I am continually amazed at the connections between families, stories, and histories. As I bring these stories alive, there starts an upwelling of related stories from people who reach out to tell me details and extensions to the history I’d brought forth. The story, Camp Logan – The Fears & Sadness of Settlement, had many side stories that surfaced while I was researching. Although it briefly describes the incident with Lieutenant Pike, there were many more details to that story that I did not include. It was difficult to wean the various side stories and stick to a storyline. But it brought forth stories from others, stories I’m happy to pass on.
The following came to me from John Bogue and his sister Judy Bogue Haguewood, descendants of the Kent family that began ranching at the site of Camp Logan:
There was an assigned bugler at Camp Logan at the time that Lt. Pike died by accident. The bugler was a very young soldier by the name of William Armstrong. Mr. Armstrong was a very young teenager but had already played a role in the Civil War. He was later assigned to Camp Logan.
He was devoted to Lt. Pike and had been involved with arrangements with the Military to have Lt. Pike’s remains removed and reburied in Walla Walla, Washington at the military cemetery. He returned to visit the burial plot of Lt. Pike at Camp Logan, then known as the Kent Ehlers Ranch, in about 1929.
While he spent a few days at the ranch with our grand folks, Roger and Alma Kent, he gave his military bugle to our then 9-year-old mother for her safe keeping. Judy Bogue Haguewood keeps the cherished artifact safe with the family to this day.
He told a story that happened at Camp Logan while he was assigned there as a bugle boy, when the Indians had attacked Camp Logan. They were trying to steal all of the horses from the Calvary. Lieutenant Pike ordered him to blow stable call which caused all of the horses to turn around and return back to the stables. This caused considerable confusion amongst the Indians who were unable to prevent the horses from returning. All of the horses returned. This was the only time there ever was an attack on Camp Logan.
Before he left the ranch that day he played “Taps” from the front porch of the ranch house for the last time. With misty eyes, he turned and handed the bugle to my mother and left. My mother and my grand folks never saw him again. Mr. Armstrong stayed in the Grant County area as a gold miner and spent some time in Granite, Oregon. He also spent time in the Dixie Creek area from which he homesteaded on several pieces of ground with his wife. He had a young son that joined the Navy during World War I and who was killed in the South Atlantic on a ship.
Stories shared are stories preserved…
