a half wheel. When the wagons had all been +crossed, the loose stock was swum over into the opening. There was no +confusion, but everything proceeded with almost military precision. A +committee had been appointed to keep tally on the number of wagons +crossed on the boats. The traders were then paid $4 for each and every +wagon. Still they fumed and threatened. The faces of the more timid +blanched and a few women were in tears. I beheld the whole proceedings +with childish wonder. But the circumstances of that 4th of July and the +execution of the murderer were burned into my brain with letters of +fire, never to be effaced while memory holds her sway. + +Every man was under arms that night. Horses were tied up and the work +oxen chained to the wagons, a strict guard being kept on the traders in +the mean time. The next morning the long string of wagons started out on +the road. Two hundred men rode on either side to defend the train, while +scouting parties rode at a distance to guard against surprise. This +formation was kept up for several days, but seeing neither traders nor +Indians the different trains separated and each went its way unmolested. + +Bear river and Soda Springs were next passed. A few miles this side of +Soda Springs the roads forked, one going to California and the other to +Oregon. Here a council was held. A portion of "our train" wanted to take +the California road. Others preferred the Oregon route. A vote was taken +and resulted in a majority for Oregon, and association and friendship +being stronger than mere individual preference, all moved out on the +Oregon road. + +Snake river was finally reached, and here the real trials of the journey +began. From some cause, not then understood, our oxen began to die. The +best and fattest died first, often two and three in one camp. Cows were +drawn into the yoke and the journey resumed. But it soon became evident +that loads must be lightened. Wagons loaded with stores and provisions +were driven to the side of the road and an invitation written with +charcoal for all to help themselves. To add to the difficulties of our +situation, the Snake Indians were surly and insolent to a degree. +Gradually a gloom settled over all. No more of laughter, of dancing and +song. And faster and faster the oxen died. Camping places were almost +unbearable on account of the dead and decaying cattle. And then the +terrible mountains of which we had heard so much were before us. Would +we ever reach the settlements? This was a question that began to prey +upon the minds of many. A few of the young men shouldered a blanket and +some provisions and started on foot to reach the valley. Others began to +despair of ever reaching the promised land. If those who cross the +continent now in palace cars and complain of the tediousness of the +journey could take one look at the wreck and desolation that lined the +poisoned banks of Snake river, they would hide their heads in very +shame. + +As our situation became more desperate it appeared the Indians became +more sullen and mean. Guards were kept night and day, the women and +children driving the teams and loose cattle and horses in order that the +men might get some rest. At one point the danger seemed imminent. The +men on night guard reported that the horses were snorting and acting as +if Indians were about. Mr. Fathergill's mule appeared especially uneasy. +The cattle and horses were then all driven to camp, the horses tied up +and the oxen chained to the wagons. The next morning moccasin tracks +were discovered within a hundred yards of our camp, showing plainly that +only extreme caution and foresight had saved us all from massacre. After +that camps were selected with a view to defense. A point was finally +reached where we were to bid farewell to the dread Snake river. Several +trains camped there that night. Among them was a man named Wilson, a +brother of ex-Senator Henry Wilson of Colusa county. Cattle had been +rounded up and oxen placed under the yoke. Wilson became involved in a +quarrel with a young man in his employ. Suddenly both drew revolvers +and began firing at each other. The duel ended by Wilson falling from +his mule, a dead man. The young man rode away and was seen no more. A +grave was dug, the dead man buried and within two hours the train was in +motion. There was no time for tears or ceremonies. Winter was coming on, +and the terrible mountains must be crossed. Besides the dread of an +Indian attack was ever present. + +After leaving Snake river we lost no more cattle. We crossed the Blue +Mountains without any mishap. We met several settlers coming out with +teams to help any that might be in distress. They were told to go on +back, as others were behind far more in need of assistance than we. On +reaching the Columbia river we found the Indians very friendly and +obtained an abundance of fresh salmon. Trifles were traded for salmon +and wild currants, which formed a welcome addition to our bill of fare. +The dreaded Cascade Mountains were finally reached. A storm was raging +on the mountain and we were advised by settlers whom we met coming out +to assist the immigrants, to wait for better weather. Some disregarded +the advice and paid dearly for their temerity, losing many of their +cattle, and only for the help rendered by the settlers might themselves +have perished. + +As soon as the storm spent its force a start was made and the dreaded +mountains passed in six days, and without any serious mishap. On +reaching the valley we were everywhere greeted with genuine western +hospitality. Vegetables were plentiful and cheap--in fact could be had +for the asking. But while wheat was abundant there were no mills to +grind it into flour, and we soon discovered that that very necessary +article could not be had for love or money. We were therefore soon +reduced to a daily diet of boiled wheat, potatoes, pumpkins and wild +meat, the latter requiring but little exertion to secure. But we were as +well off as anybody else, and with the remnants of clothing saved from +the wreck of the desert and plains passed the winter in health and some +degree of comfort. + + + +Chapter II. + +Our First Winter in the Willamette Valley. + +The winter of 1852-53 will forever be memorable in the annals of pioneer +days in Oregon. Indeed, nothing comparable had been experienced by +immigrants in former years. Deep snows encompassed us from without, and +while we were sheltered from the storms by a comfortable log cabin, and +were supplied with a fair amount of provisions such as they were, a +gloom settled over all. Cattle and horses were without forage and none +could be had. Reduced to skin and bone by the long and toilsome journey +across the plains, they were illy prepared to stand the rigors of such a +winter. In this extremity recourse was had to the forest. The Oregon +woods, as all are aware, are covered by long streamers of yellow moss, +and in the cutting of firewood it was discovered this moss was devoured +with a relish by cattle and horses. + +Then began the struggle to save our stock. From early morning to night +the ring of the ax was unceasing. The cattle, especially, soon learned +the meaning of the cracking of a tree and bolted for the spot. To +prevent them being killed by the falling trees, the smaller children +were pressed into service to herd them away until the tree was on the +ground. The stock soon began to thrive and cows gave an increased amount +of milk which was hailed with delight by the small children and afforded +a welcome addition to their bill of fare--boiled wheat, potatoes, meat, +and turnips. + +Thus wore away the terrible winter of 1852-53. I say terrible, and the +word but poorly expresses our situation during that memorable winter. To +fully understand our situation one has but to imagine oneself in a +strange land, far from human aid, save from those environed as +ourselves. We were three thousand miles from "home," surrounded by a +primeval wilderness, in which ever lurked the treacherous savage. +Happily for us and for all, no annoyance or real danger threatened us +from that quarter. A few years before, a salutary lesson had been taught +the savages. The deadly rifles of the pioneers had instilled into their +bosoms a wholesome fear. Information had reached the settlers that the +Indians contemplated a massacre--that they were going to break out. The +information reached them through the medium of a friendly Indian. The +result was that the settlers "broke out" first. A company was formed, +consisting of about all of the able-bodied men within reach. The savages +were encountered on the Molalley and after a sharp fight were dispersed +or killed. Several were left dead on the ground. The whites had one man +wounded. Thus the war power of the Molalleys was destroyed forever. + +In this connection I wish to make a digression, which I trust my readers +will pardon. It has often been urged that the white man has shown little +gratitude and no pity for the aborigines of this country. This I wish to +refute. The Indian that brought the word of warning to the white +settlers was ever after the object of tender solicitude on the part of +those whom he had befriended. I have seen that Indian, then old and +possibly worse off for his association with civilization, sitting down +and bossing a gang of Chinamen cutting and splitting wood for Dan'l +Waldo. The Indian, "Quinaby," always contracted the sawing of the wood +at $2.00 per cord and hired the Chinamen to do the work for 50 cents per +cord. He had a monopoly on the wood-sawing business for Mr. Waldo, +Wesley Shannon, and other old pioneers. It mattered not to "Quinaby" +that prices went down, his contract price remained the same, and the old +pioneers heartily enjoyed the joke, and delighted in telling it on +themselves. + +But enough of this. Spring came at last and a new world burst upon the +vision of the heretofore almost beleaguered pioneers. We had wintered on +a "claim" belonging to a young man named John McKinney, two miles from +the present town of Jefferson. He had offered his cabin as a shelter +with true Western hospitality, including the free use of land to plant a +crop. Accordingly about twenty acres were plowed and sown to wheat. This +work was performed by my elder brothers. Meantime my father had started +out to look for a claim. Nine miles north of Eugene City he purchased a +"claim" of 320 acres, paying therefor an Indian pony and $40 in cash. To +this place we moved early in May, and there began the task of building +up a home in the western wilds. A small cabin of unhewn logs constituted +the only improvement on the "claim," but a new house of hewn logs was +soon erected and a forty-acre field inclosed with split rails. We had +plenty of neighbors who, like ourselves, were improving their lands, and +mutual assistance was the rule. + +As summer approached it became necessary to return to our wintering +place, where a crop had been sown, and harvest the same. Accordingly, my +father, accompanied by my two older brothers, the late Judge J. M. +Thompson of Lane County, and Senator S. C. Thompson, Jr., of Wasco, then +boys of 12 and 14 years, went back and cared for the grain. The wheat +was cut with a cradle, bound into bundles and stacked. A piece of ground +was then cleared, the grain laid down on the "tramping floor" and oxen +driven around until the grain was all tramped out. After the grain was +all "threshed out," it was carried on top of a platform built of rails +and poured out on a wagon sheet, trusting to the wind to separate the +wheat kernels from the straw and chaff. By this primitive method the +crop was harvested, threshed, cleaned, and then sacked. It was then +hauled by ox teams to Albany where a small burr mill had been erected by +a man named Monteith, if my memory serves me correctly, and then ground +to flour. + +And then, joy of joys! We had wheat bread. No more boiled wheat, nor +flour ground in a coffee mill,--but genuine wheat bread. You, reader, +who probably never ate a meal in your life without bread, have little +conception of the deliciousness of a biscuit after the lapse of a year. +As Captain Applegate once said to the writer, referring to the first +wheat bread he ever remembered eating: "No delicacy,--no morsel of food +ever eaten in after life tasted half so delicious as that bread." It +must be remembered that Captain Applegate crossed the plains in 1843 and +was therefore an "old settler" when we arrived. His trials were +prolonged only a matter of eight years; but looking back, what an +eternity was emcompassed in those eight years. + +One of the leading characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon is that on coming +to the western hemisphere he brought with him his wife and children,-- +his school books, and his Bible. As soon, therefore, as a spot for a +home had been selected and a rude shelter of logs erected for loved +ones, the neighbors began discussing the question of school. It was +finally arranged that we must have a school, and the cabin of a bachelor +settler was tendered and accepted, and my father chosen as teacher. Logs +were split open and placed on legs, with the flat sides turned up to +serve as seats. The floor,--well, Mother Earth provided that. It was +sprinkled and swept out with "split brooms" twice daily. To prevent the +pupils getting lost in the tall grass of the prairies, furrows were +plowed from the settlers' cabins to the school house. This also served +as a protection to the barefoot girls and boys going to and from, +school. My father belonged to the old school and did not believe in +"sparing the rod," and as a result, it became indelibly impressed upon +my juvenile mind that he used the rod upon me to better preserve order +among the other pupils. + +In those days girls dressed in "linsey woolsey," while the boys of all +ages wore buckskin pantaloons and hickory shirts. Now, buckskin is well +calculated to stand the wear and tear of even a robust boy. Yet there +were awkward drawbacks. The legs of the pantaloons absorbed too much +moisture from the dew-bedecked grass and they would stretch out to +almost any length. The boy, therefore, must roll them up at the bottom. +Arrived at school, however, the drying process set in, and he, perforce, +must unroll the legs. As the boy occupied a sitting position, the legs +of his buckskins set to the crook of his knees. Imagine, if you will, a +row of boys ranging from 12 to 17 years, standing in a class reciting +their lessons, straight as hickories, yet the pantaloons of every +mother's son of them still sitting down. But it mattered little to the +boy of that day, as he had only to wet them again, stretch them out +straight and wear them to "meetin' in the grove" Sunday. + +There was no aristocracy--no "four hundred"--in those primitive days. +All dressed alike, ate the same kind of food, and every man, woman, and +child was as good as every other man, woman, and child, provided they +were honest, kind neighbors, ready and willing to render assistance in +sickness or in need. In fine, these pioneers constituted a pure +democracy, where law was the simple rule of honesty, friendship, mutual +help, and good will, where "duty was love and love was law." + +One must not imagine that life was wholly devoid of pleasures in those +days. The young of both sexes always rode horseback, whether to church +in the grove, or going the round of parties, candy pullings, or kissing +bees. O, how in my young days I did dote on the candy pulling and the +kissing bee. To my young and unsophisticated mind they were divine +institutions; and, even now, after the lapse of so many years when the +"heydey in the blood is tame," how I look back upon those few days with +unalloyed pleasure. + +Among the early pioneers, I mean the great masses, there was a stern +code of morals little understood at the present time. Exceptions there +were, to be sure, but I refer to the people as a whole. One instance +will serve as an illustration. The beaux and belles, in linsey-woolsey +and buckskins, were assembled from the country around and about. My +father had sent me along with brothers and sisters to bring back the +saddle horses, as there was not stable room for all. Other neighbor boys +were there on a like errand. We were sitting on our horses and ready to +start, when several of the young ladies, among them my sisters, came out +of the house and told us to wait. Presently, practically all of the +girls came out with hats and riding habits and a consultation was held +in the front yard. While they all stood there a man and a woman came +out, mounted their horses and rode away. We were then told to go on home +with the horses. I afterwards learned that the whole trouble originated +in the fact that the lady who had ridden away was a divorced woman. To +present-day readers, this may appear absurd, prudish, but not so to the +men and women of that day. This is not repeated here to "point a moral," +but merely to "adorn a tale" of pioneer days. + +For excitement, the frequent Indian uprisings, and more frequent Indian +scares, afforded abundant material upon which the young enterprising and +adventurous spirits of the day could work off their surplus energies. +Hunting, too, afforded a pleasurable and profitable pastime to the young +when not engaged in the work of building houses, barns, and fences, and +the boy of ten who could not pick off the head of a grouse or pheasant +at thirty or forty yards was only fit to be "tied to mama's apron +string." In times of danger age was no bar, the boy of 14 marched side +by side with the gray haired volunteer, or remained at home to protect +"mother and the children." I well remember once when the neighborhood +was thrown into a turmoil of excitement. A large grizzly bear had left +his mountain lair and was playing havoc with the cattle and other stock +in the valley. News reached the school house and my father at once +dismissed school, hurrying to join those in pursuit of the robber. +Arriving at home he mounted his horse, and taking his rifle and revolver +galloped away to join the neighbors. Now, I wanted to go and see the +fight, but was curtly told to stay at home. No sooner, however, than my +father had got fairly started than I mounted a pony and followed. I was +warned that punishment would follow. But what cared I for punishment at +such a time? Go I would, though promised a dozen whippings. + +The bear had taken shelter on a small mountain stream that coursed +through the valley, and was bordered on either side by a narrow strip of +ash, thorn, and rose bushes, while beyond this was the level prairie. In +spite of scores of men and dogs the huge beast made progress towards the +mountains. Baying dogs and the quick snarl of the rifles marked the +rapid progress of the beast which at length reached a wooded ravine near +the home of "Squire" Miller, that led up the mountain, where a mile +above an old Indian was camped. The bear evidently came upon him +unawares, but whether he was asleep or was getting water from the small +stream, was never known, for, with one sweep of his mighty paw, the +grizzly completely disemboweled the Indian, strewing his entrails +fifteen feet on the ground. Half a mile above the body of the Indian the +fatal shot, among many, was delivered and the chase was over. + +As the neighbors gathered triumphantly around the dead body of the +monarch of the Oregon forest I saw for the first time sitting on a +horse, a boy destined to make a name in the world of letters, C. H. or +"Joaquin" Miller. I remember him as a slender, light haired boy, several +years my senior. During subsequent years it was given me to see much of +this boy, at school, in the mines and later as an apprentice in the +Eugene City Herald, a newspaper of which he was the editor. + + + +Chapter III. + +The Indian Outbreak of 1855. + +The years of 1853-4 were years of comparative peace, free from actual +Indian wars, and afforded the pioneers an opportunity of improving their +farms, building up more comfortable homes and surrounding their families +with some comforts and conveniences of civilization. Yet even these +years were not free from alarms and stampedes. Time and again swift +riders spread the news that the redskins had dug up the tomahawk and had +gone on the war path. These scares arose from isolated murders by the +Indians, whose cupidity could not withstand the temptations of the white +man's property. It was not, therefore, until midsummer of 1855 that +hostilities began in earnest. A federation had been formed among all the +tribes of Northern California, Southern and Eastern Oregon and +Washington. The great leaders of this insurrection were Tyee John and +his brother "Limpy," Rogue River Indians, and John was one of the +greatest, bravest and most resourceful warriors this continent has +produced. Another was Pe-mox-mox, who ruled over the Cayouses and the +Columbias, and was killed early in the war while attempting to lead the +white troops into ambush. + +The outbreak was sudden and fierce, lighting up the frontier with the +burning cabins of the settlers. Travelers were waylaid, prospectors +murdered and in many instances entire families wiped out, their homes +becoming their funeral pyres. Neither age nor sex was spared. Little +children were seized by the heels and their brains dashed out against +the corner of the cabin. One entire family perished amid the flames of +their burning home. Women were butchered under circumstances of peculiar +and diabolical atrocity. A man named Harris, attacked by Indians on the +Rogue River, defended himself until killed. His wife then took up the +defense of her home and little daughter, and with a heroism that has +rendered her name immortal in the annals of Oregon, held the savages at +bay until relief came twenty-four hours later. + +Mock sentimentalists and fake humanitarians have walled their eyes to +heaven in holy horror at the "barbarities" practiced by white men upon +the "poor persecuted red man." Yet had they witnessed scenes like those +I have so faintly portrayed, they too, would have preached a war of +extermination. You and I, reader, have an exceedingly thin veneering of +civilization, and in the presence of such scenes of diabolical atrocity +would slip it off as a snake sheds his skin. I have seen men as kind and +gentle,--as humane--as yourself transformed into almost savages in the +presence of such scenes. + +For a year previous to the great outbreak, the Indians would leave their +reservations in squads, and after murdering and pillaging the +settlements, would return with their plunder to the protection of the +agencies. Demands made for their surrender by the settlers were answered +by a counter demand for their authority, which required delay and +generally ended with the escape of the murderers. The result was that +squads of Indians off the reservations were attacked and sometimes +exterminated. Thus affairs grew from bad to worse until the final great +outbreak during the summer of 1855. + +Geo. L. Curry, Governor of the Territory of Oregon, at once issued a +call to arms and volunteers from every part of the territory instantly +responded. A company of U. S. dragoons under command of Capt. A. J. +Smith, who subsequently achieved fame in the war of the States, was +stationed in Southern Oregon, and rendered all possible aid, but the +slow tactics of the regulars was illy calculated to cope with the +savages. The main reliance, therefore, must be placed in the citizen +soldiery. Every county in the Territory answered the call to arms, +forming one or more companies, the men, as a rule, supplying their own +horses, arms, ammunition, and at the beginning of the outbreak, their +own blankets and provisions. There was no question about pay. The men +simply elected their own officers and without delay moved to the front. + +Linn county furnished one company under Capt. Jonathan Keeny and went +south to join Col. Ross' command and was joined by many of our +neighbors. My two brothers also went with this command, one as teamster, +the other shouldering the spare rifle. As previously remarked, age was +not considered, the boy of 14 marching side by side with the gray haired +man, armed with the rifles they brought from the States. The ammunition +consisted of powder, caps and molded bullets, nor was the "patchen" for +the bullet omitted. The powder was carried in a powder horn, the caps in +a tin box, the bullets in a shot pouch and patchen for the bullets was +cut out the proper size and strung on a stout leather thong attached to +and supporting the shot pouch and powder horn. + +In the fall after the departure of the first contingent, and at a time +when families were practically defenseless, news reached us by a tired +rider that 700 Indians had crossed the trail over the Cascade mountains +and were burning the homes and butchering the settlers on the Calapooya, +twenty miles away. The news reached us in the night, and one can easily +imagine the confusion and consternation that everywhere prevailed. To +realize our situation one must remember that most of the men and about +all of the guns had gone south. I shall never forget the awful suspense +and dread that prevailed in our home as the family sat in a group +through the long weary hours of that night, anxiously awaiting the +return of the day, yet dreading what the day might bring forth. Horses +were gathered and securely tied about the house, and such arms as we +possessed made ready for instant use. At last day broke, and searching +with the eye the almost boundless prairie, no enemy was in sight. + +As the sun rose above the rim of the distant mountains my father +determined to disprove or verify the rumor. Neighbors sought to dissuade +him, but mounting a swift horse he started for Brownsville on the +Calapooya. Meantime everything was in readiness for forting up should it +become necessary. The day wore on, still no news. In vain we gazed from +the house top over the prairie for a sight of a horseman. Doubt and +uncertainty as to the fate of my father and our own fate was almost +worse than death. The day wore on. Would father never return--had he +been killed? were the questions whispered one with another. My mother +alone was confident, relying on father's discretion and the further fact +that he was riding the swiftest horse in the Territory. At last near +sunset we descried him galloping leisurely toward home. When within a +short distance he settled into a walk, and we then knew that the danger, +at least for the present, was not imminent. The only emotion manifested +by my mother was a stray tear that coursed down her pale and +trouble-worn cheek. My father reported a false alarm, originating in the +overwrought imagination of settlers on the exposed margin of the valley. + +At other times the alarm came from the west side of the river. Fears +were entertained that the savages from the south would cross over the +Calapooya mountains and attack the settlements in Lane county. One +settler had a large bass drum, and the beating of this, which could be +heard for miles, was the signal of danger. More than once the deep roll +of the drum roused the country, only to discover that it was a false +alarm. But these constant alarms were trying indeed, especially on the +timid and nervous, and women became almost hysterical on the most +trivial occasions. + +Time wore on, and at length the news came of the defeat of Col. Ross' +volunteers and Capt. Smith's dragoons. Many were killed with no +compensating advantage to the whites. Among the number killed was one of +our neighbor boys, John Gillispie, son of a minister, and my father and +mother went over to their home to convey the sad news and to render such +poor consolation to the parents as was possible. Every family in the +land had one or more of its members with the troops, and any day might +bring tidings of death or even worse. Hence there was a close bond of +sympathy between all. Happily, the death of young Gillispie was to be +the only one to visit our neighborhood. + +The stay-at-homes, those gallant (?) soldiers who fight their battles +with their mouths, were loud in fault finding and severe in censure of +those in command, and would tell how the battle should have been fought +and how not. This was especially true of the one-horse politicians, too +cowardly to go to the front, and of disgruntled politicians. To the +shame of our common humanity be it said, there were not wanting those +who sought to coin the very blood of the brave men at the front, and +these ghouls and vampires talked loudest when the war was at length +brought to a close, to be quoted in after years as history by Bancroft +and others. + +Chief John adopted a Fabian policy from the first. He would disappear +with his warriors, hiding away in the deep recesses of the mountains +only to appear again when and where least expected, but towards the +close of 1856 his people grew tired of war. They said the more men they +killed the more came and took their places, and in spite of John and +Limpy they determined to sue for peace. The terms were finally agreed +upon, and John and Limpy, deserted but not conquered, at last +surrendered. + +After the surrender, John and son, a lad of 16, were placed on board a +steamer and started to a reservation up the coast. When off the mouth of +Rogue river and beholding the hunting grounds of his people and the +familiar scenes of his youth, he made a desperate attempt to capture the +ship. It was a "Call of the Wild," and snatching a sabre from his guard +he succeeded in driving them below and for a time had possession of the +ship's deck. But firearms were brought into play, one leg of the boy was +shot off and John, badly wounded, was placed in irons. He told his +captors that it was his purpose to capture the ship, run her ashore and +escape into the mountains. On a reservation, John spent the remainder of +his days,--a captive yet unconquered save by death. As previously +stated, in point of courage, cunning, savage ferocity and soldierly +ability and generalship, Tyee John has had few equals and no superiors +on the North American continent. + +It was not my purpose to attempt a detailed history of the Rogue River +war as that task were better left to the historian with leisure to delve +into the musty records of the past, but I sincerely hope that when the +true story of that bloody time is written the kernel of truth will be +sifted from the mass of chaff by which it has thus far been obscured. My +purpose is merely to give the facts in a general way as I received them, +and the conditions surrounding the pioneers of which I was one. The true +story of the Rogue River war is but a duplicate of many other Indian +wars. It is a story of incompetent, bigoted, self-opinionated, Indian +agents, wedded to form and red tape, without any of common sense or +"horse sense," required in dealing with conditions such as existed prior +to the breaking out of he war. + +The early immigrants to the Oregon, and indeed, to the Pacific coast, +merely sought to better their conditions. They came with their flocks +and herds, their wives and their children, their school books and their +Bibles, seeking not to dispossess or rob the occupants of the land. They +found a vast empire, of which the natives were utilizing but a small +portion. There was room for all and to spare. The natives at first +received the white strangers with kindness and hospitality. There were +exceptions even to this rule, but it was the exception. The white man's +property soon excited the cupidity of the Indian, and knowing no law but +the law of might, he sought to possess himself of the same. And right +here I want to say, that from an experience covering more than half a +century, the only thing an Indian respects on earth, is Power. Courage +he respects for the simple reason that courage is power. And I might +further add, that this rule applies with equal force to the white as +well as to the copper-colored savage. + +Treaties had been made with the Rogue Rivers and the Umpquas but in a +true sense were not treaties, but, on the part of the Government, merely +bribes to be good. They moved to reservations, enjoyed the blankets and +other good things provided by the Government so long as it suited them. +Then they would steal out of the reservations, rob, murder and plunder +the settlers, and return to the protection of the agents. Tracked to the +reservations, the agents refused to surrender them. The red tape here +interposed and red handed murderers were saved, that more murders might +be committed. Instead of the Government and the agents being a +protection to the settlers, they were the protectors of the Indians, and +as sometimes happened, troops were called upon to lend a helping hand. +Such conditions could not last--such outrages could not be endured. +Hence when bands were caught off the reservations they were destroyed +like dangerous, noxious beasts. + +Apologists of murder and rapine have held up their hands in holy horror +at such acts on the part of the settlers. The "poor, persecuted people," +according to them, were foully wronged, massacred and exterminated. They +saw but one side, and that was the side of the savages. With the close +of the Rogue River war, the Indian question west of the Cascade +mountains was settled forever. John and Limpy had made a heroic struggle +for the hunting grounds of their fathers and incidentally for the goods +and chattels, and the scalps of the white invaders. But, moralize as you +may, the fiat of God had gone forth; the red man and the white man could +not live peaceably together; one or the other must go. And in obedience +to the law of the survival of the fittest, it was the red man that must +disappear. It was, in my opinion, merely a continuation of the struggle +for existence--a struggle as old as man, which began when "first the +morning stars sang together," and will continue till the end of time. +That law applies to all creatures. Take for instance, the lower order of +animals. In the tropics the deer is small, not much larger than a +coyote. The weakling as well as the strong and vigorous can survive. +Further north, where conditions are harder, the deer is larger. +Continuing on north, where only the strong and vigorous can survive the +rigors of winter, we find the caribou. + +It may be pointed out that the largest animals of earth are found in the +tropics, where the struggle for existence is least severe. Yet in the +frozen mud of Siberia and Alaska we find the remains of animals the +elephant and the mastodon--compared to which old Jumbo was but a baby. +And imbedded in the asphalt of Southern California is found the remains +of the sabre toothed, tiger, by the side of which the royal Bengal is +but a tabby cat. But I am getting into deep water, and will leave this +question for the naturalist, the geologist and the theorist. And the +passing of the "noble red man" to the gentleman in silk gown and +slippers--and to the sentimental novelist. + +Oregon settlers now had leisure time for building up their homes, so +better houses were erected, fields were fenced and plowed, school houses +and churches built, scythes and axes were wielded in place of the rifle +that now rested in idleness above the cabin door. A new era had dawned +on the Oregon, and gentle peace like a brooding spirit hovered above the +erstwhile desolate land. + +During the succeeding years, up to 1861, there was little to distract +the attention of the pioneers. My time was occupied during that period +in assisting on the farm during summer and attending the district school +during the winter. The loop holes in the wall of the old school house +for the rifles had been boarded up, and the larger boys no longer +"toted" their guns, and stacked them in the corner. + +On the east side of the Cascade mountains, however, the gentle savage +was lord of all the lands over which he roamed. Here he was yet master, +and thereby hangs a tale. In 1845 an immigrant train attempted to enter +the Oregon by way of the "Meeks cut off." With them were the Durbins, +Simmons, Tetherows, Herrins and many others I cannot now recall. The +history of that journey is one of hardship, starvation, and death. After +enduring sufferings such as sicken one in the bare recital the remnant +staggered into the settlements, more dead than alive. They crossed the +Cascade mountains, coming down the Middle Fork of the Willamette river, +and somewhere west of Harney Valley they stopped on a small stream. An +old Indian trail crossed at that point, and the oxen in sliding down the +bank to water uncovered a bright piece of metal. It was picked up and +taken to camp, where a man who had been in the mines in Georgia +pronounced it gold. He flattened it out with a wagon hammer, and was +quite positive it was the precious metal. But men, women and children +subsisting on grasshoppers and crickets and fighting Indians most of the +day, had something else to think about. + +The incident, therefore, was soon forgotten amid the dire stress of +their surroundings. But when gold was discovered at Sutter's Fort in +California, Sol Tetherow called to mind the finding of the piece of +metal on the banks of the stream not far from Harney Valley. He told +about it--told and retold the story, and as the stories from California +grew, so grew the story of the old man, until finally he declared he +could have "picked up a blue bucket full in the bed of the creek." Hence +originated the name, the "Blue Bucket Diggins." + +During the years of 1857-58-59-60 and 61, companies were formed in the +valley counties to search for the "Blue Bucket Diggins." The companies +were loosely formed, with little or no discipline, and were, therefore, +predestined to end in disaster. After crossing the mountains and seeing +no sign of Indians, the officers had no power and less inclination to +enforce discipline. There being no signs of Indians, it was useless to +maintain guards; they could whip all the Indians east of the mountains, +and why attempt to put on "military airs?" They were destined to a