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Union County, OR AGHP
CHAPTER XLVII.
(1855.)
Promised Prosperity Brings Indian Wars to Southern Oregon - New Land District - Hon. L.F. Mosher Appointed Register; George W. Lawson, Receiver - Indian Depredations - The Savages Pursued; They Retreat to the Reservation - Other Savage Murders - Volunteers Organize and Take the Field - Successful Operations - Conduct of the Whites - A Dark and Memorable Day - The Savages Inaugurate a General War to Exterminate the Pioneers of the Pacific Northwest - Numerous Murders - Volunteers to the Rescue - United States Troops Take the Field - Organization of Settlers for Defense and Protection - Inhuman and Savage Butchery of Men, Women and Children, Murdered by the Indians - General Curry Calls for Volunteers - Desperate Conflicts - The Savages Victorious - Reorganization for the War - Plan of Campaign - The Closing Events of the Year.
THE settlers of Southern Oregon had every reason to congratulate themselves upon their future prospects at the beginning of the year 1855. the population was steadily increasing; the immigrants of previous years had built themselves homes, - most of them, it is true, of a very primitive character, - made fences and raised bountiful crops; villages had sprung up all over the country, and also trading posts, where all necessary supplies could be secured; money was plenty, owing to the yield of the gold mines; schools and churches had been established; law and order prevailed everywhere; and the country began to assume, in a rude form, the character of the states east of the Rocky Mountains. The land was being surveyed, upon the plats of which surveys every original Donation claim was marked out, thus preventing any future controversy in regard to land titles. To further the interests of the settlers of Southern Oregon, Congress, on the 17th of February, 1855, passed an act creating a new land district south of the fourth standard parallel, which was near the line of the Calapooia Mountains, to be called the Umpqua District. The act was not to take effect until three months after its passage. The location of the office was fixed by the President at Winchester, Douglas county. L.F. Mosher was appointed Register, and George W. Lawson, of Indiana, Receiver. The trade by the way of the mouth of the Umpqua river was steadily increasing. Wagon teams drawn by oxen were to a great extent taking the place of pack trains, owing to the improvement of the roads, thus reducing the price of goods in the interior. On Coos Bay, two coal mines were being opened, one at Newport by Flanagan & Rogers, the other at Eastport by Northrup & Symonds. Two saw-mills were also erected, one by A.M. Simpson at North Bend, the other by H.H. Luse at Empire City. The discovery of new beach mines was reported near Port Orford and the Coquille river. In Jackson county, the mining and agricultural interests were never in a more prosperous condition. The year which opened so auspiciously was destined to be closed with one of the most desperate and cruel Indian wars recorded in the annals of the United States.
(431)
The Indians on the Rogue river reservation, under the command of their chiefs, Sam and Joe, as a general rule, maintained the obligations of the treaty they had entered into in 1853; but many of the young warriors chafed under the restraint, and were willing at every possible opportunity to join the bands of John, Limpy, George, Tipsn, and other chiefs who had not signed the treaty, in any raid of murder and pillage.
Captain A.J. Smith, in command of Fort Lane, and George H. Ambrose, who had succeeded S.H. Culver as Indian agent, used their best efforts to punish these marauders; but the small force of regular troops at their command, and the great extent of mountainous country over which the Indians roamed, made it impossible to effect much. In fact, if the citizens had not on these occasions united to defend themselves, they could have accomplished nothing. It is impossible to narrate all the devilment the Indians did during this period, as there was no newspaper published in Jackson county at that time, and most of the old pioneers have passed away.
The first one of these raids occurred in May, 1955. A party of Indians belonging to Limpy's tribe, with some of the Rogue river Indians, went from their camp on Illinois river across the mountains to Happy Camp, on the Klamath river, where they robbed a number of mining camps. From there they went to Indian creek, where they killed a miner named Hall. Returning home across the Siskiyou Mountains, they stole some cattle from Hays' ranch, and retreated to the mountains at the head of Slate creek. The next day Sam Frye, with eight men, left Hays' ranch in pursuit. He came upon them and killed three. He returned for reinforcements, and found that the Indians had gone to Deer creek, and upon the way had murdered a man by the name of Philpot and seriously wounded James Mills. Upon hearing the news, the settlers moved to Yarnell's stockade for safety; and a messenger was sent to Fort Lane for assistance. Frye, with twenty men, was still pursuing the Indians. Upon receiving news of the attack, Captain Smith ordered Lieutenant Sweitzer, with twelve men, to their relief. This detachment found the bodies of Jerome Dyer and Daniel McCue where they had been murdered on Applegate creek. Lieutenant Sweitzer and his command, not being able to find the Indians, returned to Fort Lane; but Captain Frye pursued them with such vigor that, finding their escape impossible, they returned to Fort Lane and gave themselves up to Captain Smith, by whom they were kept in custody, he refusing to give them to the soldiers or to the civil authorities until after an indictment was found. The court did not meet until December, and the whole band, fourteen in number, escaped punishment.
The next massacre occurred on
Humbug creek, a branch of the Klamath river, on the night of the 27th of
July, 1855. A party of Indians, mostly of the Klamath tribe, with two of
the Rogue rivers, made a raid upon the miners working on the creek and
Klamath river and killed twelve men in cold blood while asleep, after which
they retreated north across the mountains to the head of Applegate creek.
They were immediately followed by five companies of volunteers hastily
gathered, numbering in all about two hundred men. The Indians, finding
themselves pursued in force, sought refuge upon the Rogue river reservation.
