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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (July 29, 1887)
trttrtuMw. fe it IT '4 P si; ' 5rl VOL. XIX. OREGON PIONEER HISTORY BKETCHES OP EARLY DAYS HEN AND y TIMES IN THE FORTIES. DV S. A CLAHKK fc. Copjrrlzht appllaj lit. All rUhtl mttrti The Cayusa War Inaugurated by tbo News of Whitman's Massacre. In tlioir new homes among tlio soli tuJcs of tlio Pacillc, (bo American set tlors onjoyed tho great blessing of pence. Tho Hudson Day company wns n For eign corporation, with opposing, and at times conflicting interests, but the groat humanity and Christian sympathy ol its cliiof factor. Dr. McLoughlin, secured for them supplies and nssistanco thnt could not havo been otiicrwiso procurod, upon torms that wcro liboral, consider ing placo and distance. Tho Hudson Bay company might havo been, in a covert way, inimical to Americans, and havo greatly retarded scttlomcnt. It dispols all thought of ill-fooling and in tent ion on tho part of "tho groat mo nopoly," 08 somo oarly writors stylo this company, to rcmombor tbt kindness and assistance rondorod Amoricans strengthened nud encouragod an clo niont that would cortainly in time sup plant English power nnd dothrono tho then all powerful fur company. Tlioro bad grown up a sorni-barbario cinpiro among tho savago wastes and great mountain ranges that occupied tho wido continent to tho north to Pugot sound on tho wost to Hudson's bay on tho Atlantic a stretch of over 4000 miles from ocean to ocean. Tho groat chief factor poscossod many of tho qualities of aconquoror, and oven mora of tho characteristics of a great ruler, for ho bad not only undisputed control of many men who represented civilization, but his namo was respected and oven reverenced ns that of a mighty chioftain among tbo savago tribes west of tho Rocky mountains. Ho and tho company ho represented wcro supromo ovor this groat territory. Had bo wish ed to combino the savngo tribos under his dominion to sweep away missions and settlers, to froo tlio mountains of in dependent trappors and hunters, it could havo boon easily done nnd it would havo been diflicult to fix tho re sponsibility upon tho Hudson Hay com pany of its cbiof. That ho did not do so is plainly enough show by tho history of oarly missions and immigrations. His warm sympathy with ninny Amor icans was shbwn by his kind acta, gen orous deeds and genuine hospitality. So when war carno tho infant govern ment turned toward tho Hudson Bay company for assistance without a sus picion that it was implicated in tho ninsb.icre, though at this time John McLoughlin was not its cbiof factor and the London direction hnl reserved what was considered his too liboral policy to ward Americans. The news of tho Waiitlntpu massacre carno to tho settlements of Wostcrn Ore gon like a tluliulerbolt from a peaceful sky. McDean sent a messongor a French Canadian to Vancouver with tho terrible story, and very singularly, ordered him not to give, tbo news to Mr. Hiumnu, who was stationed at The Dalles mission, though be heard of a war party being sent for its destruction. Mr. Hiuman furnishes this messenger a canoo and accompanied him to Van couver, only to learn of the atrocity of Waiilatpu ami the danger threatening his own people, as they were wind bound at Capo Horn. This action by Mclieuu was inexcusable. The letters opened at Vancouver told tho story and Hinman returned to Tho Dalles, sending word to Gov. Abernathy to hasten h small force there without an instant's delay. Mr. Douglas also sent an official ac count of the massacre and the news went hastening by the winter roads through the scattered tcttlementa. It was indeed a "time mat tried men's s cfy nnnrir jf SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, souls." Tbero wcro fow regular routes, not many laid out roadc, and mails were casual uappomngs rumor tiian nn or ganized system. Tho only government was tho provisional organization, which was everything to tho pcoplo in this emcrgoncy, as it gavo coberenco to pub lic action, nud character to tho claim for nssistanco in tho purchase of sup plies and munitions of war. Tho provisional lcgislaturo was in scision for it wns December wbon tho news of tho mnssnero came, suddenly and so unexpectedly, upon tho iicnccful Willnmotto valley. Gov. Abcrnctby immediately sent n mossago to tbo leg islative assembly, in which ho briefly announced tho fact and urged ''immo- diato and prompt notion." Ho suggest ed "tho propriety of applying to tbo Hudson's Hay company and tho mer chants of this placo (Oregon City) for a loan to carry out whatever plan you may fix upon." Ho had fnith thnt nil ex penses would be promptly met by tbo