The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1898-03-04
BATTLE OF WELL SPRINGS.
Ap Interesting Semi-Centennial
Anniversary for Two of Our
Citizens.

EDITOR DEMOCRAT.
Fifty years ago today, on Feb. g, ,ls4S,
occurred the principal battle of the Cay.
use Indian war, at Well Springs, in
what is now known as Gillian county,
in Eastern Oregon. Quite a number oi
people from this county were engaged in
that campaign, and two of our proni.
nent citizens were severely wounded at
this battle. One of them, Mr.. N. G..
Mcdonald, although shot through the
+. lungs, recovered, and resided near Scio.
in this county, until the time OF his
death, which occurred only a few years
ago. The other, Mr.. Jason Wheeler, is
now q prominent citizen of Albany, and
being still hale and hearty, will no
doubt very much enjoy the congratula.
| tions of his many friends as he celebrates
today. along with Mr.. Ashby Pearce,
another comrade, this tiftieth anniver
sary of the historical skirmish above re-
ferred to.
| The horrible massacre OF DIR. Whit
man and his associates by the Cayuse
Indians occurred on Nov. %, lsi7. As
soon as the news reached the Willamette
vallev the provisional governor, Aber-
nethy, called for volunteers 10 suppress
the uprising, which was supposed TO be
general all through the upper Columbia
country By January 9th shout 500
mounted men were mustered into ser
vice at Portland, and unier the com.
mand OF Col Gillian started up the COL
uu bia for Whitman mission. Ammu.
nition, supplies. and an old cannon,
k<ar cd hA HrIa D.
pany, were sent up the river in batteaux,
while the command went up by land.
swimming their horses across the Col
umbia twice before reaching The Dalles
This place was made the base Of their
supplies, and stockade was e:ected for
defense. About two weeks were speht
here, and in the meantime several scout.
ing parties were sent out. Quite 4 mum
Der of skirmishes occurred with the In.
dams, principally wascos and Teninos
Two men. one Of them nainei Pack wood,
were ambnshed, killed and scalped
within two or three miles OF The DAiles,
while herding horses.
After getting this camp in good shape,
and pressing into service several emf
grant wagons the command started on up
the Columbia. Small bands of Indians
we're occasionally seen and some skir-
mishing occurred, but no serious oppo-
sition Was encountered until their ar
rival at Well Springs They arrived
there on the evening OF Feb 23rd and
camped. spent the night without an
alarm, and on tie next morning broke
camp and started on their way. No. an
Indian had been in sight until this time,
but noE they commenced TO appear ia
every direction until finally the troops
we're completely surrounded. The COM
mand we Immediately halted aud plac-
ed in position OF defense. The soldiers
were not allowed to begin the battle un.
til Gen. Ioel II. Palmer, the Indian COM
missioner, had fret tried 10 treat with
the Indians. Il was hard 10 restrain
the troops. for the horrible atrocities
praciiced BY the indians a. the Whit
man mission were yet fresh in their
minds, and they could not forget the
killing and scsiping OF their two COM
rades few days before Under a white
flag pow WOW was held. Ii Vas found
that the Indians we're Cayuses, uncsr
the leadership Of three OF their chiefs
Yellow Hawk, Telau ka-ikt and Tam
sukey. Alter the poE-xow had lasted |
slmoss an hour, young chief came gal |
loping down toward the line on his cav |
use. Armed with rife. pistol and knife. |
be raced up and down the line ia frott !
oil the soldiers. shouting in English and |
chinook" threats and defiance. He /
swore 4. them and told them the Tndi- |
ans had selected this place Tor battle, |
and that not single "Boslvn-man"
should ever reach the UmatiIla river /
alive. He said they had made medicine |
he night before, and that noW the bul-
lets OF the soldi re would have no effect |
upon any Indian, and that be would !
swallow eny bullet that Was shot at MIN. /
He raced clear down the front OF the |
line. not thirty yards away, and then |
back and then wheeled and started down /
again, siiil swearing and threatening /. /
Was ali Col Gillian could do to restrain |
his men.
Old "Bill Messof Smith, who died !
near Lebanon q few years ago, vas beside /
the colonel, and several times he raised /
in his stirrups, drew 9 bead on the chief, |
and begged to be allowed 20 furnish the |
lead for the fellow TO swallow As the |
In iian came down the line the third time
. dog ran Jus and barked at him, and he
pulled his pistol and shot ~ him. Just
at this time two or three shots rang out,
and the Indian threw himself slightly
and Quiyered. His horse stop
ped. and man from Polk county, going
by the name OF "Biubbermouth" Smith,
ran out and jerked him from his horse
and had him scalped before any one conld
interfere. One rife bali had hit the In.
dian just between the nose and mouth
and passed through his head-he had not
swallowed it.
This opened the battle which lasted un-
til sundown. The Indians, although out
numbering the whites ten 10 one, would
not charge, but availing themselves OF
any kind ot cover, would work their way
As close ss possible and then keep up Q
steady FIRE until dislodged At ore time
the Indians massed at point lit lie out
of range OF the rifiee, so the troops unlim-
bered an old six FOUNDER and scattered
them in thort order. They had no regu-
lar cannon balls, but had prepared sons
by cutting off sections OF wagon tire and
bending it forward and back until il had
assumed something like the right shape.
No Indians were killed by these missiles.
but the mum Der that were scared to death
by the unearthly neise, caused by their
passage through the AIR, has never been
recorded. Later in the day the different
companies would sally out whenever they
could locate o considerable band of In-
dians, but they never succeeded in bring
ing about fight at Close quarters.
In one OF these maneuver Capt. Max.
on's company got about mile away an
the InCians surrounded them: Maxon
ordered his men down into q basin or
sand hollow for defense AS they rode
down into the basin, Whee'er's horse be.
came unmanageable and could not be
stopped until be ran clear across and up
the other side. By this time the Indians
were gathering in fast, and just ss Wheel.
or reached the top he saw one racing
along parallel with the rim OF the basin
and about sixty yards away. Our hero
had time 10 turn his horse and get away
but he thought be would first kill the In
dian and then retreat. 60 he commenced
at once to dismount hoping in that wal
to make safer shot. The Indian, how
ever, as he passed by, threw himself or
!, the opposite side OF his horse anu sho
without diemounting. The bullet strucl
] Wheeler in the lower part OF the righ
, thigh just as he was throwing his lei
over the cantril OF the saddle. He fel
70 the ground, but getting up, hung on 4
his SADDLE with one hand, and guiding hi
: horse with the other, by hopping aloni
on one leg made his way back down ini
the basin and joined his company. Hi
wound proved to be very severe one
The ball first struck the wooden handl
of his heavy Indian riding whip, drivin