From Washington Wars
Groups of Northern Indian tribes from British Columbia were causing problems in Puget Sound. Traveling in war canoes, armed with Hudson Bay Company muskets and having contempt for any law but force. When one of these groups showed up at Henderson Bay near Steilacoom and began to terrorize a logging camp, word quickly was sent to the nearby Army headquarters.
Lt. Col. Silas Casey, commanding Fort Steilacoom, quickly sent troops to drive the Indians away and ordering them to leave the Puget Sound region. The Indians removed themselves beyond the range of the fort’s guns, but no farther. The next day Casey observing that the Army had no vessels with which to enforce its orders requested assistance from the Navy. Writing to Commander Samuel Swartwout, captain of the USS Massachusetts Casey requested that Swartwout "…take the matter in hand, and take such steps as you may think best calculated, to advance the interest of all concerned.."
Swartwout set sail for Steilacoom early on November 19, 1856, only to find the Indians had departed during the night. The Massachusetts steamed north in pursuit, arriving in the evening at Port Madison where the same Indians had caused more problems for the settlers. As it was too late to go much farther, Swartwout ordered a halt for the night and resumed the at 8:40 the next morning.
From passing vessels it was learned the war party appeared heading for Port Gamble. The Massachusetts proceeded there and arrived at at 12:45. Within the hour Commander Swartwout dispatched two small boats ashore containing eighteen armed men and an interpreter. The Indians were found to have joined forces with more Northerners and now numbered 117 in all besides quite a few women and children, encamped along the beach. The shore party, commanded by Lt. I. Young, were under orders to "…have a friendly talk…" with the Indians and "…endeavor to prevail on them to leave the Sound peaceably…"
Swartwout planed to tow them in their own canoes across the Strait as far as Victoria, with two or three of their chiefs traveling on board his vessel as hostages. But as the shore party neared the beach, a large force of Indians rushed down to meet them, brandishing rifles and threatening to shoot anyone who landed. Lt. Young tried communicating Swartwout’s orders to them from the launch but only received jeers and threats in replay. Faced with the menacing situation Young hurriedly order the boats back to the Massachusetts.
Swartwout sent to town for a local man, a Dr. Bigelow, to act as emissary. Bigelow approaching the Indians camp under a flag of truce while three boats carrying 45 armed men and a howitzer ranged themselves off shore. Bigelow conveyed Swartwout’s proposition to the Indians who replied that they would not leave until they were good and ready. The Indians then gave more threats and insults at Lt. Young and his men. Young expected them to attack at any moment and withdrew for the second time.
By now it was beginning to get dark and a heavy rain storm threatened. Concluding that more direction action would be necessary, Swartwout had the ship moved closer to shore and prepared for an attack in the morning. At day light an interpreter again went ashore under a flag of truce to repeat Swartwout’s demands. While this was going on a party of 29 men, under the command of Lt. Seemes (Lt. Young had fallen and was injured) came ashore in heavy seas, wading through chilly waist-high water and carrying with them one of the howitzers. Seemes advanced to where the interpreter was speaking with several chiefs and gave them a last opportunity to surrender. This was refused.
While Seemes was rejoining the shore party the Indians quickly took up positions at the edge of the woods. The Massachusetts began bombarding the camp with both round and grape shot, while the shore party charged under cover, driving the Indians into the dense woods, with the Indians firing their small arms and reloading as they went.
An Indian chief fell, wounded in the thigh, both legs broken. Two women ran out to aid him, and the marines called to them to surrender. One did and was taken prisoner; the other refused and was shot and killed. The shore party began destroying the Indians canoes, huts and other property including three hundred new blankets. The shore party returned to the ship about 10:00 in the morning. For the rest of the day the Massachusetts bombarded the woods, firing at anything seen moving in the timber, pausing only to bring the ship even closer to shore. Another shore land was made to smash one last canoe which had been only partly damaged earlier in the day. The Massachusetts continued its bombardment until sunset, when Swartout sent the woman who had been taken prisoner ashore with a demand for surrender; the Indians replied that they would fight to the last man.
But that night the Indians counted up their dead and wounded and hunted for their missing while shivering unprotected in a cold November rain. At daybreak they had enough. Two of their chiefs visited the ship and surrendered, a white flag was hoisted on the Massachusetts and all hostilities ceased.
The Indians had 27 men killed, including one of their principal chiefs. They had 21 wounded, had lost all their belongings, and were without food or shelter of any kind. The Navy had one killed, one injured, and three instances of being struck by bullets which glanced off such objects as pistols and knife handles. Swartwout issued the Indians bread and molasses and gave them twenty-four hours to bury their dead. During the night of November 24-25 he loaded the survivors aboard the Massachusetts, steamed across to Victoria and when the British governor there refused to take them off his hands, proceeded on up the coast to Lasqueti Island where he put them ashore.
Although the Indians promised never to return to the Puget Sound region they did; the following August and avenged their dead by beheading Whidbey Island settler Isaac N. Ebey.
