personal memoirs-1-第9章

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since　his　graduation　over　thirty　years　before；　serving　with　credit　in

the　Florida　and　Mexican　wars。　　For　the　three　years　previous　to　his

assignment　to　the　Ninth　Infantry　he　had　been　stationed　on　the　Pacific

coast；　and　the　experience　he　had　there　acquired；　added　to　his

excellent　soldierly　qualities；　was　of　much　benefit　in　the　active

campaigns　in　which；　during　the　following　years；　he　was　to

participate。　　Subsequently　his　career　was　brought　to　an　untimely

close　when；　nine　years　after　this　period；　as　he　was　returning　to　the

scene　of　his　successes；　he；　in　common　with　many　others　was　drowned　by

the　wreck　of　the　ill…fated　steamer　Brother　Jonathan。　　Colonel　Wright

took　command　of　the　district　in　place　of　Rains；　and　had　been　at

Vancouver　but　a　short　time　before　he　realized　that　it　would　be

necessary　to　fight　the　confederated　tribes　east　of　the　Cascade　Range

of　mountains；　in　order　to　disabuse　them　of　the　idea　that　they　were

sufficiently　strong　to　cope　with　the　power　of　the　Government。　　He

therefore　at　once　set　about　the　work　of　organizing　and　equipping　his

troops　for　a　start　in　the　early　spring　against　the　hostile　Indians；

intending　to　make　the　objective　point　of　his　expedition　the　heart　of

the　Spokane　country　on　the　Upper　Columbia　River；　as　the　head　and

front　of　the　confederation　was　represented　in　the　person　of　old

Cammiackan；　chief　of　the　Spokanes。



The　regiment　moved　from　Fort　Vancouver　by　boat；　March　25；　1856；　and

landed　at　the　small　town　called　the　Dalles；　below　the　mouth　of　the

Des　Chutes　River　at　the　eastern　base　of　the　Cascade　Range；　and　just

above　where　the　Columbia　River　enters　those　mountains。　　This

rendezvous　was　to　be　the　immediate　point　of　departure；　and　all　the

troops　composing　the　expedition　were　concentrated　there。



On　the　morning　of　March　26　the　movement　began；　but　the　column　had

only　reached　Five　Mile　Creek　when　the　Yakimas；　joined　by　many　young

warriors…free　lances　from　other　tribes；　made　a　sudden　and　unexpected

attack　at　the　Cascades　of　the　Columbia；　midway　between　Vancouver　and

the　Dalles；　killed　several　citizens；　women　and　children；　and　took

possession　of　the　Portage　by　besieging　the　settlers　in　their　cabins

at　the　Upper　Cascades；　and　those　who　sought　shelter　at　the　Middle

Cascades　in　the　old　military　block…house；　which　had　been　built　some

years　before　as　a　place　of　refuge　under　just　such　circumstances。

These　points　held　out；　and　were　not　captured；　but　the　landing　at　the

Lower　Cascades　fell　completely　into　the　hands　of　the　savages。

Straggling　settlers　from　the　Lower　Cascades　made　their　way　down　to

Fort　Vancouver；　distant　about　thirty…six　miles；　which　they　reached

that　night；　and　communicated　the　condition　of　affairs。　　As　the

necessity　for　early　relief　to　the　settlers　and　the　re…establishment

of　communication　with　the　Dalles　were　apparent；　all　the　force　that

could　be　spared　was　ordered　out；　and　in　consequence　I　immediately

received　directions　to　go　with　my　detachment　of　dragoons；　numbering

about　forty　effective　men；　to　the　relief　of　the　middle　blockhouse；

which　really　meant　to　retake　the　Cascades。　　I　got　ready　at　once；　and

believing　that　a　piece　of　artillery　would　be　of　service　to　me；　asked

for　one；　but　as　there　proved　to　be　no　guns　at　the　post；　I　should　have

been　obliged　to　proceed　without　one　had　it　not　been　that　the　regular

steamer　from　San　Francisco　to　Portland　was　lying　at　the　Vancouver

dock　unloading　military　supplies；　and　the　commander；　Captain　Dall；

supplied　me　with　the　steamer's　small　iron　cannon；　mounted　on　a　wooden

platform；　which　he　used　in　firing　salutes　at　different　ports　on　the

arrival　and　departure　of　the　vessel。　　Finding　at　the　arsenal　a　supply

of　solid　shot　that　would　fit　the　gun；　I　had　it　put　upon　the　steamboat

Belle；　employed　to　carry　my　command　to　the　scene　of　operations；　and

