The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-07
BATTLE OF SEATTLE.
Admiral Phelps, One Of It's He
roes, Is Now in the City.
A GALLANT NAVAL OFFICER.
Some "Reminiscences OF the Indian Fight
Which Came Near Destroying the
Struggling Hamlet.

more than usual honor is due from the
citizens of Seattle Admiral Thomas
Stowell Phelps. In January 1856, when
the Indians tried to crush out the feeble
hamlet on Elliott bay bySmassacring the
few inhabitants, the guns and the men OF
the DECATUR vessel of the United States
navy then lying in the harbor-helped to
protect the town, and saved 1t. Admiral
Phelps, then lieutenant on the Decatur,
commanded one of the four squads which
stood firmly in the spit of sawdust near
Yesler's mill, and beat back the hostiles.
He is now we'll advanced in years and
his beard is white, for he is nearly seventy
wears old, but he has record as one of
the most gallant officers of the navy. In
1922 he was born at Bucksfield, Me. After
graduation from the United State naval
academy in 1886 he went into service in
the navy. In 1855 he became lieutenant
on the Decatur, which protected the
towns on Puget sound during
the Indian war of that year
and of 1856 The next
two years he spent in the Paraguay expe-
dtion. AT the beginning of the civil war
Lieutenant Phelps was attached to the ex-
petition sent to the relief of Fort Sumter,
and in June, 1861, he was selected to assist
in preparing a survey of the Potomac
river. In September he was trans
ferred to the steamer Corwin
for secret service. During the
course of this work he examined
five of the inlets of North Carolina, sur
veyed and buoyed Hatteras inlet for the
introduction of expeditions into the inte-
rior waters, skirmished with Confederate
gunboats in Pamlico sound, and on No
vember IA engaged the gunboat Curlew in
Hatteras inlet He was also in three en-
gagements with the Yorktown and
Gloucester Point batteries. and
caused the destruction of two
of the Confederate vessels At the
battle of West Point he prevented the
conjunction of large force of Confeder-
ates with the main army. In July, 1862,
he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant
commander and after that he was chiefly
engaged in surveying and examining dan
gers in the way of blockades and trans
ports. In the famous Fort Fisher fights
in 1855 he commanded the Juanita. In
that same year he was commissioned COM
mander, captain in 1871, commodore in
1S79and rear-admiral in 1884. The year
following he was retired.
Admiral Phelps, who knew all the early
settlers here, did not visit Puget sound
after the close of the Indian war until
1873. On that occasion he received very
cordial welcome and other expressions of
recognition of his services. His expert
ences during the fiftes were embodied in
an interesting book, "reminiscences of
Washington Territory" published in 1882.
Admiral Phelps, who has been spending
10 f,. r.l,
il now on the way to his home in
Washington City. In the course of a con-
versation at the hotel last evening he re-
lated several incidents of the battle of
Seattle. 1--WE had been lying at Homo
LULU" said he, land by we mean the
sloop-of-war Decatur and her crew, when
We received word to return and cruise
along the coast of California and Oregon.
Our instructions were to protect
the settlers from the Indians. who were
growing hostile. Captain Isaac S. Sterrett
knew that there were no inlets on the Cal
ifornia coast where he could protect settle
ments, and the people in Oregon lived
pretty well up the Columbia river in the
interior. But along Puget sound were
number OF small places which could be
covered by war vessel.
$50 we came up the coast and the rumor
reached us in July, 1855, that the Indians
of the North were rising. When we came
to the entrance of the straits we found this
rumor untrue, but the fact was that the
tribes of Washington were preparing for
war. Upon learning this we hurried back
to San Francisco for ammunition and
other supplies. On our return We rounded
the point on October and came into the
Sound
1--WE discovered that matters were in a
very chaotic state. The people were in
fear, and yet they had no exact informa-
tion as TO the movements of the Indians
and the probabilities of attack. We heard
any number of different stories, but finally
we got hold of several men who were well
informed, among them Henry l.. Yesler
and DIR. J. Williamson. A young Indian
also, who was true to the whites, give us a
good many valuable pieces of news.
ave cruised up and down theSound. and
for little were at Steilacoom. Then we
helped to build the blockhouse here in Sc
attic, which stood on a little knoll which
has since been dug away. In December
the massacre of Lieutenant Slaughter oc-
Cured, and it was evident that the war
was coming near.
I'VE were called over 10 Port Madison to
see about some Indians there. who were
said 10 be hostile. We found that they
were Indians from the north. and were
neutral. We told them that hostilities
had begun, and our soldiers would not
know the difference between them and any
other Indians and might shoot them. So
We warned them TO keep away from the
Sound until the war was over, and we gave
them twenty-four hours 10 get away. They
left within twelve.
''on our return to Seattle the pilot ran
us on the Bainbridge rocks, and the
Decatur was damaged considerably. II
was necessary on arrival here TO beach
her and take part of her armament ashore
The Indians of Eastern Washington, who
were now moving in two bands to-
ward the Sound, had intended 10
send one body of men TO take
Steilaeoom ana another to Seattle. When
they learned that the Decatur was helpless
they decided TO concentrate all their force
here and capture her with all her ammu-
milton. which they greatly desired
Seyensy-one people then lived at Seattle
and the settlers from around. who had
come here Tor protection. brought the
number up ~ about $50. They. with
the crew of the Decatur, and the marines
were TO be nassacred.
The Indians came rushing down
through the ravine. and | thought they
would wipe us out; for there were only
fourteen or fifteen of us stationed on the
sawdust road, near the opening in the
woods.
.sp, January o. the 3av hafara ,ha -.