>oooooooooooo 006000 
 
 YAKIMA ANDCLICKITAT 
 
 INDIAN AVARS, 
 
 -^1855 AND 1856. 
 
 PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS 
 
 CAPT. U. E. HICKS 
 
 _-P. o.o_Q_o_o_o_o_g_o_o_o_o o o o o o o o o o 
 
 ooococooc o o o_o^ c_o o o o o o o 6~o~o 
 
 .WES THE PRINTER, PORTLAND. 
 
[To be filed in the Archives of Multiiomah Camp No. 2, Indian War Veter 
 ans of the Northwest.] 
 
 RECOLLECTIOHS!^ 
 
 OF 
 
 CAPT. U. E. HICKS. 
 
 SCENES, INCIDENTS, DANGERS AND HARDSHIPS 
 
 ENDURED DURING THE 
 
 YAKIMA AND CLICKITAT INDIAN WAR, 
 
 1855 and 1856. 
 
 I was residing on a donation land claim, on Chambers' Prairie, 
 five miles east of Olympia, Washington Territory, in the fall of 
 1855. News had been received that the Indians east of the Cas 
 cade mountains had murdered Sub-Indian Agent Bolan and 
 several gold-hunters en route to the Colville mines, among whom 
 were one or two. well-known residents of Olympia. 
 
 No one at that time had any fear of the Indians west of the 
 mountains. They were generally regarded as a cowardly fish- 
 eating, root and clam-digging race, with the instincts of a cayote 
 and the habits of a beast. Strong drink and the small-pox was 
 fast destroying the males, while a worse fate had overtaken the 
 females. They fell an easXy prey to the vices of the white man, 
 while imitating few of his virtues. 
 
 The Hudson's Bay Company still held their forts and trading 
 posts in various parts of the country, and although it was gen 
 erally believed their agents and former employes were inimical 
 to the settlement of the country by the American or "Boston " 
 immigrants, still they were not seriously suspected as being en 
 gaged in arming the Indians, or secretly favoring an outbreak. 
 They, however, held the larger share of the Indian trade, and as 
 many of their employes had taken up with Indian wives, the 
 savages naturally looked to them or the "King George" men 
 as their best friends. Large numbers of Hudson's Bay muskets, 
 balls and powder had been traded to the Indians, and a common 
 community of interests was apparent between them. 
 
 The American white population of the Sound country at that 
 time was, perhaps, not much above 5,000 ; while the Indian pop- 
 
illation was variously estimated at from 12,000 to 20,000. Perhaps 
 not one white man in five possessed a gun or fire-arm of any 
 kind. The game of the country was principally deer and fowl, 
 and the Indians did most of the hunting. 
 
 Governor Isaac I. Stevens had called for several companies of 
 volunteers, forming the 1st Regiment, to act in conjunction with 
 the small force of regular soldiers then stationed at the several 
 military posts in Washington Territory, and the volunteer forces 
 of Oregon, for the purpose of quelling the outbreak east of the 
 mountains, and had proceeded in person to the hostile country, 
 leaving Secretary C. H. Mason in charge as acting-Governor dur 
 ing his absence. Maj. James Tilton, Surveyor-General of the 
 Territory, was commissioned Adjutant General of volunteers. 
 
 A company was formed in Olyrnpia, mounted and equipped, 
 under command of Judge Gilmore Hays. This company, which 
 had pretty well drained that neighborhood of spare men, horses 
 and guns, had joined with the U. S. troops from Fort Steilacoom, 
 and perhaps one or two other small companies from further down 
 the Sound, and were on their way over the mountains, when a 
 runner, by the name of " Bill Tidd," came in from by the way of 
 the Columbia river, informing the authorities at Olympia that the 
 Oregon volunteers and soldiers east of the mountains had driven 
 the hostiles in towards the Nachess Pass, over or through which 
 the Sound troops had to pass, and were in ambush in sufficient 
 force to scalp the entire company of whites. Tidd was imme 
 diately dispatched with orders to Hays to return, which could 
 only reach him in time to prevent this calamity by riding furiously 
 all night and a part of the next day. Perhaps not more than one 
 man in five hundred could have accomplished this trip, but Bill 
 Tidd did it. 
 
 The Indians all along the Sound seemed to be aware of the fact 
 that war had broken out east of the mountains, and a few of the 
 bravest among them had shown signs of discontent and mutter- 
 ings. It was known that numbers of them were gathering in 
 and about ConnelPs Prairie, near the headwaters of Puyallup and 
 White rivers, but still no great uneasiness was felt by the whites. 
 A few old settlers, well-known to the Indians, volunteered to go 
 out there and have a talk with them, not dreaming that they 
 were exposing themselves to any great danger in so doing. The 
 special chief among the Indians along the upper Sound was 
 named Leschi, who had been chosen and appointed chief by Gov. 
 Stevens, on account of his superior intelligence and seeming 
 friendliness toward the whites. The Indians, however, never 
 fully recognized him as their head-chief, but adhered to their 
 tribal relations, each tribe following their own sub-chief. Though 
 the Indians west of the Cascades were all apparently of the same 
 stock, and all spoke the same common jargon or "Chinook" 
 language, yet there were many small tribes among them, each 
 
nH sijed to it by allies either east or west of the mountains. That 
 ley had cause can not be denied. 
 
 with a slight or positively different dialect, and all more or less 
 intermixed blood with each other and with the Yakimas and 
 Clickitats. Satisfactory treaties had been concluded between 
 them and the whites several years previous, and to this day it has 
 never been successfully claimed that these Indians t ecame hostile 
 in consequence of dissatisfaction or fraud in treaty matters. It 
 may well be doubted whether these Indians would have ever had 
 the courage to fight the whites had they not been more than pur 
 sued 
 they 
 
 Such was the state of affairs, when on the morning of October 
 30, 1855, A. M. Poe, a gentleman well-known then on the Sound, 
 came riding furiously past my cabin door, warning the neighbor 
 hood that the Indians had all broken out on the war-path ; were 
 murdering the whites as fast as they could overtake them ; that a 
 number of white families had been massacred on White river ; Abe 
 Moses, the sheriff of our county, was killed ; the old settlers who 
 had gone out to have a talk with the Indians had been treacher 
 ous attacked and some of them killed, among them McAllister, 
 an old well-known resident of that county, and a warm friend of 
 the Indians; Connell, of Connell's Prairie, was killed, and that 
 the Indians had the others of the old settlers surrounded in a little 
 log cabin on the Puyallup bottom ; that he (Poe) and one other 
 had managed to escape in the night time, one going towards Steil- 
 acoom, the other towards Olympia, to give warning as fast as they 
 could ride. When one horse gave out another was procured, and 
 thus the startling, horrible news was rapidly spread throughout 
 all the settlements. 
 
