Spokane County, Washington - Chapter 10: Ixdi.\n Wars, 1900

The original Territory of Washington was the home, or camping and hunting ground of the most powerful and warlike Indian tribes of the Pacific Northwest. The Blackfoot, Nez Perce, Palouse, Pend d' Oreille, Yakima and Spokane triljes were the most numerous, supposed to be aljle to bring to the field of battle ten thousand warriors. The tribes mentioned were all east of the Cascades, and when Washington was constituted a Territory they were foes to be dreaded.

of the wars in which these tribes were eneaeed only such as is necessary to show that incident to the settlement and development of the country have been desperate struggles. The Nez Perce war and the pursuits of Chief Joseph are matters of history. Nearly every part of the country, including the plains of Spokane and western portion of this county, were scenes of battles. The ingathering of the white people to this region, as elsewhere, excited the apiirehension of the Indians. Thev instincti\-ely prophesied the ultimate re-

Before his ax tlie fnrest ihsappearetl the liunting ground was turned to grain fields and fenced, his ride annihilated the game and his superiority humiliated the proud native. It is only natural that such anticipations should arouse the Indians to do their utmost to avert such a disaster by keceping out of their country the dangerous invader. Accordingly wars were inevital)le. The Cayuse war - which we cannot describe - followed immediately the Whitman ma.ssacre. On the 29th day of Xoveml)er, i<S47, Dr. Marcus Whitman and his noble wife, and twelve others connected with the mission were brutal! v murdered by tlie savage Cayuse Indians at \\'ai-il-at-pu. Snon a regiment of Oregon Volunteers came to eastern Washington, and after some fighting the Cayuses abandoned their country, which practically ended the war.

