East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-07-12
JOAQUIN MILLER
TO THE PIONEERS
"REMINISCENCES BY THE
"PoET OF TIE sIERRAS"
Prairie City Fourth of July Grafton
Recounts Early History of the Old
Mining Cainps-Poet Tells of the
Early Day Hardships of the From
tier.

Following is a portion Of the ex-
cellent Fourth CT July grafton by |
Joaquin Miller, delivered at the cele-
bration at Prairie City. 1t is more
of a reminiscent review of Grant |
county than a regular stereotyped |
Fourth of July grafton and was high
" enjoyed by the immense attendance |
at the Prairie City celebration. Mr..
Miller said:
Ny Fellow Miners of the oregon
Sierras:
My People of the Blue Mountains:
Although not given to the melting
mood, as Shakespeare puts it, tell
you it would take heart of stone, or
at least a stouter heart than mine, to
stand before you after all these 80,
nearly 30 years, and not be moved
almost to tears. tears of tenderness
and gratitude to you for having call
ed me back to speak to you on this
glorious natal day of our nation. Aye,
to tears of gratitude and grateful
thanks to the good God for leading
me back to find SO many friends
old friends and new friends, to give
me such a tremendous welcome.
You know I was soldier with you
once. No time for tears then. Scarce
time for a courteous word. We had
to shoulder our guns and go forth as
minute men for the first few years at
morning, noon and night, to defend
the fireside and to keep open the
state road to our nearest postoffice.
almost 200 miles away.
All, what time had we then for
tears, save some silent tears above
our butchered dead? Right down
here, almost within a stones throw
of this fair city, some settlers not
daring to sleep in their cabin took
refuge in the corner of their fence.
The savages put their guns through
as the settlers slept, and only one rose
up to give the alarm. We followed
far and we followed fast, risking
every life at every step, but of what
avail?
Then the triple murder and burn
ing of the Cottonwood stage station
and a like restless hard pursuit, then
| murder after murder until we miners
laid down our picks, took up our
guns again and followed on and on.
The merchants pooled in, and soon
| the flower of all the camp followed
on and on and on. We had snow and
hail and sleet all the time. We had
so much sickness, measles, one case
of smallpox, nearly all sorts of sick
ness, so that we left a string of hos
pitfalls behind all the way to Warmers
lake.
Here with our wcrnout and hungry
command, reduced to less than one
half, we encountered and fought the
Indians. We fought them all night
and all next day. a wild running
fight.
Lieutenant Weymare, now one o
the great lawyers of San Francisco
had followed from Camp Watson
and three of my men preferring hi
better discipline, and better supplies
attached themselves to his bette
equipped cavalry.
But when in the heat of the figh
he made cavalry charge, thes
three were unable to keep in lin
on their famished horses, were GU
off, dragged from their horses an
butchered.
Then we made the long hungr
march home, bringing off ou
: wounded, hut leaving our dead un
buried. Yet costly as was this vic
tory, or defeat IL you please; a de
feat, because of sickness and hunger
it saved the country, for a time q
least. For 1t was 10 years before tn
Indians came back, to be annihilate
by the one-armed hero, Howard
You honored me with the highe!
} authority possible in that fearful e,
( pedit;on. You honored me with tn
q highest and best office in your gif
after that at your very first election
You gave me money and position
go forth and see the world and m
: with great and good men, and lear
as I desired. And what have