The Battle of Seattle painted by Emily Inez Denny, from the collections of the Washington State Historical Society.

Just at this time the sloop of war"Decatur," Capt. Isaac S. Sterrett, came to anchor in the harbor. We at once made, a statement to him of our exposed situation, and a request for protection. This he promptly promised to give. Gov. Stevens. had but recently made treaties with all the Indlans on the Sound, and in the Yakima country. He was, at this time, in the Bitter Root country, not aware, of what was transpiring behind him.. In fact, he was not suspecting any treachery or bad faith on the part of the tribes he had so recently treated with.

It was also most unfortunate that those having charge in his absence were not calculated to, deal understandingly with the Indians. They refused to believe that there wa. any danger until the outbreak came, when in fact there was abundant evidence of the impending danger.

When Acting Gov. Mason heard that Porter's house had been attacked, and that through his escape and warning, the settlers on the Upper White, River had left their homes and come to. Seattle for safety and were engaged in building block houses., he took Lieutenant Nugent, with a squad of soldiers from Steilacoom barracks, and went outby way of Puyallup to Muckilshoot and Porter's. Prairie and had a talk with the Indians. The Indians succeeded in deceiving him by professing friendship for the whites, telling him that they were foolish for leaving and ought to come back.

He came down White River by canoe to Seattle, and told the people they ought to return to their homes at once, and were, perfectly safe in doing so.

He then went on board of the"Decatur" and made the same report to Captain Sterrett. He told him that it was all a false alarm, and that he might with perfect propriety leave at any time. He. also, without delay, departed Łor Olympia himself. Capt. Sterrett at once concluded that he had been victimized by a set of land sharks for purposes of trade, and singled me out as one of the chief offenders.

He accordingly came on shore as soon as Mason and Nugent had left, and called on me. In a very heated manner he stated what Mason had said; that he felt that he had been grossly deceived and imposed upon by us, and that he. would immediately get his ship under way and leave.

I replied that Mason, and those to whom we had a right to look for protection, were deceived, and that Mason had now deceived him; but if he chose to believe. Mason and desert us in time, of extreme danger, I had no power to. prevent his doing so. Further, if our people, who were then here in safety, were induced by Mason's advice, to return, to their homes, they would be murdered within a fortnight

After reflecting a short time, he remarked:"How can I tell whom to believe; you seem to be so earnest I will stay and find out for myself."

Some of us, tried to induce those who were, here to stay; but a number of them came to the conclusion that Porter was alarmed without cause, and that Mason ought to know best and must be right, and so returned to, their homes.

It may now seem strange that there could have been any doubt of the true situation, when it is remembered that the fact was known to all, that Walker and Jamieson had been killed, and that Eaton and Fanjoy were missing. There was no reason to doubt that they had shared the same fate. Yet many of the citizens were ready to agree with Mason, and ridicule, those who had given timely warning, calling them timid and even cowards.

Within the time I had predicted to Capt. Sterrett the outbreak came, and on the 28th of October, 1855, Wm. H. Brannan, wife and child; Harvey K. Jones and wife, Geo. E. King and wife and Enos Cooper were killed, and an. infant child of King's could not be found. Whether the babe. was killed or carried off will never be known certainly, though there is, reason to believe: that it was killed and burnt, in the house.

The settlers lower down the valley narrowly escaped and succeeded in again reaching Seattle, in safety. The consternation and alarm was now general. None could be found to doubt the fact that the Indians were unfriendly. Those who a short time before, insisted that the Indians were all friendly, would now declare most vehemently that all were hostile, and must all be treated as enemies.

Immediately after the White. River massacre, Lieut. Slaughter was ordered up the old military road, to the Naches Pass. After reaching Porter's Prairie, he sent down an express to, Gov. Mason stating that Pat Kanim was dogging him at every step, and around his camp every night.

On receipt of this dispatch, Mason sent an. ex press to Capt. Sterrett at Seattle,, instructing him, to immediately arrest two of Pat Kanim's brothers, with all members of the tribe who, were then camping in Seattle, and put them in irons.