In a few months the Indians returned, and fi\e of them were executed at Oregon City for the murder of Dr. Whitman and others. For a few }-ears after this there were no hostilities or general outljreak but it was a time of dis(|uiet and apprehension. Xo treaty existeil lietween the Indians east of the Cascades and the Cnited States. Go\'ernor Ste\ens made repeated efforts to ha\e a treaty concluded, but to no avail. The Indians pro\ed vacillating if not treacherous, often violating their promises. The discoveries of gold in the Upper Columliia country resulted in the usual rush of miners. Some of the chiefs declared that no American could pass through their country, consequently we soon find the whole country permeated with the spirit of war which continued for some years. We shall confine ourselves to those wherewith the Spokanes were either directly or indirectly connected, (iovernor Stevens came in contact with the Spokanes in his effort to pacify and make a treaty with the tribes of eastern Washington. He Iield a council, when the Pen d'Oreilles. Colville and Spokane Indians came together. The council was held somewhere about the southeast corner of this county at the place of a half-breed called Anonite Plante. It lasted for three days, and as rciiortecl by Governor Stevens, and Father Josel. who was present, was a very storm v one. War broke out soon after this which sjjread all over Washingtcw. and continued for nearly two years, costing nearly six million dollars and many lives. The caml)aigns of Colonels Steptoe and Wright will cover the part taken by the Spokanes. therefore we shall confine ourselves to them. In 1857 Colonel Steptoe was in command at Fort Walla Walla, which had been recently establislied. near the present city of that name. The hostility of the Colville Indians and some depredations of the Palouses led Colonel Steptoe to plan an expedition north of the Snake river with the intention of going as far as Colville. Failing to rightly estimate the power and disposition of the Indians through whose country he intended to travel, he did not deem a strong force necessary. On May 6th he left Walla Walla with one hundred and thirlv dragoons. The march toward the Snake river, across it. and for some distance north of it was made without any interruption. On the 1 6th they were approaching the Spokane country, when to their surprise and consternation they found themselves confronted by hundreds of Indian warriors, estimated from six hundred to one thousand, Palouses. Coeur d' Alenes. Yakimas and Spokanes. Steptoe soon apprehended his perilous situation and actetl both cautiously and prudently. He found reasoning of no avail, for the Indians seemed elated over their opportunity and determined tliat the soldiers should not make any further progress through their country. There was nothing for the .soldiers to do but to retreat. This was done, but thev were followed closelv bv the Indians and insulted as far as abusive language could do it. Colonel Steptoe was determined that the Indians should make the attack. The Palouses were the first to fire. On the iStli a desperate battle took place, with the Indians at least five times as numerous as the United States soldiers. During the first attack, Avhich was a savage one. Captain Oliver H. P. Tavlir and Lieutenant \\'illiam Gastrm were killed. Colonel Steptoe exercised extraordinary militar_y skill to save his men. The soldiers asseml)led on an ele\'ation from which they could see the surrounding hills swarming with savages thirsting for Ijlood. The hfjrses, sadtlled and l)ri(lled. were picJ<- eted. while the men laid flat on the gmund, which was the most advantageous way to prevent charges. The consciousness of danger and a]5parent helplessness made it difficult to imbue courage iutn the suldiers. The darkness of the night proved a bessing in the emergency. When the shadows had co\-ered the hills and ravines, after burying as many of their fallen comrades as they ci.nikl find, when silent midnight was drawing nigh, and most of the Indians had fallen asleep, the soldiers found a way of escape and hurriedly moved along, crossing the Snake rixer and reaching Walla Walla in safety. But they left six dead on the battlefield, among them two gallant officers, and eleven liad Iieen wounded. This memorable battle took place at what is known to-day as Steptoe Butte, about fourteen miles north of Colfax, .^n observatory with a strong telescojie was placed on the highest elevation a few years ago. through which the whole country for sc<ires of miles can be seen on a clear day. It is in the \-ery heart of the richest portion of the Palouse country. The effect of this \-ictiiry on the Indians was to make them bnld and defiant and eager f(ir a conflict with the whites. The i)rinci])al tribes leagued together, and determined to prevent the Americans from coming into their country. Realizing the .seriousness of the situation, General Clarke suon had a consultation of officers at Vancou\-er. Colonels Steptoe and \\'right were i)resent. An expedition to the Spokane country was planned with care and wisdom. Colonel Wright was put in command, wlm in daring and determination, as well as military genius, ' was well fitted. Three comjianies of artillery were called from San b'rancisco. The troops concentrated at Walla Walla and ])reparation and drills were thorough. Before leaving Walla Walla, Colonel Wright had a council with the Nez Perces and secured their friendship and assistance. On the 7th oi August Ca])tain Keyes started and reached the Snake ri\er in a few (kn's. Here a temporary fort was built called I-'ort Ta\'lor in honur of Captain Taylur. On the 18th Colonel Wright arrived. There were altogether six hundred and eighty soldiers; dragoon - one hundred and ninetv; artillerv^four hundred: infantrv - ninetv. They moved along leisurel3r (lav bv day with no special happenings ta break the mcinotmiy until the end of the month. .Vbout this time the Nez Perce scouts, who had been uniformed, brought the news that the Spokanes were near. After they had. marched abijut seventy miles north of the- Snake river, and within twenty miles of the- Spokane river, they fnund theniselves on the first of September in the midst of the Spokane warriors, and on that date the battle of the Four Lakes took pace. The Indians had been waiting and were prepared, but had no idea what was awaiting them. They were defeated, muted and many killed. The battle took place near the beautiful and far-famed town of Medical Lake.

Lieutenant Kip gives a graphic descriptinn of the scene: "On the plain below us we saw the enemy. Every spot seemed alive with the wild wariors we had omie sn far to meet. They were in the pines at the edge of the lakes, in the ravines and gullies, on the oppposite hillsides and swarming over the plain. They seemed tn cover the cDuntry for two miles. ^Mounted on their lleet. hardy horses, the crowd swayed back and forth. brandishing their weapons, shouting their war-cries, and keeping up a song of defiance. Most of them were armed with Hudson's Bay muskets, while others had bows and arrows and long lances. Thev were in all the bravery of their war array, gaudily jiainted and decorated with their wild trappings. Their plumes fluttered abo\'e them, while lieneath, skins and trinkets and all kinds of fantastic embelishments flaunted in the sunshine. Their horses, too, were arrayed in the most gorgeous finery. Some of them were even painted with colors to form the greatest contrast, the white being smeared with crimson in fantastic figures, and the dark-colored streaked with white clay. Beads and fringes of gaud}- colurs were hanging from their bridles, while the pluiues of eagle's feathers, interwoxen with the mane and tail, fluttered as the lireeze floated over them and completed their wild and fantastic api)earance.