rude +awakening. Some morning about daylight, twenty or thirty red blanketed +men, with hideous yells would charge the horse herds, while a hundred or +more with equally hideous yells would attack the sleeping men. Then +would result a stampede, those who had talked loudest and talked most +about cowards, being first to lose their heads. The few cool heads would +make a stand, while the savages after getting away with the horses, +would beat a retreat, leaving the gold hunters to straggle afoot back +across the mountains to the settlements. + +These expeditions served to work off the surplus energy of the +adventurous and restless, until the news arrived in the spring of 1861 +of the discovery of gold in the Nez Perce mountains. The reports, as in +most similar cases, were greatly exaggerated, but it served to create a +genuine stampede, and while yet a boy of 14, I was drawn into that +torrent rushing to the new El Dorado. In justice to the good sound sense +and mature judgment of my parents, I am compelled to say that it was not +with their consent that I was drawn into this wild whirlpool, but, I +argued, was I not a man? Could I not ride and shoot with the best of +them? And, perforce, why should I not go to the mines and make my +fortune? + +I went. But by way of parenthesis, will say to my young readers--Don't. + + + +Chapter IV. + +In Which Various Experiences are Discussed. + +I have now arrived at a point where I shall speak more of myself, and +the insignificant part I was to play in molding history and shaping the +destinies of Oregon and the Northwest. + +Joining a company of neighbors we crossed the Cascade Mountains by way +of the Barlow route. All had saddle horses with one pack horse, or mule, +to two men. At Grass Valley, between the Deschutes and John Day River we +fell in with a large company returning from a search for the "Blue +Bucket Diggins." They, had been successful (in saving their horses) and +hearing of the Oro Fino strike were bound, like ourselves, for the new +El Dorado. + +At the crossing of the John Day River we found a ferry boat kept and +owned by a couple of thrifty traders, who had set themselves down to +make their fortunes quickly and without the aid of the pick and shovel. +But their covetousness was their ruin. The sum of $6 was demanded for a +horseman and $4 for a pack horse. Our party argued with them, but to no +purpose. They would take nothing less. After parleying for some time the +traders were asked the price for ferrying over a foot-man and his +luggage. Wall Cushman, one of the traders, replied, "one dollar." Then +saddles and packs began to come off the backs of horses and mules. +Cushman threatened, swore and plead, but all to no purpose. He should +receive one dollar for ferrying footmen and no more. + +Saddles, packs, provisions, and blankets were piled up at the ferry +landing and the most stupendous amount of luggage ever carried by a hobo +was then, one after another, piled on the backs of footmen. The footman +would stand within a step of the boat and, after his luggage was piled +on his back, would make a step on to the boat, and drop his load. Often +two and three men would steady him until the step was made. All was fun +and laughter except to Cushman and his partner. While this was going on, +others had crowded the horses to the river bank and were endeavoring to +make them swim the river. But try as they would, the horses upon +striking the swift current of the river would swing around and come out +on the same side. It was now Cushman's time to laugh. In this extremity +a reward of $20 was offered any one who would swim his horse ahead of +the band and guide them over. I quickly volunteered. I wanted the +twenty, and I wanted to save my dollar. Some of the older men objected. +But I had swum my horse across the Williamette River and the +insignificant John Day, not a fourth as wide, had no terrors for me. +Mounting my horse, I rode down into the river until almost swimming. +Meantime I had divested myself of all clothing save that provided by +mother nature, and having loaded my saddle and effects on the back of my +partner, fastened my right hand in my horse's mane and gave the word. +Sliding off on the lower side I guided my horse with my hand and he took +the current of the stream like a steamboat. The other horses to an +animal followed, and in a few moments were all safely on the other +shore. The crowd cheered heartily and even Wall Cushman could not +restrain his feelings, but exclaimed, "My boy, you are a brick." + +The $20 was not only given me, but several who had not contributed to +the first "pot" gave a half dollar. Altogether I was handsomely paid for +my few moment's work, and as the water was not cold, I rather enjoyed +the swim. + +From there we went to Walla Walla, following the old Nez Perce trails. +At that time there were not a dozen habitations between the Dalles and +Walla Walla, where now is a densely settled country and one of the great +wheat belts of the continent. A few days after crossing the John Day I +made my first horse trade. An old school teacher in the company fell in +love with my horse, and not only gave me a better animal, but almost the +value of my own to boot. I began then to flatter myself that I was not +only a traveler, but a business man as well. But alas! I had many a sad +lesson to learn ere I got my "teeth cut." + +Arriving at Walla Walla, then a small village, with a Government post +half a mile away, we purchased a few supplies and then pushed on to the +mines. Going down the Alpowwa I saw apple trees planted by Father +Spaulding, of blessed memory, in 1836. The trees were thrifty and some +of them very large, and were being cared for by Nez Perce Indians. The +good Father Spaulding, with other Presbyterian missionaries, had come +among these people bearing the message of peace and good will and they, +with the exception of the rebellion of Chief Joseph, had ever after +adhered to his gentle teachings. The Nez Perce Indians are the most +intelligent and finest looking Indians I have ever seen. They are also a +brave, self-reliant race, and Joseph's band bears the distinction of +being the only Indians on the continent with the steady courage to +charge an equal number of the enemy in the open field. + +We crossed Snake River at Lewiston, then a trading village of half a +dozen tents. The ferry boat was towed up the river half a mile by a +horse and then rowed across with oars pulled by two men. Lewiston is +located at the junction of the Snake and Clearwater, but we went by way +of Camas Prairie and crossed at Craig's ferry, and two days later landed +in Oro Fino city. Hundreds of miners had preceded us, and when we +arrived the ground was all taken up. I, therefore, found a job at sluice +forking at $75 per month, a boy's wages. Men were receiving $5 per day +of ten hours, but for night work $7.50 was paid. + +I remained with my job but a short time, having found a better one in a +store, more suited to my strength and at better wages. I was also agent +for Miller & Mossman's express and received a good commission for all +the envelopes sold bearing their name. Envelopes were sold at $1 each, +and were carried to Walla Walla by pony express. The Miller here +referred to was then plain Heme Miller, express rider, but now known to +fame and the world of letters as "Joaquin" Miller. + +The little store where I was employed was located about three miles +above Oro Fino city on Rhode's Creek, the richest placer diggings in the +district. Sunday was a busy day for miners. Clothes had to be washed, +picks sharpened, letters written to the "folks at home," and as often +happened, "dust" sent to them also. This had to be carefully weighed on +gold scales, a receipt given and the dust marked and placed in a +buckskin purse. There was no other means of communication with the +outside world, and both letters and dust must be sent by Miller & +Mossman's express. To the credit of Mr. Miller, be it said, that +thieves, robbers and murderers let him severely alone. Not only that, +but no one ever lost a dollar entrusted to Heine's care, though murders +and robberies were quite frequent, and it was well known that he always +carried a large quantity of gold dust; but they simply didn't want the +job of taking it away from Heine Miller. + +It was one of my duties to take the "express matter," letters and gold +dust, to Oro Fino in time for the Walla Walla express Monday morning. As +the express started at 6 o'clock I had to get up early, besides it was +deemed safest to "hoof down the trail" before daylight. The trail was a +mere foot path cut through the bull pines, in the shadow of which +imagination more than once pictured a lone robber. But I always carried +my revolver in my hand and, though a boy, I was almost as good a shot as +Miller--at least I thought so. However, I always arrived on time and +without mishap or accident. + +After delivering my express matter I had leisure to walk about town, +view the sights and watch the swaying crowds of gamblers, sure thing +sharps and other forms of human flotsam and jetsam as they fleeced their +victims, the miners. One occasion I shall never forget. It was the +funeral of one of the prominent citizens of Oro Fino. The aforesaid +prominent citizen bore the euphonious cognomen of "Bob-up-the-creek." +Bob, probably at his christening, was given another name answers as well +as another, especially among the aristocracy of which Bob was an honored +member. Bob was a bad actor, too, especially when under the influence of +liquor. One Sunday Bob imbibed quite freely and finally "declared +himself chief." There were none who cared to dispute with Bob his self +assumed title, but he finally ran "up against" an old Frenchman who kept +a pie stand. Bob concluded to take possession of the stand, but his +right to do so was disputed by the Frenchman. To settle the dispute the +Frenchman emptied the contents of a double barreled shot gun into Bob's +head. That settled the dispute and likewise Bob. + +Being a citizen of prominence, his friends and admirers determined to +give Bob a respectable send off. Accordingly a neat coffin was purchased +and Bob reverently placed therein. A procession was formed and from +fifty to seventy-five of his friends followed his remains to the newly +made cemetery on the hill. All were in full dress--black pantaloons, +checked flannel shirt with white collar, and with a revolver and knife +swung conveniently to the belt. Now, no self-respecting or prudent +gentleman of the class of which I am speaking, moved abroad in those +days without the ever handy knife and pistol. As the occasion was one of +importance, I followed after the procession. Arriving at the grave, the +coffin was placed upon two poles laid across the vault. The burial +service was then read by one of the mourners, a faro dealer, if my +memory serves me right, a solemn hymn was sung and then all that was +mortal of "Bob-up-the-creek" was consigned to the grave. Four lusty +mourners then began shoveling in the dirt. When the grave was about +two-thirds filled, a repulsive looking vagabond, the town drunk, threw +himself across the grave bellowing like a bull buffalo, and exclaiming +"here is a poor soul gone to eternity and not one tear shed over his +grave." Meanwhile the dirt kept falling--it appeared to me a little +faster, when the old drunk, seeing himself about to be buried alive, +crawled upon his feet, shaking himself very much as a wet dog is wont to +shake himself. This action was greeted with peals of laughter and shouts +from the mourners. Such was the funeral of "Bob-up-the-creek." Shocked +and disgusted I turned and walked down the hill to town, to be followed +soon after by a laughing, jesting crowd, who dispersed to their +different "places of business" to lie in wait for the unwary sucker, the +miner. + +I remained at the store until the proprietor, Mr. Vaughn, sold out, and +hearing that a company was being formed at Pierce City to go to the +Blackfoot country on a prospecting expedition, I went there and applied +to the, leader for admission. He looked me over, smiled and said that it +was too dangerous an expedition for a boy. I replied that I supposed +there was danger, that I was not afraid and could shoot as good as any +of them. At this the men listening began laughing and the leader told me +he didn't want me. Indignant, I turned away, but was followed a little +way by a rather pleasant looking man. He said, "My boy, you are too +young to go with the crowd. They are a rough set and not fit for a boy +of your age to associate with." He then shook hands with me and bade me +good bye. + +I returned to Oro Fino, and as winter was approaching, I joined a strong +party and started back to Walla Walla. This was deemed prudent, for +besides the robbers, there were rumors of Indian troubles after we +should have passed beyond the Nez Perce country. About this time we +began hearing rumors of the Battle of Bull Run, and this formed the +chief subject for conversation around the camp fire of evenings. At +Lewiston a very dignified Indian, a Nez Perce, asked permission to join +our company to Walla Walla. He was accompanied by a boy about 16 whom we +judged to be his son. Permission, of course, we readily granted and we +proceeded on our way. That evening the usual subject of conversation +came up, Northern and Southern men good naturedly discussing the news, +and each construing a victory for his side. Finally the Indian spoke up +and said, "I think, gentlemen, I can settle your controversy. I have +received the latest papers and all are agreed that the battle resulted +in a disaster to the Federal arms." All looked at him in astonishment, +but he continued and gave us a vivid description of the battle. We at +once knew the speaker to be none other than Lawyer, chief of the Nez +Perces, scholar and graduate of an eastern college, and one of the +bright men of any race red or white. I met him after our arrival at +Walla Walla and recognized in the superbly dressed man our fellow +traveler. He wore a broadcloth suit, silk hat and carried a gold headed +cane. His son was also well dressed. + +Again following the old Nez Perce trails, which everyone who has +traveled over that country during the early days will remember, we +proceeded to the John Day River. Here I met some old Lane county +friends, a Mr. Driskol and his son, a young man of about 21 years of +age. They had driven over the mountains a band of cattle and turned them +on the range at John Day and Rock Creek. Two brothers named John and Zim +Smith, from Douglas county, had also driven out cattle and turned them +loose on the same range. The Smiths had returned to the valley, but were +expected back in a week or such a matter. + +Driskol and his son now asked me to remain with them and assist in +rounding up the cattle preparatory to leaving them for the winter. They +would pay me good wages and then, the Smiths returning, we would all go +home together. The free wild life of the prairie having an almost +irresistible charm for me, it did not require much persuasion to induce +me to remain. + +Our task consisted in riding the river and tributary streams and driving +the cattle back on the range. The men at the ferry told us that the +Columbias were friendly and to be trusted. They cautioned us that the +country further up the river and Rock Creek was frequently raided by +roving bands of Snake Indians. These savages were hostile at all times, +and this was one reason it was desirable to prevent the cattle straying +too far and thus falling an easy prey to the Snakes. They also said it +would be prudent to keep a sharp lookout when riding too far south. We +continued riding and driving in the cattle for a couple of weeks, hoping +for the return of the Smiths before venturing too far. But they not +returning, we decided to go up Rock Creek above the cattle and drive +them down. + +The first day we traveled leisurely along and made about twenty miles. +That night we camped and made our beds in a rye grass bottom, having +previously cooked our supper and riding until after dark. This was done +to prevent any roving band of Snakes that might be in the country from +discovering our camp and attacking us at disadvantage. The old gentlemen +Driskol was uneasy and he and his son watched our camp time about. I +offered to take my turn, but the old gentleman said "the boy will go to +sleep," an arrangement very satisfactory to a tired, sleepy-headed boy. +The next morning we packed up and rode to a favorable place and cooked +our breakfast. While we were eating an Indian rode into camp, who hailed +us in jargon and we assumed at once that he was a Columbia. He said he +had lost a horse while deer hunting and if we were going any further +south he would like to travel with us. We thought little of the matter +and readily gave permission, the more so as he carried a good rifle and +would be a welcome addition to our party in the event of a "scrap" with +the Snakes. As we proceeded up Rock Creek, we still found cattle tracks +and were loth to turn back. We halted at noon to rest our horses and +cook our dinner by the side of a pool in the bed of a creek. While the +younger Driskol was getting dinner, the elder Driskol keeping a watch, a +wild goose lit in the pond 20 feet away. Picking up my rifle I shot its +head off. I will now confess that if ever a foolish, thoughtless boy got +a scolding I got it then and there, from the elder Driskol. He declared +I was trying to bring "the Snakes right down to murder us all." I was +sorry of course for my thoughtlessness, but all the same I got my goose. +That evening that goose was the subject of many lectures, was in fact a +continued story. + +As evening wore on and we were getting further and further away from our +camp on the John Day, we were more than usually careful. Patches of +willows, narrow canyons and high rye grass bottoms were avoided. In +fact, we kept on open ground where we could see an enemy several hundred +yards away. We figured that in an open field fight we could more than +hold our own, notwithstanding the fact that we were only four in number, +counting the Indian. But by-and-by, our traveling companion became a +source of considerable uneasiness. When questioned regarding his lost +horse he did not give straight replies, but was evasive and somewhat +contradictory, and Mr. Driskol began to have suspicions regarding his +friendly intentions. But what to do, or how to rid ourselves of his +presence, was a puzzling question. Besides, we felt that we were safer +where he could be watched than if out of our sight. That night, after +eating our suppers, we traveled some distance after dark and stopped on +a level piece of ground away from the creek bottom. We felt safer in the +open country than in the high rye grass, especially on account of our +Indian companion. We were very careful not to let the Indian see that we +were suspicious of him, and after unsaddling and unpacking our horses +all but the elder Driskol rolled up in their blankets, the Indian +choosing a spot about ten steps away from us. Before lying down, it was +deemed best to keep a strict watch on our fellow traveler, and if +necessary keep him with us if we had to make him a prisoner. Of course +nothing was said to him about keeping watch. During the night he was +several times detected, cautiously rising on his elbow and looking +around. Discovering the guard he would lie down with a grunt as if with +satisfaction. + +When daylight came we started to saddle up and load our two pack horses, +intending to go some distance upon our return trip, before stopping for +breakfast. Saddles were on the riding horses and the Driskols were +loading the packs. I had been directed to keep a close watch on the +Indian, "and if he attempts to get away, shoot him," said the elder +Driskol. They were perhaps twenty steps away, and one of the pack horses +starting off, the young man went to bring him back. The old gentleman +was busy with the pack, when suddenly, quick almost as a flash, the +Indian leaped upon young Driskol's horse and started off. The movement +took me by surprise and for an instant I sat as if stupified. Then +seeing the rascal going like sin, I raised my rifle, took deliberate +aim, and fired. The Indian threw back his head and throwing his arms +aloft, plunged headlong into the grass. + +"There goes that d----d boy, shooting another goose," said old gentleman +Driskol, almost without looking around. + +The young man, however, saw his horse galloping in a circle back to the +other horses. Meantime I had dropped my muzzle loader and with revolver +stood looking at the Indian kicking in the grass forty rods away. Mr. +Driskol flow ran up to where I was standing and pointing to the Indian, +I said, "It wasn't a goose this time, Mr. Driskol." + +We were now all thoroughly alarmed, and imagined the Snakes would be +down upon us in no time. Hastily fastening the packs, we then took the +lock off the Indian's gun and breaking the stock, threw it away. The +pony, belonging to the Indian was unsaddled and turned loose, and we +pulled out for the "home camp" in a hurry. + +Why the Indian came to our camp we could never understand. He would have +stood a better chance of stealing our horses by watching the camp, then +slipping in upon us in the night and driving them away, unless it was to +throw us off our guard. The probabilities are that he was either a Snake +or a renegade Columbia or Umatilla Indian, and counted on getting our +horses. Finding we were on our guard, and seeing an opportunity of +"swapping horses" while the men were busy, paid no attention and gave no +thought to the boy. Certain it was our, or rather the old gentleman +Driskol's watchfulness, that saved us from being left afoot forty miles +from home. Whether he had confederates, we never knew, as we lost no +time in putting as many miles between us and the "Snake country" as +possible. During the day we kept in the open country, avoiding any point +where an advantage could have been taken of us. We of course talked over +the affair of the morning, but not once was the goose mentioned by Mr. +Driskol. He did not even refer to the goose when apologizing to me for +scoldings he had given me. + +We arrived late at night at the ferry, and found everything in turmoil +of excitement. Two men, an old man and his son, Briggs by name, if I +remember correctly, had been killed by the Indians in Tye Valley, about +thirty miles away. The murders created intense excitement, all fearing +it was the signal for a general massacre of the settlers around the +Dalles and the isolated traders on the Walla Walla road. The Smith +brothers had returned and had been assisting the two men at the ferry in +fortifying the post. The house, a mere shack, was being walled in with +rock, port holes for the rifles being left. Our absence had created +uneasiness on the part of the Smiths, but they knew it would be futile +to attempt to find us. Besides, it was thought more than probable that +we had already been massacred and to undertake to find us would be only +to throw their own lives away. + +Their surprise and pleasure was therefore great when we rode into the +station at 11 o'clock at night. They at once informed us of the murder +of the old man and his son, and heartily congratulated us when in return +we told them of our own adventure. The two men at the ferry were +positive that the Indian did not belong in that section, and by our +prudence, they said, we had saved our horses and probably our lives. The +next day we all joined in completing the fortifications, and when +finished felt that we could "stand off" two or three tribes. Yet, +notwithstanding our confidence, we felt that in the event of a general +outbreak we were still in a dangerous position and that every care +should be exercised. Upon my own part, I felt no uneasiness. Zim Smith +was there, a rollicking devil-may-care fellow, and I believed he alone +was the match for all of the Indians east of the Cascade Mountains. A +careful guard was maintained, however, our horses kept near at hand, and +we anxiously awaited results. + +Several days thus passed. The Smiths and Driskols seriously discussing +the situation. They had ventured their all in the cattle speculation, +and to abandon them to the mercy of the red devils was an alternative +hard to contemplate. But what could four men and a boy do opposed by +hundreds of blood thirsty savages? Under all the circumstances, it was +finally determined to embrace the first opportunity of getting out of +the country. Our lives, they argued--I had no say--were worth more +than cattle. Besides, we could not save the cattle cooped up in a stone +fort as we were. We knew that the news would be carried to Walla Walla +and that returning miners would travel in strong parties. + +A few days later a company of forty or fifty men came along, and as they +were well armed, we determined to join them. The two men at the ferry +also abandoned the place and went with us. + +I omitted to say that Wall Cushman, one of the owners of the ferry, had +gone below some time before my arrival there, and I had no opportunity +of renewing my acquaintance of the spring before. + +We arrived at the Dalles without incident worthy of mention. There I +sold my horse, saddle and bridle, rifle and revolver to a man who said +he was going on a prospecting expedition, and took a Columbia River +steamer to Portland. As horses and arms were in demand, not much trouble +was experienced in selling, and most of the company with which I was +traveling made similar disposition of their "outfits." + +Going down the river, Zim Smith, who was quite a talker, told the story +of the goose in my presence and in the presence of a crowd. I was +terribly mortified, and informed his brother that "Zim was making fun of +me." He laughed and mollified my feelings so far as to say, "Zim is only +talking and means nothing by it." "In fact, he thinks you are a great +boy." But I had made up my mind that I had seen enough of the wild life +of the mines, mountains and plains; I would go home and attend school. +No more Indians, miners, and rough men for me. I had seen and +experienced enough, and was heartily sick of it all. I had experienced a +"Call of the Wild" and was satisfied. And I want to say to my young +readers again, whenever you experience a similar call--don't. + +The trip home was made mostly on foot, the great flood of the early +winter of 1861-2 having washed out bridges and roads, seriously +interfering with stage travel. An occasional boat made trips as far as +Albany and Corvallis, but we failed to make proper connections. Hence +from Oregon City to Albany we traveled on foot, but it was a weary +journey in the mud. + +Here, if the reader will pardon a digression, I will relate a little +anecdote illustrative of the times. We were passing through French +Prairie in Marion County. The spot, one of the richest and most +beautiful in all Oregon, derived its name from the fact that it was +settled principally by Canadian French, employees of the Hudson Bay +Company. They were typical frontiersmen, hospitable and generous to a +degree. We had asked at several farm houses for accommodations for the +night, but there was so much travel that all were full and running over. +Our party consisted of six, the Driskols, Smiths, Ben Allen and myself. +Trudging through the mud, all were tired and hungry. As we neared the +upper edge of French Prairie, Ben Allen remarked that he had an old +friend, a Frenchman, and he was satisfied we would be welcomed to his +home. He lived nearly a mile off the road, but that was better than +walking to Salem, six or seven miles. Accordingly, we turned off to the +home of Ben's friend. The old Frenchman received us with open arms. He +was simply delighted and gave us the best of everything the house +afforded. In fact, the old man fairly danced with delight that "Bin" and +his friends had paid him a visit. + +Seated in home-made rocking chairs, before an open fire place in which +was a roaring fire of oak logs, it was, as Zim Smith expressed it, +"solid comfort." Finally supper was announced, and the announcement was +never more welcome than to that hungry crowd. Besides ham, vegetables +and other accompaniments of a farm house dinner, there was a certain +stew with dumplings. This was an especially toothsome dish, and all +partook freely and with relish. As we neared the end of the meal our +host exclaimed, addressing Mr. Allen: + +"Well, Bin, how did you like the cat!" + +"Cat, h--l" said Ben. + +"Oh, yes Bin, he very fine cat. We fatten him three week." + +Somehow, our dinner came to a sudden close. Urged by our host to have +more, all politely declined, "Bin" saying it was very good, indeed, but +he had eaten heartily and didn't care for more. + +The next morning we bade our hospitable host adieu, before breakfast, +saying we were anxious to get to Salem as we expected to catch a boat +for Albany, Corvallis or possibly Eugene City. + +That was the first cat I ever ate and since that time I have eaten bear, +wild cat, horse, mule, but as a matter of fact, I never ate a more +toothsome dish than the old Frenchman's cat--until I discovered it was +cat. Hence I am inclined to the opinion that it is all a matter of +education. + +I arrived at home after Christmas and during the rest of the winter +attended the district school. Had I been told that that little district +school was destined to be the last I should ever attend, I possibly +should have better applied myself to my studies. I remained on the farm +that summer assisting in the general work. In the fall of 1862, Joaquin +Miller and Anthony Noltner started the "Herald," a weekly newspaper, at +Eugene City. Instead of going to school, as my father wished, I applied +for and obtained a position as "devil" in the office. Mr. Noltner was of +the opinion that the name was very appropriate in my case. However, I +soon gained the confidence and esteem of my employers. As evidence of +this, I remained three years, and during the time did not lose three +days, that is, if we except the several occasions when for a week or +two, the Herald was "excluded from the United States mails for disloyal +utterances." Publication would be suspended for a week or so and then +come out under another name. The columns would be filled with news and +"strictly literary matter" for a short time. Then Mr. Miller would +launch out and give expression to his opinion on things in general and +certain politicians in particular. After a few weeks something said +would incur the displeasure of the postmaster, and we would then have to +begin all over under a new name. And do you know, I grieve to admit it +now, but those little vacations came so regularly that I began to enjoy +them--I could go hunting. + +Thus Miller and Noltner struggled along, issuing their publication under +three or four different names. There was talk at different times of +providing Mr. Miller a residence at Fort Alcatraz, with board and +lodging at the expense of the U. S. Government. Now, I may be "telling +tales out of school" but there are few left to care, save Mr. Miller and +the writer, and I trust that "Heinie" will pardon me in thus living over +the stirring times of our youth. + +In the spring of 1864, I think it was, Mr. Miller sold his interest in +the paper to his partner, Mr. Noltner. After that the office had few +charms for me, and more and more my spirits bent to a "Call to the +Wild." This feeling became the more pronounced by reason of a little +misunderstanding with Major Rinehart who commanded the troops at that +time stationed at Eugene City. The circumstances leading up to the +"misunderstanding," briefly are that a friend, Henry Mulkey, had been +arrested for a political offense by order of Major Rinehart, and it had +been determined to send him to Ft. Vancouver and possibly to Alcatraz. I +went to Major Rinehart's headquarters and applied for a pass to see Mr. +Mulkey. That I played good-goody--lied like a tombstone in order to get +the pass, is not necessary here to state, but I got it and arranged an +escape with Mulkey. That the arrangement miscarried was due to Mr. +Mulkey, and not to the prudence of Major Rinehart or the failure upon my +part to carry out the program. + +Be that as it may. Mulkey was re-captured, and my own arrest was +ordered. A little boy, God bless him, overheard Major Rinehart give the +order to Lieutenant Tichnor, and ran and told me. Now, I did not relish +the idea of a residence either at Ft. Vancouver or Alcatraz--nor did I +know how long it would last. Consequently I leaped upon the best horse I +saw standing hitched to the Court House fence and rode out of town, +sending the horse and saddle back by a son of "Uncle Jimmie" Howard. +That boy is now a Baptist minister and I seriously question if he would +now accommodate me so far as to return a "lifted horse." + +Under all the circumstances, I concluded to absent myself permanently-- +at least until Major Rinehart's soldiers should move on. Securing an +"outfit" I joined a small company in the mountains, crossing the +Cascades by McKinzie Pass. + + + +Chapter V. + +Taking Revenge on Marauding Snakes. + +On reaching the east side of the mountains, it became necessary to +travel in the night, at least through the open country between the +Deschutes and Bridge Creek. The Snake Indians were raiding the country, +and encumbered as we were with a small pack train, and with only a small +company, we deemed that plan safest. During the day a careful guard was +kept out and no fires lit. We thus passed safely through the dangerous +country to Bridge Creek. We arrived there in the morning and finding +quite a company from the Dalles, concluded to "lay by" a day or two and +rest our animals. + +About 3 o'clock that evening we saw a horseman coming, and riding as if +his life were at stake. Coming up, the horseman proved to be Jim Clark, +who informed us that the Indians would be upon us in a few minutes and +that they had killed his brother-in-law, George Masterson, a lad of 18 +years. Horses were at once rounded up and preparations made for defense. +While the horses were being driven in, Clark related the circumstances, +which left a doubt in our minds as to the fate of young Masterson. +Accordingly, and as quickly as possible, every man that could be spared +from camp saddled his horse and started back with Clark, either to save +the boy or avenge his death. + +The circumstances, as related by Clark, were that he and the boy had +left the house, afterwards known as the "Burnt Ranch" for a load of fire +wood. The house was located on the John Day River about a mile below the +mouth of Bridge Creek. Opposite the house the river makes a sudden bend +around the point of a high mountain, where the action of water and +erosion of time had washed away the base of the mountain leaving a +precipitous cliff, hundreds of feet high. Under this cliff a great +amount of drift wood has been deposited, and here Jim Clark went for his +fire wood. The high bank of the river next the house, which was 600 +yards away, had been cut down so as to give an easy grade for loaded +wagons. Clark said for the first time they had left their rifles and +other arms at the house, immunity from attack rendering them careless. + +While loading the wagon they happened to look towards the house, which +was in plain view, and saw it in flames. They could also see the Indians +around the house. Now the only means of escape was crossing the river, +the way they had come. The mountains rose hundreds of feet +perpendicularly at their backs, rendering escape impossible in that +direction. Hastily cutting the harness from the horses they mounted, and +Clark, who was a cool headed man in danger, and brave as a lion withal, +told the boy to follow him. As they plunged into the ford they saw a +number of Indians lined upon the opposite bank. But it was the only +alternative, and the Indians thinking the two men were charging them, +ran back out of sight. As they emerged from the river, which here was a +shallow ripple, and started up the cut in the bank, the Indians +discovered they were unarmed and attempted to close in on them. However, +Clark and the boy had reached the top of the bank, and turning their +horses up the river towards the mouth of Bridge Creek, sped for dear +life. + +As soon as they had passed beyond the reach of the bullets and arrows of +the savages, Clark tried to persuade the boy to hold up and save his +horse. The boy, however, was thoroughly frightened and drove his horse +to the top of his speed. Clark, meanwhile, had looked back and saw the +Indians mounting, and now began a race, on one side for life, on the +other for scalps. The race was prolonged scarcely two miles when young +Masterson's horse began to fail. He was then a quarter of a mile ahead +of Clark, who, nursing his horse, kept just beyond reach of the bullets. +Gradually the gap between Clark and the boy narrowed, and slowly the +Indians began to gain. At last Clark rode up beside the boy whose horse +was thoroughly spent. He remained beside him until an Indian, riding a +black horse, Clark said, ran up within twenty feet of him. The boy saw +him raise his gun, and throwing himself from his horse with the +exclamation, "O, Lord," was lost to view in the dust. The Indian was at +least fifty yards ahead of the others and did not stop to kill the boy, +probably leaving him for those behind. Sure of Clark, he kept on, his +black and savage heart leaping with joy in anticipation of torturing +him. + +After tolling the Indian some little distance and coming to a turn in +the road, Clark let his horse out and did not slacken his speed until +our camp was reached. + +As may be well imagined, we did not spare our horses on the return, +Clark having been provided with a fresh animal. But it was six or seven +miles back to where Masterson left his horse. When we arrived there the +search began. But failing to find the body, the awful possibility began +to dawn upon us that he had been captured alive. Clark