The volunteers, having traced them to this point, asked Captain Smith to
deliver the criminals up to them, which he refused to do, but promised
to surrender them to the civil authorities of California upon a proper
requisition. Some time after, the two Rogue river Indians engaged in the
murders were given up to the civil authorities at Yreka and were executed,
the remainder of the party being a part of the Indian force whose record
will be given later.
About the first of September, a party of Indians, which was no doubt a part of Tipsu's band, stole a number of horses from Fred Alberding, who lived near the head of the Rogue river valley. Alberding, securing the assistance of a few of his neighbors, started out to recover his property. Following their trial, they fell into an ambuscade of the Indians and were fired upon. Granville Keene was killed; and Alberding and J.Q. Faber were wounded. The party was compelled to retire, leaving the body of Keen upon the ground. News having been sent to Fort Lane, Captain Smith ordered Lieutenant Sweitzer and Lieutenant Allston, with thirty-eight men, to the scene of the murder. They found the remains of Keene mutilated almost beyond recognition. The Indians, numbering about thirty, they did not find. On the 24th of September, Harrison B. Oatman and Daniel P. Brittain of Phoenix started an ox-team train to Yreka loaded with flour from the Phoenix mill in Jackson county, Oregon. With them were Calvin M. Fields, formerly from Iowa, and John Cunningham, from Sauvies Island, Oregon. Each one drove an ox team of two yoke; and the train camped the first night near the foot of the Siskiyous. The next day, when near the summit, it became necessary to double teams by reason of the steepness of the ascent. Fields and Cunningham joined teams. When within three hundred yards of the summit, they were fired upon by the Indians and instantly killed. Brittain, who was in charge of the remaining teams, hearing the firing and ascertaining the cause, fled back to the Mountain House, three miles distant; and news was at once sent to Fort Lane for assistance. Oatman, who was in advance, escaped over the summit; and a short distance below, on the south side, he met A.O. Hutchings of Polk county, Oregon, who was returning from Yreka. The two went back a short distance, when, meeting some men who were ready to accompany them, they immediately returned to the scene of the murders. Fields' body was lying in the road, but that of Cunningham could not be found. The Indians had shot and killed eighteen head of cattle, and upset the wagons. No Indians were found.
Upon the receipt of the news
at Fort Lane, Captain Smith at once ordered Major Fitzgerald, with Lieutenant
Allston and thirty-six men, to proceed to the scene and punish the Indians.
Major Fitzgerald lost no time. On his arrival at the Mountain House, he
found a party of twenty-two citizens under the command of Captain Thos.
Smith, ready to follow the Indians, with whom he at once joined forces.
On the morning of the 28th, on the summit of the Siskiyou Mountains, the
trail of the Indians was discovered, which was followed until it reached
a branch of the Klamath, where the Indians appeared to have scattered.
Small parties were sent in every direction, and the trail was discovered.
"At daylight the next morning," says Major Fitzgerald in hs official report,
"the command was on the trail, which was pursued until noon, when the valley
became almost a cañon, with very rocky and precipitous sides, and
entirely impracticable for horses. From this point I sent eighteen volunteers,
who had accompanied me and who left their horses at this point, to follow
up the Indians until night, in order that we might ascertain if their position
was accessible from any other direction. They continued in pursuit for
ten miles over what they represent to be the most impracticable country
they have ever seen, over the summit of the Siskiyou Mountains again, and
on to the waters of Butte creek, which run into Rogue river. As the Indians
were unapproachable from my position, and as they were evidently aware
of our pursuit, and as they were much more accessible from Rogue river
valley, I returned to the post and report these facts. I arrived (at Fort
Lane) on the 1st instant. I received much valuable assistance from the
volunteers who accompanied me, and from their commander, Captain Thomas
Smith."
The settlers, although they had not the advantage of the report of Major Fitzgerald above alluded to, were sufficiently warned by Captain Smith and his company, and were well prepared for their appearance on Butte creek. Having learned that the murderous band were in camp near the mouth of Butte creek seeing a refuge on the reservation, to the protection of which they were certainly not entitled, the citizens of the valley at once organized a company to inflict upon them the punishment they deserved. Captain Hays was in command. The company consisted of about forty men. On the evening of the 7th of October, they surrounded their camp, and at daybreak in the morning commenced the attack which resulted in the killing of most of the warriors. The victory was dearly gained, with the loss of Major Lupton, who was killed by an arrow from a wounded Indian, almost in the same manner as Captain Stuart was killed in 1851. Major Lupton was a member of the House of Representatives from Jackson county.
Before proceeding to narrate the events which immediately followed the last fight, it becomes necessary to repel some grave charges against the good name and fame of the people of Southern Oregon. To every citizen of this section, it was plainly evident that the majority of the Indians had no disposition to abide by the treaty of 1853, but were fatally bent on war. This, unfortunately, was not the view that the Indian agents and the military officers of the United States government took of the situation. They persistently held that these outrages were committed by the Indians in retaliation for attacks made by the Whites, with the malicious intention of driving them to desperation, n order that the Whites might have an excuse for their extermination. They accordingly defended and protected the red-handed murderers of women, children and unarmed men whenever an opportunity offered. Chief among these slanderers were Joel Palmer, Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the territory, and General John E. Wool, commander of the Department of the Pacific at San Francisco. The newspapers of the northern part of Oregon, knowing little of the actual state of affairs, reiterated these charges. It was the year of Know-Nothingism in Oregon; and, as party politics were at a white heat, it is not surprising that the statements of the newspapers were made more with reference to their effect upon the campaign than to their accuracy. The reports of the army officers and the Indian agents are effectively locked up in the Congressional Record, that nobody reads; while the heated discussions of the political campaign have long since been forgotten. It would not be necessary, therefore, to refer to the charges, had they not been perpetuated by certain publications called histories. One of these is designated as the "History of the Southern Oregon Counties," published by A.G. Walling at Portland, Oregon, the other called the "History of Oregon," by H.H. Bancroft, published at San Francisco (1).
