Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-02-07
WILL MOVE BLOCKHOUSE
HISTORIC LANDMARK AT GRAND
RONDE PRESENTED DAYTON. =
VIII Be Placed i'm City Park i'm Honor
of General Palmer, Indian
Superintendent.

Almost every resident of Polk
County has either seen or heard of the
famous old Military Block House,
built by General Phil Sheridan, on
the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation.
1t is now given out in the news dis
patches that through the efforts of
United States Senator Chamberlain,
the government has presented this
most historic relic of Oregon's pioneer
days to the town of Dayton, Yamhill
County, and the building will soon be
removed to the city park there as a
memorial to General Joel Palmer. Just
why it is necessary to move it to Day.
ton in order to do fitting honor to the
General the dispatch does not state.
Neither does it say why he should not
be as much pleased if it were carted
off to Willamina or Eola, or even to
Dallas. If the despoiling hand of civ
ilization's vandal had to-really had
to-uproot it from its time-honored
vine-sheathed foundation, why would
it not tickle the Generals warlike
memory just as much if it should be
given it's final resting place in Sheri-
dan? Now it will be up to Senator
Bourne to present the town of Lafay-
cite with the old salt cairns erected
by Lewis and Clark on the beach at
Seaside. Meanwhile the spirits of an
tiquity can sit on Cleopatra's Needle
in Central Park, New York, and howl.
In 1856 President Pierce appointed
General Palmer Superintendent of In
dian Affairs in the Territory of Ore
gon. The government purchased from
the original settlers 5000 acres in the
Grand Ronde Valley, in the south
western part of Yamhill County, for
$4,000 and General Palmer decided
to move the Indian tribes of Southern
Oregon to the tract.
Settlers Sought Defense.
Trouble had continued between the
whites and Indians since the Cayuse
War in 184S, and bringing of the Indi-
ans so near to the most thickly settled
portion of Oregon displeased the
white settlers. The first Indians mov-
ed to the reservation were 500 Ump-
quas and Calapooyas, both friendly
tribes. General Palmer, later, brought
together between 1000 and 5000 In
dians of various tribes.
In the winter of '55 and Sc the set
tiers, fearing an outbreak, built a log
stockade for defense on a high hill
near the place where the Butler store
now stands. General Palmer, fearing
trouble between the whites and In
dians, deemed it necessary for a force
of United States troops to be stationed
here to maintain order and to prevent
another Indian war. Accordingly, in
April, 1856, the government sent the
first troops to the station chosen by the
settlers. The troops were under com |
mand of Colonel William B. Hazen,
and in September of that year QS56) |
Captain A. j. Smith was placed in
command. Under him was Lieutenant
j Joseph Wheeler, afterward the famous
Confederate cavalry officer, and one of
the generals in command of the United
States troops at the battle of Santiago
in the Spanish American war.
SherfdanS Arrival.
In May, 1857, Lieutenant Phil Sher-
idan of the Fourth United States regu-
lars, with Captain David A. Russell,
were stationed here with detachment
of that regiment. The government
having erected buildings three miles
up the valley appointed Robert Met
calf as Indian Agent under General
Palmer.
In the summer of 1857, after the ar
rival of Lieutenant Sheridan, the gov
assumed control of the set
tiers stockade and moved it, with the
troops, to the agency three miles
above, where the stockade building
became Fort Sheridan. 1t has not been
moved since.
In January. 1911, the government
donated the old blockhouse to Dayton
to be placed in the city park in MEM
Dry of General Palmer, who died in
1880.
In 1861. in the Civil War, Lieutenant
Sheridan and Captain Russell were or
lered to leave Grand Ronde and re-
port in the East for service. Lieuten-
ant Sheridan rose to the rank of Gen
aral and Captain Russell, placed in
of a division. under General
Sheridan, was killed in the battle of
While never stationed at Fort Sher-
dan in Grand Ronde, Major Reynolds
5eneral E. o. c. Orde. Captain Augur
and General Grant visited the fort
while on special duty for the govern
nent