Having previously stated to Capt. Sterrett that I had received information from Pat Kanim that convinced me of his friendship and that of his tribe, the Captain did not feel willing to take, so, important a step without consultation. He sent for me to come on board the"Decatur," when he stated what he was directed to do.. He. said that he must make the arrest at once, for the Snoqualmies. would certainly leave during the night.

This was startling news to me. I most earnestly protested, telling him that I knew Lieutenant Slaughter was mistaken, and that we had enemies enough to look after without attacking our friends. But he was so much disposed to act on Gov. Mason's orders that I finally proposed, if he would not disturb the Snoqualmies, I would be responsible their good conduct. I would prove to him that Slaughter was wrong, by going to Pat Kanim's camp and bringing him in.

He very positively refused to allow me to leave town, but consented that I might send an express for Pat Kanim, and stand responsible for them until their return. A time was, agreed upon within which they would be back.

Very fortunately for me, and probably for Pat Kanim, too, he was on hand within, the. time agreed upon. He had his. women and children with him. He also brought a cargo of mountain sheep, venison, horns and hides, specimens of which he took on board and presented to the Captain. Capt. Sterrett expressed the greatest surprise and satisfaction with the conclusive, proof, which I had thus furnished, of the good faith and friendship of the Snoqualmies.

I never heard anything more from headquarters of the hostile Snoqualmies, but Pat Kanim was. very soon employed by the Governor with a party of his tribe as scouts, and did good service during the continuance of the war.

Now to refer again to, the evil effects which have always, in my opinion, followed any attempt to punish Indians by mob violence, as was done here in the case cited before, in which two white men were secretly made way with. I think the. case of the Snoqualmies furnishes the strongest proof, that the effect is very different, where they can see that there is careful, dispassionate investigation, followed by punishment for the wrong committed.

Pat Kanim and his brothers gave me the particulars of their case, as I have before stated. They professed to accept the judgment, of the court as just, and expressed a wish to cultivate friendship with the whites., and I think we have conclusive evidence of the sincerity of their professions, in that they were ever afterwards the friends of the whites.

I will say further, that my acquaintance and experience with the Puget Sound Indians proved th.m to be sincere in their friendship, and no more unfaithful and treasonable than the. average white man. I am disposed to believe that the same, might be truthfully said of many other Indians.

After the White River massacre it was determined to prepare for defense in case of an attack on the town. At the time there was a large amount of hewn timber on hand twelve inches square, which was well suited to the purpose.

Two houses were built of this timber, of sufficient capacity to hold the entire population at the time. One was located at the junction of Front and Cherry Streets, and the other at the junction of Main Street and South Second Avenue. The two were joined by a stockade, which also ran from each blockhouse westward to the bay, and was well calculated for protection on the land side of the town, from whence all attacks, were likely to. come.

Early in the morning of January 26th, 1856, the town was attacked by the. Indians. They had congregated during the night and taken their position under cover of the timber,along the face of the hill, in readiness to make the attack as soon as the people began to stir. Their presence was made known by friendly Indians before the attack was made. A howitzer was fired by order of Capt. Gansevoort in the direction indicated by the friendly Indians. This was promptly followed by an answer of musketry all along the woods in rear of the town, and fully demonstrated the fact that the place was really surrounded by the hostiles.

Fortunately all the whites who were sleeping outside of the stockade escaped to the: blockhouses without injury. The firing was kept up all day and two whites wer. killed. One was, Robert Wilson, who fell near the southern blockhouse; and the other, Milton G. Holgate, brother of Mrs. E. Hanford and Lemuel J. Holgate, who still reside among us, was shot while standing in the door of the Cherry Street blockhouse.

Two houses were burnt during the day, one near where the gas works now are, and the. other the dwelling of Mr. Bell. Several other houses, my own among the number, were plundered during the evening, and everything of value carried off.

It is a mere matter of opinion whether the town without the aid of the"Decatur" would have been able to withstand the attack; but with the help of the marines on shore and the guns of the"Decatur" in the harbor it was quite a different matter.