A sufficient reply to these charges is contained in the beginning of this chapter. To the farmers and miners whose labor for a year was dependent upon the preservation of peace, nothing could be more disastrous than an Indian outbreak. Besides this, the citizens of all classes, relying upon the peaceful year of 1854 and the presence of the United States troops, were almost entirely unprepared for a serious conflict; while the Indians, taking advantage of their security, were well provided with arms and ammunition for a long campaign.
The truth of the matter was, that all the chiefs who had not joined in the treaty of 1853; and some who had, became convinced, by the rapid influx of the white population,
(1) In Bancroft's
History many statements are made, the authority of which is given, in a
foot-note, to the autobiography of General Lane, M.S. The author
of these papers is in a position to know that General Lane never wrote
nor dictated an autobiography; and further, that all the statements made
on this alleged authority are absolutely false. MOSHER.
that their days were numbered, and that a final struggle were imperative. Chief John, who was not only a warrior, but a general, was the leader of the movement in the south. Chief Joe was dead; and Sam, his brother, in charge of the Rogue river Indians on the reservation, refused to fight; but John enlisted most of his young warriors. He also engaged the Indian of the Umpqua valley on his side, who had never made any pretense of ill treatment by the Whites, as well as the Indians on the coast. As this war broke out almost simultaneously, from the line of British Columbia into Northern California, the conclusion is irresistible that the conflict was an united effort upon the part of the Indians to prevent any further encroachments on the part of the Whites, and that the citizens of Southern Oregon had nothing to do with its inception.
The 9th of October, 1855, was a dark and memorable day in Southern Oregon. On the morning of that day, the Indian warriors under the command of chiefs John and Limpy started on the warpath. Their first act was to murder William Going, a teamster employed on the reservation, about two o'clock in the morning. They thence proceeded down the river on the Oregon and California road. Their first attack was upon the camp of a train loaded with mill irons, near Jewett's Ferry, where they killed a Mr. Hamilton, who was in charge, and severely wounded his companion, who was shot in four places. They fired upon Jewett's house, but finding it too well protected proceeded to Evans' Ferry, which they reached about daybreak. Here they shot Isaac Shelton, from the Willamette, bound for Yreka, who died after lingering twenty hours. A short distance from Evans' they met and killed a drover with beef cattle. They next reached the house of Mr. Jones, who was shot dead in his yard. Mrs. Jones was shot through the body. She ran for the brush, pursued by an Indian, who shot her again while begging for her life, and left her for dead. She was found alive not long after by the volunteers and taken to a place for safety, but died the next day. The Indians burned the house after plundering it. Between Jones' and Waggoner's they killed four men, two of whom were driving a wagon loaded with apples. They burned the wagon and contents, destroyed the harness and appropriated the horses.
On reaching Waggoner's, they were joined by Chief George's band of Indians, who had been camped on the creek near his house for some months, always professing friendship for the Whites. Early that morning, Mr. Waggoner left home to escort Miss Pellet, a traveling temperance lecturer, to Illinois valley, leaving his wife and four-year-old daughter in perfect security, as he supposed, under the protection of Chief George, who had always been a favored guest at his house. Upon the arrival of the war party, Mrs. Waggoner and child were murdered, and the house burned over them. The barn and all the outbuildings were also burned.
From this point they went to
the house of George W. Harris, a few miles beyond. Mr. Harris was making
shingles near the house; and Mrs. Harris was engaged in washing behind
the house. About nine o'clock, according to the statement of Mrs. Harris,
her husband hastily entered the house with an axe in his hand, stating
that the house was surrounded by Indians, whose manner indicated they were
warlike. He seized his wife; but while endeavoring to shut the door, he
was shot through the breast by a rifle ball. He twice after fired his rifle
mechanically and fell upon the floor. His daughter, eleven years of age,
seeing her father shot, went to the door, when she was shot through the
right arm between the shoulder and elbow. The husband reviving, advised
his wife to bar the doors and load the guns, of which there was a rifle,
a shotgun, a revolver and three pistols. Mrs. Harris secured the doors,
but told
her husband she had never loaded a gun in her life. Mr. Harris instructed her how to load the weapons and expired. This brave woman, left to her own resources, commenced a sharp firing upon the savages, who, having burnt the outbuildings, were endeavoring to fire the house. She thus continued to defend herself and daughter, she watching at one end of the house and the child the other, for eight hours, and until about sundown, when the savages, being attracted by a firing on the flats about a mile below the house, left to discover whence it proceeded. She embraced the opportunity and fled to a thicket of willows, which grew along a spring branch near the house, taking with her only a holster pistol. She and her daughter had barely secreted themselves when the Indians, eighteen in number, all armed with rifles, returned, and finding the house abandoned, commenced scouring the ticket. Upon their near approach to her hiding place she fired her pistol, which caused a general stampede. This was repeated several times, and always with the same result until finally, surrounding the thicket, they remained till daylight. Her ammunition was now exhausted; but she retained her position until the volunteers arrived, when the Indians fled precipitately, and she was saved. Mrs. Harris had on the evening previous sent her little son, aged nine years, to the house of a neighbor. He was killed, as well as Frank Reed, the partner of Mr. Harris. This list does not include all who were murdered on that bloody day, many of whom were never heard of afterwards.
