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ARMY  LIFE  ON  THE  PACIFIC 


A  JOURNAL 


OF   THE 


€^pfMtion|.piitstflj£  ^ortjn'n  |iiMans, 


THE  TRIBES  OF  THE 


CCEUR  D'ALENES,  SPOKANS,  AND  PELOUZES, 


IN  THE  SUMMER  OF   1858. 


BY 


LAWRENCE    KIP, 


SECOND  LIEUTENANT   OF    THE    THIRD    REGIMENT    OF  ARTILLERY,    U.   S.    ARMY. 


►^   OP  THE         ^ 


'tjniveesit 


^IFO 


v: 


R'EDriELD, 

No.  34  BEEKMAN  STREET,  NEW  YORK. 
1859. 


PRINTED   BY 
26  Frankfort  Street, 


i^^O'i. 


TO 

MAJ.  EDWARD  D.  TOWNSEOTD, 

ASSISTANT  ADJUTANT-GENERAL  UNITED  STATES  ARMY, 
THIS  LITTLE  VOLUME  IS  INSCRIBED, 

BY 

THE   AUTHOR. 


0  0.,NTENTS 


Origij;  of  the  "War 1 

Departure ■ 15 

Fort  Dalles  and  the  March 23 

Fort  Walla  "Walla 31 

Fort  Taylor 30 

Battle  of  the  Four  Lakes 51 

Battle  of  -the  Spokan  Plains 63 

The  Ccbur  d'Alene  Mission "75 

The  Cceur  d'Alene  Council 81 

The  Spokan  Council 91 

OWHI  AND   QuALCHIEN 99 

The  Dead  of  the  Battle  Field 109 

The  Pelouze  Council 115 

The  Return 121 

Conclusion 127 

APPENDIX. 

Colonel  Wright's  Official  Report  after  the   Battle  of   the 

Four  Lakes 131 

Colonel  Wright's  Official  Report  after  the  Battle   of  the 

Spokan  Plains l^T 

Extract  from  the  "  General  Orders  " 141 


PREFACE. 


The  following  pages  are  merely  a  journal  kept  during  the  expedition 
it  attempts  to  describe,  and  afterwards  prepared  for  the  press.  It  is  an 
attempt  to  show  the  manner  in  which  such  an  expedition  is  conducted, 
and  to  picture  some  phases  of  "  Army  Life." 

It  is  the  tendency  in  this  country  to  decry  the  services  of  the  army 
and  of  its  officers  ;  and  yet,  most  of  the  latter  spend  the  greater  part  of 
their  lives  on  the  frontiers  and  in  the  Indian  country.  Weeks  at  a  time 
are  passed  in  scouting  against  their  treacherous  foe,  enduring  every 
hardship,  and  daily  risking  life  itself,  to  open  the  way  for  the  pioneer 
and  settler.  Yet,  what  is  their  reward  ?  When  the  papers  come  to 
them  from  the  regions  of  civilization,  they  find  themselves  stigmatized  in 
editorials,  and  even  in  speeches  on  the  floor  of  Congress,  as  the  drones  of 
society,  living  on  the  government,  yet  a  useless  encumbrance  and  expense. 

But,  one  by  one,  how  many  lay  down  their  lives  in  this  cause !  With- 
out counting  those  who  sink  into  the  grave  from  sickness  produced  by 
unwholesome  climates,  exposure  and  hardships,  how  many  more  actually 
meet  their  deaths  on  the  battle  field  !  During  the  last  season  alone, 
Taylor,  Gaston,  Allen  and  Van  Camp  have  thus  shed  their  blood,  and 
every  year  the  list  increases.  Yet  they  fall  in  battle  with  an  obscure 
enemy,  and  little  are  their  sufferings  appreciated  by  the 

"  gontlemen 


Who  lire  at  home  at  ease." 


Of  the  exposure  and  hardships,  indeed,  of  our  Army,  the  present  jour 
nal  furnishes  no  fit  illustration,  for  the  country  in  which  the  expedition 


VI  PREFACE. 

was  undertaken  is  comparatively  a  healthy  one.  The  story  is  far  differ- 
ent when  the  scene  is  among  the  Everglades  of  Florida,  the  burning 
heats  on  the  Colorado,  or  the  mountain  passes  of  the  Apaches.  Yet 
these  pages  may  give  some  idea  of  the  nature  of  these  expeditions,  and 
the  manner  in  which  they  are  conducted. 

Of  the  two  battles  the  descriptions  are  necessarily  very  general,  while 
for  the  benefit  of  the  professional  reader,  the  OflScial  Reports  have  been 
printed  in  the  Appendix. 

These  pages  having  been  printed  while  the  writer  is  on  the  other  side 
of  the  continent,  he  would  avail  himself  of  this  means  of  returning  his 
thanks  to  George  L.Duyckinck,  Esq.,  for  his  kindness  and  the  trouble  he 
has  taken  in  carrying  them  through  the  Press. 

;    Fort  Vancouver,  W.  T.,  December  1th,  1858. 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  "WAR. 


CHAPTER    I 


ORIGIN     OF    THE     WAR 


'HE  montli  of  May,  1858,  was  a  disastrous  one 
for  the  army  on  the  Pacific.  On  the  8th,  Colonel 
Steptoe  set  out  from  Fort  Walla  Walla,  with  a 
small  command  of  one  hundred  and  fifty -nine 
men,  to  make  a  reconnaisance  of  the  country,  to 
examine  into  affairs  at  Fort  Colville,  and  to  seize 
some  marauders  belonging  to  the  Pelouze  tribe,  who  had 
stolen  cattle  from  the  Fort.  As  this  is  a  feeble  tribe, 
his  force  was  considered  quite  sufficient  to  overawe  them, 
while  the  more  powerful  tribes  through  which  he  was  to 
pass  had  always  professed  friendship,  and  there  had  been 
as  yet  no  reason  to  distrust  them. 

On  the  morning  of  the  16th,  however,  after  passing 
Snake  river,  he  found  himself  unexpectedly  in  the  face  of 
a  force  estimated  at  from  one  thousand  to  fifteen  hundred 
Indians.  They  were  Spokans,  Pelouzes,  Coeur  d'Alenes, 
Yakimas,  and  warriors  of  the  smaller  tribes,  all  painted 
and  in  their  war  dress,  evidently  meditating  an  attack. 
The  hills  around  were  covered  with  them,  and  it  being 
evidently  impossible  under  such  circumstances  to  pene- 
trate into  the  country,  it  became  necessary  for  his  little 
command  to  return,  and  endeavor  to  make  good  its  way 
back  to  Snake  river.  The  train  was  therefore  closed  up, 
2 


10  OEIGIN   OF   THE   WAE. 

and  a  retrograde  move  begun.  Tlie  moment  tMs  was  done, 
the  attack  commenced,  and  the  fight  was  kept  up  through, 
the  whole  day.  Most  of  the  men,  too,  were  new  recruits, 
who  had  never  before  been  under  fire.  Yet  everything 
that  could  be  done  by  the  officers  was  accomplished.  It 
was  a  series  of  gallant  charges,  driving  the  Indians  back 
with  loss,  to  have  them  after  a  brief  interval  close  up  again 
around  the  troops. 

Night  at  last  settled  down  upon  the  battle  field,  and 
found  the  little  command  perfectly  exhausted,  and  with 
their  ammunition  almost  gone.  Two  officers, — Captain 
Oliver  II.  P.  Taylor  and  Lieutenant  William  Gaston,  both, 
of  the  First  Dragoons, — had  fallen,  with  a  number  of  the 
men.  The  remainder  were  gathered  en  a  rising  ground, 
while  every  hill  around  swarmed  with  their  exulting  ene- 
mies, who  seemed  to  have  them  now  completely  in  their 
toils.  A  consultation  of  the  officers  was  hastily  held  by 
Colonel  Steptoe,  at  which  there  was  but  one  opinion.  The 
force  against  them  was  overpowering,  and  by  the  next 
morning  would  undoubtedly  be  still  further  increased : 
without  ammunition  they  would  be  almost  defenceless, — 
and  it  was  evident,  that  long  before  the  close  of  the  next 
(Jay,  not  one  of  the  command  would  be  left  to  tell  the 
story  of  their  fight. 

Nothing  remained,  therefore,  but  to  attempt  a  retreat 
during  the  night.  The  bodies  of  the  fallen,  which  were 
within  their  reach,  were  buried, — the  two  howitzers  were 
cached^^ — and  the  command  mounted  and  struck  off  in  the 
direction  of  Snake  river.  Fortunately  the  Indians  did 
not  make  a  night  attack,  and  their  retreat  was  unimpeded. 

*  This  is  a  word  introduced  by  the  first  Canadian  (French)  vayagairs  and 
trappers.  Pits  were  dug,  where  they  deposited  provisions,  or  other  things, 
and  they  were  carefully  covered  so  as  to  conceal  all  traces  from  the  Indians. 
They  thus  often  remained  for  months  till  reopened  by  their  owners.  ! 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  WAR.  11 

Still,  tliey  knew  that  the  morning  would  bring  their  foes 
upon  their  track,  and  therefore  they  pressed  on.  They 
rode  seventy-five  miles  by  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning, 
and  succeeded  in  crossing  the  river  without  the  farther 
loss  of  a  single  man,  or  even  of  an  animal  belonging  to 
the  command.  Here  Colonel  Steptoe  was  met  by  Captain 
Bent,  who,  having  received  intelligence  of  the  ambush, 
was  advancing  by  forced  marches  from  Fort  Walla  Walla 
to  his  rescue. 

Among  those  who  were  reported  as  "  missing"  after  the 
fight,  were  two  non-commissioned  officers.  They  were 
both  wounded,  but  escaped  from  the  Indians ;  and  finding 
that  the  command  had  retreated,  commenced  their  own 
return  on  foot.  Fortunately  the  Indians  next  day  did  not 
follow  them,  being  probably  engaged  in  the  division .  of 
plunder,  and  their  attention  directed  to  the  main  body  of 
the  retreating  command.  After  several  days  they  reached 
the  river,  where  they  were  seized  by  the  Indians  on  its 
banks.  One  of  them, — Sergeant  Williams, — they  killed, 
but  permitted  the  other  to  cross  the  river,  and  he  finally 
reached  Walla  Walla  in  safety. 

Such  is  a  brief  history  of  this  unfortunate  affair.  I  have 
recurred  to  it,  because  it  is  appropriately  the  opening 
chapter  of  the  campaign,  and  indeed  the  cause  and  origin 
of  all  our  operations  through  the  ensuing  season.  In  the 
newspapers,  too,— many  of  which  are  always  ready  to 
decry  the  regular  army,— -the  greatest  injustice  has  been 
done  to  this  gallant  little  party.  Surprised  by  an  over- 
powering hostile  force,  they  fought  it  out  gallantly  as  long 
as  fighting  was  practicable,  and  then  made  their  retreat 
without  any  additional  loss. 

The  Indians  of  these  northern  tribes  are  the  most  bold 
and  warlike  on  the  continent.  Splendid  specimens  of 
physical  humanity,  they  are  skilful  in  the  use  of  arms, 


12  ORIGIN   OF  THE  WAR. 

and  accustomed  from  childhood  almost  to  live  on  horse- 
back. They  have  seen  but  little  of  the  whites,  except 
a  few  straggling  miners  who  during  the  last  year  may 
have  passed  through  their  country,  and  the  employes  of 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  from  whom  they  purchase 
their  muskets  and  ammunition.  For  years  it  has  been  the 
object  of  the  latter  to  inculcate  upon  them  reverence  for 
themselves,  and  a  proportionate  contempt  for  the  Ameri- 
cans. The  fight  with  Colonel  Steptoe  of  course  confirmed 
this  impression,  and  brought  out  all  the  smouldering  feel- 
ing of  hostility  which  had  before  been  excited  by  their 
fears  of  the  future  encroachments  of  the  whites*  In  fact, 
the  attack  on  Colonel  Steptoe  was  probably  produced  by 
the  news  they  had  received  of  Lieutenant  Mullan's  party 
being  on  their  way  to  survey  and  lay  out  a  military  road 
through  their  country.  This  they  regarded  as  the  first 
step  in  taking  possession  of  their  lands* 

The  result  was  natural.  At  once  a  league  was  formed 
of  all  the  most  powerful  tribes, — the  Spokans,  Coeur 
d'Alenes,  Pelouzes  and  Yakimas,  with  a  portion  of  the 
Kez  Perces; — a  general  outbreak  took  place,  small  par- 
ties  of  whites  were  cut  off  in  eVery  part  of  the  country,  and 
even  the  safety  of  Fort  Walla  Walla  was  threatened.  The 
Indians  became  everywhere  bold,  defiant,  and  insulting. 

With  the  limited  force  on  this  coast,  scattered  in  small 
parties  over  fifteen  hundred  miles,  it  was  of  course  difficult 
to  meet  the  exigency*  Troops  had  to  be  withdrawn  from 
posts  at  the  South  where  they  really  were  needed.  Yet 
every  possible  step  was  promptly  taken  by  Greneral  Clarke. 
As  soon  as  expresses  could  reach  them,  companies  were 
converging  to  the  hostile  country  from  every  part  of  the 
Pacific  coast,  even  from  Fort  Yuma  on  the  far  distant 
banks  of  the  Colorado,  and  from  San  Diego  on  the  borders 
of  Mexico. 


II. 

DEPARTURE, 


^^^  OP  THE    ^y: 

I7EESIT 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE     DEPARTURE. 

T  this  time  I  was  in  San  Francisco,  preparing  to 
join  my  company  at  San  Bernadino  in  Southern 
California,  when  I  received  orders  from  General 
Clarke  to  remain  in  the  city,  as  my  company  would 
shortly  be  up,  on  its  way  to  Oregon.  Sunday 
morning,  June  12th,  it  arrived  in  the  steamer  >Sfe?2ator,  and 
being  transferred  to  the  Pacific,  I  at  once  reported  for 
duty  and  went  on  board. 

Monday  was  a  busy  day.  The  soldiers,  after  their  sea 
voyage,  were  naturally  restless  to  visit  the  city,  yet  for 
fear  of  desertion  they  had  to  be  watched  and  confined  to 
the  steamer.  Military  stores  of  all  kinds  were  to  be  taken 
on  board, — provisions,  ammunition,  cannon,  and  a  lot  of 
mules.  The  embarkation  of  the  latter  was  by  no  means 
easy.  It  required  the  most  forcible  arguments  to  induce 
them  to  march  up  the  plank,  and  one  so  successfully 
evaded  it,  as  to  drop  himself  into  the  water,  to  the  infinite 
delight  of  the  countless  idlers  around.  Swimming  out 
beyond  the  wharf  into  the  bay,  he  seemed  to  have  no  set- 
tled plan  for  the  future,  and  so  commenced  going  round  in 
a  circle,  an  amusement  which  he  continued  until  he  was 
lassoed  and  dragged  again  on  the  wharf  The  officers 
found  themselves  fully  occupied  in  attempting  to  keep  or- 
der in  this  scene  of  confusion. 


16  DEPARTURE. 

At  three  in  the  afternoon  we  managed  to  get  under  way. 
The  command  on  board  consisted  of  companies  A,  G,  and 
M,  of  the  Third  Artillery,  and  the  following  officers : 
Captain,  Erasmus  D.  Keyes. 
First  Lieutenant,  Eobert  0.  Tyler. 
"  "        James  L.  White. 

"     ,       "        Dunbar  K.  Kansom. 
Second  Lieutenant,  Hylan  B.  Lyon. 
''     -       "  Geo.  F.  B.  Dandy. 

"  "  Lawrence  Kip. 

Our  voyage  was  a  long  one,  as  the  coal  was  bad  and  we 
ran  slowly.  It  was  not  until  Friday,  the  18th,  that  we 
crossed  the  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  river, — ^from 
its  shifting  shoals  the  most  dangerous  navigation  on  the 
whole  Pacific  coast.  A  short  distance  up  the  river  stands 
Astoria,  rendered  classical  ground  by  Washington  Irving. 
An  old  trapper  stillliving,  who  belonged  to  Mr.  Astor's  first 
party,  says  he  has  often  seen  one  thousand  Indian  canoes 
at  a  time  collected  on  the  beach  in  front  of  the  fort.  When 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company  took  charge  of  it,  they  removed 
their  establishment  up  the  river  to  Vancouver,  and  allow- 
ed the  fort  to  fall  into  decay,  till  not  a  vestige  of  it  now 
remains.  A  few  houses,  like  the  beginning  of  a  village, 
are  scattered  along  the  banks  which  slope  down  to  the 
river,  wooded  to  the  edge  with  pines. 

At  evening  we  reached  Fort  Vancouver.  Near  the 
river  are  low  meadow  grounds,  on  which  stands  the  post 
of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company, — a  picketed  enclosure  of 
about  three  hundred  yards  square,  composed  of  roughly 
split  pine  logs.  Within  this  are  the  buildings  of  the  es- 
tablishment, where  much  of  its  immense  fur  trade  was 
once  carried  on.  From  these  head  quarters,  their  compa- 
nies of  trappers,  hunters,  and  voyageurs,  generally  Cana- 
dians, were  sent  out  to  thread  the  rivers  in  pursuit  of  the 


DEPARTUEE.  17 

beaver.  Alone  they  traversed  tlie  plains,  or  passed 
months  in  the  defiles  of  the  mountains,  far  north  to  the 
Kussian  possessions,  or  south  to  the  borders  of  California, 
returning  in  one  or  two  years  with  the  furs,  to  barter  at  the 
fort.  Then  came  generally  a  short  time  of  the  wildest 
revelry,  until  everything  was  dissipated  or  perhaps  gam. 
bled  away,  when  with  a  new  outfit  they  set  forth  on 
another  expedition.  From  Vancouver  the  company  sent 
their  cargoes  of  furs  and  peltries  to  England,  and  thence 
they  received  by  sea  their  yearly  supplies.  They  possessed 
an  influence  over  the  Indians  which  was  wonderful,  and 
which  the  perfect  system  of  their  operations  enabled  them 
for  years  to  maintain.  But  the  transfer  of  the  country  to 
the  Americans,  and  the  progress  of  civilization  around 
them  driving  off  the  Indians  and  beaver,  have  forced  them 
to  remove  much  of  their  business  to  other  posts. 

