personal memoirs-1-第14章

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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

superstitious　people；　for　they　now　began　to　recognize　the　power　of

the　Government。　　In　their　management　afterward　a　course　of　justice

and　mild　force　was　adopted；　and　unvaryingly　applied。　　They　were

compelled　to　cultivate　their　land；　to　attend　church；　and　to　send

their　children　to　school。　　When　I　saw　them；　fifteen　years　later；

transformed　into　industrious　and　substantial　farmers；　with　neat

houses；　fine　cattle；　wagons　and　horses；　carrying　their　grain；　eggs；

and　butter　to　market　and　bringing　home　flour；　coffee；　sugar；　and

calico　in　return；　I　found　abundant　confirmation　of　my　early　opinion

that　the　most　effectual　measures　for　lifting　them　from　a　state　of

barbarism　would　be　a　practical　supervision　at　the　outset；　coupled

with　a　firm　control　and　mild　discipline。



In　all　that　was　done　for　these　Indians　Captain　Russell's　judgment　and

sound；　practical　ideas　were　the　inspiration。　　His　true　manliness；

honest　and　just　methods；　together　with　the　warm…hearted　interest　he

took　in　all　that　pertained　to　matters　of　duty　to　his　Government；

could　not　have　produced　other　than　the　best　results；　in　what　position

soever　he　might　have　been　placed。　　As　all　the　lovable　traits　of　his

character　were　constantly　manifested；　I　became　most　deeply　attached

to　him；　and　until　the　day　of　his　death　in　1864；　on　the　battle…field

of　Opequan；　in　front　of　Winchester；　while　gallantly　leading　his

division　under　my　command；　my　esteem　and　affection　were　sustained　and

intensified　by　the　same　strong　bonds　that　drew　me　to　him　in　these

early　days　in　Oregon。



After　the　events　just　narrated　I　continued　on　duty　at　the　post　of

Yamhill；　experiencing　the　usual　routine　of　garrison　life　without　any

incidents　of　much　interest；　down　to　the　breaking　out　of　the　war　of

the　rebellion　in　April；　1861。　　The　news　of　the　firing　on　Fort　Sumter

brought　us　an　excitement　which　overshadowed　all　else；　and　though　we

had　no　officers　at　the　post　who　sympathized　with　the　rebellion；　there

were　several　in　our　regimentthe　Fourth　Infantrywho　did；　and　we

were　considerably　exercised　as　to　the　course　they　might　pursue；　but

naturally　far　more　so　concerning　the　disposition　that　would　be　made

of　the　regiment　during　the　conflict。



In　due　time　orders　came　for　the　regiment　to　go　East；　and　my　company

went　off；　leaving　me；　howevera　second　lieutenantin　command　of　the

post　until　I　should　be　relieved　by　Captain　James　J。　Archer；　of　the

Ninth　Infantry；　whose　company　was　to　take　the　place　of　the　old

garrison。　　Captain　Archer；　with　his　company　of　the　Ninth；　arrived

shortly　after；　but　I　had　been　notified　that　he　intended　to　go　South；

and　his　conduct　was　such　after　reaching　the　post　that　I　would　not

turn　over　the　command　to　him　for　fear　he　might　commit　some　rebellious

act。　　Thus　a　more　prolonged　detention　occurred　than　I　had　at　first

anticipated。　　Finally　the　news　came　that　he　had　tendered　his

resignation　and　been　granted　a　leave　of　absence　for　sixty　days。　　On

July　17　he　took　his　departure；　but　I　continued　in　command　till

September　1；　when　Captain　Philip　A。　Owen；　of　the　Ninth　Infantry；

arrived　and；　taking　charge；　gave　me　my　release。



》From　the　day　we　received　the　news　of　the　firing　on　Sumter　until　I

started　East；　about　the　first　of　September；　1861；　I　was　deeply

solicitous　as　to　the　course　of　events；　and　though　I　felt　confident

that　in　the　end　the　just　cause　of　the　Government　must　triumph；　yet

