Cayuse War

* Post-Whitman massacre

- simmering discontent on both sides

-> Cayuse felt that hanging of 5 men, ransom paid and hostages delivered, past crimes, etc. made the issue settled

-> American settlers were still furious and afraid

=> some racists, some paranoid, most reasonably fearful of Cayuse attacks

* Continued tensions

- Cauyse continued to press for American withdrawal and tribute for passage

-> wagon trains coming through Cayuse lands were supposed to pay

=> many trains turned away Cayuse collection groups as beggars

- Cayuse continued to find agricultural lifestyle of the Americans disreputable

- Cayuse braves, especially young men, simply could not be controlled by chiefs

-> significant raiding, cattle theft, etc. by Cayuse warriors

- peace commission of US officials and more settled chiefs couldn't agree

* War and defeat

- January 1848, 500 militia men move against Cayuse

-> officially targetting renegade/warlike Cayuse, they end up provoking everyone

-> some Cayuse resisted, failed

=> outnumbered, outgunned, outsupplied

-> most Cayuse driven into the hills

- eventually, Cayuse were stripped of lands and forced onto reservation

-> total Cayuse casualties are unknown, but the tribe was decimated

=> measles, war, starvation, etc.

-> forced onto the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation

=> along with Umatilla and Walla Walla, who had no role in the massacre