East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-09-19

Two veteran Indians of the Umatil
/. reservation who today are enjoying
the Roundup from their side OF the
field engaged 40 years ago In one
of tho last OF the Indian campaigns In
this part of the country Just as their
sons and nephews fought for the uni-
ted states In the recent war, these
two patriots. Te-low-kilse or Captain
Sumpkjn. and Joe Campo. served their
country as scouts in the memorable
Sheepeater campaign against the
Bannocks Nand Piutes They are the
two remaining Umatilla reservation
Indians out of group of 20 who rem
dered valuable service in defeating
the marauding Idaho Indians who
carried their depredations into this
territory.
The Sheepeaters were n band of In
dans from outcasts Of the Bannock
and Shoshone tribes, according to Ma
for c. B, Hardin. u. $. A. retired, who
is one OF the few who has chronicled
the campaign. These outcasts were
the result of marriage alliances be-
tween the two tribes. which were con-
sidered offense enough to bring about
ostraclsm. Their tribe grew steadily
until 1878. when they were Joined by
some warning Pannocks and tm'y be-
gan to pillage the country about Their
abode In Southern Idaho.
Forty years ago American troops
were scarce In this section Of the coun'
try and 80, when orders were issued
by the commanding general of the
western department. for troops TO ope-
rate against the Indians one party
was sent out of Bosie Barracks and
another from Camp Howard. near the
confluence OF the Salmon river with
the Snake. about 100 miles north OF
Boise. Shortly after these parties
had located the direction OF the trou-
BILE. Lieut.. Il. S. Farrow. who was In
command of "a small detachment at
the Umatilla agency. was ordered to
take the field. Twenty Indians begg-
ed to be taken with him as scouts and
they were enlisted as such.
Lieut.. w. c. Brown, second in COM
mand to Lieut.. Farrow, now a retired
colonel az cavalry. lists the >o;lwirs
Indians amcng the scouts who accom-
panied them in the summer of 1873
in the memorable campaign: Yatino-
witz Shaplish, Ehwat- is kow- kow,
Su-we-shlps. Spella. Te-low ?kik. Vic
tor, william. Patsewa, Pelio, Wep-tish.
Twa- kakit, Teiokas, Small Hawk, Ola
lee. Peo. Che-wauck. Dick and Ha-ha
Schnick. Te-loW-kik, Twa-ka kite
and Joe Campo are the only ones of
that number now living Twa-ka-kite
or Charley Tokaekin. being now a
resident OF the Yakima reservation.
These 20 Indian scouts were the
pick of the Umatilla tribes, mounted
on hardy little Cayuse poinies selected
frcm the countless herds then roam
ing over the Umatilla reservation"
Major Hardin says in his storp of the
"The head sergeant was
Ya- tim ow-itz the war chief OF the
Umatillas. He was n grave, dignified
Indian OF the Fenimore Cooper type.
whose word, on account of his tribal
position, was law with other mem-
bers of the band and whose experi-
ence as warrior was such that tho |
young lieutenants commanding tho |
detachment were glad to defer to his
judgment In the trying situations In
which they were placed at various
times during the campaign"
July 1879. >.
1t was on July 1 1879 that Lieuts. |
Farrow and Brown and their scouts
left the Umatilla reservation for the |
region of the Snake river. They were |
working on various clues as to the
presence of the hostile Indians and |
attempting to effect union with |
troops from the other camps when the |
right trail was discovered.
Lieut.. Galley, who started from /
Camp Howard. was first to encounter
the histIle Indians and his meeting
was. IL anything. defeat He had
one purpose. however.
that Of locating the Indians
The American troops were having
the worst of 1t in the fight with the
Indians when the party under Lieut..
Farrow arrived in Idaho, according
10 Captain Sumpkin. one of the two