THE BTJJfDAY OIIEGONIAN. POIITIVAISTV AUGUST 8, 1915,.
LARGER ARMY IS VITAL PROBLEM OREGON HELPS SOLVE
1 11 1 " " 1 1 I M I - - - . . . .. - ! . , I I ...... m 111 I .. r - -- ,
Special Congress Possible to Increase Tiny ForceState's Cayalry Troop Sets Example of Efficiency and Wins Praise at Maneuvers.
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v lift united SUIti from tha War Depmrt- 11 ) 1 I I
1 I I I Oregon'a troop wu muatcrod Into f-tl . X,, " I I
I II I I th rvlc of tha tte. Dwnraber It. 1 - I I
I II If 1U. by Colonel Jamas Jackson. Unltad . . . A I J
I j II II Etatra America, retired, with i en- , ', .'.J f
I If II fl Hated men and tha following officers: ( , . Vafe
1 11 If If Captain Frank P. Tebbetts: llrst lieu. .' '.. - UMaua '
I I t If
Hi
OUPXRISOS of the Army of the
United eutes with those of the
bclHcerents rereala ia a startling
decree the extent of our Inefficiency In
tha matter of National defense. Bo
cat has tha matter of defense In the
event of war become that there la a
possibility of President Wilson calling
a special session of Congress with
view of increasing our standing Army
from one of a possible 2ZS.000 to one
f a certain tao.Oqe Immediately avall-
aoie men.
One of tha various branches of the
Vnlted Statea land force giving the
War Department no little concern Is
tha development of tha cavalry. This
branch Is one of the moat Important.
and la woefully lacking in numbers.
Long Training Repaired.
Cavalrymen require long and careful
training and must be aoldiera of the
highest type. They must be tactful,
S'K-rellsnt. Intelligent and resourceful.
They are trained In all tha branches
of infantry with the addition, of the
aabar and pistol, and must feel at home
on a horse. One authority expressed
tha training of a trooper In a nutshell
when be said. Troopers are not sol
diers. but professors.
In war time cavalrymen are tha eyes
and ears of tha army. Their work
consists in reconnaissance, patrolling.
spying and protecting the main army
against surprise, screening Its move
menta and Inauring tha safety and suc
cess of the troops of other arms.
Tha practical work of a trooper la
designed to mske him self-reliant. He
la taught to read and sketch a map.
to Judge distances accurately, to read a
compasa and to know the stars. He
must know how to entrench, and la
also Instructed la tha simpler forms
f engineering.
SI I litis. Kimriiri
Tha training of this branch requires
time and patience, and to foster Its
development and bring It up to the
proper-footing tha War Department Is
encouraged the organisation of mili
tia cavalry. Nearly all the states have
responded, and with a result that Gov
ernment military observers are well
pleased with tha results obtained and
are encouraged at tha possibilities of
Jts extension.
Oregon hss kept pace with her sis
ter states. Two yeara ago, through the
energy of Captain Frank P. Tebbetts.
there was orgsnised in Oregon a troop
f cavalry which la known aa Troop
"A." Ore eon National Guard. Troop
"A." In tha two years of Its existence,
already has won for Itself an enviable
record among militia cavalry organlxa
ttona and following the close of Its
first encampment received tha highest
rating of any., militia troop ia tht
United Stales from tha War Depart
ment. Oregon's troop was mustered into
tha service of the state. December II.
11J. by Colonel Jamaa Jackson. United
Stales America, retired, with ii en
listed men and tha following officers:
Captain Frank P. Tebbetts; first lieu
tenant.. Charles W. Helme. and second
lieutenant. . William F. Coplan. Lieu
tenant Helme hss been promoted to the
command of Battery "A." field Artil
lcry. during tba year.
- Troop's Roll Given.
Tba following man comprise the
present membership of tba troop:
First sergeant, John M. Greif; senior
duty sergeant. Rodgera MacVeagb;
quartermaster, H. U. Doollttla, Ser
geants. R. A. Blyth. Joseph M.
