友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
飞读中文网 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

personal memoirs-1-第21章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




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
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!