The Siege of Seattle: When the City Huddled Behind Timber Walls
A newly unearthed account from pioneer A.A. Denny details the terrifying winter of 1856, when settlers built fortified blockhouses at key intersections and waited for an Indian attack that never came.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The Siege at Seattle.
As it has been termed, is described at some length by Hon. A. A. Denny in his valuable and interesting little book entitled, 'Pioneer Days on Puget Sound.' From this work the following extract is taken:
'Within the time I had predicted to Capt. Sterrett the outbreak came and on the 21st of October, 1855, Wm. H. Brannan, wife and child, Harvey N. Jones and wife, George E. King and wife and Enos Cooper were killed... The settlers lower down the valley narrowly escaped and succeeded in again reaching Seattle in safety. The consternation and alarm was now general, and none could be found to doubt the fact that the Indians were unfriendly.'
'After the White River Massacre it was determined to prepare for protection. In case of an attack was the use at the time there was a large amount of timber on hand twelve inches square, which was well suited to the purpose. Two houses were built of this timber of sufficient capacity to hold the entire population at the time. One was built at the junction of Front and Yesler streets and the other at the junction of Main and South Second Ave., and the two joined by a lane which also ran from each blockhouse westward to the bay, and was made solid for protection on the land side of the town from whence all attacks were likely to come.'
'Each in the morning of January 3rd, 1856, tons attacked the hill. They had wriggled during the night and taken their positions under cover of the timber, the face of the hill, in readiness to make the attack should the sun begin to stir, but their presence was made known by a friendly Indian before the attack was made... Fortunately all the white who were outside of the blockhouses appear to have escaped without injury. The firing was kept up all day and two lives were lost, one Ed W. Felt behind the house, and the other Milton T. H. Hauber... Two block houses which are now where the great work now are and the other the dwelling of Mr. P. D. Pease... were plundered during the evening.'
'The following winter was a severe one... The entire population was compelled to winter in Seattle or elsewhere and a great many were so discouraged that they left the country.'
Today, Seattle’s skyline is defined by glass towers and tech campuses, but its origins lie in these fragile timber blockhouses built for survival. This account of the 1856 'Siege' highlights a moment when the city's existence was precarious, contrasting sharply with the modern reality of urban density and security.
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