Wackrow. F. C Hogan. H. U
Wright. O. a Looney and W.
K. ekidmore: corporals, U A. Pick
ett. R. 8. Olson. F. J. West, F. V.
Cloyd. H. R Klff and & E. Lawrence;
lance corporal, R. R. Knight; musi
cians. C W. Lightner and E. H. Davis;
farrier, J. IL R. Keyworth; borseshoer.
a. .Lamb; ssddler, J. G. Scbroeder;
wagoner, T. H. Wiley: cooks, J, J. Lane
and W. K. Frank; privates, J. C. Adams,
H. Allen. A. A met, C. E. Bayley. E.
J. Brodersen, E. J. Buckman, R. Burr,
C. Carruxxl, l. J. Savey, F. Davidson.
H. F. Davis, K. 8. Felton. A. T. Oerber,
C. E. GJ edsted. D. O. Gossler, - U P.
Graham, 8. O. Haight, C. C Ireland,
clerk: L. H. Keera. U. A. Lent, R. U.
Mathles. L. N. Myers. J. P. Murpby.
Percy Penman, W. K. Singleton, 1.
Fpooner. M. L. Tebbals. C. A. Tucker.
R. R. VI n yard. R. H. Wright. T. Collins.
R. J. Mulligan, J. Moltxner. F. P. Hog
enback. O. G. Walker. H. A. Cook. J.
F. Cook. H. Holxan. a Bowlby. P. R.
Dickenson. J. T. Dillon, K. J. Douglas.
F. J. Falling. O. W. Falk. P. W. Gil
lette. J. 1L Hendrickson U Hobbs. C
A. Stewart and H. B. Stokes.
Captain Tebbetts had In mind when
he organised the troop the maintaining
of a high type of enlisted men, and this
Ideal has been carried out. only young
men or cnaracter and good habits being
accepted for enlistment.
Among tha membership of the troop
are a number of veterans of different
wars. Second Lieutenant Coplan has
seen service In tha regular Army and
is a veteran of tha Spanish War. First
Sergeant Greif has aeen service In both
the Navy and in tha regular Army. Ben
Lamb la a veteran of the Spanish War
and has seen service In both Cuba and
tha Philippines. Sergeant Blyth and
Prlvatea Keyworth. Gjedated and Bay-
ley are veterans of the South African
War. Several others have seen serv
ice in tha United States. Swiss. Italian
or German armies.
It la Interesting to note tha various
racial elements that compoae the
membership of tha troop and realize
tha practical way in which they have
become "Americanised." in tha troop
are found Swedes. Irishmen. Danes,
Scotchmen. Italians. Englishmen. Swiss.
Australians, Germans, New Zealanders
and Americana.- .
With tha single exception of horses.
the Government Issues to each new
member of tha troop a full equipments
consisting of the following articles:
Two complete uniforms, two caps, one
campaign hat. one overcoat, ona slicker,
two ollva-drab flannel shirts, one
Springfield rifle, one automatic Colts
pistol, one saber, two belts, ona Mc
CicUaa saddie, n fair sad-Ua bags, I
oaa pair curry comb and brush, ' one
lariat and -picket pin, one halter, one
bridle, one canteen with an aluminum
cup, one mess kit with cooking outfit,
one-half shelter tent, one sleeping blan
ket and ona saddle blanket.
During the year mounted drill Is held
once a week and horses for this pur
pose are leased by the troopers them
selves from
Academy.
During tha year the troop ' meets
twice a week, onca at tha Portland
Riding Academy for mounted drill and
once at the Armory for rifle, saber and
pistol drill, and a variety of other work
with .which they must become familiar.
Captain Tebbetts has also taken up
for the troop a great deal of advance
work, such - as map reading, . road
sketching, entrenching and the simpler
forms of field engineering.