Upon the receipt of the news at Jacksonville, at least twenty men sprang into the saddle at once. They did not wait to be enrolled, consequently a full list cannot be obtained; but among them were John Drum, Henry Klippel, James D. Burnett, Wm. Dalland, Alex. Mackey, John Hulse, Angus Brown, Jack Long, A.J. Knott, Levi Knott and John Ladd. Upon their arrival at Fort Lane, they were authorized by Major Fitzgerald to go in advance as a scouting party, stating that he would follow them with his company of fifty-five dragoons in a short time. The narrative of the expedition is copied from the diary of J.D. Burnett, one of the volunteers. He says:
"We left Evans' Ferry at two o'clock on the morning of the 10th of October. The first body found was the body of Jones, whose body had been nearly eaten up by the hogs; the next were Cartwright and his partner, the apple men. As they neared the creek on which Waggoner's house had been situated, they found the Indians were still there. The volunteers crossed the creek, which was thickly bordered by willows, when they met about twenty Indians on horseback, drawn up in line of battle, with a battle flag. The Indians challenged the volunteers to fight, which was quickly accepted; but as the volunteers charged, Major Fitzgerald broke through the willows, and with his dragoons joined in the movement. The Indians suddenly retreated, but too late. Seven were left dead on the ground, and the number of wounded could not be ascertained, as the Indians fled to the mountains where the troops could not follow them, as their horses were already nearly exhausted.
"Upon reaching the Waggoner house,
Mr. Burnett and Alex. Mackey found the bones of Mrs. Waggoner and her little
girl on the hearthstone. Taking some bricks from the chimney, they made
a small vault, into which the deposited the remains with the intention
of removing them upon their return and giving them decent burial. Upon
their return, they found the Indians had taken the bones to a large pine
stump near the house and crushed them to powder. Upon reaching Harris's
ranch, they found Harris dead in the house, and soon discovered Mrs. harris
and her daughter coming toward them from a willow thicket near by. The
girl had been shot in the arm; and both were in a deplorable
condition. After they had buried Mr. Harris, the company was ordered back to take the woman to a place of safety, and to gather up the dead. On the next day, they returned to take care of three wagons belonging to Mr. Knott, which were loaded with merchandise, but fund them all burned with their contents and the teams driven off. In searching the surrounding country; they came to the house of Mr. Haines, where they found Haines and his young son killed; but Mrs. Haines could not be found. As she was never afterwards heard of, she undoubtedly met the fate of Mrs. Waggoner."
There could no longer be any doubt as to the disposition of the savages. Captain Smith of fort Lane, in a letter to the Adjutant-General at Benicia, dated October 14, 1855, said: "All we can do yet for a few days will be to furnish protection to the settlers most exposed, or until they can arm themselves and get together for mutual protection. There are but few arms of any description in the hands of the settlers; and I shall have to provide them with such of my old musketoons as I can spare. A large majority of the Indians are well armed with good rifles of different descriptions. Chiefs Sam, Elijah and Sambo, with upwards of three hundred of their men, women and children, are now at this post under our protection, and will take no part in the war. Chiefs John, Limpy and George, with all their people, are proscribed. We have a very mountainous country to operate it."
The news of the outbreak was rapidly conveyed northward, and was received in the Cow creek valley the same day. A number of travelers, catching the alarm, assembled at Smith's house, about five miles from Elliff's place, at the south end of the Umpqua cañon. J.H. Rinearson at once proceeded to organize a company of volunteers of more than thirty men. Rinearson was chosen Captain, and Chas. Johnson Lieutenant. Hardy Elliff, Stephen Mynatt, Smith, Turner and Redfield, all settlers of the valley, were among the number. At this time Mr. Lawler, a miner on Lower Grave creek, arrived in camp and informed the Captain that the raid of the Indians had been continued down Grave creek. Captain Rinearson, leaving a sufficient number of men to guard the houses of Smith and Levins on Cow creek, proceeded at once to the locality. Just below Lawler's cabin, they were fired upon by the Indians; but, upon the firing being briskly returned, they retreated. Proceeding a short distance further, they found the dead bodies of two miners, which they buried and returned to the road. From this point, they went south to Harris's ranch, where they met the command of Major Fitzgerald, when they returned as far as the Six Bit House, where they remained a few days to guard the road.
On the 17th of October, the Indians
attacked the miners on Gallice creek, numbering about twenty-five men.
The miners hearing of the outbreak, as they had no means of leaving, determined
to defend themselves as best they could. The two houses, which were constructed
with split boards, offered no means of defense; and the log corral was
little better. They dug a ditch and threw up a breastwork; but before this
was finished, early in the morning, the hostiles made the attack, which
lasted all day. The loss of the besieged was three men killed: J.W. Pickett,
Israel B. Adams and Samuel Sanders. Among the wounded were Ben Tuffts,
who soon died, Wm. B. Lewis, W.A. Moore, Allen Evans, John Enixon, Louis
Davis, Milton Blackenridge and Umpqua Joe, a friendly Indian. The Indians
retired at nightfall, of which the Whites took advantage to increase their
defenses. Upon the return of the Indians in the morning, finding the increased
means of defense, and warned, of course, of the succor that was approaching,
they fired a few guns and retreated. Jack Collins and Ben Gentry, who were
sent from Gallice creek as messengers, reported the attack to Captain Rinearson
at his camp on Jump-off-Joe;
and the Captain immediately went to the rescue with his company. Upon their arrival, they found that the Indians had retreated. A short time afterwards, a detachment of regular troops under Captain Smith having arrived, the survivors, including one woman, Mrs. Pickett, with the wounded, were intrusted to their care; and Captain Rinearson returned to his camp on the road near the house of Mrs. Miday.
