The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-02

country. preying upon both miners and
Indians alike Our duty was to break up
their dead falls and whisky dens and land
Illicit traders and captured road agents in
the Walla Wslla jail. whence they easily
found a way of escape.
Ny first trip on the overland road. bar
ring the original one in lisa was in 1858.
when as regimentai adjGtant for Col.
Maury. I accompanied his command Of
FIVE companies from Lapwei across the
Salmon river mountains. through the re-
gfon made famous II years later by the
conflict between Gen. Howard and Chiefs
Joseph and Eagle OF the Light. Major
Lugenhui. Ninth United States infantry,
was Just laying the foundations Of Fort
Boise when We arrived there early IN July
Arriving al Fort Hall late In July we
were encamped with five companies on
/. Portneuf river near the present site of Po-
cateilo. where we were TO cooperate Win
Gen. Conner. OF Camp Douglas al salt
Lake, in forcing a treaty with Chief Poca-
teilo. whom he had logged unmercifuiiy,
killing about 20, of his people
at Bear river about two months
before As result the treaty
of Box Elder followed a short time after.
But while we were encamped on Portneuf
in front of Chief Pocatello. with our horses
and pack train strongly guarded between
his camp and our own. Private Ei. OF COM
pany A. deserted from the herd-guard ana
Montana Lieut.. John T. Apperson. now
of Oregon city, was sent In pursuit and
captured him. Upon our return to Fort
Walia Walia he was tried by a general
court-martial and sentenced 10 death
BUT 10 return TO PocateiIo. when he de-
clined the wager of battle offered oy US.
and took up the line of march for Box
Elder to meet Gen. Conner for the purpose
of entering into the proposed treaty, II was
the signal for great rejoicing among the
800 or more immigrants about our camp.
That evening when supper was over aud
the midday heat of that sultry dog-day
season had been tempered down or folded
back like mantle into the lava-plain by
the evening breeze that came out from the
Wind River mountains. whose glittering
peaks glow at rise and fall of night like
the '-lances of a guard invincible. the
young folks of the immigrant train gath
cred on the green sward a large ring. a Ia
Queensberry was formed by stretching
picket lines on stakes driven in the
ground; then they brought forth a string
band-guitars. mandolins. banios and vio-
lins-enough TO challenge the admiration
of Terpsichore herself The music struck
up a grand march and the ring was soon
filled with smiling couples. not all in even
ing costume, il is true but seemingly just
as happy in anticipation of pleasures to
come. Matronly DANES from whose faces
the crow-foot traces of care had driven the
rove silk1I OF youth. anu their udGSitti~, III
whose young bosoms that hallowed twi-
light had scarcely dawned halted before
each other there under the silent stars
playfully challenging each other to thread
the giddy mazes of the gay quadrille or
dreamy waltz: while. forgetting for the
time the rigors of camp discipline. gilt
shoulder-straps, chevrons plain army blue
and the brass buttons of the rank and file.
met and mingled on the dead level of So
cial equality. To some of those present
on that night the scene became memorable
as the dance that ushered in Waterloo
indeed, ii was their Waterloo. in which
some of them surrendered to love. the
"conquerng hero in many an epic battle"
Upon our return march Capt. G. r. Cur
rey was sent with his company h from
Salmon Falls to explore the then terra
incognita surrounding the sources of Bru-
neau and Owyhee rivers and to spy out a
band of hostiles who were skulking in
those mountain strongholds TO avoid pun
ishment for killing party of miners and
trappers in the Bruneau valley near the
confluence of Bruneau with Snake river
only short time before. The main coli
umn had moved by easy marches down
Snake river along the emgrant road to
the scene of the recent massacre, and
when Capt Currey failed to join the COM
mand at the appointed time Lieut.. James
A. Waymire of company ID. who is now an
honored member of the Loyal Legion, and
ri present chairman OF the 1uuiclaTF tpHl-
mittee of the house In the California legis-
lature-who also has been often named
In the dispa tches of late as the probable
secretary OF the interior in President Nc
Kinley's cabinet-was sentup the Bruneau
a relief party with ratonS for the over
due company f. Waymire's party fell
upon a small band of Indians and killed
four OF them before they could escape 10
the cliffs thus drawing the first blood
of that FIVE months campaign I we'll re
member that upon his return 10 our camp
the battalion was engaged in fierce at
tack upon a school of salmon which was
trying TO run the blockade of shallow
rifle in the river near by.
We We're not using nets as the apostles
did in Galilee, but were spearing them
with sabres and bayonets and throwing
them out with our hands until half ton
of hnny trophies lined the banks of the
river. which served agreeable
change from salt horse and ow-belly.'
Early in the spring of 1864. while Chief
We-ow-we-wa was operating towards
Duck valley. northwest of Elko. New. with
a strong war party he fell upon and killed
a party of 90 Chinese miners near Jordan
creek. About this time Chief Paulina. his
brother-in-law. was plundering the settle
ments on John Day river Oregon. and
driving off their stock across the Blue
Mountains into Harvey basin. These two
chiefs were the terror OF the Blue mount
10 Grand Ronde river.
when the chase failed TO supply his tribe
he raided the settlements along the John
Day and Powder rivers He and We-ow-
we-wa with their tribes, held sway over
Harvey valley, Warner valley. Barren val
ley and 100 miles of Crooked river. and
controlled the country from Camp Bidwell
California 70 Three Forks Idaho and
from Humboldt river. Nevada, to Harvey
| lake oregon. One had just killed the 60
Chinese while the other was raidrg and
pilaging the settlements on John Day
river Before troops could he dispatched
to punish these fearless raiders, the min
| ers ranchers and cowboys about Canyon
City had organized a party of 50 armed
men. under leadership Of the lawyer-poe.t
| Joaquin Miller TO follow and punish them
| They were supported by detachment OF
~ Oregon cavalry under command Of
| Lieut. J. a WaymIre. Loaded with spoiIs
| and plumber captured In their raid the In
| dams under psuina retreated over l5A
| miles through n severe snow storm over n
/ irackiess waste TO the winter quarters Of
| Meow -we-wa. his powerful ally. where
| being strongly reinforced ne made n
| stand ard prepared TO deliver battle.
Lieut. Waymire led the advance as their
| little command skirted the narrow willow
| fringed valley lying along the eastern base
| OF Stein mountain and opening out south
/ ward towards White Horse creek ~ miles
away. near the Nevada line where the
! snow-capped summit of Mount pueblo
/ looks down upon the lirnpid sources of
/ Dunder and Bitten river. A column OF
/ smoke curling up from the adjacent foot
| hills attracted the attention OF waymlre
who. after examination with his glass de-
! ciaed 10 send his trusted First Sergeant
| CASTLE OF Company y. with three men TO
| SPY cut the supposed lurking foe and re-
4 al.