 My wife had just given birth to her first child. An ox team 
 and wagon was procured and, with the assistance of the neigh 
 bors, she was lifted into the wagon and hauled to town, five miles 
 over a then somewhat new and rough road. On arrival at Olym 
 pia in the evening the wildest state of excitement prevailed. The 
 neighbors for miles around were flocking there as fast as any kind 
 of a conveyance could be had, and at night every available shelter 
 or shed of any kind was taken, under which women and children 
 were huddled, while the men ran hither and thither in search of 
 arms and ammunition for defense. A home-guard company was 
 quickly formed, Isaac Hays, Captain, and picket-guards stationed 
 on the surrounding hills, who kept vigil watch all night, expect 
 ing at any moment an attack from the Indians. Within a few 
 days several blocks of the town-site were stockaded, by placing 
 spilt logs, ten or twelve feet in length, -on end, close together, leav 
 ing convenient port-holes to shoot out from. 
 
 About this time news was received that Gov. Stevens was shut 
 off and surrounded by hostiles in the upper country ; also that 
 Maj. Haller had been defeated, and the Indians all over the north 
 west, from British Columbia to California, were up in arms and 
 
massacreing the whites. Much anxiety was felt for the safety of 
 the Governor, and terror and confusion prevailed generally. It 
 was then made manifest how utterly unprepared the whites were 
 for such an uprising, which until then had scarcely been thought 
 of, and men and women, with blanched faces and terror-stricken 
 countenances, appealed to each other for help and protection. 
 
 Several small companies were sent out as scouts to the various 
 settlements, to watch for Indians, gather up the stock, put things 
 to rights, as far as possible, around the farm houses, and procure 
 provisions. Aid was called for from Oregon and California, and 
 a few* arms and supplies purchased from the Hudson's Bay Com 
 pany's stores. 
 
 Two days following our escape to Olympia, A. B. Rabbeson, 
 
 Bill Tidd and , came in to the settlement east of town, 
 
 foot-sore, ragged, torn and bleeding, having made their escape 
 from the hostiles near Council's Prairie, forty miles distant. From 
 them it was learned that upon the turning back of Hays' com 
 pany, five of the company, Abe Moses, A. B. Rabbeson, Dr. 
 Burns, the company surgeon, and - - Miles, an Olympia lawyer, 
 got permission to come on ahead of the main column, in company 
 with express-rider Tidd. Upon arrival at Connell's Prairia, the 
 first open space of any magnitude this side of the mountains, they 
 discovered that Connell's house, barn, out-buildings and fences 
 had been burned or were still burning. They rode up among a 
 lot of Indians, many of whom were well-known to the whites, 
 among whom was Leschi, the chief above mentioned, Stayhi, his 
 half-brother, and Kanascut, another brave and desperate well- 
 known chief. The Indians evinced sulliness, but made no actual 
 hostile demonstration. After a short parley the whites rode on, 
 their route making quite a detour or circle after leaving the spot 
 where the Indians were, and entering a large swamp, some three- 
 quarters of a mile in length. The Indians quickly cut across 
 through the timber, secreted themselves alongside the trail, 
 and when about midway through the swamp, they open fire upon 
 the whites, one ball passing through the body of Abe Moses, com 
 ing out in front, but he still stuck to his horse ; another bullet hit 
 Bill Tidd in the back of the head, flattened and fell down his back, 
 inside his shirt-collar ; Mr. Miles' horse was either hit o,r threw 
 his rider, upon which he could not again mount, and his remains 
 were found a few days afterward literally hacked to pieces. The 
 party pushed on through the swamp and rode perhaps a mile or 
 more, when Moses gave out. They all dismounted, except Dr. 
 Burns, who put spurs and dashed on through Finnell's Prairie 
 and disappeared in the woods and brush on the further side. He 
 was found, four days afterward, hid in a hay stack on the Puyallup 
 bottom, having abandoned his horse on reaching the opposite side 
 of the prairie, and crawling on his hands and knees through the 
 timber and brush, at night time, until he reached this to him 
 
-5 
 
 seeming place of safety. His horse was afterwards shot, by mis 
 take, by a picket-guard, and his saddle-bags and pistols were un" 
 touched by the Indians, they being afraid of the medicine carried. 
 The remaining party laid Moses clown by the side of a log, a short 
 distance from the trail, covered him with their overcoats and left 
 him to die, the poor fellow giving the Masonic sign of distress on 
 their leaving him. They then took to the woods, and by dint of 
 crawling and hiding during the day time, and moving cautiously 
 at night, succeeded in reaching the settlements, in a torn, bleed 
 ing and exhausted condition. 
 
 The day following the above episode, the company of old resi 
 dents above referred to, consisting of about twenty men, with 
 Charles Eaton as Captain (Eaton had an Indian wife), and Jas. 
 McAllister, First Lieutenant (the latter was one of the first white 
 settlers in the country, and could talk with the Indians in their 
 own language, as also could Eaton to some extent), who had gone 
 out to have a talk with the Indians, reached the Pnyallup crossing. 
 Here the main company halted, while Eaton, McAllister and 
 Connell, accompanied by two friendly Indians, went on and met 
 the Indians near Connell's home. They went unarmed, to show 
 the Indians that they had come for a friendly talk. They had a 
 talk with the red rascals, who professed friendship and promised 
 that they would not join the hostiles, when Eaton and his little 
 party started back to the Puyallup. They had just passed the big 
 swamp above referred to, when they were fired upon by the sav 
 ages in ambush, and McAllister and Connell killed ; Eaton and 
 one of the friendly Indians making their escape, while the other 
 remained with the hostiles. The main company, having heard 
 the firing, took refuge in a small log cabin, which Eaton reached 
 just in time to save his scalp, when the red devils, drunk with the 
 smell of human blood, made a furious assault on the cabin, keep 
 ing ' t up the attack until daylight the next day, when they got 
 w r ind of the return of Hays 7 company and hastily scampered off 
 into the woods and mountains. It was from Eaton ' company of 
 " Puget Sound Rangers " that the white settlements first received 
 warning of approaching danger. 
 
