Chief Paulina
Encyclopedia
Chief Paulina was a Northern Paiute war leader.
During the late 1850s and 1860s, Northern Paiute bands attacked both settler communities and Native American reservations in central and eastern Oregon
, as well as the Klamath Basin
. Chief Paulina became the most notorious war leader in those raids. He was known for the swiftness of his attacks and his ability to evade capture by both volunteer regiments and U.S. Army detachments under General George Crook
. He led a small band (including his brother Wahveveh
) that raided and stole livestock and horses, causing fear within nearby communities. There has been some speculation that Paulina's hatred for the Warm Springs Indians and Caucasian settlers occurred in April 1859 when Dr. Thomas Fitch
led Native Americans from the Warm Springs Indian Reservation to attack a band of Paiutes in the John Day Valley. The party killed ten Paiute warriors, capturing the women and children and the rest of the band. Among those captured were Paulina and Wahveveh, both of whom were later sent to Fort Dalles
only to be imprisoned for a short time. Captain John M. Drake
led one of the first military campaigns into the area, but the conflicts increased. The Paiute threat was broken up into two bands led by Paulina, of the Walpapi band, and Weahwewa, of the Kidutokado band. In one particular incident, Paulina arranged peace talks with the Chief of the Wascos, Queapama. However, under that guise, Paulina had one of his braves murder Queapama. While predatory bands such as Paulina’s certainly profited from these attacks, they ultimately contributed to the climate of hostility that increased the level of violence and the death toll in the region. All the resident groups—settlers, native communities at Warm Springs and Umatilla, and the Northern Paiute—engaged in retaliatory actions that resulted in the deaths of dozens of people, including women and children.
Paulina and the other leaders of the Hunipuitöka Paiute agreed to sign a treaty in early 1865 after U.S. Army forces had captured a group of Paiute hostages late in the year before, including Paulina’s wife and son. Despite the treaty agreement, Paulina and his group left the Klamath Reservation on April 22, 1866, planning to go back on the warpath, when Chief Howluck contacted him looking for aid to exact revenge for the killing of his followers by California troops in the Guano Valley.
. The raiders burned the house, stables, 40 short tons (36,287.4 kg) of hay, 1000 bushels (36.4 kl) of oats and barley, and stole two horses and a cow, causing an estimated $6,494 of damage. Fortunately, Clark's wife was visiting her parents in the Willamette Valley at the time, but an unarmed Clark and his 18-year-old brother-in-law were collecting driftwood on the John Day when they saw the Paiutes. Paulina and his band spotted them and gave chase, but Clark managed to escape, and his brother-in-law hid in the river with only his nose out of the water for several hours undetected, although nearing hypothermia.
James Clark was able to gather a posse to try to salvage some of his stolen property. One year after leaving the Klamath Reservation on April 25, 1867, Paulina was killed while eating a roasted ox during a retaliatory attack led by settlers Clark and Howard Maupin
. Paulina’s last engagement took place at a cove later named Paulina Basin, located in northeastern Jefferson County
near the town of Madras, Oregon
.
During the late 1850s and 1860s, Northern Paiute bands attacked both settler communities and Native American reservations in central and eastern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, as well as the Klamath Basin
Klamath Basin
The Klamath Basin is the region in the U.S. states of Oregon and California drained by the Klamath River. It contains most of Klamath County and parts of Lake and Jackson counties in Oregon, and parts of Del Norte, Humboldt, Modoc, Siskiyou, and Trinity counties in California. The drainage basin...
. Chief Paulina became the most notorious war leader in those raids. He was known for the swiftness of his attacks and his ability to evade capture by both volunteer regiments and U.S. Army detachments under General George Crook
George Crook
George R. Crook was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
. He led a small band (including his brother Wahveveh
Wahveveh
Chief Wahveveh, also spelled Wewawewa was a Northern Paiute warrior and half-brother of Chief Paulina.During the raids of the 1860s in Central Oregon, Wahveveh aided his brother in attacks on the Warm Springs Chief, Poustaminie. His tribe, the Tyghs were attacked by Wahveveh's band while they were...