Fort  Vancouver  is  probably  the  most  pleasant  of  our 
posts  on  the  Pacific  coast.  The  place  is  healthy  and  the 
scenery  around  beautiful,  furnishing  opportunities  of  fish- 
ing, hunting,  and  riding,  while  its  nearness  to  Portland  and 
Oregon  City  prevents  the  young  officers  from  being,  as  at 
many  other  western  posts,  deprived  of  the  refining  influence 
of  female  society.  Many  are  the  occasions  on  which  they 
find  it  necessary  to  drop  down  to  these  places.  Deserters 
are  supposed  to  be  lurking  there,  garrison  stores  are  to  be 
provided,  or  some  other  of  Uncle  Sam's  interests  are  to  be 
looked  after.  Th§n,  these  visits  must  be  returned,  for  the 
inhabitants  of  these  places  have  an  equal  c^re  for  the  wel- 
fare of  their  neighbors  at  the  fort.  Numerous,  therefore, 
are  the  parties  of  pleasure  which  come  from  these  towns 
to  enliven  the  solitude  of  the  garrison.  On  these  occasions 
they  are  welcomed  by  balls,  and  night  after  night  music  is 
heard  floating  over  the  waters  of  the  Columbia  river,  and 
the  brilliant  glare  of  lights  from  the  fort  shows  that  tattoo 
is  not  the  signal  for  all  within  its  walls  to  retire. 
2* 


18  DEPARTURE. 

On  landing,  the  officers  were  distributed  around,  while 
Lieutenant  White  and  myself  were  indebted  for  our  quar- 
ters to  the  hospitality  of  Major  Alvord. 

When  I  was  here,  three  years  ago,  the  post  was  quiet 
enough,  there  being  but  three  companies  stationed  at  it. 
Now  it  is  as  lively  as  can  be,  being  the  landing-place  of 
all  those  on  their  way  to  the  seat  of  war,  and  where  they 
are  equipped  for  the  field  ; — constant  drills  going  on,  and 
nothing  but  hurry  and  preparation  from  morning  to  night. 
The  rattle  of  the  drum  and  the  notes  of  the  bugle  are  the 
constant  sounds  we  hear. 

June  20th. — Had  a  general  review  to-day.  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Morris,  (Fourth  Infantry),  who  commands  the  post, 
inspected  our  companies,  together  with  those  stationed  here. 

June  2 15^.— Captain  Keyes,  with  companies  A  and  M, 
left  this  morning  for  the  Dalles.  My  company  must 
wait  until  next  week  for  the  arrival  of  the  Columbia,  as  she 
brings  up  arms  and  ammunition,  and  the  men  must  be 
equipped  anew,  before  they  can  go  into  the  field.  Colonel 
George  Wright,  (Ninth  Infantry),  will  take  command  of 
the  expedition,  while  Captain  Keyes  will  have  command 
of  the  Artillery  Companies  in  the  field.  Six  companies 
of  the  Third  Artillery  will  be  collected  at  Fort  Walla 
Walla  ;  a  larger  number  of  the  regiment  than  have  been 
together  since  they  were  wrecked,  five  years  ago,  on  the 
ill-fated  steamer  San  Francisco. 

June  23rd — Last  night  the  s-teamer  arrived,  bringing 
General  Clark^and  Staff,  Captain  Kirkham,  Quarter-mas- 
ter, Lieutenant  Walker,  A.  D.  C,  and  Lieutenant  Sill,  of 
the  Ordnance  Corps.  They  stopped  at  Umqua,  and  took 
in  Company  B,  of  the  Third  Artillery,  commanded  by 
Lieutenants  George  P.  Ihrie  and  James  Howard.  A  salute 
of  eleven  guns  was  fired  this  morning  for  General  Clarke. 
Colonels  Wright  and  Steptoe  are  ordered  down  to  Fort 
Vancouver  to  have  a  consultation  with  General  Clarke. 


DEPARTURE.  19 

This  morning  our  company  left  Fort  Vancouver  in  the 
steamer  for  the  Dalles;  the  officers,  Lieutenants  White, 
Eansom,  and  myself.  It  is  about  fifty  miles  to  the  Cascades. 
The  scenery  of  the  river  is  in  all  parts  beautiful,  but  very 
varied  in  its  character.  The  pine  forests  stretch  down  to 
the  banks,  enlivened  here  and  there  by  the  cultivated  spot 
which  some  settler  has  cleared,  whose  axe  awakened  new 
and  strange  echoes  as  it  rang  through  the  primeval  woods. 
On  the  margin  of  the  shore,  and  particularly  on  one  of  the 
islands,  we  noticed  the  dead-houses  of  the  Indians,  rudely 
constructed  of  logs.  Within,  the  bodies  of  the  deceased 
are  placed  for  a  time,  attired  in  their  best  array,  until  the 
building  becomes  filled.  Then  the  oldest  occupants  are 
removed  and  placed  on  the  shore,  till  the  tide  launches 
them  off  on  their  last  voyage,  and  they  are  swept  down  to 
the  ocean,  which  to  the  "untutored  savage"  as  to  his  more 
cultivated  brethren,  symbolizes  Eternity. 

When  a  chief  dies,  his  body  is  somethnes  wrapped  in  a 
blanket  and  su^ended  between  two  trees,  as  if  swinging 
in  a  hammock.  We  saw  one  which  had  already  remained 
in  that  situation  more  than  six  months. 

At  six  in  the  evening  we  reached  the  Cascades,  the  head 
of  navigation.  Here  a  portage  has  to  be  made,  as  the 
river  for  more  than  two  miles  flows  over  the  rocks,  whirling 
and  boiling  in  a  succession  of  rapids  similar  to  those  in  the 
river  St.  Lawrence.  This  is  the  great  salmon  fishery  of 
the  Columbia  river,  the  season  for  which  is  in  the  spring, 
when  the  fish  ascend  the  river  in  incredible  numbers.  The 
banks  are  inhabited  by  the  remains  of  the  Indian  tribes, 
(most  of  them'having  been  removed  to  the  Indian  Reser- 
vations,) who  display  their  skill  in  catching  the  salmon, 
which  they  dry  for  exportation.  Little  bridges  are  thrown 
out  over  the  rocks,  on  which  the  Indians  post  themselves, 
with  nets  on  hoops,  to   which  long  handles  are  attached. 


20  DEPARTURE. 

"VYith  these  they  scoop  up  the  fish  and  throw  them  on  the 
shore.  They  are  then  pounded  fine  between  two  stones, 
cured,  and  tightly  packed  in  bales  of  grass  matting  lined 
with  dried  fish-skin,  in  which  state  they  will  keep  for  years. 
The  process  is  now-  precisely  the  same  as  it  was  when  des- 
cribed by  Lewis  and  Clarke.  The  aboriginal  village  of  Wish- 
ram,  at  the  head  of  the  narrows,  which  they  mention  as 
being  the  place  of  resort  for  the  tribes  from  the  interior  to 
barter  for  fish,  is  yet  in  existence.  We  still  notice,  too, 
the  difference  which  those  early  explorers  observed,  be- 
tween these  Indians  and  those  of  the  plains.  The  latter, 
living  on  horseback,  are  finely  developed,  and  look  like 
warriors  ;  the  former,  engaged  only  in  their  canoes,  or  stoop- 
ing over  the  banks,  are  low  in  stature,  and  seem  to  have 
been  dwarfed  out  of  all  manhood.  In  every  thing  noble 
they  are  many  degrees  below  the  wild  tribes  on  the  plains. 

At  the  Cascades  the  men  were  landed,  and  camped  for 
the  night,  while  the  officers  were  supplied  with  quarters 
by  Lieutenant  Mallory,  (Fourth  Infantry),  who  has  com- 
mand of  the  company  stationed  at  this  post.  During  the 
last  Indian  war,  three  years  ago,  this  little  settlement  was 
surprised  and  almost  entirely  destroyed  by  the  Indians. 

June  24:th. — In  the  morning  we  marched  the  men  about 
four  miles,  across  the  portage,  and  embarked  in  another 
little  steamer  which  was  to  carry  us  to  the  Dalles.  The 
scenery  above  was  similar  to  that  which  we  had  already 
passed.  In  one  place  the  mountains  seem  to  come  down 
to  the  river,  ending  in  a  huge  rock  perfectly  steep,  which 
has  received  the  name  of  Cape  Horn,  Above,  the  preci- 
pices are  covered  with  fir  and  white  cedar ;  two  small  cas- 
cades, like  silver  lines,  leap  from  point  to  point  for  a  dis- 
tance of  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  while  below,  in  the 
deep  shadow,  the  waters  sweep  around  the  rocks  with  a  sul^ 
len  sound,  About  six:  in  the  evening  we  reached  the 
Dalles, 


III. 

FORT  DALLES  AND  THE 
MARCH. 


«>      • 


CHAPTER  III. 

FORT  DALLES  AND  THE  MARCH. 

HEIS"  last  I  saw  this  post,  three  years  since,  it 
seemed  to  me  to  be  the  most  unattractive  on  the 
Pacific.  Without  even  tlie  beauty  of  scenery 
which  surrounds  Fort  Vancouver,  its  sole  re- 
commendation was  its  healthiness.  Nor  did  the 
Government  buildings  add  anything  to  its  ap- 
pearance. Planned  and  erected  some  years  ago  by  the 
Mounted  Rifles,  when  they  were  stationed  in  Oregon,  they 
were  remarkably  primitive,  and  very  little  attention  had 
been  bestowed  upon  their  architecture.  In  those  days,  the 
ornamental  had  not  yet  been  developed  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
The  change  now  is  a  great  one,  for  during  the  past  year 
new  quarters  have  been  erected,  under  the  direction  of 
Captain  Jordan,  Quarter-master,  which  are  arranged  in 
every"  way  to  promote  the  convenience  of  those  for  whom 
they  are  intended.  The  officers'  quarters  are  in  the  cot- 
tage form,  and  for  taste  are  superior  to  those  we  have  seen 
at  any  other  post. 

On  our  arrival,  my  company,  together  with  the  three  of 
the  Third  Artillery  already  there,  camped  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  the  barracks,  while  the  officers'  tents  were 
pitched  a  short  distance  from  those  of  the  men. 

We  at  once  commenced  our  regular  routine.     At  nine 


24  FORT  DALLES  AND   THE   MARCH. 

in  the  morning,  we  have  dress  parade ;  at  half-past  nine,  we 
drill  for  an  hour,  (light  infantry,  Hardie's  tactics);  at 
twelve,  the  men  are  practiced  at  firing  at  a  mark,  and  esti- 
mating distances ;  at  five  in  the  evening,  we  have  drill ; 
and  at  half-past  six,  guard  mounting.  Drilling,  too,  is  a 
very  different  matter  from  what  it  is  at  a  post  in  time  of 
peace.  Then,  it  is  a  sort  of  pro  forma  business,  in  which 
neither  ofiScers  nor  men  take  much  interest.  Now,  it  is 
invested  with  a  reality,  since  all  are  conscious  that  our 
success  in  the  field  depends  perhaps  upon  the  state  of  dis- 
cipline. 

Still,  there  is  time  for  sociability,  and  the  esprit  du  corps 
which  prevails  in  the  Army,  renders  a  meeting  of  officers  of 
different  regiments  a  delightful  reunion.  We  have  our 
mess  in  camp,  but  are  constantly  dining  with  the  officers  at 
the  post.  This  is  the  head- quarters  of  the  Ninth  Infantry, 
and  their  band  is  an  exceedingly  fine  one. 

June  28th. — Colonel  Steptoe  arrived  from  Walla  Walla, 
on  his  way  to  Vancouver;  and  on  the  same  day.  Major 
Mackall,  Assistant  Adjutant  General,  Major  Allen,  Quar- 
termaster, and  Captains  Ingalls,  Kirkham  and  Jordan, 
came  up  from  Yancouver.  They  all  returned  in  a  couple 
of  days,  except  Colonel  Steptoe,  and  Captain  Jordan  who 
is  stationed  here. 

June  SOth. — Major  Mackall  reviewed  us ;  after  which  we 
had  muster.  The  officers  are  now  mounted,  and  we  are 
only  waiting  the  arrival  of  the  steamer  with  additional 
stores,  to  begin  our  march. 

The  news  brought  in  from  the  country  of  the  hostile 
Indians  is,  that  they  have  made  a  league  among  themselves 
to  carry  on  this  war  for  five  years.  This  they  consider  to 
be  the  last  struggle  in  which  they  will  have  to  engage,  as 
in  that  time  they  can  exterminate  the  whites. 

July  7th. — At  three  in  the  afternoon  we  took  leave  of 


FORT  DALLES  AND  THE  MARCH.  25 

the  officers  to  whose  hospitality  we  have  been  so  much 
indebted,  and  commenced  our  march  across  the  plains. 
The  length  of  each  day's  march  will  have  to  be  regulated 
by  the  water,  which  in  some  places  is  not  to  be  found  for 
a  distance  of  twenty  miles.  The  country  over  which  we 
passed  during  the  afternoon  is  barren  and  desolate,  unfit 
for  culture,  except  a  few  spots  on  the  river.  After  a  march 
of  six  miles,  we  reached  Five  Mile  Creek,  where  we  camped 
for  the  night. 

Our  time  of  starting  in  the  morning  depends  on  the 
length  of  the  march  before  us.  When  it  is  to  be  a  long 
one,  we  have  reveille  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and 
get  under  way  by  five.  With  short  marches,  reveille  was 
at  five,  and  we  marched  at  seven.  It  takes  two  hours  to 
pack  up  and  get  the  command  started.  Through  the 
twelve  and  a  half  days  which  it  took  to  reach  Walla  Walla, 
our  march  varied  from  five  to  thirty  miles  a  day.*  The 
soldiers  in  marching  average  a  mile  in  twenty  minutes. 

Our  order  of  march  was,  to  have  two  companies  in  ad-, 
vance, — then,  the  train, — then,  two  companies  more, — 
then,  a  rear  guard-  of  twenty  men  behind,  under  a  lieu- 
tenant, with  the  hospital  wagon.     Their  duty  was  to  pick 

*  We  give  the  list  of  each  day's  march  to  Walla  Walla : 

July  nh.  To  Five  Mile  Creek, 6  miles. 

"    8"      "Des  Chutes, 10  " 

»  "9"      "  Mud  Springs, 11  " 

"  10  "     "  Camp  beyond  John  Day's  River, 20  " 

"  11 ''     "  Rock  Creek, 6  " 

"  12  "     "  Willow  Creek, 20  " 

"  13  "      "  Butter  Creek, -30  " 

"  14  "      "  Umatilla  River, 13  " 

"  15  "      '•  Camp  up  Umatilla  River, 5  " 

"16"     "  McKay's  River, 16  " 

u  17  a      "  Wild  Horse  Creek, 18  " 

"18"      Camp, 13  " 

''  19  "     Walla  Walla, :   •  •  9  " 


26  FORT  DALLES  AND  THE  MARCH. 

up  all  stragglers  and  to  keep  in  the  rear  of:  everything. 
The  companies  in  front  and  rear  alternated  every  day. 
Our  transportation  was  limited  to  ten  pack  mules  to  each 
company,  and  one  wagon  to  two  companies.  We  had 
thirteen  wagons  in  the  train. 

When  about  half  way  to  Walla  Walla,  Colonel  Steptoe, 
Captain  Kirkham  and  Lieutenant  Davidson  passed  us  on 
their  way  to  Walla  Walla,  with  an  escort  of  fifteen  dra- 
goons. Lieutenant  Davidson  goes  up  to  take  command 
of  one  of  the  Dragoon  companies,  in  place  of  Lieutenant 
Gaston,  who  was  killed  in  the  late  action. 

During  most  of  our  march  the  weather  was  exceedingly 
hot.  This  was  particularly  the  case  the  day  we  were 
obliged  to  advance  thirty  miles.  It  took  the  men  exactly 
twelve  hours,  starting  at  half-past  five  in  the  morning. 
The  sun — hot  as  the  tropics — beat  down  on  our  heads 
with  an  intolerable  glare,  while  there  was  nothing  in  the 
appearance  of  the  country  to  afford  any  relief  Far  as 
the  eye  could  reach  was  only  a  sun-burnt  plain,  perfectly 
lifeless, — for  the  summer's  sun,  by  burning  up  the  herbage, 
had  driven  the  game  to  seek  refuge  by  the  rivers.  The 
prairie  was  covered  with  a  miserable  crop  of  salt  week  and 
wormwood,  and  even  the  horses  of  the  ofilcers  drooped 
when  the  sun  began  sinking  towards  the  west ;  still 
our  camping-ground  was  not  in  sight.  Yet,  on  the  men 
marched,  loaded  with  their  equipments,  and  through  a 
stifling  dust,  which  added  to  the  exhaustion  of  the  heat. 

The  line  of  country  through  which  we  passed  is  varied, 
the  plains  generally  barren  and  desolate,  though  some- 
times covered  with  thick  bunch  grass  which  affords  good 
pasturage  to  cattle.  It  is  rolling  in  its  character,  and 
probably  ill  adapted  for  culture,  except  along  the  rivers. 
The  absence  of  timber  tends  to  give  it  a  more  waste  ap- 
pearance.     Along  John   Day's  river,  (so  called  from  a 


FOET  DALLES  AND  THE  MARCH.  27 

hunter  wiio  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  Mr. 
Astor's  enterprise,)  there  is  but  little  wood,  and  that  of  a 
small  size,  often  not  larger  than  brushwood.  Along  the 
Umatilla  and  Walla  Walla,  on  the  contrary,  the  timber  is 
abundant  and  heavy,  and  the  water  is  excellent. 

The  valleys  are  the  redeeming  features  of  this  country. 
The  Des  Chutes  valley  is  admirable  for  grazing,  as  the 
temperature  is  such  that  cattle  can  be  kept  out  the  whole 
year  and  find  subsistence.  It  is  the  place  where  formerly 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company  raised  all  the  best  horses  they 
used.  The  Umatilla  valley  is  one  of  the  richest  and  best 
adapted  for  cultivation  of  any  on  this  side  of  the  Kocky 
mountains.  It  has  plenty  of  wood,  and  much  of  it  is 
heavy  timber.  The  Walla  Walla  valley,  too,  is  a  large  and 
fertile  one,  and  in  places  where  cultivation  has  been  at- 
tempted, it  shows  that  the  products  will  amply  repay  the 
laborer. 

We  saw  no  signs  of  Indians  until  the  day  before  we 
reached  Walla  Walla,  when  before  we  broke  up  camp  in 
the  morning,  two  Indians  (one  a  Walla  Walla  and  the 
other  a  Cayuse,)  came  in,  as  they  said,  for  protection. 
They  told  us  that  the  Snakes  and  Cayuses  had  a  fight 
two  days  before,  and  the  latter  had  been  defeated. 


lY, 


FORT  WALLA  WALLA 


CHAPTER   IV. 

FORT     WALLA     WALLA. 