started　up　the　Columbia　River　at　2　A。M。　on　the　morning　of　the　27th。

We　reached　the　Lower　Cascades　early　in　the　day；　where；　selecting　a

favorable　place　for　the　purpose；　I　disembarked　my　men　and　gun　on　the

north　bank　of　the　river；　so　that　I　could　send　back　the　steamboat　to

bring　up　any　volunteer　assistance　that　in　the　mean　time　might　have

been　collected　at　Vancouver。



The　Columbia　River　was　very　high　at　the　time；　and　the　water　had

backed　up　into　the　slough　about　the　foot　of　the　Lower　Cascades　to

such　a　degree　that　it　left　me　only　a　narrow　neck　of　firm　ground　to

advance　over　toward　the　point　occupied　by　the　Indians。　　On　this　neck

of　land　the　hostiles　had　taken　position；　as　I　soon　learned　by

frequent　shots；　loud　shouting；　and　much　blustering；　they；　by　the　most

exasperating　yells　and　indecent　exhibitions；　daring　me　to　the

contest。



After　getting　well　in　hand　everything　connected　with　my　little

command；　I　advanced　with　five　or　six　men　to　the　edge　of　a　growth　of

underbrush　to　make　a　reconnoissance。　　We　stole　along　under　cover　of

this　underbrush　until　we　reached　the　open　ground　leading　over　the

causeway　or　narrow　neck　before　mentioned；　when　the　enemy　opened　fire

and　killed　a　soldier　near　my　side　by　a　shot　which；　just　grazing　the

bridge　of　my　nose；　struck　him　in　the　neck；　opening　an　artery　and

breaking　the　spinal　cord。　　He　died　instantly。　　The　Indians　at　once

made　a　rush　for　the　body；　but　my　men　in　the　rear；　coming　quickly　to

the　rescue；　drove　them　back；　and　Captain　Doll's　gun　being　now　brought

into　play；　many　solid　shot　were　thrown　into　the　jungle　where　they　lay

concealed；　with　the　effect　of　considerably　moderating　their

impetuosity。　　Further　skirmishing　at　long　range　took　place　at

intervals　during　the　day；　with　little　gain　or　loss；　however；　to

either　side；　for　both　parties　held　positions　which　could　not　be

assailed　in　flank；　and　only　the　extreme　of　rashness　in　either　could

prompt　a　front　attack。　　My　left　was　protected　by　the　back　water

driven　into　the　slough　by　the　high　stage　of　the　river；　and　my　right

rested　secure　on　the　main　stream。　　Between　us　was　only　the　narrow

neck　of　land；　to　cross　which　would　be　certain　death。　　The　position　of

the　Indians　was　almost　the　exact　counterpart　of　ours。



In　the　evening　I　sent　a　report　of　the　situation　back　to　Vancouver　by

the　steamboat；　retaining　a　large　Hudson's　Bay　bateau　which　I　had

brought　up　with　me。　　Examining　this　I　found　it　would　carry　about

twenty　men；　and　made　up　my　mind　that　early　next　morning　I　would　cross

the　command　to　the　opposite　or　south　side　of　the　Columbia　River；　and

make　my　way　up　along　the　mountain　base　until　I　arrived　abreast　the

middle　blockhouse；　which　was　still　closely　besieged；　and　then　at　some

favorable　point　recross　to　the　north　bank　to　its　relief；　endeavoring

in　this　manner　to　pass　around　and　to　the　rear　of　the　Indians；　whose

position　confronting　me　was　too　strong　for　a　direct　attack。　　This

plan　was　hazardous；　but　I　believed　it　could　be　successfully　carried

out　if　the　boat　could　be　taken　with　me；　but　should　I　not　be　able　to

do　this　I　felt　that　the　object　contemplated　in　sending　me　out　would

miserably　fail；　and　the　small　band　cooped　up　at　the　block…house　would

soon　starve　or　fall　a　prey　to　the　Indians；　so　I　concluded　to　risk　all

the　chances　the　plan　involved。



On　the　morning　of　March　28　the　savages　were　still　in　my　front；　and

after　giving　them　some　solid　shot　from　Captain　Dall's　gun　we　slipped

down　to　the　river…bank；　and　the　detachment　crossed　by　means　of　the

Hudson's　Bay　boat；　making　a　landing　on　the　opposite　shore　at　a　point

where　the　south　channel　of　the　river；　after　flowing　around　Bradford's

Island；　joins　the　main　stream。　　It　was　then　about　9　o'clock；　and

everything　had　thus　far　proceeded　favorably；　but　examination　of　the

channel　showed　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　get　the　boat　up　the