 When Hays' company and the regulars reached Connell's 
 Prairie, about this same time, they quickly discerned the state of 
 affairs, and immediately attacked the Indians, driving them 
 across White river, and up Green and Black rivers, towards the 
 mountains to the north-east. It being impossible to follow them 
 further into the mountains without opening trails, and heavy 
 storms setting in, the troops returned to the settlements and went 
 into winter quarters. It was then learned that a terrible massacre 
 had occurred on White river, a short distance above Seattle, in 
 which three families, by the names of King, Brannan and Lake, 
 had been horribly butchered, the women outraged, their breasts 
 cut off and their bodies thrown into wells and cess-pools, and the 
 
s 
 
 children cut in twain. All were killed except two little boys' 
 whom an old squaw hid in the brush while the devils were doing 
 their bloody work. These boys were afterwards rescued from the 
 Indians, and were taken East to their relatives by E. T. Gunn, of 
 Olympia. While in San Francisco they were taken to the Cali 
 fornia theatre, and during the play were brought on to the stage 
 and their condition stated to the audience by a friend, and it is 
 said the stage was nearly coven d with silver half-dollars. 
 
 The Indians had evidently been watching the movements of 
 the white troops on the Sound, and when they supposed the 
 soldiers and volunteers had crossed the mountains to fight the 
 Yakimas and Clickitats, they had planned to make a general 
 sweep of the Sound country; kill all the men and children, and 
 take the women and what stock and property they coveted into 
 captivity. But the sudden and unexpected return of these troops 
 frustrated their designs, and no doubt saved one of the most 
 extensive and terrible calamities ever recorded in the annals of 
 savage warfare. 
 
 The dead were then gathered up, brought in and buried, and 
 most of the farmers near the towns returned to their homes, built 
 stockades and blockhouses, or fortified their dwellings the best 
 they could, and prepared for the winter's storm. A stockade was 
 built around S. D. Ruddell's residence on Chambers' Prairie, small 
 board shanties erected on the inside, where some five or six fami 
 lies, including my own and the father of Geo. H. Himes, the 
 Printer, were forted up for the winter. I purchased a little Ken 
 tucky rifle, the best I could get, paying $40 for it, which did not 
 originally cost much above $6.00. and afterwards bought a second 
 hand Colt's revolver for $24.00, which could now be had at any 
 shop for $3. Powder immediately advanced to $2 and $3 a pound, 
 and lead from 75c. to $1 a pound ; provisions and supplies of all 
 kinds almost thribbled in price. 
 
 FORMATION OF THE SECOND REGIMENT. 
 
 Governor Stevens succeeded in making his escape out of the 
 upper country and upon return home and finding the state of 
 aftairs west of the mountains, immediately set about the organi 
 zation of the entire available force of the whites of the Territory. 
 Requisitions were sent to California for munitions of war and 
 supplies, and an appeal made to Gov. Curry of Oregon to lend us 
 all the aid he could spare. The time of service of the first com 
 panies called out having expired they were disbanded, and several 
 new companies enlisted, forming what is known as the Second 
 Regiment, Washington Territory volunteers. 
 
 Company C, B. L. Hen ness, Captain, was organized at Olym 
 pia, to serve six months or until the close of the Indian war, as 
 was all the other companies of the 2nd Regiment. B. F. Shaw, 
 
of Vancouver, was commissioned Colonel of the Regiment, and 
 Gilmore Hays, Major of Battalion. 
 
 As soon as the weather would permit, the Governor determined 
 to erect a line of blockhouses, or fortifications for supplies, along 
 line of the old military wagon road leading across the mountains 
 over the Nachess Pass. This road, or trail it would be more proper 
 to call, had been opened some years before at government expense, 
 and over which one train of immigrants had crossed in 1853, after 
 much hard labor. This was the only known route across the 
 mountains, but the winter storms hnd again prostrated the timber 
 across it in many places as to almost obliterate all signs of a former 
 road. By opening this road and erecting a line of fortifications 
 along it, access to the back or mountainous country could be 
 gained, which would force the Indians out of their hiding places, 
 drive them across the mountains, or should the war east of the 
 mountains be prolonged, afford communication with the Sound. 
 With this end in view, the Governor commissioned Jos.. White, 
 of Thurston county, to recruit a company of sappers and miners, 
 to be called " The Pioneer Company." This company was prin 
 cipally recruited in and around Steilacoom, and w r as composed of 
 men who had served in the regular army from five to fifteen years, 
 old whalers and a few marines, some farmers and farmers' sons, 
 first settlers, and two Kanakas the latter stalwart, active fellows, 
 who rendered much valuable service during the campaign. Al 
 though many of them were not skilled in the use of axes or tools, 
 yet they knew how to handle their guns, and were as brave and 
 fearless as tigers, tough as pine knots, and inured to all kinds of 
 hardships. They had to be kept constantly in motion, however, 
 to keep down insubordination and rows among themselves, and 
 if we camped at night anywhere within twelve or fifteen miles of 
 a barrel of whiskey or box of tobacco, more than half of it would 
 be in camp the next morning. 
 
 White having recruited the company, was, of course, elected 
 Captain, U. E. Hicks was chosen First Lieutenant, and McLane 
 Chambers, Second Lieutenant. My commission as First Lieuten 
 ant is dated February 8, 1856. We were duly mustered and sworn 
 in as a regular company of volunteers, and were recognized as 
 such by the U. S. troops. 
 
 Our first rendezvous was on the Yelm Prairie, where we built 
 a store and blockhouse. We then moved to Montgomery's, some 
 fifteen or eighteen miles further on. Here we were joined by sev 
 eral other companies. A large amount of stores were soon col 
 lected at this place, occupying a large barn. From here on we had 
 to open the road as we progressed, and were followed by some 
 twenty or thirty ox-teams, drawing heavily loaded wagons with 
 supplies, with Captains Henness, Swindall, and perhaps other 
 companies, as escort. We waded the Puyallup in the advance, 
 and camped, without fire, shelter, or supper, in a cold drenching 
 
8 
 
 rain, at the spot were the old settlers had been surrounded and 
 attacked at the commencement of hostilities. 
 
 DEATH OP KANASKTJT. 
 
 About half a mile further on a company of regulars were 
 encamped near the steep high hill up which the trail meandered. 
 They had placed a picket-guard of three men a short distance up 
 the hill. Just at daylight the next morning they saw three In 
 dians stealthily crawling down the hill toward camp. When 
 within easy gun-shot the savages stopped behind a large 
 log, completely hid from camp, but within plain view of the 
 picket-guard. One of the Indians raised up, with his gun pointed 
 over the log, intently watching the camp, evidently waiting a 
 favorable opportunity to pick off an officer or some prominent 
 man whom he personally knew. A few soldiers had just began 
 to stir in camp, when the best marksman of the picket-guard 
 drew a bead on the Indian and at the crack of his gun the Indian 
 threw up his hands, his gun fell over the log opposite him, and 
 he sank down. The other two Indians broke and ran back up the 
 hill, were fired at by the other two guard, but were missed. In 
 an instant both camps were on their feet, ready for an attack. 
 On approaching the Indian he was found lying on his back, with 
 a long murderous-looking knife drawn, with which he would cut 
 and slash at any one who came within possible reach. A minnie 
 ball from the guard's rifle had gone clean through him from 
 shoulder to shoulder, disabling him from standing on his feet, but 
 he could still use his arms. A rope was procured, lassooed around 
 one foot, and he was dragged down the hill and into camp. He 
 proved to be Kanaskut, a White river Indian chief, well-known 
 as a brave and desperate enemy to the whites, and feared by all. 
 After a short parley with him, in which he evinced all the ma 
 lignant hatred of a wounded eagle, he was dispatched with a bul 
 let through his brains. Much relief was felt when it was known 
 that Kanaskut was killed. 
 