'E  reached  Fort  Walla  Walla,  July  19tli,  after  a 
march  of  twelve  and  a  half  days.  The  fort  is 
almost  on  the  ground  of  the  Walla  Walla  Coun- 
cil which  I  attended  three  years  ago,  when  those 
tribes  we  are  now  to  fight  were  all  represented,  and 
their  great  leader,  Kamiaken,  was  himself  present.  It  is 
in  a  beautiful  spot  of  the  Walla  Walla  valley,  well  wooded 
and  with  plenty  of  water.  Ten  miles  distant  is  seen  the 
range  of  the  Blue  mountains,  forming  the  south-eastern 
boundary  of  the  great  plains  along  the  Columbia,  whose 
waters  it  divides  from  those  of  Lewis  river.  It  stretches 
away  along  the  horizon  until  it  is  lost  in  the  dim  distance, 
where  the  chain  unites  with  the  Snake  River  mountains. 

At  this  post  are  stationed  four  companies  of  the  First 
Dragoons,  and  two  of  the  Ninth  Infantry.  The  Dragoon 
officers  are  Major  Grier,  Lieutenants  Davidson,  Pender, 
Gregg  and  Wheeler.  The  Infantry  officers  are  Colonel 
Steptoe,  Captains  Dent  and  Winder,  Lieutenants  Fleming 
and  Harvie.  Besides  these,  are  Captain  Kirkham,  Quarter- 
master, and  Dr.  Randolph,  Surgeon.  The  dragoon  can- 
tonment and  the  infantry  post  are  about  a  mile  apart,  and 
we  are  encamped  between  them. 

The  two  companies  of  the  Fourth  Infantry,  which  were 


82  FOBT  WALLA  WALLA. 

lately  ordered  up  here,  have  had  their  orders  changed  and 
go  to  Simcoe.  A  command,  consisting  of  three  hundred 
men,  leaves  there  on  the  15th  of  next  month  for  the 
Yakima  country,  under  Major  Garnett. 

One  of  the  first  persons  who  came  into  camp  to  see  us 
was  a  Cayuse  Indian,  Cutmouth  John,  who  was  Lieuten- 
ant Gracie's  guide  through  this  country  three  years  ago, 
when  I  accompanied  him  on  his  march  with  a  detachment 
of  the  Fourth  Infantry,  to  act  as  escort  to  Governor 
Stevens  at  the  Walla  Walla  council.  This  worthy  had  a 
dreadful  distortion  of  visage,  from  having  been  shot  in  the 
mouth  in  a  fight  Avith  the  Snake  Indians,  and  hence  his 
soubriquet.  He  once  lived  with  Dr.  Whitman,  physician 
to  a  Presbyterian  mission  which  existed  for  a  time  near 
Walla  Walla,  and  when  the  Doctor  and  his  family  (seven 
in  number)  were  cut  off  in  1847,  he  defended  them  as 
long  as  possible  and  received  at  that  time  his  wound. 

John  seemed  very  glad  to  see  me,  after  our  long  separa- 
tion, and  during  the  expedition  was  a  visitor  almost  every 
evening  at  our  tent.  He  was  exceedingly  fond  of  talking 
about  his  former  connection  with  the  mission,  and  yet,  it 
must  be  acknowledged  that  he  had  not  retained  much  of 
the  Christianity  he  learned  while  there.  His  sole  stock 
consisted  of  two  or  three  hymns,  with  which  he  always 
insisted  upon  favoring  us,  particularly  when  he  had  im- 
bibed too  much  whiskey,  a  contingency  occurring  far  more 
frequently  than  was  for  his  good. 

Colonel  Wright,  who  is  to  take  command  of  the  expe- 
dition, has  arrived,  and  drills  and  reviews  are  going  on  as 
usual.  The  Third  Artillery  drill  twice  a  day  in  Light 
Infantry  tactics,  except  Major  AYyse's  company,  which 
practices  at  artillery  drill,  mounted  battery,  mules  being 
used  for  horses. 

August  1st — Colonel  Wright  and  staff  this  morning  re- 


FORT  WALLA  WALLA.  33 

viewed  all  the  troops,  each  corps  separately.  The  expe- 
dition will  consist  of  about  seven  hundred  men,  while 
about  a  hundred  will  be  left  to  garrison  Fort  Walla  Walla, 
under  Colonel  Steptoe. 

A  few  days  ago  sixty  Nez  Percys  arrived,  under  an  old 
chief,  named  Lawyer,  whom  I  knew  at  the  council  in  1855. 
He  has  been  a  great  warrior  in  his  day,  and  is  still  suffer- 
ing from  a  wound  in  his  side  which  he  received  many 
years  ago  in  a  fight  with  their  old  hereditary  enemies,  the 
Blackfeet  Indians.  These  are  the  most  dangerous  banditti 
among  all  the  tribes, — perfect  Ishmaelites, — who,  while 
they  are  at  war  with  all  the  neighboring  savages,  have 
nourished  the  most  implacable  hatred  to  the  whites,  since 
they  first  met  them  in  the  days  of  Lewis  and  Clarke. 
War  is  their  employment,  and  the  booty  they  gain  by  it, 
their  support.  They  are  admirable  horsemen,  and  as  much 
distinguished  for  their  treachery  as  for  their  headlong 
courage.  Their  hunting-grounds  extend  from  the  Yellow 
Stone  and  Missouri  rivers  to  the  Eocky  mountains. 

The  Nez  Perce,  or  pierced-nose  Indians,  received  this 
name  from  the  early  traders  and  trappers,  but  they  call 
themselves  by  the  name  of  Chipunnish.  While  they  are 
the  most  friendly  to  the  whites  of  any  tribe  in  this  region, 
they  are  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  most  numerous  and 
powerful,  roaming  over  the  whole  Kocky  mountains,  along 
the  streams  to  the  West,  and  across  the  almost  limitless 
plains  to  the  East,  until  they  reach  the  hunting-grounds 
of  the  tribes  of  the  Missouri.  They  hunt  the  elk,  the 
white  bear,  the  mountain  sheep,  and  the  buffalo,  while  they 
trap  the  beaver  to  sell  the  skins  to  the  whites.  They  are 
celebrated  for  their  droves  of  horses,  which,  after  being 
branded,  are  turned  loose  to  roam  upon  the  fertile  plains 
till  needed  by  their  owners:  when  this  is  the  case,  it  requires 
but  a  few  days  to  break  them  sufficiently  to  answer  the 
purpose  of  their  bold  riders, 
3 


84  FORT   WALLA  WALLA. 

The  warriors  leave  all  labor  to  the  women.  They  per- 
form all  the  menial  offices,  arranging  the  lodge,  cooking, 
and  bringing  wood ;  for  it  would  be  a  disgrace  to  their 
lords  to  be  seen  engaged  in  these  things.  It  would  procure 
for  them  the  title  of  squaws.  Everything  but  the  perils 
of  war  and  the  chase  are  beneath  their  attention.  When 
at  home  and  not  occupied  in  preparing  their  arms,  or  in 
feats  of  horsemanship,  they  are  gambling,  lounging  in 
groups  on  the  mounds  of  the  prairie,  or  listening' to  some 
story-teller,  who  recounts  the  exploits  of  the  old  warriors 
of  the  tribe. 

The  Nez  Percys  are  blessed  with  a  more  tractable  dispo- 
sition than  most  of  their  brethren,  and  we  have  never  seen 
any  Indians  who  appear  so  willing  to  be  instructed,  not 
only  in  the  arts  of  civilization,  but  also  in  the  precepts  of 
Christianity.  At  an  early  day  the  Presbyterian  mission- 
aries went  among  them,  and  their  labors  met  with  consid- 
erable success.  A  kind  of  Christianity  was  introduced 
among  them,  strangely  altered,  indeed,  in  many  respects, 
to  bring  it  into  harmony  with  Indian  thoughts  and  actions, 
yet  still  retaining  many  of  the  great  truths  of  the  faith.  The 
Methodists  subsequently  added  their  teaching ;  and  many 
of  them  have  been  brought  into  contact  with  the  Jesuit 
Fathers,  one  of  whose  missions  is  established  in  the  Coeur 
d'Alene  country.  We  believe,  therefore,  that  the  theo- 
logical creed  of  the  Nez  Perces,  if  now  investigated,  would 
probably  be  an  odd  system,  which  would  startle  an  ordi- 
nary D.  D. 

Still,  it  exerted  a  very  perceptible  influence  over  their 
system  of  morality  and  their  daily  life.  When  with  Lieu- 
tenant Gracie  at  the  council,  on  this  spot,  in  1855,  twenty- 
five  hundred  of  the  Nez  Percys  tribe  were  present ;  and  as 
we  were  camped  among  them  for  three  weeks,  I  had  an 
opportunity  of  learning  something  of  their  habits.    I  found 


FOET  WALLA  WALLA.  35 

thej  had  prayers  in  their  lodges  every  morning  and  eve- 
ning, service  several  times  on  Sunday, —  and  nothing 
could  induce  them  on  that  day  to  engage  in  any  trading. 

On  one  occasion,  at  that  time,  visiting  the  old  chief 
Lawyer  in  his  lodge,  on  some  evening  in  the  middle  of  the 
week,  I  found  him  surrounded  by  his  family,  and  reading 
a  portion  of  the  New  Testament.  On  another  occasion,  on 
a  Saturday  evening,  he  was  employed  with  a  number  of 
his  tribe  in  singing  sacred  music  to  prepare  for  the  worship 
of  the  morrow.  The  next  day,  therefore,  we  rode  over  to 
the  Nez  Perc^  camp,  where  we  found  they  were  holding 
service  in  one  of  the  largest  lodges.  Two  of  the  chiefs  were 
officiating,  one  of  them  delivering  an  address,  (taking  the 
Ten  Commandments  for  his  text,)  and  at  the  end  of  each 
sentence  the  other  chief  would  repeat  it  in  a  louder  tone  of 
voice.  This  is  their  invariable  custom  with  all  their  speeches. 
Everything  was  conducted  with  the  greatest  propriety,  and 
the  singing,  in  which  they  all  joined,  had  an  exceedingly 
musical  effect.  We  found  indeed  an  odd  mixture  of  this 
world  and  the  next  in  some  of  the  Nez  Perces — an  equal 
love  of  fighting  and  devotion — the  wildest  Indians'  traits 
with  a  strictness  in  some  religious  rites,  which  might  shame 
those  "  who  profess  and  call  themselves  Christians." 

Colonel  Wright  has  had  "  a  talk"  with  the  deputation 
of  the  tribe,  and  made  arrangements  by  which  they  have 
become  our  allies.  This  will  have  the  effect  of  withdraw- 
ing some  seventeen  hundred  Hudson  Bay  muskets  from 
the  ranks  of  the  hostile  Indians,  though  we  understand 
there  are  some  discontented  lodges  among  the  Nez  Perces 
which  will  unite  with  them.  Still,  the  great  body  of  the 
tribe  will  probably  be  faithful  to  their  pledge.  A  party, 
too,  is  to  go  with  us  to  act  as  guides  and  scouts.  At  night 
they  had  a  spirited  war  dance  to  celebrate  the  forming  of 
this  alliance. 


V. 


FORT  TAYLOR. 


CHAPTER  V. 


FORT     TAYLOR. 


UGUST  5th.— To-day  the  Third  Artillery  received 
orders  to  march  in  two  days  as  far  as  Snake  river 
(about  sixty  miles),  to  erect  fortifications.  This 
will  take  about  a  week.  By  that  time  the  rest  of 
the  command  will  arrive  there,  when  we  will  all 
start  together.  For  some  days  Lieutenant  White 
has  been  employed  in  superintending  the  making  of  gabions 
for  the  field  works,  as  there  is  no  wood  on  Snake  river 
adapted  to  this  purpose. 

August  7ih. — We  left  Walla  Walla  at  nine  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  marched  eight  miles  to  Dry  creek,  finding  the 
country  covered  with  luxurious  grass,  and  an  abundance 
of  wood  and  excellent  water. 

Our  force,  which  is  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Keyes,  consists  of  one  company  of  dragoons  and  six  com- 
panies of  artillery,  with  two  twelve  pounder  howitzers 
and  two  six  pounder  guns.  We  transport  with  us,  on 
pack  mules  and  in  wagons,  thirty  thousand  rations. 

August  8th, — -Marched  thirteen  miles  to  Touche  river, 
a  well  wooded  stream,  skirted  by  rich  valleys,  where  the 
grass  is  too  moist  for  the  Indians  to  burn,  as  they  have 
done  that  on  the  entire  plains  from  Walla  Walla  to  Snake 
river.  They  hope  thus  to  drive  us  back,  by  depriving 
us  of  forage  for  our  animals. 

About  half-way  on  our  day's  march  an  express  arrived 
from  Colonel  Wright  to  Captain  Keyes,  with  the  informa- 
tion that  the  night  before  a  party  of  Indians  had  driven 
off  thirty-six  oxen  from  Walla  Walla,  and  ordering  him 
to  send  Lieutenant  Davidson,  with  his  company  of  dra- 


40  FORT  TAYLOR. 

goons,  in  pursuit.  Lieutenant  Gr.  H.  Hill,  (Third  Artillery,) 
joined  him.  in  the  expedition.  After  scouting  over  the 
country  for  thirty  miles,  as  night  approached,  they  had 
discovered  no  signs  of  the  Indians,  and  being  in  a  region 
with  which  their  guides  were  unacquainted,  they  returned, 
reaching  camp  late  in  the  evening. 

August  9th. — Marched  seven  miles  through  clouds  of 
dust,  the  grass  in  most  places  having  been  burned  by  the 
Indians.  The  country  is  so  rough  and  broken  that  Captain 
Keyes  was  obliged  to  send  ahead  an  officer  with  a  party 
of  men,  to  act  as  pioneers  in  constructing  a  road.  In  the 
course  of  the  morning  two  of  our  wagons  were  overturned, 
but  with  very  little  damage. 

An  express  came  into  camp  in  the  evening,  from  Walla 
Walla,  informing  us  that  Lieutenant  Gregg,  with  his  com- 
pany of  dragoons,  had  pursued  the  Indians  who  had  driven 
off  the  cattle,  but  only  gained  sight  of  them  as  they  were 
crossing  Snake  river,  and  his  command  was  not  strong 
enough  for  him  to  venture  over. 

We  ascertained  there  were  parties  of  Indians  hovering 
around  us  and  in  our  rear,  but  we  could  not  discover  their 
strength.  During  the  day  we  took  prisoner  a  Walla  Walla 
Indian,  but  no  information  could  be  gained  from  him,  and 
in  a  couple  of  days  he  was  released. 

August  10th. — To-day  we  marched  twelve  miles,  and 
encamped  on  the  Tucanon,  a  narrow  but  in  some  places 
deep  stream,  and  its  valley  fertile.  It  empties  into  Snake 
river,  and  somewhere  in  this  vicinity  we  are  to  throw  up 
the  fortifications  for  our  depot  while  we  are  in  the  hostile 
country. 

As  soon  as  we  arrived  at  camping  ground,  Captain  Keyes 
sent  Lieutenant  Mullan,  (Second  Artillery,)  who  accom- 
panies us  as  Acting  Topographical  Engineer  to  the  com- 
mand, with  a  detachment  of  dragoons,  to  find  what  kind 
of  road  there  was  to  the  river.     He  returned  and  made  a 


FORT  TAYLOR.  41 

very  unfavorable  report.  At  the  same  time,  lie  decided 
that  we  were  in  the  best  place  for  the  camp,  as  he  had 
examined  the  Tucanon  to  its  mouth,  and  the  Snake  river 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Pelouze,  to  select  the  most  favorable 
position  for  us. 

We  are  now  camped  for  a  week  at  least,  until  the  forti- 
fications are  thrown  up,  and  Colonel  Wright  joins  us  with 
the  rest  of  the  command. 

August  11th. — This  morning  Lieutenant  Morgan  and 
myself  were  detailed  with  a  party  of  sixty  men  to  cut  a 
road  to  Snake  river,  which  we  accomplished  by  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  command  was  then  marched 
down  and  encamped  on  the  river. 

While  working  on  the  road,  about  half  way  to  the 
river,  we  heard  musket  shots  ahead,  and  thinking  that  the 
hostiles  might  have  crossed  the  river  and  driven  in  our 
pickets,  Lieutenant  Morgan  ordered  me  on  with  ten  men 
to  support  them.  On  reaching  the  river,  I  found  that 
some  Indians  had  crossed  to  our  side,  and,  on  returning, 
had  been  exchanging  shots  with  our  sentinels.  At  the 
same  time  a  small  party  appeared  on  the  opposite  bank, 
but  a  single  vollc}^  from  our  men  caused  them  to  wheel 
their  horses  and  ride  off. 

To-day  Lieutenant  Mullan  had  quite  an  adventure. 
Captain  Keyes,  with  a  detachment  of  dragoons,  having 
gone  to  Snake  river  to  select  a  site  for  the  fort,  while  there 
captured  two  Indians,  who  were  left  under  the  charge  of  a 
sergeant  and  three  men.  They  had  not  marched,  however, 
a  hundred  yards,  when  the  Indians  broke  from  them  and 
sprang  into  the  river.  The  party  fired  at  them  without  effect, 
as  they  were  concealed  by  the  growth  of  willows  on  the 
banks,  which  is  dense  and  impenetrable,  when  Lieutenant 
Mullan  dashed  into  the  river  to  his  waist,  to  secure  one  of 
whom  he  caught  sight.  The  Indian  was  an  exceedingly 
athletic  savage,  the  sight  of  whose  proportions  would  have 
3* 


42  FORT  TAYLOR. 

tempered  most  persons'  valor  with  discretion.  But  my 
gallant  friend  is  not  one  to  calculate  odds  in  beginning  a 
fight.  The  Indian  dived  as  the  lieutenant  fired  at  him, 
and  came  up  with  some  heavy  stones,  which,  hurled  at 
his  antagonist,  bruised  him  severely.  He  then  seized 
ijieutenant  Mullan's  pistol,  which  had  got  thoroughly  wet, 
and  the  struggle  commenced  in  good  earnest,  grappling 
each  other,  now  under  water,  now  above.  It  might  have 
fared  badly  with  my  spirited  companion,  but  the  Indian, 
stepping  into  a  hole,  got  beyond  his  depth  and  was  obliged 
to  relinquish  his  hold,  when  he  made  off  and  escaped  to 
the  other  side. 

The  working  parties  have  commenced  throwing  up  the 
field  work,  which  yesterday,  in  General  Orders,  was  named 
Fort  Taylor,  after  Captain  Taylor,  of  the  dragoons,  who 
was  killed  in  Colonel  Steptoe's  fight.  It  is  in  latitude 
46°  33'  North,  longitude  118°  6'  West,  at  the  junction  of 
the  Snake  and  Tucanon  rivers.  It  stands  at  the  mouth 
of  a  canon,  with  high  bluffs  of  basalt  on  each  side,  about 
eight  hundred  yards  apart ;  one  being  two  hundred  and 
sixty,  the  other  three  hundred  and  ten  feet  high.  These, 
of  course,  command  it,  and  with  a  civilized  enemy  we 
should  be  soon  routed  out.  The  Indians,  however,  are 
not  scientific  enough  to  give  us  any  trouble  in  that  way. 

