Intro: Historians have written about this but always from a reformist or petit bourgeoisie academic point of view. We intend to revisit, further record and give insight from an actual revolutionary perspective.
Lynch Mob Kills son of Chief John: Chief Johns son and another band member were hung by a lynch mob of angry colonizers what is now known as Eureka California around this time. The colonizers want indigenous land, and they want gold.
Tekelma Uprising: An uprising took place in 1853 lead by the 3 of the chiefs and General Lane was sent to confront them. This led to the Table Rock treaty of 1853. Something that is crucial to remember in all this is that colonizers don’t sign treaties with people that can be easily defeated militarily. Later fort Lane would be built. It is said that the colonists in the area were so bloodthirsty and murderous that this fort was actually built to protect the indigenous who had signed the treaty of Table Rock. Chief Johns son and another band member were hung by a lynch mob of angry colonizers what is now known as Eureka California around this time.
Williams: A militia leader with the last name Williams shot and killed more indigenous who were trying to surrender. The town of Williams “Oregon” is named after this P.O.S
Coos Bay: The colony in Coos Bay was started by 20 or 25 mercenaries known as dragoons who washed up on the shore and beached themselves. They were afraid and could not see so they made an executive decision to get drunk on the ships alcohol supply. When they woke up the cowards could see the beach and walked their hungover colonizer pirates filth to shore and started taking over. The indigenous were able to trade with them and get them to give up their best weapons. Probably because they were starving. Colonizers always seem to be starving here.
Chetco Massacred repeatedly: The Chetco were severely massacred. Christian colonizers commit genocide on the Tolowa. The Tolowa are still struggling against ongoing loss of land and have 805 acres. https://ndnhistoryresearch.com/2022/01/06/persistence-of-genocide-upon-the-chetco-people/
Bates House Massacre: Indigenous people were tricked into coming into a house for a beef dinner and were shot through holes in the wall by colonists waiting to ambush them.
Coquille River Massacre: Natives are massacred on the mouth of the Coquille River. 1854 https://ndnhistoryresearch.com/2017/08/18/coquille-massacre-narratives/
Massacre Rock: Massacre Rock is a series of large boulders on the Rogue River where colonizers waited for indigenous folks to float by in their canoes and then jump up and shoot them.
Lupton Massacre: James Lupton and a group of volunteers drank alcohol all night in a bar and then massacred another group of indigenous people. This group was women and children plus a few old men.
https://www.mayaincaaztec.com/native-american-history/rogue-river-war
https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/rogue_river_war_of_1855-1856
October 9 1855: After trying to go along with relocation the indigenous are attacked and massacred again. This time the tribes retaliate and wipe out several colonial homesteads. One colonist was shot dead right in his doorstep of his squatter shack while his family watched. A few colonists were burnt alive inside their cabins. A mining town was also attacked for a day. Including being shot with flaming arrows.
Colonizer vs colonizer?: Colonizers have long sought to set up a white utopia in the so-called pacific northwest. However, colonist disagreed on how to do that. Liberal colonizers who wanted to put natives on reservations to be assimilated vs elements including self-proclaimed Indian fighters and Indian exterminators who wanted to completely eradicate us and take our land. The Rogue River Wars would have colonists pointing muskets at each other over how best to proceed with colonization. By this point in time after colonizing the west coast Pope Paul for what it’s worth declared that indigenous people were human.
October 31st The Battle Of Hungry Hill: By now John Tecumtums band and others had begun to gather near a very steep hill with strategic positioning. It may have been known to several groups that one day they might have to make a stand here. The people were under the leadership of old chief John Tecumtum but he may have still been in the valley. Leadership at the hill was by the daughter of Chief Joe of the Tekelma. The colonizers called her Mary some might have called her “Queen Mary” If that is correct then that means her father signed the treaty, but his own daughter refused to surrender and kept living out on the land. In fact, it turned out that the u.s kidnapped the son and daughter of Chief Joe and held them for ransom to get him to sign the treaty of Table Rock. This must have been a terrifying experience for the young “Queen Mary”. The best time to fight if your connected to the land is right before winter. If you die, you’re at least sparred the struggle of one more winter. People in Illahee know that October is when the weather changes. Sometimes to the day. The actual “Hungry Hill” may be near a place known today as Wolf Creek. “Queen Mary” proved to be a deadly and capable General. She fought at the right time and the right place. She knew that hill was very steep because she was a basket weaver and gathered roots there. The Rogue confederacy displayed outstanding guerilla tactics throughout the Rogue River Wars. It is said that three hundred colonizer militia and one hundred troops lost their lives attacking “Queen Mary” and the guerilla fighters who lost around seven or eight. Colonizer history covered this story up because they don’t want to admit they lost to a female General. Her tribal name appears to be lost. If anyone knows it please let us know. The world deserves to know her name. The place does appear to have a name Hak’welsamen
Indigenous Sharpshooter: It is said that the bulk of the kills came from a skilled hunter/sniper who was positioned and dug in. We couldn’t find their name either. Another unknown defender.
