THE FAITHFUL NEZ PERCES
Although it was now in the midst of winter, and the ground was covered
with snow, Lawyer had assembled two hundred and eight lodges, containing
over two thousand Indians, and able to muster eight hundred warriors. An
animated council was at once held. The council lodge was a hundred feet
in length, built of poles, mats, and skins, and in this assembled two
hundred chiefs and principal men, Lawyer presiding. An ox had been
killed, and young men, who officiated for the occasion, roasted or
boiled the meat at fires in the lodge, and handed it around in large
pans, from which each person selected such choice pieces as suited his
fancy.
The scheme of Looking Glass found no adherent, indeed was not broached,
and the unanimous resolve was not only to maintain their friendship to
the whites and stand by their treaty, but to escort Governor Stevens
with two hundred and fifty of their bravest and best-armed warriors,
stark buffalo hunters and Blackfoot fighters every one, and force their
way through the masses of hostile Indians gathered in the Walla Walla
valley.
Looking Glass, too, was among the first in his professions of
friendship. Jealousy of Lawyer, and the hope of increasing his own
influence among his people by obtaining great and exceptional advantages
for them, were probably the causes of his unworthy plot, rather than
actual enmity to the whites.
Said Looking Glass: "I told the governor that the Walla Walla
country was blocked up by bad Indians, and that I would go ahead and
he behind, and that's my heart now. Now that he says he will go, I
will get up and go with him. Now let none of you turn your face from
what has been said. Your old men have spoken, and where is the man
will turn his back on it?"
Three Feathers: "Why don't you get up and say you are all going with
Governor Stevens? We said before coming here they should go over our
dead bodies before coming to him. That is our hearts now."
And chief after chief spoke in similar vein.
Red Wolf in his speech said: "I was on the Spokane at the council
held there by the Indians last summer, when runners sent by
Kam-i-ah-kan came there to get all the people to go to war."
Scotum declared: "The chief Pu-pu-mox-mox sent us word, and so did
the Cuyuses; they sent us word many times, but we have always turned
our faces from them and kept the laws."
Here was evidence that the treacherous chiefs were inciting hostilities
immediately after signing the treaties.
At this juncture an Indian runner was announced from the Walla Walla
valley with the important news that a force of five hundred Oregon
volunteers, under Colonel Kelly (late United States senator), after a
severe battle of four days' duration, had defeated the hostiles, and
driven them from the valley. The absence of the Palouse Indians during
the forced march through their country was now explained. They were
fighting the volunteers at that very time. The way being thus opened,
Governor Stevens was enabled to dispense with the proffered aid of the
Nez Perces; but in order to confirm their fidelity and good feeling, he
invited a hundred warriors to accompany his party as a guard of honor as
far as the Walla Walla valley.
It was a clear, bright, frosty December morning that the mingled
cavalcade of white and Indian left behind the hospitable lodges of the
Nez Perces, and filed along the banks of the Lapwai and Kooskooskia.
Rarely has the Clearwater reflected a more picturesque or jovial crew.
Here were the gentlemen of the party, with their black felt hats and
heavy cloth overcoats; rough-clad miners and packers; the mountain men,
with buckskin shirts and leggings and fur caps; the long-eared
pack-mules, with their bulky loads; and the blanketed young braves, with
painted visage, and hair adorned with eagle feathers, mounted on sleek
and spirited mustangs, and dashing hither and thither in the greatest
excitement and glee. Each of the warriors had three fine, spirited
horses, which he rode in turn as the fancy moved him. They used buckskin
pads, or wooden saddles covered with buffalo, bear, or mountain-goat
skin. The bridle was a simple line of buffalo hair tied around the lower
jaw of the steed, which yielded implicit obedience to this scanty
headgear. At a halt the long end of the line is flung loosely on the
ground, and the horse is trained to stand without other fastening.
The whole party were ferried across Snake River by the Indians in their
canoes, the animals swimming. Proceeding down the left bank some
distance as the trail to Walla Walla ran, it was found that the Nez
Perces had wholly vacated that side of the river, and removed with their
bands of horses, goods, and lodges, and especially their canoes, to the
other side, in order to cut off intercourse with the hostile Indians.
The demeanor of the young braves on this march was in marked contrast to
the traditional gravity and stoicism of their race. They shouted,
laughed, told stories, cracked jokes, and gave free vent to their native
gayety and high spirits. Craig, who accompanied the party, translated
these good things as they occurred, to the great amusement of the
whites. Crossing a wide, flat plain, covered with tall rye grass, he
related an anecdote of Lawyer, with the reminiscence of which the young
braves seemed particularly tickled. When yet an obscure young warrior,
Lawyer was traveling over this ground with a party of the tribe,
including several of the principal chiefs. It was a cold winter day, and
a biting gale swept up the river, penetrating their clothing and
chilling them to the bone. The chiefs sat down in the shelter of the
tall rye grass, and were indulging in a cosy smoke, when Lawyer fired
the prairie far to windward, and in an instant the fiery element, in a
long, crackling, blazing line, came sweeping down on the wings of the
wind upon the comfort-taking chiefs, and drove them to rush
helter-skelter into the river for safety, dropping robes, pipes, and
everything that might impede their flight. For this audacious prank
Lawyer barely escaped a public whipping.