 From there we pushed on over to Connell's Prairie, where we 
 erected a large storehouse, blockhouse and hospital buildings. 
 Some forty head of beef cattle were here slaughtered and salted- 
 down, and a big barrel of whiskey stolen out of the hospital one 
 night by the boys in camp. 
 
 About the time of the completion of this work, word was 
 brought to us that the Indians had attacked a small company of 
 regulars under command of Lieut. Slaughter, and a company of 
 volunteer commanded by Oapt. G.^5. Hewitt ; that Slaughter had 
 been kilted, the troops routed, and all their camp equippage and 
 about forty government mules captured. This occurred over on 
 the Muck, somewhere near the junction of Green river, about ten 
 miles below us on White river. It was afterwards learned that 
 the hostiles west of the mountains had been reinforced by about 
 
9 
 
 sixty warriors from the Clickitats, and that these Indians had 
 been watching the movements of the regular troops, deeming 
 them the most formidable foe, and had paid but little attention to 
 the doings of the volunteers. While we were at work on Connell's 
 Prairie the escort guard had made several scouting tours through 
 the woods and hills around, but had seen no signs of Indians. 
 
 BATTLE OF CONNELL'S PRAIRIE. 
 
 On the morning of March 10, 1856, Capt. White's " Pioneer 
 Company " was ordered to proceed on and open the road to the 
 crossing of White river, for the purpose of erecting a blockhouse 
 there. The company started out early in the morning, a little 
 after sun-up. The sun had risen bright and clear, and there was 
 considerable frost on the ground. Each man carried an ax, cross 
 cut saw or other tool, in one hand, and his gun in the other. 
 We also had one yoke of steers with us, to drag the logs away 
 when cut in two. Capt. White ordered me to take three men and 
 proceed some two or three hundred yards in advance, to look out 
 for Indians and give warning of approaching danger. On reach 
 ing the timber, about one mile from camp, the trail descended a 
 sharp little hill, about seventy or eighty feet in hight. The road 
 had to be cut sidling down the hill. On descending the hill and 
 proceeding a short distance further, we came to an old trail lead 
 ing directly up the hill, the brow of which was not a hundred 
 yards distant. Here we discovered very fresh moccasin and mule 
 tracks in the frost. I instantly knew that it was the same Indians 
 who had attacked Slaughter and Hewitt, on the Muckelshoot. The 
 main company was not yet in sight, or within hailing distance. 
 Myself and one of my men walked up this trail to perhaps within 
 ten or twenty feet of the top of the hill, which was covered with 
 fallen timber and pretty thick brush, but not a leaf or a twig 
 moved to indicate the presence of the enemy. I afterward saw 
 numbers of Indians rise up from these same logs and brush. On 
 regaining the bottom of the hill the main company came in sight 
 and I gave the alarm. The words had hardly escaped my lips 
 before a hail-storm of bullets and arrows whizzed around us. But, 
 fortunately, no one was hit by the first volley. We instinctively 
 jumped behind the nearest trees or logs, each one seeking shelter 
 the best he could for the moment ; but one poor fellow (our best 
 axeman), unfortunately, did n't get behind a tree large enough, for 
 on peeking around the tree he naturally bent his body, thus ex 
 posing his head and rump, and having a very small head his 
 enemy fired at the biggest mark, making a terrible flesh-wound, 
 though breaking no bones. Although the poor fellow was sorely 
 wounded, still many of us could not help laughing over it, even 
 at the time. The Indians, evidently flushed with success in beat 
 ing back the regulars and small companies of volunteers who 
 were endeavoring to penetrate their mountain fastnesses without 
 
10 
 
 the aid of blockhouses, from the direction of Seattle, had come 
 up to Connell's Prairie, with their entire force, perhaps 250 in 
 number, to clean us out. There were about 175 whites. They had 
 seen our company approaching the timber and had made prepar 
 ation to receive, surround and scalp us in a few minutes. They 
 waited until the main company had got down the hill, when, by 
 suddenly opening fire on us, it was expected we would run a few 
 steps further on to another decline, where they had posted sixty 
 of their picked men, to receive and scalp all who might escape the 
 first fire. But, instead of doing as the Indians had expected, we 
 stood our ground, or rather, if anything, pushed back up under 
 the hill from whence the attack had first come, and replied when 
 ever we saw any of the naked and painted red devils to shoot at. 
 At camp, very fortunately for us, were about forty volunteers 
 standing in line, all ready to go out on a scout that morning. As 
 quick as the report of the Indians' guns reached camp they started 
 on a keen run to our assistance. The distance was about a mile, 
 as before stated. On nearing the timber, those in advance saw 
 the smoke rising up from the brush and logs before described, and 
 thought it was us firing down the hill. The Indians were so in 
 tent watching our movements that they did not notice the coming 
 of white men behind them, until some ten or a dozen of our boys 
 were right in their midst. Then it seemed as if all Hades had 
 been let loose, and that the demons oi the damned were all there. 
 The roar of musketry was deafening for a few moments, when 
 the Indians began to give way a little. In the mean time the sixty 
 devils who had been waiting for us, seeing that we did n't come 
 according to contract, had begun crawling up on us from behind, 
 and had not help come they would have had our scalps anyhow, 
 in fifteen or twenty minutes more. But the driving away of the 
 Indians from the brow of the hill, down which we had come, en 
 abled us to regain the top or level again and join our rescuers. 
 The firing then opened all along the line of timber and brush, for 
 half a mile or more in length, toward camp. At the edge of the 
 timber was a steep little rise, at the foot of which lay a deep miry 
 swamp, covered with thorns, briars and hardback, through which 
 one had to almost cut his way with a butcher's knife; but back 
 of this the timber was more open. The Indians ran along the 
 open timber, toward camp, the swamp and blown down trees 
 affording almost complete breastworks and shelter from attack in 
 front. 
 
 Learning that some of my company had been wounded, and 
 that the Captain had jumped into a hollow stump and was still 
 there, I procured assistance, and by running directly in front of 
 the enemy's fire, we succeeded in getting the wounded into camp. 
 Three had been wounded quite severely, but none mortally. 
 
