The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-01
An American Soldier.

tains comprehensive account OF General
Stevens life. his work among the Indians,
and his career in the civil war, which
was brief rs he was killed at the battle
OF Chantilly. General Stevens may be
considered as in rome sense a typical
American officer Of the Regular Army in
the early years OF it's history, and his life
is interesting beth from this fact ard
from his connection with Indian tribes
Of the Northwest. The book is illustrated
with portraits OF General Stevens and
others, and the press work is excellent.
The bio-Taphcr goes back TO the earliee;
American ancestor of General Stevens.
John Stevens. one Of the pioneer settlers
of Andeyer, Mass. He was the fifth
householder to arrive in that town. and
dwelt there from the year 1881 until his
death The Stevens family figured al Ii
conGerosa aud Bunker Fill. and in other
wars Of the colonies. and three brothers
eventually founded !tndover, Ne, where
Isaac Stevens WIS born in 1918. HIS
carly life was that usual with the New
England farmers boy. but he seems to
have been a remarkably intelligent and
independent specimen. At seventeen ne
went TO West Point. where he was class
mate Oh lihl!ech- taiipf, fleHiy d. 1Aei''
and Jeremy Gilmer. of the Confederate
army He was also associated with
Hooker, Bragg, Early, Mcdowell, Beaure-
gard, Sherman, RosecTans, Pope, and 9th
ers VINO afterward became distinguished
in the civil war. MOI long after his grad
uation he married Margaret Lyman
Hazard daughter Of lawyer Of Newport.
In the Mexican war he was at ChurI-
busco and took part in other important
hero cd wi h
Generals Scott and Pierce. After the war he
was for a time assistant in charge OF the
Office of the United States Coast Survey
and resigned that position when, at the
age OF thirty-four, he was appointed the
first Governor of the new Territory of
Washington. This was the beginning Of,
perhaps. the most interesting part Of his
career, as almost Immediately after ap-
pointment he took charge OF an expedi-
ton. including twelve army officers. TO
explore the territory from the headwaters
OF the Mississippi to Puget Sound. Among
them was George B. Mcclellan. This
expedition started in the summer OF 1858.
The diaries and letters OF Governor Ste
vens are freely quoted in this part OF the
work and are very interesting. Through
out this expedition his relations with the
Indian tribes seem TO have been pleasant,
and 1t is claimed that by his good judg
ment. tact, and fair dealing he averted
trouble with the nlackfeet and other fierce
Northwestern tribes and secured peace for
the infant colony OF Washington.
The author says OF the treaties by which
this peace was secured:
In SIX weeks Gyrrnor Stevens mat and treated
with live thousand Indians, Of numerous indie
pendent and Jealous tribes and bands and in four
separate councils carefully and irdefatigably
made clear 10 them the new policy, convinced
them OF its benefits TO them, and concluded With
them four separate treaties, by which the Indian
title to the whole Puget Sound basin WAS extin-
guished forever. and the great source and danger
OF collision between the faces WAS removed. For
the $500 Indians hitherto ignored by Congress and
treated by the es;tlcrs as mere Migrants, 10 be
showed ASIDE at the whim sci-interest of any
white man, he established nine reserya-
tons, containing over 0o,00O acres, for
their permanent homes and exclusive
possessions; provided annuities Of clothing,
goods, and useful articles Tor twenty years aggre
eating $4,000: abolished slavery ard war among
them; excluded liquor from the reservations; ex-
tended over them the protection Of the Govern
ment, with agents, schools, teachers farmers,
and mechanics TO instruct them; and in word
set their feet fairly on the white mans read"
10 accomplish this astonishing work in such brief
time, he Travelled eight hundred miles upon the
Sound and Strait in the most inclement season of
the year, half the distance and that the most
dangerous, in a small sailing craft.
In spite of the efforts of the Governor,
AoNtNcar new was not alto
ge;her free Of Indian wars One which fol-
lowed caused more or less dissenson among
the settlers and criticism OF Governor
Stevens, and he was not entirely clear o,
criticism until he was able to present his
report TO Congress some time afterward as
Representative. The trouble seems to
have been in The Indians apprehension that
the lands which they had agreed to sell
were more valuable than they had thought,
y kE- fhrr- ,l-;,,
gain for themselves. This part OF the book
is fuil OF Indian names which sound like |
bad attack OF influenza. Pictures OF many
OF the chiefs are presented. reproduced |
from sketches undoubtedly made at the 4
time of these difficulties, and speeches
made al various councils are reported
These chapters. comprising about half OF |
the second volume, will be OF considerable
value 10 anyone anxious to gain inforna-
ton on the settlement and early history |
of the State OF Washington The charac- |
ter and behavior Of each chief concerned
In the disputes is brought out wildly. and |
most Of these Indians seem to have been |
very intelligent and reasonable men. anx-
ious to protect their people without getting |
into trouble with the whites. Some Of tn.
fpeeche5 show an acuteness and logical |
power which clearly prove that the wa,
was not started because the Indians did /
not understand the situation ar were in |
capable Of understanding an argument |
about 1t. When the Indian war began Gov
ernor Stevens scans 10 have had his hands /
full in taking care OF the great number o.. /
Indians On the Sound who were not active
Iy concerned in it, but who were to some
extent in sympathy with the fighters. Tns
white settlers were inclined to retaliate
on these peaceful Indians, and. on the 9th
er hand, some Of their young men naturally
desired to slip away and join the belliser-
onts. So far IS possible the Governor fol
lowed the sensible plan of enlisting those
who wished TO fight in his own service
This was somewhat dangerous expert
nent, and il is related here that Sidney
Ford. who led party OF Chehalis Indians
rgairzt The enemy. lay awake most Of one
night listening TO discussion among his
followers as TO the adrisab.lity OF killing
him and Joining the hostiles. Two or three
other white men had similar experience.
1t is the opinion Of the author that the
action OF Governor Stevens in protecting
and winning to his side all the neutral In
dians who might be of assistance though
1t subjected him to severe animadversions
at the time. saved the whole Territory from
much more serious trouble
Governor Stevens was nominated for
Delegate In Congress shortly after these
troubles, and was elected in July 1851
he served his term, was reelected and
became in time recognized authority on
railroad affairs. During the years imme-
diately preceding the war he sustained
the constitutional rights of the South. al
though later he is found denounclng Sc
cession. His lrst stand was taken partly
in the hope OF defeating the movement
toward disunion.
At the breaking ont OF the war he at
once offered his services, and received
IA appointment as colonel Of the Seventy