, 1866-03-23
LECTURES BY REV. Il H.sPAUEDIN6.
The whitman Massacre.
lNUMBER sEvEE.
ESCAPE OF xR. osBORsE lED FAMILY.

Inc almost MIRACULOUS escape OF Mr.. osborne,
wife and family, their cruel reception at Fort
Walla, as given By himself Mr.. Osborne is a
worthy citizen Of Linu County, Oregon, and a
devoted member Of the church Of Christ Mrs.
Osborne, after enduring unceasing snherings for
| is years from successive ulcer sores around the
shoulder, oceasioned by her chills and terrific
sufferingS, has regaincd her health through a
kind Providence.
Mr. Osborne says: Gas the guns Sred and
the yells commenced leaned my head upon the
bed and committed myself and family to my
Maker. Ny wife removed the loose floor
dropped under the hoor with my sick family in
/ their night clothes, taking only two wooden
sheets, piece of bread and some cold mush
and pulled the floor over US. In FIVE minutes
the room was full Of Indians, but they did not
| discover us. The roar of guns, the yells of the
savages and the crash of the clubs and the
knives and the groans Of the dying continued
| till dark. We distinctly heard the dying groaus
| of Mrs. Whitman, Mr.. Rogers and Francis, till
| they died away one after the other We heard
Mr.. Rogers last in a slow voice, come Lord Je-
sus, come quickly and heard no more. Soon
after this | removed the floor and we went out
We saw the white face OF Francis by the doo-
1t was warm as we laid our hand upon it, but
he was dead. | carried my two youngest chill
dren, who were sick, aud my wife held on to nv
clothes in her great weakness. We had all been
sick with measles. Two infants had died. -
She had not left her bed for six weeks till that
day, when she stood up few minutes The na-
ked, painted Indians were dancing the scaIp
dance around large FIRE at a little distance
There seemed no hope for US, and we knew not
which way TO go, but we bent our steps towards
Fort Walla Walla. A dense cold fog shut out
every star and the darkness was complete. We
could see no trail and not even the hand before
the face. We had to feel out the trail with or
feet. Ny wife almost tainted but staggered
along. Mill creek, which we had to wade, was
high from late rains, and come up to the waist.
Nv wife in her great weakness came nigh wash
ing down, but held to my clothes, braciug N.Y.
self with a stick, holding child in one arm |
had to Gloss five times for the children The
water was icy cold and the air freezing some.
Staggering along about two miles, Mrs Osborne
tainted and could 60 no further, and we hid
ourselves in the brush of the Walla WaIIa
river, not fan below Tom Suckey's a chief
lodges, who was very active at the commence
ment of the butchery. We were thoroughly
wet, and the cold fog like suow was aboutus.
The cold mud was partially frozen as we
crawled, feeling our way, into the dark brush
We could see nothing, the darkness was so ex-
treme. l spread enc wet sheet down on the fro
zen ground, wife and children crouched upon
it. covered The other over them. | thougbt
they must soon perish, as they were shaking
and their teeth rafting, terribly with cnId /
kneclCd down and commended Us TO my Maker
The day finally dawned and we could see Indianc
riding furiously up and down the trail Some
times they would come close to the brush and
our blood would warm and the shaking would
stop, from fear for moment. The day seemed
a week Expected every moment NY wife would
breathe her last Tuesday night, felt our way
to the trail and staggered along to Sutucks Nj
ma, (Oog Creek which we waded as we did the
other creek, and kept on about two miles when
my wife tainted and could go no farther
Crawled into the brush and frozen mud to shake
and suffer on from hunger and cold without
sleep. The children, too, wet and cold, called
incessantly for food, but the shock of groans and
wells at FIRST so frightened them that they did not
speak loud. Wednesday night wife was too weak
to stand. | took our second child and started
for Walla Walla; had to wade the Touchet;
stopped frequently in the brush from weakness;
had not recovered from measles. Heard horse
man pass and repass as lay concealed in the
Willows Have since learned it was Mr. Spaul-
ding Reached Fort Walla Walla after daylight;
begged Mr.. Mclean for horses to get my family,
for food, blankets and clothing to take to them,
and to take care Of my child till could bring
nv family in, should live to 6nd them alive
Mr. Mclean told me l could not bring my fami.
ly to his Fort Mr.. Hall had come in on Nom
day night, but he could not have an American
in bis Fort, and he had put him over the Col
umbia river; that he could not let me have hor-
ses or anything for my wife and children, and |
must 90 to Umatilla. Insisted on bringing nv
family to the Fort, but he refused, said be would
not let US in. l next begged the Priests to show
pity, as my wife and children must perish, and
the Indians undoubtedly would kill me, but with
no better success. | theh Begged to leave my
child who was now safe in the Fort, but they re-
fused.
There were many Priests in the Fort. Mr..
McBeau gave me breakfast, but saved most Of
it for my family Providentially Mr.. Stanley,
an artist, came in from Colvile, narrowly es-
capped the Cayuse Indians by telling them ate
was "Alain," H. B. He let me have his two
horses some food be had left from Rev. BELLS
and Walkers Mssion also a cap, a pair OF socks,
a shirt and handkerchief, and Mr.. Mclean fur
pished an Indian who proved most faithful, and
Thursday night we started back, taking my
child but with a sad heart that could not flnd
mercy at the hand of the priests Of God The
Indian guided me in the thick darkness to
where supposed | had left my dear wife and
children. We could see nothing and dare not
call aloud. Day light came and was exposed
to Indians, but we continued to search till | was
about to give up in despair when the Indian dis
covered one of the twigs had broken as a guide
in coming out to the trail. Following these be
soon found my wife and children, yet alive. |
distributed what little food and clothing had,
and we started for the Umatilla, the guide lead
ing the way to ford But just as we were
about to cross, a Cayuse came upon us. gave
him piece of tobacco. He told my Indian he
had come to kill us all. My Indian replied,
yes, you had better kill them, you have no
scalps now, but then you will have FIVE. The
sick mans this woman's and the three chill
dren's. You will then be big brave By this be
shamed the Cayuse, who said, Il will not kill
them but they will be killed at Umatilla And
that will do. He left and we crossed the Walla
Walla river, and the guide said, go to the Fort
Ny wife said, if am 70 die will die at the door
of the white man. We will 60 to the Fort if
God will save us to reach that place. The In-
dian had to hold my wife before him on the
horse. To escape the Indians we had to hide
ip the brush till dark. We reached the Fort
late Sunday night. laid my wife down and
knocked at the gate. Mr.. Mclean came and
asked who is there. replied. He said he could
not let US in, we must go to Umatilla or be
would put us over the river as be had Mr.. Hall
Ny wife replied, she would die at the gate, but
she would,no leave. He finally opened and took
Us into secret room and sent an allowance Of
food for US every day. Next day asked him for