This  spot  seems  to  have  been  used  as  an  old  Indian 
burial-place,  for  we  are  surrounded  by  graves. 

August  ISth. — To-day  a  Eoman  Catholic  priest,  who 
belongs  to  the  Mission  in  the  Coeur  d'Alene  mountains, 
came  to  our  camp.  As  the  ''black  robes"  can  pass  to  and 
fro  uninjured  among  the  different  tribes,  he  was  sent  by 
Greneral  Clarke  to  the  Spokans  and  Coeur  "d'Alenes,  to 
announce  to  them  the  terms  on  which  he  would  make 
peace  with  them.  The  answer  which  they  sent  back  to 
the  General  was  exceedingly  bold  and  insulting.  They 
said, -^"  that  the  whites  were  always  talking  of  war,  and 


FORT   TAYLOR.  43 

the  first  to  propose  peace ;  that  the  Indians  were  ready  for 
war  and  did  not  wish  peace,  but  a  war  of  extermination." 
It  is  evident  that  their  hxte  success  has  rendered  them 
perfectly  defiant.  They  warn  us,  that  if  we  cross  Snake 
river,  we  shall  none  of  us  live  to  cross  back.  Dr.  Perkins, 
who  was  at  Fort  Colville  (the  Hudson  Bay  Company's 
post)  shortly  after  the  battle  with  Colonel  Steptoe's  com- 
mand, in  his  narrative  says, — "  The  sword  of  poor  Lieu- 
tenant Gaston  was  waved  in  my  face  by  the  Indian  who 
had  taken  it  from  him  at  the  time  of  Steptoe's  defeat.  The 
saddle  of  Captain  Taylor  was  also  shown  to  me,  covered 
with  his  blood.  These  things  the  Indians  displayed  with 
exultation,  saying  that  the  white  soldiers  were  women  and 
could  not  fight,  and  the  more  that  should  be  sent  into  that 
country  the  better  they  would  like  it,  for  they  would  kill 
them  all.  They  seemed  to  be  very  much  elated,  and  were 
confident  that  the  United  States  troops  could  not  stand 
before  them.  The  old  chiefs  told  us  they  were  going  to 
fight  till  they  died ;  they  had  plenty  of  arms,  ammunition, 
provisions,  and  everything  they  wanted ;  and  when  their 
ammunition  gave  out,  they  would  poison  their  arrows  and 
fight  with  them."  Such  is  the  temper  of  the  enemy,  to 
whom  we  are  to  teach  a  different  lesson. 

We  have  seen  but  little  of  the  Indians  for  the  last  few 
days.  Now  and  then  they  fire  upon  our  sentinels,  and 
shots  are  exchanged,  but  generally  without  effect.  Last 
night,  however,  we  had  quite  an  excitement  in  the  camp. 
About  nine  o'clock  an  Indian  was  heard  shouting  to  us 
from  the  other  side  of  the  river.  Captain  Keyes,  accom- 
panied by  the  officer  of.  the  day  and  the  interpreter.  Went 
down  at  once  to  ascertain  what  he  wanted.  On  reachijig 
the  bank,  the  interpreter  called  to  him,  when  he  began 
cursing  him  in  reply,  and  finished  up  by  telling  him  that 
"he  was  a  traitorous  Boston  (^.  e.  white)  soldier,  and  had 
no  business  to  be  with  us."     As  he  ended,  another  Indian 


44  FORT  TAYLOR. 

aimed  and  fired  at  our  interpreter,  wlien  four  of  our  sen- 
tinels at  once  returned  the  fire,  with  what  effect  the  dark- 
ness prevented  our  seeing.  The  companies  turned  out  at 
once,  and  remained  under  arms  for  about  an  hour ;  but 
the  firing  not  being  renewed,  they  were  dismissed  with 
orders  to  sleep  on  their  arms. 

August  18th. — An  express  was  received  last  evening 
from  Colonel  Wright,  saying  that  he  would  be  here  to-day, 
and  the  supply  train  the  day  after.  This  afternoon  his 
command  arrived.  The  dragoons  and  infantry  are  en- 
camped about  a  mile  from  us. 

The  fortifications  are  nearly  completed,  so  that  in  a  few 
days  we  shall  be  able  to  cross.  The  works^consist  of  a 
parallelogram,  with  two  towers  at  diagonal  corners.  The 
Nez  Perces  tell  us  that  the  Indians  are  collected  in  large 
numbers  at  the  Lakes,  about  five  days'  march  from  here, 
where  they  are  going  to  meet  us.  We  trust  it  is  so,  as  it 
will  give  us  an  opportunity  of  finishing  the  war,  instead  of 
making  it  a  campaign  of  guerrilla  skirmishing  in  the 
mountains.  For  several  nights  we  have  seen  the  light  of 
fires  ahead,  made  probably  by  the  Indians  burning  the 
plains  to  cut  off  our  supply  of  forage. 

As  soon  as  we  have  crossed  Snake  river,  the  Indians 
will  regard  us  as  having  "passed  the  Kubicon,"  and  being 
in  their  territories.  Then  the  campaign  will  begin  in  good 
earnest. 

Our  transportation  consists  of  six  mules  to  a  company, 
and  a  mule  to  each  ofiicer,  besides  the  three  hundred  and 
twenty-five  mules  which  the  quarter- master  has  in  his  train. 
Our  entire  train,  therefore,  consists  of  about  four  hundred 
mules.  Baggage  wagons  cannot  go  beyond  Snake  river. 
We  shall  attempt  to  take  only  one  light  vehicle,  which 
Lieutenant  MuUan  needs  for  his  instruments. 

Now  as  to  our  fighting  force.  The  dragoons  number 
one  hundred  and  ninety, — the  artillery,  four  hundred, — the 


FORT  TAYLOR.  45 

infantry  (as  Eifle  Brigade),  ninety.  Total,  about  six  hun- 
dred and  eighty  soldiers,  besides  about  two  hundred 
attaches^  as  packers,  wagon-masters,  herders,  &c. 

Then  we  have  thirty  Nez  Perces,  and  three  chiefs,  to 
act  as  scouts  and  guides.  They  were  placed  under  the 
command  of  Lieutenant  Mullan,  but  in  an  engagement  he 
found  their  individuality  developed  so  strongly  that  it  was 
difficult  for  him  to  induce  them  to  obey  orders.  Each  one 
was  fighting  on  his  own  responsibility.  These,  our  allies, 
have  been  dressed  in  uniform,  to  distinguish  them,  during 
a  fight,  from  the  hostiles.  Like  all  Indians,  they  are  par- 
ticularly delighted  with  their  clothes,  and  no  young  officer 
just  commissioned,  thinks  as  much  of  his  uniform  as  they 
do.  They  insist,  indeed,  upon  having  every  minute  por- 
tion, even  to  the  glazed  cap  covers. 

The  manner  of  our  march  can  be  best  shown  by  the  two 
following  Orders,  which  I  copy : — 

ORDERS  )  Head- Quarters,  Expedition  against  Northern  Indians. 

No.  5.     j  Camp  near  Fort  Walla  Walla. 

August  I8th,  1858. 

I.  The  residue  of  the  troops  for  the  Northern  Expedition  will  march 
from  Fort  Walla  Walla  to-morrow,  and  unite  with  the  advance  at  the 
Snake  river. 

II.  Marching  from  Snake  river,  the  order  will  be  as  follows : — 

1st.  The  Dragoons. 

2d.    The  Mountain  Howitzer  Company. 

3d.    The  Battalion  of  Artillery,  serving  as  Infantry. 

4th.  The  Rifle  Battalion  of  the  Ninth  Infantry. 

5th.  Pack  train  of  Corps  and  Head-Quarters. 

6th.  One  company  of  Infantry  as  rear  guard. 

7th.  General  train  of  Quarter-master  and  Commissary. 

8th.  One  troop  of  Dragoons  as  rear  guard. 

III.  The  mounted  troops  will  not  precede  the  Howitzer  Company 
more  than  four  hundred  yards ;  and  on  approaching  canons  or  defiles, 
where  Dragoons  cannot  operate  on  the  flanks,  they  will  be  halted  and 
the  Rifles  advanced. 

IV.  No  fire-arms  of  any  description  will  be  discharged,  either  on  the 
march  or  in  camp,  except  in  the  line  of  duty,  without  the  special  au- 
thority of  the  commanding  officer. 

V.  No  person,  except  the  employees  of  the  Staff  Department  and 
the  officers'  servants,  will  be  allowed  to  accompany  the  troops,  or  to 
encamp  with  them,  without  the  written  authority  of  the  commanding 
officer. 


46  FORT  TAYLOR. 

YI.  Habitually  the  Guard  will  consist  of  one  company,  and  mount  at 
retreat. 

VII.  It  is  announced  for  general  information,  that  a  body  of  friendly 
Nez  Perces  Indians  have  been  engaged  to  serve  with  the  troops.  These 
Indians  have  been  equipped  in  soldiers'  clothing,  in  order  to  distinguish 
them  from  the  hostiles.  Company  commanders  will  caution  their  men 
particularly  in  regard  to  these  friendly  Indians.  - 

VIII.  Whether  in  camp  or  on  the  march,  the  companies  will  parade 
with  arms,  at  retreat  and  reveille  roll  calls,  and  the  arms  and  ammunition 
will  be  inspected.  'Ihe  men  will  habitually  wear  and  sleep  in  their 
belts.  (By  order  of  Colonel  Wright,) 

P.  A.  Owen, 
1st  Lieut.  9th  Inf.,  A.  A.  A.  Gen. 

(CIRCULAR.)  Head- Quarters,  Camp  near  Fort  Taylor, 

August  24th,  1858. 

The  following  regulations,  in  addition  to  those  already  published,  will 
be  strictly  enforced  on  the  march  : — 

1st.  The  mules  with  ammunition  will  be  led,  and  follow  close  in  rear 
of  the  column,  in  compact  order  under  a  guard. 

2d.  The  baggage  mules  and  supply  train  will  be  kept  in  close  order 
in  rear  of  the  ammunition,  and  under  the  special  orders  of  the 
Quartermaster. 

3d.  The  ammunition  for  the  Mountain  Howitzers  will  follow  close  in 
rear  of  the  guns. 

4th.  The  animals  for  the  Hospital  Department  will  move  with  the 
ammunition. 

5th.  Particular  attention  will  be  given  by  company  and  battalion 
commanders,  to  see  that  the  men,  at  all  times,  by  day  and  by 
night,  wear  their  belts ;  that  their  rifles  are  always  at  hand 
and  in  order ;  and  that,  on  the  march,  the  men  keep  in  the 
ranks  and  in  proper  order. 

Cth.  The  camp  signals  will  be  sounded  at  the  proper  times,  by  the 
buglers  of  the  Artillery  Battalion,  and  repeated  by  the  other 
corps.  At  retreat  inspection,  the  last  roll  call  for  the  day  will 
be  made  at  8  p.  m.,  a  signal  will  be  given  for  extinguishing 
lights,  after  which  no  noise  or  loud  talking  will  be  allowed. 

•Jth.  When  the  troops  are  to  march,  the  company  cooks  will  be  called 
up  in  season  to  have  breakfast  ready  immediately  after  reveille. 

8th.  Should  the  enemy  be  met  while  on  the  march,  and  a  combat 
ensue,  the  entire  pack  train  will  be  closed  up,  and  either 
picketed  or  the  animals  tied  together,  and  the  whole  enveloped 
by  the  rear-guard.  In  case  of  alarm  at  night,  the  companies 
on  rear-guard  the  previous  day  will  protect  the  train. 

9th.  The  detachment  of  friendly  Nez  Perces,  as  well  as  the  guides 
and  interpreters,  are  placed  under  the  special  direction  of 
Lieutenant  Mullan,  Acting  Engineer,  who  will  receive  instruc- 
tion in  relation  to  their  position..  &c. 

(By  order  of  Colonel  Wright,) 

P.  A.  Owen, 
1st  Lieut.  9th  Inf.,  A.  A.  A.  Gen. 


FORT   TAYLOR.  47 

August  2Bd. — We  were  to  have  crossed  the  river  at  day- 
break this  morning,  but  at  reveille  Colonel  Wright  sent 
an  order  that  the  troops  should  not  move  until  further 
orders.  The  detention  was  caused  by  a  violent  wind  and 
rain  storm.  Colonel  Wright  sent  a  wagon  this  morning 
back  to  Walla  Walla  for  tents.  Two  evenings  ago  we  had 
one  of  the  most  severe  storms  I  have  ever  witnessed.  It 
commenced  about  nine  o'clock  at  night,  and  lasted  until 
morning.  The  tents  were  blown  down,  and  the  boughs 
covering  them  scattered  in  every  direction.  The  sand  and 
dust  were  so  thick  that  we  could  with  difficulty  see  two 
feet  ahead. 

In  the  evening  an  express  arrived,  bringing  the  news 
from  Major  Garnett's  column  of  the  capture  of  a  party  of 
Indians,  in  effecting  which  Lieutenant  J.  K.  Allen  (Ninth 
Infantry,)  was  mortally  wounded. 

August  24:th. — Still  pouring  in  torrents,  and  our  depar- 
ture therefore  postponed.  At  ten  this  morning  an  Indian 
boy  was  brought  into  camp  by  one  of  the  pickets.  Upon 
questioning  him,  he  told  so  many  different  stories  that  we 
all  came  to  the  conclusion  he  was  not  what  he  represented 
himself,  so  he  was  confined  in  the  guard  tent.  At  one 
time,  preparations  were  made  to  hang  him,  under  the  sup- 
position that  he  was  a  spy ;  but  the  order  was  counter- 
manded. 

About  the  middle  of  the  day  we  saw  three  Indians 
riding  down  to  the  bank  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
waving  a  white  flag.  We  sent  a  boat  and  brought  over 
one  of  them,  who  was  taken  to  Colonel  Wright's  tent,  and 
questioned.  He  gave  his  name  as  Quil-quil-moses,  and  his 
story  was,  that  he  was  a  Spokan,  living  twenty -five  miles 
this  side  of  Colville,  and  had  been  told  by  the  hostiles  that 
he  must  join  them,  as  the  soldiers  would  kill  him  under 
any  circumstances.  Colonel  Wright  told  him  if  he  would 
come,  with  his  women  and  children,  and  deliver  up  his 


48  FORT  TAYLOR. 

arms,  &c.,  he  should  not  be  harmed;  but  otherwise  he 
should  be  shot,  which  would  be  the  fate  of  every  Indian 
taken  with  ar^is.  He  had  with  him  another  Spokan  and 
a  Pelouze  Indian.  After  the  "talk,"  he  was  sent  over  to 
the  others  who  were  waiting  for  him.  His  story  may  be 
true,  but  more  probably  it  is  devised  to  gain  admittance  to 
our  camp.  He  told  us,  among  other  things,  that  the  hos- 
tiles.  were  encamped  in  strong  force  on  the  Spokan  river, 
a  few  days'  march  ahead.  This  is  in  accordance  with  the 
news  brought  in  by  the  Nez  Perces  scouts. 

During  the  day  two  more  boys  were  taken,  one  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river,  and  one  on  this.  One  of  them  was 
driving  a  herd  of  about  forty  horses.  We  discovered  that 
the  boy  taken  early  in  the  morning,  and  these  two,  were 
brothers,  and  had  just  escaped  from  the  Spokans,  carrying 
these  horses  off  with  them.  Their  father  had  been  killed, 
and  they  taken  prisoners,  about  five  years  ago.  They 
were  originally  from  the  Yakima  country. 

August  25ih. — The  artillery  began  crossing  at  five  o'clock 
this  morning.  Everything  crossed  over  in  the  course  of 
the  day,  except  the  dragoons  and  part  of  the  quarter- 
master's train.  It  was  amusing  to  see  between  three  and 
four  hundred  animals  swimming  through  the  swift  current, 
with  Indians  swimming  after  and  driving  them.  The  men 
and  packs  were  crossed  over  in  flat  boats. 

The  horses  taken  yesterday,  and  the  two  eldest  boys, 
were  sent  to  Walla  Walla,  under  charge  of  two  Nez  Perces. 
The  other  boy  Lieutenant  Mullan  takes  with  him. 

August  26ih. — The  dragoons  crossed  over  this  morning; 
also  the  rest  of  the  supplies.  Including  dragoon  horses 
and  mules,  we  have  about  seven  hundred  animals  belonging 
to  the  command.  The  artillery  battalion  was  thoroughly 
inspected  this  morning  by  Captain  Keyes,  to  see  if  we  were 
ready  for  the  field. 


VI. 

BATTLE  OF  THE  FOUR 
LAKES. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

BATTLE     OF    THE     FOUR     LAKES. 

XJGUST  27tli.— To-day  we  left  tlie  river.  We 
had  reveille  at  half-past  three  in  the  morning,  and 
marched  at  five.  We  made  fifteen  miles,  and  en- 
camped on  the  Pelouze  river. 

August  28th. — We  made  but  five  miles  to-day, 
encamping  on   Cheranna  creek,  where  we  found 
plenty  of  wood,  fine  grass  and  water.     We  are  all  on  the 
alert,  as  any  hour  may  find  us  in  face  of  the  enemy. 

What  the  programme  of  the  campaign  is,  none  of  us 
know.  We  suppose,  indeed,  that  our  commander  can 
have  no  definite  plan,  as  we  are  entering  a  country  almost 
entirely  unknown  to  us,  but  he  will  have  to  be  guided  by 
circumstances.  An  Indian  war  is  a  chapter  of  accidents. 
The  camp  talk  is,  that  we  have  stores  for  only  forty  days, 
during  which  time  we  must  find  and  beat  the  enemy. 

August  29 til. — Marched  at  six  o'clock  this  morning,  and 
made  twenty  miles,  encamping  on  Cottonwood  creek. 
The  country  hitherto  has  been  rocky  and  mountainous, 
but  to-day  it  became  more  level,  and  is  thickly  sprinkled 
with  timber.  It  has  however  been  hard  marching  for  the 
men,  the  water  being  very  scarce  and  poor  when  found, 
This  evening  we  came  in  sight  of  the  Coeur  d'Alene 
mountains,  and  beyond  them  had  a  faint  view  of  the  Rocky 
mountains. 

August  SOth. — Left  camp  at  six  o'clock,  and  marched 
over  a  rocky,  though  for  the  most  part  level  country. 
Water  was  found  every  five  or  six  miles,  but  not  good. 


52  BATTLE  OF  THE  FOUR  LAKES. 

In  three  places  where  we  halted  for  water,  we  saw  the  re- 
mains of  Indian  lodges.  We  made  eighteen  miles,  to 
Camp  Pedrigal. 

