The Factors Leading Up To The Walla Massacre
On November 29th 1847, at the Waiilatpu mission near Walla Walla, Washington a group of Cayuse Indians stormed through the Whitman’s home and killed both Marcus and Narcissa along with twelve others. They burned down buildings and destroyed the settler’s precious orchards. Forty-seven people of the mission were than captured and later ransomed by the Hudson Bay Company.
There were three main factors that led up to the massacre. Starting with the increasing number of settlers coming into the area. It was an issue for the Indians to continue living their traditional way of life while so many white settlers kept pouring in. The second factor was the measles outbreak, that killed half of the Cayuse tribe. The Indians were more vulnerable to the
disease than the settlers who brought it with them. While some of the settlers got better with care, the Indians didn’t and eventually died. This created outrage with the surviving Cayuse Indians. The third factor and most prevalent I feel was when Tilaukait’s son died of the measles.
Through it all, I believe that The Whitman Massacre could have been prevented if the channels of communication had been stronger between the settlers and the tribe. The lack of communication ultimately created huge trust issues with the Indians. With the increasing numbers of settlers coming and going, for instance, Marcus should have made it his top mission to help ease any fear or tension with the tribe. That their sole mission was to teach the Cayuse Indians a better way of life through the means of religious instruction. A task that was harder than maybe he had anticipated. Very few Indians had converted. Then, the Measles outbreak happened. While the Indians died, the settlers who were under the care of Dr. Whitman got better and therefore, the Indians put the blame for their tribe members dying squarely on Dr. Whitman. The Indians also lived with the spiritual idea within their tribe, a curer could be put to death if their patient dies. Sadly, Tilaukait’s son past away, him being another victim to the measles. Later, the Cayuse Indians attacked.
From the beginning, if communication and better understanding had been stronger between the Indians and the settlers, I feel the Cayuse Indians may have trusted Marcus Whitman in his mission. That a trust could have been formed, possibly preventing the massacre from ever happening. Unfortunately, even with the mission’s best intentions at heart, the lack of effective communication broke down any trust the Indians could ever have with the settlers. Starting with the vast numbers of settlers coming and going made, the Cayuse Indians were cautious. I can only imagine how they must have felt. The worst possible thing that happened was when the measles hit. Killing many of the tribe, but rarely any of the settlers. Rumors started to spread that Marcus Whitman was poisoning the tribe and only wanting to cure his people and not the members of the tribe. Trust and communication would have stopped any such rumors. When the son of Tilaukait died, I think that was the final straw for the Indians. The Cayuse tribe had lost its people, settlers invaded their land, and the tribe had their own spiritual beliefs to contend with. Unfortunately, on November 29th 1847, they attacked the Whitman’s and the outcome from that massacre changed the lives of the tribe forever. Later, it led to what is called the Cayuse war.
There were three main factors that led up to the massacre. Starting with the increasing number of settlers coming into the area. It was an issue for the Indians to continue living their traditional way of life while so many white settlers kept pouring in. The second factor was the measles outbreak, that killed half of the Cayuse tribe. The Indians were more vulnerable to the
disease than the settlers who brought it with them. While some of the settlers got better with care, the Indians didn’t and eventually died. This created outrage with the surviving Cayuse Indians. The third factor and most prevalent I feel was when Tilaukait’s son died of the measles.
Through it all, I believe that The Whitman Massacre could have been prevented if the channels of communication had been stronger between the settlers and the tribe. The lack of communication ultimately created huge trust issues with the Indians. With the increasing numbers of settlers coming and going, for instance, Marcus should have made it his top mission to help ease any fear or tension with the tribe. That their sole mission was to teach the Cayuse Indians a better way of life through the means of religious instruction. A task that was harder than maybe he had anticipated. Very few Indians had converted. Then, the Measles outbreak happened. While the Indians died, the settlers who were under the care of Dr. Whitman got better and therefore, the Indians put the blame for their tribe members dying squarely on Dr. Whitman. The Indians also lived with the spiritual idea within their tribe, a curer could be put to death if their patient dies. Sadly, Tilaukait’s son past away, him being another victim to the measles. Later, the Cayuse Indians attacked.
From the beginning, if communication and better understanding had been stronger between the Indians and the settlers, I feel the Cayuse Indians may have trusted Marcus Whitman in his mission. That a trust could have been formed, possibly preventing the massacre from ever happening. Unfortunately, even with the mission’s best intentions at heart, the lack of effective communication broke down any trust the Indians could ever have with the settlers. Starting with the vast numbers of settlers coming and going made, the Cayuse Indians were cautious. I can only imagine how they must have felt. The worst possible thing that happened was when the measles hit. Killing many of the tribe, but rarely any of the settlers. Rumors started to spread that Marcus Whitman was poisoning the tribe and only wanting to cure his people and not the members of the tribe. Trust and communication would have stopped any such rumors. When the son of Tilaukait died, I think that was the final straw for the Indians. The Cayuse tribe had lost its people, settlers invaded their land, and the tribe had their own spiritual beliefs to contend with. Unfortunately, on November 29th 1847, they attacked the Whitman’s and the outcome from that massacre changed the lives of the tribe forever. Later, it led to what is called the Cayuse war.