WAR WHOOI;, continued
had pitch taken his wife and
young children to th? avail
utile to n within reach. This
required in many instances
from two to four days with
their wagons and teams
tlirciujji a country where
bands (if hostile Indians could
be met at any moment. Al
though the trips were hazard
ous, it was the only choice
they had. The families from
Mjrrow, Gilliam, Sherman,
and Wasco Counties Were as
sembled at The Dalles. They
camped outdoors under prim
itive conditions. The stay was
usually for a number of
weeks. The conduct of the
women was heroic. There
are no reports of any serious
epidemic resulting from this
concentration of what we
would now call displaced per
sons. Every family had
brought along its supply of
food, and the mothers were
equal to the occasion of cook
ing over camp fires and im
provising beds and quarters
for their children."
THE BATTLE AT
WILLOW SPRINGS
A large force of Indians
under Chief Egan of the Piutes
moved north from John Day
into the Blue Mountains. The
settlers and townspeople of
U nut ilia County kept track
of their progress. On July
4 trail had possession of
Camas Prairie (Ikiah); on
July 5, Sheriff John L, Slurry
started for that area with a
company from Weston. July
C they marched from Pilot
Dock to Willow Springs, about
15 miles south, where they
were attacked by the Indians
as they were stopped for din
ner. WilliamLamar.a school
teacher, was killedduring the
battle. (Remember that Mor
row did not become a county
until 18H5-nd was still part
of the county of Umatilla
where this action took place.)
The volunteers being badly
outnumbered began a retreat,
and they were attacked four
times in about six miles with
the loss of one man, Harrison
Hale. He is buried in the little
cemetery on Bitter Creek
near the Currin Ranch
beneath a marker showing
that he died at Willow Springs
in 1878. Battle Mountain State
Park commemorates this battle.
A RIDE FOR LIFE
During the 1878 war a band
of fifty hostile Indians in war
paint rode up to the residence
of John S. Vincent out along
Butter Creek. Seeinga barrel
in the yard close to the well,
they jumped to the conclusion
that it contained w hiskey. Of
course they demanded some
to drink, and while Mr. Vin
cent was getting cups for
them they formed a ring
around (lie barrel and danced
in wild delight in anticipation
of a glorious spree. I'pon
giving out the cups, Mr. Vin
cent took to the brush, grab
bed a horse and began to ride
for his life. When the Indians
found that the barrel con
tained vinegar instead of
whiskey, they got angry. They
gave vent to their curses, and
would have killed Mr. Vin
cent with pleasure if they
could have caught him. He,
however, was riding pell mell
for Pendleton and although
they gave chase for about
30 miles he reached safety.
On the same day on which
this race took place another
band of warriors fatally
wounded Charles Jewell and
killed a Mr. Nelson and a
Mr. Skelley near Butter
Creek. (Schiach, Pg. 246)
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I -V I I', JL
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AS ONE
CENTENARIAN
TO ANOTHER...
irst National takes pleasure in saluting
the lively community of Heppner on the
occasion of its 1 OOth anniversary.
Your friends and neighbors at the Heppner
branch of first National take great
merest and pride in the growth and progress
of the city. We participate in such events
as the annual Morrow County fair and Rodeo.
VC'c know the community and are ready at
all times to he of service for any financial need.
Miur first National branch is not merely a
ice logo when you need money. It is a
well-trained team of people, ready and able
to assist you in any phase of home, farm or
business financial management.
This is, in fact, the sec ret of first National's
growth people serving other Oregon
people with every banking need . . .since 1865.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF OREGON
Hi:ppiK;! br;iin.li
V
MEANWHILE,
BACK IN HEPPNER
It was learned from a squaw
known as Sarah Winnemucca,
captured by General Howard,
that the Indians in the largest
group planned to come
through Heppner. The town
became very upset and ex
cited. Many families fled, but
those who remained deter
mined to build a fort. The
site was a lot belonging
to A. S. Wells, back of
the Palace Hotel (The Ford
Motor Co. site). The fort was
quite large, a cellar about
five feet deep and a roofed
structure covered with two
feet of dirt. Rifle pits were
also dug in commanding posi
tions on the hillsides near
town. A company was organ
ized with Frank Maddockas
captain, J.L. Morrow as first
Lt. and A.S. Wells as Second
Lt. The government sent a
box of guns which were
greatly needed. Thus pro
tected, Heppner was con
sidered a reasonably safe
resort and people began flock
ing io from all the surround
ing hills.