the　thoroughly　crystallized　organization　which　the　Southern

Confederacy　quickly　exhibited　disquieted　me　very　much；　for　it　alone

was　evidence　that　the　Southern　leaders　had　long　anticipated　the

struggle　and　prepared　for　it。　　It　was　very　difficult　to　obtain　direct

intelligence　of　the　progress　of　the　war。　　Most　of　the　time　we　were　in

the　depths　of　ignorance　as　to　the　true　condition　of　affairs；　and　this

tended　to　increase　our　anxiety。　　Then；　too；　the　accounts　of　the

conflicts　that　had　taken　place　were　greatly　exaggerated　by　the

Eastern　papers；　and　lost　nothing　in　transition。　　The　news　came　by　the

pony　express　across　the　Plains　to　San　Francisco；　where　it　was　still

further　magnified　in　republishing；　and　gained　somewhat　in　Southern

bias。　　I　remember　well　that　when　the　first　reports　reached　us　of；　the

battle　of　Bull　Runthat　sanguinary　engagementit　was　stated　that

each　side　had　lost　forty　thousand　men　in　killed　and　wounded；　and　none

were　reported　missing　nor　as　having　run　away。　　Week　by　week　these

losses　grew　less；　until　they　finally　shrunk　into　the　hundreds；　but

the　vivid　descriptions　of　the　gory　conflict　were　not　toned　down

during　the　whole　summer。



We　received　our　mail　at　Yamhill　only　once　a　week；　and　then　had　to

bring　it　from　Portland；　Oregon；　by　express。　　On　the　day　of　the　week

that　our　courier；　or　messenger；　was　expected　back　from　Portland；　I

would　go　out　early　in　the　morning　to　a　commanding　point　above　the

post；　from　which　I　could　see　a　long　distance　down　the　road　as　it　ran

through　the　valley　of　the　Yamhill；　and　there　I　would　watch　with

anxiety　for　his　coming；　longing　for　good　news；　for；　isolated　as　I　had

been　through　years　spent　in　the　wilderness；　my　patriotism　was

untainted　by　politics；　nor　had　it　been　disturbed　by　any　discussion　of

the　questions　out　of　which　the　war　grew；　and　I　hoped　for　the　success

of　the　Government　above　all　other　considerations。　　I　believe　I　was

also　uninfluenced　by　any　thoughts　of　the　promotion　that　might　result

to　me　from　the　conflict；　but；　out　of　a　sincere　desire　to　contribute

as　much　as　I　could　to　the　preservation　of　the　Union；　I　earnestly

wished　to　be　at　the　seat　of　war；　and　feared　it　might　end　before　I

could　get　East。　　In　no　sense　did　I　anticipate　what　was　to　happen　to

me　afterward；　nor　that　I　was　to　gain　any　distinction　from　it。　　I　was

ready　to　do　my　duty　to　the　best　of　my　ability　wherever　I　might　be

called；　and　I　was　young；　healthy；　insensible　to　fatigue；　and　desired

opportunity；　but　high　rank　was　so　distant　in　our　service　that　not　a

dream　of　its　attainment　had　flitted　through　my　brain。



During　the　period　running　from　January　to　September；　1861；　in

consequence　of　resignations　and　the　addition　of　some　new　regiments　to

the　regular　army；　I　had　passed　through　the　grade　of　first　lieutenant

and　reached　that　of　captain　in　the　Thirteenth　United　States　Infantry；

of　which　General　W。　T。　Sherman　had　recently　been　made　the　colonel。

When　relieved　from　further　duty　at　Yamhill　by　Captain　Owen；　I　left

for　the　Atlantic　coast　to　join　my　new　regiment。　　A　two　days'　ride

brought　me　down　to　Portland；　whence　I　sailed　to　San　Franciso；　and　at

that　city　took　passage　by　steamer　for　New　York　via　the　Isthmus　of

Panama；　in　company　with　a　number　of　officers　who　were　coming　East

under　circumstances　like　my　own。



At　this　time　California　was　much　agitatedon　the　question　of

secession；　and　the　secession　element　was　so　strong　that　considerable

apprehension　was　felt　by　the　Union　people　lest　the　State　might　be

carried　into　the　Confederacy。　　As　a　consequence