 About fifty yards distant from the open space through which 
 we ran with our wounded, was a line of quaking-asps, the twigs 
 
11 
 
 and leaves of which fell in a shower, as if being stripped by in vis- 
 able hands, cut by bullets and arrows fired at us. 
 
 At camp great confusion prevailed ; no one seemed to be in 
 command, but everyone ready to fight on his own hook. A party 
 of us, however, soon organized arid started out to charge the In 
 dians along the brush and hill-side. In this charge some of my 
 skilor-boys proved valuable in wading the swamp and climbing 
 logs in the advance. We captured one Indian, who was quickly 
 dispatched, and several drums, bows and arrows, which the enemy 
 were compelled to drop in their flight. On gaining the brow of 
 the hill we were compelled to halt, for want of knowledge as to 
 where our own forces were, fearing that we might mistake them 
 for the enemy in the brush. Much valuable time was thus lost, 
 for had the charge, so favorably commenced, been vigorously kept 
 up, seconded by assistance all along the line, not many Indians 
 would have escaped. As it was, however, when they heard our 
 yells and knew that we had commenced to charge, they quickly 
 began to retreat, dragging their dead and wounded with them. 
 After a time we proceeded on, but saw no more Indians; they 
 were routed and gone. The fight lasted from about 8 o'clock in 
 the morning until 3 in the afternoon. 
 
 Of the number of the enemy killed or wounded we had only 
 to guess, but on going over the ground we discovered many places 
 marked with pools of blood, and trails where they had dragged 
 their wounded back into the timber ; also, two or three hats per 
 forated with bullet-holes, with hair, blood and brains on the in 
 side. We learned, long afterwards, that about thirty Indians had 
 been killed and wounded in this battle, although we did not get 
 but one at the time. 
 
 At the commencement of the fight numerous squaws were seen 
 in the front ranks, beating drums, dancing and yelling, and other 
 wise encouraging their men. They believed the whites would 
 not shoot at them, but the boys, getting tired of such nonsense, 
 knocked over a few of them, and thereafter the rest kept more hid 
 but still encouraged their men with unearthly screams and yells, 
 and the beating of drums. The Indians were frequently within 
 speaking distance, and would banter our boys (many of whom 
 they personally knew, calling them by name), with the vilest 
 epithets the jargon language could convey. 
 
 OTHER BLOCKHOUSES AND BULLETS. 
 
 On Wednesday following we again started out, opened the 
 road to White river crossing, and began the erection of a block 
 house. We were accompanied this time by an escort guard from 
 Oapt. Henness' company. Opposite the site selected for the block 
 house is a high bluff, the top within gunshot, which was left un 
 guarded, because of the difficult crossing of the river. On Thurs 
 day noon, 'Vene Phillips, of the picket-guard, jokingly gave a. 
 
false alarm. Some men were notching down the logs on the cor 
 ners, while others were pushing heavy logs up the skids. On see 
 ing Phillips waving his cap, we all rushed for our guns, when, as 
 much to his surprise as to ours, another hailstorm of bullets fell 
 among us Irom the top of the bluff. No one was wounded by the 
 first volley, though several had their hats and clothing pierced by 
 bullets. A single shot, however, struck one of Phillip's compan 
 ions in the back of the neck, the bullet passing inside the jugular 
 vein and coming out at the bur of the ear. He was picked up 
 for dead, but finally revived, and is still living, I believe, though 
 mentally deranged. Neither he nor any of the wounded in this 
 war, have received any recognition from the government, to my 
 knowledge, other than the paltry pay finally allowed the volun 
 teers. No reply was made to the Indians, as they were beyond 
 the reach of our guns, and the river lay between. But we com 
 pleted the house next day, and posted a guard inside, as had been 
 done with all the others erected. 
 
 We then returned and built a blockhouse at the crossing of the 
 Puyallup. From there we opened a road to South Prairie, the 
 present locality of the famed Carbonado coal mines, where we 
 erected another blockhouse. 
 
 DEATH OF JOHN EDGAR. 
 
 A short time prior to our arrival on South Prairie, John Edgar, 
 then residing upon and owning the old well-known Edgar farm, 
 on the Yelm Prairie, and who had an Indian wife, and could 
 speak the Indian language well, had gone out to South Prairie, 
 in company with a small party, to meet and have a talk with a few 
 Indians whom he had learned were on this prairie. A small deep 
 stream ran along the northern and western edges, whose banks 
 were covered with very thick underbrush. A tree, blown down, 
 spanned the banks. Edgar was the first to get upon the log, 
 closely followed by two companions. When quite close to the 
 up-turned roots of the tree on the opposite bank, an Indian, con 
 cealed behind the roots, fired a Hudson's Bay musket, the ball 
 passing through Edgar's body, through the side of his next com 
 panion (a half-breed), and slightly wounding a friendly Indian 
 who came third. Edgar fell off the log into the stream dead. 
 The savage, of course, made his escape. 
 
 A PROMOTION. 
 
 From South Prairie we moved back to Montgomery's, where 
 we erected a large store-house, blockhouse and other buildings, 
 and named Fort Hicks. 
 
 Before the completion of this work, Captain White resigned 
 his commission, as, in fact, he had not commanded the company 
 from a short time after the fight on Connell's Prairie. The Second 
 Lieutenant had also resigned his commission some time previous, 
 
13 
 
 and as the whole duty had devolved upon me up to this time, the 
 company demanded that I be elected and commissioned Captain. 
 My commission as Captain is dated May 24, 1856, and the oath of 
 office was taken before Governor Stevens in person. I value these 
 papers now as much for the sake of the autographs of Isaac I. 
 Stevens and James Tilton as for other reasons. Stevens was 
 killed early in the great civil war, and Tilton died some years ago 
 in Delaware, I believe. 
 
 MARTI ALt LAW, ETC. 
 
 At the commencement of hostilities Governor Stevens, who 
 was Superintendent of Indians Affairs for the Territory, selected 
 a large island in the Sound, near Steilacoom, as a reservation, to 
 which all friendly or non-combatant Indians were required to go, 
 where they would be sheltered, fed and protected at government 
 expense. All prisoners taken were also required to be sent there. 
 A number of the latter had been placed there, where they would 
 remain a few days, until sufficiently recruited, and then jump 
 into the bay, swim to the main land, and the next day be out in 
 the hostile camp. Several such were recaptured more than once, 
 until the volunteers got tired of the business and quietly resolved 
 to take no more prisoners. 
 