Sundays, weather conditions permit
ting, are usually devoted to target
practice. In this particular phase of
militia activity the state and Federal
Government, are offering numerous in
ducements. . Medals are offered for
marksmen, expert riflemen and sharp
shooters. Each year the state holds a
shooting tournament, when teams from
all the state militia organizations com
pete for prises. From this match rep
resentatives are selected to represent
tha state in tha National " shooting
match at Jacksonville, Fla. This year
Troop A 'won the Western Division
shooting match by winning both the
individual and troop prises at Mon
terey. Cat. Private L. Spooner won the
Individual prize. Both p.rizea consist of
handsome loving cups.
Each year the troop, holds an en
campment. The first one in 1914 was
held at Gearhart. Or., and. the last one
at Monterey, Cat. The maneuvers just
finished at the Presidio of Monterey
were the largest cavalry maneuvers
ever held on the Pacific Coast, and
were attended by troops from Califor
nia, Utah. Oregon and the two Regular
Army troops stationed at the post. ;
Work of High Grade.
This year's work was of a high
grade and satisfactory to the officials.
It started with the simple and elemen
tary instruction in horsemanship and
ended with the advance work of the
squadron. Three advance-guard actions
were fought, and were as real as blanle.
cartridges could make them. The Ore
gon troop distinguished itself in all of
them.
In the largest of these advance-guard
actions Captain Tebbetts was in com
mand of one army and Major Kay. of
Los Angeles, was In command of the
other. In this action Troop A suc
ceeded in capturing- the enemy's horses
and assisted in outflanking and crump
ling their left flank.
Troop A created a favorable impres
sion at Monterey. Colonel Foltz, corn,
mander of the post, said that if ha
hadn't known the Oregon troop to b
a militia organization he would hava
credited It with being a Regular Army
troop. He further said that its dis
cipline was perfect and conduct was
exemplary. Inspector-Instructor Lieu
tenant Joyce was well pleased with,
the Oregon troop and before leaving
for home told the members that they
were the .best militia cavalry troop
he had ever seen. These sentiments
were expressed by several other offi
crs who attended the maneuvers.
DESPERATE FIGHTS WITH
REDS TOLD BY VETERAN
Attempt of Indians to Lead Force Into Trap Laid by Wily Chiefs Recalled
and Description of Battle -Given. .
Is a continuation of a
following
of activities of the Indian war
M
Th
narrative
Vslrsns In tha Paciflo Northwest durlnx
ths early days of Oreson. when thess fight-,
rs ssve-.vallant. service la protecting the
settiera)
BI A. B. ROBERTS.
ARTICLE NO. 8.
AJOR CHINN. upon reaching the
Umatilla, received word by his
scouts and half-breed Indians that
great numbers of warriors, comprising
most of tba Yakimaa and all of tha
Spokana and Palouse tribes, had
crossed the Columbia and Snaka Rivers
and taken possession of the old trading
post of the Hudson's Bay Company at
the mouth of the Walla Walla, on tba
Columbia River, and that there they
were intending to make their great
fight to regain their lands so recently
sold.
Wa had in Company A a volunteer
who had coma to Fort Walla Walla to
replenish supplies and. finding ths
trading post abandoned, had coma on
to The Dalles, where ha enlisted with
us. His name was Washington Alex
ander.
Wa had mada what would be called
nowadaya a forced march from The
Dalles. 150 miles In three daya. and
now wa were ordered to rest nntll the
next evening, 14 hours, and at dusk to
start across the trackless plains -30
miles, and before .the break of day we
would surprlae the enemy In his strong
hold. March Hade All Night.
Wa pushed on all tha long night,
cheerfully singing our favorite songs,
not knowing that our guide was lost
in the trackless bunchgraas. and It was
not until after II A. M. the next day
that we came In algbt of tha Walla
Walla Valley, - three miles from the
old fort. All was still. There was a
quiet as It Death brooded over- tha
beautiful valley: not an Indian, not a
horse or a cow was to ba seen.
Coming down on to tha river.- wa
mada camp, and soon .many of us went
down to the old fort, where we found
everything of value to an Indian had
been taken. Large numbers of picks
and ahovala were scattered about; in
ona room tncra were - quantities of
freen coflte, the sacks having. een.re-
moved and stolen. But where had the
enemy gone?