Lieutenant H.G. Gibson of the Fourth Artillery, with sixty men, who had acted as escort for Lieutenant Williamson on his survey east of the Cascade Mountains, was returning to Benicia by the Oregon road, and was encamped at Winchester when the news of the outbreak on the ninth was received. He at once proceeded to Fort Lane with his command.
On the 10th of October, A.V. Kautz, U.S. Army, with ten men and a guide, started from Port Orford to make an examination of a proposed road to Jacksonville, being entirely unaware of the Indian difficulties. He took a due east course, and in thirty miles reached the big bend of Rogue river. On his arrival, he found the settlers in great alarm from a threatened attack of a large body of hostile Indians from the valley above. It appears that some friendly Indians had come down the valley from Grave creek and warned the settlers to leave; that the Indians had already come down the valley and killed Dr. Reavis on his ranch, and were going to burn his trading post, about four miles below. The settlers, who lived only a short distance below the trading post, did not credit the report at first; but a number of them, accompanied by the Indians who had brought the report, went up to ascertain the truth of the matter. going up the hill carefully, not far from the store, they beheld the house in flames, and some sixty or more Indians dancing the war dance around it. The Indians told them that the war party, after killing the Doctor, came on to the store, where there was a young man, whose name was known only as Sam, and only one or two others near. The savages told Sam they had come to kill him. Thinking they were in jest, he made no attempt at resistance. They did as they threatened, - cut him in quarters and salted him. After taking what flour and other articles they wanted, they set fire to the building. The party who had witnessed the burning fled in all haste, and met Lieutenant Kautz and his party at Big Bend, who at once put his men in a good log house, with nine guns and all the ammunition and stores he had, and left with his guide for Port Orford, where he arrived at one o'clock A.M. on the 16th. He returned immediately with arms, etc., intending to reach his camp at the bend the same night, preparatory to a resistance to the further advance of the hostile party. The foregoing statement of Kautz's expedition is taken from the official report of R.W. Dunbar, Indian agent at Port Orford. Lieutenant Kautz soon returned to Port Orford, induced by the reports of the Indian agents, which represented the disposition of the savages at the mouth of Rogue river and vicinity to be very threatening to the peace of that section.
The belief that all the hostiles
had gone down Rogue river to a place of safety was dispelled on the 24th
of October, when the Cow creek Indians, supposed to be friendly, made their
outbreak. They first attacked a wagon train consisting of three ox teams
and a drove of hogs belonging to the Bailey Brothers of Lane county. The
train had just safely crossed Cow creek on the military road when they
were fired upon. H. Bailey was instantly killed, and Z. Bailey and three
others were wounded. Several of the employés in the rear of the
train escaped unhurt. John Redfield, who lived on the north side of the
crossing of Cow creek, hearing the firing, hitched up his team and, taking
his family in a wagon, started for Smith's house, where many were collected.
On the way his horses
were shot; and the remainder of the distance was on foot. He was successful in reaching Smith's house, although his wife was wounded. The Indians fired Redfield's house after plundering it, and also his barn and all his outbuildings. Lieutenant Johnson, who was at Smith's with Garrick and Mynatt, went up the mountain side near the house to discover the movements of the Indians. They had not proceeded far when they were fired upon by the Indians. Johnson was fatally shot. Mynatt, in going to his relief, was also very badly wounded. Captain Hardy Elliff, under the protection of the guns of the camp, climbed the mountain and brought Mynatt to the house, where he died the next day. The body of Johnson was stripped, scalped and mutilated, but was afterwards decently buried. All the houses, barns and outhouses in the Cow creek valley, with the exception of Smith's and Levins', which were ably defended, were burned, and the settlers' stock stolen, killed or driven off.
Captain Rinearson, whose camp was on Jump-off-Joe about fifteen miles south of Cow creek, was first informed of the attack by Fleming R. Hill, who left his camp in the afternoon and returned after dark, reporting the killing of Bailey. Captain Rinearson, with his company, immediately left for the scene of the murder, which they reached before daybreak. The oxen of the three teams of Bailey were lying in the road where they had been shot down in the yoke, and the hogs running around. Upon crossing Cow creek, they found all the houses burned except Smith's and Levins'; but the Indians had disappeared. The Rev. J.W. Miller of the Methodist church, with his wife, who were at Levins' at the time of the attack, were sent under an escort, commanded by F. M. Tibbats of Rinearson's company, to their home in the Umpqua valley. It is said that on this occasion the reverend gentleman fought as well as prayed.
As soon as the war became an
established fact, Geo. L. Curry, Governor of ORegon, issued a proclamation
for nine companies of mounted volunteers for the defense of Southern Oregon,
four companies to be raised in Jackson county, who were to rendezvous at
Jacksonville and elect a major. This was to be designated as the Southern
battalion. The Northern battalion was to consist of five companies, two
from Lane, one from Linn, one from Umpqua and one from Douglas, who were
to meet at Roseburg and elect their major. Each volunteer was to furnish
his own horse, arms and equipments; and they were to elect their
own officers. This proclamation was dated at Portland, Oregon, October
15, 1855; but, before it reached its destination, more than a dozen companies
had been enlisted and enrolled by Colonel John E. Ross. The names of the
captains of the companies were as follows: Company A, L.S. Harris; Company
B, James Bruce; Company C, J. S. Rinearson; Company D, R. L. Williamson;
Company E, W.B. Lewis; Company F, A.S. Walton; Company G, Miles T. Alcoon;
Company H, W.A. Wilkinson; Company I, I.T. Smith; Company K, S. A. Frye;
Company L, Abel George; Company M, F. R. Hill. The muster rolls of all
these companies included nearly eight hundred men. It is safe to say that
every able-bodied man in the district, of proper age, who could command
a gun, placed his name on the rolls. The first companies organized under
the proclamation of the governor were the Lane county company; Captain
Joseph Bailey, First Lieutenant D.W. Keith, Second Lieutenant Cy. Mulkey,
of seventy men; and the Douglas county company, Captain Samuel Gordon,
First Lieutenant Sam B. Hadley, Second Lieutenant Theodore Prather, of
seventy-five men. These companies left Roseburg on the 28th and arrived
at the Six Bit House on the 30th of October.