national govcrnmont. Assistance must bosontto survivors and nil persons in tho upper country, nnd an escort to con vey them to civilization. It was n momontuous timo when this messago reached tho houso and was read, togcthor with tbo letters of Mc Dean and Gov. Douglas, that convoyed tho information of tho massnero. Mr. Ncsmith offered a resolution that was adopted, whereby tbo governor was authorized and required to raiso and required to raiso and equip a company of riflomou not to exceed fifty mon, with officers, and dispatch thorn forth with to Tho Dalles mission station and hold possession until reinforcement can arrive. This resolution led to a meeting, called tho samo evening, that was Humorously attended. Stirring re marks woro madoby Nosmith,Leo, Bar low and othors, and tbo enlisting im mediately commonccd. Orogon City wns a small village at that timo, and tboro was no opportunity or time to sparo for gathoring people from tho country. Forty-two names wcro signed to tbo toll, and such prompt action wns had thnt in fifteen hours from tho timo tho roll was signed this company of pioneer rifles was on their way to tho soat of war. The columns of tho Spectator, tbo only journal of that day, read ns fol lows "At 12 o'clock on tho afternoon of Tuosdaj tho company assombled at tho city hotel, where they wero prosont- od with an appropriate flag by Judgo Ncsmith, on behalf of the ladies of Oro gon City. With an appropriate address, Capt. Lee, on tho part-of tho company, made an exceedingly happy reply, upon receiving tho beautiful token of tho patriotism of tho lovely donors. Two hours after this presentation tho com pany started, amid tho firing of cannon and the choors of assembled citizens." It spoke well for Oregon City, that in less than twenty-four hours hor citizens enlisted such a company of noblo and brave men, and armod, equipped and dispatched them for tbo sent of war. It is well worth mention that, hurried as was their depnrture, tho ladies of tho town made for them n buttlo-flag as a reminder of homo and duty. This band of riflomon consisted of tho following-named persons and their descendants require uu other patont of nobility than this record bestows . Captain, II. A. O. Loo; lieutenants, J. Magone, J. E.,Itos; commissary, C. H. Davenport; sargeant, J. 8. Rine arson, P. W. Savago and Wm. Derry; corporals, Stephen Cummings and J. H. MoMillen. Privates: L. II. Proctor, Geo. Moore, Lucius Marsh, Wm. Iluckman, Joel Mc K'ee, T. Purvis, S. A. Jackson, II. Loval ley, Jacob Witohey, J. W. Morgan, C. Richardson, John Fleming, O. Tupper, A. C. Little, It. 8. Tupper, I. Walga inotitts.A. J. Thomas, John G. Gibson, ueo. estny, jotin timer, li. IJ. Itog- rs, II. W. Coe, Kdw. Itobson, G, H. Dosworth, II. Ilrattin, Androw Wise, Jacob Johnson, S. K. Darlow, D. Avcr- son, J. C. Danford, Geo Weston, John Dolton. The nows worked rapidly up. tho Willamotto nnd down tho Columbia; wherovor it went men equipped them solves as'bcsttbcy could and started for tho sent of wnr. Though not antici pated, it was an emergency not unex pected. Tho settlor had constantly be fore his mind tho possibilities tiiat sur rounded him. Ono of these wns thnt tbo Indinn tribos might any timo com-' bino to annihilate tho American settle ments, When war carno it was not ns if had boon deemed possible, for it had been thought over, nnd talked over, around tho pioneer firesldos. and ovon the ways nnd menus "comm'ttco of tho wholo" population had discussed tho best way of mooting such a trial. They wcro men, too, not unused to danger and tho vlcissitudos of tho frontier. Tho women nnd children, too, know that wnr wns a possibility nnd oven probablo ard when tho iiowh carno it found our "forbcarcrs" not 'unpropared. At first tho stories told woro distorted or exag gerated, but soon tbo main facts beenmo established nud men commenced to movo to tbo front. In ninny respect this wns tho critical period of Oregon history. Any weakness, or timidity, or hesitation then would have cost Amer icans tho rcspoct of all tho Indians who surrounded then) and might have en couraged a general Indian war. Tho emigrants of "tho forties" woro bravo mon and true. It required no "fiory cross" to summon them to tbo fray ; no crusader's nppenl wns needed to rotiso them to tako tho field. Tho first ro ports wero uncertain nud exaggerated, but tho pionoer was not tho man to in vent rumors and circulate them. Ah a class they woro truthful and roliablo; tbo story of tho massacre was soon abroad and as many of thorn had receiv ed favors at tho hands of Whitman, of tho Walla Walla mission, when coming into tho countiy, and as tho groat ma jority respected and loved him for his good deeds to thorn and