The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-25
RELIC OF A BATTLE.
Chain Shot From the Decatur
Dug Up i'm Seattle.
THE SToRYToLD BYH.L.YESLER.
Fired ut the Indians, Who Tried to Cap
tare the City in IS55-wnI Be Sent
to the Worlds Fair.

While digging posthole In the yard of Gil
bert W. Hapgood, at the corner of Seneca aud
seventh streets, Wednesday afternoon, . ball
such as Is attached to q chain shot was I'M
earthed. This shot was found two feet below
the surface and evidently was one of the mis-
SHES thrown from the guns Of the United States
sloop Decatur at the time of the Indian war,
which occurred about Christmas, 1855.
MT ID. l. Yesler, who was in the city at the
time OF the fight, says that the ball is surely
Of those fired from the Decatur.
There Is little doubt he said yesterday,
shat the Decatur saved US from being masss-
cred, but how wild she did shoot to begin with.
Dexter Horton had q store in the place where he
Is building the bank, and was standing in the
room when bang went one of the heavy guns
On the sloop. moment later the ball came
Crashing through the back OF the building.
The ball whizzed past Horizons head in such q
friendly manner that he seized his hat and sud-
denly remembered that he mad bill to collect"
Turning to the war story, Mr.. Yesler became
enthusiastic. and said that 1t was strange that
Bancroft, the historian, or the writer in the
History CT Seattle" should have failed to give
an exact account of the battle.
III Is generally supposed, he continued,
THAT Old Angelina made a heroic trip through
the black forest in midnight, and warned the
settlers of their danger"
The plans of the hostile redskins were made
Ter informed of the state of affairs. About De-
cember, 1855, TIE Indians were restless all over
the territory, and Colonel Granville o. Halter,
now OF Seattle was in Eastern Washington with
the United States troops, and Colonel Shaw was
also In the same section with volunteers. Old
Chief Leschi, of the Puyallup tribe,
and Chief Claycum, OF the Duwamish
Indians, became dissatisfied over the distribu-
ton of certain property. About Christmas old
Clsycum mustered his forces and went up to
Puyallup to entice Leschi and some OF the
klickitats to come down and wipe the Seattle
settlers from the face of the earth.
Old Curly, an Indian was out fishing in the
bay when he met an old woman on her way to
the Old Man House, or Chief Seattle's reserva-
ton lat Port Madison. She toldCurly that Claycum
had gone to Puyallup, and OF his object She
also said that they would be back in five days.
Old Curly came 10 Mr.. Yesler and reported the
news. Mr.. Yesler IN turn went to Captain
Gsnzeworth, on the Decatur, and explained the
affair. The mariners were sent ashore and kept
on guard four nights, but were withdrawn on
the fifth day, because of q misunderstanding
with Captain Lander, Of the Seattle Volunteers.
As soon as Old Curly found that the guard
was not on duty he came to Mr.. Yesler and
warned him that the fifth day had not expired.
In short time he returned with messenger
from Old Nose, q one-eyed Indian. who lived on
Lake Washington, and the messenger reported
now Leschi park. Later in the day two SAM
amish Indians came over from the lake and
Joined the friendly Indians, who were at the
head of the bay.
Mr.. Yesler reported the latest news to the
commander and the guard was re-estsblished.
and the two hostile Indians returned to the lake.
Where the Occidental block now stands was
tangled mass of bushes, and in them worth.
less Indian of the name of Cultus Jim had his
camp. Russell Sam, young Indian, was cook
ing by Jims fire, and overheard him tell about
the proposed attack. The young fellow told
Curly, and Curly went TO Mr.. Yesler, and he in
turn TO Captain Ganzeworth, who sent the men
ashore Notwithstanding they had been on guard
the night before. Mr.. Yeser was reluctant
about having the men sent back on duty with
out rest, and informed the commander that he
had been accused of creating a scare.
The captain replied: al would rather have
twenty false alarms than be caught mapping
once"
Surgeon Jeffreys and Purser Jones came
ashore i'll company with the men and brought
small howitZer. Jones saw the situation at a
glance and turned white sheet He was SO
scared that he had to 60 and lay down for
awhile, but Jeffreys laughed at the idea Of dan
ger. 1t was suspected that the Indians were
crawling up on the stockade through the brush,
and to see if this was a shot was sent from the
howitZer into the woods. The howl and
scrambling that followed dispeled all idea of a
false alarm.
81 distinctly remember" said Mr.. Yesler, "of
being armed with Sharpe's rifle, which was
my pride, but when the Indians gave that terri
bic yell and raised the gun to pick off red
skin, 1t went off before l got it to my shoulder.
but was not the only one affected the same
way"
The Indians returned the fire and the battle
ragged all day. About 2 o'clock in the evening
they gave up the attack and went up the river
toward Puyallup, burning every house and barn
in their way.
During the battle two white men were killed.
One was Milton G. Holgate, who stood in the
door OF the b!ockhouse, which was located
where the Gordon Hardware Company's store is
at present The circumstances of the shooting
were peculiar. Two white men were standing