The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1853-12-07
onEsoN CONFESSION oENCE.
MARysNLLE, OREGON, Oct. 4, 1853


Indiss outbreak on Rogue River, in this
hos doubtless reached you by this
lime. For the Information Of your readers
will give you some account Of the causes that
led to the outbreak, andof the conduct Of
those particularly Gen. Lane) through !
whose agency the Indians were induced to
lay down their arms, and abandon their ter
ritory, at least the larger and more valuable
portion of il, 10 the undisturbed possession Of
the Whites.
The Indians on the Pacific coast, as /
have already informed you in one of my for
mer letters. are generally a most degraded
and inofensive race, occupying next to the
Bushmen Of Africa, the lowest rank in the
scale Of humanity. They have not even
energy and ingenuity enough to build wig
vans to shelter them from the inclemency
of the weather, but sleep in the open air or
in the clefts Of rocks, while their food con-
sists principally of roots dug out of the earth,
worms and reptiles. This is the general cha
racter of the Indians on this coast. But
there are some exceptions, and among the
exceptions are the tribes on Rogue River,
in the Soushern part Of this territory
These tribes possess considerable physical
and mental vigor, are brave and warlike,
fierce and intractable. While other tribes
have submitted patiently to the domination
Of the white man, these have been more
jealous Of their encroachments, and have
shown q great unwillingness 10 surrender,
without u struggle. their homes, 'their al
tars and their fires, and the green graves Of
their sires," to the possession of the grasp
ing and aggressive pale faces. But in spite
Of their opposition, complaints and murmurs,
the tide continued to roll on, until at length
the valleys were all filled up by the white
men, (Bostons, as they are called by the In
dians) and the red men in despair were driv-
en- to the mountains. There they brooded
over their wrongs, and medtated and plotted
revenge-revcnge not only for the loss Of
| their lands, but for the violation and seduc.
ton of their squaws, and other wrongs which
lawless white men had committed against
them. Buying up guns and ammunition,
which some of the whites, having more love
for money than regard for their own safety,
imPrudently sold them, they commenced the
work OF destruction, burning houses and
gathered crops, driving off stock, and mas
sacring every white man that came within
their reach.
The news of the outbreak having spread
over the country, the settlers and miners who
had guns, began to assemble. Foremost
among the former was the old hero SD well
known to every man, woman and child OF
| vanderburg, Gen. JosEPH LANE, who at the
FIRST alarm FASTENED to the scene Of trouble
Placing himself, or rather being placed ty q
unanimous vote, at the head of the small
force assembled, he set out in search Of the
Indians. He found them posted behind trees
and logs, in position rendered almost mac.
cessible by the dense nnderbrush that surrour-
ded them on every side. Knowing the grsa.
Importance of striking an immediate and ef.
fective blow, without waiting for negotiation
or parsey, he ordered his men to charge. A
portion Of them, it is said, hung back in q
most ungallant and unsolderliLe manner;
but the ols General having never learned to
retreat, and being bravely supper ed by Capt.
r Alden, of the Regulars, and few others,
pressed forward to the assault. Abloody con.
. flict ensued, both w hites and indians dis.
| playing great courage and intrepdity. Sew
, eral Indians were killed and may wounded.
E Three whites were killed AMI seeral wound.
e ed. Among the latter was Gen Lane, who
e received shot through the arm, few inches
i. above the wound received by HMM Mexico.
e HIS wound, though severe, was OF danger
). Gus, and his friends in Indian will learn
i with pleasure that he has quite recovered, and
is ere this probably es route to Washington,
to discharge the duties of Delege from Orc
gon, a pest which he SO creditab' and hon.
IS orably Fl lied during the last CONFESS.
The battle having ragged for 'ome time,
g the Indians called for parley. Gen. Lane,
at the request Of his men, wentmong the
y Indians, alone and unattende, 10 hold q
y "talk" with them. file had no s,ner cross.
. ed their lines than they crowded ound him,
aud i'm plored him to grant them peace on
fair terms, telling him that they I'd common
J. ced the war in retaliation for injres commit.
"a ted upon them by the whites; tn they were
ID disposed to live at peace with thwhites, and
" would faithfully observe q trty, If one
I'd should be made with them. A spension Of
is arms for seven days was agree upon. At
10 The eY Mira ton of that time a sst talko WINS