Contributed by Greg Croxton
[email protected]
The following letter, writtenby Thomas Croxton, describes the events following the Indian attack onRices Cabin in 1855 which led to the annihilation of the male membersof the Cow Creek band. Footnotes from the files of the Douglas CountyMuseum identify some of the Settlers mentioned by Reverend Croxton. The material was edited for publication by Lavola Bakken.
From the Oregon Statesman,8 January 1856, page 1:
TEN MILE PRAIRIE, DOUGLASCOUNTY.
December 16, 1855
MR. BUSH. – Dear Sir:
Knowing that you take aninterest in the welfare of the inhabitants of the Umpqua Valley, and thatyour paper has a wide-spread circulation through Oregon Territory, I knewof no better way of communicating with those who have friends in this portionof the country than through the medium of your journal. Rumors havespread far and wide about the late outbreak of the Indians in this partof the country. I shall endeavor to give you the particulars as theyhave transpired.
Early on the morning of Saturday,December 1st, as Mr. Jesse McCullough1 was returning from his brother-in-laws(Mr. S. Moores2) home, when near the schoolhouse in the Rice settlement,on the south Umpqua river, he found that he was in the midst of Indians,who were laying in ambush by the road side; they commenced firing uponhim, and as they were on either side of him, he had to run the gauntlet. The Indians fired at him about eight times, but fortunately, missed him.
On his way home, which isin Ten Mile Prairie, he gave the alarm to all in his way, who commencedgathering together for protection to each other; this was about 11 oclocka.m.; about 12, the flames began to ascend from Mr. Richards3 house andgranary; previous to this they had made an attack on Mr. Rice,4 who stoodhis ground, but got his arm broke in the affray. The Indians thenset fire to the outbuildings, and left for the schoolhouse, which theyset on fire. They then went to Mr. Robinsons,5 whose house theyset on fire; from thence to Mr. Richards, here they set fire to the houseand granary; at this place the road to the Ten Mile Prairie forks theIndians seemed to be studying which of the roads to take.
When Mr. Jas. Wells6 andMr. Rice, who were going to see if the Indians had really broke out, andto render assistance to the families if needed, in going round the pointof brush near Mr. Richards, they came in sight of some Indians; some ofthem they knew were Indians that lived in the neighborhood. Theyhalted their horses for a moment, when they discovered more Indians inthe brush; as there was no chance of getting past them, they thought itbest to turn back to the settlement the Indians fired at them severaltimes, and then gave chase, which they kept up for about two miles. Mr. Wells and Rice making the best of their way to Mr. Thos. Maguires7,where the families were gathering together. When they got near thecreek in front of the house, they saw Mr. Olmstead8 with a wagon, bringinghis family; they shouted to him to hurry, as the Indians were coming; hehurried to the ford just in time to get across the creek. The Indiansfinding they could not cut him off, and the whites ready to receive them,they wheeled their horses towards the foot log where the family was crossing,but fortunately they had just got across. They then fired at Mrs.Olmstead several times, but without effect.
At this place there werenow six men who were going to do the best they could for themselves andfamilies, providing they made an attack; but the Indians thought it bestto let them alone; so they proceeded to Mr. Elijah Croxtons,9 about halfa mile from Mr. Maguires, here the Indians enjoyed themselves for abouttwo hours, feeding their horses oats, plucking chickens, etc. being perfectlyat home. After they got through feasting and plundering, they setfire to the house and granary. They took two hogs that were in apen fattening, and stabbed them all over with their knives.
From this place they wentto John Fishers,10 they had left about half an hour before the Indianscame; here they stole what suited them, and set fire to the house and granary,serving his two hogs in the same way as Mr. Croxtons (who, I ought tohave said, had escaped with his family a short time before the Indianscame.)
They then went to Mr. Wells,the one whom they had pursued, burnt the granary, and a stack of strawnear the house, with the intention no doubt of firing the house, but itescaped. To show how well the Indians were acquainted here, theyfound a five pound can of powder which was hid under the floor.
From this place they wentto Mr. Martin Newlands,11 whose house they set on fire. On theirway to the next house, part of Capt. Baileys12 company, who had been sentfor by express (messenger), made their appearance. The Indians tookto the brush and challenged the whites to fight; but as it was now gettingdark, they considered it best to let them alone till they got more help. To chase them would be of no use, as the Indians were now in possessionof some of the best American horses in the country; five from Mr. Riceand Willis,13 two from Mr. Maguire, two from Mr. Train,14 one mare andone mule from Mr. McCullough, and quite a number from others whose namesI have not got all of the best quality.
The Indians having finishedtheir days work, returned near to Mr. Wells where they camped for thenight.
The inhabitants were nowaroused formed themselves in a company, appointing J.P. Day15 as theirleader. Messrs. Jesse Roberts,16 Dillard,17 Bennett,18 Handley,19McCloud,20 and quite a number of the settlers round, joined that night. They found the Indians, but considered it best to wait till morning beforethey made the attack. They then laid their plans in concert withpart of Baileys company, to make the attack at daybreak.
