War Whoops in
The Battle of Sand Hollow
or Wells Springs, was a re
sult of the Nov. 29, 1847
Whitman Massacre at the
mission near Walla Walla in
which Dr. and Mrs. Whitman
and 12 others were killed.
A good sized group of chil
dren and adults who lived at
the mission were held cap
tive by the Indians. The
Chief Factor, Mr. Ogden,
paid a ransom for the cap
tives and returned them to
Oregon City. The Cayuses
were the critiiinals-the Nez
Perce, SpokanesandtheUma
tillas had not joined them.
The Oregon Provisional Gov
ernment set up a volunteer
force to do battle.
Cornelius Gilliam was cho
sen colonel of the regiment
which set forth from a ren
dezvous at The Dalles on Feb.
27, 1848. Several battles
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Morrow County
occurred on the way east, the
most severe being at Sand
Hollow, in the Wells Springs
area of Morrow County where
depressions in thp sand made
convenient natural rifle pits.
Details of this battle are re
lated carefully.
The provisional troops
came upon the Cayuse band
which attacked them from the
hollows. The first onset of
the Indians hit Captain
Thomas McKay's company
which was on the extreme
right, or south side of the
eastward bound force. The
Indians were fighting not so
much for the protection of the
Whitman murderers as for
the defense of their country
from a general white inva
sion. They feared, and with
reason, that if they permitted
a regiment of white soldiers
to Invade their territory se
vere reprisals would be
made, and the innocent would
suffer with the guilty. Their
principal leaders were Five
Crows, a general chief and a
recent Protestant convert,
and War Eagle, also a Cay
use. THE "INVINCIBLE" CHIEFS
The story is that these
chiefs had assured their fol
lowers that the white sol
diers should never reach the
Umatilla River. Five Crows
asserted that no ball from a
white man's gun could kill
TV
Competence Will Bring You
Sweeney Morfucsry
Jerry and Tiny Sweeney
him, for he was a wizard.
War Eagle claimed that he
was not only invulnerable to
bullets, but that he could
catch between his teeth and
swallow all the balls from all
the guns of the white army
if they were .fired at him.
As the troops moved east
ward, the two chiefs rushed
from under cover, galloped up
to the white line of battle to
prove their powers and abi
lity as wizards-and one of
them shot a small dog be
longing to one of the sold
iers which had run out to
bark at them. The troops
had been ordered not to fire
first on the Indians, as the
desire of Colonel Gilliam was
to avoid hostilities if pos
sible, but when Tom McKay
saw the Chiefs charging fier
cely toward the lines and saw
the flash of their guns, he
was not to be restrained any
longer, so, taking careful aim
at War Eagle, the nearest,
he shot him, killing him in
stantly. First Lt. Charles
McKay, the Captain's brot
her followed his example,
and, firing hastily, wounded
Five Crows so seriously that
he was compelled to give up
his command toanother chief.
SOLDIERS CARRY
OUT MISSION
This unexpected disaster
disillusioned the Indians who
had believed their chiefs In
vulnerable, and though under
the new leader they contested
the advancing troops stub
bornly until night fell, the
battle ended then. Once during
the afternoon Captain H.J.G.
Mixon's company on the left
side of the force advanced
beyond supporting distance
and were surrounded by the
Indians. Eight of his men
ere wounded before they
were rescued. In all, eleven
soldiers were wounded in the
battle, but none killed. The
Indian loss was severe, but
as usual, they carried off
most of their deadand wound
ed. The Oregon force contin
ued east and north and reach
ed the Whitman Mission the
third day after this battle.
AN ACCIDENTAL DEATH
Are you wondering when and
why Colonel Gilliam happen
ed to be buried at Wells
Springs? After the troops
completed their work at Walla
Walla and were returning to
Oregon City to report toGov
ernor Abernathy, they again
camped at Wells Springs. On
March 20, 1848 Colonel
Gilliam was dragging a lead
rope from a wagon when he
was instantly killed because
a soldier had laid a cocked
rifle in the wagon and the
rope caught on the trigger.
In 1926 a thousand persons
went to Wells Springs to ded
icate a plaque to Colonel
Gilliam. Leslie Scott was the
principal speaker. Wells
Springs was the main claim
to fame of Morrow County in
the days of the Oregon Trail,
but has been rather neglected
Peace of Mind
Sweeney Mortuary
offers a dignified
service, carefully
arranged to meet
your wishes.
We give meticulous
attention
to all details.
since the plaque dedication In
1926.
BANNOCK PIUTE
WAR SCARE
In 1878 the Bannock Indians
of Idaho and the Piutes of
central Oregonseemed" itch
ing for a fight". The ex
periences of the Sioux in
1876, and the long and nearly
successful campaign of Chief
Joseph in the Nez Perce War
of 1877 left most Indians in
an attitude of unrest and de
sirous for war.
Many reports circulated
throughout Eastern Oregon
of bands of Indians that were
burning and destroying at will
as they moved through the.
mountain areas and en
countered sheepherders and
isolated stockmen. A first
hand account of the big scare
in Morrow county is given
in an old hand-written diary
which has been copied by
Mrs. Rachel Harnett of the
County Museum. This daily
account started on Jan. 1,
1875 and the last copy is
dated Oct. 1878.
Continued
Phone 676-9600