 Pierce county, within the territory of which the principal cen 
 ter of the hostile forces was located, was largely settled up by 
 Hudson's Bay Company's employes, half-breeds, trappers and 
 voyageurs, many of whom were living with Indian women. The 
 town of Steilacoom was the county seat. (The city of Tacoma, 
 where now resides more inhabitants than the whole Territory 
 then contained, was not thought of.) A large majority of the 
 then residents of Pierce county were believed, and not without 
 reason, to be more friendly toward the Indians than they were to 
 the Americans. Several such, suspected of furnishing informa 
 tion and aid to the enemy, together with Leschi, the chief before 
 referred to, and a few other captured hostiles, were held as pris 
 oners of war by the troops, and were about to be tried by court- 
 martial. Their sympathising friends in the neighborhood gath 
 ered in Steilacoom, employed lawyers, and petitioned the civil 
 authorities to rescue the prisoners from the hands of the military. 
 Judge Edward Lander, Chief Justice of the Territory, was called 
 upon to open court in Steilacoom for this purpose. Court was 
 convened, a jury summoned, and a demand made for the release of 
 the prisoners. The Governor, believing that such a course would 
 greatly encourage the hostiles, besides setting at liberty known 
 enemies, in which opinion he was backed by the entire volunteer 
 force, immediately proclaimed martial law over the county of 
 Pierce, sent a company of militia from Olympia, arrested Judge 
 Lander, took him a prisoner to Montgomery's, and broke up the 
 court. This action, of course, created intense excitement for a 
 
time, but a fews days sufficed for calmer reflection, and peace, law 
 and order was soon restored. The suspected whites were held for 
 a time, and finally released. Leschi and one or two other hostiles 
 were afterwards duly tried before the court in Steilacoom and 
 hung. 
 
 TROOPS CROSS THE MOUNTAIN. 
 
 A line of blockhouses now having been established to the foot 
 or base of the pass across the mountains, and the hostile Indians 
 on this side pretty well subdued since their disastrous defeat on 
 ConnelPs Prairie, the entire volunteer force in the field were 
 again gathered at Montgomery's, and preparation made to cross 
 the mountains into the Yakima country. (My brother, Thos. B. 
 Hicks, was in one of these companies.) Upon being mounted and 
 regularly equipped, they were joined by Col. Casey's command 
 of regular troops from Fort Steilacoom, and two companies of vol 
 unteers from Oregon. Col. B. F. Shaw took command as Colonel 
 of the volunteer regiment. In this order they proceeded on their 
 journey, leaving " Pioneer Company," and Capt. Swindall's com 
 pany to scout the foot-hills and plains back of the settlements, 
 while the "home guards" held the forts and blockhouses. The 
 country over which our duties now extended was from forty to 
 to sixty miles in length, and twenty to thirty broad. 
 
 END OF HARD LABOR, PAY, ETC. 
 
 We returned to the Yelm Prairie, and from there opened the 
 road to the Tenalquot Plains, where we erected another small 
 blockhouse. This ended our labors as a company of miners and 
 sappers. 
 
 By persistent hard pleading I procured horses and mounted a 
 part of my company, relieving those whom I could not mount 
 from further duty. We continued in this service as mounted 
 scouts or rangers until some time in August, when we were mus 
 tered out of service, turning over our entire outfit to Quartermas 
 ter General W. W. Miller, in Olympia. 
 
 The war having ended, I returned to my little farm in the fall 
 of that year, but in consequence of the loss of time and nearly all 
 that I had accumulated, I found I could not recover and shortly 
 afterwards sold out, moved to town and went to work at my trade. 
 Seven years afterward, following a somewhat prolonged corres 
 pondence with the Third Auditor, I was paid a small sum out of 
 the government treasury for my services. In this, however, I 
 fared better than some of my neighbors, who gave or lost their all, 
 and have not to this day been recompensed. 
 
 The pay finally allowed by the government was, to the private 
 .soldier or volunteer, $18 per month and rations ; to commissioned 
 and non-commissioned officers, the same as allowed the regular 
 army, but no clothing. Many of the men in my company were 
 
15 
 
 more in debt to the government for clothing than their pay 
 amounted to at the end of their service. Much of the clothing 
 furnished was rotten, shoddy stuff, for which at least three prices 
 were charged above cost. Frequently a man would put on a new 
 pair of pants of boots in the morning, and come into camp at 
 night in rags. Our work was rough, and most of the country 
 through which we operated was mountainous and very rugged. 
 Such clothing would not stand the wear. 
 
 In the matter of provisions we were generally well supplied 
 though occasionally being reduced to salt-junk and hard-tack. I 
 may mention here, that the beef slaughtered and packed on Con- 
 nelPs Prairie all spoiled arid had to be thrown away, caused, some 
 say, by the beating of drums and the roar of musketry around it 
 and our major on that beautiful March day, which may have had 
 the same effect on poor beef that thunder is said to have on milk. 
 
 RECAPITULATION. 
 
 Number of blockhouses and other buildings erected by the 
 company, nine. 
 
 Number of miles of road opened and repaired, about forty. 
 Number of men in company, at the highest, forty-six. 
 Time of service, six months. 
 Number of Indians killed or captured, klone-as. 
 
 SCENES AMD INCIDENTS. 
 
 SCENE ONE. 
 
 Upon completion of the blockhouse on South Prairie, and 
 while waiting further orders, about twenty-five of us started out 
 on a scout toward the foot of Mt. Rainier, carrying gun, cartridge- 
 box (21 rounds), two days' provision and blanket. We took in 
 company a young friendly Indian as guide or spy for Indian 
 signs. We reach the mountain at dusk and camped just below 
 the snow line on that magnificent peak. Thus far we had seen 
 but very little indication of recent Indian sign, except a blazing 
 fire from a few pieces of fir bark on the top of a high hill which 
 we had just climbed, but no tracks or other sign. On our return 
 the next day, by a different route, and while on a very high 
 plateau, densely timbered, our Indian spy noticed a small fir limb 
 sticking in the ground in a peculiar manner, showing that it could 
 not have fallen thus from a tree, but not the least sign of foot-print 
 or mark of Indian or animal. After a sharp close inspection an 
 other limb, similarly stuck, about 150 or 200 yards distant, was 
 discovered. This led on to another, but still no track or trail, and 
 so on for about one mile or more, when we entered a dense cedar 
 swamp. Here we suddenly found a large number of cedar trees 
 
16 
 
 quite recently stripped of bark, and a wide beaten track leading 
 to a large ranch, built on a slight rise, close to a stream of water. 
 We got close to the ranch before those inside suspected our pres 
 ence. One shot was fired at us, but did no harm. As the savages 
 came out of the one hole in front, they were shot down, big and 
 little, squaws and all, except one buck and one squaw, who ran, 
 side by side, the full length of our fire and escaped. In the ranch 
 was found numerous household trinkets, dresses, dishes, spoons, 
 knives and forks, rings, and keepsakes, taken from the residences 
 of the families massacred on White river. I also found the scalp 
 of one of the white women who had been so cruelly murdered. 
 We saved such articles as might be desired by the friends of the 
 murdered families, burned the ranch, and left the dead bodies of 
 the savages just as they had fallen when shot. 
 
