Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-06-05


families gathered here at the for
within twenty hours after James Nc
AlliSter was killed. He was killed
close to Puyallup while returning a:
an express to acting Governor Mason
The soldiers had sent him with re
ports to the Governor. Abraham Nose.
and DR.. James Burnes were with him
and some others whom | cannot re
call
AS soon as the fort was completed
a company was organized with Isaac
Hayes as captain and A. J. Chambers
as first lieutenant. may state here
although the stockade was on nv
place, We stayed in it only few
nights. Mrs Chambers preferred to
stay in our house just outside the
stOckade and thereby avoided the cry.
ing of children. the barking of dogs
and the scolding of the women. Nv
young sister. Letitia, kept her COM
pany. Letitia said there We're forty or
fifty children and thirty dogs in the
fort. volunteered to protect the
homes of the settlers and | would not
be sworn into the United States sery-
ice. because most of the volunteers
were sent out of the country in pur-
suit of the hostile Indians. leaving us
at home. Some were dis
posed to think as | did, while others.
who had nothing TO live on. wanted to
be sworn into the United States serv
ice to get rations. Nothing was said
about taking this step until after the
tort was completed. so 1t was fully a
month after the company was formed
before any entered the regular service.
| desired to protect the country and
was scouting with that in view. Cap
tain Hayes ordered me to select ten
men and to press horses into the sery-
ce. | selected the men but would not
Dress horses into the service. | chose
lanes Burnes. ROLAND Wood. Sanford
and Joseph Guthrie, Abijah O'Neil.
William Ruddell, Marcus Mcmillan,
hcl-ain Chambers, Charlie and Nathan
Patterson. Others were with us at
he time. who wished to visit their
stock. We were busy riding over the
until late in December.
vas often in the saddle three weeks at
1 time.
On one of our scouting trips. some
Of the boys were very anxious to press
horses into the service On my faith
Ar's place in Pierce county. he had
corral for horses. The boys ran some
horses into this corral and began Sc
Letting the animals. some of them tai
ing two apiece. | asked them what
they were doing. They answered:
Why. we might as well have these
horses as for the Indians to get them"
told them we were out to protect the
property of the people. and made
them turn the horses out.
Because | would not press horses
INTO service. | thereby incurred the
captains displeasure. and, during my
absence on third scouting trip. he
called meeting and elected William
White to the position of first lieuten.
ant. On my return | called on Secre-
tary Mason. acting Governor. and told
him what had occurred He told me
to continue in my position and he
would see that | was righted.
In consequence of my having in
Cured the displeasure of CAPTAIN
Hayes, my name was never mentioned
in any of the reports. was not aware
Of this until about three years ago
when the question of pensions was be-
ing discussed. | have afIidavits of
men who served with me.
We secuted the country until Joseph
Whites company came in from Puy
allup and reported that the Indians
were east of the river.
Two of the young Indians STAYED on
the prairie when their tribe went To
the hostiles on the Puyallup river. Be.
fore the Indians left Chambers Prairie
and vicinity. they cached their pro-
visions. These two young Indians
to show their friendliness.
showed us where the caches were. We
destroyed the provisions Some of the
folks were afraid these Indians were
spies and it was thought best to send
them to Chehalis, the Indians there
being friendly to the "BostOns."
In travelling over the country a short
line after this we came upon an In
1ian family. They were friendly. We
1isarmed the man and sent a guard
with the family to the Chehalis tribe.
Mr.. Sidney Ford. who was agent for
he Chehalis tribe, succeeded in keep
ing them friendly.
ABOUT tne latter part OF December
he settlers became restless and be-
sah to build block houses at different
places, and two or three families went
together so as to make preparations
% plant a crop for the next year.
One man, Jim Burnes, did not want
% remain on the prairie although he
had been sworn into service. The
scouts found him ploughing in a field
near Yelm, with a gun strapped on his
shoulder. They brought him back to
he stockade and locked him up In the
block or guard house. Before they
.ook him, he dropped his gun In the
ield and ploughed it under. Some of
he scouts wanted to put a rope on
lim and make him walk to the stock
ide, but he made them furnish him
with horse. The guards had become
azy about the fort. They wanted to
bring this man In and make him stand
guard They did NOT ra.N,o .bot 10