Tragic Consequences of Manifest Destiny

In the 1840s the Native Americans were becoming more fearful of losing their homelands and missionaries were doing little to calm those fears.  Instead of helping them adjust to Americans, Catholics and Protestants were fighting over their souls with warnings of hell should they make the wrong choice - either Catholic or Protestant. 

Marcus Whitman, a medical missionary was killed in November 1847 after preaching for 11 years among the Cayuse Indians in Oregon.  White men were crowding Oregon country and the last migration brought measles which decimated the Cayuse.  Although Whitman tried to help, they saw him as a sorcerer who was secretly poisoning them to get their land. 

November 29 brought more bad news. Three more Indians had died.  One daughter belonged to the  Chief Tiloukaikt, who had already lost two others to the sickness.  After a funeral held by Whitman, Tilukaikt and other Indians entered the mission kitchen.  While the chief engaged Whitman in conversation, a warrior, Tomahas, struck the missionary from behind using a tomahawk.  Niloukaikt hacked at Whitman's face, a third Indian shot him in the neck.  After the slaughter was over, 13 whites were dead, including Whitman's wife, who rushed in after her husband had already been wounded.

This is just one instance of the tragic consequences of man's ruthless need for land, to the exclusion of all else standing in his way.  In the white man's attempt to "Christianize" the natives, he caused untold horrific events like this one. 

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Today in Pioneer History: "On March 20, 1823, Ned Buntline, the "dime millionaire" and discoverer of Buffalo Bill Cody, was born in Stamford, New York.