[or-roots] 'An Interesting Letter' - Lt Thomas J. Small

[Chris & Bill Strickland]

It looks like there were several generations of this Simkins/Simkins 
family here in Oregon in the latter 1800's, and, in chasing these long 
gone people through the ether of this computer mad world, I came across 
this letter, found it of interest, and thought I should share it more 
widly -- there may be more items of interest at the link following the 
page below

from http://gesswhoto.com/1899-interesting-letter.html

Vol. 1 May, 1899 No. 1
An Interesting Letter

Jefferson City, Mo., Jan. 15, 1899. - T.A. Wood, Grand Commander Indian 
War Veterans - Mr. Dear Sir: I never desired a biography of myself to be 
written. The world and mankind are not interested in my adventures, 
struggles, afflictions, sad bereavements and tender affections. The pen 
of no true friend, or myself, can at this time furnish thought to 
illuminate my very dark pathway this far in life. It seems to me now 
that there was never a sound reason, or necessity, for my having to 
breathe, but, as I did breathe, it has always seemed to me that I should 
have breathed the sweetest, brightest and balmiest air on earth. I am 
now convinced that the world never wanted me, as no important place was 
created for me to fill. Lieutenant Thomas J. Small was born in Mount 
Pleasant, Maury county, Tennessee, December 9, 1834, and spent his 
boyhood days there, in attending school and in learning a trade with his 
father. He came of steady Scotch-Irish stock. He moved to Missouri with 
his father in 1852, and settled in Otterville, Cooper county, in May. In 
the spring of 1853 he spread his wings, left his home nest and started 
across the plains for Oregon, to build for himself, if possible, a home 
nest on the Pacific slope. He was six months and eleven days crossing 
the plains, and settled in the town of Champoeg, Marion county, in the 
fall of 1853. Champoeg was a small, old town, built on the bank of the 
beautiful Willamette river, at the head of steamboat navigation in 
summer, 25 miles from Salem or Oregon City. Much history of Oregon 
springs from this place. It was here Lieutenant Small formed the 
acquaintance of Robert Newell, J. D. Crawford, David Weston, John 
Howard, Ed Dupuise, John Mull, Hiram Simpkins, Reese, John and Mark 
Stephens, and Green Arnold, American pioneers and history-makers. Also 
with hundreds of French pioneers, among whom were N.A. Connoyer, Antoin 
Revais, Chamberlains, Joseph Despard and many others. It was here he 
first met O. Hummason of The Dalles, Victor Trevitt, of Salem, and John 
Smith, from across the river near Butteville. In the summer of 1854 he 
was in the Rogue river country with Mr. Hyde, a government surveyor, who 
had a contract to survey and plat 76 townships in that part of the 
territory.

An Indian war broke out in Eastern Oregon and Washington in 1855, and, 
under a proclamation of Governor George L. Curry, Connoyer, Revais and 
Small recruited a company at Champoeg, of French, French half-breeds and 
four or five Americans, most all of whom were from French prairie. 
Narcisse A. Connoyer was elected captain, A. Revais first lieutenant and 
T.J. Small second lieutenant. The organization was known as company K, 
was mustered in at Portland, October 30, 1855, and immediately started 
for The Dalles, by way of Fort Vancouver and the Cascades. With the 
beginning of this march the company commenced to make history for itself 
and Oregon. The greatest mistake possible for any man to make is to 
endeavor to correct errors of early historians from memory. It is well 
known that a great majority of men are born into this world without a 
good thinking apparatus on their shoulders, but, if I differ from some 
of your early historians, I hope they will not accuse me of thinking wrong.

I was quietly puffing at my meerschaum - a Missouri cob - when "The 
History of Indian Wars in Oregon" came to hand. I drew a meditative 
whiff and gave a low whistle, as I opened it at "The Yakima War" and 
then commenced to devour its contents. After reading the part devoted to 
the Oregon troops, the thought came to me, If this is true history, 
Lieutenant T.J. Small was not in any Indian war, company K was never 
enlisted, Governor Curry never issued a proclamation calling for 
volunteers, and such men as J.W. Nesmith, James K. Kelly, Mark A. Chinn 
and Narcisse A. Connoyer never existed, except in the prolific 
imagination of myself, and all my day dreams, for forty-odd years, of 
being engaged in an Indian war in Eastern Oregon, must be a myth. So all 
my visions of those days vanished in smoke. All historians and makers of 
history should remember that character and reputation for fairness, 
truth and honor, is the most enduring of riches. No one expects a 
historian to be generous, but he is expected to be truthful and just.

