The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-17

FREEZING AND FASTING.
Terrible Hardships Of the Old Indian
War Of f6S6-6.

1eIIsOIe Haroshipe nj the Old Indian
War Of 1865.
Colonel w. G. Painter, Of Walia walia,
- at the Diller hotel, having come to the
city to attend to some legal business now
before the court. Colonel Painter, who
crossed the continent TO Oregon in lSJ0,
when scarcely more than boy, is one of
the Washington pioneers. He was one
of the fighters in the Indian war of 1861
which is now famous in the history of the
state. During talk at the
hotel last evening he related several rcmi-
niscences Of those times of peril and hard
ship. 1.-THE Indian trouble at that time"
said he, was owing to the murder by red
skins of some men who were on
their way to the Cnur D'Alene
and Colviile mines. or course my
memory Of events that happened 90
long ago may not be accurate, but as re-
call the circumstances sub-Indian agent,
BOlon, by name was sent to demand the
surrender Of the murderers from Kamfya-
kan, the chief Of the Yakimas. As he was
never afterward seen, it is supposed that he
was murdered and his body burned.
The war broke out when, owing to
Bolon's not returning, Major Haller
started from The Dalles to investigate. He
had with him only 100 men in all, includ-
ing packers. As the party was entering
the Yakima valley the Indians attacked
them and at the first charge cap
tured most Of the pack train
and lot of ammunition. For
forty-eight hours the hostiles held the sol
diers at point without wood or water.
Major Haller meanwhile sent to The Dalles
asking for relief from some Indian scouts.
among them "Cut- Mouth John" so called
from wound in his face. Under cover of
darkness Major Halter retreated, but he
was met by reinforcements which were
sadly needed. for about one-fourth of bis
men were killed.
You see, Governor Curry. of Oregon,
had called for volunteers, and two regi-
ments were raised. Ny brother and / we're
with party that went out from Portland
in the First regiment across the Cascades.
Colonel Nesmith was in command, man
who has been in both branches Of congress,
having gone to the United States Senate
from Oregon in 1854.
"a regular campaign was then begun
east of the mountains, while troops raised
by Governor Stevens, of Washington, who
was also Indian agent, were engaged in
defending the country west.
1.-The tribes we, of the First regiment,
had to fight were the Yakimas, Klickitats.
John Days, Umatinas, Cayuses, Walla
combined against the whites.
s'One of the most important engage
ments was that from December s to 10,
1856, on the Walla Walla river, and hard
fight it was, for about twenty whites and
twenty Indians were killed. Colonel
Kelley and Major Chinn were in
command-the former has also been
inforced by Company d, under Captain
Cornelius, and Company Z, Captain Hem
bry. Then the hostiles were compelled to
retreat across the Snake river.
'sThe First regiment wintered in Walla
Walla valley, staying from December, 1855,
to March, 1885, and meanwhile suffering
terribly tern The trouble f n was that ss. we hsa
came hurriedly, bringing no clothes
except those on our backs.
They soon wore out, and as there
was no way of getting further supplies
from The Dalles or Portland, We were in
bad situation. We soon ran out of shoes
and had to take moccasins. I have stood
out guard, wading through heavy snow
moccasins on my feet-stockings, of course.
all gone. For hats we used sleeves of our
flannel shirts, letting the end hang down
like q foque. You can imagine what
ragged, threadbare. shiyering lot Of men
We were.
but lack OF clothes was not the only
trouble, for our food also was exhausted.
We lived all winter on beef straight,
with no vegetables, and during the last
twenty days of our stay in that valley of
pain We had nothing but horse meat. The
beef we would cook by cutting of strip
and holding it on q stick over the fire.
Those were months l would never care to
live over again.
'sBut all this time, while we volunteers
nd axsy in n 80
country, the companies of the regular
army were quartered comfortably at The
Dal.es; for General Wool didn't believe in
q winter campaign. But in spite of his
theories we were having winter campaign
enough to suit the most eager warrior.
What were our weapons? Shotguns,
muzzle-loading rifles. fiint-iock muskets
and the like. while our enemies had much
the same. and some bows and arrows In
addition, ~