personal memoirs-1-第7章

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gold…dust　from　some　small　bottles　of　the　precious　metal　in　his

possession；　Switzler　readily　became　contented；　and　I　think　even

encouraged　the　exhibitionsof　skill。



It　was　at　this　period　（October；　1855）　that　the　Yakima　Indian　war

broke　out；　and　I　was　detached　from　duty　with　the　exploring　party　and

required　by　Major　Gabriel　J。　Rains；　then　commanding　the　district；　to

join　an　expedition　against　the　Yakimas。　　They　had　some　time　before

killed　their　agent；　and　in　consequence　a　force　under　Major　Granville

O。　Haller　had　been　sent　out　from　the　Dalles　of　the　Columbia　to

chastise　them；　but　the　expedition　had　not　been　successful；　in　fact；

it　had　been　driven　back；　losing　a　number　of　men　and　two　mountain

howitzers。



The　object　of　the　second　expedition　was　to　retrieve　this　disaster。

The　force　was　composed　of　a　small　body　of　regular　troops；　and　a

regiment　of　Oregon　mounted　volunteers　under　command　of　Colonel　James

W。　Nesmithsubsequently　for　several　years　United　States　Senator　from

Oregon。　　The　whole　force　was　under　the　command　of　Major　Rains；　Fourth

Infantry；　who；　in　order　that　he　might　rank　Nesmith；　by　some

hocus…pocus　had　been　made　a　brigadier…general；　under　an　appointment

from　the　Governor　of　Washington　Territory。



We　started　from　the　Dalles　October　30；　under　conditions　that　were　not

conducive　to　success。　　The　season　was　late　for　operations；　and　worse

still；　the　command　was　not　in　accord　with　the　commanding　officer；

because　of　general　belief　in　his　incompetency；　and　on　account　of　the

fictitious　rank　he　assumed。　　On　the　second　day　out　I　struck　a　small

body　of　Indians　with　my　detachment　of　dragoons；　but　was　unable　to　do

them　any　particular　injury　beyond　getting　possession　of　a　large

quantity　of　their　winter　food；　which　their　hurried　departure

compelled　them　to　abandon。　　This　food　consisted　principally　of　dried

salmon…pulverized　and　packed　in　sacks　made　of　grass…dried

huckleberries；　and　dried　camas；　the　latter　a　bulbous　root　about　the

size　of　a　small　onion；　which；　when　roasted　and　ground；　is　made　into

bread　by　the　Indians　and　has　a　taste　somewhat　like　cooked　chestnuts。



Our　objective　point　was　Father　Pandoza's　Mission；　in　the　Yakima

Valley；　which　could　be　reached　by　two　different　routes；　and　though

celerity　of　movement　was　essential；　our　commanding　officer

〃strategically〃　adopted　the　longer　route；　and　thus　the　Indians　had

ample　opportunity　to　get　away　with　their　horses；　cattle；　women　and

children；　and　camp　property。



After　the　encounter　which　I　just　now　referred　to；　the　command；　which

had　halted　to　learn　the　results　of　my　chase；　resumed　its　march　to　and

through　the　Klikitat　canon；　and　into　the　lower　Yakima　Valley；　in　the

direction　of　the　Yakima　River。　　I　had　charge　at　the　head　of　the

column　as　it　passed　through　the　canon；　and　on　entering　the　valley

beyond；　saw　in　the　distance　five　or　six　Indian　scouts；　whom　I　pressed

very　closely；　until　after　a　run　of　several　miles　they　escaped　across

the　Yakima　River。



The　soil　in　the　valley　was　light　and　dry；　and　the　movement　of　animals

over　it　raised　great　clouds　of　dust；　that　rendered　it　very　difficult

to　distinguish　friend　from　foe；　and　as　I　was　now　separated　from　the

main　column　a　considerable　distance；　I　deemed　it　prudent　to　call　a

halt　until　we　could　discover　the　direction　taken　by　the　principal

body　of　the　Indians。　　We　soon　learned　that　they　had　gone　up　the

valley；　and　looking　that　way；　we　discovered　a　column　of　alkali　dust

approaching　us；　about　a　mile　distant；　interposing　between　my　little

detachment　and　the　point　where　I　knew　General　Rains　intended　to

