Who Caused the Whitman Massacre?

By: Sharon C. Anderson

There are many perspectives on events in history. There were two main perspectives about who caused

the Whitman Massacre. One point of view is from the white man and the other is from the Cayuse Indian. I will begin with the white man’s perspective and follow with the Cayuse Indian’s perspective.

In the book Washington our Home three Nez Perce and one Flat head Indian asked Captain William Clark to send missionaries to convert them to Christianity. This took place in 1831.

In the book Washington our Home Marcus and Narcissa Whitman came to the Indians and started the Whitman Mission close to today’s Walla Walla. Missionaries were trying to convert the Indians to the white man’s christianity.

In the book Washington our Home in 1842 pioneers started traveling on the Oregon trail. These pioneers stopped at the Whitman Mission like a rest stop. The missionaries were trying to help educate the Indians and teach them the white man’s religeous ways. The pioneers also brought deseases like measles to the Indians. According to Cayuse Attack Mission two hundred Indians and some white people died from the measeles.

In 1847 according to the book Washington our Home the Whitmans and other whites were killed by five Cayuse. One indian hit Dr.Whitman in the head with a tomahawk. But Dr. Whitman was just giving them medicine for the measles. According to Cayuse War on Nov. 29,1847 Cayuse Indians attacked the Whitman Mission killing fourteen people and took fifty-three captives.

According to Washington our Home in 1854-1856 Governor Stevens asked the Indians to sign treaties at Councils and the treaties gave away their land. Then the Indians were put on land called reservations.

The Cayuse Indians perspective is a lot different. In 1831 according to the book Washington our Home four Indians went to William Clark and asked him to send missionaries. They wanted to understand the white man and his gods. The Indians thought the white man’s knives, axes ,and carvings were from powerful gods.

In 1836 according to Cayuse War Marcus and Narcissa Whitman came and started the Waiilatpu mission almost seven miles west of Walla Walla. According to Washington our Home the Indians thought the Whitmans were trying to convert them which they didn’t want.

In 1842 according to Cayuse War Oregon trail travelers brought measles to the Indians. Over half of the them (200) died. According to Washington our Home the Cayuse believed Dr. Whitman was trying to poison them to kill them all!

In 1847 according to Cayuse Attack Mission Tilaukait and Tansuky killed Dr. Whitman in his kitchen because the Indians believed a person should be killed for misusing their spirit powers. Indians held others captive for ransom. The Massacre lasted three days. According to Cayuse War the Indians took fifty-three captives and murdered fourteen whites. The massacre happened November 29,1847.

In 1854-1856 according to Washington our Home the Indians signed treaties from Governor Stevens, but they didn’t know what they were about. They were moved to reservations. Then they got kicked off their reservations too. They were made promises, but they weren’t kept.

In conclution I think nobody was at fault for the Massacre because the Whitmans were just giving the Indians medicine to help and the Indians didn’t want to be converted.

Bibliography1. Washington our Home; Gibbs Smith Education, Text Book, 2010. 2. The Cayuse War ; www.ledgendsofamerica.com, Kathy Weiser ,

Article, 2003-20113. Cayuse Attack Mission; http://www.historylink.org, David Wilma, Essay

5192, Feb.14, 2003.4.Experience State History; h;ttp://www.historylink.com, Gibbs Smith

Education, Student Text Book Web Site, 2010.5.Google Images; Canavan Nellie, Cayuse Indian on horseback, chiefs, whitman-massacre, Great Grave Waiiatpu Whitman Massacre, Marcus Whitman, photo-c19, pioneers on oregon trail along snake river, sittingbull350, wagon train, whitman massacre, whitman mission, whitmans.