DECEMBER 25, 1869

ARMY BOMBARDS STIKINE-TLINGIT VILLAGE OF KAACHXAANA.ÁAKʼW (OLD WRANGELL)

With the Alaska Purchase, the U.S. Army built Fort Wrangell next to the Stikine-Tlingit village of Old Wrangell. To Americans, Tlingit law was based on “revenge.” In February 1869, this view led to the ingit “Kake War” in which the USS Saginaw bombarded 3 Tlingit villages. On Christmas 1869, Stikine villagers attended a party hosted by the soldiers that involved liquor. A Stikine named Lowan bit off the hostess’ finger in an altercation and left. Soldiers went after and killed him. The next day, Lowen’s father, Scutd-doo, shot & killed a trading post operator named Smith in “payment.” The Army set a deadline for Scutd-doo’s surrender. When it passed, the army bombarded the village. The Stikine sought a truce & Scutd-doo surrendered. Court martialed December 28^th, he admitted killing Smith to make amends under Tlingit law and was hanged the next day. Later, it was determined that the army had no legal authority to try civilians in a court-martial and sentence them to death in the Department of Alaska.

Sources:
  “An Indian Trouble-A White Man Murdered-Two Indians Killed-The Indian Rancho Shelled-Peace Restored,” Daily Alta California, January 25, 1870, p.1, California Digital Newspaper Collection.  Retrieved 7/6/2022, Daily Alta California 25 January 1870 — California Digital Newspaper Collection (ucr.edu)
Wikipedia
Photo: Eadward Moybridge, 1/1/1868. Village of Wrangall, Alaska.  Public Domain.