overnor Stevens spent just 14 months traversing Washington Territory to make treaties with the native populations. From the prespective of the U. S. Government, it was a remarkable achievement. From the perspective of the tribes, substantial pressure had been brought to bear upon them to cooperate.

In his book, Northwest Chiefs: Gustav Sohon's Views of the 1855 Stevens Treaty Councils, historian David Nicandri writes:

Why, when so may of them detested the idea, did the great chiefs of the Columbia Plateau sign treaties at Walla Walla? Many of the headmen(who by virtue of their station tended to be older and thus less rambunctious), believed that the young man's counsel of fighting for the old way of life was a futile cause. The chiefs did not think a war with the whites could be won and therefore they sought the best possible terms from the commission.

As is often the case, however, the wisdom of the older men did not prevail over the passions of the younger men, and in the wake of Stevens's whirlwind treaty tour, war broke out on the Columbia Plateau. The pages of the Aftermath section of the Treaty Trail site are first hand accounts of the events of that time, written by people who lived or served in Washington Territory.

Andrew Pambrun's Account
May 1855
Andrew Pambrun, son of a French trader and his Cree wife, was a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest. In May 1855, he was hired as an interpreter to accompany the new Territorial Governor, Isaac Stevens to the Walla Walla Treaty Council.

The White River Massacre
October 28, 1855
John King, last living survivor of the White River Massacre, gives a detailed account of his experiences that day, as published in Ezra Meeker's book, Pioneer Reminiscences in Puget Sound.

The Nez Perce Council
December 1855
James Doty, Governor Stevens's secretary, kept a detailed account of the events on the Treaty Trail. This is his account, from the Journal of Operations of Governor Isaac Ingalls Stevens of Washington Territory in 1855.

The Battle of Seattle
January 26, 1856
Arthur A. Denny, whose niece Emily painted the well-known depiction of the Battle of Seattle, gave an account of that day in his book, Pioneer Days on Puget Sound, posted in its entirety on the Washington Secretary of State's Classics in Washington History website.

Mashel Massacre
April 1856
In retaliation for the White River Massacre, Captain Hamilton Maxon's militia troops attach a Nisqually settlement of mostly women and children, killing 17-35 people. Though nothing was written from the Native American point of view, oral history traditions have preserved the story.

W. W. Mackall Letter to Colonel Wright
August 2, 1856
While Governor Stevens was away on the Treaty Trail, Colonel Wright was ordered by General Wool to close settlement in eastern Washington Territory, and to order the Volunteer militia out of the area under threat of arrest.

Letters from General Wool
November 1, 1856
General John Wool wrote to Lieut. Colonel L. Thomas, Assistant Adjutant General, at the Headquarters of the Army in New York City,
expressing great disdain for the policies of Governor Stevens concerning the Northwest Indians.

George Gibbs Report
January 7, 1857
George Gibbs, skilled linguist and author of dictionaries of native languages, was a member of Governor Stevens's inner circle of advisors. However, in January 1857, he sent a letter to his friend and notable pioneer, James Swan, expressing doubts about the governor's handling of the Territory.

Steptoe's Defeat
May 18, 1858
The first chapter of Indian War in the Pacific Northwest: The Journal of Lieutenant Lawrence Kip details the Lieutenant's impressions concerning Steptoe's defeat.

For a for more information about the Indians Wars of 1856-1858 and a timeline of events leading up to it, please visit the Leschi website.