At the governor's request, the Indians undertook to guard the horses
while the whites guarded the camp at night, and as the country was still
infested with bands of hostiles, who had burned off nearly all the
grass, and the animals were with difficulty prevented from straying far
and wide in search of feed, it will be readily seen that they had chosen
the more arduous task. Every evening, as the young men would linger
around the camp-fires, reluctant to start out upon the cold and dreary
night work, one or more of the chiefs would exhort them to their duty,
bemoan the degeneracy of the present race, and relate instances of the
superior bravery and fortitude of young men in former times. The young
fellows were not slow to retort to these harangues with many a sarcastic
gibe and jest, but finally they would go forth to spend the cold winter
night upon the exposed prairie on horseback, posted around the band of
animals. So faithfully did they perform this duty that not one was lost
during the march.
It was a gala day for the Nez Perces when the party reached the valley,
and were received by the Oregon volunteers with a military parade and a
salute of musketry; and when Governor Stevens dismissed them with
presents and thanks and words of encouragement, they returned home the
most devoted and enthusiastic auxiliaries that ever marched in behalf of
the whites.
On this march the Nez Perce escort captured a strange Indian on
Al-pa-wha Creek, who proved to be the son of Ume-how-lish, the war chief
of the Cuyuses, and who said that the chief, with one follower and a
number of women, was in hiding farther up the creek, having fled from
the valley the last day of the recent fight. The governor sent the young
man to his father with the summons to surrender himself a prisoner. The
next day Ume-how-lish delivered himself up, saying that he had done
nothing bad, and was not afraid to be tried by the white man's law, and
thereafter traveled along with the party to his uncertain fate with true
Indian stoicism. He accompanied the governor to the Dalles, where he was
turned over to the Oregon authorities. He was afterwards released by
Colonel Wright. There was no evidence that he had taken part in the
murder of settlers, although he had undoubtedly fought in the recent
battle.
The valley was reached on the 20th. Major Chinn, commanding the
volunteers, and other officers rode out to meet the governor, and, on
reaching the volunteer camp, the troops, four hundred in number,
paraded, and fired a volley in salute as the picturesque column marched
past, the fifty sturdy, travel-stained whites in advance, followed by
the hundred proud and flaunting braves, curveting their horses and
uttering their war-whoops. The volunteers then formed in hollow square,
and the governor addressed them in a brief speech, complimenting them on
their energy in pushing forward at that inclement season, and gallantry
in engaging and routing a superior force of the enemy, and tendering the
thanks of his party for opening the road. He seized the occasion also to
dwell upon the advantages--the necessity--of a winter campaign to bring
the war to a speedy end. The governor was the first to grasp this idea
of a winter campaign as the most effective method of reducing hostile
Indians to subjection. As will be seen hereafter, he urged this course
upon General Wool and the military authorities, but only to have his
views denounced and ridiculed as "impracticable;" but finally, under the
stern lessons of experience, they had to be adopted. It was only by
winter campaigns that General Crook succeeded in subduing the Snakes of
Idaho and eastern Oregon in 1868-69.
Over a hundred of the Cuyuses and Walla Wallas refused to join their
kindred in the war, and remained friendly, including Steachus,
Tin-tim-meet-see, and How-lish-wam-poo, and were now encamped on Mill
Creek under the protection of a guard, needed unhappily not less against
a few of the unruly volunteers, who had already killed some of their
cattle, than against apprehended raids by the hostiles. The little flock
of Indians under the ministrations of Father Chirouse of the Catholic
mission also remained friendly, thanks to the good influence of the
Fathers.
[Illustration: UME-HOW-LISH
_War Chief of the Cuyuses_]
Colonel Frank Shaw was found with the volunteers, and from him and the
Oregon officers the governor learned the latest news and the condition
of affairs. The fight had been a severe one. The Indians resisted
stoutly for four days, and only gave way at last because they mistook a
large pack-train, seen descending into the valley, for reinforcements to
the whites. Pu-pu-mox-mox had been captured, and slain attempting to
escape. General Wool had arrived at Vancouver, but had refused to
take active measures against the enemy, assuming that the Indians were
not at fault, but that the war had been gotten up by white speculators.
