Project Gutenberg's Reminiscences of a Pioneer, by Colonel William Thompson

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: Reminiscences of a Pioneer

Author: Colonel William Thompson

Release Date: March 8, 2004 [EBook #11508]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REMINISCENCES OF A PIONEER ***

Produced by David A. Schwan <davidsch@earthlink.net>

Reminiscences of a Pioneer

By Colonel William Thompson

Editor Alturas, Cal., Plaindealer

San Francisco 1912

Contents

Chapter
I Farewell to the Old Southern Home
II First Winter in the Willamette Valley
III Indian Outbreak of 1855
IV In Which Various Experiences Are Discussed
V Taking Revenge on Marauding Snakes
VI One Bad Tale From Canyon City History
VII Col. Thompson's First Newspaper Venture
VIII History of the Modoc Indians
IX The Ben Wright Massacre
X Treaty With the Modocs Made
XI Battle in the Lava Beds
XII The Peace Commission's Work
XIII Three Days Battle In the Lava Beds
XIV Trailing the Fugitives
XV The Great Bannock War
XVI Snake Uprising in Eastern Oregon
XVII Bannocks Double on Their Tracks
XVIII Another Attack That Miscarried
XIX Reign of the Vigilantes
XX Passing of the Mogans
XXI The Lookout Lynching

Illustrations

Colonel William Thompson Frontispiece
(From photo taken at close of Bannock War)
Typical Scene in the Lava Beds
Runway and Fort in Lava Beds
Captain Jack's Cave in the Lava Beds
Captain Jack
(From photo belonging to Jas. D. Fairchild, Yreka, Cal.)
Colonel William Thompson
(From photo taken at close of Modoc War)

Foreword

So rapidly is the Far West changing character, our pioneers should feel
in duty bound to preserve all they can of its early history. Many of
them are giving relics of frontier days to museums and historical
societies. And they do well. Yet such collections are unfortunately
accessible to only the few. Hence they do better who preserve the living
narratives of their times. For however unpretentious from the cold
aspect of literary art, these narratives breathe of courage and
fortitude amid hardships and perils, and tell as nothing