To-day  we  first  saw  the  Indians  in  any  force.  "We  had 
just  got  into  camp  when  two  of  the  Nez  Perces  rode  in, 
announcing  that  a  large  body  of  Spokans  were  approach- 
ing. The  dragoons  at  once  saddled  their  horses  and  held 
them  in  readiness  to  mount  at  any  moment.  About  half 
an  hour  afterwards  shots  were  heard  exchanged  between 
the  enemy  and  our  advanced  pickets.  Two  companies  of 
dragoons  were  at  once  sent  out,  followed  by  the  howitzer 
battery,  two  companies  of  artillery,  and  two  of  infantry. 
The  rest  of  the  command  were  left  to  guard  the  camp. 
We  found  however  that  the  Indians  had  retreated  before 
the  dragoons,  who  followed  them  for  some  distance  with- 
out being  able  to  reach  them.  It  was  evidently  a  recon- 
naissance of  scouts  belonging  to  some  large  force  in  the 
neighborhood. 

This  afternoon  two  men  of  the  artillery  died  from  eating 
poisonous  roots. 

August  ^Ist — We  left  camp  at  eight  o'clock,  and  marched 
eighteen  miles  through  a  rather  level  country.  Most  of 
our  road  lay  through  a  cedar  wood.  On  our  right  were 
hills  running  parallel  to  the  wood,  and  beyond  was  a 
rolling  country.  We  had  not  been  out  long  when  hostile 
Indians  appeared  on  the  hills.  The  ISTez  Perces  rode  in 
and  reported  to  us,  when  Colonel  Wright  ordered  the 
column  to  halt,  the  pack  train  to  close  up  in  our  rear,  and 
two  companies  of  dragoons  to  deploy  towards  the  enemy. 
In  the  mean  time  the  Nez  Perces  had  exchanged  shots 
with  them.  They  retreated  as  the  dragoons  approached 
them.  In  this  way  they  accompanied  us  during  the  whole 
day,  keeping  at  all  times  some  distance  beyond  gun-shot. 
As  we  afterwards  found,  these  small  bodies  were  sent  out 


BATTLE   OF  THE  FOUR    LAKES.  53 

to  decoy  our  troops  on  and  to  deceive  them  as  to  the  num- 
bers of  the  enem  J.  They  had  chosen  their  ground  ahead, 
in  a  strong  position  for  attack,  where  the  trail  passes 
through  a  defile ;  and  there  they  were  awaiting  the  troops 
with  their  whole  force. 

Just  before  getting  into  camp,  the  hostile  Indians  rode 
up  near  our  column,  set  fire  to  the  grass,  and  fired  upon 
our  rear  guard.  Their  object  was  to  make  an  attack  under 
cover  of  the  smoke,  but  the  grass  was  too  green  to  burn 
freely,  and  the  maneuvres  of  the  troops  at  once  defeated 
their  intentions.  As  soon  as  the  attack  was  made.  Captain 
Keyes  ordered  me  forward  to  report  the  fact  to  Colonel 
Wright,  who,  I  found,  had  got  into  camp  about  half  a  mile 
in  advance.  Captain  Keyes  then  ordered  Captain  Winder's 
company  of  rifles  to  deploy  across  the  rear  of  the  column, 
at  right  angles  to  Lieutenant  Ihrie's  deployed  on  the  right 
and  Captain  Hardie's  on  the  left,  and  parallel  to  the  column, 
thus  forming  a  rectangle  about  the  train.  The  Indians  re- 
treated after  firing,  and  took  up  their  position  on  the  hills 
on  the  right,  overlooking  our  camp,  where  they  remained 
until  dark.  We  knew  that  their  main  body  could  not  be 
far  distant.  The  prompt  movements  of  the  troops  on  this 
occasion  showed  that  they  were  prepared  for  any  emer- 
gency. 

We  are  now  about  twenty  miles  from  Spokan  river, 
and  it  is  the  intention  of  Colonel  Wright  to  remain  for  a 
few  days  at  this  camp  to  allow  the  men  and  animals  to 
recruit. 

September  1st — This  morning,  at  daylight,  we  found  the 
Indians,  increased  in  number,  still  posted  on  the  hills  over- 
looking us.  Their  manner  was  defiant  and  insolent,  and 
they  seemed  to  be  inviting  an  attack.  At  eight  o'clock 
orders  were  issued  to  have  the  artillery  battalion  in  readi- 
ness, as  it  might  be  called  out  at  any  moment.  Shortly  after, 


54  BATTLE  OF  THE  FOUR  LAKES. 

the  dragoons,  four  companies  of  artillery,  the  howitzer 
battery  under  Lieutenant  White,  and  the  two  companies 
of  rifles,  were  ordered  out  to  drive  the  Indians  from  the 
hill  and  engage  the  main  body,  which  we  ascertained  was 
concentrated  beyond  it.  They  were  formed  into  two 
columns, — one  of  dragoons,  numbering  one  hundred, — ^the 
other  of  artillery  and  infantry,  about  two  hundred  and 
twenty  strong. 

One  company  of  artillery  under  Lieutenants  Gibson  and 
Dandy,  a  detachment  of  dragoons,  and  the  guard,  consist- 
ing of  about  fifty  men,  under  Lieutenant  Lyon,  officer  of 
the  guard,  all  under  command  of  Captain  Hardie,  the 
field  officer  of  the  day,  were  left  to  defend  the  camp.  As 
"We  did  not  know  the  strength  of  the  enemy,  and  had  four 
hundred  mules  and  extensive  stores,  it  became  necessary 
to  leave  this  force  to  guard  the  camp,  lest  it  should  be  at* 
tacked  in  the  absence  of  the  main  body. 

After  advancing  about  a  mile  and  a  half,  we  reached 
the  hill  and  prepared  to  dislodge  the  enemy  from  it.  Major 
Grier,  w*ith  the  dragoons,  marched  to  the  left,  while  the 
party  of  our  Nez  Perces,  under  the  direction  of  Lieutenant 
MuUan,  wound  round  the  hill  and  ascended  at  the  right. 
The  main  column  came  next,  with  Colonel  Wright  and 
staff  at  its  head,  followed  by  Captain  Keyes,  commanding 
the  artillery,  the  third  artillery,  the  rifles,  and  the  how- 
itzer battery. 

As  soon  as  the  dragoons  reached  the  top  of  the  hill, 
they  dismounted, — one  half  holding  the  horses  and  the 
others  acting  as  skirmishers.  After  exchanging  a  volley 
with  the  Indians,  they  drove  them  off  the  hill  and  held  it 
until  the  foot  soldiers  arrived.  On  our  way  up.  Colonel 
Wright  received  a  message  from  Major  Grier,  stating  that 
the  Indians  were  collected  in  large  numbers,  (about  five 
hundred  it  was  thought,)  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  apparently 


BATTLE  OF  THE  TOUR  LAKES.  55 

prepared  to  fight.  Colonel  Wright  immediately  advanced 
the  battalion  rapidly  forward,  ordering  Captain  Ord's  com- 
pany to  the  left  to  be  deployed  as  skirmishers. 

My  place,  as  adjutant  of  the  artillery  battalion  was,  of 
course,  with  Captain  Keyes.  We  rode  to  the  top  of  the 
hill,  when  the  whole  scene  lay  before  us  like  a  splendid 
panorama.  Below  us  lay  "four  lakes" — a  large  one  at 
the  foot  of  the  barren  hill  on  which  we  were,  and  just  be- 
yond it  three  smaller  ones,  surrounded  by  rugged  rocks, 
and  almost  entirely  fringed  with  pines.  Between  these 
lakes,  and  beyond  them  to  the  north-west,  stretched  out  a 
plain  for  miles,  terminated  by  bare  grassy  hills,  one  suc- 
ceeding another  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  In  the  far 
distance  was  dimly  seen  a  line  of  mountains  covered  with 
the  black  pine. 

On  the  plain  below  us  we  saw  the  enemy.  Every  spot 
seemed  alive  with  the  wild  warriors  we  had  come  so  far 
to  meet.  They  were  in  the  pines  on  the  edge  of  the 
lakes,  in  the  ravines  and  gullies,  on  the  opposite  hill- 
sides, and  swarming  over  the  plain.  They  seemed  to 
cover  the  country  for  some  two  miles.  Mounted  on  their 
fleet,  hardy  horses,  the  crowd  swayed  back  and  forth, 
brandishing  their  weapons,  shouting  their  war  tries,  and 
keeping  up  a  song  of  defiance.  Most  of  them  were  armed 
with  Hudson  Bay  muskets,  while  others  had  bows  and  ar- 
rows and  long  lances.  They  were  in  all  the  bravery  of 
their  war  array,  gaudily  painted  and  decorated  with  their 
wild  trappings.  Their  plumes  fluttered  above  them,  while 
below  skins  and  trinkets  and  all  kinds  of  fantastic  embel- 
lishments flaunted  in  the  sunshine.  Their  horses,  too, 
were  arrayed  in  the  most  glaring  finery.  Some  were  even 
painted,  and  with  colors  to  form  the  greatest  contrast ;  the 
white  being  smeared  with  crimson  in  fantastic  figures,  and 
the  dark  colored  streaked  with  white  clay.    Beads  and 


56  BATTLE  OF  THE  FOUR  LAKES. 

fringes  of  gaudy  colors  were  hanging  from  their  bridles, 
while  the  plumes  of  eagles'  feathers,  interwoven  with  the 
mane  and  tail,  fluttered  as  the  breeze  swept  over  them,  and 
completed  their  wild  and  fantastic  appearance. 

"  By  heavens !  it  was  a  glorious  sight  to  see 
The  gay  array  of  their  wild  chivalry." 

But  we  had  no  time  for  mere  admiration,  for  other  work 
was  in  hand.  Orders  were  at  once  issued  for  the  artillery 
and  infantry  to  be  deployed  as  skirmishers  and  advance 
down  the  hill,  driving  the  Indians  before  them  from  their 
coverts,  until  they  reached  the  plain  where  the  dragoons 
could  act  against  them.  At  the  same  time  Lieutenant 
White,  with  the  howitzer  battery,  supported  by  Company 
A.,  under  Lieutenant  Tyler,  and  the  rifles,  was  sent  to  the 
right  to  drive  them  out  of  the  woods.  The  latter  met 
with  a  vigorous  resistance,  but  a  few  discharges  of  the 
howitzer,  with  their  spirited  attack,  soon  dislodged  the 
enemy,  and  compelled  them  to  take  refuge  on  the  hills. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  companies  moved  down  the  hill 
with  all  the  precision  of  a  parade ;  and  as  we  rode  along 
the  line,  it  was  pleasant  to  see  the  enthusiasm  of  the  men 
to  get  within  reach  of  the  enemy.  As  soon  as  they  were 
within  some  six  hundred  yards,  they  opened  their  fire  and 
delivered  it  steadily  as  they  advanced.  Our  soldiers  aimed 
regularly,  though  it  was  no  easy  task  to  hit  their  shifting 
marks.  The  Indians  acted  as  skirmishers,  advancing  rap- 
idly and  delivering  their  fire,  and  then  retreating  again 
with  a  quickness  and  irregularity  which  rendered  it  difficult 
to  reach  them.  They  were  wheeling  and  dashing  about, 
always  on  the  run,  apparently  each  fighting  on  his  own 
account. 

But  minnie  balls  and  long  range  rifles  were  things  with 
which  now  for  the  first  time  they  were  to  be  made  acquaint- 


BATTLE   OF  THE   FOUR  LAKES.  57 

ed.  As  the  line  advanced,  first  we  saw  one  Indian  reel  in  his 
saddle  and  fall, — ^then,  two  or  three, — then,  half  a  dozen. 
Then  some  horses  would  dash  madly  forward,  showing 
that  the  balls  were  telling  upon  them.  The  instant,  how- 
ever, that  the  "braves"  fell,  they  were  seized  by  their  com- 
panions and  dragged  to  the  rear,  to  be  borne  off.  We  saw 
one  Indian  leading  off  a  horse  with  two  of  his  dead  com- 
panions tied  on  it. 

But  in  a  few  minutes,  as  the  line  drew  nearer,  the  fire 
became  too  heavy,  and  the  whole  array  broke  and  fled  to- 
wards the  plain.  This  was  the  chance  for  which  the  dra- 
goons had  been  impatiently  waiting.  As  the  line  advanced 
they  had  followed  on  behind  it,  leading  their  hoi'ses.  Now 
the  order  was  given  to  mount,  and  they  rode  through 
the  company  intervals  to  the  froni  In  an  instant  was 
heard  the  voice  of  Major  Grrier  ringing  over  the  plain,  as  he 
shouted — "Charge  the  rascals  I"  and  on  the  dragoons  went 
at  headlong  speed.  Taylor's  and  Gaston's  companies  were 
there,  burning  for  revenge,  and  soon  they  were  on  them. 
We  saw  the  flasn  of  their  sabres  as  they  cut  them  down. 
Lieutenant  Davidson  shot  one  warrior  from  his  saddle  as 
they  charged  up,  and  Lieutenant  Gregg  clove  the  skull  of 
another.  Yells  and  shrieks  and  uplifted  hands  were  of  no 
avail,  as  they  rode  over  them.  A  number  were  left  dead 
upon  the  ground,  when  once  more  the  crowd  broke  and 
dashed  forward  to  the  hills.  It  was  a  race  foi-  life,  as  the 
flying  warriors  streamed  out  of  the  glens  and  ravines  and 
over  the  open  plain,  and  took  refuge  in  the  clumps  of  woods 
or  on  the  rising  ground. 

Here  they  were  secure  from  the  dragoons.  Had  the  lat- 
ter been  well  mounted,  they  would  have  made  a  terrible 
slaughter.  But  their  horses  were  too  much  worn  out  to 
allow  them  to  reach  the  main  body.  For  twenty-eight  days 
they  had  been  on  their  march,  their  horses  saddled  all  day 
4 


68  BATTLE  X)F   THE  FOUR  LAKES. 

and  engaged  in  constant  scouting,— at  night  picketed,  with 
only  a  little  grass  after  camping.  Thej  were  obliged  there- 
fore to  halt  when  they  reached  the  hill-side,  their  horses 
being  entirely  blown. 

Then  the  line  of  foot  once  more  passed  them  and  advanc- 
ed, renewing  their  fire,  and  driving  the  Indians  over  the 
hills  for  about  two  miles.  As  we  ascended,  the  men  were 
so  totally  exhausted  that  many  had  fallen  out  of  the  ranks, 
and  Captain  Keyes  was  obliged  to  order  a  short  halt  to  let 
them  come  up.  When  a  portion  had  joined,  we  resumed 
our  march. 

The  great  mass  of  the  Indians  by  this  time  had  passed 
over  the  crest  of  the  hill,  and  when  we  rode  to  the  top 
but  few  of  them  were  visible.  Without  again  attempting 
to  make  any  head,  they  had  taken  refuge  in  the  woods  and 
ravines,  beyond  the  reach  of  the  troops.  A  single  group 
was  seen  at  some  distance,  apparently  left  to  watch  us,  but 
a  shell  fired  from  a  howitzer  by  Lieutenant  White,  burst- 
ing over  their  heads,  soon  sent  them  to  seek  refuge  in  the 
ravines. 

For  a  short  time  we  remained  on  the  hill,-  but  no  new 
demonstration  having  been  made,  Colonel  Wright  ordered 
the  recall  to  be  sounded,  and  we  marched  back  to  the  camp. 
A  number  of  our  men  had  never  before  been  under  fire, 
but  begrimed  and  weary  as  they  were,  we  could  see  in 
their  faces  how  much  they  enjoyed  the  excitement  of  the 
fight.  Certainly  none  could  evince  finer  discipline  or  be- 
have more  coolly.  We  had  been  absent  from  the  camp 
about  four  hours,  and  had  driven  the  enemy,  from  the 
point  where  the  attack  was  first  made,  about  three  miles 
and  a  half 

As  we  rode  back,  we  saw  on  the  plain  the  evidences  of 
the  fight.  In  all  directions  were  scattered  the  arms,  mus- 
kets, quivers,  bows  and  arrows,  blankets,  robes,  &c.,  which 


BATTLE  OF  THE  FOUR  LAKES.  59 

had  been  thrown  away  by  our  flying  enemies.  Horses  too 
were  roaming  about,  which  our  Indian  allies  were  employ- 
ed in  catching.  It  was  amusing  to  see  the  troops  return- 
ing with  their  trophies.  One  officer  had  two  buffalo  robes 
and  a  blanket  wrapped  around  himself  and  horse. 

What  the  Indian  loss  was,  we  cannot  exactly  say,  as 
they  carry  off  their  dead.  Some  seventeen,  however,  were 
seen  to  be  killed,  while  there  must  have  been  between 
forty  and  fifty  wounded.  Among  those  killed,  we  subse- 
quently ascertained,  were  a  brother  and  brother-in-law 
of  Gearry,  the  head  chief  of  the  Spokans. 

Strange  to  say,  not  one  of  our  men  was  injured.  One 
dragoon  horse  alone  was  wounded.  This  was  owing  to 
the  long  range  rifles  now  first  used  by  our  troops,  and  the 
discipline  which  enabled  them  so  admirably  to  use  them. 
Had  the  men  been  armed  with  those  formerly  used,  the 
result  of  the  fight,  as  to  the  loss  on  our  side,  would  have 
been  far  different,  for  the  enemy  outnumbered  us,  and  had 
all  the  courage  which  we  are  accustomed  to  ascribe  to  In- 
dian warriors.  But  they  were  panic-struck  by  the  effect  of 
our  fire  at  such  great  distances,  and  the  steady  advance  of 
the  troops,  unchecked  by  the  constant  fire  kept  up  by 
them. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  officers  engaged  in  the 

fight. 

Field  and  Staff. 

Colonel  George  Wright,  Ninth  Infmitry. 

Lieutenant  P.  A.  Owen,  Ninth  Infantry,  Acting  Assistant  Adju- 
tant General. 

Captain  R.  W.  Kirkham,  Quarter-master  and  Commissary. 

Assistant  Surgeon,  J.  F.  Howard,      ) 
.     .  ^     ,  ^  IT  ^  ^  )- Medical  Department. 

Assistant  Surgeon,  J.  F.  Randolph,    I 

Lieutenant  John  Mullan,  Second  Artillery,  Acting  Topographical 
Engineer. 


60  BATTLE  OF  THE  FOUR  LAKES. 

First  Dragoons. 

TROOP  I.— Brevet  Major  Wm.  N.  Grier. 
TROOP  E. — Lieutenant  Henry  B.  Davidson. 
TROOP  C— Lieutenant  Wm.  D.  Pender. 
TROOP  H. — Lieutenant  David  McM.  Greqo. 