encamp　for　the　night。　　After　hastily　consulting　with　Lieutenant

Edward　H。　Day；　of　the　Third　United　States　Artillery；　who　was　with　me；

we　both　concluded　that　the　dust　was　caused　by　a　body　of　the　enemy

which　had　slipped　in　between　us　and　our　main　force。　　There　seemed　no

alternative　left　us　but　to　get　back　to　our　friends　by　charging

through　these　Indians；　and　as　their　cloud　of　dust　was　much　larger

than　ours；　this　appeared　a　desperate　chance。　　Preparations　to　charge

were　begun；　however；　but；　much　to　our　surprise；　before　they　were

completed　the　approaching　party　halted　for　a　moment　and　then

commenced　to　retreat。　　This　calmed　the　throbbing　of　our　hearts；　and

with　a　wild　cheer　we　started　in　a　hot　pursuit；　that　continued　for

about　two　miles；　when　to　our　great　relief　we　discovered　that　we　were

driving　into　Rains's　camp　a　squadron　of　Nesmith's　battalion　of　Oregon

volunteers　that　we　had　mistaken　for　Indians；　and　who　in　turn　believed

us　to　be　the　enemy。　　When　camp　was　reached；　we　all　indulged　in　a

hearty　laugh　ovor　the　affair；　and　at　the　fright　each　party　had　given

the　other。　　The　explanations　which　ensued　proved　that　the　squadron　of

volunteers　had　separated　from　the　column　at　the　same　time　that　I　had

when　we　debouched　from　the　canon；　and　had　pursued　an　intermediate

trail　through　the　hills；　which　brought　it　into　the　valley　of　the

Yakima　at　a　point　higher　up　the　river　than　where　I　had　struck　it。



Next　day　we　resumed　our　march　up　the　valley；　parallel　to　the　Yakima。

About　1　o'clock　we　saw　a　large　body　of　Indians　on　the　opposite　side

of　the　river；　and　the　general　commanding　made　up　his　mind　to　cross

and　attack　them。　　The　stream　was　cold；　deep；　and　swift；　still　I

succeeded　in　passing　my　dragoons　over　safely；　but　had　hardly　got　them

well　on　the　opposite　bank　when　the　Indians　swooped　down　upon　us。

Dismounting　my　men；　we　received　the　savages　with　a　heavy　fire；　which

brought　them　to　a　halt　with　some　damage　and　more　or　less　confusion。



General　Rains　now　became　very　much　excited　and　alarmed　about　me；　and

endeavored　to　ford　the　swift　river　with　his　infantry　and　artillery；

but　soon　had　to　abandon　the　attempt；　as　three　or　four　of　the　poor

fellows　were　swept　off　their　feet　and　drowned。　　Meantime　Nesmith　came

up　with　his　mounted　force；　crossed　over；　and　joined　me。



The　Indians　now　fell　back　to　a　high　ridge；　on　the　crest　of　which　they

marched　and　countermarched；　threatening　to　charge　down　its　face。

Most　of　them　were　naked；　and　as　their　persons　were　painted　in　gaudy

colors　and　decorated　with　strips　of　red　flannel；　red　blankets　and　gay

war…bonnets；　their　appearance　presented　a　scene　of　picturesque

barbarism；　fascinating　but　repulsive。　　As　they　numbered　about　six

hundred；　the　chances　of　whipping　them　did　not　seem　overwhelmingly　in

our　favor；　yet　Nesmith　and　I　concluded　we　would　give　them　a　little

fight；　provided　we　could　engage　them　without　going　beyond　the　ridge。

But　all　our　efforts　were　in　vain；　for　as　we　advanced　they　retreated；

and　as　we　drew　back　they　reappeared　and　renewed　their　parade　and

noisy　demonstrations；　all　the　time　beating　their　drums　and　yelling

lustily。　　They　could　not　be　tempted　into　a　fight　where　we　desired　it；

however；　and　as　we　felt　unequal　to　any　pursuit　beyond　the　ridge

without　the　assistance　of　the　infantry　and　artillery；　we　re…crossed

the　river　and　encamped　with　Rains。　　It　soon　became　apparent　that　the

noisy　demonstrations　of　the　Indians　were　intended　only　as　a　blind　to

cover　the　escape　of　their　women　and　children　to　a　place　of　safety　in

the　mountains。



Next　morning　we　took　up　our　march　without　crossing　the　river；　and　as

our　route　would　lead　us　by　the　point　on　the　opposite　bank　where　the

