The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-28
THE SIEGE By LESCHL
Anniversary Of the Battle Of
Seattle.
saAyE PIONEERS VICTORIOUS.


Last Saturday marked the thirty
..sssh anniversary ef sE@ battle Of se-
allie. an event vitality connected win the
aeyeigpnenf of the entire Puget sosissa
1se,uutry. Tne attack Was begun on the
n.vxn.ng OF january s. 1s5s. and The sur
ytsors OF tho 20 pepple then harrscafiea
xu the little frprszser town ANNUALLY re-
ezaa the memorable event. A brave de-
f.xa,ss was made. and the settlement saved
4xaxu massacre through the active ezer-
ts1sss OF the pioneers themselves and OK
the officers and exew VI the Entted states
sloop Decatur. ~ the sssae stationed In
this harbor.
The siege OF Seattle was one OF the re-
SUITS of the general uprising Of the In
dams Of the entire Paeslic Northwest dur
ing $3.50. ard vas precsaed October u
nv sne slckening Waite river massacre.
When the STARTLING news cf hosnisttes 80
gear horne came the settlement osssf-
snsfet 10 prepare for defense Ia case OF
an attack. and for this purpose TWO
bIesekhouses ware built large enough 10
hosst the autire poSllIssIon- One OF these
was erecxsd ~ what ts Row the corner
cf Main and sousa Second streets. AID
fhs other at the fcas or Cherry street. on
fha present location Of the Starr boyu
block. The two hoases were united with
q ssoclaade, which encircied them and ex-
tended on both sides westward toward the
bay.
Az had been anticipated the attack was
made from the Landslide. The Iggsisans. a.
A. Denssy relates. tssd congresated dur
ing the night, and under cover Of timber
had taken position along the face " the
h;n In order 10 make the attack as soon
az tho settlement WAS fairly awake. but
before any hostile demonstration word OF
the danger Was brought .n BY friendly
lndians.
This news was Immediately sent to
Carl. Gansyori. of the Decatur. who
ordered a howstxer fired In the direction
u the hosstles. The shot WAS instantly
ans cred By q discharge OF masketry
III along the woods IN the rear OF the
town, demonstrating that the settlement
hal been surrounded and was in reality
IN n state OF siege. A number OF the set
a!ers were sleeping outside OF the stock
ade, but fortunately all OF them reached
The Lighthouses Ia safety. All day long
tho desuItnry battle was kept up. but
about O'Clock III night the Indians gave
mp the attack. going toward puyaliup. and
burning every house and barn on their
way.
During the battle two white men were
killed. One Of them MAS a young man
named Milton q. Hoigate, and he lost
his life in a peculiar manner at the door
OF the Cherry street blockhouse. IL Is
rsisltei that while awo of the pioneers
stood at tho entrance watching ala In
dian siarpshooter az he tried 10 pick
them of. Holga.e stepped up and put his
head between the shoulders of the two
men. and at that very instant a bullet
struck hsm In the corner of the eye. He
sank down. and In few spornenis ex-
pred. The other victim was Robert VIII
son. who was kiiiesi al the southern
bacsfntsss. Several houses were plum
d~red. among them thar OF Mr.. Denny.
arx1 two were burned TO the ground.
One wss owned b. William N. Bell, and
the other. whose ewncr Is not Row
known. was located nssu the site OF the
gas works on jackson street. a number
OF narrow escapes are recorded. In his
History of Seattle" Frederac ]. Grant
speaks of Ltens. Drake. who. while seated
behind a large stump. went through the
experience OF hearing bullet whix
through his coat collar close TO che
throat. He was not injured.
The number OF Indians killed or wound
cd could never BIC asccrtained. II Is
thought that several OF the hostiles were
killed and carried OF bs their comrades.
but come os the reiskias who were in the
light positively asserted afterward that
not one Was even hit. They acknowi-
edged. however. that Ciaycnpi. the aged
chief OF ths puwamisheS. narrowly es-
capped, bullet from whl,o mans rifle
cutting OF a lock Of his shaggy, white
hair.
The hostile Indians a. they. came
down Lake Washington on their way 10
hsslage Seattle. handed az what 10 now
Iaachl park. which takes its name from
the chief of the ruyaiiaps. Upon the
departure OF the Indians from Seattle.
Capt Isarsvcrs received q boastful mes
sage from Chief 1.aSehi that la another
month he would return and destroy the
infant settlement. Ia view az thia shreat
Il waw thought best 10 erect more sub
stsnsisi Notifications. and additional bar
rse.sses were butt with a cargo of humber
contributed by the late Henry l.. Iesier.
These consisted Of tWo woelea walls
fies fsvs fslGh. i foot and a haa APART
at4t filed with earth snd saNtsust 10
make them bullet prof. and were erected
along the space between the town and
che wsaesed hills. Another hieekhousc.
commanding the town ansl vicinity. was
also huils. and armed Msth cannon and
a xix FOUNDER. AT the same time COM
Isny Of volunteers WAS raised. OF which
Edward Lsndsrs afterwara ch5vf Justice
OF the seEgttary. was electea captain. and
A. A. Denny nFst AesateFisint.
An interesting relic cs the battle Ma
discovered In osssoher. 1881. ia the yard
Of Gilbert w. Hareooi. ccrncs 81 Seneca
and seventh streets IN the shape cg a
hall. evt4eatsy oas Of the chain she,
nrei by the Decatur. This resse was us,-
earfned swo feet below the surface.
The Next President.