“One warrior willing to die can terrify a thousand”. – General Sun Tzu
After the battle of Hungry Hill Chief John Tecumtum had a few bands that continued to harass colonists.
February, 1856. Tututni uprising: Tututni tribe attacks the settlement of what is now known as “Gold Beach”. Tactic used was to attack when colonists were at a community dance. 30 or more colonial invaders were killed and the town was burnt down. Fire seemed to be a repeated tactic. The u.s army was called in and reported that up and down the coast was burnt dwellings of colonizers. Natives killed several more settler families including a father and two sons. They did this of George Washingtons birthday. Instead of celebrating “presidents day” indigenous folks and those sympathetic should be celebrating the Tututni uprising.
Big Bend, Chief John Tecumtum defends the people: The u.s army ordered natives to surrender at Big Bend. The people feared it was a trap because it was. Quickly the multiple indigenous groups found themselves surrounded by soldiers. These conditions are asinine because its very difficult to surrender when you get attacked when you do so. This illustrates repeated failings of the u.s army.
“One warrior defending their homeland is more powerful than ten hired soldiers.”
General Sun Tzu
Chief John Tecumtum and 30 plus warriors. Probably the elite squad snuck up the river and some snuck down the river and they surrounded the soldiers who had set a trap for the people. Fighting lasted 2 days. The soldiers got their asses handed to them. The u.s army had to send reinforcements. Two weeks later Tecumtum and his elite warriors surrendered on the coast. Chief John had the brilliance and foresight to tell colonizers to their face that people seemed to think the colonial way of living is good, but we will see how good it is two hundred years from now. When we look back now from the vantage point of a collapsing empire, we can see that Chief John was telling the truth. Colonialism and capitalism have no longevity. Thay were never sustainable. The largest Ponzi scheme in world history is coming to an end. Also known by the name “Elk Killer” was from the Etch-kah-tah-wah band. John was worldly wise. He knew powerful chiefs such as Sitting Bull Were defeated yet he struggled on. Johns band was known for adopting a a very solid guerilla tactic of shooting the officers of armed units who came after them.
Alcatraz Island: Chief John and his other son Adam were sent to be imprisoned at Alcatraz Island. Many indigenous people were imprisoned there. Colonizer history tells you about hardened criminal that served there. Colonial history doesn’t tell how it send indigenous resistance to elements to serve time there. Chief john was eventually released when he was old and the u.s didn’t fear him. He went to live on the Grande Ronde reservation but was always suspected of planning revolt until he finally passed about one decade after the Rogue River Wars.
Trail Of Tears and forced relocation: Hundreds of natives were taken to the newly formed Siletz and Grand Ronde reservations. Many were brought by wagon. Another large group was brought up the coast of the “trail of tears” for the Rouge confederation. An ugly soldier fort is still being preserved at Yamhill.
The Rouge confederation today: The people of Chief John live on today in and around Grand Ronde and Siletz, Cow Creek but also have moved back into ancestral homelands such as Ashland. They live in places like Salem the states capitol as well as Portland. That ugly soldier fort was burnt down sometime in the late 1990s i believe. The revolutionary spirit of Chief John live on in the people today. Your ancestors battled hard for your existence today because they had to. Sometimes we forget that. Part of the reason for this blog entry was to illustrate that. It is now your turn to honor them and do your part to continue the culture. The most important part of any culture, the part that makes all other parts possible is its revolutionary elements. Those who take up the resistance. Elements of the Rogue confederation are and have been active in I.S.R. Our War Chief Mko used to discuss resistance with the late grandmother Agnes who passed in 2019. It is noteworthy that these paths had crossed. It is imperative that the next generation take up the struggle and stop shirking the biggest tasks and responsibilities of their lifetimes. Tyee John Tecumtum is within you. Its your turn. Join I.S.R
Additional thoughts with Loraine Butler: Hello my name is Lorraine Butler, and I am a part of Illahee spirit Runners. It has become a big part of my life, and I strive for it to be successful and for people to be culturally aware of how important it is to gain back their spirits their rights and to be responsible for the next generations to come for their mind body souls and spirits to be aligned and balanced and to be successful and happy in life. This organization has given me balance, spirituality, courage, strength not only just strength but mental emotional spiritual and social success is how I feel about this organization that I’m a part of so please take the time out to check out our blog and know that it is a blessing and a wonderful experience to be a part of my team, my family, this organization. So please join ISR at your earliest convenience contact Wisdom Bear/War Chief Mko as soon as possible on Facebook, Twitter X, Instagram, Reddit or TicTok thank you very much and have a blessed and great day, All My relations.
Written by: War Chief Mko Additional thoughts by: Loraine Butler New Chief John Sketch by: Artsy Marxist
https://www.oregonhistoryproject.org/articles/historical-records/tecumtum-chief-john
Illahee Spirit Runners 