Third  Artillery. 
,  Captain  Erasmus  D.  Keyes,  Commanding. 
Captain  B.  O.  C.  Ord,  Commanding  Company. 
Lieutenant  Robert  0.  Tyler,  Commanding  Company. 
Lieutenant  Jambs  L.  White,  Commanding  Howitzer  Detachment. 
Lieutenant  Dunbar  R.  Ransom,  Commanding  Company. 
Lieutenant  George  P.  Ihrie,  Commanding  Company. 
Lieutenant  Michael  R.  Morgan. 
Lieutenant  James  Howard. 
Lieutenant  Lawrence  Kip,  Adjutant  of  the  Battalion. 

Rifles. — Ninth  Infantry. 

Captain  Frederick  T.  Dent,  Commanding.- 

Captain  Charles  S.  Winder,  Commanding  Company. 

Lieutenant  H.  B.  Fleming. 

Captain  J.  A.  Hardie,  and  Lieutenants  Horatio  G.  Gibson,  H.  B. 
Lyon  and  George  F.  B.  Dandy,  were  with  the  Companies  left  as  guard 
to  the  camp. 

After  a  while,  our  Indian  allies  began  dropping  in. 
They  had  followed  the  hostiles  eight  or  ten  miles,  and  re- 
turned loaded  with  their  spoils,  among  which  were  some 
scalps.  Foremost  among  them,  as  indeed  he  had  been  in 
the  fight,  was  our  friend  Cutmouth  John,  waving  a  scalp, 
and  catching  up  loose  horses.  Our  allies  concluded  the 
day  with  a  grand  war  dance  about  their  camp  fire,  which 
was  protracted  far  into  the  night. 


VII. 


BATTLE  OF  THE   SPOKAN 


PLAINS. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

BATTLE     OF     THE     SPOKAN     PLAINS. 

^OR  three  days  after  our  last  fight  we  remained  in 
camp,  to  recruit  the  animals  of  the  command,  ex- 
hausted by  their  long  march.  The  Nez  Perces 
were  sent  out  to  reconnoitre,  but  returned  reporting 
no  Indians  to  be  in  sight.  During  this  time  the 
weather  entirely  changed,  growing  damp  and  cold. 

September  6ih. — We  left  camp  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  after  marching  about  five  miles,  saw  the  enemy 
collecting  in  large  bodies  on  our  right.  They  rode  along 
parallel  to  us  for  some  time,  all  the  while  increasing  in 
numbers  and  becoming  bolder.  We  had  just  emerged 
from  the  rough  broken  country  and  entered  on  a  prairie, 
when  they  were  seen  occupying  the  woods  on  the  right 
side  of  us,  evidently  about  to  make  an  attack. 

We  had  nearly  reached  the  woods  when  they  advanced 
in  great  force,  and  set  fire  to  the  dry  grass  of  the  prairie, 
so  that  the  wind  blowing  high  and  against  us,  we  were 
nearly  enveloped  by  the  flames.  Under  cover  of  the 
smoke,  they  formed  round  us  in  one-third  of  a  circle,  and 
poured  in  their  fire  upon  us,  apparently  each  one  on  his 
own  account.  The  pack  train  immediately  closed  up, 
guarded  by  Captain  Dent's  company  of  rifles,  a  company 
of  the  Third  Artillery  under  Lieutenants  Ihrie  and  How- 


64  BATTLE   OF  THE   SPOKAN   PLAINS. 

ard,  and  Lieutenant  Davidson's  company  of  dragoons,  while 
the  command  prepared  to  repulse  the  enemy. 

It  was  curious  to  witness  the  scene, — the  dust  and  smoke, 
and  the  noise  and  shouting  of  the  Mexican  muleteers  driv- 
ing forward  to  the  centre  four  hundred  overloaded  ani- 
mals, while  the  troops  were  formed  about  them  with  as 
mucli  order  and  far  greater  rapidity  than  if  no  danger 
threatened.  Then  on  the  hills  to  our  right,  if  we  could 
have  had  time  to  have  witnessed  them,  were  feats  of 
horsemanship  which  we  have  never  seen  equalled.  The 
Indians  would  dash  down  a  hill  five  hundred  feet  high 
and  with  a  slope  of  forty -five  degrees,  at  the  most  headlong 
speed,  apparently  with  all  the  rapidity  they  could  have 
used  on  level  ground. 

Four  companies  of  the  Third  Artillery,  under  Captains 
Ord  and  Ilardie,  and  Lieutenants  Gibson  and  Tyler,  were 
at  once  deployed  on  the  right  and  left.  The  men,  flushed 
with  their  last  victory,  dashed  through  the  flames,  charged 
and  drove  the  enemy  before  them.  As  soon  as  they  took 
refuge  in  the  timber,  the  howitzer  under  Lieutenant  White 
opened  upon  them  with  its  shells.  Then  the  foot  charged 
them  again,  driving  them  from  cover  to  cover,  from  be- 
hind the  trees  and  rocks,  and  through  the  ravines  and 
canons,  till  the  woods  for  more  than  four  miles,  which 
lately  seemed  perfectly  alive  with  their  yelling  and  shout- 
ing, were  entirely  cleared.  Then  they  drove  them  over  the 
rocks  and  scaled  the  walls  of  pedigal,  dislodging  them 
wherever  they  had  collected.  It  was  at  this  time  that 
among  those  who  fell  was  a  chief,  killed  by  Lieutenant 
Tyler's  company,  upon  the  saddle  of  whose  horse  was 
found  the  pistol  used  by  Lieutenant  Gaston,  when  killed 
in  Colonel  Steptoe's  fight. 

At  length  they  were  driven  into  the  plain,  when  the 
dragoons  under  Major  Grier  and  Lieutenant  Pender,  who 


BATTLE   OF  THE  SPOKAN   PLAINS.  65 

had  been  slowly  following  the  foot,  rode  through  the  in- 
tervals of  the  skirmishes,  the  charge  sounded,  and  they 
swept  the  enemy  before  them.  Among  the  incidents  of 
the  fight  was  one  which  happened  to  Lieutenant  Pender. 
Firing  his  pistol  as  he  charged,  just  as  he  dashed  up  to 
the  side  of  an  Indian  he  discovered  that  his  revolver  had 
caught  on  the  lock  and  was  useless.  He  had  not  time  to 
draw  his  sabre,  and  was  obliged,  therefore,  to  close  v/ith 
his  enemy.  He  grappled  the  Indian  and  hurled  him  from 
his  horse,  when  a  soldier  behind  dispatched  him. 

Yet  our  enemy  could  not  thus  leave  the  field,  but  groups 
gathered,  and  the  flying  stragglers  again  united  in  the 
woods  which  surrounded  us  on  every  side.  Lieutenant 
Tyler's  company  was  therefore  ordered  to  sweep  a  hill  to 
the  right,  while  the  companies  of  Captain  Ord  and  Lieu- 
tenant Gibson  charged  the  woods  till  they  drove  the  enemy 
out,  after  a  sharp  contest.  Towards  the  close  of  the  en- 
gagement, Lieutenant  Ihrie's  company  cleared  a  hill  to 
the  right  and  in  advance  of  the  column.  A  part  of  the 
troops  then  rejoined  the  column,  flankers  were  thrown 
out,  and  the  command  continued  to  advance  until  we 
reached  the  Spokan  river,  where  we  encamped.  Skir- 
mishing continued  all  the  way,  the  howitzer  scattering  the 
enemy  whenever  they  collected  in  large  numbers  in  the 
woods,  and  the  foot  soldiers  then  advancing  and  chai'ging 
them.  We  had  marched  during  the  day  twenty-five  miles, 
the  last  fourteen  miles  fighting  all  the  way.  No  water 
could  be  procured  for  the  whole  distance,  and  the  men  by 
the  time  they  reached  the  river  were  entirely  exhausted. 
Nothing  kept  them  up  but  the  excitement  of  the  contest. 

We  have  again  had  a  proof  of  the  efficiency  of  the  new 
rifles,  and  the  thorough  discipline  of  the  command,  as  but 
one  man  was  slightly  wounded. 

Some  five  hundred  Indians  are  supposed  to  have  been 
4» 


66  BATTLE   OF  THE  SPOKAN   PLAINS. 

engaged  in  the  fight.  How  many  were,  killed  and  wounded 
we  cannot  tell,  from  their  custom, — which  I  have  men- 
tioned before, — of  carrying  off  their  dead  at  once.  They 
were  removed  generally  before  the  troops  could  cross  the 
ravines  to  get  at  them.  We  learned  afterwards  that  Kam- 
miaken,  the  great  war  chief  of  the  Yakimas,  was  almost 
killed.  A  shell  bust  in  a  tree  near  him,  tearing  off  a 
branch  which  struck  him  on  the  head,  inflicting  a  wound. 

We  discovered  that  some  of  the  hostile  Nez  Percys  were 
united  with  the  enemy  in  this  fight.  A  portion  of  the 
tribe  has  not  acceded  to  the  alliance  which  the  rest  have 
formed  with  us.  The  Indians  apparently  retreated  but  a 
few  miles,  as  after  dark  we  saw  their  camp  fires  in  the 
distance,  and  also  a  great  light  which  proved  to  be  one  of 
their  villages  they  were  burning. 

Septemher  6th. — We  remained  in  our  camp  on  Spokan 
river  to-day,  to  let  the  men  ^nd  animals  rest,  and  to  have 
a  reconnaisance  made  on  the  river.  Indians  were  seen  on 
the  opposite  side,  and  in  the  afternoon  some  few  came 
over  to  our  camp  and  professed  friendship,  showing  us 
where  we  could  find  a  good  crossing. 

September  7ih. — Hearing  that  the  enemy  were  in  force 
above  on  the  Spokan,  we  broke  up  our  camp  this  morning 
at  seven,  and  moved  up  the  river  about  seven  miles,  when 
we  again  encamped.  Most  of  our  way  lay  through  the 
wood  skirting  the  river,  the  scenery  around  being  very 
beautiful.  Just  before  reaching  our  camping-ground,  we 
passed  the  great  Spokan  falls.  It  is  a  high,  narrow, 
basaltic  canon,  where  the  whole  river  passes  over  an  in- 
clined ledge  of  rocks,  with  a  fall  of  between  forty  and 
fifty  feet.  The  view  from  every  point  is  exceedingly  pic- 
turesque. As  high  up  as  the  falls,  salmon  are  found  in 
great  abundance,  while  above  them  trout  are  very  plenty. 

Sopn  after  leaving  camp,  we  observed  a  small  party  of 


BATTLE  OF  THE  SPOKAN  PLAINS.         67 

Indians  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  riding  in  the  same 
direction  with  us.  When  we  had  marched  about  three 
miles,  they  stopped  and  had  a  talk  across  the  narrow 
river,  when  we  found  one  of  them  was  Gearry,  one  of  the 
head  chiefs  of  the  Spokans,  who  has  received  some  educa- 
tion from  the  priests  in  the  Ked  river  country,  and  talks 
English  tolerably  well.  He  expressed  a  wish  to  have  a 
"  talk"  with  Colonel  Wright,  and  was  told  by  the  Colonel 
to  meet  him  at  the  ford  two  miles  above  the  falls.  It  is 
evident  their  spirit  is  broken  by  the  tw^  lessons  they  have 
received. 

Soon  after  we  had  halted  at  the  ford,  Gearry  crossed 
over  and  came  into  camp.  lie  said,  "  that  he  had  always 
been  opposed  to  fighting,  but  that  the  yoang  men  and 
many  of  the  chiefs  were  against  him,  and  he  could  not 
control  them."  This,  we  have  reason  to  believe,  is  true ; 
for  Dr.  Perkins,  in  his  narrative  from  which  I  have  already 
quoted,  when  at- Fort  Colville,  attended  the  Spokan  council, 
and  makes  the  following  mention  of  Gearry  : — "  He  says 
'  his  heart  is  undecided ;  he  does  not  know  which  way  to 
go ;  his  friends  arc  fighting  the  whites,  and  he  does  not 
like  to  join  them ;  but,  if  he  does  not,  they  will  kill  him. 
During  the  whole  time  that  we  were  in  the  council,  Gearry 
never  said  a  word,  but  merely  looked  on." 

The  "talk"  administered  by  Colonel  Wright,  in  reply 
to  his  excuses,  was  very  plain,  but  by  no  means  pleasing. 
It  was  thus  : — "  I  have  met  you  in  two  battles  ;  you  have 
been  badly  whipped;  you  have  had  several  chiefs  and 
many  warriors  killed  or  wounded ;  I  have  not  lost  a  man 
or  animal.  I  have  a  large  force,  and  you,  Spokans,  Coeur 
d'Alenes,  Pelouzes,  and  Pend  d'Orcilles  may  unite,  and  I 
can  defeat  you  as  badly  as  before.  I  did  not  come  into 
the  country  to  ask  you  to  make  peace ;  I  came  here  to 
fight.    Now,  when  you  are  tired  of  war  and  ask  for  peace, 


68  BATTLE  or  THE   SPOKAN  PLAINS. 

I  will  tell  yoii  wliat  you  must  do.  You  must  come  to  me 
with  your  arms,  with  your  women  and  children,  and  every- 
thing you  have,  and  lay  them  at  my  feet.  You  must  put 
your  faith  in  me  and  trust  to  my  mercy.  If  you  do  this, 
I  shall  then  tell  you  the  terms  upon  which  I  wdll  give  you 
peace.  If  you  do  not  do  this,  war  will  be  made  on  you 
this  year  and  the  next,  and  until  your  nations  shall  be  ex- 
terminated." 

The  Colonel  ordered  Gearry  to  communicate  to  all  the 
Indians  he  should  fall  in  with,  what  he  had  said,  and  also 
to  tell  them,  if  they  did  as  he  demanded,  their  lives  should 
be  spared.  He  also  directed  him  to  send  a  messenger  at 
once  to  Moses  and  to  Big  Star,  (other  Spokan  chiefs,)  to 
bring  in  their  people,  and  to  return  himself  to-morrow 
with  his  people^  at  one  hour  after  sunrise.  All  this  he 
promised  to  do.  Schroom,  we  hear,  is  at  Gearry's  lodge, 
and  Kamiaken  is  believed  to  be  not  far  off. 

At  noon,  the  son  of  Big  Star  came,  in  the  name  of  his 
father,  to  ask  for  peace.  After  going  into  camp,  nine  war- 
riors arrived  to  "talk"  with  Colonel  Wright.  He  sent 
two  over  the  river  to  bring  in  their  arms,  which  they  had 
left  on  the  other  side.  After  crossing,  one  mounted  his 
horse  and  rode  off,  probably  not  having  nerve  enough  to 
meet  the  Colonel  again.  The  other  returned,  bringing  the 
guns,  which  were  found  to  be  of  British  manufacture, 
marked  London^  1847,  and  had  evidently  been  purchased 
of  the  Hudson  Bay  Compan}^,  at  Colville.  Colonel  Wright 
retained  as  hostages,  their  leader,  who  proved  to  be  Po- 
kantken,  the  head  chief  of  the  Spokans,  who  had  been  in 
the  fight  against  Colonel  Steptoe,  and  was  the  leader  in  the 
battles  against  us  on  the  first  and  fifth,  and  also  another 
Indian,  who  is  believed  to  have  been  engaged  in  the  mur- 
der of  the  miners  in  May  last. 

/September  8ih, — We  left  camp  at  sunrise,  and  marched 


BATTLE   OF  THE   SPOKAN  PLAINS.  69 

up  the  river  on  the  Coeur  d'Alene  prairie.  After  advanc- 
ing about  ten  miles,  the  Nez  Perces  (our  usual  scouts  on 
the  march,)  came  in  to  say  they  had  discovered  Indians 
on  the  right.  At  the  same  time  we  saw  clouds  of  dust 
between  us  and  the  mountain,  as  if  some  large  bodies 
were  in  motion.  The  column  was  halted,  the  train  closed 
up  in  the  rear,  and  the  artillery  companies  of  Captain  Ord 
and  Lieutenant  Gibson,  together  with  Lieutenant  Gregg's 
company  of  dragoons,  were  left  to  guard  it.  The  rest  of 
the  command  then  moved  rapidly  on,  the  dragoons  under 
Major  Grier  at  a  trot. 

We  found  it  difficult  to  advance  as  fast  as  we  wished, 
there  being  a  very  high  hill  to  climb.  The  dragoons  and 
Nez  Perces,  therefore,  outstripped  us,  and  we  soon  saw 
them  passing  over  the  hills.  They  had  discovered  that 
the  Lidians  were  driving  off  their  stock  to  the  mountains, 
which  they  had  nearly  reached.  Our  horsemen  were 
obliged  to  dismount  on  account  of  the  nature  of  the  ground, 
and,  after  a  sharp  skirmish,  succeeded  in  capturing  the 
whole  band,  consisting  of  nine  hundred  horses.  The  In- 
dians who  had  charge  of  them  escaped  to  the  mountains, 
after  exchanging  a  few  shots  with  the  Kez  Percys.  These 
horses  belonged  to  Tilkohitz,  a  Pelouze  chief,  and  a  noto- 
rious freebooter,  who  has  stolen  a  large  number  of  cattle, 
at  different  times,  from  the  whites  and  from  Walla  Walla. 
They  were  captured  near  a  wide  lake,  to  the  right  of  the 
great  Coeur  d'Alene  trail,  a  place  where  large  numbers  of 
the  four  tribes  winter.  When  the  foot  passed  the  first 
range  of  hills,  they  met  the  captured  animals  returning, 
■under  charge  of  Lieutenant  Davidson,  with  his  dragoons 
dismounted,  and  the  Kez  Perces. 

When  we  resumed  our  march,  as  we  had  gone  several 
miles  out  of  our  road,  an  express  was  sent  to  Captain  Ord 
to  march  with  his  command  and  train  along  the  river  and 


70  BATTLE   OF  THE   SPOKAN  PLAINS. 

join  US.  After  a  march  of  four  miles,  we  reached  Spokan 
river  and  encamped. 

The  Nez  Perces  having  reported  that  there  were  some 
cattle  on  the  prairie  above  us,  and  some  lodges  filled  with 
wheat,  after  sundown.  Colonel  Wright  dispatched  two 
companies  of  artillery  and  one  of  dragoons,  to  burn  the 
lodges  and  grain  and  drive  in  the  cattle.  They  returned 
in  the  night,  reporting  that  the  cattle  proved  to  be  so  wild 
that  they  could  not  be  captured,  but  took  to  the  moun- 
tains. The  lodges  were  burned.  "We  had  marched  to- 
day twenty  miles. 

In  the  evening,  the  case  of  our  Pelouze  prisoner  was 
investigated,  and  it  having  been  proved  beyond  doubt  that 
he  was  engaged  in  the  murder  of  the  miners  in  May  last, 
he  was  hung. 