was wild. Had he +found the dead body of the boy, it would have been nothing compared to +the thought of his capture alive and death at the stake. A search now +began for the trail of the Indians, as they had evidently left before +our approach. But while this was going on, some of the men found the boy +under a bank, shielded from sight by over-hanging earth and matted +roots. When pulled out he was more dead than alive, his long bath in the +water rendering him practically helpless. + +When sufficiently revived, he told us that when he threw himself from +his horse, he leaped into the brush, and coming to the creek, a small +stream, ran down until he saw the overhanging bank. He said several +times the Indians in their search for him were within a few feet of him. + +After finding of young Masterson, we returned to camp. Clark had lost a +great deal of property, besides that which had been consumed in his +burned home. He was positive the party did not comprise more than +fifteen or twenty warriors. He begged us to help him recover his +property, or to at least get revenge. Accordingly Perry Maupin, John +Atterbury, myself and three others, whose names I cannot now recall, +volunteered for the undertaking, making seven in all. + +Getting off at daybreak we struck the trail of the Indians and followed +as fast as the nature of the country would permit. In places the trail +was very dim, and this occasioned considerable delay, but just about +sunset the camp of the savages was located. As night was now upon us, it +was deemed best to await until daylight to make the attack. We were +satisfied they would remain until morning, probably feasting on some of +the stolen stock. They were camped on the west branch of Trout Creek +about one mile above the forks. Their position was two hundred yards +from the creek at a spring, and surrounded by a few scattering willows +and quaking asps. On every side was open ground, with a high, bald +mountain on the north side, and presenting a splendid opportunity for +attack. The location of the camp also indicated that they felt secure +from pursuit. Everything being settled, both as to the manner of +approach and point of attack, we withdrew and awaited the coming of +morning. Unsaddling our horses and picketing them, a portion lay down in +an effort to get some sleep, the others standing guard. + +At 3 o'clock we saddled our horses and by taking a circuitous route were +enabled to approach the camp from the southwest side, and by following a +slight depression in the ground reached a point within 150 yards of +where the savages rested in fancied security. To prevent the possibility +of arousing them by any accidental noise, we had dismounted some +distance back, and carefully led our horses by the head, lest a stumble +or neigh might discover us to the enemy. It was yet dark when we reached +a spot opposite the camp, and standing at our horses' heads, impatiently +awaited the dawn. Streaks of light soon began shooting through the +eastern sky, but it seemed an eternity before we could see well enough +to shoot. Any one who has ever experienced waiting under similar +circumstances will appreciate our impatience and the slow passage of +time. + +But daylight came at last, and swinging into our saddles, we formed in +line and slowly, cautiously advanced. As our heads rose above the slight +elevation that had obscured the camp, our revolvers in hand, we spurred +our horses into a run and began yelling like furies. Scarcely had we +done so when several Indians sprang up and rushed towards us with hands +up and calling at the top of their voices: + +"Warm Springs! Warm Springs! Wascos, Wascos!" + +They were calling in jargon, and recognizing them as friendly Indians, +and not Snakes and therefore enemies, both Jim Clark and Perry Maupin +called out, "For God's sake, boys, don't shoot!" We halted among them +without firing a shot. They then related to us their story. They were +camped at the place hunting when the Snakes came upon them about 1 +o'clock the previous evening. A skirmish had taken place, but without +serious consequences on either side, when the Snakes made overtures for +peace, saying they did not want to fight them, that they were only +enemies of the white man. They proposed, in order to settle the terms of +peace, that the two chiefs, Polina, or as some give the name, Penina, +chief of the Snakes, and Queapama, chief of the Warm Springs and Wascos, +should meet half way alone and unarmed. + +All the Warm Springs earnestly opposed the meeting, feeling certain that +treachery was meditated. But Queapama believed otherwise, and the two +chiefs, in sight of their people, went out to the meeting. Scarcely had +Queapama reached the Snake chief when he was treacherously murdered by a +concealed assassin. Burning for revenge, the Warm Springs renewed the +fight, when the Snakes drew off and were seen no more. + +They now volunteered to go with us in pursuit of the Snakes, who, they +declared, could not be many hours ahead. The Snakes, they argued, could +be easily overtaken as they were practically in their own country and +would travel leisurely. We knew the two tribes were traditional enemies +and the presence of their dead chief was evidence that their friendship +for us could be relied upon. The Warm Springs, however, held the Snakes +in great dread and never ventured far into their country. The present +camp was on neutral territory, and was the main hunting grounds of the +former tribe. Polina was especially dreaded, and was believed by the +Warm Springs to be bullet-proof. Many told of having shot him in the +middle of the forehead, but that the bullet dropped down without +injuring him. But may-be-so the white man had "good medicine" and could +kill him. Although with such superstitious dread we did not value the +aid of the Warm Springs very highly, yet we knew them to be good +trailers and skillful scouts, hence their company was accepted, the more +readily as we would soon enter the pine timber of the McKay mountains. + +Accordingly, after filling our "cantenas" with dried venison from the +camp of our allies, we again took the trail. Our horses were fresh and +as the Warm Springs were such splendid trailers we made good progress, +especially after entering the pine timber. The Indians acted also as +scouts, skirting each side of the trail and keeping well in advance. No +effort had here been made by the Snakes to cover their tracks, and we +followed at a rapid pace. The trail led up the west branch of Trout +creek and in a southerly direction. We had not gone more than four miles +when we came to the camp of the night before. Their fires were still +burning, showing their utter contempt for the Warm Springs. We followed +up Trout creek to its head and passed through a low gap on to the head +of McKay creek, which flows in a southwesterly direction to its junction +with Crooked river. Just after passing the divide one on the scouts +dropped back and informed us that the enemy was not far ahead. They said +the grass cut by the hoofs of their ponies was as fresh as when growing. +It was not thought advisable to overtake them in the timber until they +had gone into camp. We therefore sent word ahead to proceed with great +caution, and to keep well back from the trail. Proceeding now with the +steathliness of a cat creeping upon a bird, the scouts kept well behind +the ridges and only occasionally venturing to peep over a ridge or point +into the creek bottom down which the Snakes were traveling. + +About 3 o'clock they came back and announced that the Snakes had gone +into camp about a mile or such a matter ahead. A council was now held to +discuss the advisability of attacking them at once or waiting until +morning. The Warm Springs were eager for an immediate attack. The camp +was located in the edge of an open glade, presenting a splendid +opportunity for a close approach. We naturally looked to Jim Clark as +our leader and adviser, he being older and far more experienced than any +of our party, unless it was our allies. Clark finally advised an +immediate attack. "We are getting into the Snake territory, they might +move again tonight and we would be compelled to go further on," and, he +declared, "we might bite off more than we can chew." That settled the +matter, and our allies were in high glee. + +It was arranged that a portion of the Warm Spring should approach from +the west, keeping well behind the hill, and at the moment of attack +should stampede their horses, while we were to make a detour and +approach at the point of timber nearest the camp. + +After separating we turned to the left through the thick timber, keeping +well behind the ridge until we were about opposite the camp. Here we +dismounted and tied our horses in a thicket of firs. Silently, almost as +shadows, we moved up the ridge and crossing over the crest began the +descent through the woods, the moccasined feet of our dusky allies +falling noiselessly upon the pine quills. We almost held our breath, +lest the least noise, the accidental breaking of a twig, should startle +the enemy. Though this was to be my first real Indian fight, I felt no +fear and not so much excitement as when stalking my first buck. As we +neared the edge of the wood and were almost prepared for the rush, the +Indians on the other side raised the yell. Led on by their eagerness +they had come into view of the camp and seeing they were discovered +raised the war-whoop and made for the herd. The Snakes sprang to their +weapons and started to save their horses. Concealment being now useless +we burst out of the wood and opened fire. As we did so the savages +turned down the creek and fled toward the nearest shelter. I remember +dropping upon my left knee, and taking deliberate aim at a big fellow, +fired. At the crack of the rifle he sprang into the air and fell, and I +then knew I had made one "good siwash." Springing to my feet I drew my +revolver, a Colt's navy, and kept with the crowd in a running fight +until the Snakes reached the shelter of the woods. To have followed +further would have been madness, notwithstanding they were thoroughly +frightened and running, as one of the Warm Springs expressed it, "like +klanacks" (black-tailed deer). + +Jim Clark now called a halt. To follow further would result in some of +us getting killed, as the Snakes would then have the advantage. +Reloading our rifles we returned to count the result of our victory. We +found four dead Indians, including one that had had his leg broken by a +rifle ball and had been dispatched by our allies, who now proceeded to +scalp the dead according to the usages and traditions of their race. It +was a gory spectacle, and when they generously offered to divide the +bloody trophies, we politely declined, saying the scalps belonged to +them, as they had lost their great chief by the treachery of the dead +Indians. The operation of lifting the scalp was a simple one. A knife +was run around the head just above the ears and the skin peeled off. +That was the first I ever saw, and I had no desire to see the operation +repeated. Some of those that escaped must have been wounded, but we had +no means of knowing the number of these. + +The expedition had been partially successful, but keen regret was felt, +not alone by our party, but by our allies, that old Polina had escaped. +He was the scourge of the whites in all southeastern Oregon, and while +he lived there could be no such thing as peace. He was reserved, +however, for the rifle of Howard Maupin, father of the youth who was +with us and was kneeling by my side when I fired at the fleeing savages. +But that will be reserved for a future chapter. Besides killing four +Indians we had captured a number of ponies and some of the stolen stock +belonging to the whites. The ponies we gave to our friends, the Warm +Springs, besides a captured gun. After destroying everything of value +that we could not carry with us, including some camp effects, we +returned to our horses and started back. We parted with our friends at +their camp of the night before, who lost no time after their arrival +there in packing up and, taking their dead chief with them, making haste +to reach the reservation as soon as possible. + +After bidding them adieu, we traveled on our return until daylight when +we stopped, unsaddled our horses and picketed them to graze and rest for +a couple of hours. Saddling up again we pushed on to Bridge Creek, where +we arrived towards evening. We had been in the saddle now, with slight +intermissions, for more than forty-eight hours, and rest and sleep were +a most welcome boon. Our horses, too, were nearly spent, and here we +remained to rest and recruit. + +We remained at Bridge Creek several days, recruiting our horses and +resting from the fatigues of our recent severe and trying expedition. In +reading my simple narrative some may say we were taking desperate +chances in following an enemy, outnumbering us several times, into his +own country. That is true in a sense. But we had adopted his own +tactics, and depended on a surprise. Had we come out in the open and +shown ourselves, we would probably have fared badly in such an unequal +contest. Secrecy, therefore, was our only safe course, and that required +both skill and caution. We knew the Indians would be off their guard, +that they would never dream of pursuit, and when surprised would scatter +like a covey of quail. Another object was to come to close quarters as +quickly as possible, so as to use our revolvers when the rifles had been +emptied. Howard Maupin, an old Indian fighter, and father of the youth +who accompanied us, once remarked that in "close quarters an Indian +can't hit the side of a barn." I understood this when, years after in +the first battle in the lava beds with the Modocs, I asked General +Wheaton to signal to Colonel Bernard to cease firing and I would charge +with the volunteers. We had them hemmed between two lines, with an +intervening space of not more than 150 yards. He refused, saying we had +lost too many men and the country would not justify the sacrifice of +human life. We had fought them all day, and had suffered severely, and +finally retreated under cover of darkness. It cost nearly three hundred +men to close the Modoc war, including the life of the gallant General +Canby. I believed then--I know now we could have whipped them in twenty +minutes with the loss of less than a dozen men. + + + +Chapter VI. + +One Sad Tale From Canyon City History. + +After a few days at Bridge Creek we joined a pack train going to Canyon +City from The Dalles, and though the road was infested with savages, who +mercilessly slaughtered small parties, we arrived at the then +flourishing mining camp without mishap or adventure. Canyon City at that +time was a typical mining camp. There were congregated every known +character, race, profession and creed. Under a rough exterior the +lawyer, doctor, minister, the rude western frontiersman and the staid +and sober farmer, worked side by side. There was no distinction of dress +among that restless, surging, throbbing throng of humanity, drawn +thither by the all-absorbing motive--the glittering dust that lay +hidden beneath the gravel and sands of the streams and along the +ravines. The bond of sympathy, however, among the miners was close, and +as warm hearts beat beneath the flannel shirts as ever throbbed in the +breast of man. + +Here, too, were congregated those human vultures that feed and fatten +upon the frailties and follies of their fellowmen. The town proper +numbered about six saloons to every legitimate business house. Of +evenings the gambling hells were a glare of light, and music, both vocal +and instrumental, floated out upon the streets to tempt the miners to +enter, while away an hour, and incidentally part with their well-earned +dust. Some of these hells had "lady waitresses," poor, faded, blear-eyed +creatures, in gaudy finery, and upon whose features was stamped the +everlasting brand of God's outlawry. These dens of iniquity were only +too frequently the scene of awful tragedies, and the sawdust floors +drank up the blood of many a poor unfortunate. If the encounter was +between two gamblers the miners paid little attention. But if, as was +often the case, some miner, crazed with an overdose of "double-distilled +damnation," fell a victim to the revolver or knife of a gambler, there +was sure to be "something doing." Among these restless, adventurous men +there was a semblance of law, but its administration was too often a +mockery and a farce. This, however, only applies to the early days of +the camp. + +One of the saddest of life's tragedies is associated in my mind with an +employee of one of these places. His name was Brown, and he was a +musician of some merit. He had with him a young and beautiful wife and +infant daughter. He played the violin at night and received $10 for each +of the seven nights of the week. He was a man of good morals as far as +could be observed, and sober withal. One morning he left the saloon at 2 +o'clock, as was his custom. From the moment he passed out of the door he +disappeared from the sight of men as effectually as the light of an +extinguished candle. He was popular and had not a known enemy in the +world. But whether he was murdered and his body concealed, or whether he +left the country, remained an unsolved mystery. The latter theory had +few or no adherents, as he was tenderly attached to his wife and child. +Be that as it may. Soon after the disappearance of the musician, a young +physician, who was handsome, accomplished, and talented, made his advent +into Canyon City. In due time he became interested in the comely widow, +and when sufficient time had elapsed, and no tidings came back of the +missing husband and father, legal steps were taken, a divorce secured +and the young physician made the widow his wife. As years rolled away +and the mines "played out," the Doctor and his wife and little girl +moved to a town in the Willamette valley. There he prospered, gaining +not only gold but that which is far more precious the love and respect +of his fellow-man, and, being a public-spirited man, he took an active +interest in political and other public matters. In the campaign of 1874 +he received the nomination from his party for State Senator. His +election was a foregone conclusion, as his party had not only a majority +of votes, but his talents as a speaker and his popularity among all +classes were in his favor. About that time, however, the exposures +regarding the past life of Senator John H. Mitchell were given to the +world by the press of Oregon. To offset the charges, there were dark +hints and innuendoes thrown out about the disappearance of Brown and the +subsequent marriage of the widow to the young doctor. The talk was +easily silenced, as it was shown that the doctor came to Canyon City +after Brown's disappearance; but it was enough to sting the proud, +sensitive heart of the young man to the quick. The mere fact that a +suspicion of dishonor attached to his name was sufficient to cause him +to withdraw from public life forever. As an orator he had few equals and +no superiors, and only for his innocent connection with the Brown +tragedy at Canyon City would have achieved a name the equal of that of +his distinguished brother, Senator and Vice-President Hendricks of +Indiana. + +Dr. Hendricks and his wife have long since passed over the river, to the +white walled city of God. And there, let us hope, their rest will be +eternal, and that the poison tongue of slander will come not to blast, +to blacken and to sting. + +I remained at Canyon City and vicinity until September and then returned +to the valley. During the summer and fall many depredations were +committed by Indians. A party of eight men prospecting in the mountains +to the west were surprised and all killed. Every one had died apparently +in his bed. The little stream, a tributary of the south John Day river, +was ever after known as "Murderers' Creek." The next year, I think it +was, Joaquin Miller, then judge of Grant county, led a company of a +hundred miners against the Snakes in Harney valley. He was joined by +Lieutenant, now Judge Waymire of Oakland, in command of a troop of U. S. +volunteers. They were repulsed with some loss and returned without +accomplishing anything of importance. The war dragged along until the +summer of 1867, when Chief Polina led a band of warriors into the John +Day country north of Bridge Creek, where they robbed a settler named +Clarno of a number of cattle and horses and started back. Howard Maupin +then lived at Antelope valley, 15 miles from the Clarno place. The +Indians attempted to capture his horses in the night, but were +frustrated by the watchfulness of the dogs that gave the alarm. The +horses were corralled, and Maupin and his son and a young German stood +guard all night. The next morning Jim Clark and John Attebury arrived at +the station, and it was determined to follow and punish the Indians and +recover the stolen stock. They followed the trail into the rough brakes +of Trout Creek and located the camp. The Indians had halted in a small +basin on the mountain side through which ran a small branch, bordered +with willows, where they had killed an ox and were enjoying a feast. The +five men approached as near as possible and then leaving their horses +made their way up the ravine upon which the unsuspecting savages were +camped. Howard Maupin was armed with a Henry rifle, a present to the old +hero from General George Crook. Silently the men made their way up the +rough and rugged ravine until they lay concealed seventy yards away. +Taking deadly aim the five men fired, killing four Indians. The Indians +fled to the protection of a rugged cliff of rocks, but Maupin's rifle +kept following them with deadly effect. One Indian was picked out as the +chief and fell at the crack of the rifle. He raised on his hands and +halloed to the others until they reached the shelter of the rocks. It +required two more shots to finish him, and thus died Polina, or Penina, +the leader of the Snakes and scourge of the white man. The shot from +Howard Maupin's repeating rifle closed the Snake, or Shoshone war, and +peace reigned until their great uprising under Chief Egan in 1877. + +For a year or more, or until the spring of 1868, I followed the hum-drum +life of a printer. A call of duty compelled me to lay all else aside to +care for an invalid brother, Judge J. M. Thompson. He was dying of +chronic dyspepsia. Physicians had given him up. He was a mere shadow, +and while we had little hope of recovery, we determined to take him into +the mountains. As soon, therefore, as spring opened we made our +preparations. Our provisions consisted of unbolted flour and salt. +Nothing else was taken--no tea, coffee, or indeed anything else save +our bedding, guns and ammunition. We journeyed up the McKinzie fork of +the Willamette. Game was everywhere abundant and this and bread baked +from our flour constituted our only food. It was going back to nature. + +A week or so after we arrived at our camp, my younger brother killed a +very large bear that had just come out of his hibernating quarters and +was as fat as a corn fed Ohio porker. An old hunter endeavored to +persuade my brother to eat some of the fat bear meat, assuring him it +would not make him sick. Now, grease was his special aversion, and to +grease the oven with any kind of fat caused him to spit up his food. +Finally, to please the old hunter, he ate a small piece of fat bear +meat. Very much to his surprise, it did not make him sick. The next meal +he ate more, and after that all he wanted. He gained flesh and strength +rapidly, and it was but a short time until he could walk a hundred yards +without assistance. After that his recovery was rapid and sure. + +Now, high up on the McKinzie we were told of a hot spring, and that vast +herds of elk and deer came there daily to lick the salt that was +precipitated on the rocks by the hot water. We determined to move there. +But when we arrived we found a rushing, roaring, turbulent river, 75 +yards wide, between us and the hot spring. The deer and elk were there +all right, the great antlered monarchs tossing their heads in play, but +safe as if miles away. In vain we sought a narrow place where we could +fell a tree. We found, however, a spot where the water was smooth, +though swift as a mill-race, and we determined to make a canoe. +Accordingly we set to work, and after many tedious days laboring with +one axe and fire our canoe was completed. I was something of an expert +in the management of a canoe and when it had been placed in the river, +made a trip across. It was a success, and delighted with our +achievement, we began ferrying over our effects. One after another, +everything but our clothing and cooking utensils were ferried over, +provisions, that is, the flour and salt, rifles, ammunition, bedding, in +fact all but the above articles. My younger brother was assisting me +with the canoe, and the last trip with the last load was being made. +Like the pitcher that goes often to the well, immunity had bred +carelessness, with the result that the boat was turned over in the +middle of the river, and we only saved our lives by swimming. That night +we camped beneath the forest giants. A good fire was lighted, bread made +on a piece of cedar bark and meat cooked on a stick and eaten out of our +fingers. That was indeed getting back to nature, but a more dire +misfortune was to befall me the first night. As before stated, we had +pitched our camp beneath the shelter of forest giants. Age after age the +quills had been falling, forming a mould several inches thick. Before +retiring that night I laid my solitary pair of trousers and drawers on +the ground before the fire to dry out by morning. They dried. I awoke in +the middle of the night to find that my last garments had been consumed, +leaving but the waistband of my trousers. The mould slowly dried, the +fire had followed, leaving me about the most forlorn individual that +ever was blessed with white hide. Now that was going back to nature with +a vengeance. In front rushed a roaring, foaming river, and relief was +fifty miles away. But what was I to do, but simply do the best I could +with a shirt and the waist-band of my trousers. + +The next day we constructed a shelter of cedar bark in the event of +rain. And now I am going to repeat a story at the risk of being +denounced as a "nature fakir." We had with us a band of dogs, trained +for hunting. There were seventeen, all told, and of every breed, but +with a mixture of bloodhound to give the "staying qualities." We, or +rather I, had borrowed them of settlers living on the river fifty miles +below. They would chase a bear or cougar all day, and if treed, would +remain and bay around the tree until I came. The second night in camp an +immense timber wolf came up close to camp and gave a prolonged howl. The +dogs all broke away, but they came back faster than they went out. The +wolf followed and caught one of them, a large, full-grown dog, and gave +him one bite behind the shoulder. The dog gave one yelp and when we +reached the spot, ten feet from our bed, he was dead. To make sure that +the dog was bitten but once, the next morning I partly skinned him and +found that the ribs were crushed and broken. Now if a timber wolf can +kill a dog with one bite on the back, why not a young caribou at one +bite on the breast? That question I leave to others to solve. + +But to return to my forlorn and altogether ridiculous situation. With +needle and thread it would have been an easy matter to manufacture a +pair of buckskin pantaloons such as I had worn in years gone by and +would have welcomed in my present predicament. But needles, thread, +scissors, razor and combs had followed the cooking utensils to the +bottom of the river. There was nothing to do but simply to "grin and +bear it," and I did so with the best possible grace. On an exploring +expedition one day I found a tall tree on the bank of the river at a +spot where the channel was contracted between narrow banks. I had no axe +and therefore set to work to burn it down, but it was a weary task. Day +after day I tended that fire, keeping in the shade to avoid the hot rays +of the sun, and after six weeks of waiting had the satisfaction of +seeing the tree spanning the river, and affording me a means of reaching +clothing. But I could not go to the settlements clothed like the Georgia +Major, minus the spurs. During the period of waiting for the tree to +fall, I had made a needle of bone and taking an empty flour sack +proceeded to manufacture a pair of legs which, with infinite pains, I +stitched to the waistband of my long lost trousers and added wooden pegs +to insure stability and strength to the flimsy ravelings. In order to +form a fair idea of my appearance, one must imagine a youth with a six +weeks' growth of hair and beard, a shirt that had to be taken off once a +week to wash, a black band around his waist, to which was stitched and +pegged parts of flour sacks. I say, imagine all this and you can form +some idea of a youth who, under ordinary circumstances, was rather proud +of his good looks. My brothers called me "Robinson Crusoe," and I +imagine the resemblance between the unlucky sailor, marooned on an +island, and a wretched young fellow marooned in the depths of the +Cascade mountains without clothing enough to hide his nakedness, was not +an inapt comparison. + +However, I was now happy. A tree spanned the river and parts of flour +sacks covered my limbs, and I would go to Mr. Allen's place, sixty miles +below and get my clothing. Crossing the river, however, I discovered +that our horses, left in a prairie, had "skipped out." I knew they would +be caught at Mr. Allen's place, and the next day I started out. All the +dogs followed. They seemed to have an antipathy for my brothers, and, +try as they would, they could not make friends with them. Indeed, I have +observed through life that children and dogs have an affinity for me. I +started in the morning and made about 35 miles the first day, camping +and sleeping beside a fallen tree against which I kindled a big fire. +After a breakfast of cold bread and venison roasted on a stick, I +started on the final lap of my journey. About a mile from Mr. Allen's +home is a spot known to campers as "Rock House," where the mountains +crowd the river bank, leaving a space of not more than thirty feet +between the almost precipitous bluff and the roaring, foaming river. +From an overhanging rock a spring of ice-cold water, rivaling the +Hypocrene in purity, bursts forth and plunges into the river. The space +had grown up with young maples, and the underbrush being cleaned out, +formed an ideal camping place for hunters and berry pickers. I was +congratulating myself on not meeting a solitary individual when I +reached "Rock House" and found it blocked with wagons and tents. I cast +one look at the foaming river and another at the bluff. I had passed +through some scenes of danger, but never before had I been half so +frightened. It was too late to retreat, the bluff could not be scaled +and the river was out of the question. Nerving myself, I determined to +go ahead, come what might. In front of one of the wagons stood a lady +with whom I was well acquainted. I asked her how I could get through. +She replied without recognizing me that I would have to go through camp. +As I passed around the wagon I came face to face with Judge Lemley's +wife. Her home had been my home for years and next to my mother and +sisters I reverenced her above all women of earth. She looked at me. I +bowed and she nodded her head and I passed on. No sooner had I passed +out of sight than Mrs. McDaniels, the first lady I met, ran to Mrs. +Lemley and said: "Did you see that man?" "O," replied Mrs. Lemley, "it +was only some old lousy hunter." I had made my escape and no one had +recognized me. I was jubilant, happy. But horror of horrors! At a turn +of the road I came full on a whole bevy, flock, troop or herd of young +girls, and at their head was my "best girl." I here submit and affirm, +that had I foreseen this, rivers, mountains, grizzly bears, Indians, all +the dangers of the wild would have had no terrors for me at that moment. +My dogs closed round me and the girls at sight of that "old man of the +woods," that awful apparition, ceased their laughter. With sobered faces +they shied around me as I strode past, and when fairly safe broke into a +run for camp. I heard them running, and in imagination could see their +scared faces. But I was safe--no one had recognized me and I was again +happy. + +Arriving at Mr. Allen's, I related to him the story of my misfortunes. +He trimmed my hair, gave me a shave and after changing my "clothes," I +once more assumed the semblance, as Mrs. Allen expressed it, "of a +Christian man." + +That evening I saddled a horse and rode back to the camp. I began then +to see the full humor of the whole affair, but it required an hour to +convince them that I was really the strange apparition that passed +through camp that morning. + + + +Chapter VII. + +Colonel Thompson's First Newspaper Venture. + +I remained at the home of Mr. Allen a few days, making frequent visits, +you may be sure, to the camp of my friends. I then returned to our camp +at the hot springs. My brother had become quite strong and my other +brother then decided to return to the valley. Left alone, we indulged in +long rambles in the mountains. Taking a pair of blankets each, and +baking up a lot of bread, we would strike out. We never knew where we +were going, but wandered wherever fancy led. These tramps often lasted a +week or ten days. If our bread gave out we simply went without bread +until our return to camp. During one of these trips we ascended one of +the Three Sisters, snow mountains standing together and reaching to the +realms of the clouds. Like mighty sentinels, white as the driven snow, +they constitute one of the grandest sights to be seen on this or any +other continent. To the north of these mountains and in a valley formed +by the angle of the three mountains, we explored the largest glacier to +be found in the United States. In this manner the months wore away until +the approach of the fall storms admonished us that our wandering life +must come to a close, but we had found that which we sought, perfect +health. When we went to the mountains in the spring my brother weighed +84 pounds, and when we reached Eugene City on our return he weighed 165, +nearly doubling his weight. I had also gained heavily, in fact, nearly +50 pounds. I mention this that others seeking that most precious of all +blessings, perfect health, may know how and where to find it--by simply +going back to nature. + +Soon after my return to civilization I embarked in my first newspaper +venture. I was employed in the office as compositor and foreman and at +the expiration of the first month had to take the "plant, fixtures and +good will," for my pay. In fact, I was given the office on a promise to +run the paper and keep it alive. I so far succeeded that after a year +and a half I sold out, clearing $1200. The paper, the Eugene City Guard, +is still in existence. + +From there I went to Roseburg and started the Plaindealer. In this I had +the moral support and hearty good will of General Joseph Lane, as well +as other citizens of the county. My success was phenomenal, my +subscription list running up to 1200 in two years. But as in all else in +this world, success was not attained without gaining the enmity and +bitter hatred of my would-be rivals in business. Theirs was an old +established paper, conducted by two brothers, Henry and Thomas Gale. +They soon saw their business slipping away and sought to regain it by +indulging in abuse of the coarsest character. I paid no further +attention to their attacks than to occasionally poke fun at them. One +Saturday evening I met one of the brothers in the post office. He began +an abusive harangue and attempted to draw a pistol. I quickly caught his +hand and struck him in the face. Bystanders separated us and he left. I +was repeatedly warned that evening to be on my guard, but gave the +matter little concern. The next morning, Sunday, June 11, 1871, I went +to my office as was my custom, to write my letters and attend to some +other matters before going to church. On leaving the office I was joined +by a young friend, Mr. Virgil Conn. As we proceeded down the street +towards the post office I saw the brothers standing talking on the +street. One looked up and saw me, evidently spoke to his brother, and +they then started toward me. I saw at once that it was to be a fight and +that I must defend myself. Some said I could have avoided a meeting by +turning in a different direction. Probably I could, at least for a time, +but I had started to the post office and there I intended to go. As we +approached the young men, one of them dropped behind, and as I passed +the first one he dealt me a blow with a heavy cane. At the same instant +the other drew a pistol and fired, the bullet taking effect in my side +and passing partly through. Stunned by the blow on my cheek, I reeled +and drawing my pistol fired point blank at the breast of the one who had +shot me. I was then between the men, and turning on the one with the +cane, he threw up his hands, as if to say "I am unarmed." As I again +turned he quickly drew his revolver and shot me in the back of the head, +and followed it up with another shot which was aimed at the butt of my +ear. I felt the muzzle of the revolver pressed against my ear, and +throwing up my head the bullet entered my neck and passed up through my +mouth and tongue and lodged back of my left eye. As I rushed at him he +fired again, the bullet entering the point of my shoulder while another +entered my body. That was his last shot. + +I was taken to my home in a blanket and few thought that I would live to +reach it. I was not, however, done for yet, and the next Thursday was +out riding with one of my physicians. The