 SCENE TWO. 
 
 A few days following this incident, a Lieutenant from Col. 
 Casey's command, U. S. A., came out to South Prairie with about 
 a dozen regulars, and were joined with an equal number of 
 our boys. They proceeded on to the headwaters of the Nisqually, 
 where another ranch of Indians was found. Some were killed 
 and the remainder taken prisoners, including the squaws. They 
 then returned to Montgomery's, where a trial was held and two 
 of the prisoners sentenced to be shot and one hung. Execution 
 was postponed until the next morning. The fellow sentenced to 
 be hung howled and raved all night. An Indian fears death by 
 hanging more than any other punishment. The next morning 
 he told the guard that the great Ta-mah-na-wis spirit had come to 
 him in the night and told him that he could not be hung ; that 
 the rope would break. The two who were shot met their doom 
 without a murmur. A convenient oak limb was found near camp, 
 and the black devil led out to it, all the while calling loudly on his 
 spirit Tyee; one end of a rope was duly adjusted to his neck and 
 the other thrown over the limb, when three or four pulled on it, 
 raising the Indian five or six feet above ground. The body spun 
 around rapidly for about half a minute, when the rope did break 
 sure enough. A knife quickly cut the rope from his neck, and 
 he was allowed to regain his breath for a few moments. ' In the 
 mean time one of the boys ran back to camp and soon returned, 
 dragging a long lariat through the wet grass. This was adjusted 
 to the Indian's neck, and he was again swung up, where he 
 remained severa^hours. His Ta-mah-na-wis Ty-ee had not calcu 
 lated on the strength of a raw-hide rope. 
 
 SCENE THREE. 
 
 When Gov. Stevens issued his proclamation commanding all 
 peaceably disposed and non-combatant Indians to be removed to 
 the island reservation, Dr. Tolmie, Chief Factor of the Hudson's 
 
17 
 
 Company's post at Fort Nisqually, obtained permission from the 
 Governor to keep a few Indians around his post, vouching for 
 their conduct while the war lasted. [I will take this occasion to 
 explain, that Dr. Tolmie did not then claim special rights or priv 
 ileges by reason of his connection with the Hudson's Bay Com 
 pany, but a so-called Puget Sound Agricultural Company had 
 been formed, exclusively by Hudson's Bay Company employes 
 or those more or less connected therewith, which laid claim to 
 large tracts of land within the Territory. Much litigation grew 
 out of the claims of this Puget Sound Agricultural Company, which 
 the American residents regarded as but another name for the old 
 Hudson's Bay Company.] The Indians kept by Tolmie were 
 suspicioned of giving information and aid to the hostiles when 
 ever chance offered. 
 
 In my company was a man by the name of Lake, brother to 
 one of the families massacred on White river. Of course he was 
 bitter against all red-skins, friend or foe. The sad fate of his dear 
 relatives seemed to weigh upon his mind, so much so that at times 
 he would become almost frantic, and it was with difficulty that 
 he could be restrained from acts of violence toward friendly In 
 dians in our own camp. The poor fellow died shortly after the 
 close of the war, from over-exposure and mental worry. 
 
 While the companies were camped at Montgomery's prepara 
 tory to crossing the mountains, Lake obtained a furlough to go to 
 Steilacoom, eighteen miles distant, on private business. On his 
 return the next evening he passed Fort Nisqually just at dusk, 
 and was seen by some squaws. A short distance beyond the fort 
 he saw a big Indian buck in the woods close to the trail. The 
 temptation was too great for him to withstand, so he levelled his 
 gun and knocked the Indian over, the report of his rifle being 
 heard at the fort. On reaching camp at night, he sent for me. I 
 found him hid away in his tent, when he whispering told me 
 what he had did. I scolded him for the act, but still could not 
 help sympathizing with him, as, indeed, he had the sympathy of 
 the entire company and camp. I cautioned him to keep quiet 
 and promised that I would do what I could to shield him from 
 further trouble. The next morning Dr. Tolmie, accompanied by 
 two or three squaws, appeared in camp, and immediately entered 
 complaint before Colonel Shaw that one of his friendly Indians 
 had been killed the evening before, near the fort, by a volunteer, 
 and had brought the squaws along to identify the man seen pass 
 ing the fort a few minutes before hearing the report of the rifle, 
 and if the man could be found, he (Tolmie) demanded his imme 
 diate arrest and punishment. The Colonel ordered all the com 
 panies to be drawn up in line. It then became generally known 
 what had happened, and it required considerable effort on the 
 part of the officers to keep the men in line while the roll was be 
 ing called and they were being examined by Tolmie and his 
 
18 
 
 squaws. My company was the last to be examined, and although 
 it was by that time pretty generally suspected who they were 
 after, still it was hoped by the boys that by noise and confusion 
 they would so frighten the squaws that they would fail to identify. 
 The line was passed without identification (Lake had changed 
 his clothing), when Dr. Burns (the same Doctor referred to in the 
 early part of this story), knowing Lake to be the suspected party 
 and had been absent from camp a day or two previous, and being 
 a warm friend to Tolmie, pointed to where Lake stood in line, 
 when he was recognized by the squaws. Scarcely had he been 
 pointed out by the squaws, before the men, in spite of the efforts 
 of their officers, broke ranks and with wild yells rushed for their 
 guns, threatening dire vengeance upon Tolmie and his squaws if 
 Lake was touched. It required the utmost exertion on the part 
 of the officers to save them from assault. They ran for dear life 
 to the Colonel's tent, imploring his protection. The officers sur 
 rounded the tent and kept back the infuriated mob until order 
 was somewhat restored, when the Doctor agreed that if the men 
 would permit him and his squaws to escape he would not molest 
 Lake any further. A way was opened for them, through which 
 they ran to their horses, quickly mounted, and galloped off, no 
 doubt heartily glad to get away with their scalps, to the now in 
 finite amusement of the men. No more was heard of the affair. 
 
 SCENE FOUR. 
 