During the following night they were
evidently around, us, as signal lights
were frequently seen. About 9 o cloca
the next morning 30 or 40 Indians were
seen on the hills near by, and under
Lieutenant Pillow, of Company A, 30
men went out after them. As wa ap
proached. they retreated but wa fol
lowed. From each hilltop on which
they stopped we drove them, but we
did not succeed In getting near enough
to get in any ef rectusl shots, w e pur
sued them for IS or 30 miles, and late
In the afternoon we started for camp.
Wa met Colonel Kelly with T5 men.
accompanied by Nathan Olney, the
agent for the Eastern tribes, and some
Indian interpreters. They soon got
an Interview with those Indians we
left on the hill.
He was told that fhey were sent out
by Peu-Peu Mox-Mox. the head chief
of tha Cayuses, to invite us to bis
camp; that he was friendly: that it
was the Takimas that had destroyed
the Hudson s Bay fort and carried off
the goods. He wanted us to come to
his camp 'and talk, and would have a
grand feast for us, they said. We
sent him word that we would come the
next day, and then returned to our
camp near the old fort. We went to a
trap, but didn t enter.
The next morning Colonel Kelly,
with a large portion of his command.
started for Peu-Peu Mox-Mox' camp.
which was reported to be on the
Tpuchet, 15 miles from Its Junction with
tha walla Walla, , while Major Cbinn
was ordered to move tha remainder of
tba force and our supplies up to the
mouth of that stream..
Crossing the plains for 15 "miles we
came to. the Touchet, and watered our
horses, and. went up on the hills to
graze .them a little on the fine grass.
Jn a abort time we saw ISO Indians
coming over ' the hills, .about a mile
away. We immediately mounted and
rode rapidly towards them. On they
came in. battle array, and it waa now
evident that we were to have a nice
battle on that beautiful plain now
known as Eureka Flat. .
.n. t&ey. came . until near gunshot,
and then they commenced to fly a
white flag.. A halt was called, and
some of our officers went out and met
the chief. - It waa Peu-Peu Mox-Mox
himself with many of his leading
chiefs and picked warriors.
He gave us the same story; that he
was friendly: that it was Kamlakin
and the other tribes that had carried
off the goods and robbed the Hudson's
Bay fort, in which was stored zzo.ooo
worth- of company goods and more
than 310,000 in Government atorea.
placed there after the treaties of the
previous June.
Great Banquet Promised.
Thia is the story they told us. and
now they had come out to meet us, and
make sura that we would go with
them, where they had a feast pre
pared for us. where many fat cattle
were roasted and ready.
We started, and we joined in with
the herd and rode and mingled with
them. I met many Indians with whom
I had dealt when buying horses in that
country before tha treaties, and while
I was a claimant to land in that coun
try afterwards. As we rode along we
observed that every one of them was
wearing a new Hudson's Bay or a Gov
ernment blanket, right from the old
fort.
Of course we knew there was some
thing wrong, but we went on, and in a
few miles came to tha bluff overlook
ing the Touchet Valley.
From above, the river wound around
for about three-quarters of a mile, in
closing about 60 acres of beautiful
meadow bottom. On the river above
in a wide, open valley, the Indians
were camped, where the feast was pre
pared. Of course there was a trail
leading out of this little valley to their
camp..
To go down into the valley was a
steep and bad trail over which a white
man would lead his horse, but would
not attempt to ride. -
Chiefs Become Prisoners.
As we arrived at thin point the main
body of tba enemy was modestly be
hind us, while tha great war chief, with
eight or ten of his leading warriors,
was riding with our officers.
It was now near sundown and, as
e halted for a moment, one of the
officers said to Colonel Kelly, "I don't
think it Is safe to go down there at
this time of day."
Colonel Kelly said: "Take these
chlefa prisoners." I was riding near by
with some of Company A. and I turned
around with about 25 men and sur
rounded eight of them, inoluding the
great war chief and two of bis sons.
wa turned immediately aown tne
river, ona and . one-half mjjes, where1
there waa a wide, o; -n valley, and
camped for the night.
