Image provided by: Talent Historical Society; Talent, OR
About Talent news. (Talent, Or.) 1892-1894 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1893)
found a company of U. S. dragoons en camped under command of Major Phil Kearney, afterwards a noted general. He was marching from fort Vancouver on the Columbia to fort Benicia on San Francis co Bay, and had come over from the Ump BY WELBOHX BEESOX. ✓ '________ qua on what is now known as the Elk % and Trail creek trail. On arriving at The discovery of rich mines on Scott Rogue river opposite the mouth of Indian river in northern California by captain creek, he was attacked by the Indians, and Scott and others in the winter of 1851, and Lieutenant Stewart had received a mortal a little later of the placers on Yreka Flats wound. The Major made camp where by the late Dr. Hearn, caused numliers Phoenix now is and Stewart there died of of the hardy pioneers of the Willamette his wound, and was buried under the oak valley to leave their homes and hazzard tree that now serves as a gate post to the a trip over the Calapooia mountains gate leading from Colver’s across Bear through the famous Umpqua canyon, a- creek. His remains were afterwards tak Iong the rocky banks of Rogue river and make their way over the then almost track en up and sent back east at his mother? less Siskiyou mountains. Among the ad request. Majex Kearney named this place. venturers was an old gentleman who had Camp Stewart, and Bear creek was called Stewart’s creek for several years after been a resident of Lane county five years. He started with two yoke of oxen and a wards. Our four young adventurers arrived at ’ , wagon that he had traveled across the plains from Iowa with in 1S46. He had the camp just as the major had performed the last rites of burial to his young oflicer with him his two sons, George and Charles, also three or four young men that he had and wishing to avenge his death, called known in Iowa. They made their way for volunteers from among the traveling gold seekers, as there were several others through all thedi.Tculties; s-«mt times all united to lift the wagon over the imm n<e besides our particular four. (’harles be rocks in the canyon and to push the wag ing the only one of the four that was armed on to aid the weary cattle over the steep vountecred, the major furnishing him n rough mountain. When they arrived at government mule to ride. Just at dusk Yreka they were disappointed for as yet in the early days of June, 1851, the little but a small portion of the afterwards im company of dragoons, accompanied by mense diggings was known; but hearing of perhaps a dozen volunteer gold seekers, a fine prospect on Illinois river, a tribu crossed Bear creek near the present ford tary of Rogue river, they started back < ver and. traveling all night, came to Rogue the Siskiyous. When they arr vk ! on river at Indian creek, the scene of the at Rogue river, near where Granis ?a.-s n< w tack a sh< rt time before; but no Indian- • is, they met a numlier of prospect« rs r< - could l>e found. The troops crossed th«1 turning from the Illinois river, with dis river and followed down skirting the couraging news. Here they I.eld a council brush. When they came to the place and it was decided that theold gentleman where lower Table Rock approaches the and his son Gj>r ge should return home, river, making a very narrow passage be while (’harles and his three companions tween the rock and river, on what is now should take the only pony, with blankets, known as the Billy Wilson donation provisions and tools that they could pack claim, suddenly a shower of arrows came whizzing among the company slightly and again return to the Yreka diggings. The four young men, three of whom arc wounding several. A retreat to open now prosperous and rcs|>ecte<l citizens of ground was ordered ami after »• consulta our community, toiler! their weary way tion, it was decided to make charge on f<K»t up Rogue river and Bear creek to the which was cont ary to the idea of Indian warfare entertained by our (’harles, wh” place where Phoenix is now located. There, much to their surprise, they had had some exjierience in the Nez Perce AN INTERESTING CHAPTER IN THE EARLY HISTORY OE ROGUE RIVER VALLEY. • >