 Among the residents in my neighborhood was a much re 
 spected farmer named Wm. White, whose family, with others, 
 were forted up in what was known as " Eaton Fort," on Cham 
 bers' Prairie. No hostile Indians having been seen or heard of in 
 that neighborhood for a long time, the family went, on Sunday, 
 to a religious meeting, held in a country school house a few miles 
 distant. Mrs. White and another lady named Stewart, with a 
 child in her arms, rode in a small one-horse cart, while Mr. White 
 walked and drove. On their return, and when almost within sight 
 of the fort, a party of six Indians, headed by " Yelm Jim," a well- 
 known Indian in that neighborhood, rushed out, on horseback, 
 from a point of timber near the road, and attacked White. An 
 effort was made to get hold of the reins of White's horse, and in 
 the scuffle they were dropped. A shot was fired at White, 
 wounding him severely, but he still continued to fight his assail 
 ants manfully, until overpowered and killed. In the meantime 
 the horse, taking fright at the shots and noise, started on a keen 
 run down the road toward the fort. An attempt was made to 
 overtake him, but he was too fleet for the savages' ponies. The 
 women clung to the cart, and the big gate being open, the horse 
 ran straight into the fort, thus saving the lives of the two women 
 and child; but the mother holding the child -in her arms had one 
 foot terribly mangled by the wheel of the cart, and but one board 
 
19 
 
 remained of the cart-bed when they reached the fort. The body 
 of Mr. White was found the next day, by a relief party, near the 
 scene of attack, stripped and horribly cut to pieces. Yelm Jim 
 was afterward caught and hung for this deed. Mrs. White is 
 now the wife of Hon. S. D. Ruddell, of Olympia. 
 
 About this time, or perhaps prior, a man by the name of 
 North craft, engaged in hauling supplies from Olympia to the 
 Yelm Prairie, was waylaid on the road about half-way between 
 Chamber's Prairie and the Yelm, the savages taking him from 
 the wagon, after he was wounded, and tying him to a tree, amused 
 themselves by shooting arrows into him, and otherwise torment 
 ing him until he expired. The wagon and contents, what they 
 could not carry away with them, was destroyed. 
 
 EXPLANATORY AND APOLOGETIC. 
 
 The foregoing recollections have been written almost wholly 
 from memory, having but little data at this date to aid or refresh 
 the mind ; but many of the scenes and incidents are almost as 
 vivid to me now as at the time of their occurrence, thirty years 
 ago. I have endeavored to confine these reminiscences, as much 
 as possible, to matters in which I took part, and to state facts only 
 from the stand-point in which I then viewed them, or believed 
 them to exist. That others of my comrades in these trying times 
 may have different recollections and different views I do not 
 doubt, for no two, perhaps, had exactly the same experience. In 
 looking over the field at this distant day, and viewing the won 
 derful changes that have been wrought out in one short life-time ; 
 the populous and wealthy cities, the beautiful farm-homes, wide 
 roads, steamships, telegraph lines, and the iron-horse now pene 
 trating the same dense forests and shooting across the same cold 
 rapid streams, where I then wandered and waded, I am often lost 
 in wonder, and the scenes I have above attempted to describe 
 seem but as a dream. More alarm was felt then, no doubt, than 
 there was real cause for, but we were isolated, in a new, wild and 
 rugged country, few in number, and poor in resources of defense. 
 I could add many other incidents some laughable, some pathetic, 
 and others distressing but my story is now much longer than I 
 expected to make it. If I have interested the reader by depicting 
 some of the labors, trials, hardships and dangers encountered by 
 the pioneers of the northwest coast, my purpose has been accom 
 plished. And what shall be said of the wives and mothers of 
 those days, of the anxieties, self-denials, privations, doubts and 
 fears, endured and heroically sustained ? God only is able to give 
 the reward. 
 
 URBAN EAST HICKS. 
 
 PORTLAND, OREGON, February 10, 1886. 
 
ADDENDA. 
 
 Since the above was in type, a friend placed in my hands a 
 book, entitled "Fifty Years Experience," etc., written by Brevt. 
 Brig. General E. D. Keyes, IT. S. A., in which I find that I was 
 somewhat mistaken as to the time of the death of Lieutenant W. 
 A. Slaughter. He was killed, according to Gen. Keyes' account, 
 in December, 1855. But I still stick to the mule part of the story, 
 and the further fact that the hostile Indians, west of the moun 
 tains, never got their final defeat until they received it at the 
 hands of the volunteers on Council's Prairie. And I may be 
 permitted to add, that notwithstanding the open jealousy of the 
 the regular army toward volunteers, I honestly believe the latter 
 were the better Indian fighters. But, as the American settlers 
 will never again witness such wars, because th-re are no more 
 Indians to kill, we will drop that part of the contro /ersy. Lieut, 
 Slaughter was much respected by his comrades in the regular 
 army and very popular among the volunteers, and had he lived 
 would have risen to high rank in his profession, as nearly or quite 
 all West Pointers did who visited this coast in an early day. 
 
 It will be seen that the above reminiscences are confined exclu 
 sively to the section of country between Puget Sound and the 
 Cascade Mountains. What took place in Eastern Washington, 
 or in Oregon, I have not attempted to more than touch upon, as 
 I knew but little of the scenes in those fields. 
 
 The following short biographical sketch of the writer is taken 
 from " Lang's History of the Willamette Valley " : 
 
 HICKS, URBAN E. Born in Boone County, Missouri, May 14, 1828 ; 
 served five years' apprenticeship at the punters' trade in Paris, Monroe County, 
 and at Hannibal, on the Mississippi river. Married Miss Eliza Jane Leedom, 
 in 1850, in Schuyler County ; went to St. Louis, and in the spring of 1851, 
 set out for Oregon, overland. Settled at the mouth of the Cowlitz river ' r 
 taught school, and In 1852, came to Portland; worked a short time at his 
 trade ; located on a claim three miles east of East Portland ; moved to Salt 
 Creek, Polk County, and from there to Puget Sound, in 1853, where his wife 
 died, leaving one son Dr. Frank P., of Astoria [now of Tacoma]. Married 
 Miss India Ann Hartsock, in 1855, bv whom he has one son living G. Gwin r 
 [also of Tacoma]. Took part in the Indian war of 1855-6, going out as first 
 lieutenant, and afterwards promoted to captain ; was assessor and county 
 clerk of Thurston County, and assistant secretary of the first Territorial 
 Council of Washington Territory ; was at different times elected by the legis 
 lature, Territorial Librarian, Territorial Auditor, and Quartermaster General ; 
 was also deputy U. S. Marshal, Notary Public, etc. Mr. Hicks has had a 
 varied experience in the newspaper business. In 1861-62 he published the 
 Vancouver Telegraph; in 1864-65, published the Washington Democrat, at 
 Olympia ; moved his plant to Salem, Oregon, in 1865-66, and in connection 
 with A. Noltner and C. B. Bellinger, published the Democratic Review ; went 
 to Portland and was city editor of the Daily Oregon Herald; started the East 
 Portland Democratic Era, in 1871 ; and in 1874 was engaged as editor of the 
 Vancouver Register. He now resides in Portland.