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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<br>
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from <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://gesswhoto.com/1899-interesting-letter.html">http://gesswhoto.com/1899-interesting-letter.html</a><br>
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<center><font color="#56435b"><font size="4"><b>Vol. 1 May, 1899
No. 1<br>
<i>An Interesting Letter<br>
<br>
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<font color="#56435b"><font size="4"><font size="4">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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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,<br>
<br>
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<center><font color="#56435b"><font size="4"><font size="4">T.J.
Small
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<br>
<a href="http://gesswhoto.com/native-sons-index2.html">Return to
"Native Sons" Index </a><br>
<a href="http://gesswhoto.com/index.html"> "A Place Called Oregon"</a><br>
<font size="1">R. GESS SMITH
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