affair created the wildest +excitement, a noted surgeon, Dr. Sharples, coming from Eugene City to +attend me. Throughout the Eastern States there was various comment by +various publications, referring to the affair as "The Oregon Style." I +refer to the matter here because of the many distorted and unfair +stories that have appeared from time to time. It is in no spirit of +braggadocio, but simply to give the facts. That I deplored the affair, +and deeply, too, I freely confess, but only for the necessity which +compelled me to defend my life. + +On the following February 1 received an offer to take charge of the +Salem Mercury. Leaders of the party, among them three ex-Senators, the +Governor of the State and many others prominent in the affairs of +Oregon, purchased the paper and plant and tendered me a bill of sale for +the same. Ex-Senator Nesmith, ex-Senator Harding, Governor Grover, +ex-Governor Whitaker, General Joseph Lane and many others urged me to +the step. They argued that I could unite all the factions of the party +in support of a party paper at the capital of the State. To a young man +scarcely twenty-three this was a tempting and flattering offer. I sold +my paper, therefore, at Roseburg and with $4000 in money and good paper, +and a bill of sale of an office costing $2500, started to Salem. My +success there as a newspaper man was all that could be desired. A large +circulation was rapidly built up, and a daily as well as weekly started. + +In November of the same year occurred the first outbreak of the Modoc +Indians and a score of settlers and a few soldiers had been killed. +Governor Grover had ordered out two companies of volunteers under +General John E. Ross, a veteran of the Rogue River war, to assist the +regular army in quelling the insurrection. The outbreak, only for the +butchery of the citizens along the Lost river and Tule lake, was not +regarded as at all serious, as a few weeks would suffice to crush or +destroy the savages. But as weeks rolled on and still no surrender, nor +even a fight, the Governor became uneasy, since he could not understand +the delay. Finally, early in January, Judge Prim arrived from Jackson +county and had a conference with the Governor. It was scarcely 9 o'clock +in the morning when Mr. Gilfrey, private secretary to the Governor, came +to my office with a message that Governor Grover wished to see me at his +office at once. When I arrived there I found the Governor, Judge Prim +and General John F. Miller in consultation. The Governor explained to me +that there were stories of needless waste of time, that the Indians had +not been attacked, though there were 450 men within a few miles of their +camp, that hints of graft were afloat. Would I go in company with +General Miller and when could I start? I replied that I would go and by +the eleven o'clock train if General Miller was ready. + +Perhaps here is a proper place for a short history of the Modoc Indians; +their long series of murders and massacres--a series of appalling +crimes that have given to their country the name of "the dark and bloody +ground of the Pacific." Of all the aboriginal races of the continent the +Modocs stand pre-eminent as the most fierce, remorseless, cunning and +treacherous. From the day the white man first set foot upon his soil the +Modoc has been a merciless foe with whom there could be no peace. The +travelers through his country were forced to battle for their lives from +the day his country was entered until the boundary was passed. Trains of +immigrants, consisting of men, women and children, worn and weary with +the trials and hardships of the plains, were trapped and butchered. The +number of these victims mount up into the hundreds and constitute one of +the saddest chapters in the annals of American pioneers. + + + +Chapter VIII. + +History of the Modoc Indians. + +Voltaire describes his countrymen as "half devil and half monkey," and +this description applies with equal force to the Modoc tribe of Indians. +In general appearance they are far below the tribes of the northern +country. They did not possess the steady courage of the Nez Perces, nor +the wild dash of the Sioux, but in cunning, and savage ferocity they +were not excelled even by the Apaches. In war they relied mainly on +cunning and treachery, and the character of their country was eminently +suited for the display of these tactics. + +Our first knowledge of the Modocs was when they stole upon the camp of +Fremont in 1845 at a spring not far from the present site of the now +prosperous and thriving village of Dorris. It was here that Fremont +suffered the loss of some of his men, including two Delaware Indians, in +a daylight attack, and it was here that he was overtaken by a courier +and turned back to assist in the conquest of California. From that day +to the day when Ben Wright, with a handful of Yreka miners, broke their +war power in the so-called "Ben Wright massacre" the Modocs were ever +the cruel, relentless foe of the white man, murdering and pillaging +without other pretext and without mercy. It has been estimated, by those +best capable of giving an opinion, that from first to last not less than +three hundred men, women and children had been relentlessly murdered by +their hands, up to the beginning of the last war. + +The shores of their beautiful lakes and tributary streams are scattered +over with the graves and bleaching bones of their victims. Even among +neighboring tribes they were known and dreaded for their cunning +duplicity and savage ferocity. They are yet known among the Klamaths, +Pits, and Piutes as a foe to be dreaded in the days of their power, and +these people often speak of them in fear, not because they were brave in +open field, but because of their skulking and sudden attacks upon +unsuspecting foes. + +During the early 50's many immigrants, bound for Southern Oregon and +Northern California, passed through their country, traveling the road +that passed round the north end of Rett, or Tule Lake, and crossed Lost +river at the then mouth of that stream on a natural bridge of lava. A +short distance from where the road comes down from the hills to the lake +is the ever-memorable "Bloody point." This place has been appropriately +named and was the scene of some of the most sickening tragedies that +blacken the annals of this or any other country. At this point the rim +rock comes down to the edge of the waters of the lake, and receding in +the form of a half wheel, again approaches the water at a distance of +several hundred yards, forming a complete corral. Secreted among the +rocks, the Indians awaited until the hapless immigrants were well within +the corral, and then poured a shower of arrows and bullets among them. +The victims, all unconscious of danger, taken by surprise, and +surrounded on all sides, with but the meager shelter of their wagons, +were at the mercy of their savage foes. + +In 1850, an immigrant train was caught in this trap, and of the eighty +odd men, women and children, but one escaped to tell the awful tale. On +the arrival of the news at Jacksonville, Colonel John E. Ross raised a +company of volunteers among the miners and hastened to the scene of +butchery. Arriving at Bloody Point, the scene was such as to make even +that stern old veteran turn sick. The men had died fighting, and their +naked bodies lay where they fell. Those of the women not killed during +the fight were reserved for a fate ten thousand times worse. The +mutilated remains scattered about the ground were fearfully swollen and +distorted and partly devoured by wolves and vultures, little children, +innocent and tender babes, torn from their mothers' arms, had been taken +by the heels and their brains dashed out against the wagon wheels, +killed like so many blind puppies. One young woman had escaped out of +the corral but had been pursued and butchered in a most inhuman manner. +Her throat was cut from ear to ear, her breasts cut off, and otherwise +mutilated. Her body was found a mile and a half from the wrecked and +half-burned train, and was discovered by her tracks and those of her +pursuers. + +Again in 1851 Captain John F. Miller raised a company of volunteers at +Jacksonville and went out to meet and escort the immigrant trains +through the country of the Modocs. Arriving at Bloody point at daylight +one morning and finding a train surrounded, he at once vigorously +attacked the savages and drove them away, with the loss of several of +their warriors. His timely arrival prevented a repetition of the +previous year's horror. The savages were followed into the lava beds, +but here he was compelled to give up the pursuit, as further advance +into this wilderness was to court disaster. The train had been +surrounded several days and a number of its members killed and wounded. +An escort was sent with the train beyond Lost river and then returned to +guard the pass until all the immigrants should have passed through. + +During Captain Miller's stay here his scouts discovered smoke coming out +of the tules several miles north and west of the peninsula. Tule Lake at +that time was a mere tule swamp and not the magnificent body of water we +see today. Taking a number of canoes captured from the Indians to lead +the way, and mounting his men on their horses, the spot was surrounded +at daylight and a large number of women and children captured. +Notwithstanding many were dressed in bloody garments, they were all well +treated. They were held prisoners until the company was ready to leave, +when they were turned loose. + +Another company of immigrants was murdered on Crooked creek not far from +the ranch of Van Bremer Bros. on the west and south side of lower +Klamath lake. Who they were, where they came from, how many in the +train, will ever remain an impenetrable mystery. Waiting friends "back +in the States" have probably waited long for some tidings of them, but +tidings, alas, that never came. We only know that the ill-fated train +was destroyed, the members murdered and their wagons burned. Scarface +Charley told John Fairchilds that when he was a little boy the Indians +killed a great many white people at this point. The charred remains of +the wagons and moldering bones of the owners were yet visible when I +visited the spot during the Modoc war. Charley said that two white girls +were held captives and that one morning while encamped at Hot creek the +Indians got into a dispute over the ownership of one of them and to end +matters the chief caught her by the hair and cut her throat. Her body, +Charley said, was thrown into the rim rock above the Dorris house. +Hearing the story in February, 1873, while we were encamped at Van +Bremer's ranch, Colonel C. B. Bellinger and I made a search for the body +of the ill-fated girl. We found the skull and some bones but nothing +more. Enough, however, to verify the story told by Charley. What became +of the other Charley did not know, but her fate can better be imagined +than described. + + + +Chapter IX. + +The Ben Wright Massacre. + +This so-called massacre has been the source of endless controversy, and +during the progress of the Modoc war afforded Eastern sentimentalists +grounds for shedding crocodile tears in profusion. They found in this +story ample grounds for justification of the foul butchery of General +Canby and the Peace Commission. According to their view, these "poor +persecuted people" were merely paying the white man back in his own +coin, and a lot more such rot. + +According to this story, Ben Wright had proposed a treaty and while the +Indians were feasting, all unconscious of intended harm, were set upon +and ninety of their warriors murdered in cold blood. Captain Jack's +father, they said, was among the victims, and it was to avenge this +wrong that Canby and the Peace Commission were murdered under a flag of +truce. The story was without other foundation than the bloody battle +fought by Ben Wright and his Yreka volunteers with the Modoc tribe +during the fall of 1852. I will here give the true story as detailed to +me by Frank Riddle, one of Ben Wright's men, and which I believe is +absolutely true. + +In the fall of 1852 Ben Wright raised a company of thirty-six men around +Yreka and went out to guard the immigrants through the country of the +Modocs. The company arrived in time and safely escorted all trains past +the danger point. The lesson taught the year before by Captain Miller +had instilled into the savage heart a wholesome fear of the white man's +rifle and revolver. They dared not attack the ever-watchful white men +openly, but determined to effect by strategy what they dared not attempt +in the open field. Accordingly they sent a messenger to Wright proposing +a treaty. The messenger, among other things, told Wright that they held +two captive white girls, which they wished to surrender as an evidence +of good faith. Ben Wright was anxious to rescue the girls and readily +consented to a treaty, and promised to kill a beef and have a feast. The +Indians in considerable numbers came to the camp, headed by the chief. +Wright was then camped on the peninsula, a place admirably adapted to +guard against surprise. A feast was had and all went well. The white +girls were to be surrendered three days later at the mouth of Lost +river, to which place the white men moved, followed by the Indians. The +latter were very friendly and exerted themselves to win the confidence +of the white men. Three days passed but no white girls showed up. The +chief assured Wright that they were coming, that they were a long way +off and would be on hand two days later. In the meantime the watchful +white men observed that the numbers of the Indians had more than doubled +and more and more were coming with each succeeding day. They became +suspicious and their suspicions ripened into a certainty that treachery +was meditated. At the expiration of the two days Ben Wright informed his +men of his plans. He was satisfied that the girls would never be +surrendered, but that the Indians, now outnumbering them five to one, +intended a massacre. Accordingly he told his men to quietly make ready; +that he was going to the chief and if he refused to surrender the girls +he would kill him then and there. He warned his men to pay no attention +to him, that he would make his way out as best he could; that they must +open fire at the instant his pistol rang out; that they were in a +desperate situation and must resort to desperate measures or all would +be butchered then and there. + +The morning was cool, Riddle said, and Ben Wright covered himself with a +blanket, his head passing through a hole in the middle, as was the +custom of the time, the blanket answering the place of an overcoat. +Underneath the blanket he carried a revolver in each hand. He went +directly to the chief and demanded that he make his promises good. The +chief told him plainly, insolently, that he would not do so, and never +intended to do so; that he had men enough to kill the white men and that +they were now in his power. But the wily old chief little dreamed of the +desperate valor of the man before him, for no sooner had the chief's +defy passed his lips than Ben Wright shot him dead. Then firing right +and left as he ran, he made his escape out of the Indian camp. +Meanwhile, as the first shot rang out from Wright's pistol his men +opened a deadly fire with their rifles. For an instant, Riddle said, the +savages formed a line and sent a shower of arrows over their heads, but +they aimed too high and only one or two were slightly wounded. Dropping +their rifles, Wright's men charged, revolvers in hand. This was too much +for savage valor and what were left fled in terror. It was now no longer +a battle. The savages were searched out from among the sage brush and +shot like rabbits. Long poles were taken from the wickiups and those +taking refuge in the river were poked out and shot as they struggled in +the water. To avoid the bullets the Indians would dive and swim beneath +the water, but watching the bubbles rise as they swam, the men shot them +when they came up for air. + +This is the true story of the "Ben Wright Massacre." It was a massacre +all right, but did not terminate as the Indians intended. Riddle told me +that about ninety Indians were killed in this fight. It broke the war +power of the Modoc Indians as a tribe for all time, and from that day +the white man could pass unvexed through the country of the Modocs. +There were probably isolated cases of murder, but nothing approaching +war ever again existed in the minds of the Modocs. + + + +Chapter X. + +Treaty With the Modocs is Made. + +On the 14th day of October, 1864, the Modocs entered into a treaty with +the Federal government by which they ceded all rights to the Lost river +and Tule lake country for a consideration of $320,000. In addition to +this they were to receive a body of land on the Klamath reservation of +768,000 acres, or a little more than 420 acres for each man, woman and +child. Immediately after the ratification of the treaty all the Modoc +Indians moved to the lands allotted to them, where the tribe remained, +and yet remains. This may be news to most of my readers, but it is a +fact that the Modoc Indians as a tribe continued to keep faith with the +government. The band under Captain Jack were merely renegades who, +dissatisfied with their new home, left the reservation and went back to +Lost river and Tule Lake. Jack himself was wanted for murder, and sought +an asylum in the lava beds, or the country adjacent thereto, where he +gathered around him renegades from other tribes--renegades outlawed by +Indians and whites alike. Some of the Indians in Jack's band were from +the Columbia river region, others from coast tribes, and all were +outlaws. One of the leaders, Bogus Charley, was an Umpqua Indian and was +raised by a white man named Bill Phips. He spoke good English and asked +me about many of the old timers. + +In securing his ascendancy over this band of outlaws Jack was assisted +by his sister, "Queen Mary," so-called, who lived many years with a +white man near Yreka. In the opinion of Captain I. D. Applegate. Mary +was the brains of the murderous crew who gathered in the "hole in the +wall," under her brother. She was the go-between for the Indians with +the whites about Yreka, where they did their trading and where they +supplied themselves with arms and ammunition, and it was through her +that Judge Steele, a lawyer of Yreka, was interested in getting a +reservation for them. Steele made a trip to Washington to plead their +cause, and received a fee of $1000. He failed, but held out hope to his +clients and urged them under no circumstances to go back to their lands +at Klamath, advising them as counsel to take up lands in severalty under +the pre-emption laws of the United States. It is charitable to suppose +that Judge Steele did not foresee the disastrous consequences of his +counsel, yet he knew that Jack was wanted at the Klamath agency for +murder. In furtherance of his advice he wrote the following +self-explanatory letter to Henry Miller, afterwards murdered in a most +barbarous manner by the very men whom he had befriended: + +Yreka, Sept. 19, 1872. + +Mr. Henry F. Miller--Dear Sir: You will have to give me a description +of the lands the Indians want. If it has been surveyed, give me the +township, range, section and quarter-section. If not, give me a rude +plat of it by representing the line of the lake and the line of the +river, so that I can describe it . . . Mr. Warmmer, the County Surveyor, +will not go out there, so I will have to send to Sacramento to get one +appointed. Send an answer by an Indian, so that I can make out their +papers soon. I did not have them pay taxes yet, as I did not know +whether the land is surveyed and open for pre-emption. + +Respectfully yours, +E. Steele. + +Other letters were written by Judge Steele to the Indians. One which was +taken to Mrs. Body to read for them advised them not to go to Klamath, +but to "remain on their Yreka farm," as he termed the Tule Lake and Lost +river country, and told them they had as good a right to the lands as +any one. He further told them to go to the settlers and compel them to +give them written certificates of good character to show to the agents +of the government, which they did, the settlers fearing to refuse. +Shortly after this, Mr. T. B. Odeneal, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, +attempted to have a conference with Jack, who flatly refused, saying he +was tired of talking; he wanted no white man to tell him what to do; +that his friends and counselors at Yreka had told them to stay where +they were. + +Under these circumstances the settlers became alarmed and made the +Superintendent promise that they should be notified before any attempt +to use force was made. How that promise was carried out will appear +later on. Early in November, after repeated attempts to induce the +Indians under Jack to go peaceably back to the reservation, +Superintendent Odeneal determined to turn the matter over to the +military. The Commissioner of Indian Affairs directed him to put the +Indians back, peaceably if he could, by force if he must. He then +referred the whole matter to Major Jackson, then in command at Fort +Klamath, who had at his disposal thirty-six men of Company B, First +cavalry, and proceeded with his command to Linkville, where he was met +by Captain I. D. Applegate, at that time connected with the Indian +department and stationed at the Yainax reservation. Captain Jackson was +warned by Applegate of the desperate character of the Indians, but +informed him the force was sufficient in his opinion if proper +precautions were taken. In the meantime Mr. Odeneal had sent his +messenger, O. A. Brown, to notify the settlers. Instead he proceeded to +the Bybee ranch, carefully concealing from all the proposed movements of +the troops under Jackson. Afterwards when reproached by Mrs. Schira, +whose husband, father and brothers had been murdered, he gave the +heartless answer that he "was not paid to run after the settlers." After +realizing the full extent of his conduct--conduct that could not be +defended any other way--Brown attempted to cast the odium upon his +superior, Mr. Odeneal. However, the latter had a copy of his letter of +instructions, hence Brown lapsed into sullen silence. + +Major Jackson started for the Indian encampment on Lost river on the +28th of November, leaving Linkville, now Klamath Falls, after dark. He +was accompanied by Captain Applegate, and he had supplied his men with +twenty rounds of ammunition. Before reaching the encampment he halted +his men, saddle girths were tightened, overcoats tied behind saddles and +carbines loaded. It was then nearly daylight and proceeding with caution +he reached the encampment just at daylight. It was understood that the +command was to be divided so as to strike the camp on two sides, thus +commanding the river bank and the brush back of the camp at one and the +same time. Instead of this, Captain Jackson galloped his troop in +between the river and the camp and dismounted, his men forming a line +with horses in the rear. + +While all this was going on another force, consisting of a dozen +settlers, had come down from the Bybee ranch to capture the Hot Creek +band on the opposite side of the river from Jack's camp. O. A. Brown had +arrived there in the evening but said nothing to any one until 2 o'clock +in the morning, when he roused them up and told them that the soldiers +would attack the Indians at daylight. They arrived just as Jackson lined +his men up on the opposite side. Jud Small, a stock man, was riding a +young horse and at the crack of the first gun his horse began bucking. +Everything was confusion, the men retreating to a small cabin a hundred +yards away, except Small, who was holding on to his horse for dear life +all this time. Over wickiups, squaws, bucks and children the frightened +beast leaped. Just how he got out safe among his companions Small never +knew, but he escaped, only to be desperately wounded in the first fight +in the lava beds, and later finding a watery grave in Klamath river +while sailing a pleasure boat. + +After dismounting his men, Major Jackson requested Captain Applegate to +go forward among the Indians and tell them they must surrender and go +back to the reservation. But scarcely had Captain Applegate reached the +center of the village, when he saw the women running and throwing +themselves face downward in a low place between the two lines. He at +once called to Lieutenant Boutelle to "look out, they are going to +fire." Scarcely had the words escaped his lips when the Indians, +concealed under their wickiups, opened a galling fire on the line of +troops. Applegate made his way back to the line as best he could and as +he reached the line he picked up a carbine that had fallen from the hand +of a wounded soldier. The poor fellow had just strength enough to +unbuckle his belt and hand it to Captain Applegate, who now called to +Lieutenant Boutelle that "if we don't drive them out of their camp they +will kill us all." Boutelle then ordered a charge, and drove the Indians +out of their camp, through the brush and out into the open hills beyond. +But this was accomplished by the loss of several men killed and wounded. +One Indian had been killed, a Columbia, one of the most desperate of the +renegade band. When Applegate got back to where Jackson was standing he +had all the women and children gathered around him and while several men +had been killed or wounded, he deemed the trouble at an end. + +While the above events were transpiring, Dave Hill, a Klamath Indian, +swam the river and drove in all the Modocs' horses. With the women, +children and horses in their possession all that remained for Captain +Jackson to do to insure the surrender of the men, was to take them to +the reservation and hold them. What was the surprise of Captain +Applegate, therefore, when Jackson announced his intention of turning +them all loose. In vain he and Dave Hill protested, but to no purpose. +Jackson declared he was short of ammunition; besides, must care for his +wounded men. He then told the squaws to pack up their horses and go to +the men and tell them to come to the reservation. No more mad, idiotic +piece of folly was ever perpetrated by a man than this move of Captain +Jackson. + +While they were talking two travelers were seen riding along the road +some hundreds of yards away. In vain the men on both sides of the river +attempted to warn them of danger. The Indians were seen to ride up to +them and deliberately shoot them down. This of itself should have warned +Jackson of the desperate character of the outlaws. But no, he was either +too cowardly to act intelligently or too indifferent of the consequences +to act as he was advised. In fact, there is a certain class of army +officers who deem it a disgrace to accept advice from a civilian. At any +rate he crossed his wounded men over the river in canoes to the cabin +held by the party of stock men, and mounting his men went six miles up +the river to the ford and put the river between himself and command and +danger. + +As soon as the squaws and children reached the men, a party headed by +"Black Jim" mounted and started down the shores of the lake butchering +the settlers. They came first to the Body ranch, where the men were +getting wood from the hills and heartlessly butchered them in cold +blood. The manner is best told in Mrs. Body's own words in a letter to +me in which she says: + +"I reside three miles from the Indian camp on Lost river. The Indians +had told us time and again that if the soldiers came to put them on the +reservation they would kill every white settler. Through hearing of +these threats, we requested the messengers never to come with soldiers +without first giving the settlers warning. This they failed to do. . . . +The male portion of my family, not being aware of any disturbance, were +out procuring firewood, and were suddenly attacked within a mile and a +half of the house and butchered in cold blood. About a quarter to twelve +my daughter saw her husband's team approaching the house at a rapid +gait, and as the team reached the house she noticed that the wagon was +covered with blood. Thinking the team had run away she ran up the road +to find him. About a quarter of a mile from the house she discovered +him. I hastened after her with water, and as I arrived at the spot my +daughter was stooping over the body of her husband. Six Indians then +dashed out of the brush on horseback. Two of them rode up to me and +asked if there were any white men at the house. Not dreaming that there +was anything wrong with the Indians, I told them that the team had run +away and killed white man. They then gave a warwhoop and rode off +towards the house. On examining my son-in-law, we found that he had been +shot through the head. We then knew that the redskins were on the +warpath, and determined to find the other men. Going a short distance we +found my eldest son killed and stripped naked. The four horses were +gone. About a quarter of a mile further on we saw more Indians in the +timber where my husband was chopping wood, so we concluded we had better +not go any further in that direction, and made our way to the hills. My +youngest son, a boy of thirteen years of age, was herding sheep about a +mile from the house when he was killed. They shot him and then cut his +throat. We continued to travel until it became too dark to discern our +way, and then sat down at the foot of a tree and stayed until daylight. +We then started again, not knowing where we were going, but hoping to +strike some house. There was two feet of snow on the ground and our +progress was slow and tedious. Finally we arrived at Lost river bridge +about 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon. Here we learned for the first time +that there had been a fight between the soldiers and Indians. If the +settlers had been warned in time not one white person would have been +killed, as we all had arms and ammunition sufficient to defend +themselves successfully." + +The Brotherton Family was not killed until the next day. They lived +eight miles south of the Bodys, and like the latter were attending to +their duties about the ranch. A twelve-year-old boy, Charley Brotherton, +while the Indians were killing the hired man, cut one of the horses +loose from the wagon and escaped to the house, where he built a pen of +sacks of flour in the center of the floor to protect his mother and the +little children and with a rifle held the savages at bay for three days, +or until relieved by volunteers. The house, a two-story box affair, was +literally riddled with bullets and how the boy escaped being shot is a +mystery. The other settlers, seventeen in all, were similarly murdered. +Henry Miller, who had befriended the Indians, was murdered under +conditions of peculiar atrocity, for the reason, it was supposed, that +he had failed to notify the Indians of the movements of the soldiers as +he had promised. + +During all these three days of murder and horror, Captain Jackson made +no attempt to protect the settlers, but remained forted up at the cabin +on Lost river. As soon as the news reached Linkville, now Klamath Falls, +Captain O. C. Applegate organized a company of settlers and friendly +Indians to protect what was left of the settlement. Captain Ivan D. +Applegate also exerted himself in saving the settlers, and did brave +work, but there were women and children to protect and days elapsed +before an effective force could be gathered to meet the Indians. +Meantime news had reached Jackson county and Captain Kelley hastily +organized a force of a hundred men and by riding night and day reached +the scene of the massacre. It was his company that relieved the besieged +Brothertons, defended by the brave boy. + +In the meantime the Indians had retreated to the lava beds and bade +defiance to the soldiers. General Wheaton, commanding the district of +the Lakes, ordered the concentration of troops from Camps Warner and +Bidwell, while General Canby sent the forces under Colonel John Green +and Major Mason from Ft. Vancouver to join the command under General +Wheaton. As soon as the settlers could fort up for mutual protection, +the entire forces of regulars and volunteers were concentrated at Van +Bremer's ranch west of the lava beds under General Wheaton and at Land's +ranch on the east side of Tule Lake and directly north of the +stronghold. Such was the disposition of the forces when I arrived at +headquarters at Van Bremer's ranch. By orders of Governor Grover of +Oregon the volunteers under Captains O. C. Applegate and Kelley were +placed under the command of General Wheaton. The two companies numbered +about 225 men, and were commanded by General John E. Ross, a veteran +Indian fighter, but too old to withstand the hardships of a winter +campaign against Indians. The men were all poorly provided with clothing +and bedding, most all having taken only what they could strap behind +their saddles, but in spite of this and a temperature often below zero, +no murmur was heard, and all anxiously, eagerly looked forward to a +meeting with the brutal savage murderers of their fellow citizens. Such +were the conditions when I arrived at headquarters. + + + +Chapter XI. + +Battle in the Lava Beds. + +On Sunday, January 12, 1873, a strong reconnoitering force was sent out +under Colonel Perry of the regulars and Captain O. C. Applegate of the +volunteers. On the bluff overlooking the lava beds they found the +Indians and found them full of fight. A picket was surprised and a gun +captured, but they were unable to say whether any of them had been +wounded in the skirmish. The Indians, however, came out in force and a +brisk skirmish was kept up for some time when the troops, having +accomplished the object of their mission, retired. + +All the reinforcements having now arrived it was determined to attack +the savages on the following Friday. The plans of General Wheaton were +submitted to the volunteer officers and fully approved. General Frank +Wheaton was an officer of experience and unquestioned ability. He was a +veteran of the Civil war, and commanded 20,000 troops at the battle of +the Wilderness, besides having the confidence and esteem of officers and +men. Every contingency was guarded against, at least as far as it was +possible to foresee it. The troops organized for the attack were +Bernard's and Perry's troops of cavalry, and Green's and Mason's +infantry, numbering 250 men; Captain Applegate's and Captain Kelley's +volunteers, numbering 225 men, Donald McKay's Indian scouts numbering +fifty and the California volunteers under John Fairchilds and Presley +Dorris. + +By general field order, Bernard was to move down from Land's ranch on +Wednesday, January 1 16th, and occupy a position not less than two miles +from the stronghold. At the same time Colonel Perry was to push across +the trail to the bluff with his dismounted troop, while General Wheaton +with the infantry and volunteers, ambulances, three howitzers, reserve +ammunition, etc., was to go around by Little Klamath Lake and join the +command of Colonel Perry under cover of darkness. This was regarded +advisable as it was feared that the Indians, discovering our numbers, +would leave the lava beds and scatter. Every soldier and volunteer had +been ordered to prepare four days' rations, cooked. There was no +question in our minds as to whipping the Indians, but we wanted to +surround and capture them. + +On the morning of the 16th all was astir and as day began to break the +troops were all drawn up in line. I had determined to cross the trail +with Perry and was sitting on my horse when I heard a man hallo "O," and +as I turned my head heard the report of his gun. The fellow, a recruit +in Mason's battalion of regulars, had deliberately shot off his great +toe to keep from going into the fight. He pulled the trigger of his gun +and halloed, before the gun was discharged. I mention this to show the +difference in men. Here was a poor weak devil who would rather maim +himself for life than to face danger where he might be killed, but it is +safe to say that nine-tenths of the rest would have gone even after the +loss of the toe. + +We arrived in sight of the rim of the bluff about 2 o'clock and saw the +Indian pickets. Colonel Perry threw out a skirmish line and the advance +was ordered. Before getting within rifle range the pickets disappeared +and we took possession. I now got my first view of the lava beds, as +they stretched black and forbidding nearly a thousand feet below. A fog +rested over the lake, but we could soon see through the rifts along the +lake shore the Indians on horseback coming out to attack us. They +appeared like phantom horsemen, and our Indian guide told us they were +coming out to attack us, as there were "only a few and they are afoot." +A few had reached the bluff and had begun a scattering fire, when we +heard several shots that appeared to come directly from the stronghold. +The Indian guide told us he thought they were killing some Indians that +did not want to fight. As he had relatives among them the poor fellow +showed the distress he felt. A few minutes later we heard several more +shots, and I told Colonel Perry I heard Bernard's bugle. A few minutes +later the clear notes of the bugle rang out clear and distinct, though +it was fully five miles away. Yet in that clear, cold, dry atmosphere +every note sounded as clear and distinct as though but a mile away. +Bernard's column had followed the lake, and under cover of the fog +enveloping the shore, had approached much nearer than his orders +contemplated. He was at once savagely attacked and all evening the +rattle of the guns sounded like many bunches of fire crackers. +Repeatedly we heard him sound the charge and we all fretted that we +could not descend and join in the battle. Perry's men were desperately +afraid that "the Apache boys," as Bernard's men were called, would clean +out the Indians and leave them