The Indians were camped neara big log; the whites aimed to take it, which caused pretty warm work forseveral minutes, as the Indians tried their best to hold it; when theyfound they could not, they took across the creek into the brush. How many Indians were killed, it is impossible to tell; it is thought theremust be several mortally wounded, who have thrown themselves into the creek,but there was only one Indian found, and he had tried to get in the creek,but got fast in the brush. He is a Cow Creek Indian, by the nameof Tom.21
The whites had one man wounded,a Mr. Castelman,22 not considered dangerous. The Indians lost allthe horses they took the day before. A great many blankets, muchclothing, provisions, etc., which were taken from the families were recovered,also the five pound can of powder.
The whites not being fixedfor pursuit, as they were on foot, returned home that night. TheIndians camped about one mile from the battle ground. A fresh bandof Indians came into the prairie during the day to the assistance of theother Indians; supposed to be Umpquas, as part of them were seen comingfrom towards the reserve, three of whom tried to cut off Mr. Coates,23who was sent out for help on the morning of December 2nd.
Three young men24 who hada band of cattle about two miles from where the Indians were camped, notknowing of the outbreak of the Indians on the day previous, were out huntingup their stock, and on their return to their cabin that evening, foundthemselves surrounded by Indians, who fired upon them from behind the trees. They were so taken by surprise, that they had not time to unsaddle theirhorses, but left them standing near the cabin. Then the Indians shot,killing two, and wounding a third. A cow which had a young calf wasalso shot down, and a valuable dog, which tried to stop the Indians, wasalso killed. The Indians fired several volleys at the cabin, butwithout effect. The men not being armed to defend themselves, hadstripped off all their spare clothing, intending to make the best of theirway to the settlement when it should be dark, but fortunately at this momentpart of Gordons company25 made their appearance, having come over themountain from Cow Creek, which is but a few miles distant. The Indianswhen they saw the volunteers coming, made a quick retreat.
As it was now sundown, andnot knowing anything of the outbreak, nor how many Indians they had tocontend against, the volunteers thought it best to wait till morning, andsend out an express to gather all the force they could to give them battlein the morning; but the Indians took the alarm , and when morning camethey were gone into the mountains.
Where they are now, I cannottell, as all travel has been stopped for about two weeks, on account ofthe streams being so high.
The inhabitants are all fortedup, not knowing how soon they may have to witness the horrors of anotheroutbreak. About one half of the Prairie is now destroyed. The Indiansare still camped around us; they were our own Indians, and never were Indiansbetter treated than they have been on this prairie, but all to no purpose. From the commencement of the war, they have committed numerous petty thefts,till now I think forbearance, under the circumstances, ceases to be a virtue.
Yours Truly,
THOMAS CROXTON
Footnotes:
1 Jesse McCulloch, son ofWilliam Neeley and Nancy Johnson McCulloch, donation land claimants whocame to Oregon in 1853.
2 Jesse McCullochs sister,Mary J., married Samuel C. Moore 25 February 1855. Moores DLC wasacross the river from John Dillard. He was ordained a Methodist ministerin 1875.
3 John A. Richards came fromFranklin County, Virginia. He and his wife Frances emi-grated toOregon in 1852 and settled their claims in the fall of 1853. Richardswas a trustee of the Tenmile church. When he died in 1887, four childrensurvived him: Jasper H., Newton J., Sarah Jane (Bounds), and Mary Frances(Lewis). Mrs. Richards died in 1875.
4 An account of the battleat Harrison Rices cabin, in which his brother Austin was wounded, maybe found in the Umpqua Trapper, Vol. 5, No. 4; Vol. 6, No.4; and Vol. 7,No. 1.
5 Robinson or Robertson,the name is given as Wm. R. Robertson in the DLC records. He is notenumerated in the Douglas County Census after 1860.
6 James Wells, bachelor sonof Daniel Wells of Olalla, arrived in Oregon late in 1850 and settled hisclaim in the summer of 1853.
7 Thomas J. McGuire, bornin Ohio and served in the Blackhawk War, arrived in Oregon with his wifeMary in 1853. Mary was the sister of Wm. N. McCulloch (f.n. 1, above). The McCullochs and McGuires came to Oregon over the southern route.
8 John and Elisabeth Olmsteadarrived in Oregon in 1852 and settled their land claim in 1854. Johnwas born in New York, Elisabeth in Missouri, and they were married in AdamsCounty, Illinois, where their oldest children were born. John Olmsteadwas a stew-ard in the Tenmile Church and served as a school director in1857.
9 Elijah Croxton, youngerbrother of Thomas (the letters author) settled his claim in 1853. Thomas and Elijah were born in Staffordshire, England and Thomas crossedthe Plains to California in 1849. Thomas and Hannah Box Croxton movedto Josephine County in 1857, where Thomas preached. He died at hissisters home at Tenmile in 1868. She was Margaret Croxton Tuffs(Mrs. James P).
10 John Fisher was born inGermany in 1828 and came to the United States with his parents when hewas a year old.
Copyright 1999-2006 GregCroxton; all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercial use ofthe information contained in these pages is strictly
prohibited without priorpermission. If copied, this copyright must appear with the information.
Histories Index
Bios & Family Histories Page
Family Branches Index
Return to Home Page
Recent Comments