Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/613



THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON 4J;J

whari'-boat but for want ol' aimimiiitioii. There was considerable goveriiiuenl freight in tlie wharf-boat. They staid about the wharf-boat and schooner nearly all day, and until the Indians coiumenced tiring upon them from the zinc house on the bank. They then shoved out. Tommy Price was shot through the leg in getting the boats into the stream. Floating down they met the steamer Belle with Phil Sheridan and forty men (Sheridan afterwards Maj. Gen. Sheridan of the Union Army) sent up on report of an express carried do^vn by Indian Simpson in the morning. George and those with him went on board the steamer and volunteered to serve under Sheridan, who landed at George's place and found everything burned. The steamer returned, and the Indians pitched into Sher- idan, fought him all day and drove him with forty men and ten volunteers to be- low Hamilton's, notwithstanding he had a small cannon — one soldier killed.

"The steamer Belle returned the next day (3rd of the attack) and brought am- munition for the block-house. Your partner. Bishop, who was in Portland, came up on her. Steamer Fashion, with volunteers from Portland, came at the same time. The volunteers remained at the lower Cascades. Sheridan took his command, and with a bateaux loaded with ammunition, crossed to Brad- ford's Island on the Oregon side, where they found most of the Cascade Indians, they having been advised by George Johnson to go on there the first ^lay of the attack. They were crossing and re-crossing all the time, and Sheridan made them prisoners. He pressed a boat's crew, and as they towed up to the head of the Island and above, saw great numbers of Indians on the Washington Territory side and oi)posite them. Sheridan expected them to cross and fight him, and between them, and the friendly ( ?) Indians in his charge, thought he had his hands full.

■■Just then Sheridan discovered Steptoe and his dragoon infantry and volun- teers coming down from the Mary, surprising completely the Indians, who were cooking beef and watching Sheridan across the river. But on the sound of the bugle the Indians fled like deer to the woods w'ith the loss of only one killed — 'Old Joanum. ■ But for the bugle they ought to have captured fifty.

' ' The Ninth Regiment are building a block-house on the hill above us, also at George Johnson 's and will hereafter keep a sti'ong force here. Lieut. Bissell and twelve men who were stationed at the Upper Cascades were ordered awa\- and left for The Dalles two days before the attack w^as made upon us.

■"The Indians Sheridan took on the Island were closely guarded. Old Cheno- weth (Chief) was brought up before Colonel Wright, tried, and sentenced to be hung. The Cascade Indians, being under treaty, were adjudged guiltj" of trea- son in fighting. Chenoweth died game; was hung on the upper side of Mill Creek. I acted as interpreter. He offered ten horses, two squaws, and a little something to every ' tyee ' for his life ; he said he was afraid of the grave in the ground, and begged to be put into an Indian dead house. He gave a terrific war whoop while the rope was being put around his neck. I thought he expected the Indians to come and rescue him. The rope did not work well, and while hanging he muttered, 'wake niki kwass kopa memaloose!' (I am not afraid to die). He was then shot. I was glad to see the old devil killed, being satisfied that he was at the bottom of all the trouble. B^xt I cannot detail at too great length.

■■The next day Teeoiueoe anil Cap. Jo. were hung. Cap. Jo. said all