nothing to do on the morrow. But our +orders forbade and we contented ourselves with listening to the fight +from a distance without being able to take a hand. Toward night the fog +cleared away and we had an unobstructed view of the stronghold. + +I have often been asked to describe the lava beds. That is beyond the +power of language. In a letter to the Army and Navy journal, written at +the suggestion of General Wheaton, I compared the Indians in the lava +beds to "ants in a sponge." In the language of another it is a "black +ocean tumbled into a thousand fantastic shapes, a wild chaos of ruin, +desolation, barrenness--a wilderness of billowy upheavals, of furious +whirlpools, of miniature mountains rent asunder, of gnarled and knotted, +wrinkled and twisted masses of blackness, and all these weird shapes, +all this turbulent panorama, all this far-stretching waste of blackness, +with its thrilling suggestiveness of life, of action, of boiling, +surging, furious motion was petrified--all stricken dead and cold in +the instant of its maddest rioting fettered, paralyzed and left to +glower at heaven in impotent rage for evermore." + +Towards night the rattle of the guns gradually died away and the yell of +the savages was hushed for the day. Leaving a strong guard on the bluff +we joined General Wheaton a few hundred yards in the rear, anxiously +awaited the coming of another day, little dreaming what that day was to +bring forth. There was little sleep that night. The frozen ground with a +pair of blankets is not a bed of roses, and is little conducive to sleep +and rest. Most of the night was spent around the fires until 2 o'clock +when all were ordered to "fall in." The order of march and battle was as +follows: The command of Fairchilds and Dorris occupied the extreme left +along the lake shore; Mason's infantry battalion, with mountain +howitzers packed, joined Fairchild's right; Captain Kelley's command +occupied the center with his left resting on Mason's right; Captain +Applegate connected with Kelley's right and Perry's left, who occupied +the extreme left wing; while Donald McKay's Indians formed a skirmish +line in advance. The whole line stretched out a mile or more. As the +line filed out of camp, their arms glittering in the bright moonlight, +they formed a beautiful and inspiring sight. The command, "Forward on +the line" was now given and we moved forward at a brisk walk. I galloped +down the line and watched it as it descended the steep bluff. Low down +and stretching over the lava beds lay a dense fog, and as the head of +the line disappeared it looked as if it were going into the sea. As I +sat there General Wheaton came up and insisted that I should leave my +horse. On my consenting reluctantly, he detailed a soldier who took the +animal back to camp. + +As we reached the bottom of the bluff the entire line was deployed in +the form of a half wheel, the intention being to surround the savages by +connecting with Bernard's left and capture the entire band. Daylight now +began to peep through the fog and night, and "forward on the line" was +given and taken up by subalterns and repeated until it died away in the +distance. There were no skirmishers now. McKay and his Indians fell back +and remained in the rear for the rest of the day. Slowly the line moved +forward, stumbling along over rocks, but keeping in perfect order of +battle. Soon several shots were heard on the extreme right. It was +daylight, and someone called that the Indians were escaping around +Perry's right. Up to this time I had been with General Wheaton in the +rear, but ran out to the line in time to see the Indians in our front +leaping from rock to rock about five hundred yards away. The fog had +lifted and a clear day was promised. I jumped upon a lava wave and +waited for them to stop to get a shot. Instantly a bullet sang over my +head, but thinking they were shooting at me from that distance paid no +attention, but continued watching the leaping red devils. In about the +time that is required to throw in a cartridge and take aim, another +bullet went by, but it hissed this time and raised the hair on one side +of my head. Still thinking that they were shooting at me from a long +distance, I dropped on my knee with rifle to shoulder. Instantly the red +devil, with sage brush tied round his head raised up about ninety yards +from me and again fired. I only caught a glimpse of him as he made a few +zig zag leaps among the rocks and disappeared. I fired at random but +failed to wing my game. That taught a rash, presumptuous young fool a +lesson, and he contented himself for the balance of the day imitating +the men in the line, and keeping well under cover. + +"Forward on the line" was ever the command and by 12 o'clock we had +driven the Indians through the rocks several miles. Presently word came +down the line that the volunteers could not be found. I started up the +line when General Wheaton called to me to come back. Returning he +directed me to give that order to Donald McKay. It was fortunate for me +that I was called back, otherwise I should have gone in behind the +"juniper fort," a strong fort built around a stunted juniper tree, and +standing on a high point of lava. I gave the order to McKay who was +riding a small pony, and he had proceeded but a short distance when the +Indians opened on him from the fort and killed his pony. Some one +remarked that "the volunteers are firing on McKay," as the shooting was +considerably in the rear and to the right. We all ran up on a point when +half a dozen bullets came singing around us. For once in my life I was +glad as I distinctly saw Col. John Green dodge. He was an old soldier +and had probably been in more battles than any man in the army and to +see him dodge from bullets was salve to my pride. + +A few minutes later we heard a yell to the right and rear as Kelley's +and Applegate's men found the fort and charged it on the run. It +transpired that it was Mason's line that had given way and the +volunteers, feeling their way, had found the fort and taken it. But they +lost two men, Frank Trimble and a man named Brown of Kelley's command. +Lieutenant Evan Ream of Kelley's company, was also wounded, but he, +refused to leave the line after his knee had been bandaged. A large +caliber bullet had hit a rock and glancing had struck him on the knee +with the flat side, cutting through his clothing and burying itself in +the flesh. He was knocked down and we all thought for a time he was +killed. He is now a merchant-banker at Klamath Falls. To give the reader +a slight idea of the difficulties under which we labored, I will relate +one incident occurring near where I was standing. A soldier was crawling +up an upheaval, pushing his rifle before him, when he was shot through +the body from underneath. + +At about 2 o'clock Col. Perry came down the line and told Gen. Wheaton +that he could go no further. A deep chasm, he said, in his front could +not be crossed. "By gad," replied the General, "Col. Perry, you must +cross it." "I can cross it, General, but it will cost me half my +command. Every man attempting to cross it has been killed, and two +litter bearers going to the relief of a wounded man were killed." Word +now reached us from Fairchilds that Bernard was calling for help. He had +called across an arm of the lake that ran up into the lava beds that he +had more wounded men that he could take care of. Gen. Wheaton was now +thoroughly distressed, saying "when Bernard hallows he is badly hurt." +We then determined to try shelling the Indians with the howitzers and I +started back to find the pack mules. Reader, if you ever tried to appear +as if you were'nt scared, with bullets screaming around you, and with +your back to the enemy, you will know something of my feelings. Those +big fellows, striking in the rocks would glance and scream with an +unearthly noise. My legs wanted to run, but pride held them in check. +And right here I want to say, that bravery is only pride and a good +control over your legs. I finally found the pack mules and started back, +but it wasn't half as hard facing it and we came bravely up to the line. +The guns were planted and opened with shells timed to three hundred +yards. Two burst and a call came from Bernard's men that we were +shelling their rear guard. + +Firing with the howitzers ceased as it was clearly a failure, and a +consultation was held. We knew our loss was heavy, Gen. Ross declaring +it "is worse than Hungry Hill." It was finally determined to send a +column to relieve Col. Bernard. Accordingly Fairchild's California +volunteers, Mason's battalion and Perry's dismounted cavalry were +ordered to cut their way around the lake shore and join Bernard. +Fairchild's men passed over the point without loss, but several of +Mason's men were killed in plain sight. The soldiers balked and refused +to advance. Col. Green ran down the line and leaping upon the point +turned his back to the Indians and with a gauntlet in his hand used +language that was scarcely fit for a parlor. Gen. Wheaton also joined +and with a sword taken from a bugler boy, ran down the line urging the +men to move forward. They soon began the advance and passed over the +point and out of sight. Meantime I was moving the volunteers down +towards the lake to take the places in our front vacated by the relief +column. The battle now became desperate, the Indians concentrating all +their forces against the column going round the lake. In this situation +the volunteers pressed forward and soon we could hear the women and +children crying. Applegate's men were almost on top of them and were +getting into camp. We were within 50 yards of the scalp pole over Jack's +cave which was the center of the stronghold. The volunteers were anxious +to charge. I went back to where Gen. Wheaton was standing and explaining +the situation asked permission to charge with all the volunteers. The +fog had raised and Capt. Adams of the signal staff was signaling to +Bernard. I told Gen. Wheaton if he would have Bernard cease firing I +would charge and close the Indians out in twenty minutes, that our men +were on top of them. + +The General walked rapidly back and forth, snapping his fingers for a +few moments, and then turning to me exclaimed: "You can go, but not with +my consent. We have lost too many men already--five times more than +Jackson lost at New Orleans. The country will not justify this sacrifice +of human life. You have taken these young men and boys off the farms and +from stores, schools and shops and their lives are worth something to +their families and to their country. You can go but not with my +consent." Then turning to Gen. Ross, who had scarcely spoken a word +during the day, he said: "General, what had we better, do?" "We had +better get out of here, by God," exclaimed the bluff old veteran. "All +right, Capt. Adams, tell Bernard that as soon as the relief column +reaches him to hold his position until dark and then withdraw," +exclaimed Wheaton in rapid succession. Then turning to me he said: +"Colonel, we will have to depend on the volunteers to protect our +wounded and mule train in getting out of this place." It was soon +arranged that the men were to keep firing until dark and then begin the +retreat. Just after sundown Bernard signaled that the relief column had +reached him, but there is not a question of doubt had not the volunteers +pressed the Indians so hard at a critical time Fairchild's, Mason's and +Perry's command would have been annihilated. Jud Small was badly wounded +in the shoulder and afterwards told me that he was shot by an Indian not +twenty feet away. At one point the men lay in the water and rolled over +and over with only their heads exposed. + +Night finally closed in and with the gathering darkness the fog rolled +in from the lake, increasing its intensity. Kelley's company was formed +in the rear with Applegate's company on the flank, and formed parallel +with the lake, along the shores of which we were to make our way, with +the wounded men on litters between. Finally the word was passed along +the lines to move forward. The night had meanwhile settled down to one +of Stygean blackness. Objects a foot away were indistinguishable, and we +had to feel rather than see our way. I fully realized the difficulties +and dangers of our situation, but my anxiety was for the nineteen +wounded men on the litters. I told Col. Bellinger that we must remain +together and behind the litter bearers, that I would rather leave my +body with our dead comrades in the rocks than to leave behind any of our +wounded men. But we had proceeded but a short distance when the lines +crumbled and became mixed up, in fact, an undistinguishable mob. Under +these circumstances, and relying on undisciplined troops, our position +was critical in the extreme. One shot would have precipitated a +stampede. Wheaton, Ross and Miller were somewhere mixed up among the +troops, but Bellinger and I stuck to the litter bearers and kept as many +of the men behind us as possible. + +Donald McKay's Indians were in the advance, somewhere, but we knew not +where. In this order, or rather disorder, we stumbled along blindly, +knowing the waters of the lake were on our right. The bottom of the +bluff was finally reached and word passed back that the Modocs had +captured and held the summit. I stopped as many of the men as possible +and asked Col. Bellinger to remain with the litter bearers and I would +go forward and if necessary capture it back. Reaching the front I found +Indians, volunteers and officers all jumbled together without semblance +of order. The Indians were confident the Modocs had killed the guards +left there in the morning and held the top of the bluff. I called for +volunteers, but not an Indian would go. I finally got a few volunteers +and began the ascent of the steep, rocky trail. The climb was tedious in +the extreme, and one can imagine my joy when on nearing the crest there +came the sharp call, "Who comes there?" I was prompt to reply "friends." +Learning that all was well, I retraced my steps to the bottom and gave +out the welcome news that everything was clear. + +Then began a scramble to reach the top. It was everybody for himself, as +it was too dark to even attempt to preserve a semblance of order or +discipline. Going to the rear I found Col. Bellinger with the wounded +men. Holding as many men as possible we began the ascent. As the litter +bearers gave out others took their places and the tired men slipped away +in the darkness. As we neared the top, Col. Bellinger and I relieved two +worn out bearers and that was the last we saw of them. In this condition +we staggered into camp at 2 o'clock in the morning, more dead than +alive. To add to the discomfort of the situation others had reached our +store of provisions ahead of us, and we simply had to do without. We had +now been on the march 24 hours. Our boot soles were almost cut away on +the sharp lava, and we were all but barefooted. But I had my horse, and +though I had nothing to eat, I felt greatly relieved. A few hours sleep +on the frozen ground and we were again astir. I was holding my horse to +graze when Gen. Wheaton's orderly came to me and stated that the General +wanted to see me at his tent. Handing him the halter strap I walked down +to the tent and stepped in. The General was sitting on the ground with a +can of coffee before him. He said he had a couple of cups of coffee and +four crackers and wanted to divide with me. It required no persuasion on +his part to induce me to accept. + +While we were sipping our coffee we discussed the events of the previous +day. The General was visibly affected and greatly worried. Even then we +did not know the full extent of our losses. The dead were left where +they fell and only our wounded carried out. Would the country justify +the sacrifice of life, not knowing the character of the country over +which we had fought? Speaking of the lava beds, the General remarked: "I +have seen something of war and know something of fortifications. I +commanded 19,000 men at the battle of the Wilderness and saw many of the +great engineering works of the Civil war, but I do not believe that a +hundred thousand men in a hundred thousand years could construct such +fortifications." This will give the reader a faint idea of the lava +beds. Indeed a regiment of men could conceal themselves in its caves and +fissures and ten thousand men could be marched over them without seeing +a man. + +Placing the wounded in ambulances we now broke camp and started to our +camp at Van Bremer's ranch. After a tiresome march by way of Lower +Klamath Lake, the wounded men undergoing terrible sufferings, we reached +camp at 11 o'clock that night. Here another difficulty confronted us. +Our provision train had not arrived and we were reduced to beef +straight. There was some murmuring among the men, kept up and agitated +by a doctor attached to Kelley's company who told the men that they had +been robbed and swindled by the officers. Hearing of this I hunted him +up. He said that a "soldier did not dare to complain without being +called a s-of-a-b." Twenty or thirty volunteers were standing around. I +explained that the wagons had been two weeks on the road; that they had +made only ten miles in seven days; and that a man, private or officer +who would talk about asking for his discharge, though all were entitled +to the same, was a son of a b-h, and a d--d one at that. He went to Gen. +Ross and complained of my language, but was told that the "Colonel knew +what he was talking about." The disgruntled pill mixer mounted his horse +and left, and that was the last we heard about being discharged. We +continued feasting on beef straight and fattened on the diet, at least I +did. + +The day after our return we buried the man I had seen shot through the +stomach, while crawling on his belly. Patrick Maher was buried with +military honors. On the fourth day the troops sent to relieve Col. +Bernard arrived at camp, and the reports all being in we found that 41 +men had been killed in the fighting on the 16th and 17th of January. The +death of Patrick Maher made 42, besides a long list of wounded. When we +consider that there were not more than 500 engaged, counting McKay's +Indians, the loss was heavy, and would the Government endorse or censure +the officers, was the question. + +As before stated, we were camped at the ranch of Van Bremer Bros. On our +return Col. Bellinger and I had to give up our quarters in an out house +to accommodate the wounded men and after that we slept, when we slept at +all, on the frozen ground with two thicknesses of blanket beneath us. +Under such circumstances it may easily be imagined that our periods of +sleep were of short duration. We would drop asleep and in an hour wake +up shivering. We would get up, cut off some beef and roast it before the +fires that were constantly kept burning, get warm and then lie down +again. I mention this, not because we were undergoing hardships more +trying than others, but to show how all, officers and men, fared. There +was no difference. One day a surgeon came to me and asked if I could +obtain some eggs for the wounded men, so I went to Van Bremer and got +half a dozen eggs and paid 50 cents each for them. He would not take +script but demanded and received the cash, nearly all I had. From that +time until our departure I spent a considerable portion of my time in +studying human villainy with the Van Bremers as a model. But I got even +with them--and then some. Before leaving I asked Gen. Ross for +permission to settle our hay bill in place of the Quartermaster, Mr. +Foudray. Capt. Adams and I then measured the hay used respectively by +the regulars and volunteers, and I feel safe in saying that those eggs +cost the Van Bremer Bros. $50 each. + +Of course they raved and ranted, declaring that we were worse than the +Modocs, but when they saw the tents of the regulars and blankets of the +volunteers being pulled down and rolled up they came to me and asked +what it meant. I told them that we had been ordered to the mouth of Lost +River on Tule Lake to protect the Oregon settlers, and that the regulars +were going also, but that Gen. Wheaton was going to leave a detail at +the Fairchilds ranch and that if they did not feel safe with the Modocs +they could move up there. They lost no time in loading a few effects +into a wagon and started with us to the Fairchilds ranch. On the road +they mired down and every man, regular and volunteer, passing them had +something bitter and mean to say to them. The story of the eggs was +known to all, and if ever men paid for a scurvy, mean trick it was the +Van Bremers. + +We moved around to Lost River and struck camp, where we remained about +ten days. As Gen. Wheaton felt competent to protect the settlements, and +as the term of enlistment of the volunteers had expired more than a +month before, we proceeded to Linkville and from there to Jacksonville +where the command of Capt. Kelley was disbanded, Applegate's company +having been discharged at Linkville. I then returned to Salem and a few +days later paid a visit to Gen. Canby at Ft. Vancouver in company with +Governor L. F. Grover. The entire situation was gone over, Gen. Canby +expressing entire confidence in the ability of Gen. Wheaton and his +officers. Fortunate, indeed, would it have been had that brave officer +and splendid gentleman been left to develop and carry out his plans, but +unhappily that was not to be, for the churches succeeded in hypnotizing +the grim soldier in the White House, and the result was the "Peace +Commission." + + + +Chapter XII. + +The Peace Commission's Work. + +A. B. Meacham was at that time in Washington. He had been superseded as +Superintendent of Indian Affairs by T. B. Odeneal. Meacham wanted the +place, and backed by the churches and humanitarians of New England, +thought he could accomplish his purpose by means of a compromise with +Jack and his band. He declared to President Grant that he knew Jack to +be an honorable man and that he could easily effect a compromise and +induce the outlaws to return to the reservation. Meantime a clamor went +up all over the country, especially in the east. Sentimentalists shed +barrels of tears over the wrongs of the Indians, the horrors of the Ben +Wright massacre were recapitulated with all manner of untruthful +variations, and the great Beecher from the pulpit of his Brooklyn +tabernacle sent up a prayer for "that poor, persecuted people whose long +pent up wrongs had driven them to acts of outrage and diabolical +murder." Delegations, at the instigation of Meacham, visited the White +House and finally succeeded in bending the iron will of the grim old +soldier to their own. The hands that slew the Bodys and Brothertons were +to be clasped in a spirit of brotherly love, and the principles and +precepts of the "Lowly Nazarene" were to be extended to these gentle +butchers. + +Accordingly in February a commission was appointed consisting of A. B. +Meacham, Jesse Applegate, and S. Case. The commission arrived at +headquarters towards the last of February. They were instructed by the +Commissioner of Indian Affairs "to ascertain the causes which led to +hostilities between the Modocs and the U. S. troops;" to offer them a +reservation somewhere on the coast with immunity for past crimes. In +vain Gov. Grover of Oregon protested against any compromise with the +murderers of Oregon citizens. He held that they were amenable to the +laws of that State, had been indicted by a grand jury, and should be +tried and executed as the law directs, but his protest was passed +unheeded and the commissioners proceeded to carry out their +instructions. Bob Whittle and his Indian wife were sent to convey the +terms to Capt. Jack and his band, but Jack refused to have anything to +do with the commissioners, although willing to talk to Judges +Roseborough and Steele of Yreka. These gentlemen proceeded to the camp +in the lava beds and held a conference and found that Jack was anxious +for peace; was tired of war; did not know the commissioners; but wanted +to talk to the chief soldiers, Generals Canby and Gillem. The former had +arrived and assumed command of the one thousand or more troops +assembled, while the latter had superseded Gen. Wheaton. John Fairchilds +also had an interview with them in the lava beds and was only saved from +massacre by one of the Indians, who kept him in his cave all night and +escorted him beyond the lines the next morning. After some weeks of +delay Jack finally agreed to a conference with the commissioners, but +the terms were such as to leave no doubt of intended treachery, and Mr. +Applegate and Mr. Case resigned in disgust. It was apparent to these men +that the Indians only sought an opportunity to murder Gen. Canby and +such other officers as they could get into their power, but Meacham was +determined to succeed, as that was the only means of getting back his +job as Superintendent of Indian Affairs. Accordingly Rev. Dr. Thomas of +Oakland and Mr. Dyer, Indian agent at Klamath, were appointed to fill +the vacancies. + +In the meantime Gen. Canby had moved his headquarters to the foot of the +bluff at the lower end of Tule Lake, while Col. John Green with Mason's +command had moved down from Land's ranch to a position within striking +distance of the stronghold. Five mortars and three howitzers with an +abundance of ammunition and provisions were also moved up to the front. + +But the dreary farce was not to be ended yet. On April 10th four bucks +and five squaws rode into Gen. Canby's camp. They were fed and clothed +by the commission, loaded with presents, and sent back asking for a +conference between the lines. Later in the day Bogus Charley, the +Umpqua, came into camp and surrendering his gun, stated that he would +not return. He remained in camp over night and in the morning was joined +by "Boston Charley," one of the leaders who stated that Capt. Jack was +willing to meet the commissioners midway between the lines on the +condition that Jack was to be attended by four of his men, all unarmed. +Boston then mounted his horse and rode away. Bogus accompanying him. + +A tent had been pitched midway between the lines and thither +Commissioners Meacham, Thomas, and Dyer, and Gen. Canby repaired +accompanied by Frank Riddle and his Modoc wife as interpreters. Before +starting both Riddle and his squaw in vain tried to dissuade the +commissioners from their purpose. Meacham told Gen. Canby that Riddle +only sought to delay negotiations in order to prolong his job as +interpreter; that he knew Capt. Jack and that he "was an honorable man." +Rev. Mr. Thomas when appealed to by Riddle replied that he "was in the +hands of his God." Both Riddle and his squaw then, at the suggestion of +Mr. Dyer, went to the tent of Gen. Canby and begged him not to go. With +tears streaming down her cheeks the woman implored the General not to +go, as treachery was surely meditated. Gen. Canby replied that "his +Government had ordered him to go, and a soldier had no choice but to +obey orders." The General was dressed in full uniform, with sword belt +and empty scabbard. + +Gen. Gillem intended to accompany them but was too indisposed to leave +his tent. Riddle, in describing what transpired at the "peace tent," +told me that Meacham made a short speech and was followed by Dr. Thomas +and Gen. Canby. Capt. Jack then made a speech, demanding Hot Creek and +Cottonwood as a reservation, owned at that time by the Dorris brothers, +Fairchilds and Doten. Meacham then explained to him the impossibility of +acceding to his demands, as the property had already passed in title to +these men. Old Sconchin then told Meacham to "shut up;" that he had said +enough. While Sconchin was talking Jack got up and was walking behind +the others. He then turned back and exclaimed: "All ready!" At the same +instant he drew a pistol and snapped at Gen. Canby, but cocking the +pistol again shot him through the right eye. Canby fell dead without a +groan. Almost at the same instant Sconchin shot Meacham through the +shoulder, in the head and in the arm, while Boston Charley shot Dr. +Thomas dead. Just previous to the shooting Mr. Dyer had turned and +walked back behind the tent. At the first crack of the pistols Mr. Dyer +fled for his life, closely pursued by Hooker Jim. Mr. Dyer had concealed +a small revolver about his person and turned at intervals of his flight +and fired at his pursuer. By this means he was enabled to make headway. +and at last escaped. + +Gen. Canby and Dr. Thomas were stripped and the General scalped. Meacham +was insensible and as the Indians started in to scalp him Riddle's squaw +told them that the soldiers were coming, and they left him and fled. To +this fact Meacham was indebted for his scalp, as it was partly cut loose +and in a few moments more would have been stripped off. + +While these scenes were being enacted, two Indians approached the lines +of Mason and Green bearing a flag of truce. Lieutenants Sherwood and +Boyle went out about 500 yards beyond their line to meet them. The +Indians said they wanted to see Maj. Mason and when told by the officers +that Mason would not talk to them, they appeared disappointed. As the +officers turned to go back to their lines they were fired upon by +Indians in ambush and Lieut. Sherwood was mortally wounded. + +Early in the day Capt. Adams had been stationed on Gillem's bluff and +during all the proceedings at the peace tent had watched with a strong +field glass. When the massacre of the commission began he telegraphed to +Gen. Gillem, and the soldiers, held in readiness for an emergency, +sprang to the advance on the double quick, but were too late to save the +life of the gallant Canby and his comrades. + +Thus ended the long, dreary farce of the "Peace Commission." And at what +a price! There lay the noble Canby prone upon his face, cold and still +in death; having breasted the hurricane of many a well-fought field to +fall at last by the treacherous, assassin hand of a prowling savage to +whom he had come upon a mission of peace and friendship. There was +another of the Commissioners, a man of peace, a preacher of the gospel +of eternal love, stricken down with the words of mercy and forgiveness +upon his lips, his gray and reverend locks all dabbled in his own blood. +Another, shot and hacked and stabbed, covered with wounds, beaten down +with cruel blows, motionless but still alive. And there was another, +with warwhoop and pistol shot ringing at his heels, fleeing for his +life; while at the side scene was the "honorable" Capt. Jack, stage +manager of the awful play, arch demon of massacre, with pistol that took +the priceless life of Canby still smoking in his hand, leaping with +glee, his dark face all aglow with the glare of the dread spectacle, +like a fiend dancing in the fire-light of hell. + +No wonder that in its lurid light the Government for a moment forgot its +dawdling "peace policy," and "let slip the dogs of war." No wonder the +canting prayers of maudlin fanatics were stilled amid the wrathful cry +for vengeance. The blood of Canby and Thomas and Sherwood "cried unto +God from the ground" against them. The ghastly, sickening tragedy which +should send a thrill through the very heart of the nation was +consummated. + + + +Chapter XIII. + +Three Days' Battle in the Lava Beds. + +The day following the massacre preparations were made for an attack in +full force upon the stronghold. Only the regulars were to be engaged in +this task, as the volunteers had been discharged, under assurance from +Gen. Canby that he was strong enough to control the situation and +protect the settlements. The plan of battle which was the same as that +adopted by Gen. Wheaton on the 17th of January was to form a cordon of +troops around the hostiles and either kill or capture them. The troops +were supplied with overcoats, blankets, three days' provisions and an +abundance of ammunition. On April 13, Donald McKay arrived with +seventy-two Wasco Indians who were at once armed and assigned to duty, +and who made a splendid record. Some slight skirmishing had taken place, +but no general forward movement was made until the 14th, when the rattle +of small arms, the yells of the savages, and the deep boom of the +mortars and howitzers told that the battle was on. All day long the +troops continued to advance, slowly, keeping under cover as much as +possible, and driving the Indians before them. Even with every +precaution there was a list of killed and wounded. As night closed in +the troops held their position, but the mortars and howitzers continued +to send into the stronghold a stream of shells, mingled with the +occasional discharge of small arms and the yells of the savages. + +During the night Col. Green and Maj. Mason, disobeying orders (I know +what I am saying) drove a column in between the Indians and the lake, +thus shutting them off from water. This was carrying out the plans +formulated and advised by Gen. Wheaton and Gen. Ross after the battle on +the 17th of January. When the Indians discovered this move they made a +determined attempt to break the line, but the troops had had time to +fortify and the attempt proved a failure. + +Gen. Gillem the next morning sent for John Fairchilds and asked him to +go with Capt. Bancroft and show him where to plant the mortars and also +show him the center of the stronghold. Fairchilds told the General that +he would show him, but that he was tired acting as errand boy for Tom, +Dick and Harry--that he had risked his life enough. Under these +circumstances, the General had to go. They started out and had almost +reached the line, bullets were singing around, when the General, rubbing +his hands, remarked: "Mr. Fairchilds, this is a splendid day's work; how +long did it take Gen. Wheaton to get this far?" Fairchilds, as brave a +man as ever trod in shoe leather, replied: "General, I do not remember +exactly, but as near as I can judge it was about twenty minutes." That +remark settled the friendly relations between the two men. I want to say +here that Gillem was not the man for the place. He was self-willed, +self-opinionated, knew nothing about Indian warfare; in fact, got his +shoulder straps through the enterprise of one of his officers and the +treachery of a woman, in killing the Confederate Gen. Morgan. He had +nothing else to recommend him, and would not take advice from old +veterans like Green, Mason, Bernard, Perry and Hasbrook--men who had +grown gray in frontier service. + +At 9 o'clock on the morning of the second day, Col. Green ordered an +advance. The men answered with a cheer, and soon reached a position on +top of the ridge next to Jack's camp. Some of the other lines also +slowly advanced during the day. Towards evening another desperate +attempt was made by the Indians to break the line between them and +water. At this time a very near approach to a battle was reached. Volley +after volley of rifles rang out, and mingled with the yells of the +savages and roar of the artillery made some of the old veterans of the +Civil war think they were really in a fight. All the same, men were +being killed and others wounded, even though there was no battle. + +Col. Green realized that if the Indians could be kept from the water, +they would have to surrender or leave the stronghold, and he held on +with the tenacity of a bulldog. During the night the squaws went out +under the lines and returned with a load of snow, but the warm spell of +weather melted the snow rapidly and soon this source was cut off. Still +the outlaws held on, and for three days and nights, pressed in by men +and guns on every side, subjected to a fire from four sides, with five +mortars and three howitzers raining shells upon them, they held to the +"hole in the wall" that had been for ages their salvation and their +safeguard. The constant rain of bursting shells had filled the caves and +crevices of the lava beds with smoke, and cut off from water, on the +night of the third day they quietly slipped out from under Gen. Gillem's +lines and left--no one knew where. + +It may appear incredible, but it is true, that during all this battle of +three days and nights, amid the hum of tons of leaden bullets and the +bursting of countless shells, not a single Indian was killed. We must +except one buck who started in to investigate an unexploded shell. That +buck was going to "get 'um powder and lead out" with file and hatchet, +and was scattered out over the rocks for his inquisitiveness. But the +other Indians were nowhere to be seen. They had passed out under the +line of troops as ants would pass through a sponge. The troops took +possession of the lava beds, the stronghold, but the Indians were gone. +It yet remained for Gen. Gillem to learn another lesson in Indian +warfare. + +When the news was received by Gov. Grover that the Indians had left the +stronghold and that the settlers were again exposed, he ordered out two +companies of volunteers, one from Douglas county under Capt. Rodgers and +the other from Jackson county under Capt. Hizer. I was not ordered at +the time to accompany the volunteers, the "mad-cap from Salem" was to be +left behind, but not for long. In spite of the abuse of enemies, mostly +those fellows who sought safety with women and children behind strong +stockades, and the declaration of Mr. Meacham that I was responsible for +the slaughter of men on the 17th of January, "when the brave, reckless, +madcap, Col. Thompson, drove his men against the lines of the Modocs," I +was again sent to the front. In my letters and newspaper articles I had +severely censured Mr. Meacham and he took revenge in his "Wigwam and +Warpath" by declaring the mad-cap was to blame for the slaughter. I +never met him but once after the close of the war and that was in the +library of the old Russ House in San Francisco, where I had gone to call +upon a couple of friends. This was in August after the close of the war. +He was walking back and forth in the library, his head yet bandaged +where the Indians had started to scalp him, when he suddenly