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 |  | Saturday November 7, 2009 7:06 AM |
 | | CHILDREN of the SUN by David Wynecoop | |
CHILDREN of the SUN: Chapter 3
The Fortunes of War
Congress passed the Donation Act, which opened non-settled lands
for the white settlement in 1850. Under the Act any citizen
could claim up to 320 acres in the Oregon Territory, including
lands occupied by Indians. In order for an Indian to claim land
under the Act, he had to sever his tribal affiliation and become
an American citizen. Many Indians were thrown off land they had
lived on for years because they did not understand the law. The
Donation Act was a big contributor to the Indian-white friction
which was to follow.
Washington became a territory on March 2, 1853. Isaac Stevens
was appointed as the first territorial governor, and in 1853 was
designated a Treaty Commissioner and was authorized to enter
into treaties with Indian tribes of eastern Washington. Stevens'
treaty commission visited the Spokane area in 1855 and met with
the Spokanes in December at Spokane Falls. No treaty was reached
.. but Stevens promised to return the following spring. By 1856,
Indian unrest was growing and Stevens was forced to meet t5 with
other tribes. He reported he could not keep his promise with the
Spokanes.
By 1857 the clouds of war were gathering as the Spokane area was
being invaded by white settlers and miners. With the advent of
the whites the very livelihood of the Indians was threatened.
The abundant food supply of yesteryear was rapidly disappearing.
Thus an alliance of defense and war was made between the
Spokanes, Coeur d' Alenes, small groups of Yakimas, Kalispels,
and Palouse. The combined force numbered about 1,000. They felt
their alliance necessary to protect their lands from further
white encroachment.
In 1858 Colonel Steptoe was sent to Fort Colville to investigate
the murder of two miners. While encamped along the Palouse River
with 150 troops, Steptoe was warned not to cross the river. If
he did the Indians would resist him. Steptoe did not heed the
warning and proceeded northward into Spokane country where he
was attacked. Steptoe and his troops were forced to retreat to
near the present site of Rosalia, where they held up for the
night. The allied Spokane force surrounded the besieged troops
and planned to finish the battle in the morning. But during the
night, led by friendly Indian scouts, the soldiers were able to
sneak through the Indian lines, leaving pack horses, mules, and
supplies behind. When morning came and the Indians found the
soldiers had escaped, they gave chase, but could not overtake
the retreating army contingent before it had crossed the Snake
River.
Shortly after the Steptoe skirmish, Colonel George Wright led a
retaliatory force against the Spokanes. Wright had a force of
700 dragoons, well supplied and equipped, including two cannons
and the new Sharp's repeater rifle. The Indian force outnumbered
the soldiers, but had far less in arms and ammunition. When
confronted by the combined Spokane force near Four Lakes, Wright
made no efforts to talk peace, but sent his troops in a direct
charge. The Indians were defenseless against the new repeating
weapons and were overpowered and driven back with several being
killed.
Wright rested his troops for two days before setting out in the
direction of Spokane Falls where he planned to finish the fight.
The Indians met Wright's army near the present site of Fairchild
Air Force Base and were defeated. Wright proceeded t Spokane
Falls where he ordered the delivery of all Indian horses to him.
When they had been delivered, Wright ordered them slaughtered
and dumped into the river near the present Spokane Bridge. This
was not enough revenge for Wright. He continue on through
Spokane country destroying standing crops of grain and stores of
food.
Wright was not satisfied with defeating the Spokane force an
destroying their food supplies, he was also determined to solve
the murder of the two miners Steptoe had been sent out to
investigate. Without a thorough investigation, Wright ordered
the hanging of fifteen Indians for the two alleged murders near
what is now called Hangman Creek. This site is east of present
Spangle.
On September 24, 1858, Wright forced the Spokanes to sign a
harsh treaty of peace to further avenge Steptoe's defeat. Among
other demands, the treaty required the Spokanes to deliver
the chief and four men with families to be held as hostages for one
year to guarantee future good conduct of the tribe; and to
promise safe passage of whites through Spokane country.
A long hard winter for the Spokanes followed the war. Wright's
vicious tactics of destroying the Spokanes' food supplies led to
the starvation of many, especially the young and the old.
The rise of Spokane Garry as a notable chief began in the spring
of 1859. Garry was instructed by his tribe to see what could be
done to obtain a formal treaty. He was chosen to represent his
tribe mainly because he spoke English fluently. Months turned to
years as Garry's treaty efforts failed.
In the early 1860's efforts were being made to place the
Spokanes on a reservation. The Homestead Act of May 20, 1862,
created re problems for the Indian. White settlers could take up
to 160 acres of land for farming under the Act. The Spokanes
resented he continuous white encroachment and refused to go onto
the reservation until they were paid for their land.
The next several years saw little progress being made in treaty
negotiations. The Spokanes' natural food supply was being badly
depleted by the white men. They turned to raising grain and
cattle as taught by the missionaries. By 1870, the estimated 715
Spokanes owned 600 head of cattle. Prosperity did not last long
though, as the unscrupulous whites began to steal the cattle
using branding laws which the Indians didn't understand. When
the Indian went to recover his animals, the white man reported
him to the law and he was arrested for "stealing" his own cattle.
In 1874, a meeting was held at Spokane Falls with General Davis
of the army to discuss a reservation for the Spokanes. Garry was
accompanied to the meeting by Reverend H. T. Cowley. Cowley said
that the General treated Garry in a very cool manner and that he
had no interest in a reservation for the Spokanes. Three years
later, in 1877, E.C. Watkins and General Frank Wheaton
representing the United States met with the Spokanes. They
promised to take very good care of the Spokanes if they remained
at peace.
Last Updated
December 21, 2004
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