Indians　had　made　their　picturesque　display　the　day　before；　they　at　an

early　hour　came　over　to　our　side；　and　rapidly　moved　ahead　of　us　to

some　distant　hills；　leaving　in　our　pathway　some　of　the　more

venturesome　young　braves；　who　attempted　；　to　retard　our　advance　by

opening　fire　at　long　range　from　favorable　places　where　they　lay

concealed。　　This　fire　did　us　little　harm；　but　it　had　the　effect　of

making　our　progress　so　slow　that　the　patience　of　every　one　but

General　Rains　was　well…nigh　exhausted。



About　2　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　we　arrived　well　up　near　the　base　of

the　range　of　hills；　and　though　it　was　growing　late　we　still　had　time

to　accomplish　something；　but　our　commanding　officer　decided　that　it

was　best　to　go　into　camp；　and　make　a　systematic　attack　next　morning。

I　proposed　that　he　let　me　charge　with　my　dragoons　through　the　narrow

canon　where　the　river　broke　through　the　range；　while　the　infantry

should　charge　up　the　hill　and　drive　the　enemy　from　the　top　down　on

the　other　side。　　In　this　way　I　thought　we　might　possibly　catch　some

of　the　fugitives；　but　his　extreme　caution　led　him　to　refuse　the

suggestion；　so　we　pitched　our　tents　out　of　range　of　their　desultory

fire；　but　near　enough　to　observe　plainly　their　menacing　and

tantalizing　exhibitions　of　contempt。



In　addition　to　firing　occasionally；　they　called　us　all　sorts　of　bad

names；　made　indecent　gestures；　and　aggravated　us；　so　that　between　3

and　4　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　by　an　inexplicable　concert　of　action；

and　with　a　serious　breach　of　discipline；　a　large　number　of　the　men

and　many　of　the　officers　broke　en　masse　from　the　camp　with　loud　yells

and　charged　the　offending　savages。　　As　soon　as　this　mob　got　within

musket…shot　they　opened　fire　on　the　Indians；　who　ran　down　the　other

face　of　the　ridge　without　making　the　slightest　resistance。　　The　hill

was　readily　taken　by　this　unmilitary　proceeding；　and　no　one　was　hurt

on　either　side；　but　as　Rains　would　not　permit　it　to　be　held；　a　large

bonfire　was　lighted　on　the　crest　in　celebration　of　the　victory；　and

then　all　hands　marched　back　to　camp；　where　they　had　no　sooner　arrived

and　got　settled　down　than　the　Indians　returned　to　the　summit　of　the

ridge；　seemingly　to　enjoy　the　fire　that　had　been　so　generously　built

for　their　benefit；　and　with　renewed　taunts　and　gestures　continued　to

insult　us。



Our　camp　that　night　was　strongly　picketed；　and　when　we　awoke　in　the

morning　the　Indians　still　occupied　their　position　on　the　hill。　　At

daylight　we　advanced　against　them；　two　or　three　companies　of　infantry

moving　forward　to　drive　them　from　the　summit；　while　our　main　column

passed　through　the　canon　into　the　upper　Yakima　Valley　led　by　my

dragoons；　who　were　not　allowed　to　charge　into　the　gorge；　as　the

celerity　of　such　a　movement　might　cause　the　tactical　combination　to

fail。



As　we　passed　slowly　and　cautiously　through　the　canon　the　Indians　ran

rapidly　away；　and　when　we　reached　the　farther　end　they　had　entirely

disappeared　from　our　front；　except　one　old　fellow；　whose　lame　horse

prevented　him　keeping　up　with　the　main　body。　　This　presented　an


opportunity　for　gaining　results　which　all　thought　should　not　be　lost；

so　our　guide；　an　Indian　named　〃Cut…mouth　John；〃　seized　upon　it；　and

giving　hot　chase；　soon；　overtook　the　poor　creature；　whom　he　speedily

killed　without　much　danger　to　himself；　for　the　fugitive　was　armed

with　only　an　old　Hudson's　Bay　flint…lock　horse…pistol　which　could　not

be　discharged。



〃Cut…mouth　John's〃　engagement　began　and　ended　all　the　fighting　that

took　place　on　this　occasion；　and　much　disappointment　and　discontent

followed；　Nesmith's　mounted　force　and　my　dragoons　being　particularly