The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-27
BATTLE OF SEATTLE.
Anniversary Marking an Epoch
in the City's History.
HOW INDIANS WERE REFUSED.
Memorable Attack by Chief Lescbi,s
savage Bands-The Decatur
Prevented Massacre.

yesterday was the thirtysixth anni-
versary OF the event known in local history
as the battle of Seattle" Thirty-six
years ago yesterday. instead of the pros
porous city of $1,000 people, there was
barely handful of pioneers huddled
together in wooden stockade surround
ing half dozen rude log cabins situated
upon land that is now in the very heart of
the city. The town was only about three
years old and lawless bands of Indians
surrounded it upon all sides and had for a
long time been threatening its destruction.
Alter numbering a number of settlers
whose cabins were too far out to receive
help from Seattle the Indians descended
upon the town and only the presence
OF United States gunboat in the
harbor prevented the destruction of the
little village. Though the battle occurred
many years ago, there are yet several citi-
Zens here who witnessed it, and whose
memory of the day is still clear. Among
these are A. A. Denny. Henry L. Yesler,
ID. L. Denny, Dexter Horton and Hillory
Butler.
There were two block houses inside the
stockade, built of Pinch square timber, of
sufficient capacity to hold the entire popu-
latlon. One was located at the junction
OF front and Cherry streets, about where
the entrance tc the Gordon Hardware
Company's store now is. and the other
was at the junction of Nam and South
Second streets. Early in the morning of
January 26, 1856, the Indians attacked the
town. The news of the expected attack
was conveyed to the anxious settlers by
friendly Indians, but, as some of
the settlers did not credit the
stories, the attack came almost as a sur
prise. Chiefs Leschi and Claycum. who
had come across Lake Washington, land
ing where Leschi park now is. and had
stealthily surrounded the stockade. had ar
ranged that the attack should begin at 10
O'Clock in the morning, but Captain Ganse-
WORT, OF the Decatur, got wind of their
intention, and early in the morning he
sent ninety-six marines ashore with a
howitzer. The marines loaded the gun
and fired shell into cabin IN the woods
near where the gas companys plant now
Is, and in which the Indians were sup
posed to be. The aim was good and the
cabin was demolished by the first shot.
The boom of the gun had hardly died
away before it was followed by terrific
war-whoop from thousand Threats and a
volley from the rifles of the savages along
their whole line. Then followed general
stampede of men, women and children for
the block houses. and, had it not been for
the fact that the rifles in the hands of the
Indians had been generally emptied by
the first volley, many of the inhabitants
would have fallen on the way to place
of safety. Fortunately all escaped with
out injury. The smoke from the rifles
indicated that the front line held by the
Indians at the beginning of the
attack extended along where Third
street now is. until Marion street was
passed, when it curved toward the bay. 1t
was segment of circle and every part
of the town was for a time within easy
rife range from this line. But the readi-
ness and energy of the charge of the
marines and volunteers soon drove the In
dians further back to the brow of the hill,
where they were completely safe from the
flying bullets. The Decatur's guns threw
charge after charge into the woods, and
huge logs and trees were torn up by the
exploding shells. The Indian warriors
held their ground, firing from behind
stumps and trees, which were very thick
all around the stockade.
About noon the Indians ceased firing
and the women and children in the block
houses were removed to the Decatur. The
Indians, perceiving this, commenced firing
again and then made a charge against
fourteen men stationed at the opening in
the stockade leading to the Lake Washing
ton trail. They were repulsed, however.
and the firing on both sides continued all
day and up to 10 O'Clock at night. The
Indians then burned or piilaged all the
houses that they could reach and left.
Only two white men were killed
in the encounter. One was Milton
J. Holgate, brother OF Mrs. f. Hanford,
who was shot and instantly killed while
standing in the door of the Cherry street
block house, early in the action, and the
other was Robert Wilson, who was shot
while standing on the porch of hotel
which stood where the Standard theater
now is. Both of them were picked off by
Indian sharpshooters. Many other set
tiers had narrow escapes from being hit
by bullets.
The number of Indians killed could
never be ascertained. The besiegers left
the next day. Chief Leschi threatened to
come back and destroy the town, but he
never did so, although the Indians how
cred around for some time. If the In
dams had gotten into the stockade, or if
the Decatur had not been on hand. the
town would have been destroyed and all
its inhabitants massacred.