) that raided and stole livestock and horses, causing fear within nearby communities. There has been some speculation that Paulina's hatred for the Warm Springs Indians and Caucasian settlers occurred in April 1859 when Dr. Thomas Fitch
Thomas Fitch
Thomas Fitch IV was governor of the Connecticut Colony from 1754 to 1766.Fitch was born in Norwalk, Connecticut the eldest son and the first child of Thomas Fitch III and his first wife, Sarah Boardman Fitch. He graduated from Yale in 1721 then went on to obtain a Masters degree. Fitch married...
led Native Americans from the Warm Springs Indian Reservation to attack a band of Paiutes in the John Day Valley. The party killed ten Paiute warriors, capturing the women and children and the rest of the band. Among those captured were Paulina and Wahveveh, both of whom were later sent to Fort Dalles
Fort Dalles
Fort Dalles was a United States Army outpost located on the Columbia River at the present site of The Dalles, Oregon, in the United States. Built when Oregon was a territory, the post was used mainly for dealing with wars with Native Americans...
only to be imprisoned for a short time. Captain John M. Drake
John M. Drake
John Miller Drake was a Union Army officer in the 1st Oregon Cavalry and the 1st Oregon Infantry regiments during the American Civil War. He eventually reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He led one of the first campaigns to respond to the threat Chief Paulina posed to settlers and rival...
led one of the first military campaigns into the area, but the conflicts increased. The Paiute threat was broken up into two bands led by Paulina, of the Walpapi band, and Weahwewa, of the Kidutokado band. In one particular incident, Paulina arranged peace talks with the Chief of the Wascos, Queapama. However, under that guise, Paulina had one of his braves murder Queapama. While predatory bands such as Paulina’s certainly profited from these attacks, they ultimately contributed to the climate of hostility that increased the level of violence and the death toll in the region. All the resident groups—settlers, native communities at Warm Springs and Umatilla, and the Northern Paiute—engaged in retaliatory actions that resulted in the deaths of dozens of people, including women and children.
Paulina and the other leaders of the Hunipuitöka Paiute agreed to sign a treaty in early 1865 after U.S. Army forces had captured a group of Paiute hostages late in the year before, including Paulina’s wife and son. Despite the treaty agreement, Paulina and his group left the Klamath Reservation on April 22, 1866, planning to go back on the warpath, when Chief Howluck contacted him looking for aid to exact revenge for the killing of his followers by California troops in the Guano Valley.
Burnt Ranch
On September 15, 1866, Paulina and his band of fourteen Paiutes attacked the ranch of James N. Clark near the junction of Bridge Creek and the John Day RiverJohn Day River
The John Day River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northeastern Oregon in the United States. Undammed along its entire length, the river is the third longest free-flowing river in the conterminous United States. There is extensive use of its waters for irrigation. Its...
. The raiders burned the house, stables, 40 short tons (36,287.4 kg) of hay, 1000 bushels (36.4 kl) of oats and barley, and stole two horses and a cow, causing an estimated $6,494 of damage. Fortunately, Clark's wife was visiting her parents in the Willamette Valley at the time, but an unarmed Clark and his 18-year-old brother-in-law were collecting driftwood on the John Day when they saw the Paiutes. Paulina and his band spotted them and gave chase, but Clark managed to escape, and his brother-in-law hid in the river with only his nose out of the water for several hours undetected, although nearing hypothermia.
James Clark was able to gather a posse to try to salvage some of his stolen property. One year after leaving the Klamath Reservation on April 25, 1867, Paulina was killed while eating a roasted ox during a retaliatory attack led by settlers Clark and Howard Maupin
Howard Maupin
Howard Maupin was an American settler who established a farm and ferry in Oregon at the present-day location of Maupin, Oregon. He became famous for shooting the notorious Paiute war leader Chief Paulina on April 25, 1867 near the modern town of Madras, Oregon.Maupin was born in Clay County,...
. Paulina’s last engagement took place at a cove later named Paulina Basin, located in northeastern Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Oregon
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. In 2010, its population was 21,720. It is named after Mount Jefferson. The seat of the county is Madras.-History:...
near the town of Madras, Oregon
Madras, Oregon
Madras is a city in Jefferson County, Oregon, United States. Originally called The Basin after the circular valley the city is located in, it is unclear as to whether Madras was named in 1903 for the cotton fabric called "Madras" that originated in the Madras area in India, or from the city of...
.