The chief was immediately charged
with his perfidy, and an effort to trap
us, but he denied it, and declared that
his warriors would come and talk. But
all were out of reach, and none would
come in, and he would call and call,
"Wlnum! Winum!" but no one would
"winum. We sent one of the cap
tured chiefs with a special message,
but he never returned.
All were held under a strong guard
during the night, and all the time ISO
warriors were Just out of reach.
When morning came we started for
the supposed camp of the-chief. We
returned to the plains and descended
Into that little valley, down that rocky
trail, and examined the. conditions that
had existed there the evening before.
Hiding Place Discovered.
We found. Just back of a growth of
rose bushes and willows, a space
cleared of small brush, which had ap
parently been occupied by many hun
dreds of well-armed India t warriors,
who were ready to rise, up and rush
upon us. while those behind us. who
were to close the door to prevent any
retreat, would have murdered us all in
the same way General Custer and his
force were slain years later.
After this examination of the ground
we moved out through a narrow trail
Into a wide, open valley, one and one
half miles above, where we found i
deserted camp in which the combined
Indian tribes had been hiding, waiting
for us.
But it was now deserted. All expec
tations had been frustrated, and a
grand rush had been made during the
previous night. All were gone 30,
000 Indians, with more than 300,000
head of stock, had moved out, and a
trail three-quarters of a mile wide,
newly made through the grass and
sagebrush, led in a southeasterly di
rection. Foes Hover Near Troops.
Wa spent the day with our prisoners
calling and calling to the 200 or more
Indiana in the hills near us, but none
would come. They seemed to be hover
ing about, hoping that their great chief
might escape and they could carry him
away.
Later in the afternoon we crossed
tha hills to the mouth of the river,
where we arrived after dark, and has
tened to our supplies, from which we
had been separated for two days, and
we found Major China there with the
"goods."
Again we held our prisoners through
the night, and gave the same calls of
"Winum, winum," but none came to
talk. r ;
.The following morning it, was fle5
cided that, as the enemy would neither
talk nor figrht, we would move up
Into the valley and obtal i a suitable
place to Winter.
Indians Attack From Hills.
An early move was made, and as wa
passed over a low range of hills over
looking the beautiful talla Walla
Valley a battle opened and our advance
guard was probably a mile up the
valley, when from the hills, the plains
and the timber along the river there
poured upon us more than 2000 well
armed and powerful redskins, and the
greatest battle ever fought with the
Indians west of the Rockies was on.
It was the most desperate battle
ever- fought west of the Rocky Moun
tains, for it was to be the last chance
for the Indians to recover their homes,
so recently sold to the palefaces; and
it was not ended in one short brush,
but it continued for four days and al
most aa many nights. Even the last
afternoon a most desperate flank
movement was made, when a rush was
attempted and they fired many shots
into the open side of our stockade
fort.
This was one of the battles in which
the Indian War Veterans of the North
west Coast participated.
MUDHOLE IS GOLD MINE
Illinois Farmer Gets Big- Pay ; for
ALTON, 111., Aug. 1. A large mud-
hole near Oldenburg, 11 miles south of
Alton, is bringing Fred Hackenthal,
farmer, goodly sums for his services in
pulling out autos etauea in the hale.
The road for 400 feet runs through
black gumbo soil, in which auto wheels
sink to the hubs and remain Immov
able. Then the autoists call on Hack
enthal, who lives nearby, and he hauls
them out for Si. He made t40 this way
in one Sunday.
Modest Suffs Resent Wicked Law.
GART, Ind Aug, 1. Local suffra
gists have discovered that before wo
men can' vote in Indiana the election
laws must be revised, A section' of tha
law reads: "The curtains In front of
the booths must be of sufficient height
from the floor to make the lower limbs
of the voter plainly visible to the elec
tion officers."
In 1914 ths total valus of all farm Drndiirtii
in the United stati a approximately Sl,
000.000,000. which Is tS3.000.000 more than
tne iouu zor mia, ana Drae. all raootas.