turned and +said, "Col. Thompson. I want to speak to you." I excused myself to +Rollin P. Saxe, one of my friends, and walked up to Mr. Meacham. He said +"I had made up my mind to shoot you on sight." Then hesitating an +instant, continued, "but I have changed my mind." "Perhaps," I replied, +"Mr. Meacham, it is fortunate for you or I that you have changed your +mind." He then went on to detail how I had abused him. I said, "Mr. +Meacham, before God, you are responsible for the death of Gen. Canby, a +noble man and soldier, and I don't know how many others." After +conversing some time we separated, never to meet again. + +But to return to the war. On the 18th Gen. Gillem sent out Col. Thomas +and Major Wright on a scouting expedition in the lava region to discover +if possible the whereabouts of the savages. The scouting party numbered +sixty-two men, including Lieutenants Cranston, Harve, and Harris. +Instead of sending out experienced men, these men were sent to be +slaughtered, as the result demonstrated. Gillem was not only incompetent +personally, but was jealous of every man, citizen or regular, who was +competent. The party scouted around through the lava for a distance of +several miles. They saw no Indians or sign of Indians. The hostiles had +fled and were nowhere to be found. They sat down to eat their lunch. +They were quietly surrounded and at the first fire the soldiers, as is +almost always the case, became panic stricken. The officers bravely +strove to stem the tide of panic, but hopelessly. The panic became a +rout and the rout a massacre, and of the sixty-two men who were sent out +that morning but two were alive, and they were desperately wounded. + +Had any one of the old experienced officers, like Green, Mason, Perry, +Bernard or Hasbrook been sent on this duty a massacre would have been +impossible. They would never have been caught off their guard and the +sickening massacre would have been averted. The very fact of no Indians +in sight would have taught these men caution. + +The entire command of Gen. Gillem now became demoralized, and desertions +were by the wholesale. Gen. Gillem fortified his camp at the foot of the +bluff, and surrounded it with a rock wall. His communications were cut +off and his trains captured and destroyed. "Gillem's Camp" was a fort as +well as a "graveyard." Trains of wagons were captured, the wagons burned +and the animals taken away. The Indians daily fired on his picket line. + +Such was the deplorable conditions of affairs when Gen. Jeff C. Davis +assumed command. Davis was eminently fitted for the task assigned him. +He at once restored confidence among the disheartened and beaten men. He +declared if there was to be more massacres he would know who to blame, +and led the scouting parties in person. The camp at "Gillem's Graveyard" +was broken up, and leaving a force to hold the stronghold he began +scouting and searching for the enemy. He went with six men to search for +traces of the hostiles. His action restored confidence, and the men +manifested a spirit of fight. Donald McKay and his Wascos were sent to +circle the lava beds. That night his signal fires informed Gen. Davis +that the Modocs had deserted the lava beds. All available cavalry were +sent in pursuit. The command of Capt. Hasbrook had been out all day, and +was accompanied by Donald McKay's Indians. Arriving at Dry Lake, then +politely called Sauress Lake, they found that there was no water. Wells +were dug but to no purpose, and McKay and his Indians were sent back to +Boyles' camp for water. + +From Dry Lake to Boyles' camp the distance was about twelve miles. With +a pack train McKay was in no hurry; as a matter of fact, Donald was +never in a hurry when there was danger about. He was an arrant coward, +but had some brave men of the Wascos with him. I speak advisedly of what +I know. + +Capt. Hasbrook's command went into camp feeling secure, as the Indians +were in hiding. But Hasbrook, old soldier as he was, had a lesson to +learn. During the night a dog, belonging to the packers, kept growling. +The boss of the train, Charley Larengel, went to the officer of the +guard and told him the Indians were about and that they would certainly +be attacked at daylight. Mr. Larengel told me that the officer treated +his advice with indifference, not to say contempt. The "boss of the pack +train was unduly alarmed, there were no Indians around." But Charley +Larengel knew a thing or two. He had been with Crook and knew that +hostiles did not come out, shake their red blankets and dare the +soldiers to a fight, so he barricaded his camp, using the apparajos as +breast works and told the packers to "let the mules go to the devil. We +must look out for ourselves." + +Just as day began to break over the desolate hills, the fun began. From +three sides the Indians poured into the camp a withering fire. As a +result the entire command became panic stricken. Seven men were knocked +down, almost at the first fire, and it has always been a matter of +surprise to me that Hasbrook, old campaigner as he was, should be caught +off his guard. It began to look like another Wright-Thomas massacre. +Captain Jack stood well out of harm's way, dressed in the uniform of +Gen. Canby, and giving orders. It was surely another massacre. + +But the Modocs had not seen Donald McKay and his Wascos leave the camp +the evening before, nor were they aware that he was within striking +distance that morning, at a most critical time. Hearing the firing and +yells McKay left his pack animals, and under the leadership of Captain +George, chief of the Wascos, attacked the Modocs in the rear. + +From a rout of the soldiers it became a rout of the Modocs. They quickly +fled and Jack was the first man to run. This brought on dissensions, for +the Hot Creeks claimed they had to do all the fighting, all the guard +duty, had, in fact, to endure all the hardships, while old Jack in his +gold braided uniform stood at a safe distance giving orders. During the +dispute Hooker Jim shot at, or attempted to shoot Jack. + +The Modocs, or renegades were now out of the lava beds, and with +soldiers and volunteers practically surrounding them, and with +dissensions in their own camp, the band broke up. Jack and his band went +in a northeast direction, closely followed by Hasbrook and McKay's +Indians, and two days later surrendered. + +The Hot Creeks went around the lower end of Tule Lake and surrendered to +Gen. Davis at the Fairchilds-Doten ranch. Hooker Jim, followed them and +seeing they were not massacred by the soldiers, determined to surrender. +Yet this Indian, one of the worst of the band of outlaws, was an outlaw +to every human being on earth. He dared not go to Jack's band, his own +party had disowned and tried to kill him. He watched the band from the +bald hills above the ranch enter the camp of the soldiers. He saw they +were not massacred. He then made up his mind to surrender. He fixed in +his mind the tent of Gen. Davis. Crawling as close to the line of +pickets as possible, he raised his gun above his head and yelling "Me +Hooker Jim," ran through the lines, among soldiers, and up to the tent +door of Gen. Davis, threw down his gun, and said, "me Hooker Jim, I give +up." + +In speaking of the surrender, Gen. Davis said to me: "Here was a man, an +outlaw to every human being on earth, throwing down his rifle and +saying, "me Hooker Jim, me give up." He stood before me as stolid as a +bronze. I have seen some grand sights, but taking everything into +consideration, that was the grandest sight I ever witnessed." + +Hasbrook followed relentlessly Jack's band and captured them in the +canyon below Steel Swamp. Jack was an arrant coward, but old Sconchin, +whose bows and arrows I retain as a souvenir, and which were presented +to me by a sergeant of the troop, was a fighter, and would have died +fighting. + + + +Chapter XIV. + +Trailing the Fugitives. + +While all this was going on I was riding from Salem, Oregon, "Gov. +Grover's mad-cap Colonel," as Jas. D. Fay, Harvey Scott of the +Oregonian, and some other of my enemies, designated me. Fay did not like +me and I happened to to be with Senator Nesmith when he caned Harvey +Scott in the Chemeketa Hotel at Salem. My meeting with Senator Nesmith +was accidental, but Scott never forgave me, nor did he in fact neglect +any opportunity to "lambaste" me after that time. + +But to return to my trip. The Oregon volunteers had been ordered out, +with General Ross in command. The murderers of the 17 settlers along the +shores of Tule Lake had been indicted by the Grand jury of Jackson +County, Oregon. The Governor demanded the surrender of the murderers +from the United States authorities. The murderers were not yet captured +but we knew it was only a matter of days. I left Salem on Thursday and +went by train to Roseburg that evening. There I took the stage, and +telegraphing ahead for horses at Jacksonville found a magnificent saddle +horse awaiting me. Did you ever travel from Salem to Roseburg by train +and then by stage to Jacksonville through the long weary night? + +If so you will have some faint idea of my condition. Arriving at +Jacksonville I lost no time in proceeding on my journey. That night I +rode to Coldwells' place, sometimes called the Soda Springs. The next +morning at 4 o'clock, after only about 4 hours' rest in 48, I started on +my journey. I knew how to ride a horse, how to save him and how to rest +him. At the head of "Green Springs" I met a Government courier. He told +me that Gen. Ross had left Linkville that morning with his entire +command. + +Thanking the courier, I then began to ride, and at precisely half past +11 o'clock was shaking hands with Alex Miller at Linkville. I had ridden +one horse 55 miles that morning over a range of mountains. Mr. Miller +asked me, when did you leave Salem?" + +"Day before yesterday noon," I replied. + +"If I did not have all kinds of respect for you I would call you a liar" +remarked Mr. Miller. Just them J. B. Neil and Mr. Jackson, District +Attorney and Sheriff of Jackson County came up, and showing these +gentlemen my papers with the dates, stopped all further discussion of +the matter. But I said, "Alex, I want the best horse in Linkville, for I +am going to overtake Gen. Ross tonight." + +"You shall have not only the best horse in Linkville, but the best horse +in the State of Oregon." A ride of 45 miles that evening accompanied by +Mr. Neil and Mr. Jackson, convinced me that Alex. Miller told me the +truth. We reached the headquarters of Gen. Ross late in the night. I had +ridden that day 95 miles on two horses, and I want here to plead guilty +to cruelty to animals. The horse I rode into Linkville, to use the +common expression, "quit," and the only means I could use to get a "move +on," was to shoot the tips of his ears off with my revolver. I will say +further that this is the only instance in my life when I was cruel to a +dumb brute, but I justified myself then and now on the grounds of +"Duty." + +Arriving at Headquarters, "for the night," as the General expressed it, +the next morning we took up the trail of a band of Jack's renegades. +Black Jim, one of the worst of the band of murderers, headed the band. +There were only about twenty men in the outfit, and the only means we +had of following them was by a crutch used by an Indian shot by John +Fairchilds on the 17th of January. Late one evening, in fact just at +sundown, we lost the trail. We had tracked the stick to a juniper tree, +but there lost it. Finally one of our boys discovered a hand up in the +juniper and leveling his gun, told him to come down. + +After some parley the Indian came down. Gen. Ross and I told him we were +chiefs and that all Indians surrendering would be protected. A hundred +yards away, somewhere between Tule Lake and Langel Valley, there was a +rim rock, and in this the Indians were hiding. On assurance from our +juniper tree man they finally surrendered. Only Black Jim showed any +hesitancy, but the muzzle of a 50 caliber Springfield answered as a +magnificent persuader. + +We then returned to Tule Lake, sending for Mrs. Body and Mrs. Schira to +identify the murderers of their families. We were still on the Oregon +side of the line, but much to our disappointment neither of the ladies +could identify any of the men. We had Black Jim but the ladies did not +and could not identify him. We therefore took them to the headquarters +of Gen. Davis and surrendered them at the Peninsula. + +We arrived about 10 o'clock. I went to the tent of Gen. Wheaton and told +him my business. Mr. Neil and Mr. Jackson were with me. Gen. Wheaton +took us up to the tent of Gen. Davis and introduced us. I presented to +Gen. Davis my papers and told him that the officers of the law were +there. The General replied, as nearly as I can remember, "Colonel, I +will deliver them to you at any time after 2 o'clock, at least, I will +deliver to you their bodies." I simply replied, "that is entirely +satisfactory, both to the officers present, the Governor of Oregon and +to your humble servant." + +He then told me that he had the timbers all framed and ready to put +together and intended to hang all the murderers promptly at 2 o'clock. + +While we were talking a courier arrived with dispatches from the +Secretary of War instructing him to hold the murderers until further +orders. All were astounded, but a soldier has no choice but to obey +orders. Gen. Davis was angry, and remarked to me that if he "had any way +of making a living for his family outside of the army he would resign +today." + +Mrs. Body, Mrs. Schira, Mrs. Brotherton were all there. Their entire +families had been wiped out-butchered. The Indians took a large amount +of jewelry, pictures, and more than $4,000 in money. A tent had been +spread for the ladies and Gen. Davis had ordered a tent, with tables, +chairs, bed, writing material, etc., arranged for my convenience. The +correspondent of the New York Herald was living at the sutler's tent, in +fact, with good old Pat McManus. + +Mrs. Body and Mrs. Schira had also been provided with a tent. They sent +to Gen. Davis and asked that they be permitted to talk with Black Jim, +Hooker Jim and one or two others. They said that possibly some of the +family relics could be reclaimed. The order was issued and the General +and I were talking of the awful results of the war and its blunders. + +Suddenly Fox of the New York Herald called at the door of Gen. Davis' +tent and said, "the women are going to kill the Indians." Both of us +sprang from the tent door and rushed to the tent where the women were +domiciled. Davis was ahead of me. I saw Mrs. Schira with a double edged +knife poised. Hooker Jim was standing fronting the women, as stolid as a +bronze. Mrs. Schira's mother was attempting to cock a revolver. Gen. +Davis made a grab for the knife, catching the blade in his right hand +and in the struggle his hand was badly lacerated. A surgeon was called +who dressed the wounded hand, and then we all went to dinner at "Boyles' +mess." At the dinner table were seated about forty officers, men grown +gray in the service of their country and young Lieutenants just out from +West Point. The latter, as is always the case, were in full uniform, +while the old fellows wore little or nothing that would indicate their +calling or rank. During dinner one of the young men made some slighting +remark about the conduct of the women in attempting to kill the Indians, +characterizing their act as unwarranted and a breach of respect to the +General. + +Instantly Gen. Davis pushed back from the table and rose to feet, fire +flashing from his eyes, and if ever a young upstart received a lecture +that young officer received one. I was sitting to the left of Gen. Davis +while Jesse Applegate, one of the "Makers of Oregon," sat at his right. +The General spoke of the women as the wife and daughter of a +frontiersman, and before whom stood the bloody handed butcher of +husbands and sons. It was one of the most eloquent, at the same time one +of the most withering addresses that it has ever been my fortune to +hear. Resuming his seat the General continued his conversation with +those about him, but there were no more remarks, you may be assured, +upon this incident. + +The next morning at daylight the orderly to Gen. Davis came to my tent +and awaking me said that the General wanted to see me at once. Hastily +dressing I walked over to the General's tent. He was sitting on the side +of his camp bed, partly undressed. Jas. Fairchilds was sitting in the +tent talking as I entered. The General asked him to repeat to me what he +had been saying. Mr. Fairchilds then proceeded to relate that a bunch of +Indians, four bucks and a lot of women and children, had come in to the +ranch and surrendered. He had loaded them into a wagon and started to +the Peninsula to turn them over to the military authorities. When within +about six miles of his destination he was headed off by two men who were +disguised past identification. They ordered him to stop and unhitch his +team and after doing so was told to drive the horses up the road. When +about thirty yards away he was ordered to stop. The men then began +killing the Indians while he stood looking on and holding to his team. +After firing a dozen shots into the wagon, the men rode away, telling +him to remain there and not to leave. He remained until dark and then +mounting one of his horses rode to camp. + +While we were talking Donald McKay came up and accused the volunteers of +the massacre. I told Gen. Davis that it was impossible that the +volunteers could have committed the crime. McKay was drunk and swaggered +around a great deal and finally asked the General to let him take his +Indians and follow the volunteers and bring them back. + +Becoming angered at the talk and swagger of McKay I told the General to +let him go, and plainly told McKay that I would go with him. That he, +McKay, was an arrant coward and could not take any one, much less a +company of one hundred men. I then expressed my belief to Gen. Davis +that the killing had been done by some of the settlers whose relatives +had been massacred by the savages; that Gen. Ross had gone around the +south end of the lake and that Capt. Hizer must have been many miles on +his road towards Linkville. + +I told him, however, that I would make an investigation and if possible +bring the perpetrators of the act to justice. Mounting my horse I rode +rapidly back to where the wagon was standing in the road. The women and +children were still in the wagon with their dead, not one of them having +moved during the night. It was a most ghastly sight, the blood from the +dead Indians had run through the wagon bed, and made a broad, red streak +for twenty yards down the road. Soon after my arrival Donald McKay rode +up, and I ordered him to go to the lake and get some water for the +women, one of whom had been severely wounded. Soon after his return with +the water Mr. Fairchilds came with the team and all were taken to the +camp. The woman was not seriously hurt, but the four bucks were +literally shot to pieces. + +I remained several days at the Peninsula, making an excursion into the +lava beds in company with Capt. Bancroft of the artillery, and with +Bogus Chancy as guide. We explored many of the caves, at least as far as +we were able with poor lighting material at our command. I then started +to overtake the volunteers, coming up with them before reaching +Jacksonville, where Capt. Hizer's company was discharged. Capt. Rogers, +of the Douglas county company, was discharged at Roseburg. After this I +returned to my newspaper work at Salem, Oregon. + +The Indians were moved from Boyles' Camp at the Peninsula to Fort +Klamath where five of them, Jack, Sconchin, Black Jim, Hooker Jim and +Boston Charley were all executed on the same gallows. One of the +murderers of the Peace Commission, "Curley Headed Doctor," committed +suicide on the road to Klamath. The remainder of the Indians were then +moved to the Indian Territory, where the remnants now live. + +Thus ended the farce-tragedy of the Modoc war, a farce so far as +misguided enthusiasts and mock humanitarians could make it in extending +the olive branch of peace to redhanded murderers. And a tragedy, in that +from first to last the war had cost the lives of nearly four hundred men +and about five millions of dollars. + +The foregoing pages describe in simple language what I saw of the Modoc +war. Several so-called histories have been written purporting to be true +histories. One by A. B. Meacham in his "Wigwam and Warpath." Meacham +wrote with the view of justifying all that Meacham did and said. It was, +in fact, written in self defense. Another, by one "Captain Drehan," who +claimed to have been "Chief of Scouts." The gallant Captain was simply a +monumental romancer. No such man served at any time during the war. +Donald McKay was chief of scouts, and the exploits of Drehan existed +only in his own imagination. I was personally acquainted with all the +officers and know that no such man was there. For the truth of all I +have said I simply refer the Doubting Thomases to the official reports +on file at Washington. + + + +Chapter XV. + +The Great Bannock War. + +The last Indian war worthy of mention broke out in the spring of 1877. +It was preceded by none of the acts of outlawry which usually are a +prelude to savage outbreaks. There were none of the rumblings of the +coming storm which are almost invariable accompaniments of these +upheavals. Indeed, it came with the suddenness of a great conflagration, +and before the scattered settlers of western Idaho and eastern Oregon +were aware of danger, from a thousand to twelve hundred plumed and +mounted warriors were sweeping the country with the fierceness of a +cyclone. + +As a rule the young and impatient warriors, thirsting for blood, fame +and the property of the white man, to say nothing of scalps, begin to +commit acts of outlawry before the plans of older heads are ripe for +execution. These acts consist of petty depredations, the stealing of +horses, killing of stock, and occasional murder of white men for arms +and ammunition. But in the case of the great Shoshone, or Bannock, +outbreak, there were none of these signs of the coming storm. Settlers +were therefore taken completely by surprise. Many were murdered, their +property stolen or destroyed, while others escaped as best they could. + +From observation and experience I make the assertion that nine of every +ten Indian outbreaks are fomented by the "Medicine" men. These men are +at the same time both priest and doctor. They not only ward off the "bad +spirits," and cure the sick, but they forecast events. They deal out +"good medicine," to ward off the bullets of the white man, and by +jugglery and by working upon the superstitions of their followers, +impress them with the belief that they possess supernatural powers. + +This was especially conspicuous in the Pine Ridge outbreak. The medicine +men made their deluded followers believe the white men were all to be +killed, that the cattle were to be turned to buffalo and that the red +man would again possess the country as their fathers had possessed it +in the long ago, and that all the dead and buried warriors were to +return to life. This doctrine was preached from the borders of Colorado +and the Dakotas to the Pacific, and from British Columbia to the +grottoes of the Gila. The doctrine probably had its origin in the +ignorant preaching of the religion of the Savior by honest but ignorant +Indian converts. They told their hearers of the death, burial and +resurrection of the Son of Man. The medicine men seized upon the idea +and preached a new religion and a new future for the red man. +Missionaries were sent from tribe to tribe to preach and teach the new +doctrine, and everywhere found willing converts. + +The craze started in Nevada, among the Shoshones, and in a remarkably +short time spread throughout the tribes on both sides of the Rocky +Mountains. Lieutenant Strothers of the United States Army and I talked +with Piute Indians in Modoc County, after the "ghost dance" scare had +subsided, who were firm in the belief that a chief of the Piutes died +and then came back. They assured us that they had talked with a man who +had seen him, and that there could be no mistake. But they said: "Maybe +so; he did not know. The white man medicine heap too strong for Ingin." + +So it was with the Bannocks. Their medicine men taught that the white +man was to be destroyed, that his horses, his cattle and his houses and +land were to revert to the original owners of the country. Accordingly +few houses were burned throughout the raid of several hundred miles. +Even the fences around the fields were not destroyed, but were left to +serve their purposes when the hated white man should be no more. The few +exceptions were where white men were caught in their homes and it was +necessary to burn the buildings in order to kill the owners. The home of +old man Smith in Happy Valley, on the north side of Stein Mountain, the +French ranch in Harney and the Cummins ranch on the John Day were +exceptions. In the fights at these places some of the Indians were +killed and the houses were burned out of revenge. With characteristic +Indian wantonness and wastefulness hundreds of cattle were shot down, +only the tongue being taken out for food. They, however, would come back +as buffalo and cover the land with plenty. But horses were everywhere +taken, and when that armed, mounted and tufted host debouched into +Harney Valley they had a mighty herd of from seven to ten thousand +horses. + +The Bannocks, under their noted chief, Buffalo Horn, left their +reservation in Idaho and at once began the work of murder and plunder. +Buffalo Horn had served under Howard during a portion of the Nez Perce +war, but left him because of his dilatory tactics and his refusal to +attack when he had the enemy at his mercy. He told Col. Reddington, who +was following Howard as correspondent of the Oregonian and New York +Herald, that Howard did not know how to fight, that next summer he would +fight and show him how to make war. + +About the same time, the Shoshones, under Egan and Otis, left their +reservation and united their forces in Harney Valley, numbering at that +time from a thousand to twelve hundred warriors. They were encumbered, +however, by their women and children and a vast herd of stock, and as a +result moved slowly. Meantime the scattered detachments of troops were +being concentrated and sent in pursuit. But while this was being done +the tufted host swept a belt thirty miles wide through western Idaho and +eastern Oregon, spreading death and destruction in its path. At Happy +Valley they killed old man Smith and his son. Both had escaped with +their families to Camp Harney, but had imprudently returned to gather up +their horses and bring away a few household effects. Another brother and +a young man had accompanied them, but had turned aside to look for +stock. The two young men arrived at the ranch after nightfall. It was +very dark, and before they were aware of the fact they rode into a herd +of horses. But supposing they were animals gathered by the father and +brother, rode on. When near the center a mighty wail smote their ears. +Some of the Indians had been killed by the Smiths, and the women were +wailing a funeral dirge. One who has never heard that wail cannot +imagine its rhythmic terrors. + +When the appalling noise broke upon their ears the young man with Smith +started to wheel his horse and flee. But Smith caught the bridle reins +and whispered to him, "For God's sake don't run," and, holding to the +reins, quietly rode out of the herd, the darkness of the night alone +proving their salvation. + +At the French ranch on Blixen River an attack was made by a detached war +party, but Mr. French saved himself and men by cool daring and steady +bravery. All were endeavoring to make their escape, French holding the +Indians at bay while the others fled along the road. He was the only man +armed in the crowd, and at turns in the road would make a stand, +checking for a time the savages. The Chinese cook was killed and left +where he fell, being horribly mutilated by the Indians. Most of the men +with French were in wagons, and only for the bravery displayed by him +would certainly have been killed. + +About the same time two men were coming out with teams, and hearing of +the Indian raid, left their wagons and fled to the Shirk ranch in Catlow +Valley. After a few days they returned for their wagons, being +accompanied by W. H. Shirk, now a banker at Lakeview, Oregon. The wagons +were found as left, and after hitching up the horses, Mr. Shirk rode on +ahead, imprudently leaving his rifle in one of the wagons. On the grade +above the Blixen ranch Shirk looked back and saw the men coming and had +little thought of danger. The men drove up to the crossing, when they +were fired upon and both killed. Mr. Shirk was also fired upon, but +miraculously escaped death. An Indian on a fleet horse was pursuing him, +and his own horse was lagging. As he neared the sage brush toward which +he had been making, Mr. Shirk looked back and to his relief saw the +Indian off his horse. He thinks the horse fell with the Indian, but they +pursued him no farther and he made good his escape. Many other +miraculous escapes were made by both men and women, some of the latter +escaping almost in their night clothes and on barebacked horses. + +During all this time the scattered forces of the department were being +concentrated and sent in pursuit. That indomitable old Scotch hero and +Indian fighter, Bernard--who had risen from a government blacksmith to +the rank of Colonel of cavalry--who believed that the best way to subdue +Indians was to fight and kill them and not to run them to death--was +following with four companies of cavalry, numbering 136 men. Behind him +was Gen. Howard, with 400 infantry, but with his ox teams and dilatory +tactics managed to herd them two days ahead. As the cavalry under +Bernard drew near, the Indians called in all detached parties and +concentrated their forces. On the 7th of June Pete French joined Bernard +with 65 ranchers and cowboys. + +Bernard had been ordered by Gen. Howard not to attack, but to wait until +he came up. At old Camp Curry, on the western side of Harney Valley, or +more properly speaking, on Silver Creek, on the evening of the 7th, +Bernard's scouts reported the Indians encamped in the valley, at the +Baker ranch, seven miles away. In spite of orders, Bernard, always +spoiling for a fight, determined to make the attack at daylight. His +four companies numbered 136 men, besides French's volunteers. Bernard +had no confidence in the French contingent and declined to permit them +to accompany his command in the attack. He directed French, however, to +make a dash for the horse herd and if possible capture the animals, +while with his regulars he would charge the main camp. Bernard +afterwards, in explanation of his disobedience of orders, claimed that +he was misled by his scouts. + +Bernard broke camp two hours before daylight, or about two o'clock in +the morning. He reached the camp just at break of day. Evidently the +Indians were not prepared for him, and "Little Bearskin Dick," one of +the chiefs, rode out with a white flag in his hand. Bernard had already +made a talk to his men, especially to the recruits, telling them they +might as well be killed by the Indians as by him, as he would kill the +first man that flinched. As Dick rode up, Bernard spoke to a sargeant +and asked him if he was going to "let the black rascal ride over him." +Instantly several carbines rang out and "Little Bearskin Dick" for the +first time in his life was a "good Indian." + +At the same instant the bugle sounded the charge, and the troops bore +down upon the encampment, firing their rifles first and then drawing +their revolvers and firing as they swept through the great camp. But +Bernard had not been fully informed regarding the lay of the camp. After +sweeping through he discovered to his dismay that the Indians were +encamped on the margin of an impenetrable swamp--in a semi-circle, as +it were, and he could go no farther. Nothing dismayed, the column +wheeled and rode helter-skelter back the road they had come, this time +his men using their sabres. When clear of the camp Bernard turned his +attention to the men under Pete French. The latter had gotten into a +"hot box," two of his men had been killed and one or two wounded and +required help. Bernard was not slow in giving it, and when all were +safely joined, Bernard dismounted his men and fought the Indians for +several hours with his carbines. + +The loss sustained by Bernard in the charge and subsequent engagement +was four men killed and several wounded, not counting the loss sustained +by French. Bernard continued to hover near the Indians throughout the +day. He had taught them a lesson they would not forget. Those terrible +troopers on open ground, they discovered, could go where they liked, and +that nothing could stop them. Accordingly toward night they withdrew to +a rim rock, protected on three sides by high perpendicular walls. The +neck of their fort was then fortified and the savages felt they could +bid defiance to the fierce troopers. In this fight the Indians lost +heavily, forty-two bodies being pulled out of a crevice in the rim rock +where they had been concealed. Among this number was Buffalo Horn, the +greatest leader of the hostiles. + +Toward evening Gen. Howard arrived within seven miles of the hostiles. +Bernard sent a courier telling of the position of the Indians and that +with reinforcements and howitzers under Howard the surrender could be +forced in a few hours, or days at most. They had entrapped themselves, +and without water must surrender at the discretion of the soldiers. Gen. +Howard, however, complained that his troops were worn out, that he could +not come up until the following day, and ended by ordering the command +under Bernard to return to his camp. This was Gen. Howard's first fatal +blunder, to be followed by others equally as serious. The Indians +remained in their position until the next day, when they moved out +towards the head of the South Fork of the John Day River. They camped on +Buck Mountain three days while Howard was resting his troops. They then +moved out leisurely to the north, keeping in the rough mountains to be +out of the reach of Bernard's terrible cavalry. + +Meanwhile Gen. Howard followed, keeping pace with the Indians. His men +were mostly employed in grading roads through the rough, broken country +to enable his ox teams to follow. Some have questioned this statement. +But I saw with my own eyes the road down Swamp Creek and the mountain +road leading down to the South John Day River, seven miles south of the +mouth of Murderer's Creek. At the South John Day crossing he again laid +over three days while the Indians were resting at the Stewart ranch, +seven miles away. Think of an army following a horde of Indians through +one of the roughest countries imaginable! No wonder that the fiery +Bernard hovered close up to them, ready to strike when opportunity and +an excuse for disobeying orders was presented. + +Rumors of the coming of the Indians had reached John Day Valley, and my +old friend Jim Clark gathered a force of 26 men and started out to +discover, if possible, which way the Indians were heading. At Murderer's +Creek he ran into them almost before he knew it. They were not the +skulking Indians of former years, armed with bows and arrows, but +fierce, wild horsemen, armed with modern weapons. In a running fight +that followed, a young man named Aldrige was killed and Jim Clark's +horse shot from, under him. He escaped into the brush and defended +himself so successfully, more than one of the redskins biting the dust, +that when night closed in he made his way on foot through the brush to +the river and followed the stream all night, wading and swimming it +twenty-six times. The balance of his command escaped by outrunning their +pursuers and all reached the valley in safety. + +As soon as the news spread, the women and children were sent to Canyon +City and something over a hundred men gathered at the ranch of a man +named Cummins. The latter had seen some service and was elected captain. +Some were horseback and others had come in wagons. While the men were +making final preparations for starting out in search of Jim Clark, a +horseman was seen riding along the side of the mountain to the east of +the Cummins ranch. Warren Cassner pointed to the horseman and asked +Cummins what it meant. "Oh, I guess it is a sheep herder," replied the +old man. "A queer looking sheep herder," replied Cassner, and mounting +his horse started out to make an investigation. West of the Cummins +house the river was lined with tall cottonwoods which obscured a view of +the bald mountain side beyond. As Cassner raised the side of the +mountain, enabling him to look over and beyond the cottonwoods, he +discovered that the whole mountain side was covered with Indians. Twelve +hundred Indians and eight thousand head of horses blackened the side of +the slope. He called to the men below to get out. At the same time he +saw a party of Indians cutting him off from his men. + +Then began a race seldom witnessed in Indian or any other kind of +warfare. Men on horseback fled for dear life, while others piled into +wagons and followed as fast as teams could travel. But Cummins was a +brave man and had a cool head. He succeeded in rallying a half dozen +horsemen and at points on the road made such a determined stand that the +wagons were enabled to escape. At one point Emil Scheutz was standing by +the side of Cummins, when some Indians that had worked around to the +side fired a volley, one of the bullets ripping a trench in Scheutz's +breast that one could lay his arm into. Scheutz staggered and told +Cummins he was shot. The latter helped him to mount his horse and amid a +rain of bullets fled for life. That was the last stand. But