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this proposition; and gladly embracing the opportunity it offered;
suggested that if he would give me another chance; and let me have
the effective force of the garrison; consisting of about fifty men; I
would chastise the Rogue Rivers without fail; and that the next day
was all the time I required to complete arrangements。 He gave me the
necessary authority; and I at once set to work to bring about a
better state of discipline on the reservation; and to put an end to
the practices of the medicine men (having also in view the recovery
of my sixshooter and self…respect); by marching to the village and
taking the rebellious Indians by force。
In the tribe there was an excellent woman called Tighee Mary (Tighee
in Chinook means chief); who by right of inheritance was a kind of
queen of the Rogue Rivers。 Fearing that the insubordinate conduct of
the Indians would precipitate further trouble; she came early the
following morning to see me and tell me of the situation Mary
informed me that she had done all in her power to bring the Indians
to reason; but without avail; and that they were determined to fight
rather than deliver up the sixteen men who had engaged in the
shooting。 She also apprised me of the fact that they had taken up a
position on the Yamhill River; on the direct road between the post
and village; where; painted and armed for war; they were awaiting
attack。
On this information I concluded it would be best to march to the
village by a circuitous route instead of directly; as at first
intended; so I had the ferry…boat belonging to the post floated about
a mile and a half down the Yamhill River and there anchored。 At 11
o'clock that night I marched my fifty men; out of the garrison; in a
direction opposite to that of the point held by the Indians; and soon
reached the river at the ferryboat。 Here I ferried the party over
with little delay; and marched them along the side of the mountain;
through underbrush and fallen timber; until; just before daylight; I
found that we were immediately in rear of the village; and thence in
rear; also; of the line occupied by the refractory Indians; who were
expecting to meet me on the direct road from the post。 Just at break
of day we made a sudden descent upon the village and took its
occupants completely by surprise; even capturing the chief of the
tribe; 〃Sam;〃 who was dressed in all his war toggery; fully armed and
equipped; in anticipation of a fight on the road where his comrades
were in position。 I at once put Sam under guard; giving orders to
kill him instantly if the Indians fired a shot; then forming my line
on the road beyond the edge of the village; in rear of the force
lying in wait for a front attack; we moved forward。 When the hostile
party realized that they were completely cut off from the village;
they came out from their stronghold on the river and took up a line
in my front; distant about sixty yards with the apparent intention of
resisting to the last。
As is usual with Indians when expecting a fight; they were nearly
naked; fantastically painted with blue clay; and hideously arrayed in
war bonnets。 They seemed very belligerent; brandishing their muskets
in the air; dancing on one foot; calling us ugly names; and making
such other demonstrations of hostility; that it seemed at first that
nothing short of the total destruction of the party could bring about
the definite settlement that we were bent on。 Still; as it was my
desire to bring them under subjection without loss of life; if
possible; I determined to see what result would follow when they
learned that their chief was at our mercy。 So; sending Sam under
guard to the front; where he could be seen; informing them that he
would be immediately shot if they fired upon us; and aided by the
cries and lamentations of the women of the village; who deprecated
any hostile action by either party; I soon procured a parley。
The insubordinate Indians were under command of 〃Joe;〃 Sam's brother;
who at last sent me word that he wanted to see me; and we met between
our; respective lines。 I talked kindly to him; but was firm in my
demand that the men who killed the woman must be given up and my six…
shooter returned。 His reply was he did not think it could be done;
but he would consult his people。 After the consultation; he returned
and notified me that fifteen would surrender and the six…shooter
would be restored; and further; that we could kill the sixteenth man;
since the tribe wished to get rid of him anyhow; adding that he was a
bad Indian; whose bullet no doubt had given the woman her death
wound。 He said that if I assented to this arrangement; he would
require all of his people except the objectionable man to run to the
right of his line at a preconcerted signal。 The bad Indian would be
ordered to stand fast on the extreme left; and we could open fire on
him as his comrades fell away to the right。 I agreed to the
proposition; and gave Joe fifteen minutes to execute his part of it。
We then returned to our respective forces; and a few minutes later
the fifteen ran to the right flank as agreed upon; and we opened fire
on the one Indian left standing alone; bringing him down in his
tracks severely wounded by a shot through the shoulder。
While all this was going on; the other bands of the reservation;
several thousand strong; had occupied the surrounding hills for the
purpose of witnessing the fight; for as the Rogue Rivers had been
bragging for some time that they could whip the soldiers; these other
Indians had come out to see it done。 The result; however;
disappointed the spectators; and the Rogue Rivers naturally lost
caste。 The fifteen men now came in and laid down their arms
(including my six…shooter) in front of us as agreed; but I compelled
them to take the surrendered guns up again and carry them to the
post; where they were deposited in the block…house for future
security。 The prisoners were ironed with ball and chain; and made to
work at the post until their rebellious spirit was broken; and the
wounded man was correspondingly punished after he had fully
recovered。 An investigation as to why this man had been selected as
the offering by which Joe and his companions expected to gain
immunity; showed that the fellow was really a most worthless
character; whose death even would have been a benefit to the tribe。
Thus it seemed that they had two purposes in viewthe one to
propitiate me and get good terms; the other to rid themselves of a
vagabond member of the tribe。
The punishment of these sixteen Indians by ball and chain ended all
trouble with the Rogue River tribe。 The; disturbances arising from
the incantations of the doctors and doctresses; and the practice of
killing horses and burning all worldly property on the graves of
those who died; were completely suppressed; and we made with little
effort a great stride toward the civilization of these crude and
supers