, 1856-12-19

rcaLcr, at or near Port GamJb, ". r.
\ L. S. STEAMER "MAssAcursErrs,")
POET GAgmr, w. T.,
November 23d, 1856.
SIR Having received information from
Lieut.. Col. Casey on the evening of The
18th inst, that large party Of Northern
Indians were committing depredatiouS NJ
the Sound, in the vicinity of Stelacoom
] got under way on the morning OF the
10Th inst and proceeded to Steiacoom res
ervatiou and Swans logging camp in Hen
derson's bay, where found that the In
dians alluded TO had been recently commit
ting dcpredations at both these places and
at the reservation they had a fight Will
the Sound Indians, in which two of tn,
Northern Indians were killed aud one oI
their canoes captured Ascertaining that
the Northern Indians had left Henderson'S
bay the day before We arrived, on their
way down the Sound, | proceeded with
all dispatch in pursuit Of them, and was
Informed the same evening that they had
been committing deprcdations at Port
Madison, but had left there going down
the Sound. therefore passed Port Mad
ison and proceeded to Port Gamble, where
| arrived on the afternoon Of the goth inst,
and found the Northern Indians encamped
in large force.
Soon after anchoring despatched two
boats containing eighteen (lSl armed men,
including an interpreter, under the com
mand of Lieut.. Young, with orders to have
a friendly. talk with them and endeavor to
prevail upon them to leave the Sound peace.
ably in tow of this vessel for Victoria,
Vancouver's Island. also directed him
70 say to them that wished two or three
Of their chiefs to come on board and have
a friendly talk with me, promising 10 for
give them for the depredations they had
committed, provided they would comply
with my demands and not return to the
Sound any more.
The Indians came down to the beach
close to the boats in large force, armed,
and in menacing manner threatening to
shoot any Que who landed, treating my
propositions with contempt and ridicule,
shaking their fists at the officers and men
in the boats and daring them to come on
shore aud eight them.
As Lieut.. Young had positive orders
from inc not to land, or come in collision
with the Indians, but TO endeayor to pre-
vail upon them &c. leave the Sound, by Oh
serving forbearance and conciiaton, find.
ing this course unavailing he returned on
board. Immediately fitted out q larger
expedition, consisting Of the Launch, with
a howitzer, and two cutters, the whole
force being composed Of about forty-fve
(45) men, armed, with an interpreter from
Port Gamble, under the command Of 1t.
Young with orders to communicate with
these Indians again by sending the inter
prefer in advance with flag Of truce, and
20 make the same demands, observing u
cOncilatory course toward them, and to re-
turn to the ship without landing, or moles-
ting them, in case they should still refuse
to comply with these demands. l also di.
rected the interpreter to say to them, that
| had large force under command which
it would be impossible for them to resist,
and to prevail upon them by every persua'
sion in bis power to yield to my demands
and not compel me 10 resort TO compulsory
measures in order to remove them from
the Sound promising again to forgive
them for all the depredations they had com
mitted, provided they would leave thu
Sound peaceably.
They refused most positively to accedc
to my propositions, saying they would 60
as soon as they got ready, but not witt
me, and, if possible, treated Lieutenant
Young in a more insulting and threatening
manner than when he first laAlded there
be therefore returned on board, again fail
, lug to accomplish any thing. Finding 4
, temporizing course no longer available
aud it being now dark, determined in the
: morning to make preparations for an at
tack ; for which purpose l removed tht
: ship as close as possible to their encamp
: ment, about 600 yards distant and abreast
of it, keeping her broadside to bear upoT
it by springs upon the cable, and at o'cll
the next morning l despatched 1t. Simme,
in the lst cutter to the steamer Traveller
. (Which vessel, with the Launch, under the
: command Of 1t. Forrest, both having fell
) pieces on board, had been anchored tht
, night before, above the Indians encamp
: ment so that their guns had raking Grt
( upon it, with orders to communicate will
, the Indians again, through flag of truce
e and reiterate the demands which had beef
= twice made upon them, and to point out Il
l them our preparations, and the folly OIL
p their part to make any further resistance
5 but if they still persisted in refusing t,
I comply with my propositions, l should b.
a compelled, very reluctantly, to resort Il
force. After the interpreter had been com
e municating with them some twenty min
g utes, Lit. SHINES landed with force 0
), t~enty-nine sailors Gnd marines, accompa
n MED by 1t. Forrest and Mr.. Fendal, com
IS mander's clerk, in order to charge then
e should it become necessary. The diseu
: barkation was successfully effected, al
}, though it was bloweg very fresh at tn
a time from the northward and westward
: with heavy swell on They were oblige,
to wade up to their waists in the water