only for the +fact that Bernard had followed the Indians closely, preventing them from +scattering, all would have been massacreed. As it was most of the men +kept running until Canyon City was reached, each imagining the fellow +behind an Indian. + +At the Cassner ranch many halted and were that evening joined by Col. +Bernard with his cavalry. Bernard was told that there were six hundred +Umatilla Indians at Fox Valley only a few miles from the John Day River, +and knowing that they were only waiting to be joined by the Bannocks, +determined to attack the latter before reaching them. He was told that +the Bannock's must pass through a canyon to reach Fox Valley. That was +his opportunity, and he had sounded "boots and saddles" when Gen. +Howard, surrounded by a strong body guard, rode up and ordered him to +remain where he was. This was an awful blunder, and cost the lives of a +number of settlers in Fox Valley. They, all unconscious of danger, were +resting in fancied security when the Bannocks arrived, fraternized with +the Umatillas and butchered them in cold blood. + +But Gen. Howard had made a still more serious blunder. Gen. Grover was +coming into John Day Valley with 400 troops and had reached Prairie +City, south of Canyon City, and about 45 miles from the Cummins Ranch. +He was coming in ahead of the Indians and would have been in a position, +with the troops under Howard, to surround and destroy the savages. He +was, however, halted by orders from Howard and turned back to the +Malheur Reservation. In justice to Gen. Howard it should be said that he +claimed his aide misunderstood the orders, and caused the fatal blunder. +But be that as it may, it saved the savages from annihilation or +surrender and cost the lives of a large number of citizens throughout +eastern Oregon. + +From John Day Valley, Gen. Howard continued to herd the savages, +following with his ox teams and his army of road makers, while the enemy +were sweeping a belt thirty miles in width through the State and +spreading death and desolation in their path. Many skirmishes took place +before the Indians reached the Umatilla Reservation. Here Gen. Miles +encountered them and in the battle that followed completely routed them. +Disheartened and losing confidence in the good medicine of their +medicine men, the savages split up, a portion going on to Snake River +and the Columbia, while the Stein's mountain and Nevada Piutes doubled +on their tracks and started back, for a greater portion of the way over +the road they had come. This again left the settlers exposed to butchery +and plunder. The military had followed the main bands towards the +Columbia and Snake Rivers. One band attempted to cross the Columbia by +swimming their stock. A steamer had been despatched up the river armed +with gattling guns and protected by a force of soldiers. While the vast +herd of horses and Indians were struggling in the water the boat came in +sight and opened with the gatlings. Some of the Indians succeeded in +crossing, but most of them were driven back, and the carcasses of +Indians and horses floated down the river. + + + +Chapter XVI. + +Snake Uprising in Eastern Oregon. + +While these events were transpiring all eastern Oregon was wild with +excitement. There were no telegraphs through the country in those days, +if we except a line running up the Columbia from The Dalles to Pendleton +and Walla Walla. The wildest stories were set afloat, which of course +lost nothing by repetition. + +When the first news of the outbreak reached me I was doing jury duty in +Judge L. L. McArthur's Court at The Dalles. I was engaged in the cattle +business in what is now Crook County, and my ranch was 95 miles to the +south of The Dalles. My family had been left on the ranch which was +being cared for by a couple of young men in my employ. My brother, +Senator S. G. Thompson also lived a couple of miles from my ranch. + +On coming down stairs at the Umatilla House one morning I met Judge +McArthur who expressed surprise at finding me yet in town, saying he +supposed I and my friends were well on our way home. I replied that I +was waiting the good pleasure of the Court. + +"Why, man, have you not heard the news?" replied the Judge. + +"I have heard no news," I replied, but seeing that the Judge was in +earnest asked to what news he referred. + +Judge McArthur then told me in a few excited words of the outbreak of +the Bannocks, declaring that in all probability the Indians would reach +my section before I could get there. + +I waited to hear no more, and running across the street to the livery +stable ordered my team harnessed. While I was waiting three young men, +one of them being a lawyer named G. W. Barnes, and with whom I had come +to The Dalles in a two-seated rig, came up. While the team was being +harnessed we secured from a store several hundred rounds of Winchester +ammunition, besides a couple of needle guns and some ammunition which we +borrowed. One of my friends ran across to the hotel and returned with +some provisions for breakfast. We had no time to wait. Other thoughts +occupied our minds. We then began the home run, ninety-six miles away. I +insisted on driving and nursed the team as best I could, giving them +plenty of time on the uphill grade, but sending them along at a furious +pate on level ground and down hill. From The Dalles to Shear's bridge on +the Deschutes we made a record run. There we changed horses, the +generous owner returning not a word when our urgent errand was told. +Mrs. Shear also kindly gave us some food to eat on the road. By 1 +o'clock we were at Bakeoven, 45 miles from The Dalles. Here we again +changed horses, and secured some food, which we literally ate on the +run. + +Our next lap was a long one and it was necessary to save our horses as +much as possible. But we had a good team and made good progress, and +when night closed in we were more than 25 miles from home. We finally +reached the ranch of old man Crisp, whose son was most savagely +butchered a few days later by the Indians at Fox Valley. + +My ranch was reached about midnight, possibly a little later, and I +found, to my inexpressible relief, that all was well. My wife hastily +prepared a cup of coffee for my companions and set them a lunch. While +they were eating the young men harnessed up another team, with which Mr. +Barnes and companions reached Prineville some time after daylight. + +Almost the first word spoken by my wife to me after I had asked the +news, was that Capt. George, Chief of the Warm Spring Indians, had been +there and enquiring for me. I asked her where he had gone. She replied +that he had come there in the evening, and she had ordered supper for +him and that he had put up his horse and was sleeping at the barn. The +news was a relief to me, you may be sure. + +After my friends had gone and while my wife and I were discussing the +news, George walked in. He shook hands with me and I gave him a seat. I +knew he had news for me. But an Indian always takes his time. After he +had sat for some time, and consumed with anxiety to know the nature of +his visit, I said: + +"Well, George, what is it?" + +"Have you heard about the Snakes," was his instant answer. + +"Yes, I heard about it at The Dalles, and that was what brought me home. +But what do you think about it?" + +"I do not believe the Snakes will come this way, but, if they do I will +know it in plenty of time. I will then bring lots of Indians over from +the reservation, we will gather up your horses, all of Georges' horses +and all of Maupin's horses and will take them and all the women and +children to the reservation and then we will go out and fight Snakes and +steal horses." + +That was George's idea of war. It mattered not to him if everybody else +was killed, so long as the property and families of his friends were +safe. The conversation, of course, was carried on in the Chinook +language, which is a mixture of the Wasco tongue and Hudson Bay French. + +Captain George was, as I have stated, Chief of the Warm Spring and Wasco +Indians. He was one of the most perfect specimens of physical manhood I +have ever beheld. He was proud as Lucifer and would scorn to tell a lie. +In fact, he was one of the really good live Indians I have known. Years +after, when residing at Prineville, my front yard was the favorite +camping place of Capt. George, and my stables were always open for the +accommodation of his horses. He was my friend, and as he expressed it, +"we are chiefs." + +Poor old George! He has long since been gathered to his fathers. I do +not know that I shall meet George in the happy hunting grounds. But this +I know, I will meet no truer friend or braver or nobler soul than that +of this brave old Indian. + +The next morning after my arrival at home George went up to see my +brother, and from there went on to the ranch of Mr. Maupin. So far as I +was concerned, after my talk with George, I felt perfectly at ease. I +knew he would do as he had promised. But the whole country was in panic +and it could not be stayed. Some had abandoned their farms and fled +across the mountains to the Willamette Valley, while others were getting +ready to go. I allayed the fears of immediate neighbors as far as +possible by selecting the ranch of Dr. Baldwin as a rallying point in +case of danger. But each hour, almost, would bring a new story of danger +and a new cause for a stampede. Some of my neighbors buried their +effects and prepared to flee. In the midst of this word reached me one +afternoon that the people at Prineville were forting up, and that a +company had been organized to go out to meet the Indians. Mounting good +horses my brother and I set out for Prineville, nearly thirty miles +away. We arrived there about dark after a hard ride, but it did not take +me long to size up the situation. The "company" was worse panic stricken +than the people, and the fort that had been started was worse than a +trap. It was absolutely worthless for defense. Everything, however, was +confusion and one scare followed another in rapid succession. + +I tried to get a few, men to go with me on a short scouting expedition +to discover if the Indians were coming that way. Not one could be found +who would volunteer to go. I then returned home and taking one of my +young men and a younger brother, struck out for the old Indian trail +leading along the crest of the McKay Mountains. After riding some +distance, keeping well in the timber, we met two white men who were +making their way through the mountains. They told us that the Indians +had crossed the John Day at the Cummins ranch, of the fight Jim Clark +had at Murderers Creek and the death of young Aldridge. As it was now +useless to proceed any further we turned back, and reached Prineville +next day. All the ranches were deserted, but we had no difficulty in +obtaining food for ourselves and horses. + + + +Chapter XVII. + +Bannocks Double on their Tracks. + +Matters now settled down, the scare was over and ranchers returned to +their homes and began repairing damages. Fences that had been thrown +down that stock might help themselves were repaired that as much as +possible of the crops might be saved. I returned to my ranch and was +busy with haying and harvest when another report reached us, borne on +the wings of the wind, that the Bannocks had doubled on their tracks and +were scattering death and destruction in their path. The last scare, if +possible, was worse than the first. About the same time the Governor +ordered Gen. M. V. Brown with the Linn county company, under Capt. +Humphrey, to hasten to our aid. This was the only organized troop of the +militia available for immediate service, and without loss of time they +crossed the Cascade Mountains and arrived at Prineville about the 10th +of July. + +The company was a magnificent body of men, and represented the best +families of Linn County. One of the privates was the son of a former +United States Senator, while others were young men of superior +attainments--law and medical students. George Chamberlain, present +United States Senator from Oregon, was first sergeant of the company, +Capt. Humphrey was a veteran of the Civil War, commanding a company in +many sanguinary battles. Gen. Brown had seen service during the war +between the States, but he, and all were ignorant of Indian warfare. On +his arrival at Prineville Gen. Brown sent a courier to my ranch with a +letter urging me to join the expedition. My business affairs had been +sadly neglected during the past three months, and I was loth to start +out on an expedition, the end of which was impossible to foresee. I +however went to Prineville and had a consultation with him. Gen. Brown +was exceedingly desirous that I should go with him. He called my +attention to personal obligations of friendship due from me to him. That +settled it and I told him I would go. He authorized me to enlist 15 men +as scouts and placed me in command. The number were readily found, they +providing their own horses, arms, ammunition and blankets. Provisions +were supplied from the commissary. + +In Humphrey's company there was a character known as "Warm Spring +Johnny," whom I shall have occasion to mention further on. He was +transferred to my contingent by order of Gen. Brown, as it was believed +he would be of service to me. The start was made from Prineville the +next day, our course leading toward the head of Crooked River and the +South John Day. + +On the evening of the second day we arrived at Watson Springs where we +camped for the night. Guards had been placed around the camp and I had +laid down on my saddle blanket to rest when Warm Spring Johnny came and +sat beside me. He then told me that at this place he saw his first white +man. Going into the history of his life--he was then a man about 38 +years of age--he told me the Snake Indians had captured him when he was a +mere child--so far back that he had no recollections of his parents or +of the circumstances of his capture. He was raised by the Snakes, and +always supposed he was an Indian like the rest of them, only that his +skin was white. He did not attempt to account for this difference--he +was an Indian and that was all he knew. + +In the spring of 1868, Lieut. Watson arrived and camped at the spring +which was forever to bear his name. Here the rim rock circles around the +head of the spring in the form a half wheel. Willows had grown up along +the edge of the stream that flowed out into the dun sage brush plain. +Into this trap Lieut. Watson marched his men and camped. Evidently he +felt secure, as no Indians had been seen, besides the Warm Spring scouts +were out scouring the country. Probably not a guard or picket was placed +about the camp. They had been in camp an hour, and were busily engaged +in cooking their meal when from the rim of the bluff on three sides a +host of tufted warriors poured a shower of arrows and bullets upon them. +Lieut. Watson was killed with several of his men at the first fire, +while a number were wounded. The soldiers for protection took to the +willows and defended themselves as best they could. But the Snakes had +overlooked the Warm Spring scouts, who, hearing the firing, rushed to +the rescue and attacking the Snakes in the rear, which was open ground, +routed them with the loss of several warriors killed and half a dozen +captured. + +Among the latter was Warm Spring Johnny. He was taken to the officer who +had succeeded Watson in command. Great surprise was expressed at seeing +a white man with the Snakes and the soldiers were for making short work +of the "white renegade." But it soon became evident that he was as much +a wild Indian as any of them, and his youth, about 18, making in his +favor he was turned over to the Warm Spring captors to guard, along with +the other captives. They were all taken down the little branch a few +hundred yards and securely bound and tied to a stunted juniper tree. +During the night the Warm Springs indulged in a war dance, each lucky +warrior flourishing the scalp he had taken. Along past midnight all the +captives excepting Johnny were securely bound to the juniper with green +rawhide, a mass of sage brush collected and the captives roasted alive. +Johnny told me that every moment he expected to be served in the same +manner, and could not understand why his comrades were burned while he +was saved. He said he supposed that his skin being white they had +reserved him for some particular occasion. I asked him if the soldiers +knew that the captives were being burned. He replied that he learned +afterwards that the Indians told the soldiers they had all escaped +except the white one. The probabilities are that the soldiers were too +busy with their own troubles to pay any attention to what was going on +in the camp of their allies. + +Johnny could speak fairly good English, but to all intents and purposes +he was as much of an Indian as any of his copper colored friends. He was +adopted into the Warm Springs tribe and remained with them for a number +of years, but marrying a squaw from another tribe moved to the +Willamette Valley, where he lived and died an Indian. He was almost +invaluable to me because of his knowledge of the ways and signs of the +Snakes. But aside from this he was absolutely useless as he was an +arrant coward and could not be depended on when danger threatened. + +The next day we moved south and after a rapid march reached the Elkins +ranch on Grindstone, a tributary of Crooked River. It was known that the +Indians were returning practically by the same route they had previously +traveled, and our duty was to prevent raids from the main body and +protect the property of the settlers as far as was possible. + +First gaining permission from Gen. Brown, with my scouts and four +volunteers, I started out to discover the camp of the Indians, which +from the lay of the country, I thought likely would be at the head of +Buck Creek, at a spring in the edge of the timber. About 2 o'clock we +arrived at the vicinity of the supposed camp of the Indians, and taking +an elevated position, patiently waited for dawn. Finally the gray dawn +began to peep over the crest of the eastern mountains, and leading our +horses we moved closer. When daylight finally arrived we were within a +hundred yards of the spring, but nowhere was there a sign of life. + +Assuring ourselves that the renegades had not passed that point, and +that they were further back, we started to meet them, meantime keeping a +careful lookout ahead. We continued on to Crooked River and despairing +of finding or overtaking them, we retraced our steps to camp, arriving +there about dark after riding 75 or 80 miles. + +The next day it was determined to send a strong detachment into the +rough brakes of the South John Day. Accordingly Capt. Humphrey detailed +36 men and I joined him with the scouts. We were absent three days and +returned to camp without encountering or seeing any signs of Indians. +After resting our horses one day we again struck out, this time going +farther north in the direction of Murderers Creek. The country was +indescribably rough, and our first night's camp was at the John Day at a +point on the trail made by Gen. Howard when he was herding the Indians +north. About 10 o'clock one of the men from a picket came in and told me +that the Indians were signaling from two sides of the camp. I walked +down to where Capt. Humphrey was sleeping and woke him up. We watched +the signaling for a few minutes and then sent for Warm Spring Johnny. He +said they were signaling that we were a strong party of soldiers and had +come from the south. He then explained how the flashes were made. A pile +of dry grass was collected and then surrounded by blankets. The grass +was then fired and when the blaze was brightest the blankets on one side +was quickly raised and again lowered, giving out a bright flash light. + +I advised Capt. Humphrey to hold his men in readiness for a daylight +attack, feeling certain nothing would be attempted until just at the +break of day. We knew, however, they were not far distant and that great +care was necessary. After discussing the situation with Capt. Humphrey +it was determined to go on as far as Murderers Creek, striking the +stream at the Stewart ranch. As we passed over the intervening space we +saw abundant evidence of the presence of Indians and proceeded across +the bald hills with caution. On the hill overlooking the Stewart ranch +we saw quite a commotion, a cloud of dust raising and pointing back +towards a deep, rocky, precipitous canyon. Believing the Indians were +beating a retreat, we rode forward at the gallop, but arrived only in +time to see the last of them disappear in the mouth of the canyon. + +On the open ground at the mouth of the canyon we halted. The canyon +presented a most forbidding appearance, and to follow an enemy of +unknown strength into its gloomy depths was to court disaster. The +canyon into which the Indians had been driven was steep, rocky and with +the sides covered with brush, while the ridge was covered with +scattering pines back to the timber line where rose the jagged, serrated +peaks of the extreme summit of the mountain. After taking a careful view +of all the surroundings we retreated down the mountain pretty much as we +had ascended it. + +Capt. Humphrey agreed with me that we did not have men enough to attack +the Indians in such a stronghold. There remained nothing but to return +to the Stewart ranch and go into camp for the night. While returning we +decided to hold the Indians in the canyon if possible and send a courier +back to Gen. Brown for reinforcements. Accordingly Ad. Marcks was +selected for the night trip. He was familiar with the country and +undertook the night ride without hesitation. That night a strong guard +was kept around the camp, and daylight came without incident worthy of +mention. + +It was then decided to circle the canyon into which we had driven the +Indians on the previous day. We made the start soon after sun-up, taking +a course to the east of the point ascended the day before, and which +would enable us to ascend with our horses. We reached the summit of the +first steep raise and were rewarded by seeing three scouts disappear in +the canyon. We gave chase and fired a few shots from the rifles of the +scouts which had no other effect than to cause them to lean a little +further forward on their horses and go a little faster. As we passed up +the ridge we could see the smoke from the camp fires of the Indians +coming out of the canyon. The camp was evidently several hundred yards +long and indicated they were in considerable force. Nearing the timber +line, the pines became very thick, in fact so dense that we could force +our horses through with difficulty. My scouts were a couple of hundreds +yards in advance, and as we burst out of the brush we came upon the +horse herd guarded by four Indians. Taking in the situation at a glance, +I put spurs to my horse, and calling to the men to come on, made a dash +to cut them off from the canyon down which the herders were endeavoring +to force them. We made no attempt to use our rifles, but drawing our +revolvers opened fire on the scurrying herders. It was quite a mix-up, +but we managed to capture nineteen head of good horses. After the fray I +looked around for the first time and discovered that instead of all, but +one man had followed me, that was the young boy, Eugene Jones. The +others had taken to trees, one going back to hurry up Capt. Humphrey. +Had they all followed as did the boy we would have captured every horse +and probably have got the herders as well. Descending the ridge on the +west side we crossed the trail made by the Indians when coming into the +canyon. + +At 2 o'clock the next morning I again started to circle the camp with +twenty men, leaving Capt. Humphrey at the Stewart ranch. I ascended the +mountain farther to the east than the day before and reached the timber +line at daylight. A hundred yards or more from the timber line was a +clump of stunted trees. I determined to dismount my men and rest our +horses. As we were dismounting one of the scouts, Al Igo, asked +permission to ride up the ridge a ways and get a better look at the +country. I gave consent but cautioned him not to venture too far. As +soon as the girths of our saddles were loosened and guards placed around +I threw myself on the grass and was asleep in five minutes. But my sleep +was of short duration, for Igo came dashing back, calling, "get out of +here, we are being surrounded." He said he had counted eighty odd +warriors on one side and fifteen on the other. + +We lost no time, allow me to assure you, in "getting out of there." A +quarter of a mile above us, and about the same distance from the timber +line on every side, were three jagged peaks, and not more than twenty +yards apart. Here I stationed the men, first dismounting them and +securing our horses among the rocks so as to shield them from the +bullets of the Indians. I felt sure that we were going to have a fight, +and against heavy odds. But the rocks made a splendid fort, and I +explained to the men that if they would save their ammunition and not +get excited we could stand off all the Indians west of the Rocky +mountains. After talking to them I took two men, Charley Long and a +young man named Armstrong, two of the best shots in the company, and +crawled down through the grass about 150 yards to another pile of rocks. +I calculated that if I did not hold that point the Indians could unseen +reach it and pour a deadly fire into our position above. Besides I had +hopes of getting some of them when they came to the edge of the timber. +We had reached the position but a few minutes when two rode out of the +timber to our left and about 400 yards away. The boys wanted to fire, +but I held them back telling them that we would get surer shots by not +disclosing our position. We could see them watching the men in the rocks +above, and soon they turned and rode straight towards us, all the while +watching the men in the rocks. When within 100, yards I told the men to +take deliberate aim and we would fire together. I pulled on the trigger +of my needle gun until I could feel it give. But something told me not +to fire and I told the men to wait. On they came, and again we drew +deadly beads on the unsuspecting horsemen, but there was an undefinable +something that told me not to fire. When they had come within thirty +yards we discovered they were white men. We rose up out of the rocks and +grass and when they came up I discovered that one of them was an old +friend, Warren Cassner, from John Day Valley. We also discovered for the +first time that the sun was in total eclipse. Everything looked dark, +and they had taken us for Indians and we had came within a hairs breadth +of sending them into eternity under the same false impression. When I +saw how near I had come to killing my friend I was all in a tremble. + +The two men belonged to a company of 125 men raised in John Day Valley +and Canyon City and were pursuing a large band of Indians that had come +in the night before. They made a trail as broad as a wagon road and +evidently numbered a hundred or more warriors. Joined with those we had +been watching they constituted quite a force and would evidently put up +a stiff fight. We returned with the John Day men to the Stewart ranch, +and Gen. Brown having arrived during the day, our forces numbered full +250 men, and all full of fight. That night plans were discussed for the +coming attack. I favored dividing our forces and attacking them from +both sides of the canyon. In this, however, I was overruled and all was +arranged for a combined attack on the Indian position from the west +side. It was arranged that I should start at 2 o'clock with 25 men, +circle the west side of the camp, and if the Indians had slipped out +during the night I was to follow and send back a messenger to the main +command. That there might be no mistake as to the course we should take +in the morning, I pointed to the canyon in which the Indians were +encamped and the ridge up which we would go. + + + +Chapter XVIII. + +Another Attack that Miscarried. + +Everything was in readiness. Two hundred rounds of ammunition was +distributed to the men, and all were in high glee at the prospect of +being able to revenge the cruel murder of friends and neighbors. + +At 2 o'clock we were roused by the guards. Horses were quickly saddled +and after a meal of bread, meat and coffee we mounted and filed out of +camp. Besides the scouts I had ten men belonging to the John Day +volunteers. As daylight began to peep over the mountain tops we reached +the head of the canyon in which the Indians were encamped. We had kept a +close lookout for any signs of the Indians abandoning the canyon but +found none. There could be no question as to their whereabouts--not +more than a mile below us. + +We halted here and engaged in a discussion as to the advisability of +going around to the west side of the canyon, and when the attack began +to open on them from that side. The John Day men were decidedly in favor +of the move. But Gen. Brown had especially requested that I should be +with the main force when the fight began, and I must return and meet +him. It was finally arranged that I should return, taking one man with +me, while the others should go down the west side of the canyon. +Accordingly I selected the boy Eugene Jones and we started back. It was +arranged that the main force should follow me up the mountain within an +hour after I left camp, and I expected to meet them about the time the +attack began. I did not consider it as being particularly hazardous, as +they could not be very far away. We rode at the gallop, expecting every +moment to hear the report of the opening guns. It was broad daylight now +and we sped on as fast as our horses could carry us. But nothing could +be seen or heard of the command. Our situation was now serious in the +extreme. We passed within 600 yards of the Indian camp and could see the +smoke curling up out of the canyon. But the only alternative that +presented itself to us was to go ahead as we should certainly meet the +troops within a short distance. As a matter of fact we were "so far +stepped in that to retreat were worse than going o'er." On and on we +sped until the brow of the mountain was reached overlooking Murderers +Creek Valley, and nowhere could we get sight of man or beast. "What does +it mean?" These were the questions repeated one with the other. We +finally concluded that the Indians had slipped out behind us, or that we +had overlooked their trail, and that Gen. Brown finding it had started +in pursuit. + +Descending the mountain we struck across the valley and at or near the +creek we found the trail of the command. It was easy to distinguish the +trail as our men rode shod horses while the Indian ponies were +bare-footed. Picking up the trail we rode as fast as the condition of +our tired horses would permit. About four miles from where we struck the +trail we found the carcass of one of our pack mules. We at first thought +there had been a skirmish and that the mule had been killed. An +examination, however, showed us that the mule had fallen over an +embankment and broken his neck. Following a well beaten trail we did not +discover that the command had left it until we had gone some two or +three miles past the carcass of the dead mule. We therefore began to +retrace our steps. It should be understood that the course taken by the +command was due east, at right angles to that which they should have +taken in following me in the morning. Returning, we carefully examined +each side of the trail in order to discover where it had been left. We +finally came back to the carcass of the dead mule. We knew they had been +there, but what had become of them? Eugene suggested that they had "had +an extra big scare and had taken to wing." + +While we were looking for the trail six of the men from whom we had +separated in the morning rode up. They were as much bewildered as I. In +fact, I could not account for the actions of the command except that +there was rank, craven cowardice somewhere, and the language I used was +freely punctuated with adjectives not fit for print. After a long search +we discovered where they had left the trail. They had followed a shell +rock ridge for a quarter of a mile, probably, as some of the men +suggested, to hide their trail for fear the Indians would follow them. +The course was now due north. This they kept until reaching the summit, +when they again turned west. We followed on as fast as the jaded +condition of our horses would permit, until I discovered pony tracks +following behind. Keeping a sharp lookout, however, we continued on +until we came to where one of the Indians had dismounted, the imprint of +his moccasin being clearly outlined in the dust. This presented a new +difficulty, and we now understood why they had not picked us off in the +morning. They were entrenched and were waiting to be attacked, but +seeing the main force turn tail, the hunted had turned hunters. + +To follow the trail further appeared madness, and we turned down the +mountain, keeping in the thick cover. I concluded the command would +simply circle the camp and return to the Stewart ranch that night. +Accordingly we bent our course so as to strike the head of the valley, +which we reached at sundown, but nowhere could we discover the presence +of man or beast. We waited until dark and then led our horses up through +the willows lining the banks of the creek, and finding an open space +picketed our horses, and leaving a guard of two men, laid down to sleep. +I told the boy Eugene to wake me up and I would stand guard, but he +failed to do so, saying he was not as tired as I and stood both guards. + +At daylight we again saddled up and began a search for the command. We +had eaten nothing since 2 o'clock on the previous morning and began to +feel keenly the effects of hunger. All that day we wandered through the +mountains, returning to our hiding place in the willows of the night +before. At daylight I wrote a note and left it at the Stewart ranch and +then determined to reach John Day Valley. Food we must have, and we knew +we could find something there. Striking a course through the mountains +we reached the Cummins ranch at 4 o'clock that day. We had now been +without food for 62 hours, and from that day to this I could never bear +to see anything hungry--man or beast. Here we found Gen. Brown with +most of his command enjoying their ease. Some kind ladies at the house, +learning our condition, quickly set us some food, mostly soups and +articles of light diet. + +In explanation of his remarkable course, Gen. Brown declared he was +misled by the John Day volunteers, while they in turn laid the blame on +Gen. Brown. I was furious over the whole shameful affair and took no +pains to conceal my disgust. Capt. Humphrey told me that he knew they +were going in the wrong direction, and told Brown so, but the latter +said Lieut. Angel was acting as guide and that they would follow him, +and on the head of that officer the blame finally rested. + +This incident and others led next day to the enforced resignation of +Lieutenant Angel and the election of George Chamberlain as his +successor. + +From the Cummins ranch we went to Canyon City for supplies, and from +there to Bear Valley, on the mountain to the west, and on the road +leading to Camp Harney. After resting our horses for a day, Gen. Brown +and I, with a small escort, went to Camp Harney hoping to get some news, +and while awaiting the return of Chamberlain. At Camp Harney a small +force of regulars was posted and some thirty or forty families had +gathered there for protection. Many of the women and children had +escaped from their homes, scantily dressed, and had been unable to +procure any clothing during the lapse of more than a month. It was a sad +sight, especially those who had lost husbands, sons and brothers. + +The day after our arrival, two ladies, the wives of Major Downing and +Major McGregor, sent for me. The latter had two or three children +besides her mother. Their husbands were with Howard's column and they +were anxious to reach Canyon City and go from there to Walla Walla. +Would I escort them to Canyon City? I said certainly, I would do so, as +I would go within a few miles of that place on my return to camp. Lieut. +Bonsteil of the regulars spoke up and said he would provide them with an +escort at any time. But Mrs. McGregor told him plainly that she would +not go with the soldiers that if they got into trouble the soldiers +would run away--but the volunteers would stay with them. The Lieutenant +suggested that "it was a fine recommendation for the United States +Army." "I know the army better than you do, Lieutenant, and have known +it much longer, and I will not risk my life and the lives of my children +with them," said the plain spoken Scotch lady. The next morning, bright +and early, we started out. The ladies were riding in an ambulance, +driven by a soldier. When near half way to Bear Valley and near Mountain +Springs, we crossed the fresh trail of a strong party of Indians, but we +arrived at our destination safely, and next morning returned to camp. +Here we rested a couple of days and, Chamberlain returning, we moved to +our head camp at Grindstone. We had accomplished nothing in the way of +destroying hostiles, but had prevented them from scattering and +committing all kinds of atrocities as they had done before reaching John +Day Valley. + +Arriving at our camp we found ourselves without any provisions. +Accordingly Gen. Brown and I started to Prineville with a four horse +team to obtain supplies to send back to the men who were to follow. We +took along a teamster and the quartermaster. Starting in the evening we +arrived at the crossing of Beaver Creek, and I captured an old hen, all +that was left at the ranch after its plunder by the Indians in June. We +drove until midnight and arriving at Watson Springs, stopped for the +night. We dressed the hen and had the