Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-03-12
Battle Of Hungry Hill
BY UNCLE JIMMY" TWOGOoD.
(Capltal News, Boise. Idaho. J


with the Rogue River Indians, Octo-
ber 80, 1855, seven or eight COM
panies OF volunteers and one com
pany OF regulars were pitted against
80 well-armed warriors and they got
licked" Whenever anyone tells
you that the Rogues, Grave Creeks
and Umpquas were not fighters, he is
way off
! was one OF the first settlers
among them In 1851, and claim to
know what am talking about. A
braver act never existed. OF course
they never came out in the open and
stood up to their work, like white
folks, but always got behind log or
tree or In the bush.
In the great Chicago massacre at
Fort Dearborn In 1912, those Indians
were mere squaws In comparison to
our Western Indians.
The engagement was opened by
company OF volunteers from Jack
sonville, October 8, 1855, near Table
Rock. They gave them a scare and
they came down the river killing and
burning as they went.
Governor George l.. Curry mus
tered into service this year, by proc
lamatlon, some 10 or IL companies
in Josephine and Jackson Counties,
four companies In the Umpqua Val
ley, under Ed Sheffield, Sam Gordon,
w. w. Chapman and P. c. Boland,
and Fort Leland, as our place was
called, was made headquarters OF the
southern battalion.
The Encampment.
had been to Roseburg for sup
plies for the Grave Creek house, ar
riving home with the train October
80, 1895. was surprised to see
seven or eight companies OF volun-
teers and Captain A. ]. Smiths COM
pany OF regulars from Fort Lane, all
campe there. met one OF Captain
Smiths lieutenants, who seemed Jolly
and liked to talk over matters, so
I asked him what It all meant. Said
he:
MIX, Bushey's spies have been
out aud found the Injins. They are
all camped on an open grub-oak fat
about eight miles down Grave
Creek"
These volunteers were all concen-
trated and after II got dark, 80 the
Indians could not see their move
ments, they were going to all march
down the creek, aiming to get there
Just before daylight, surround the
camp and wipe them all out Thus
they were going to end war where
many more whites than Indians had
already been killed.
looked the young man over, sized
him up and saw that he was a tender
foot. and then thought OF the old
adage. Where ignorance IL bliss. It's
folly to be wise"--or otherwise!
said TO him.
"You aren't going to kill all the
squaws and papooses, are you?"
YES" he said, "all and knlts
breed lice, and we don't propose to
leave anything that VIII breed, Vas
dot so?"
"Yes," said /, there Is q little
squaw among them who used TO live
here with George w. Harris and
family Sophy Harris and she are
about Of an age and great chums"
(llarrs was killed at his home the
FIRST day OF the outbreak, October
100. "Wcll Lucy Ia n bright little
girl and talks good English, II she
IL killed will you kindly bring me n
lock Of her hNir?"
"oh, certainly" he answered, and
| thought sure that he would not
A Surprise Planned.
Well, II seems that all the COM
panles had all arrangements made TO
start down the creek ~ soon as II
became dark There were all the
cavalry companies, but they LETT all
their horses and detailed guards for
them. There was Captain Lahon
Buoy, Jonathan Keeny. Joe Bailey
from Willamette; from the umpqua
were Captain ], s. Rlnearson, Sam
Gordon, Nd Sheneld, p. G, holland
and w. w. Chapman; from Jackson
and Josephine, T, Smiley, Harris,
with company A; A, s, Welton, with
company +; NJ, T, Alcorn. with COM
pany II; Abel George, with company
l., and Mike" Bushey's company OF
spies, also Captain A. ], Smiths
company OF regulars.
Smith and his company were
named as the leaders OF the gang,
Smith acting In the capacity ot ad-
vance agent and captain. John X.
Lamerlck was the "glg-o-dccr"
bnndle, and John II. Ross, colonel,
4 Night March.
well remember that cold frosty, |
h.t.hV ,vnnpltyht nIvht nf Octnher