I lived in Walla Walla Washington for my last 2 years of High School. My mom was attending a small liberal arts school in Walla Walla named for the Whitmans: Whitman College.

The Whitmans were a group of Methodist Missionaries whou had founded the Whitman Mission. Marcus Whitman was their leader.

Here's a piece of history quoted from a 10 year old girl who witnessed the massacre which happened when Dr Whitman couldn't cure the Indians from the measles:

Mary Ann Bridger, the half-breed daughter of Jim Bridger the scout, was working in the kitchen. Two Indians, Telekaut and Tamsuky, came to the kitchen door and, walking into the kitchen, asked for Dr. Whitman. Doctor Whitman came out into the kitchen, shutting the door into the next room where Mrs. Whitman was feeding my sister, Henrietta. My brother, John Sager, was sitting in the kitchen winding some twine. The two Indians began talking to Dr. Whitman.



Mary Ann told me that Telekaut was the one who killed Dr. Whitman and that Tamsuky shot and killed my brother. Mary Ann jumped behind the stove [to climb out a window] and then, running around the side of the house, came and told Mrs. Whitman that the Indians were killing Dr. Whitman.

In a moment, everything was confusion. The children were terrorized, though Mrs. Whitman seemed calm. Mister Kimball, holding one arm, which had been shot and from which the blood was running, came running into the room and said, "The Indians are killing us. I don't know what the damned Indians want to kill me for. I never did anything to them. Get some water."

Mrs. Whitman got a pitcher of water for him. Mister Kimball was a very religious man and ordinarily would not have sworn, but he was very much excited. Serious as the situation was, I giggled when he said, "I don't know what the damned Indians want to kill me for," for I knew Mrs. Whitman would reprove him for swearing, particularly in the presence of the children.

Mrs. Whitman and Mrs. Hall bought Dr. Whitman into the sitting room. Mister Rogers had come in and said, "Is the doctor dead?

Doctor Whitman answered, "No."

Mrs. Whitman went to the fireplace to get some ashes to stop the bleeding in the doctor's head where he had been struck with a tomahawk.

Looking out of the window, I saw the Indians shooting and I said, "Mother, they are killing Mr. Sauders." The upper part of the door in the sitting room was of glass. Mrs. Whitman came to the door and looked out.

An Indian that we called Frank was standing on the schoolroom step and, seeing Mrs. Whitman looking out, shot at her, the bullet striking her in the shoulder. My sister, Katie, stooped over Mrs. Whitman, who had fallen to the floor, and tried to help her up. Mrs. Whitman said, "Go and take care of the sick children, Katie. You can do nothing for me." In the room where Dr. and Mrs. Whitman were, were myself and my four sisters, with Mary Ann Bridger, Helen Meek, Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Hays, Miss Bewley, and Mr. Kimball.

When Mrs. Whitman was wounded, she began praying out loud. She said, "Lord, save these little ones."

Dusk came early and as the Indians began breaking the windows, Mrs. Whitman thought we had better go upstairs to Miss Bewley's room. Mister Rogers helped Mrs. Whitman go upstairs. While Mrs. Hall and those who could helped carry the sick children up to Miss Bewley's room, Mrs. Whitman lay down on the foot of the bed.

Mrs. Whitman said to Mr. Rogers, "There is a gun barrel in the corner. Hold the end of the muzzle of the gun barrel over the top of the stairs so the Indians will thinkyou have a gun."

The Indians broke into the house and mutilated Dr. Whitman and my brother. The Indians then broke the door to the upstairs room and Tamsuky called to Mr. Roger to come on down, that he would take care of us. Mister Rogers told him to come on up, but when Tamsuky saw the gun barrel, he was afraid.

Finally, Mr. Rogers went downstairs and talked to Tamsuky and Joe Lewis. Tamsuky told Mr. Rogers that the Indians were going to burn the house and that he wanted to save Mrs. Whitman and the others. Aunt Lucinda Bewley, who was Mrs. Whitman's hired girl, and Mr. Rogers helped Mrs. Whitman downstairs. She said to me, "Come with me, Elizabeth." When we got into the dining room she said, "Stay close to me."

Mrs. Whitman was so weak from loss of blood that she lay down on the sofa. Aunt Lucinda put a pillow under her head and then got a white blanket which she put over her. Joe Lewis put his gun by the kitchen door and took the foot of the soda to help carry Mrs. Whitman out. When Mrs. Whitman saw Joe Lewis, she said, "Oh, Joe. You too?"

They carried Mrs. Whitman on the sofa through the kitchen door. Just before they had gone out, one of the Indians had told my brother, Francis, to go along with Mrs. Whitman. As we went out of the kitchen, Joe Lewis dropped his end of the sofa, on which Mrs. Whitman was lying, and at the same time the Indians standing around fired. Mister Rogers raised his hands and said, "Oh, God," and fell. My brother also fell, and Mrs. Whitman, who was shot through the cheek and through the body, fell off of the lounge onto the muddy ground. ... My sister Mathilda also saw the killing of these three. She said she saw one of the Indians reach down, catch Mrs. Whitman by the hair, and raise her head and then strike her across the face several times with his leather quirt.

We children stayed upstairs that night in the house where Dr. Whitman had been tomahawked. He lived for some time, for he was breathing heavily when Mrs. Whitman was carried out to be killed. Mister Kimball had been overlooked by the Indians. He was suffering from his wound. He also stayed in the upper room with us that night.

The children who were sick cried for water during the night, so early the next morning I went down to see if I could get some water. The body of Mrs. Whitman was lying near the kitchen door. The body of Mr. Rogers was lying not far away. I saw Edward Telekaut and asked him if he would get some water for me. He got a bucket of water and brought a dipper. As the Indians seemed to have quit their killing, I decided to go over to the Mansion House and see what was going to become of us. Mrs. Saunders met me and said, The Indians have promised not to kill us." At about 10 o'clock that morning my sister Katie took the children over to the Mansion House. Helen Meek was the last to be taken over. When Katie came back for her, Helen was crying as though her heart would break, for she thought she had been left.



Interestingly enough the mascot of Whitman College, is the Fighting Missionaries. Why being used as a mascot is suggested as demeaning, I'll never fully understand. I thought mascots were supposed to show something you wished to emulate. Most "Whitties" (As us Walla Wallans called the Whitman College students, no racism intended) probably didn't even know from whence their mascot came, as they tried to get it changed to something more politically correct. Now days its hard to even find they had or even have a mascot. Oh the irony.

regards,

Steve G.