driver to sit up the balance of +the night and boil her. When daylight came we tried to breakfast off the +hen, but it was a rank failure, and we harnessed up and drove on, +getting a meal at a ranch ten miles from Prineville, to which place we +drove that night. + +Thus ended my last Indian campaign, and one of which I never felt any +great amount of pride. In one respect it was a rank failure, due, I have +always thought, to the rank cowardice of some one--probably more than +one. We had, however accomplished some good, as before remarked, and +probably saved some lives, and that was worth all the hardships we had +endured. + +I cannot close this narrative without a further reference to the boy, +Eugene Jones. During the first two weeks of the campaign my eyes became +badly affected from the dust and glare of the sun, reflected from the +white alkali plains on the head of Crooked River. At times I could +scarcely bear the light, which seemed fairly to burn my eyeballs. From +the first Eugene had attached himself to me. He would insist on taking +care of my horse in camp, and often would stop at a spring or stream and +wetting a handkerchief would bind it over my eyes and lead my horse for +miles at a time. At Murderers Creek, too, he was the only man to follow +me when I made the dash after the Indian horse herd. Another thing I +observed about the boy was that I never heard him use an oath or a +vulgar, coarse expression. What then was my surprise on arriving at +Prineville to find a letter from Sheriff Hogan of Douglas County telling +me that the boy, Eugene Jones, was none other than Eugene English, a +notorious highwayman and stage robber. He was a brother of the English +boys, well known as desperate characters. I was stunned, perplexed. The +Sheriff asked me to place him under arrest. But how could I do so, after +all he had done for me? It appeared in my eyes the depth of ingratitude. +In my dilemma I laid the matter before Judge Frank Nichols of +Prineville. I related all the boy had done for me, and asked him what, +under like circumstances, he would do. "By George, Colonel, I would not +give him up. It may be wrong, but I would not do it," replied the old +Judge. We then went to Mr. Brayman, a merchant of the town, and laid the +matter before him. He fully agreed with us that the boy should be saved. +I then went to the quartermaster, got a voucher for the boy's services, +obtained the money on the voucher from Mr. Brayman, and putting a man on +a horse, explained to him that he was to hand the letter and money to +Eugene, first having him to sign the voucher, or warrant, over to Mr. +Brayman. + +The young man found the boy with the volunteers. He called him to one +side, gave him my letter as well as the money. He signed the voucher, +and that night disappeared and I never saw or heard of him again. But of +this I feel certain, if he fell in with the right class of men he made a +good man and citizen. Otherwise, otherwise. Do you blame me, reader? I +have never felt a regret for what I did. Put yourself in my place. + + + +Chapter XIX. + +Reign of the Vigilantes. + +Every newly settled country has had to deal, to a greater or less +extent, with lawless characters. Generally these outlaws have been +brought into subjection and destroyed under the operation of law. +Occasionally, however, this, from one cause or another, has been +impossible. It is then that citizens, unable longer to bear the outrages +committed by desperate criminals, take the law into their own hands and +administer justice according to their own ideas of right, and without +the forms of law. Such occasions are always to be deplored. They arise +from two causes, the maladministration of justice and bloodness of +criminals whose long immunity from punishment renders them reckless and +defiant of both law and the citizens. + +Such conditions existed in the late 70's and early 80's in that portion +of Eastern Oregon now embraced in the county of Crook. During several +years desperate characters had congregated in that section. From petty +crimes, such as the stealing of cattle and horses, they resorted to +bolder acts, embracing brutal and diabolical murder. For a time the +citizens appeared helpless. Men were arrested for crime and the forms of +law gone through with. Their associates in crime would go into court, +swear them out and then boast of the act. On one occasion I went to one +of the best and most substantial citizens of the country, Wayne +Claypool, and asked him about an act of larceny of which he had been a +witness. He had seen the crime committed from concealment. I asked him +if he was going to have the men arrested. He replied that he was not. +Then, said I, if you do not I will. "Mr. Thompson," he replied, "rather +than appear against them I will abandon all I have and leave the +country. For if they did not kill me they would destroy all I have." +Under these circumstances I was forced to let the matter drop, and +content myself with writing an article for the local paper. No names +were mentioned and nothing at which an honest man could take offense. +Instead of publishing the article as a communication, it was published +as an editorial. But scarcely had the paper appeared on the street, than +three men, all known to be thieves and desperate characters, caught the +editor, knocked him down, pulled out his beard, and would probably have +done him greater bodily harm had not Til Glaze interfered and stopped +them. While the editor was being beaten he hallowed pitifully, "I didn't +do it, Thompson did it." This embittered the whole gang against both +Glaze and myself. But they appeared satisfied with threats about what +they were going to do, and for the time being made no attempt to carry +out their threats against either of us. + +This was in the fall of the year. On the 15th of March, 1882, a man +dashed into town and riding up to me asked where he would find the +Coroner. He was greatly excited and his horse was covered with foam. I +told him the nearest officer was at The Dalles, 125 miles away, but that +a Justice of the Peace could act in his absence. I then asked him what +was the matter? He replied that Langdon and Harrison had killed old man +Crook and his son-in-law, Mr. Jorey. I then told him to go to Mr. +Powers, the Justice of the Peace. Presently the Deputy Sheriff for that +section of Wasco County came to me and asked me to go with him to assist +in the arrest of the murderers. There had been some dispute between the +murderers and the murdered men, resulting a law suit. It was at best a +trivial matter and no further trouble was apprehended. But immunity from +punishment had emboldened the gang and they believed they could do as +before, simply defy the law. I declined to go with the Deputy, making as +an excuse that I did not feel well. He then summoned me as a posse. I +told him to "summons and be d-d," I would not go. That it was a long +ride and that the men had been seen "going towards The Dalles, saying +they were going to give themselves up." The officer was furious and went +away threatening me with the law. But I had other ideas regarding the +whereabouts of the murderers. An old gentleman living on Mill Creek, +east of Prineville and about thirty miles from the scene of the murders, +had told me of the finding of a cabin concealed in a fir thicket and +that it contained both provisions and horsefeed and had the appearance +of having been much used, but that there was no trail leading to it. As +soon as I learned of the murders I made up my mind that the murderers +would go to that cabin. I did not, for reasons of my own, mainly that he +talked too much, tell the Deputy of my plans. I went to four men--men +of unquestioned courage and discretion--and told them of my plans. +These men were Til Glaze, Sam Richardson, G. W. Barns and Charley Long. +They all agreed to go with me. It was arranged that we were to slip out +of town singly and meet a few miles up the Ochoco Creek, at a designated +place. We deemed this essential to success, as we knew that the men had +confederates in town who would beat us to the cabin and give the alarm. +Meantime the angry Deputy got a posse together and started on his +fruitless errand. We loitered about town until about 8 o'clock, taking +particular pains to let ourselves be seen, especially about the saloons. +We did not talk together, nor did we permit any of the gang to see us in +company. We then dropped off saying we were going home, that it was bed +time. + +But instead of going to bed we mounted our horses and taking back +streets slipped out of town. The night was dark and stormy, but all five +reached the rendezvous on time and we then proceeded to the ranch of Mr. +Johnson whom we requested to pilot us to the secret cabin. The vicinity +of the cabin was reached about two o'clock in the morning, and after +securing our horses we cautiously approached it. A light was soon +discovered and with still greater caution we attempted to surround the +cabin. The barking of a dog, however, gave the alarm and both murderers +seized their rifles, blankets and some provisions and made their escape. +Jumping over a log behind the cabin they stopped to listen and finally +thinking it a false alarm, laid down their guns, etc., and walked around +to the corner of the cabin. The snow was a foot deep and so dark was the +night that they did not see us until we were within a few feet of them. +They then started to run when Richardson, Glaze and Barns opened on them +with their revolvers. Long and I were within a few feet of the front +door and did not catch even a glimpse of the fleeing murderers. They +were chased so closely that they had no time to get either their horses, +guns or blankets, but made their escape in the darkness. When the +shooting began the door flew open and a crowd of eleven men made a rush. +Long and I were armed with double barrel shot guns, and leveling them on +the crowd we ordered them back or we would kill every man of them. You +may be sure they lost no time in getting back and closing the door. I +then stepped to the side of the door and told them we were after Langdon +and Harrison, and did not wish to harm any one else, but that if one of +them stuck his head out of the cabin he would get it blown off. + +We had got the horses, blankets and rifles of the murderers, and now +began the watch that was to last until daylight. The wind was fierce, +even in the shelter of the timber, and a cold snow drifted over us. We +had not only to guard the house, but the shed in which the horses were +tied as well. Besides, we did not know what would happen when daylight +came and they should discover that our party numbered five, instead of +twenty, as they supposed. When daylight finally came I went to the door +and told those inside to come out and to come out unarmed. They obeyed +at once, and eleven men filed out of the cabin. Of the number, there was +but one that any of us had ever seen before, or to my knowledge ever saw +again. The one was a brother of Langdon, and we at once placed him under +arrest that he might not render his brother assistance. + +We had agreed on our plans during the night, and taking young Langdon, +Long and I started back to town, while the others began to circle for +tracks of the fugitives in the snow. I should have stated that when the +shooting began the night before, Mr. Johnson mounted his horse and rode +home at top speed. Arriving there, he sent one of his sons to Prineville +and the other up the Ochoco, telling them that we had the murderers +surrounded and were fighting as long as he was in hearing, and were in +need of help. Going up the mountain I discovered the tracks of the +fugitives in the snow, and as we reached the summit we met 75 or 80 men +coming out to help us. I turned them all back, saying the murderers had +escaped, and that the rest of our party were coming a short distance +behind. I had directed Long to keep by the side of young Langdon and +that if he attempted to escape to kill him. I then called out four young +men whom I could trust and told them to drop behind and watch for the +trail of the fugitives when they should leave the road. We then all +returned to Prineville and I turned the young man over to the Deputy +Sheriff, telling him to lock him up. + +The four young men struck the trail at the foot of the Mill Creek +mountain, and following it until convinced the fugitives were +endeavoring to reach home to get horses, abandoned it and struck out +through the mountains the nearest route to the Langdon place. They +reached the ranch just as the men had got horses and some food and were +coming through the gate. Five--even one minute and they would have been +too late. But leveling their shot guns on the murderers they +surrendered. They were then brought to town, and instead of awakening +the officers, they came to my house and asked me to get up and take +charge of the prisoners. This circumstance enabled my enemies, +especially the outlaw gang, to accuse me of being the head of the +vigilantes. The prisoners were held at the livery stable, and as soon as +I arrived I sent for the Deputy Sheriff and City Marshal, and on their +arrival moved the prisoners to the bar room of the hotel. The Deputy +asked me to remain and assist in guarding the prisoners. At the hotel +the Deputy and Marshal guarded the street door, while I kept watch on +the back door. Langdon was shackled and laid down on a lounge and fell +asleep. Harrison was sitting near me and had started in to tell me all +about the murder. I was sitting sidewise to the street door, and hearing +it open, turned my head just as four men sprang upon the two officers +and bore them to the floor. At the same instant two men rushed across +the room and leveled their revolvers at me. The whole proceedings did +not occupy five seconds, so sudden was the rush. All were masked, even +their hands being covered with gloves, with the fingers cut off. + +In another instant the room was filled with the uncanny figures. +Apparently every man had a place assigned him, and in less time than one +could think, every entrance to the hotel bar room was guarded by armed +men. As the two men leveled their guns at me I put up my hands, and I +want to say I stood at "attention." At the same time two men ran around +the bar room stove, and as Langdon sprang to his feet one of them struck +him with his pistol. The weapon was discharged and they then emptied +their revolvers into his body. While this was going on other men placed +a rope around the neck of Harrison and as he was rushed past me he +wailed, "For God's sake save my life and I will tell it all." But I saw +no more of him until next morning, when he was hanging under the bridge +that spanned Crooked River. + +Twelve men were left in the room after the main mob had gone. Not a word +was spoken until I asked permission to go to the body of Langdon and +straighten it out. Both men bowed, but followed me closely, at no time +taking either their eyes or revolvers off me. They were, however, very +cool, and I felt little danger of an accidental discharge of their +weapons. After about twenty minutes one of the figures gave a signal and +in an instant all were gone, passing out through two doors. + +It was now nearly daylight and a great crowd gathered about the hotel. +There was a great deal of suppressed excitement, but I cautioned all to +be prudent and not add to it by unguarded language. The mob appeared to +be thoroughly organized, every man having and occupying his assigned +place. This fact gave Harvey Scott an opportunity to declare in the +Oregonian that I "was the chief of the vigilantes, and could have any +man in three counties hanged" that I should order. + +Matters now quieted down for a time and it was hoped that no more such +disgraceful scenes would darken the fair name of our citizens. As time +wore on the gang again became more bold and many acts of outlawry were +committed. Some time in December a stock association was organized, with +a constitution and by-laws. It was agreed that no one should ride the +range without notifying the association. Copies of the by-laws were sent +to every stock owner in the county and all were asked to join. Along in +January, about the 10th, as I remember, a crowd of the rustlers came to +town, and after filling up with bad whisky rode up and down the streets, +pistols in hand, and declared they could take the town and burn it, and +would do so "if there was any monkey business." Little attention was +paid to them, people going about their business, apparently unconcerned. +But that night there was "monkey business." Three of the gang were hung +to a juniper two miles above town, while another was shot and killed in +town. The next morning notices were found posted, with skull and +cross-bones attached, telling all hard characters to leave the county. +There was then such a higera as has seldom been witnessed. Men not +before suspicioned skipped the country. They stood not upon the order of +their going, but went--and went in a hurry. Among the number was an +ex-Justice of the Peace. + +Again things quieted down. The county was divided, courts organized and +justice administered without let or hindrance. The reign of the +vigilantes was over, and citizens everywhere looked to the law for +protection. + + + +Chapter XX. + +The Passing of the Mogans. + +A few years previous to the occurrences before given, two young men +arrived in the county and gave their names as Tom and Frank Page, being +brothers. I gave one of them, Frank, employment on my cattle ranch, but +soon became satisfied that he was not the right kind of a man, and +discharged him. Both remained in the section, accepting such employment +as they could obtain. One day a man came along and recognized the Page +brothers as men he had known in Nevada under a different name. Hearing +of this, they admitted that the name first given was an alias, and that +their true names were Mike and Frank Mogan. They were a quarrelsome pair +and posed as bad men, and were not long in involving themselves in +trouble and were shunned by the better class of citizens. In a case +against the younger of the two, Frank Mogan, a young lawyer, C. W. +Barnes, was employed as opposite counsel. This seemed to embitter both +men against Barnes and some threats were made against him. No attention +was paid to the matter by Barnes, but he kept a watch on them when in +their company. + +Finally in the fall after the last lynching Mike came to town and in +order to pick a quarrel with Mr. Barnes, began to abuse his younger +brother, a boy of about 17 years. The boy went to his brother and told +him of Mogan's conduct. He was told that if he associated with such men +as Mogan he must suffer the consequences. The boy then went home, and +securing an old cap and ball revolver, came back to the street. Mogan +began on him again, and after suffering his abuse for some time, drew +the revolver and shot him through the chest. Mogan ran a short distance +and drawing his revolver, started back. Seeing that young Barnes was +ready for him, he turned off, walked a short distance, sank down and +died the next day. The affair created some excitement. The boy was +arrested but subsequently came clear. + +At the time of the homicide I was out of town and knew nothing of the +shooting until late that night. The other Mogan brother, however, +affected to believe that I had given the revolver to the boy and had +told him to use it. I explained to him the absurdity of the charge, +proving to him that I was out of town. This appeared to make no +difference, he still holding a grudge against me for discharging him. He +made many threats against my life, all of which were borne to me. He +declared he would "kill me if he had to lay behind a sage brush and +shoot me in the back." Still I paid no apparent attention to the +threats, being satisfied he would never at any rate face me. + +One evening I was called to the store of Hahne & Fried to attend to some +business. It was just after dark and while I was there I was notified by +a friend that a daughter of Judge Nichols had overheard Mogan tell one +of his friends that he had come to town to kill me and would not leave +until he had accomplished his purpose. This was going a little too far, +and I determined to settle the matter one way, or the other at our first +meeting. The test came sooner than I anticipated. On seeing me he +attempted to draw his gun but was too slow, and fell with more than one +bullet: through his body. + +I sent for Sheriff Geo. Churchill and surrendered myself as a prisoner. +He told me to go home and if he wanted me he would send me word. The +committing magistrate, at my request, placed me under bonds to appear +before the Grand Jury. The announcement caused an uproar among the +throng with which the court-room was packed, and I was compelled to go +among them and explain that it was done at my especial request. I wanted +the matter to come up in the Grand jury room and so told the people. The +Oregonian published distorted and untruthful statements regarding the +affair, and attorneys from every part of the State volunteered their +services to defend me free of charge. I wrote to them, of course +thanking them, but told them I had no use for attorneys, as the matter +would never go beyond the Grand jury, and there it ended, the District +Attorney, Mr. McBride, proving my strongest witness. + +I have gone somewhat into detail in this matter through no spirit of +bravado, for no one could deplore the necessity of my action more than +I. But to show to those who have never experienced frontier life the +dangers, difficulties and hardships through which one must pass. It may +be said that I should have had Mogan arrested for threatening my life. +To such I will say that under all the circumstances such a course would +only have still more embittered the situation and made the end +inevitable. Another thing, among frontiersmen the man who goes to law +for protection of that kind, makes of himself a pusillanimous object for +every vagabond to spit upon and kick. I was not "built: that way." + + + +Chapter XXI. + +The Lookout Lynching. + +Coming down to a later date, perhaps no event of its character has +attracted so much comment, and been the subject, of more gross +misrepresentation than the "Lookout Lynching." I have, therefore, been +asked to give a true account of the deplorable affair, the causes +leading up to the same, and the sensational trial of nineteen citizens +accused of participating in the act. + +To begin at the beginning: Along in the early 70's the United State +government established a military post at Fort Crook, in Fall River +valley, which was occupied by a company of cavalry under command of one +Capt. Wagner. The post was designed to afford protection to settlers +against depredations by hostile Indians. Soon after the arrival of the +troops the Captain began to cast eyes of favor on a comely young Indian +woman, the wife of a Pit River brave. The Captain had been sent to +civilize the Indians, and was not long in taking the woman under his +protection. The arrangement was agreeable to the woman, who preferred +the favor of the white chief to that of her dusky husband. + +Time wore on and the government concluded to abandon the post, and +ordered Capt. Wagner and his company elsewhere. Of course, he could not +take the Indian woman with him, and she must be got rid of. The means +presented itself in the person of a soldier named Calvin Hall, whose +term of enlistment had expired. He proposed to Hall that if he would +take the woman off his hands he, the Captain, would give him a small +portable sawmill which the government had sent to the post to saw lumber +with which to build quarters, etc. The arrangement being agreeable to +Hall, the trade was made and the woman and sawmill passed to a different +ownership. + +In the course of time Hall sold the sawmill and settled on a piece of +land not far from the present town of Lookout. Here the two full blood +children of the woman grew to manhood. Another child was born to the +woman, the father being a man named Wilson, with whom she lived during +one of her changes of lovers, for Mary (her Christian name) was a woman +of many loves. The half breed boy was fifteen years old, and probably by +reason of environment was not a model. The two full bloods, Frank and +Jim Hall, the names by which they were known, gradually became looked +upon as desperate characters. Their many misdeeds brought them into +prominence, and frequent arrests followed. But somehow Hall managed to +enable them to escape the vengeance of the law. This only served to make +them bolder in their misdeeds. Cattle were killed and horses mutilated, +merely because the owners had incurred their enmity. The school house in +the neighborhood was broken open, books destroyed and other vandal acts +committed. In fact, they became the terror of the neighborhood, the Hall +home being a place of refuge and shelter, and Hall a protector when +arrests followed their crimes. + +This condition of affairs could not exist for long. When the law fails +to protect life and property, I have always observed that men find a way +to protect them. About a year and a half before the finale, a gentleman +living in Lookout visited Alturas and detailed the many misdeeds of +these men to me. One in particular I remember. Dr. Shearer, a wealthy +stock man living some distance this side of Lookout, had employed some +Indians in harvesting his hay crop. Frank Hall had a grievance against +the Indians, and during their absence from their camp went there and cut +their wagons and harness to pieces. The Indians trailed him to within a +short distance of Halls, but were afraid to go further. They complained +to Mr. Shearer, who promptly sent word to Frank Hall that if he ever +came on his ranch he, Shearer, would shoot him. Some time after this Mr. +Shearer found a saddle animal belonging to his wife cut and mutilated in +a most shameful manner. The horse, a beautiful animal and a pet, had his +ears and tail cut off, while deep gashes were cut in his side and hips. +Mr. Shearer could not prove that Frank Hall committed the dastardly act, +but was more than satisfied of his guilt. This and other like acts were +detailed to me, and I wrote an article for my paper detailing the +grievances of the people of that section and ending by predicting that, +unless it was stopped, "juniper trees would bear fruit." My prediction +came true a year and a half later, only that the Pit River bridge and +not the junipers bore the fruit. + +Some time during the year of 1900 a man named Yantes came to the +vicinity of Lookout and took up with the Halls. Later he took Mary, the +Indian woman, away from old man Hall, and lived with her on a ranch he +had located. He carried a big gun and posed as a bad man, and of course +found genial companionship in the sons of the Indian woman. The coming +of Yantes seemed to add to the boldness and reckless conduct of Frank +and Jim Hall and the half-breed boy Wilson. Along towards the last of +May, 1901, a burglary was committed in the neighborhood. Of course the +Hall crowd was suspected and a search warrant obtained. At the Hall home +several of the articles were found, as well as on the persons of the +men. The hides and meat of animals recently killed were found at the +Hall and Yantes homes and the brands identified by the owner. This +discovery led to the arrest of the entire gang, including Hall and the +half-breed boy Wilson. They were taken to Lookout and a guard placed +over them. + +The Grand jury was in session at Alturas, and next morning R. E. +Leventon and Isom Eades came to Alturas to secure the indictment of the +men. The proof was positive, and they felt that at last a conviction +could be secured. But unfortunately the Grand jury adjourned that +morning. They then applied to the District Attorney to go to Lookout and +prosecute the criminals. But Mr. Bonner had a case coming up at Lake +City, and the Justice refusing to postpone it, could not go. The matter +was finally arranged by the appointment by Mr. Bonner of C. C. Auble, an +Adin attorney, as a special deputy to prosecute the cases. The +appointment was made out and given to Leventon and Eades, but Mr. +Bonner, a young lawyer and serving his first, term, made the fatal +mistake of instructing Mr. Auble to dismiss the charge of burglary and +rearrest the men for petty larceny. + +During all this time the five men, two white men, the half-breed boy and +the two Indians, were held under guard, the bar room of the hotel being +used for the purpose. When it became known that the prisoners were +merely to be prosecuted for the smaller crime, the whole country became +aroused. Both Yantes and the Halls made threats of dire vengeance upon +those instrumental in their arrest. They declared they would get even as +soon as they were free. All knew the Indians and Yantes to be desperate +men, and to turn them loose would be equivalent to applying the torch to +their homes, if not the knife to their throats. Accordingly at the hour +of 1:30 on the morning of May 31st a rush was made by masked men, the +prisoners taken from the guards and all five hung to the railing of the +Pit River bridge. + +The news spread like wildfire and created intense excitement throughout +the county and State. The great papers, in two column headlines, told of +the "wiping out of a whole family." "An old man," said they, "his three +sons and his son-in-law," were ruthlessly hung for a petty crime, the +stealing of a few straps of leather. In Modoc county the sentiment of +nine-tenths of the people was that the leaders of the mob should be +punished. Young Banner had made a mistake, due doubtless to youth and +inexperience, but it remained for Superior Judge Harrington to make a +still more serious one. + +Judge Harrington wrote to the Attorney-General asking that detectives +and a special prosecutor be sent to investigate and prosecute the case +against the lynchers. He also called the Grand jury together in special +session. But there never was any evidence. + +The Grand jury convened on June 10th, and a host of witnesses were in +attendance. + +The result of the Grand Jury session was the returning of indictments +against R. E. Leventon, Isom Eades and James Brown. As the case against +Brown appeared to be the best, he was "brought to trial" November 21, +1901. Assistant Attorney-General Post and Deputy Attorney George +Sturtevant were sent from the Attorney-General's office to prosecute the +case. The prisoner was defended by ex-Judge G. F. Harris, E. V. Spencer +and John E. Raker. + +Soon after the trial began Judge Post sent for a noted gunfighter named +Danny Miller. And during all those weary three months of the trial he +could be seen trotting around after Post, his mustache turned up, a la +William of Germany, like a rat terrier following a mastiff, to the +infinite amusement of the small boy and utter disgust of sensible men. +Gibson, the noted San Francisco detective, was here, assisted by other +detectives and a dozen or more local head hunters, who were after a +share of the big reward. District Attorney Bonner was pushed aside and +completely ignored. He was not even given an insight into what was going +on. In justice to Mr. Sturtevant I want to say that he had no hand in +the high-handed measures adopted by Post and Harrington. And had he been +in control the result of the Brown trial might have ended differently. +Indeed, so favorably were the people of Modoc impressed with Mr. +Sturtevant that members of both parties--prominent citizens--went to +him and offered him the Superior Judgeship at the coming fall election. +For reasons of his own he declined, and before the end of the Brown +trial left in disgust. + +At one stage of the proceedings there was talk of supplying troops from +the National Guard to preserve order. And yet there had at no time been +a breach of the peace or threats made except by the man Miller. On one +occasion Miller drew a revolver in the court room and attempted to shoot +Attorney Raker. At another time he beat a young man named Russell over +the head with a gun for some fancied offense. A brother of young Russell +kept the principal hotel in the town, and both had been open in their +denunciation of the lynchers. I mention these facts to show why it was +that the citizens of the county turned from nine-tenths in favor of +prosecuting the lynchers to the utmost limit, to nine-tenths the other +way. + +Early in January Detective Gibson went to a young man who was stranded +in Alturas with his wife and offered him a portion of the reward, +amounting to $900, to testify to a certain matter. The young man and his +wife were working, for their board, but he told Gibson that he knew +nothing of the matter and that poor as he was he would not swear to a +falsehood. Gibson went away, but returned a few nights, later and again +tried to get him to testify, saying that the men were guilty and that no +one would ever be the wiser. Slavin (the young man's name) then told +Gibson that if he ever came to his home with such a proposal that he, +Slavin, would shoot him like a dog. All these attempts at bribery soon +became known and filled citizens everywhere with consternation. They +argued that under such methods an innocent man might be sacrificed that +a lot of head hunters could gain a big reward. + +On January 4th, 1902, Mary Lorenz, a half breed daughter of old Mary +Hall, swore to a warrant charging, fifteen others with complicity in the +lynching. All were arrested, but not one was found to be armed. They +were placed in jail, and on the 10th indictments were filed charging +each one with five different murders. + +The causes leading to these arrests were said to be the confessions of +John Hutton and Claude Morris. + +It subsequently developed that Morris was taken to a room, there plied +with whisky by the detectives, aided by Simmons, and at two o'clock in +the morning signed an affidavit that had been prepared for him. After he +regained consciousness he denied the whole thing, but was told that he +would be sent to the penitentiary for perjury if he went back on the +confession he had signed before a notary public. Under the circumstances +the poor, weak boy, kept under guard and away from friends and +relatives, was compelled to stick to the evidence that had been prepared +for him. + +As the trial of Brown dragged its "slimy length along," the scenes in +the court room at times beggared description. Harrington, badgered by +the attorneys for the defense, raved like a madman, and generally ended +by sending one or more of the attorneys for Brown to jail. He refused to +permit any evidence to be introduced for the purpose of impeachment. +Disinterested men were brought from Tule Lake to prove that the boy +Hutton was on his way to Lookout from that place when the lynching took +place. Another witness was placed on the stand and testified that he +stood on the ground, back of Leventon's shop and saw certain of the +accused, among them Brown, and heard them plotting. Harrington refused +to permit any evidence to be introduced tending to impeach the witness. + +When Harrington would rule against the admission of this evidence, +Harris, Raker or Spencer would argue the point and manage to get the +evidence before the jury and end by going to jail. The attorneys took +turns going to jail, but managed for one to remain outside to conduct +the case. Thus wore away the weary months until the jury brought in a +verdict of "not guilty." In conversation with one of the jurymen that +morning he stated that the character of the witnesses for the +prosecution was enough. They were Indians, half-breeds, and disreputable +characters of every shade and degree. + +The morning after the verdict was rendered not one of these creatures +could be found. During the night they had fled and scattered like a +covey of quail. They feared arrest for perjury, of which they were +guilty. All that remained the next morning was General Post and his gun +man, Danny Miller. They took the stage after breakfast and were seen no +more. The prisoners were discharged one and two and three at a time and +quietly returned to their homes. + +Thus ended the dreary farce of the prosecution of the Lookout lynchers. +It had cost the county about $40,000 and had accomplished nothing, save +to blacken the character of our citizens and cause the outside world to +look upon us as outlaws and desperadoes. + + + +Conclusion. + +The events here recorded were seen with my own eyes, or were received +from the lips of the actors therein. Hundreds of men and boys passed +through equal or greater dangers and privations than I, and are entitled +to equal or greater credit. Reared in the wilderness and on the frontier +of civilization, I was merely the product of environment, and lay claim +to no particular distinction above those who were my companions. And +yet, as I look back over the past, I must be excused for a feeling of +pride in having been a part, however insignificant, in the building here +on the western rim of the continent, of the mighty Empire of the +Pacific. + +To have seen proud cities rear their heads from a wilderness--from a +cluster of log huts in a primeval forest--whose everlasting stillness +was alone broken by the yells of savage men, the long howl of the wolf +and the scream of the panther--is something to have lived for. + +And yet I question if those who now possess this land of plenty--this +land of "milk and honey" ever give a thought for those who "Conquered +the Wilderness" and made it a fit and safe abode for the millions of +civilized men and women who now enjoy its blessings. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Reminiscences of a Pioneer +by Colonel William Thompson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REMINISCENCES OF A PIONEER *** + +***** This file should be named 11508.txt or 11508.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/0/11508/ + +Produced by David A. 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