He had even disbanded two companies of Washington volunteers at
Vancouver after they had been actually mustered into the United States
service. And a company that had been raised under the direction of Shaw,
for the express purpose of going to the assistance of the governor, was
dismissed by Wool in spite of the remonstrances of its officers and of
Major Rains.
The first act of the governor after grasping the situation was to indite
a letter to Wool announcing his safe return, and suggesting the
energetic and aggressive military measures by which the outbreak could
be speedily quelled.
Some of the fruits of the delay in holding the Blackfoot council, caused
by the mulish and incapable Cumming, were now apparent. Had it been held
early in August, as it might and should have been, the governor would
have gotten back early in September, in time to cope with the first
outbreak, to infuse the military authorities with a little of his own
sound judgment and energy, to induce harmony and concert of action
between the regular and volunteer forces, possibly to remove even Wool's
prejudiced and utterly wrong views, certainly in time to prevent the
volunteers of his own territory from being paralyzed in action, and
rendered worse than useless. But he was delayed, and in his absence
bitter prejudice and divided councils ruled the hour, and the war, which
should have been brought to an end in a single season by a few quick,
strong blows, was suffered to drag on for years.
After the reception by the volunteers the train moved up the Walla Walla
to a point opposite the mission and went into camp, where it remained
the next three days. The weather grew intensely cold, the glass ranging
27° below zero; nevertheless, the governor kept the officers at work
gathering information concerning trails, crossings of rivers, etc., with
a view to military operations, and had a conference with Major Chinn as
to pushing against the Indians beyond Snake River; but it appeared that
the lack of rations and transportation rendered an advance
impracticable, and of course no move could be made while the severe
weather continued. On the 24th the camp was moved four miles farther
upstream to a more sheltered spot, with plenty of wood, and where there
was a deserted house, which the governor and the officers occupied. The
cold weather continued unabated for fourteen days. The men had all they
could do to keep the fires going and avoid freezing, and many of the
horses in the volunteer camp were frozen to death. Although the ground
was covered with snow, the animals found grass enough projecting above
it, or by pawing it off, to avoid starvation. Herds of cattle, abandoned
by the Indians in their flight, grazed within sight of camp, and were
driven in and slaughtered as needed, and great flocks of
prairie-chickens roosted in the trees about camp, so there was no lack
of food.
On the 29th the governor dismissed the Nez Perce escort, who were to
return home under Craig as soon as the cold abated, thanking them for
their fidelity and services, and charging them to stay on their own side
of Snake River, and shun intercourse with the hostiles. The friendly
Cuyuse, Steachus, attended this conference, very desirous of joining the
Nez Perces and moving into their country, and asking permission to do
so. "I am really afraid of those whites, those volunteers," said he. The
Nez Perce chiefs strongly supported him in his request. Said Spotted
Eagle: "I am glad to hear those Indians ask to go with us. It looks as
if they wished to live and do right when they talk of joining the Nez
Perces." But the governor, after considering the matter for a day,
denied the request, for the reason that he feared that the disaffected
and hostile kindred of these friendly Cuyuses would be constantly
visiting them, and would exert a bad influence upon the Nez Perces, whom
he wished to keep entirely aloof from the hostiles.
On the last day of the year, the cold weather continuing with
unmitigated severity, the governor decided to hasten below in advance of
the train, deeming his presence imperatively required within the
settlements on Puget Sound, and issued general orders directing Colonel
Doty to move the train to the Dalles as soon as the weather permitted,
and there muster out the Stevens Guards and Spokane Invincibles,
constituting the Walla Walla Battalion, appointing Craig lieutenant and
aide-de-camp, and instructing him as to marching home and disbanding the
Nez Perce allies, and taking measures for protecting that tribe against
hostile raids or attempts, and assigning Colonel Shaw of the territorial
militia to take charge of matters in the valley, organize the settlers
and friendly Indians as a military force, to act as their own guards at
least, and appointing Sidney S. Ford and Green McCafferty captain and
lieutenant of volunteers respectively as his assistants, and finally
returning thanks to the battalion
"for the alacrity with which they have obeyed his orders and
discharged their duty, for their constancy and manliness in the
rapid movement which they made from the Spokane to this valley in
bad weather and in an inclement season, a movement begun and half
accomplished with the certain knowledge that a large force of
hostile Indians were to be met in this valley, and no expectation
that aid was near at hand and would be extended in season.
"But aid was at hand, and the commander-in-chief would do injustice
to his own feelings, and those of the men of his immediate command,
if in the general order he did not acknowledge the services of the
gallant volunteers of Oregon, who successfully met in arms in this
valley the combined forces of the hostile Indians at the time he was
moving from the Spokane to the Nez Perce country."
