The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-03-04
THE PASSING OF
JOAQUIN MILLER
r.,. IanOsls Poet Of the SierrAs and
a Pioneer Advocate VI World
D. Peace.
,Springfeld Republican,

81 springfield Republican,
1oanuin Miller, known as the
.t.o.t Of the Sierras," died February
.,,b At his home III Piedmont foot
NILS. cal. His daughter, Juanita. and ,
r. wife were with him. He had been
~ failing health for two 3esrs.
~rtncinnotus Heine Miller was born
<oycmner 10, 1912, at Liberty, Green
mo comfy. Ind. That state was then
a halfway house, so TO speahA To n
pariGc coast OF which such fabulous
stories were coming from .he first
,ie,eers. Cincinnatus Was nine years
of age when his father was seized by
tbe oregon fever which followed upon
the famous journey of DIR. Marcus
,Mhitman IN 1912 and 1s43. Oregon
VAS still primeval wilderness when
Jhe Miller family, consisting of the
FATHER. mother, three sons, ard Z
daughter, set out for the Pacific slope.
Arrived at the spot selected for the
homestead. all set to work with az,
spade, II pillow to clear and till the
land and erect IL rough habitation.
In later years Joaquin Miller once
.ro,e that he had rarely met a man
who had done so much work with his
hands as had devolved upon him be-
cause OF this early initiation n from
tier life. Yet schooling was by n
llfdil i'Sf'NtNNt e~s' 49, t~H
days toll the evenings were given to
reading. for the children were fitting
themselves to be teachers
This peaceful and industrious from
tier life was interrupted by an insur-
rcction of the Modoc Indians, who had
viewed with growing alarm this in
cursion of white immigrants which
had followed Marcus Whitman's ride.
FROM their almost inaccessible retreat.
called Castle Rocks, they made raids
which struck terror to the settlers,
though the actual loss of life was 20,
great. in June, 1855, Joaquin Miller,
then Il. had a post at Soda Springs
not far from Castle Rocks, and during
his absence his property was de.
stroycd by a party Of Indian raiders
when u party Of volunteers was form.
De under the leadership Of Reuben L
Gibson, to d%islodge the Modocs from
their strong position. Joaquin Mile
WAS one of % taking part. The at
tack was a complete victory for tn
whites. but Miller fell with arrow
wounds i'll his face and neck, and 70
days his life was in danger. 1t was I
Gibson, become an old man, tina Mil
Ter IN later years addressed his we'll
Known poem. Old Glib at Castl
Rocks" OF which these stanzas ma
serve rs an iilustration:-
His eyes are dim. he gropes h
way,
Ills step is doubtful, slow,
And now men pass him by today:
Gut forty years ago
Why forty years ago / say
ola Glib was good To know.
Full forty years ago today
This valley lay in flame;
p yonder pass and far away
led ruin swept the same:
Two women, with their babes at play
Nero ~butchercd in black shame.
lid Glib doomed like a pine;
Sow will you fight or will YOU fly?
u take q tight in mine.
Tome. let Us fight: come, let us die:
7h"fc came just twenty-ninc.
height,
Now. white man, what would you?
Behold my hundreds for the fight.
hNi yours so faint and few;
We are as rain, rs hail At night.
6'd you. YOU arc IS dew.
White man, 60 hack: l beg so ba'
VIII not fight so few;
Yet II J hear one rife crack,
BE that the doom Of you.
Asck. down. I say, back down W
track,
fack, down: what else to do?
What else 10 do? AVenge or
Brave men have died before;
And YOU shall fight, or YOU shall fly
You lind no women more.
No i'a to butcher now: for ]
Shall storm your ia stle's door,
Then bang. whiz bang. whiZ b;
and ping!
SiN thousand feet below
sweet Sacrament ceased to sing.
Eut wept and wept. for oh!
These arrows sting as addcys siin!
%no they kept singing SO.