Scouting parties from both the regular and volunteer troops had on the twenty-eighth located the main body of the Indians, supposed to be between two and three hundred warriors, on a high range of rugged hills between Cow creek and Grave creek, about fifteen miles west of the road. Captain Smith at once sent word to Colonel Ross, who joined him at his camp near Grave creek late on the night of the twenty-ninth. Captain Smith had in his command one hundred and five men and three officers: First Lieutenant H.G. Gibson, Third Artillery; Second Lieutenant A.V. Kautz, Fourth Infantry; and Second Lieutenant B. Allston, First Dragoons. Colonel Ross had in his command: Captain Harris, company of forty men; Captain Bruce, thirty; Captain Welton, forty; Captain Williams, thirty; Captain Rinearson, forty; Captain Bailey, seventy; and Captain Gordon, seventy-five men; of which he took about two hundred and fifty into action.
The spies of the regulars and volunteers had located the position of the Indians on a hill extremely difficult of access. A plan of attack was agreed upon; and, in order to surprise the enemy, the movement was to be commenced at midnight. The troops moved very near the appointed time, although the orders were received late at night, and at daylight reached a high point of the mountain, where the Indians were supposed to be; but they had disappeared. After a search by scouting parties for some hours, the Indians were discovered on the top of a mountain about four miles to the north. The troops were ordered to march in that direction; and, when within a half a mile, the Indians were seen drawn up in line of battle on the top of Bald Peak, awaiting their approach. The volunteers were so eager for the fray that they threw coats and blankets by the wayside; and the fleetest on foot were foremost in the assault. The first charge, which was made at ten o'clock A.M., drove the Indians from their position into the brush, from whence they poured a deadly fire into the ranks of the Whites. The battle continued throughout the day without intermission. All efforts to turn their position were unavailing, owing to the dense thicket in their rear; and the several gallant charges made by Captain Smith and his regulars only resulted in loss to the attacking party. About dark the firing ceased; and the Whites retired a short distance to obtain water for the wounded and dying.
The next morning, November 1st,
about sunrise, the Indians made a desperate attack upon the camp of the
Whites, which was resisted with great gallantry by both regulars and volunteers;
and, at about ten o'clock A.M., the Indians were forced to retire. As soon
as the fight ceased, the troops withdrew to the road, a portion to the
Six Bit House, which was named Camp Bailey, and the remainder to the Grave
Creek House. The retreat was more trying to the troops than the two days'
engagement, since they were compelled to travel about fourteen miles over
high mountains and cross deep cañons, encumbered by the wounded,
having been without food for forty-eight hours, and with very little water.
They arrived in camp at ten o'clock P.M. The casualties were as follows:
Captain Gordon's company, Hawkins Shelton, James M. Fordice, William Wilson,
severely wounded; Captain Rinearson's company, Henry Pearl, Jacob W. Miller,
killed, James Pearcy, missing, W.H. Crouch, Ephraim Yager, Enoch Miller,
wounded; Captain Bailey's company, John Gillespie, killed, John Walden,
John C. Richardson, James Saphar, Thomas J. Aubrey, John Paukey, wounded;
Captain Harris's company, Jonathan Pettigrew, killed, Ira Mayfield, L.
F. Allen, Wm. Purnell, Geo. Harris, John Goldsby, Thomas Gill, wounded;
Captain Bruce's company, Chas. Goodwin, wounded; Captain Welton's company,
John Kennedy, wounded; Captain Williams' company, John Winters, killed,
John Stannus, Thos. Ryne, wounded. Total, five killed, twenty wounded
and one missing. Of the regular troops, Captain Smith lost three men killed and five wounded; Lieutenant Kautz lost one man killed; Lieutenant Gibson of the Artillery was severely wounded in the thigh on the second day of the fight. It is unfortunate that the official report of this engagement, by Captain A.J. Smith, never reached the office of the Adjutant-General, and cannot be referred to.
There was considerable discussion at the time in regard to the failure of the attack. It failed from no event of gallantry in the officers and men of either the regulars or volunteers, but simply from the fact that it was prematurely made. The Commissary Department for the volunteers had just been appointed, but were not yet organized and could render no assistance. The troops had been hastily assembled, had no opportunity for drill or even consultation, and, worse than all, the topography of the country had not been ascertained nor the position of the enemy determined. A delay of two days would have enabled the scouts to locate the position of the Indians, as well as have furnished a strong reinforcement of volunteers, and two officers of the regular army.
The Indians retained their position on the battle ground, and held their scalp dance to celebrate their victory; but it was dearly purchased. The evidence of this is that they not only failed to pursue the retreating Whites, but left immediately for their stronghold down Rogue river. The loss of the Indians was never ascertained, but must have been at least equal to that of the troops.