theirs, that fact ndded fuel to tho flamo and animated them for justico and ongance, ns well as for the safety and protection of their families and their property. Men met seriously and discussed tlioir common duty. Tlioro was no oxcite ment or undue haste, nor unduo slow noss. After Ncsmith addressod the riflemon, who left Oregon City upon sudden notice, ho went up tho valloy to enlist n company in Polk county. It is not oasy to gather particulars, bocauso tlioro was no daily press, and tho Wook ly Spectator was moro of a looker-on than a chronicler. Ono would think that in that emergency tho only nows papor in tho county would havo taken prido to record full particulars of pass ing events, but tbo pundits of journalism found it to their taste to bickor and qunrrel ovor personal matters, instead of furnishing that ago nnd this with truth ful records of current doings, however important nnd exciting. Through tho country tho nows spread "by word of mouth," nnd those who could do so gave of thoir substance, whilo othors gave of their timo and riskod their lives. Tho young and active men took tho field; they would receive a blanket from a neighbor, a -gun from another; this man contributed a hnioi, that ono a saddln and rigging, and perhaps all could fur nish a quota of provisions. So tho cru sader was mounted, clothed, fed and armed, receiving what ho lacked. Not standing on the order of his going, he went quickly. There was now active recruiting in all sections. Oregon City was tho point where government center ed and where troops gathered. Tho re cruit, as soon as ready, bad good-byo to the homo spot and started by the short est trails lor uregon uiiy. II lie came to some sequestered cabin, newly built on some homo hihH that whs to- be, be JULY 3i, 1887. uqver doubted what his cheer would bo. It might ho boilod wheat and rough faro for tho table, and a cbanco to sproad his blankols on tho puncheon floor for his bed, but ho was roundly wolcomed, had tho best they had to givo, and n blessing went with him as ho went awny. Thcro was a hearty greet ing nt every pioneer's homo for tho man who wont to light thoir battlo. Dcsidos tho compnny raised nnd ofll cercd at Oregon City, nnothcr company was raised on Fronch l'rnirio by Thomns MoKav, among tho Canadian Fronch and hnlf-brceds. Judgo Grim, who bottled near Aurora in tho fall of 1817, describes this rendezvous and tho enlisting of somo fifty mpn, mostly half breeds. There wcro nssemblod settlors from tho district, and MoKay was tho moving spirit of tho occasion. Mr. Grim had hoard of him as an oncrgotic and rcmarkablo man, partly Indian him solf, with somo education and nntlvo wit enough to carry him through ordt nardy difilcuUics. Ho is described ns riding liko a centaur, tbo iiorsn ho bo- strodo scorning a part of himself. Somo around him woro on foot nnd somo on horseback; pcoplo nnturnlly groupod according to raco and nationality. Mo Kay would daoh from ono group to an other, ninrrnting tho sconos of tbo mas saoro, tho ncod of prompt notion to hoc u ro tho safety of tho settlement, and urging tboso who could do so to "join tho volunteers and go to tho war." With eloquence, in polyglot stylo, ho addressed tho settlers tho Americans in English. Turning to the French, ho appealed' to thorn, with fiory tones, in their mother tongue, whilo tho next momont ho would inspire tho half broods with a torront in thoir own vor nnculur, tho hybrid Chinook. It was amazing to sco nnd hear this hero of tho wilds exhort, entreat and insplro nnd not without ofTcct, for his company of fifty men was raised on tho ground that day. Jealousy is shown to somo extent by ono of Oregon's most crudito historians, for ho intimates that tho half-breeds claimed too great a sharo of tho glory of victory in tho field. Thoy wcro some what liko tho chivlarous sons of south ern climos, who dash fownrd impetuous ly in tho front of battlo. whilo tho north men are slowerjon tho charge, but fully as apt to hold all thoy gain. Mnny inci dents aro told of this gallant company, especially of Thomas and Charley Mc Kay, wcro thoir leading spirit. W. If. Gray says tho half-breeds, would dash forward in full chargo, but moro often glad to fnll back upon tbo Amorican ullics, who wero always to bo depended on. Mr. Shaw tolls of tho equestrian ship of theso voritablo horsomen-of-tho plains, who rodo as if thoy grew upon a cayuse's back. Thoy wcro numerous on French Prairio nud famous for thoir equestrian fcatK. Several nt a timo have been seen riding ill-biokcn animals, senrco wilder limn tiicmsolvos, with no saddle or bridle ; perhaps it hair lariat was around the neck twisted round tho jaw. TIiiib mounted thoy would per form exploits