"As ordered, the trijops mo\-ed down the hill toward the plain. As the line of advance came within range of the minie rifles, now for the first time used in Indian warfare, the firing liegan. The firing grew hea\ier as the line adxanced, and astonished at the range and effecti\eness of the fire, the entire array of dusky warriors broke and fled toward the plain. The dragoons were now ordered to. charge and rode through the company intervals to the front, and then dashed down upon the foe with heatUong speetl. Taylor's and Gaston's companies were there, and soon thev reaped a red rex-enge for their slain heroes. The flying warriors streamed (_)Ut of the glens antl ra\"ines antl o\er the open plains until they could find a refuge from the flashing salires of the dragoons. When they had f(;und the refuge of the wooded hills, the line of f(iot once more jjassed the dragoons and renewed the fire, dri\Mng the Indians o\-er the hills for about two miles, where a halt was called as the troops were nearly exhausted. The Indians had almost all disappeared, only a small group remaining, ai)parently to \vatch the whites. .\ shell sent from a howitzer, bursting over their heads,' sent them also to the shelter of the ra\ines. Thus the battle ended." The Indian loss was considerable, probal;)ly not less than fifty or sixty killed "and wounded, while, strange to say. not a soldier was injured. This was owing to the use, now for the first lime, of the long-range rifle by the sold.iers. The Indians were panicstricken at the effect of their fire at such great distances. Among the Indians . killed was a brother and brother-in-law of Gearry, head chief of the Spokanes, .After a three days' rest. Colonel Wright and his troops resumed their march toward the Spokanes coming u])on them in about five miles. As the column ad sauced, the Indians set fire to tlie grass and under co\er of the smoke spread themselves out in front and on both sides of tlie troops. The men charged through the flames, driving the enemy before them and following them for many miles until they reached Spokane river where the troops encamped. This is known in history as the Battle of the Spokane Plains, and t]\e hundred Indians were engaged, a number of which were killed, and Kaniiakin, the war-chief of the ^'akimas. was wounded. It took place Septemlier 3. 1857. After resting a day the forces UKneil up the river and encamped abo\e the falls. Chief Gearry crossed the river and had a talk with Colonel Wright, [jrofessing to be against the war. Cjearry was in many respects a bright Indian. He had receixed some education while young in the Episcopal school at the Red River settlement. After making .some efforts to have the Indians adopt civilized methods he retrograded back to the ways of the natives. There are tliose who came in close contact with him who do not beHeve tliat he possessed the nobihty and integrity that characterized some of the leading Spokane Indians. And there is good reason to dou1)t the sincerity of his representations to Colonel Wright. The Colonel talked plainly to him. saying that if he and other Indians wanted peace, they conld have it Ijy complete surrender, which was promised. The march was resumed on the 8th, and about ten miles east of the city the Indians were seen driving their horses to the mountains. But the horses were captured and shot, except one hundred and thirty picked ones that were kept for the use of the troops. The defeat in battles, the destruction of their liorses, and the hanging of several that had participated in the murder of the whites, completely humiliated the Indians.

Colonel Wright held a council at the Cceur d' Alene mission on the 17th and with the Spokanes on the 23d, when it was found that the Indians were prepared to enter into a treaty nf entire submission to the whites. This ended the era of Indian wars in eastern ^\'ashington.

