East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-11-24
MOORHOUSE WRITES
UMAT|LLA HISTORY
INTERESTING PAPER PRESENT
ED AT MEETING OF HISTOR-
lCAL SOCIETY HERE.


One of the interesting papers read
at the meeting of the Umatilla Coun-
ty Historical Society Saturday even
ing was written by Major Lee Moor
house and contains some facts
about the early forts and blockhouses
of the northwest that are but little
known. The following is the paper;
Fort Henrietta.
There are not many people living
in Umatilla county today that know
anything about Fort Henrietta. Dur
ing the Indian wars of 1855 and
1856. when the volunteers under the
command of Major Mark A. Chinn of
the First Regiment of Oregon Mount
ed Volunteers. left The Dailes, ore
gon, November II, 1855, with instruc-
tions to proceed to Fort Walla walla,
which was then in the hands of the
hostile Indians. The volunteers were
very poor and needed a wagon and
Henrietta Haller. the wife of Major
Haller of the regular army, purchas-
ed a wagon and presented 1t to them
age. The volunteers started out in
tending to march direct to Walla
Walla. Major Chinn had three COM
panies. At Wells Springs, about half
way between Umatilla and The Dalles,
on November II, John Mclean. whom
many of the old timers here remem
Der, met the command with the fol-
pnt~
mond, the commander in charge com
ing to Fort Walla waIIa:
November Il, 1856.
Sir--However urgent and important
the news l have to communicate. al
most despaired to dispatch any from
want of hands who were willing to
risk | fe at this critical time: but
Mr.. Mclean came to my assistance
and offered the services of his son
John, who In company with another
man VIII be the bearer of this. The
news is gloomy and very different
from what had to expect when left
The DalIes on my way hither. Ser
pent Jaune yellow Snake) (Peu-Peu
Nox- Mox) has shown his colors, and
is a declared foe TO the Americans. He
has taken possession OF the fort and
piiiaged it, government as we'll as
himself on the south side of the Wal
la Walla river, on the hills. guard
ing the road with force. it is said.
of a thousand
The above IS only Il portion of the
letter. but 1t is given TO show Major
Ghinn. that he had no business in try
ing to recapture Fort WalIa Walla
with force of $50 men against 1000
Indians, so acting on this informa-
tisDn, he proceeded az far as where
the city of Echo now stands and en-
camped to await reinforcements. in
the meantime erecting fortified
post
This fortficatiou was named Fort
Henrietta" in compliment to the wife
of Major Haler, who kindly gave the
volunteers a wagon at her own ex-
pense, for the purpose of transport
ing their camp equipage and supplies.
The stockade was one hundred
feet square. built of split trfmbers.
with two bastions of round logs, and
outside a stock corral enclosed with
rails found on the ground.
AS near as have been able to learn
the exact location of the fort was on
the banks of the Umatiiia river. on
the north side and short distance
above where the city of Echo now
stands.
After a great deal of fighting the
Indians were finally subdued- The
last battle was fought in the Grand
Roude valley about four miles north
of where La Grande now stands, Col
b. F. Saw of the Washington terri
tory volunteers commanding
This battle Was fought on July II,
1856.
A few years ago. 1 accompanied
Col. B. F. Shaw and George III. Hines.
to La Grande for the purpose of To-
eating the battle fled. We took a
rig and drove north about four miles
from La Grande and the colonel had
no difficulty whatever In locating the
exact spot where the fight commenc-
cd He marched his force over from
Fort Walla walla, crossing the Blue
mountains by an unusedi trail, and fell
upon the main body the third day and
struck the hardest and most brilliant
blow of the war. The Indians were
pursued some fiften miles running
south through the whole length of
the Grand Ronde Valley. nearly all
of their provisions were captured and
over 200 head of Indian ponies were
captured and the enemy's loss could
not have been less than sixty killed
and morally w6nnded Col. Shaw
died in Portland February 3, 1908. He
friend and fellow townsman, Deacon
Nye.
The first settlement OF any kind By
the whites in Umatilla county was the
Catholic mission established on the
Umatnfa river, about five miles east
from Pendleton, and on the south side
of the river. right opposite the pres
ent Indian agency. The old apple
trees that the Catholic fathers plant
ed are there today and bearing fruit;
also the remains of the old rock chin
neys and foundations can be seen.
The nslssion vas established b,
Bishop A. NJ. a. Blanchet. Father ,
y. A. Broulllet and Mr.. LeClaire, No
vember 27, 1S4S, Just two days prioI
to the Whitman massacre.
After the horrible massacre at Wall.
| atpu, they were unable to do any ms
| sionary work. and January 2. 1913
Bishop Blanchet left for Fort Van