that even n trained rider of tho hippodromo could wonder at. What Mr. Hlmw noticed occurred in this campaign, on Duttcr creek, Kastern Oregon, when ono of MoKay'H men ran down u coyote, anil stooping from his saddlo caught the creaturn by the tail nnd literally "thrashed tho ground" with it. This was done in the presence of many, and such a feat is not often nor easily accomplished. Tho fact that this emergency called out such a num ber of thooo who had been British sub ject, and wero all Catholics, spoke well for the loyalty of the pooplo of Oregon at that early time. It is pleasant to bo able to record the fact und show that they did grand rervico in tho field as will appear. The pioneers of the forties accepted it as a serious duty to subduo tho Cay use nation and show them that the suprem NO. 25. acy of Amoricans must bo unquestioned. Tho roads to Oregon City woro usod by thoso scoking marching ordcrs,and very soon a small but efficient army was in tbo field. It was another duty of tho timo to procuro supplies and arms and sustain a commissariat, as well as to provido quarter-master's stores. Going to war in an enemy's country,and in win ter time, was no trival affair, no holiday effort no moro nummor picnic. Tbo massacre occurred in tho last days of November, nnd tho call to arms was is sued early in Decombor. It wnH tho very dead of wintor, and whilo soma woro opposed to moving at that season, tho majority roalizcd that no timo was to bo lost in inflicting a losson on tho Cayuses. To leavo it for spring and summer would bo to earn their con tempt. In tho summer thoy could scat tor and livo anywhere, whilo in winter thoy dopondod on supplies provided in tho suminor nnd fall and could neither leave them nor enrry thorn with thorn. To campaign in tho wintor might bo in convenient, but if well conducted and actively prosecuted would bo huio to bring thorn speedily to torms. ' It was Doccmbor whon tho American troops took tho field, and midwinter when tho young and active men of this region took up tho lino of march, by highways and byways, to Orogon City, to enlist for tho war. Mr. John Minto tells mo how ho equippod for tho war, though ho afterwards joined Cnpt. Rob inson to escort Jesse Applcgato to Cali fornia in soarch of help from any sourco that might bo avallnblo tlioro Stato or national. lie sold a yoko of cattlo to secure a horsoj Rov. J. ll. Wilbur fur nished him n "buffalo gun," as a largo rifle then in ueo was commonly called. Ho romombors being prosont at a moot ing of tho oldor settlors, somowhat in formal, hold at tho storo of Mr. Thomas Cox, who occupied a small building among thn grand oaks that stood onco just north of whero tho Opora Houso is in Salem. Tlioro woro present Mr. Cox, Daniel Dolanoy, Daniel Waldo, Jcsso Looney, "Jimmy" Smith, W. H. Rector, T. I). Kcizur, Townor Savago, tho Moth odist mission mon and various othorti wo cannot namo. They met to talk ovor tbo situation and do something to provido tho sinows of war. This meet ing illustrates tho situation, tho feeling of tho community, and tho loyalty and solf-sacriflco that porvndod it. Kach man named what ho could sparo for tho omorgoncy. Ono could furnish n horse, anothor could equip it, a third had ono or moro guns. Dlankots and bedding woro needed for tho wintor campaign. It is probablo, and Indeed certain, thnt in every neighborhood of this region ho rich in mon and women to mnko a Stnto, but so poor in worldly goods thcro wero similar gatherings, spontan eous and earnost, to provido means to carry on-the war. How different this from the way despots niako conncrip tions nud levy taxes to gather men and munitions of warl Tho provisional gov ernor and Legislature, organiod and empowered by tho fow men who thou settled Oregon, had only to recommend a course to bo pursued to ueo it executed by tho freo will of a bravo and self sacrificing people. The departments of tho coming Au gust Harpers aro generously filled with banquet of nutritious diet. Tho Kasy Chair provides tho opening courses in lively parraphs upon Hoporlor Scrip tures, a Protectant Cathedral, Interna tional Copyright, OMIrion's Visit, ami the (Queens Jubilee. The Study serves tho staple kjIiM portions in Mr. Howell's views of Imaginative Literature and discussions of Tolstoi and other authors. Tho Monthly Record gives the com pressed ossouce ol tuo world's doings in four weeks. And tho Drawer crowns tbo feast with a dessert of Juicy anec dotes uhd spicy comicalities, intro duced by .Mr. WarnerH essay on "keep ing a Diary," und illustrated by Frost and Du Muutier. nt ttVf-tiTi i" ' i .i... ,ii ir1iiiiiri.i.l,mflT.i.i! -wif .,i.Y..-t-)fri'-(-n-fr- i"j"tT"iT"l-'VT" r""-" -- wwyMUOa.,. r-mt ta. J