In the "History of Walla Walla County,"' by Frank T. Gilbert,published in the year 1882, we have probably as trustworthy an account of Colonel Steptoe's campaign as can be found anywhere. He had an opportunity to hear the story of Steptoe's defeat from those who had been in the conflict, especially Sergeant ^Michael Kenny, who had charge of six men in the extreme rear and the last to leave camp during the retreat. He states that after one hundred mules had been loaded with the camping outfit "there Zi'as no room remained for the iimmunition."

With only such ammunition as each soldier chanced to have with him, they entered the country of unfriendly Indians. The probability is that the officer in command was not aware of the lack of ammunition when he started. But he has not been whollv exoneratefl for not knowing whether his forces were in conditiun to fight.

After describing the hand to hand struggle in the rear and left where gallant Lieutenant Gaston, and Captain Taylor, "The bravest of the brave," fell, wlien to continue the retreat would probably have resulted so disastrous as to leave few, if any, to tell the tale of the expeditinn, he says: "Steptoe went into camp at this [jlace, as he could do nothing else, threw out a picket line and buried such dead as had not been left on the way. At a council of war it was decided to Iniry their howitzer, and leave the balance of their stores and pack train for the Indians. It was hoped that the abandijned proi)erty would cause the savages to spend time in examining and dividing it among them, which might give the soldiers an opportunity to get heyond pursuit, could they steal through their lines. The Indians, camped in plain sight in the bottom, left the soldiers comparatively unmolested, supposing that with the morrow they had but to make an onslaught and end the matter with a general massacre. The white camp was surrounded by Indian sentinels who were guarding every avenue of escape save one. This was a difficult pass and it was not supposed that the soldiers knew about it, or could traverse the route if they did. This was the only hope left the command, and here is where the Xez Perce chief, Timothy, and his two living associates became the salvation of the whole party. But for him probably not one of the partv would have escaped. The night was cheerless and dark, and when all had become comparatively still, the entire force mounted and followed this chief in single file as silently as possible out through the unguarded pass. Lieutenant Gregg was in command of the rear guard. Sergeant ^lichael Kenny, now a policeman in U'alla Walla city, had charge of six men in the extreme rear and was the last to leave camp. From him and from Thomas Beall, of Idaho, who was also there,

"The wounded of each company were taken care of by some of their comrades detailed for that purpose, and several were so badly hurt as to lie helpless, who were tied upon pack animals to be carrieil along with the retreating force. Among the latter was a soldier named McCrossen. whose back was l)roken, and Sergeant Williams, who was sliot through the hip. The latter begged for poison of the doctor and to be left behind, preferring death to the terrible ride before him. He tried to borrow a [listol with which to shoot himself, from Lieutenant Gregg, and failed. He was then placed upon and lashed to a horse, with his bn_)ken hi[), when a comrade led the animal away on the trail. The torture of this rough motion driving him to a frenzy, he soon threw himself from this living rack and slipped down the animal's side. His comrades then loosened the thongs binding him to the horse's side, and riding away into the darkness, left him there, calling upon them in the name of God to gi\-e him something with which to take his life. Poor Mc- Crossen, with his broken spine, was tied upon a pack-saddle that turned on the animal's back and he was precipitated between the aninial's legs, when a soldier named Frank Poisle cut the lashing, and he was left, too, by the trail calling to his comrades, 'Give nie something for God's sake to kill myself with.'

that long dark night they followed at a trot, or gallop march, the faithful chief upon whose judgment .and fidelitv their lives all depended. The wounded, excejit those who could take care of themselves, were soon left for the scalping knife of the savage, and with seemingly but one impulse, the long shadowy line of fugitives passed over the plains and hills tinvards the Snake ri\er and safety. Twenty-four hours later they had ridden seventy miles and had reached that stream about four miles down it from where the Indian guide lived, at the mouth of Alpowa creek. Going up the river to near Timothy's village, that chief placed his own people out as guards, and set the women of his tribe to ferrying the exhausted soldiers and their effects across the stream. This was not completed until near daylight of the next day and on the joth Steptoe's party met Captain Dent with supplies and reinforcements, on the Pataha creek where the road from Dayton to Pomeroy now crosses it. Here the wornout fugitives went into camp to rest, and while here were overtaken by Chief Lawyer of the Nez Perces at the head of a formidable warparty, who wished for the soldiers to go back with him and try it over again with the northern Indians. But they had no desire to follow tlie advice of this friendly chief, and contiiuied their way to Walla Walla."