According to Mr. Schiach,
"A fort had also been built
by the people of Long Creek.
The residents of that town
sent to Heppner for assis
tance and Captain Maddock
set out to their relief with
about thirty men. Indeed the
clanger seemed now to be that
Heppner would be left without
an efficient fighting force In
case of an attack, as men
were now going into all quar
ters in which Indians were
reported to have been seen
and taking the guns with them.
SOME INDIANS COME
"A band oflndians did come
into town, but made no hostile
demonstrations; on the con
trary, they professed great
friendliness. They were, how
ever, disarmed, assigned to
an unoccupied flat
in Heppner and placed under
arrest. One of the squaws
did not propose to remain
a prisoner, and was able
to mount her Cayuse and
strike out over the hills on
a gallop, applying her whip
vigorously to the horse's
flanks. Some of the whites
wanted to shoot her rather
than to permit her escape,
but better councils prevail
ed. An Indian proposed to
recapture and bring her
back, and he was allowed
to make the attempt, but re
turned shortly without having
pner, so the war was fought
out, the excitement subsided,
ind no citizen of Heppner was
molested."
A FAVORITE INDIAN
Mr. Ed Clark, Hermiston,
has painted historic pictures
on hides of life in the days
of his grandfather, Oscar
Clark for wliom Clark's Can
yon, is named. He has re
counted Incidents about those
days and about his childhood
experiences at the mouth of
Clark's Canyon just north
west of Lexington. "Old Blind
Jim, the chief of a small
group of Columbia River In
dians Is especially remem
bered. He is supposed to have
directed Oscar Clark to the
spot where Oscar settled
which the Indian said would
be a fine place to raise cattle.
(Ed. Note: Since the article
wis written, Mr. Clark has
passed away)
Josie Rhea Jones (Mrs.
John Newton "Newt" Jones)
who died in May 1970 at the
age of 96 just one week after
the death of her daughter,
Mrs. Venice Jones Styles,
told Mrs. Harnett about In
dians she remembered from
her childhood. Josie was a
daughter of Columbus Rhea
a first settler on Rhea Creek.
She said her parents were
always kind to. the Indians
who visited. Sbe says Chief
Joseph and some of his peo
ple visited them. One Indian
she particularly remembered
was "Old Blind Jim" who
was always led by a squaw
and who visited regularly.
In 1878 the Indians didn't
bother the Rheas.
overtaken her.
INDIANS WERE RELEASED
"So persistent were the
captured Indians in their
promises to go directly to
the Columbia River and to
refrain from all hostilities
against the whites that it was
finally decided to give them
their liberty. They had not
been gone long before Mad
dock and his company re
turned from Long Creek, re
porting that they had found
Nelson and Skelley dead on
Butter Creek and Charles
Jewell badly wounded. This
added greatly to the excite
ment, and had these facts been
known before the Indian pris
oners were freed, it would
doubtless have gone harder
with them. But owing to some
change in the plans of the
confederated tribes, none of
the warriors came near Hep-
EDITOR REDING TON
VISITS BLIND JIM
The HeppnerGazette's first
editor J.W. Redington wrote
of an evening visit with Blind
Jim. "Blind Jim was the chief
of a small tribe of Indians
called Columbia River Rene
gades, who speared salmon
on the river when they were
running, and hunted berries,
elk, bear, and other game in
the Blue Mountains in the
good old summer time. When
I called on Jim one evening
he was glad to see me, al
though he had not seen any
thing for 10 years. His other
senses were strong, and he
recognized most people when
they told him who they were.
"Jim was sitting in front
of his teepee near Heppner
and while we had our wa-wa
or talk, we feasted on dried
venison as a sort of between
meal diverson. He was sit
ting on the ground, and the
strip of meat he was eat
ing was as long as your fore
arm, and while he held one
end in his teeth he cut off
an inch close to his mouth,
chewing it up then coming
back for more. The close-up
wacks that he made on that
meat looked as though on the
next he would cut off his nose -but
he did not. He could not
see, but his strong sense of
distance told him just how
near he could come to his
War Whoops,
next section
continued in