On  leaving  camp  in  the  morning,  we  saw  two  Indians 
on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  who  were  watching  our 
movements.  During  the  morning  they  came  down  to  the 
river,  where  the  train  and  its  guard  were  waiting  for  us, 
shouted  over  and  demanded  that  the  old  Spokan  chief 
whom  we  had  detained  should  be  sent  back.  The  answer 
was  a  volley,  wounding  both  of  them,  killing  one  horse 
and  wounding  the  other.  The  Indians,  however,  both 
managed  to  escape.  They  were  the  sons  of  our  Spokan 
prisoner,  and  one  of  them  was  in  our  camp  yesterday,  when 
his  father  was  arrested.  He  then  seemed  very  much  ex- 
cited, but  we  did  not  know  of  his  relationship  until  he  had 
gone. 

September  9lh. — This  morning  at  daybreak,  three  com- 
panies of  dragoons  were  sent  out,  and  destroyed  seven 
lodges  used  by  the  Indians  as  storehouses  of  wheat.  Some 
were  filled ;  from  others  the  contents  had  been  carried  off 
and  probably  cached. 

At  nine  o'clock,  Colonel  Wright  convened  a  board  of 


BATTLE   OF  THE   SPOKAN  PLAINS.  71 

officers  to  determine  wliat  should  be  done  with  the  cap- 
tured horses.  They  decided  that  one  hundred  and  thirty 
should  be  selected  for  our  use,  and  the  rest  shot.  It  was  a 
disagreeable  necessity,  but  one  which  could  not  be  avoided. 
Most  of  them  being  wild,  they  could  not  be  taken  with  us 
on  our  march,  and  must  be  prevented  from  falling  again 
into  the  hands  of  their  former  owners.  Nothing  can  more 
effectually  cripple  the  Indians  than  to  deprive  them  of 
their  animals. 

Two  companies  were  therefore  ordered  out  to  perform 
this  duty.  A  corral  (enclosure)  was  first  made,  into  which 
they  were  all  driven.  Then,  one  by  one,  they  were  lassoed 
and  dragged  out,  and  dispatched  by  a  single  shot.  About 
two  hundred  and  seventy  were  killed  in  this  way.  The 
colts  were  led  out  and  knocked  in  the  head.  It  was  dis- 
tressing during  all  the  following  night,  to  hear  the  cries  of 
the  brood  mares  whose  young  had  thus  been  taken  from 
them.  On  the  following  day,  to  avoid  the  slow  process  of 
killing  them  separately,  the  companies  were  ordered  to 
fire  volleys  into  the  corral. 

During  the  afternoon,  our  herders  shot  five  of  the  wild 
beef  cattle  on  the  plains. 

In  the  evening,  two  Indians,  one  of  whom  claimed  to 
be  a  chief,  came  into  camp  with  a  white  flag.  They  said 
they  came  from  Big  Star,  and  belonged  to  his  party, — that 
he  had  started  to  overtake  Colonel  Wright,  but  found  the 
command  had  moved  on,  and  as  they  had  lost  their  horses 
they  were  obliged  to  travel  on  foot.  Colonel  Wright  told 
them  to  remain  in  camp  to-night  and  return  early  in  the 
morning  to  Big  Star,  to  inform  him  that  he  should  remain 
where  he  was,  and  when  we  came  near  his  village  he 
should  come  in  with  his  women  and  fiimilies. 

In  all  these  offers  of  submission,  we  see  the  effect  of  the 
last  battle  on  the  Spokan  plains.     Defeated  in  the  open 


72  BATTLE   OF   THE   SPOKAN   PLAINS. 

country,  at  the  Four  Lakes,  they  determined  to  try  it  once 
more,  where  they  had  the  shelter  of  the  forests  from  which 
to  annoy  us.  They  had  again  the  selection  of  their  own 
ground ;  and  this  second  lesson  seems  to  have  broken  their 
spirit,  and  it  is  doubtful  whether  they  can  again  make 
head  with  any  force  against  us. 


VIII. 

THE   OCEUR  D'ALENE  MIS- 
SION. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE     CGEUR     d'aLENE     MISSION. 

EPTEMBER  10th.— This  morning  an  Indian  run- 
ner came  in  from  the  Coeur  d'Alene  mission, 
bringing  a  letter  from  Father  Joset  to  Colonel 
Wright.  Its  import  was,  that  the  Indians  were  en- 
tirely prostrate  and  desired  peace ;  and  that  they 
had  requested  him  (the  priest)  to  intercede  for  them.  A 
few  days'  march  will  now  bring  us  to  the  Mission. 

To-day  two  companies  more  were  detailed  to  shoot  the 
rest  of  the  horses.  The  officers  and  others  selected  theirs, 
about  two  hundred  being  saved  in  this  way,  and  the  re- 
maining seven  hundred  shot.  Most  of  those,  however, 
which  were  retained,  were  shot  afterwards,  or  escaped  from 
us.  They  broke  their  fastenings  or  tore  up  the  stakes  to 
which  they  were  tied  at  night,  and  dashed  back  again  to 
their  native  wilds.  They  were  entirely  too  wild  to  be  of 
any  use. 

"We  learned  subsequently,  that  nothing  we  had  done  so 
much  prostrated  the  Indians  as  this  destruction  of  their 
horses.  At  the  time  they  were  taken,  there  were  some 
Indians  witnessed  it  from  the  neighboring  hills,  who  said, 
as  we  afterwards  learned,  "  that  it  did  not  make  a  great 
deal  of  difference,  as  they  would  get  them  all  back  in  a  few 
days."  Their  plan  would  have  been  to  stampede  them,  in 
doing  which  they  probably  would  have  run  off  our  animals 
with  them.  They  were  therefore  very  much  taken  by 
surprise,  when,  the  next  day  they  saw  them  killed.     One 


76  THE   CCEUR  d'aLENE  MISSION. 

of  the  Jndians  was  watching  us  from  the  hilLtop  through 
a  glass  of  one  of  the  officers,  which  he  had  taken  in  Colonel 
Steptoe's  fight,  and  which  was  afterwards  returned  to  us 
at  the  Mission.  Without  horses  these  Indians  are  powerless. 

September  llth. — We  began  crossing  the  Spokan  river 
at  five  o'clock  this  morning.  Each  dragoon  took  a  foot  sol- 
dier behind  him,  and  in  this  way  we  crossed  in  about  an  hour 
and  a  half.  For  a  few  miles  our  march  was  along  the  riv- 
er and  over  the  Spokan.  plains,  when  we  entered  the  pine 
woods.  We  pf  ssed  a  small  fall,  above  which  the  river  is 
tranquil  and  sluggish,  and  there  are  indications  of  a  lake 
being  not  far  distant.  After  a  march  of  fifteen  miles 
through  the  pine  forests,  we  reached  the  Cceur  d'Alene 
lake,  on  the  borders  of  which  we  encamped. 

At  noon,  we  came  across  four  Indian  lodges,  filled  with 
wheat,  which  we  burned.  Some  caches^  filled  with  dried 
cake  and  wild  cherries^  were  also  discovered  and  destroyed. 
This  outbreak  will  bring  upon  the  Indians  a  winter  of 
great  suffering,  from  the  destruction  of  their  stores. 

Just  before  reaching  our  camping-ground,  we  passed  an 
ludian  burial-place.  Each  grave  was  covered  with  a  low 
log  house,  surmounted  by  a  cross.  The  house  answers  both 
as  a  monument,  and  a  protection  for  the  remains  against  the 
wild  animals. 

It  is  a  peculiarity,  we  were  told,  about  these  Indians, 
that  if  one  of  their  number  is  killed,  his  family  have  to 
decide  the  question,  whether  or  no't  the  tribe  shall  go  to 
war.  The  chiefs  have  no  voice  in  the  matter.  If  the 
family  decide  for  war,  all  the  warriors  have  to  go,  as  those 
who  refuse  are  outlawed. 

September  12th. — When  we  were  about  to  leave  camp 
this  morning,  Vincent,  the  head  chief  of  the  Coeur  d'Alenes, 
rode  in,  bringing  a  pass  from  the  priest,  giving  his  name, 
and  saying  that  he  was  on  his  way  to  bring  the  hostiles 
into  the  Mission. 


77 

All  day  we  have  toiled  along,  tlirougli  beautiful  scenery, 
yet  a  country  difficult  for  a  force  to  make  its  way,  as  our 
marcli  has  been  through  the  forest  in  its  primeval  state. 
For  the  first  few  miles  along  the  borders  of  the  lake,  the 
trees  were  scattered,  but  after  leaving  the  shore  the  tim- 
ber became  so  thick  that  the  troops  had  to  march  in  single 
file.  At  this  point  Lieutenant  Mullan  had  to  abandon  his 
wagon,  the  only  one  with  the  command,  and  the  howitzers 
had  to  be  packed  on  mules  and  the  limber  abandoned. 
The  forest  seemed  to  become  more  dense  as  we  advanced, 
until  we  could  see  nothing  about  us  but  high  hills  and 
deep  caverns,  with  thick  woods  covering  all,  through 
which  we  wound  our  way  in  a  twilight  gloom. 

This  is  a  splendid  country  as  a  home  for  the  Indians, 
and  we  cannot  wonder  that  they  are  aroused  when  they 
think  the  white  men  are  intruding  on  them.  The  Coeur 
d'Alene  lake,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  I  have  ever  seen, 
with  water  clear  as  cr3^stal,  is  about  fifteen  miles  in  length, 
buried,  as  it  were,  in  the  Coeur  d'Alene  mountains,  which 
rise  around  it  on  every  side.  The  woods  are  full  of  ber- 
ries, while  in  the  Spokan  river  salmon  abound  below  the 
falls,  and  trout  above.  In  the  winter  season,  deer  and  elk 
are  found  in  the  mountains.  Many  parts  of  the  country 
are  good  for  grazing,  while  there  are  a  sufficient  number  of 
fertile  spots  where  crops  can  easily  be  raised.  When  the 
Indian  thinks  of  the  hunting-grounds  to  which  he  is  look- 
ing forwardin  the  Spirit  Land,  wo  doubt  whether  he  could 
imagine  anything  more  in  accordance  with  his  taste  than 
this  reality. 

At  evening  we  encamped  on  Wolf's  Lodge  creek. 

September  ISih. — Our  march  all  day  over  the  Coeur 
d'Alene  mountains  was  similar  to  that  of  yesterday.  In 
some  places  the  trail  passed  along  the  brink  of  precipices 
apparently  a  thousand  feet  in  depth.  The  forest  was  so 
dense  and  full  of  fallen  timber,  that  the  pioneers  had  to  be 


78 

kept  in  advance,  to  cut  with  their  axes  a  road  for  the  ani- 
mals. As  seen  from  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  Avhen  we 
crossed,  the  scenery  was  very  grand,  the  densely  covered 
hills,  interspersed  with  lakes,  rolling,  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach,  to  the  horizon.  Pleasing,  however,  as  this 
might  be  to  the  lovers  of  the  picturesque,  the  march,  al- 
though only  eighteen  miles,  was  a  very  toilsome  one  to  the 
men  and  animals.  The  rear  guard  did  not  reach  camp  till 
nine  o'clock  at  night. 

On  these  marches,  the  officers  were  mounted,  and  yet  it 
was  not  so  exclusive  a  privilege  as  might  be  supposed. 
When  the  march  was  long,  and  particularly  during  some 
of  the  excessively  sultry  weather,  some  of  the  men  who 
were  trudging  along  under  the  weight  of  their  arms  and 
equipments,  would  give  out  from  exhaustion.  Every  lit- 
tle while  one  would  fall  out  of  the  ranks.  Then  the  sur- 
geon stops,  administers  to  him  a  restorative,  and,  as  we 
had  been  obliged  to  abandon  the  hospital  wagon  on  cross- 
ing Snake  river,  some  officer  dismounts  and  gives  him  his 
horse.  So  it  often  happened  that  we  went  on  foot  for 
half  or  even  the  whole  of  the  day's  march. 

We  first  came  in  sight  of  the  Coeur  d'Alene  mission 
when  about  five  miles  off.  It  is  situated  in  a  beautiful  val- 
ley, surrounded  by  the  Coeur  d'Alene  mountains.  A  pretty 
stream,  a  branch  of  the  Coeur  d'Alene  river,  with  clear 
cold  water,  runs  along  side  of  it,  furnishing  means  of  irri- 
gation. In  the  centre  of  the  Mission  stands  the  church, 
and  round  it  cluster  the  other  buildings, — a  mill,  a  couple  of 
houses  for  the  priests,  the  dwellings  of  the  Indian  converts, 
and  some  barns  to  store  their  produce.  We  encamped 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  it.  The  priests,  in  the 
evening,    sent  a  wagon  fall   of  vegetables  to  the   officers. 

September  16th. — This  morning,  in  company  with  several 
other  officers,  I  visited  the  Mission.  There  are  two  priests. 
Fathers  Joset  and  Minitre,  with  three  lay  brothers,  attached 


THE  CCEUR  d'ALENE   MISSION.  79 

to  it,  by  whom  we  were  received  with  great  kindness  and 
politeness,  and  all  the  information  for  which  we  asked, 
both  with  regard  to  their  mission  and  the  Indians,  was 
readily  given. 

The  Mission  was  established  in  1846,  and  is  an  offshoot 
of  the  Mission  of  St.  Joseph,  about  thirty  miles  from  here. 
Their  chapel  is  a  prominent  building,  constructed  of  hewn 
timber,  and  mortar  mixed  with  straw.  It  will  hold  about 
three  hundred  persons,  but  is  still  unfinished  in  the  inside. 

We  found  but  about  forty  Indians  living  at  the  Mission, 
who  are  instructed  and  employed  by  the  priests.  With 
their  own  lodges  and  gardens  about  them,  they  appear  to 
be  perfectly  happy  and  contented.  There  is  no  doubt  but 
what  the  priests  have  had  a  most  happy  influence  over 
them.  Most  of  the  tribe,  it  is  true,  in  a  moment  of  excite- 
ment, and,  it  is  believed,  in  opposition  to  the  priests, 
rushed  into  this  war,  yet  generally  they  are  easily  managed, 
and  no  Indians  with  whom  we  have  met  have  impressed 
us  so  favorably.  And  so  it  may  continue  to  be  while  they 
are  buried  in  these  mountains.  But  as  soon  as  the  stream 
of  population  flows  up  to  them,  they  will  be  contaminated 
by  the  vices  of  the  white  men,  and  their  end  will  be  that  of 
every  other  tribe  which  has  been  brought  into  contact  with 
civilization.  At  the  same  time,  from  their  courage  and 
the  natural  defences  of  their  country,  they  can  prove  most 
dangerous  enemies. 

The  priests  told  us  that  the  Coeur  d'Alenes  cannot  mus- 
ter more  than  one  hundred  warriors,  nor  does  the  whole 
tribe  contain  more  than  four  hundred  souls.  Most  of  them 
were  engaged  in  the  recent  fights.  The  Spokans  amount 
to  about  four  times  that  number. 

Had  we  delayed  our  coming  a  few  days  longer,  the 
priests  informed  us,  we  should  have  found  the  Mission  de- 
serted, as  they  were  ordered  by  their  Superior  to  break  it 
up,  if  the  Indians  went  out  to  fight.     They  were  about 


80  THE  CGSUR  d'alene  missio:^-. 

removing  into  the  Blackfeet  country.     If  the  Indians  come 
in  and  submit  to  the  terms  proposed,  they  will  remain. 

We  learned  too  from  them,  that  in  one  of  the  lodges 
burned  by  the  dragoons  the  night  we  were  on  Spokan 
river,  was  the  carriage  belonging  to  one  of  the  howitzers 
taken  in  the  fight  with  Colonel  Step  toe. 

This  afternoon  Vincent  returned  and  reported  that  the 
Goeur  d" Alenes  were  afraid  to  come  in;  but  since  then 
some  few  have  arrived.  The  priests  will  now  be  exceed- 
ingly useful  to  us.  The  Indians,  terrified  by  the  lessons 
they  have  had,  although  desirous  of  peace,  seem  afraid  to 
come  near  the  whites  to  sue  for  it.  They  are  scattered,  and 
hiding  in  the  mountains  and  ravines,  and  it  will  be  through 
the  agency  and  influence  of  their  priests  alone,  that  we 
shall  be  able  to  reassure  them  and  induce  them  to  accede 
to  the  necessary  terms. 

September  16th — We  are  waiting  for  the  Indians.  Some 
Coeur  d' Alenes  came  in  to-day,  and  turned  over  to  the 
quarter-master  all  the  property  in  their  possession  taken 
in  Colonel  Steptoe's  fight.  It  consisted  of  two  horses, 
two  mules,  and  a  variety  of  small  articles. 

September  16lh. — Our  mail  was  sent  out  to-day  in  charge 
of  four  Coeur  d'Alene  Indian  runners.  We  must  take 
our  risk  of  its  reaching  the  settlements  in  safety,  without 
being  intercepted  by  Indian  parties,"  or  perhaps  carried  off 
by  our  new  "mail  agents." 

Some  few  more  Indians  came  in  to-day.  The  old  Spo- 
kan chief  was  released  this  morning  and  sent  to  the  Mission. 
He  promises  to  join  his  people  and  try  to  bring  them  in. 

September  17th, — About  a  dozen  Indians,  with  their  fam- 
ilies, came  in  this  morning.  Now  that  some  have  tried 
the  experiment  and  find  themselves  unharmed,  we  may 
hope  that  the  rest  will  follow  their  example.  With  some 
other  officers  I  made  a  visit  to  the  Mission,  and  then  re- 
turned to  attend  the  council. 


IX. 

THE   CCETJR  D'ALENE 
COUNCIL. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE     CCEUR     D^ALENECOUNCIL. 


I  HE  Coeur  d'  Alenes  have  always  been  remarked 
for  their  determined  opposition  to  the  whites.  They 
perseveringly  set  themselves  against  any  intrusion 
into  their  country,  and  if  they  had  possessed 
strength  to  carry  out  their  wishes,  their  hunting- 
grounds  would  never  have  been  trodden  by  the 
foot  of  a  white  man.  It  was  from  this  trait  that  they  re- 
ceived their  name — Coeur  d'Alene — ^pointed  hearts,  or 
hearts  of  arrows.  They  were  now  for  the  first  time  to 
meet  the  whites  in  council,  where  their  only  hope  was  in 
unqualified  submission.  It  was  the  first  meeting  of  the 
kind  on  our  expedition,  and  we  were  now  to  witness  the  ef- 
fect of  the  severe  lesson  which  the  Indians  had  been  taught. 
The  council  met  in  front  of  Colonel  Wright's  tent.  A 
bower  had  been  hastily  constructed  of  branches  of  trees, 
and  in  this  sylvan  saloon  we  were  to  meet  the  sons  of  the 
forest.  At  one  end  was  the  Colonel,  surrounded  by  his 
officers,  while  the  rest  of  the  space  was  filled  by  the  Coeur 
d' Alenes,  generally  (as  an  Indian  chief  once  expressed 
it)  "  resting  on  the  bosom  of  their  mother  earth."  About 
a  hundred  and  fifty  were  present.  Our  two  regular  Inter- 
preters were  there,  and  also  Father  Joset  from  the  Mission, 
who  lent  us  his  aid  in  interpreting  to  Yincent,  when  the 
latter  repeated  it  to  the  other  chiefs  present. 

