Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/381

375 THE WINNING OF THE OREGON COUNTRY. 375 ville, and over the graves of Mr. and Mrs. Harris and their daughter Mary. A friend, who was a soldier in the Rogue River war of 1855, was with me. He, with a party of volunteers from Jacksonville, had rescued the mother and daughter from death and the body of the husband from mutilation. The story of their lives was brief and touch- ing. On the 8th of October, 1855, the Indians had attacked them, killing a Mr. Reed, who lived with the family, carry- ing off, and no doubt killing, the little son of Mr. Harris, for he was never found. Mr. Harris was surprised, and as he retreated into his house wounded by the Indians, shot in the breast. His wife, with courage and bravery, closed and barred the door, and, in obedience to her hus- band's advice, brought out the arms which they had a rifle, a double-barreled shotgun, a revolver, and a single- barreled pistol and opened fire upon the murderous savages. Previous to this the little girl had been wounded in the arm and fled into the attic. For several hours she kept them at bay, although her husband had lived but a little while. She loaded her weapons and kept up a steady fire there alone with a twelve-year-old girl wounded her husband dead, her ten-year-old boy captured. She kept them at bay until nightfall. Under cover of the night she stole out of the house, taking her only remaining child with her and hiding themselves in the underbrush until next day they were rescued by the volunteers. Standing beside her grave I could not repress the unbidden tear, for my heart was touched by the simple story of a brave pioneer woman's defense of her humble home, her chil- dren and her life. To found a State, to build a common- wealth, to establish the national claim, to build American homes in this great unknown country, was the mission of these men and women. Have they not builded wisely and well? The matchless genius of Daniel Webster has made immortal the anniversary of the first settlement of New