On the 30th of October, William J. Martin was elected major of the Northern battalion, and on the next day left Winchester for Canyonville, where two companies of his command were encamped, - Captain Buoy of Lane county, and Captain Keeney of Linn county. At this point he also met Lieutenant George W. Crook and Lieutenant Abbot of the United States Army. Lieutenant Crook had been acting as quartermaster for Captain Williamson's expedition; and Lieutenant Abbott of the Topographical Engineers had been his assistant. They were each encumbered with pack trains, and had no escort. Under the circumstances, they gladly accepted the protection of Major Martin's command, which left Canyonville early on the morning of November 1st. The command reached Camp Bailey about sundown, just as the advance of the troops, with the wounded, were returning from Hungry Hill. The next morning, Major Martin, with Captain Buoy's company and the trains of Lieutenants Crook and Abbott, proceeded to the Grave Creek House, where he met Colonel Ross and Captain Smith. At a consultation, it was determined to make a new attack as soon as the proper preparations could be made therefor. Captain Smith returned to Fort Lane, Major Bruce with his battalion made his camp at Vannoy's Ferry on Rogue river, while Major Martin with the Northern battalion made his headquarters at Grave Creek, but divided his command in such a manner as to protect the main road, and all those points in the Umpqua valley that seemed to be in danger of attack.
Captain John K. Lamerick was appointed Acting Adjutant-General of the Southern troops, and was intrusted with the duty of mustering and organizing the force according to the proclamation of Governor Curry. On the tenth of November, 1855, he mustered in the Southern battalion, which consisted of the companies of Bruce, Williams, Wilkinson and Alcoon. The quota of the Northern battalion was completed by mustering in the Umpqua county company of ninety men, commanded by Captain W.W. Chapman.
M.M. McCarver was appointed Commissary-General,
who made his headquarters at Roseburg. John F. Miller was appointed Quartermaster-General,
but, having resigned to be a candidate for the the Legislative Assembly,
Dr. Joseph W. Drew was appointed in his
stead. After the organization, all the other companies which had been called into service under the militia law of the territory were discharged by Colonel Ross. The forces were still further weakened in November by the transfer of Major E.H. Fitzgerald, with his company of the First Dragoons, from Fort Lane to The Dalles.
After the troops had been supplied with ammunition and provisions, and the position of the Indians having been ascertained to be at the little meadows on Lower Rogue river, Majors Bruce and Martin determined to attack them, which plan of campaign was indorsed by Captain Smith, who ordered Captain Judah, who had recently arrived from Grave Creek, down the trail along the north side of Rogue river. When near the Meadows, it was discovered that the main stronghold of the savages was upon the south side. It was therefore ordered that Major Bruce's command, with Captain Keeney's company of Major Martin's command, should cross the river some miles below the Indian encampment and attack them in the rear, while Major Martin's command, and Captain Judah with the mountain howitzers, should reach a point opposite. On the morning of the 27th, Major Bruce attempted to throw his division across the river, but, while constructing rafts for this purpose, was fired upon by the Indians upon the opposite bank. A sharp fire was kept up all day with little effect upon the Indians, as they were concealed by a dense thicket of brush; and, having lost one man killed, Wm. Lewis, of Captain Kenney's company, and five wounded, he made no further attempt to cross, and sent a dispatch to Captain Judah. The report of Captain Judah to Captain Smith explains more fully the whole circumstances. He says:
"On the 18th of November, I left Fort Lane with fifty men. I was joined at Grave Creek by four hundred volunteers, with whom I pushed on over a rough and mountainous country to what are called the Meadows, upon Rogue river, consisting of bald hills or mountains covered with grass. The Indians, from the most reliable authority, to the number of two hundred, were found posted in a cañon upon the opposite side of the river, about five miles above our camp, and in an almost impregnable position. An attack was organized; and, on the 26th of November, I started from my camp with my command and the howitzer, accompanied by one hundred and thirty volunteers, to gain a position upon a sharp ridge running down in front of their camp, from which I might use the field piece. I had proceeded to a point within two miles of my position when an express reached me from Major Bruce, commanding the Southern battalion of O.T. Volunteers, to the effect that the command destined to cross the river and occupy the rear of the enemy's position was opposed in crossing, and that the services of my command and the howitzer were immediately necessary to protect the passage of the command over Rogue river. I marched back a distance of twelve miles, arriving at camp after midnight, when a crossing was abandoned. A severe snowstorm rendering it necessary to leave upon the subsequent day or lose my animals induced e to return without delay to Fort Lane."
When Captain Judah left Fort
Lane, Captain Smith had but twenty-five men on duty at the post. Upon the
arrival of Lieutenant Underwood with a company of infantry, Captain Smith
resolved to go to his relief, as he had become anxious for the safety of
his command. On the 28th of November, the captain left Fort Lane with fourty-four
men, Lieutenant Sweitzer, Surgeon C.H. Crane and L.F. Mosher, who served
as a volunteer, accompanying the expedition. It was raining hard when the
command left the post. At Grave Creek, Captain Smith sent his horses back
to Fort
Lane, and the company proceeded on foot. The second night they camped at the mouth of Whiskey creek. In the morning the march was resumed in the midst of a heavy snowstorm. Upon nearing the top of the mountain on the trail, one of the mules, loaded with ammunition for the howitzer, lost his footing and went down the cañon an indefinite distance; at least it was never heard from. The order was then given to return to the valley; and that day the advance of the troops commenced to arrive from the Meadows. Captain Smith, in his dispatch to the Adjutant-General, approved the action of Captain Judah, and said: "In order to attack and route the Indians the command must be divided and their camp approached on either side of the river. I will make my arrangements to make this attack as soon as it turns cold and the weather is settled, if I can prevail upon the Northern battalion to occupy the north side of the river." The disposition of the volunteers was the same as before the advance on the Meadows.