On New Year's Day, 1856, Governor Stevens started for the Dalles,
accompanied only by his son, Pearson, Robie, the Nez Perce chief,
Captain John, and the captive Ume-how-lish, and reached that point in
three days and a half. The intense cold continued unabated. Every
morning the little party saddled in the darkness and started at daylight
without breakfast, pushed their horses at a speed of ten miles an hour
for about six hours, making about sixty miles, and made camp early in
the afternoon, giving the horses several hours to graze before dark, and
themselves plenty of time to gather wood, build up a rousing fire, and
cook and eat a tremendous meal, breakfast, dinner, and supper in one;
then early to bed, sound slumbers, and off again at daylight. All the
streams were crossed on the ice until the Des Chutes River was reached.
Here was found a great gorge of broken ice twenty feet deep, through the
centre of which the rapid and powerful stream had torn its way, a
hundred yards wide, bordered by perpendicular walls of ice. Carefully
leading their horses over the broken ice masses, they reached the usual
fording-place, only to find the dark, swirling river sweeping past
twenty feet below them at the foot of this perpendicular and impassable
icy cliff, while a similar obstacle stared at them from the other side
of the river, and barred exit from the stream even should its passage be
accomplished. But, nothing daunted, all set to work with stakes and
knives, and at length broke down a barely passable path to the ford.
Captain John now led the way across, the water coming to the
saddle-skirts; a practicable passage out was found, and all felt much
relieved as they again spurred on.
Resting one day at the Dalles, and accompanied only by his son and a
guide, the governor continued his journey by the trail down the Oregon
side of the Columbia. It was a little-used track, barely passable, or
indeed visible, in many places, jammed between the river and the foot of
the great mountain masses and precipices which overhang that mighty and
sublime gorge. Although the severe cold had abated, considerable snow
had fallen, greatly increasing the dangers of the way; but he reached
the lower Cascades without mishap, and crossed to the Washington side
late in the evening of the second day, spending the intermediate night
at Hood River, at the house of Mr. Coe. The next day he continued by
land, passing in rear of Cape Horn, and reached a landing on the
Columbia, six miles above Vancouver, soon after dark. Here a ship's
long-boat, a stout, staunch craft, with a good sail, was obtained, with
a crew of three sturdy fellows. On getting well out in the river away
from land, a terrific gale came tearing downstream, struck the boat, and
drove her on at great speed. The sail was quickly reefed, but the little
craft careened to the gunwale; the waves broke over her; only incessant
bailing kept her afloat. The dark night, the tumultuous waves, the
howling gale, the open boat tearing along with the helmsman braced
against the tiller, the bailer dipping the water overboard with furious
haste, and the rest of the party clinging to the upper rail with
clenched grasp and tense faces, can never be forgotten by one who
witnessed the scene. Vancouver was reached in twenty-six minutes from
starting, and all landed with a strong feeling of relief at having
escaped a watery grave.
The governor again endeavored to communicate with General Wool, and
hastened to Portland to see him, but he had left on the steamer for San
Francisco only the day before.
The journey up the Cowlitz in canoe and across the muddy road to Olympia
was made in three days, without special incident to vary the monotony of
toil and discomfort ever attending it at that season, and on January 19,
after an absence of nearly nine months, the governor reached Olympia,
and found himself once more at home with his family.
During the governor's absence Mrs. Stevens, with her little girls and
the nurse Ellen, spent several weeks on Whitby Island, at the home of a
family named Crockett, in hopes that the stronger sea air of that
locality would overcome the Panama fever, from which they were still
suffering. The Crocketts were hearty and kindly Kentucky farmer folks of
the best type, and received the sick lady and her children with
warm-hearted hospitality and kindness. Mrs. Stevens with the children
used frequently to bathe in the Sound, and on one occasion, as they were
in the water, a band of northern Indians was observed approaching in
their great war-canoes at rapid speed. Mr. Crockett hastened to the
beach in great apprehension and hurried the bathers to the house,
declaring that the predatory savages would be sure to seize and carry
them off, if they were given an opportunity. Under the invigorating
open-air life on the island and the excellent fare, with abundance of
venison and other game, the family rapidly regained health, and after
their visit returned in canoes to Olympia.
Mrs. Stevens afterward visited the military post at Steilacoom, and the
wives of the officers there visited her in Olympia, and it was at her
house that Mrs. Slaughter received news of the death of her husband,
Lieutenant W.A. Slaughter, who was killed by the Indians, December 5.
Several times, after the war broke out, circumstantial and apparently
trustworthy reports were brought of the massacre of the governor and his
party by the Indians, all of which Mrs. Stevens utterly disbelieved.
She scouted even more decidedly the idea that he would return by way of
the Missouri and Isthmus of Panama, which his friends were so strongly
urging him to do, and declared to them that he would certainly come back
by the direct route, no matter what obstacles might intervene.