| Puget Sound War |
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| history of washington | |
| wars involving the indigenous peoples of north america | |
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THE WAR The Puget Sound War began over land rights and ended in a cloud of controversy surrounding the hanging of Leschi, the great Nisqually leader. The catalyst of the war was the . The war itself consisted of a series of short skirmishes with relatively few deaths on either side. Notable battles occurred in present-day Tacoma , Seattle , and even as far east as Walla Walla . Leschi was captured in November of 1856 and was forced to stand trial for the murder of Abram Benton Moses. His first trial resulted in a hung jury because of the question of the legitimacy of murder during wartime; the jury of twelve voted ten in favor, two opposed to conviction. Leschi was tried again in 1857. Despite vague witness accounts and issues over whether Leschi was actually at the scene of the incident, he was found guilty of murder. Leschi was hanged on February 19, 1858. EXONERATION On December 10, 2004 an Historical Court convened in Pierce County, Washington ruled “as a legal combatant of the Indian War… Leschi should not have been held accountable under law for the death of an enemy soldier,” thereby exonerating him of any wrongdoing.Seattle, Washington, ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'', 11 December 2004. The ruling, while having no legal status, was considered a definitive trial in absentia that provided closure for the Nisqually people, who fought for years to clear the name of their legendary chief. Today, a Seattle neighborhood and a Puyallup school bear Leschi’s name. REFERENCES SEE ALSO |
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