The division of the volunteers of the South into two separate commands was a mistake so palpable that it was singular it should ever have been made. But Governor Curry corrected it by ordering their consolidation into one regiment; and the companies were ordered to elect a colonel, lieutenant-colonel and major. The election took place at Grave Creek on the 7th of December, 1855. The candidates for colonel were Captain Robt. L. Williams and Captain L.F. Mosher. It was well understood that Captain Mosher approved of Captain Smith's plan of attack, while Captain Williams preferred to go into quarters until spring. The snow was at that time nearly two feet deep at Grave Creek, and very much deeper on the Rogue river mountains; and, while the most of the Northern battalion favored a winter campaign, the Southern and Captain Keeney's company of the Northern battalion, who had just returned from the Meadows, were opposed to it. Captain Williams was elected Colonel, William J. Martin, Lieutenant-Colonel, and James Bruce, Major. This election virtually ended the campaign for this year. The headquarters of the Southern battalion was established at Vannoy's, and the forces so distributed as to prevent the Indians from reaching the settlement in Jackson county; while the Northern battalion was left the duty of protecting the road and the settlements in the Umpqua valley.
While the main body of the troops
were engaged in the expedition to the Meadows, a band of Cow creek and
Rogue river Indians, who were camped at the Big Bend of Cow creek, commenced
killing cattle on the range. Becoming emboldened by meeting no resistance,
they made a raid upon the settlers. Their first attack was upon a Mr. Yell,
who in the morning had yoked up his team to haul logs, but, finding himself
in the midst of a band of Indians, left his cattle and, mounting a horse,
left to give the alarm, the Indians following him. Meeting I.B. Nichols,
they went to give the information to Captain Gordon, after taking the family
of Mr. Nichols to the fortified house of Mr. Hiat. Captain Gordon being
under orders for Rogue river, could not respond to the call; and Mr. Nichols
proceeded to secure volunteers, but was enabled to secure only three: Thos.
Lytte, Eugene and Isaac Flint. In the morning, they were joined by a party
from Myrtle Creek, consisting of Henry Adams, John Milligan, Isaac Bailey
and James Weaver, and followed the trail by a dead horse or cow until they
arrived at Harrison Rice's place, which had lately been attacked. Mr. Rice,
being prepared, repulsed the attack; but his brother was shot in the arm,
his granary and all the outbuildings burned. The party was soon after joined
by a party consisting of James D. Burnett, Jeptha Green, Michael Hauley,
John Dillard, William Dillard, Edward Gage, Carson McCloud and William
Booth. The Indians, upon being repulsed from the Rices', burnt the schoolhouse and proceeded up the valley of Ten-Mile creek, stealing all the valuable stock and property they desired, and burning all the houses that were not well defended.
The settlers followed close upon their trail; and at Kent's place, which had not been disturbed, they met J.P. Day, Sheriff, and Fred Castleman, of the Quartermaster's Department, who had left Roseburg upon the first information of the raid, in defense of the settlers. Leaving Kent's, they followed the trail until dark, and saw them fire the last house. Shortly after, they saw a campfire in a thick clump of fir timber. The party halted; and James D. Burnett and Pat Day made a reconnaissance. By moving quietly and crawling the last portion of the distance, they were enabled to obtain a full view of the enemy's position. Upon their return, the attack wa deferred until the next morning; and, as they had eaten nothing since morning, they retired to the house of Mr. C. Cullough, two miles distant, for supper. Here they met Sergeant Thomas Holland and eighteen men of Captain Bailey's company, who stated that the Indians had been there the day before and challenged them to fight; but that he had refused, as the Indians outnumbered his command. While here, a plan of attack was agreed upon, which was to be made at daylight. The camp of the Indians was on the west side of the creek; and Holland was to cross the creek below and come up on the east side to cut off their retreat, while the settlers would approach a large fir log which lay near the Indian camp. Just before daylight, the Whites had arrived near the log, when a gun was fired and a charge was made by the Whites. The Indians ran to the log and fired a volley, severely wounding Fred Castleman and slightly wounding J.D. Burnett, when they retreated, leaving three killed, as well as all the horses, guns and other plunder captured on the raid. Some of the party followed the Indians toward their camp at the Big Bend; but a heavy fall of snow checked the pursuit.
A tribe of Indians no less dangerous, known as Jake's tribe, lived in the neighborhood of Butte creek in Jackson county. While professing friendship, they had always refused to go upon the reservation, or place themselves in charge of the Indian agents. They were known to be thieves, and were a standing menace to the Whites. One of the rancherias was situated on the north side of Rogue river, just below the mouth of Big Butte creek. On the night of the 23d of December, a detachment of Captain Rices' company numbering thirty-four men made a night march, and at daylight made a successful attack upon the camp, killing nineteen warriors, and capturing twenty squaws and children. The rancheria was burned. The other part of the tribe was camped on the other side of Rogue river, between Big and Little Butte creeks. At the same time that Rice made his attack upon the other with equal success, killing eight warriors, capturing two, besides the women and children. The captives were turned over to the Indian agent at Fort Lane.
Besides the war, there were but few matters of interest occurring in Southern Oregon during the year 1855. In December, the Umpqua Herald was removed from Scottsburg to Jacksonville, and published as the Table Rock Sentinel by T'Vault, Taylor and Blakesley, the first two being the editors.
The latter part of the year was
remarkable not only from the amount of snowfall, but for being intensely
cold. On the last three days of the year, the thermometer in the Rogue
river and Umpqua valleys marked as low as three degrees below zero.