The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-08-15
THE INDIAN WAR OF 1866.

Here the several companies were eX-
amined by a committee appointed for
that purpose, and all whose horse or
eouipments were thought inadequate to
the purposes Of an effective winter cam
paign were offered discharge. BY
what authority this order was promul-
gated 1 never knew, but 80 it was. But
it was interesting to observe the chill
ing effect the Yakima snow-storm had
produced upon the patriotism Of not a
few. Men who had previously, in the
most forcible language, declared their
intentions Of remaining In the field till
the last saucy red-skin was either killed
or conquered, though perils and priva-
tious might menace the,a at every step,
were now quite willing TO return to
their homes, and allow the arrogant
savages TO enjoy their easy triumph un-
challenged. But the patriotism Of all
was not of this ephemeral character, as
examples of that virtue were displayed
at this juncture that were certainly
commendable. In one instance nom
commissioned officer Of our company,
fearing that the horse of a stalwart
young mechanic would not be accepted
by the committee, and the young mans
superior craftsmanship be lost to the
service, gave him his own in exchange,
aud accepted the alternative of return
ing home himself, although it was
patent to all that he would have served
the Territory in the capacity Of colonel
in preference.
The Indians in the Walla Walla VAL
ley having allied themselves with the
Yakimas and driven the few white set
tiers from that country, Colonel Kelly
placed four companies of volunteers un-
der the command Of a young lawyer by
the name Of Chinn, and ordered them to
proceed at once TO that locality. Ar
riving at the point where the old emf
grant road crosses the Umatilla for the
last time, information reached them
that the Indians under the notorious
Pe-pe-mox-mox were fortifying near
the mouth of the Walla Walla, with
the view Of giving the volunteers the
kind Of a welcome to their beautiful
country that old Skloo had given the
regulars, under Haller, a month pre-
vious. Major Chinn thinking, and
wisely, that il would be the extreme of
madness to proceed against the superior
force Of Mox-mox with his poorly
equipped and totally uudiscipliued
troops, determined to halt at this place
and await the arrival Of reinfOrcemeuts
under Colonel Kelly. Here he erected
a stockade pen about one hundred feet
square as a protection against assault,
aud called it Fort Henrietta. This pre-
caution was regarded by many Of the
volunteers as a display Of cowardice,
and though always good-naturedly,
they tried, by sly taunts and pointed
thrusts, to provoke him to a re-consid-
Grafton of his determination. One
evening, as l was sitting by the Majors
campfire, some one with a nasal squeal
struck up song beginning as follows ::
go. Major ChInn, o, Major Chinn,
TO must be you're a coward,
Esse you're 'fraid 20 20 20 Walla Wal
For fear you'll be devoured.n
Then a score Of voices on as many
different pitches Joined in the chorus;
"Then mount the bucSi-lng kioos,
And twill be no sin, sir,
To whip Pe-pe-mox like the deuce,
Under the gallant Chinn, sir"
The Major listened sttentively until
the last verse was drawled out, and then
expressed the hope that, like Byron, our
entertainers might prove as good sol
diers as they We're poets and musicians
One day, while herding the horse.
about a mile from camp, twenty Indi.
ans swooped down upon US. We saw
them in time to start the herd towarC
the camp in "A full run, but they over
took Us and succeeded i'm killing one o
! our number, aud, but for the assistanc,
D of a party that came opportunely to our
e relief, they would have doubtless kilIe,
all three Of US, aud captured the Who'll,
e band OF horses. The young man, An
8 drews by name, who lost his life, be
= longed to Company l. 1 think h,
e Joined the company at Portland, and
: so far as I could learn, had no relatives
e in the country. We buried him by tn,
e bank Of the singing stream, and to-da,
p it would be impossible to identify tn
= spot where rests this first victim fron
= among the Oregon volunteers.
e \ few days after Andrews death, W
f were pleased to see a long cavalcade ap
- preaching from the direction Of Butte
{ Creek, and soon the other companies O
b our regiment drew themselves up ol
the bank Of the Umatilla near US. Her
1 visited the camp Of Captain Con
noyer's scouts. With perhaps a half
, dozen exceptions, they were the de
b scendants Of that somewhat noted class
p the Canadian UoyGgeUrs and their In
dian wives, aud were a reckless and un
, cultivated set Of men. But with all thei
., faults. aud they were neither few no
= small. they were warm-hearied, hOspi
table, and excessively polite to stranger
: and superiors. Nor did ever know
It people so perfectly care-free and az
Il parently happy as they. And, thoug
u their thoughts may never rise abov
the level Of their eyes, their sense Of th
ridiculous is so large that they neve
% fail to discover the ludicrous side
,es everything, and dismiss with a laug
l.. FrnHNw nrar