The march to the relief of Major Haller, through snow and extreme cold, 
by the First regiment, O.M.V., and the incidents connected with it, is 
hardly noticed. All who made that march, through snow, sometimes three 
feet deep, and a bitter cold wind, will remember it through life. The 
command found Major Haller, and returned with him in safety to The 
Dalles, from which point Captain Connoyer was ordered to march 
immediately to Fort Henrietta, to reinforce Major Mark A. Chinn, which 
he did. Captain Connoyer, with company K, arrived at Fort Henrietta 
November 27, and went into camp outside the fort. With it arrived 
Lieutenant-Colonel James K. Kelly. I know not with whom he left The 
Dalles, but I am sure he arrived at Fort Henrietta under escort of 
company K. Here I met for the first time the brave, noble, warm-hearted 
and generous Major Mark A. Chinn, who built the fort and named it, but 
for this work he was secretly charged with cowardice by some of his 
small under-officers. At the battle of Laroque's farm these same men 
learned who the cowards were, and Major Chinn was not one of them. A 
braver, truer and kinder man I never met in the army. Sweet to me, even 
now, is the memory of this noble man.

Upon arriving at Fort Henrietta, Lieutenant-Colonel Kelly took command. 
He called a council of war, at which it was decided to move at one for 
Fort Walla Walla. Orders were given to prepare rations and be ready to 
move at sun-down, December 2, which was done. It rained most of the nigh 
and was very dark, still our little force moved on silently. I know not 
when other companies arrived at Fort Walla Walla, but ours got there 
with both feet, a little after sunrise. We found the fort robbed and 
plundered, the interior badly defaced, and the Indian devils gone. We 
went into camp a short distance from the fort on the morning of the 3d. 
On the 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th we skirmished with Indians. Company K 
marched alone into Indian valley, into a deep ravine on the Touchet 
river, and scouted all that country, returning to Meina camp, at the 
mouth of the Touchet, on the night of the 6th. Peu Peu Mox Mox, or 
Yellow Serpent, and those with him were killed, and the body of Peu Peu 
Mox Mox mutilated, ears cut off, scalped and other indignities, on the 
night of December 6, in camp at mouth of Touchet river, and not during 
the battle of Laroque's farm. On the morning of the 7th, the Indians 
came down from the hills across the Touchet, under a flag of truce, and 
demanded the release of their chief and the other prisoners. After 
exchanging flags a few times, Lieutenant-Colonel Kelly ordered Captain 
N.A. Connoyer and Captain O. Hummason, with their companies, to cross 
the Touchet and take position to defend camp. Company K moved across. 
Hummason, with the Wasco boys, followed, and one other company, not now 
remembered, and soon the four days' fight was on, known as the battle of 
Laroque's farm. We had fun chasing the red-skinned beauties seven miles, 
but, when the entire force of Indians met us at Laroque's farm, the fun 
was over, and business of vital importance was on hand, for it kept us 
all busy to retain scalps on our heads. For four days this bitter and 
hard-contested battle raged, no one knowing what the result might be. 
Every inch of ground was fought over, and the contending forces camped 
in sight of each other. To the music of the tom-tom Indians danced the 
scalp dance every night. Stubborn pluck of the whites at last scattered 
the Indians, with a loss to them of about 180. If any of the First 
regiment, O.M.V.'s, had bayonets on their guns I failed to see them, and 
my eyes were wide open, so those bayonet charges are pure fiction. The 
howitzer that exploded did so from being loaded with trind balls and 
sand, the balls having been poured out on the sand. I, with company K, 
was near when it happened.

On December 9, 1855, Lieutenant T.J. Small was 21 years old, and in 
battle with Indians in Walla Walla valley. Have never celebrated my 
birthday in the same way. After the battle of Laroque's farm the command 
moved to Howlish Wampool camp, where he had built a fort to protect 
himself, friendly Indians and settlers from bad Indians. Found them all 
safe and winter coming on. The Indians and settlers were moved on to the 
Walla Walla river, and Lieutenant T.J. Small, with a part of company K, 
detailed to guard them and their property. Remained with them until 
spring. The main camp was in winter quarters, 14 miles away. Colonel 
Cornelius will, or should, know this statement true, as he was in my 
camp, after cattle - but, will close this. May some day finish my 
rambling story. Respectfully yours,

T.J. Small



Return to "Native Sons" Index <http://gesswhoto.com/native-sons-index2.html>
"A Place Called Oregon" <http://gesswhoto.com/index.html>
R. GESS SMITH




-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/or-roots/attachments/20100214/a61d14de/attachment.html>