Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/383



THE ROGUE RIVER WARS. 365

had fortified themselves in three deserted log cabins on Applegate creek, ordered Captains Rice and Alcorn to prepare for a campaign in the mountains, and himself proceeded to Fort Lane to ask the assistance of Captain Smith with his howitzer. Obtaining the promise of this, he made a forced march up to the forks of Applegate creek with Rice s company of forty men on the first of January, and on the second twenty miles further up the creek, where he found an independent company of fifty citizens from Stirling surrounding the cabins.

Nothing could be done before the arrival of the howitzer on the afternoon of the fourth, the intervening time being spent in snow from six to twelve inches deep, with severe weather, the volunteers exchanging occasional shots with the Indians. In the three days of waiting and suffering, three Indians were killed and several wounded, while Captain Rice lost one man killed, and the citizen company three wounded.

On the arrival of Lieutenant Underwood from Fort Lane, with forty regulars and the howitzer, a shell was dropped into one of the cabins, wounding one Indian and two children, when several were seen to retreat to another cabin a few yards distant. A few more shells were thrown without effect, when night coming on, the three several companies were posted in a manner which was intended to prevent an escape; the regulars being between the Indians and the hills, and the volunteers and citizens on two other sides, the lines almost meeting.

With all this precaution, about eleven o clock the In dians crept up to the line of soldiers, firing and yelling. In the first surprise a number broke through the line and escaped to the hills; but the regulars recovering them selves turned a. portion of them back towards the creek, across which they succeeded in escaping, the sentinels being unable to get at them by reason 1 of the thickets along the stream, their trail being found by daylight to be stained with blood.