Gustave Englebrecht
Coxswain, U.S. Navy

Date of Birth: Unknown

In November 1856, shortly after the Indian War of 1855-56 ended between white settlers and tribes of the Puget Sound region, a Haida raiding force of seven sea-going canoes and approximately 300 warriors entered Puget Sound. When the raiders threatened Steilacoom, the settlers summoned help from U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Casey. Casey determined that this was a naval matter and notified U.S. Navy Commander Swartout of the steam sloop USS Massachusetts. In the meantime, the Haidas paddled back to the north and approached the sawmill at Port Gamble on 19 November.

Josiah Keller, superintendent of the mill at Teekalet, had the mill whistle sound an alarm. The mill hands and their families repaired to a two-story wooden blockhouse called a Malakoff with "about 30 good rifles as many or more muskets and about as many Colts swivels