number of killed and wounded we have been unable to ascertain. Mr. John Singleton, of Walla ^\'alla, a participant, states that two officers and ten men were killed before the halt at Cache creek, and'si.x menlater."

"On tlie way. Chief Gearry came in to ask that i)eace might be granted the Spokanes, and Colonel \\'riglit replied to him : 'I have met you in two battles, and you have been badly whipped : you have had several chiefs and many warriors killed and woiuided : I have not lost a man or animal. I have a large force, and you. Spokanes, Cceur d' Alenes, Palouses, and Pend d' Oreilles may unite, and I can defeat you as badly as before. I did not come into the country to ask you to make peace : I came here to fight. Now. when you are tired of war and ask for peace I will tell you what you must do. You must come to me with \our arms, xour women and children, and everything you have and lay them at my feet. \ ou must ]nit your faith in me and trust to my mercy. If you will do this. I will then gi\e you the terms upon which I will give you peace. If you do not do this, war will be made upon you this year and the next, and until your nations shall be exterminated.' To tlie Indians Coloiiel Wright and liis soldiers were a devastating scourge, and a comet apjjearing in the Iieaven at tliis time, lent its terrifying, nightly presence to quench the last spark (.)t resistant patriotism among them ! They were crushed indeed when they saw that the Great Spirit had sent his Haming sword to hang over them in the heavens."

Reaching the mission. Colonel Wright found the Indians so terrified as to he afraid to come in. They wanted peace. l)ut they were afraid to come near the soldiers who handled them so roughly. With the assistance of the priests this \\as finally accomplished ; and the inter\-iew which followed we give as a sam])le of se\'eral others held later with the tribes that had been hostile.

"I have committed a great crime. I am deeply conscious of it anrl am deeply sorry for it. I and all my peo])le are deeply rejoiced that you are willing to forgi\'e us for it. I have done."

Colonel Wright: ".\s yiiur chief has said, you have ci.nimitted a great crime. It has angered your great father and I have been sent to ]uinish you. You attacked Colonel Steptoe when he was passing peaceably through viiur cnuntry and ynu ha\-e killed some of his men. But you ha\'e asked for peace and you shall ha\-e it on certain conditions place my soldiers on ynur plains, by your fishing grounds, and in the mountains where you catch game, and yiiur helpless families can not run awav.

"^'nu shall have peace on the fullowing conditions: You must deliver to me to take to the Ceneral, the men who struck the first Ijknv in the affair. \'()u must allow all troops and other white men to jiass unmolested through your country. \'ou must not allow any hostile Indians to come into your country, and not engage in any hostilities against any white man. I promise you. that if you will comjily with all my rer|uirements, none of yrmr people shall be harmed, but 1 shall withdraw from your country."

Colonel George Wright, whose exjjedition to this upper country w.'is so successful, and who dealt such effective blows, having hardly a parallel in Indian warfare, was a bra\-e and efficient soldier. He was a native of Vermont, a graduate of West Point in 1822, ser\-ed in iMexico, and was made colonel March 3, 1855, for gallant conduct. In 1S55 he was gi\'en command of the Ninth Infantry, wherewith .he came to the Pacific coast and served with distinction in the Indian wars of Washington Territory. In 1861 he was made general of volunteers and placed in command of the Pacific Coast Department, which he held until relieved by General ^Ic- Dowell. He and his wife and meml)crs of his staff were on board the steamer Brother Jojiathan that went down off Crescent City, Oregon, the 30th of July. i^(>^. where all were lost.