rapids　along　the　mainland；　and　that　success　could　only　be　assured　by

crossing　the　south　channel　just　below　the　rapids　to　the　island；　along

the　shore　of　which　there　was　every　probability　we　could　pull　the　boat

through　the　rocks　and　swift　water　until　the　head　of　the　rapids　was

reached；　from　which　point　to　the　block…house　there　was　smooth　water。

Telling　the　men　of　the　embarrassment　in　which　I　found　myself；　and

that　if　I　could　get　enough　of　them　to　man　the　boat　and　pull　it　up　the

stream　by　a　rope　to　the　shore　we　would　cross　to　the　island　and　make

the　attempt；　all　volunteered　to　go；　but　as　ten　men　seemed　sufficient

I　selected　that　number　to　accompany　me。　　Before　starting；　however；　I

deemed　it　prudent　to　find　out　if　possible　what　was　engaging　the

attention　of　the　Indians；　who　had　not　yet　discovered　that　we　had　left

their　front。　　I　therefore　climbed　up　the　side　of　the　abrupt　mountain

which　skirted　the　water's　edge　until　I　could　see　across　the　island。

》From　this　point　I　observed　the　Indians　running　horse…races　and

otherwise　enjoying　themselves　behind　the　line　they　had　held　against

me　the　day　before。　　The　squaws　decked　out　in　gay　colors；　and　the　men

gaudily　dressed　in　war　bonnets；　made　the　scene　most　attractive；　but

as　everything　looked　propitious　for　the　dangerous　enterprise　in　hand

I　spent　little　time　watching　them。　　Quickly　returning　to　the　boat；　I

crossed　to　the　island　with　my　ten　men；　threw　ashore　the　rope　attached

to　the　bow；　and　commenced　the　difficult　task　of　pulling　her　up　the

rapids。　　We　got　along　slowly　at　first；　but　soon　striking　a　camp　of

old　squaws　who　had　been　left　on　the　island　for　safety；　and　had　not

gone　over　to　the　mainland　to　see　the　races；　we　utilized　them　to　our

advantage。　　With　unmistakable　threats　and　signs　we　made　them　not　only

keep　quiet；　but　also　give　us　much　needed　assistance　in　pulling

vigorously　on　the　towrope　of　our　boat。



I　was　laboring　under　a　dreadful　strain　of　mental　anxiety　during　all

this　time；　for　had　the　Indians　discovered　what　we　were　about；　they

could　easily　have　come　over　to　the　island　in　their　canoes；　and；　by

forcing　us　to　take　up　our　arms　to　repel　their　attack；　doubtless　would

have　obliged　the　abandonment　of　the　boat；　and　that　essential　adjunct

to　the　final　success　of　my　plan　would　have　gone　down　the　rapids。

Indeed；　under　such　circumstances；　it　would　have　been　impossible　for

ten　men　to　hold　out　against　the　two　or　three　hundred　Indians；　but　the

island　forming　an　excellent　screen　to　our　movements；　we　were　not

discovered；　and　when　we　reached　the　smooth　water　at　the　upper　end　of

the　rapids　we　quickly　crossed　over　and　joined　the　rest　of　the　men；

who　in　the　meantime　had　worked　their　way　along　the　south　bank　of　the

river　parallel　with　us。　　I　felt　very　grateful　to　the　old　squaws　for

the　assistance　they　rendered。　　They　worked　well　under　compulsion；　and

manifested　no　disposition　to　strike　for　higher　wages。　　Indeed；　I　was

so　much　relieved　when　we　had　crossed　over　from　the　island　and　joined

the　rest　of　the　party；　that　I　mentally　thanked　the　squaws　one　and

all。　　I　had　much　difficulty　in　keeping　the　men　on　the　main　shore　from

cheering　at　our　success；　but　hurriedly　taking　into　the　bateau　all　of

them　it　could　carry；　I　sent　the　balance　along　the　southern　bank；

where　the　railro