The  Council  was  opened  by  Vincent,  the  Coeur  d'Alene 
chief,  who  addressed  Colonel  Wright  thus : 

"  I  have  committed  a  great  crime.     T  am  fully  conscious 


84  THE  CCEUR  D'ALENE   COUNCIL. 

of  it,  and  am  deeply  sorry  for  it.    I  and  all  my  people  are 
rejoiced  that  you  are  willing  to  forgive  ns.     I  have  done." 

Colonel  Wright.  (To  the  Indians.)  "As  your 
chief  has  said,  you  have  committed  a  great  crime.  It  has 
angered  your  Great  Father,  and  I  have  been  sent  to  punish 
you.  You  attacked  Colonel  Steptoe  when  he  was  passing 
peaceably  through  your  country,  and  you  have  killed 
some  of  his  men.  But  you  asked  for  peace,  and  you  shall 
have  it,  on  certain  conditions. 

"  You  see  that  you  fight  against  us  hopelessly.  I  have  a 
great  many  soldiers.  I  have  a  great  many  men  at  Walla 
Walla,  and  have  a  large  body  coming  from  Salt  Lake 
City.  What  can  you  do  against  us  ?  I  can  place  my  sol- 
diers on  your  plains,  by  your  fishing-grounds,  and  in  the 
mountains  where  you  catch  game,  and  your  helpless  fam- 
ilies cannot  run  away. 

"  You  shall  have  peace  on  the  following  conditions.  You 
must  deliver  to  me,  to  take  to  the  General,  the  men  who 
struck  the  first  blow  in  the  affair  with  Colonel  Steptoe. 
You  must  deliver  to  me  to  take  to  Walla  Walla,  one  chief 
and  four  warriors  with  their  families.  You  must  deliver 
up  to  me  all  property  taken  in  the  affair  with  Colonel 
Steptoe.  You  must  allow  all  troops  and  other  white  men 
to  pass  unmolested  through  your  country.  You  must  not 
allow  any  hostile  Indians  to  come  into  your  country,  and 
not  engage  in  any  hostilities  against  any  white  man.  I 
promise  you,  that  if  you  will  comply  with  all  my  require- 
ments, none  of  your  people  shall  be  harmed,  but  I  will  with- 
draw from  your  country  and  you  shall  have  peace  forever. 

"  I  also  require  that  the  hatchet  shall  be  buried  between 
you  and  our  friends,  the  Nez  Perces." 

The  Nez  Perces  were  called,  and  the  part  of  the  speech 
referring  to  them  was  repeated  to  the  Coeur  d'Alenes  in 
their  presence. 

YiNCENT  replied  : — "  I  desire  to  hear  what  the  Nez  Per- 
ces' heart  is." 


THE   CCEUR    d'ALENE   COUNCIL.  86 

Haitzemaliken,  (the  chief  of  the  Nez  Percys,)  stood 
forth  and  said: — "  You  behold  me  before  you,  and  I  will 
lay  my  heart  open  to  you.  I  desire  there  shall  be  peace 
between  ns.  It  shall  be  as  the  Colonel  says.  I  will  never 
wage  war  against  any  of  the  friends  of  the  white  man." 

Vincent.  "  It  does  my  heart  good  and  makes  also  my 
people  glad,  to  hear  you  speak  so.  I  have  desired  peace  be- 
tween us.  _  There  shall  never  be  war  between  our  people, 
nor  between  us  and  the  white  men.  The  past  is  forgotten." 

The  propositions  of  the  Colonel  were  then  formally  ac- 
cepted, and  having  been  signed  by  him  and  his  offcers, 
they  were  signed  also  by  Vincent  and  the  other  chiefs  and 
head  men.  They  then  smoked  the  pipe  of  peace  all  round, 
and  the  council  broke  up. 

The  old  Spokan  chief  whom  we  formerly  held  as  pris- 
oner, was  also  there,  and  made  a  short  speech,  the  import 
of  which  was,  that  he  was  also  satisfied,  and  would  go  and 
try  to  bring  in  his  people.  He  left  the  camp  as  soon  as  the 
council  had  adjourned. 

Everything  seems  to  be  settling  down  on  quite  a  pacific 
footing.  The  Indians,  this  afternoon,  returned  quite  a 
number  of  things  taken  in  the  fight  with  Colonel  Steptoe. 
Trading,  too,  goes  on  quite  briskly.  Blankets  and  shirts 
are  exchanged  for  robes,  moccasins,  and  arms.  The 
Fathers  send  us  vegetables  every  day,  besides  milk  and 
butter ;  two  luxuries  which  we  have  not  seen  for  a  longtime. 

To-day  we  noticed  at  the  Mission  a  number  of  women, 
who  were  evidently  in  great  distress  and  weeping  bitterly. 
Some  were  mourning  for  those  who  had  fallen  in  battle, 
and  others  for  the  hostages  who  were  to  be  taken  off  by  us. 

The  Indians  seem  amazed  at  our  being  so  friendly  with 
them,  after  their  hostilities.  Father  Joset  told  them,  a|  a 
solution  of  the  matter,  that  "  the  soldiers  were  like  lions  in 
war  and  lambs  in  peace." 

We  find,  from  conversing  with  the  Indians,  what  was 
the  system  of  tactics  they  had  arranged  for  the  campaign. 
They  expected  to  be  attacked  first  by  the  dragoons,  whom 


86  THE    CCEUR  d'ALENE   COUNCIL. 

they  intended  to  figlit  as  they  did  Colonel  Steptoe,  and  ex- 
pected the  same  result.  To  this  purpose  they  devoted 
their  powder  and  ball.  Having  disposed  of  the  dragoons, 
they  would  have  the  infantry  in  their  power,  cut  off  from 
all  succour  in  the  midst  of  a  hostile  country.  They  were 
then  to  keep  riding  round  them,  as  they  would  have  far 
outnumbered  them,  and  shooting  them  with  their  arrows. 
They  well  knew,  too,  that  their  first  success  against  our 
force  would  have  doubled  their  numbers.  Indian  runners 
would  at  once  have  spread  the  news  through  the  country, 
the  wavering  and  undecided  would  have  cast  in  their  lot 
with  them,  warriors  from  the  most  distant  tribes  have  hur- 
ried on  to  share  in  the  spoil,  and  on  both  sides  of  the 
mountains  we  should  have  had  on  our  hands  a  war  of 
extermination  against  the  whites. 

The  long  range  rifles  upset  this  beautiful  scheme.  They 
expected,  they  told  us,  tliat  as  soon  as  the  infantry  fired 
they  would  retire  and  load  again.  They  were  very  much 
surprised,  therefore,  to  see  them  advance  all  the  time,  keep- 
ing up  a  steady  and  uninterrupted  fire.  They  compared  the 
soldiers  to  bears,  that  when  they  fired  a  shot,  the  soldiers 
advanced  always  to  the  spot  where  it  fell  instead  of  retiring. 
We  learned  that,  on  our  march  to  the  Mission,  a  war- 
party  of  the  Pelouzes  were  following  in  our  rear,  and  when 
Lieutenant  Mullan's  wagon  and  the  limber  of  the  Howitzer 
battery  were  abandoned,  they  burned  them. 

September  18th. — This  morning  we  resumed  our  march, 
and  once  more  plunged  into  the  wilderness.  We  have 
now  reached  the  most  distant  point  of  our  expedition,  and 
begin  our  retrograde  movement.  It  is  the  object  of  Col. 
Wright  to  look  after  the  Spokans  and  other  tribes,  on  his 
march  down  through  the  country.  We  left  the  Mission  at 
seven  o'clock,  and  after  advancing  about  two  miles,  struck 
the  Cceur  d'Alene  river,  our  way  at  first  for  a  few  miles 
passing  through  a  thickly  wooded  country,  and  then  over 
an  open  bottom  running  along  the  bank  of  the  river.     The 


THE  CCEUR  D'ALENE   COUNCIL.  87 

Cceur  d'Alene  is  narrow  and  winding,  and  deep  enough,  it 
is  said,  for  a  line-of-battle  ship,  though  not  sufficiently  wide. 

Our  march  of  the  day  was  thirteen  miles.  Some  of  our 
hostages  and  guides  went  with  us,  while  others  came  down 
the  river  in  canoes  and  met  us  at  our  camp. 

During  the  afternoon,  one  supply  train,  one  company  of 
dragoons,  and  the  howitzer  battery,  crossed  the  river. 
They  were  taken  over  in  two  canvas  boats  belonging  to 
the  quarter-master,  assisted  by  the  Indians  in  their  canoes. 

September  19th. — This  morning  the  rest  of  the  command 
crossed  the  river.  One  dragoon  horse  and  two  mules 
were  drowned  in  making  the  passage. 

jSept.  20th. — Marched  at  six  this  morning.  About  a  mile 
from  the  river  we  entered  the  thick  timber,  through  which 
we  toiled  with  great  exertions  for  nine  miles,  until  we  emerg- 
ed once  more  on  the  banks  of  the  St.  Joseph's  river.  After 
marching  along  its  banks  for  about  four  miles,  we  encamped, 
having  advanced  thirteen  miles,  the  greater  part  of  the  way 
through  the  dense  forests.  The  St.  Joseph's  is  a  beautiful 
stream, — narrow  and  deep,  and  its  banks  lined  with  timber. 

Had  we  been  in  a  mood  for  the  picturesque,  we  might 
have  been  delighted  with  the  scenery  through  the  day. 
The  views  from  the  moimtains  over  which  we  passed,  were 
most  beautiful.  At  times,  a  large  number  of  lakes,  streams 
and  ponds  were  in  sight  at  once.  Just  before  reaching  the 
river,  we  passed  the  spot  where  the  Mission  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  (to  the  Coeur  d'Alenes,)  formerly  stood,  before  it 
was  removed  to  its  present  location. 

This  evening  the  express  came  in  with  the  mails,  bring- 
ing us  eighteen  days  later  news  from  the  regions  of  civiliza- 
tion. The  rest  of  our  hostages  came  in  to-day,  having 
been  off  to  get  their  families  and  horses.  They  turned 
over  to  our  quarter-master  some  horses  and  mules  taken 
from  Colonel  Steptoe's  command. 

In  the  beginning  of  September,  Donati's  comet  appeared, 
and  night  after  night  it  has  been  streaming  above  us  in 
all  its  glory.     Strange  as  it  may  seem,  it  has  exerted  a 


88 

powerful  influence  over  the  Indians,  in  our  behalf.  Ap- 
pearing just  as  we  entered  the  country,  it  seemed  to  them 
like  some  huge  besom  to  sweep  them  from  the  earth.  The 
effect  was  probably  much  increased  by  the  fact,  that  it 
disappeared  about  the  time  our  campaign  ended  and  the 
treaties  were  formed.  They  must  have  imagined  that  it 
had  been  sent  home  to  their  Great  Father  in  Washington, 
to  be  put  away  until  required  the  next  time. 

September  21st. — Last  evening  the  supply  train  was 
crossed  over  the  river,  and  this  morning  the  rest  of  the 
command  made  the  passage.  The  Indians  again  did  us 
good  service  in  pointing  out  the  ford,  and  in  helping  across 
the  men  and  supplies.  The  whole  command  had  reached 
the  other  side  by  one  in  the  afternoon. 

"VYe  crossed  near  a  Coeur  d'Alene  village,  which  was  the 
residence  of  one  of  the  hostages  who  was  to  accompany 
us,  and  we  witnessed  his  taking  leave  of  his  family.  In 
bidding  them  farewell,  he  evidently  could  not  repress  his 
tears,  and  after  looking  back  once  more,  by  a  great  effort 
he  tore  himself  away  and  hurried  from  the  spot.  It  was  a 
scene  very  different  from  the  pictures  of  Mohegan  indiffer- 
ence given  by  Fenimore  Cooper. 

Since  granting  peace  to  the  Coeur  d'Alenes,  we  have 
discovered,  what  we  before  suspected,  that  the  discontented 
portion  of  the  Nez  Perces  had  joined  the  enemy,  and  were 
engaged  in  the  two  fights  against  us.  The  friendlj^  Indians 
report  there  were  about  forty  lodges. 

As  soon  as  we  left  the  river,  we  entered  the  heavy  tim- 
ber, and  after  a  march  of  about  five  miles  reached  a  small 
stream  where  we  were  obliged  to  encamp,  for  the  sake  of 
the  water,  although  it  was  scarce.  In  the  afternoon  a  chief 
with  ten  "  braves"  came  into  the  camp.  They  represented 
themselves  as  Nez  Perces,  though  we  found  they  in  reality 
were  Pelouzes.  They  said  they  had  been  in  the  two  fights 
against  us,  but  having  heard  that  peace  had  been  granted  to 
the  Coeur  d'Alenes,  they  wished  it  extended  to  them  also. 


X. 


THE    SPOKAK  COUNCIL. 


CHAPTER   X. 

THE    SPOKAN    COUNCIL. 

EPTEMBER  22d.— We  left  camp  at  half-past  six 
this  morning,  and  marched  seventeen  miles  through 
a  rolling  country,  occasionally  diversified  by  open 
timber. 

When  we  reached  camp,  we  found  that  the  head 
chiefs  and  warriors  of  the  Spokans  had  come  in, 
accompanied  by  Father  Joset.  Kamiaken  and  Tilkohitz 
were  in  last  evening,  but  their  courage  seemed  to  have 
failed  before  the  time  of  meeting  Colonel  Wright,  and  they 
went  off  again.  Colonel  Wright  sent  Gearry  (the  Spokan 
chief)  and  Big  Star  out  after  Kamiaken,  telling  him  to 
come  in  and  he  should  not  be  harmed ;  but  if  he  did  not 
surrender  himself,  he  (the  Colonel)  would  hunt  him  down 
until  he  captured  him,  and  then  put  him  to  death. 

Kamiaken  has  been  for  years  the  most  powerful  chief 
among  all  these  tribes,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most  re- 
lentless enemy  of  the  whites.  He  is  the  head  chief  of  the 
Yakimas,  his  mother  having  been  a  Yakima,  and  his  father 
a  Pelouze._  This  gave  him  great  influence  with  both  these 
tribes,  and  by  his  talents  he  has  acquired  authority  with 
all  the  northern  Indian  nations.  He  seems  to  occupy  the 
same  position  with  them  that  Tecumpsah  formerly  did  with 
our  north-western  tribes. 


92  THE  SPOKAN  COUNCIL. 

My  first  acquaintance  with  him  was  at  the  Walla  "Walla 
Council,  three  years  before.  There,  it  was  evident  that  he 
was  the  great  impediment  in  the  way  of  any  cession  of  the 
Indian  lands.  While  the  other  chiefs,  one  by  one,  came 
into  the  measure,  and  even  Looking  Glass,  the  war  chief 
of  the  JSTez  Percys,  at  first  entirely  hostile,  at  last  yielded 
to  the  force  of  some  peculiar  arguments  which  are  equally 
potent  with  savages  and  white  men,  nothing  could  move 
Kamiaken.  With  more  far-reaching  wisdom  than  the 
rest,  he  probably  saw  that  this  surrender  of  their  lands 
and  intrusion  of  the  white  men,  would  be  the  final  step 
in  destroying  the  nation.  Governor  Stevens  was  unable 
to  induce  him  to  express  any  opinion,  but  he  sat  in  gloomy 
silence.  Several  times,  when  the  governor  appealed  to 
him  with  the  inquiry, — ^'  We  would  like  to  know  what  is 
the  heart  of  Kamiaken," — his  only  answer  was, — "  What 
have  I  to  say  I"  He  was  the  leader  in  the  outbreak  which 
took  place  shortly  after,  when  Major  Haller's  force  was 
defeated,  and  has  been,  we  have  no  dbubt,  the  moving 
spirit  in  arraying  all  these  tribes  against  us  this  season, 
and  bringing  on  this  open  warfare.  It  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at,  therefore,  that  he  is  afraid  to  put  himself  in  the 
power  of  the  whites. 

September  23c?. — We  did  not  move  camp  this  morning,  as 
it  was  the  day  appointed  for  the  Council,  which  after 
breakfast  assembled  in  front  of  Colonel  Wright's  tent. 
The  Indians  numbered  one  hundred  and  seven.  Besides 
the  Spokans,  were  Pend  d'Orcilles,  Colvilles,  lies  des  pier- 
res,  and  delegates  from  other  smaller  tribes. 

We  heard  to-day  a  fact,  showing  what  will  be  the  influ- 
ence of  our  two  fights  even  upon  the  Indian  tribes  which 
were  not  engaged  in  them.  One  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Col- 
ville  Indians,  whose  hunting-grounds  are  far  north  of  the 
Coeur  d'Alenes,  just  on  the  borders  of  the  British  posses- 


THE   SPOKAN   COUNCIL.  93 

sions,  told  his  tribe  that  he  had  heard  a  great  deal  about 
the  soldiers,  but  never  having  seen  them^  he  would  go 
down  and  be  a  witness  of  the  fight  which  they  knew  was 
at  hand.  So  he  joined  the  other  tribes,  and  was  present  at 
the  battle  of  the  "  Four  Lakes."  When  the  fight  was 
over,  he  turned  his  horse  and  rode  until  he  reached  his 
own  people.  There  he  called  his  tribe  together,  and  told 
them  he  had  seen  the  soldiers,  but  never  wished  to  see 
them  again ;  that  they  stood  as  firm  as  the  oaks  when  the 
Indians  fired  at  them ;  that  they  could  march  faster  and 
further  in  a  day  than  horses  j  that  their  guns  carried  a 
mile,  more  than  half  way  as  far  again  as  those  of  the  In- 
dians, and  he  ended  by  advising  them  always  to  remain 
friends  with  the  whites. 

The  Spokans  being  assembled  at  the  Council,  Colonel 
Wright  addressed  them.  He  promised  them  peace  on  the 
same  conditions  he  had  imposed  on  theCoeur  d'Alenes,and 
announced  that  he  expected  to  see  them  come  forward  like 
men.  The  Cceur  d'Alenes  had  done  so,  and  were  now  the 
friends  of  the  government.  Besides,  this  was  the  last  treaty 
which  would  be  made,  and  he  wished  the  friendly  Nez 
Perces  Indians  to  be  included  in  it.  The  hostile  N'ez  Per- 
ces,  who  had  engaged  in  the  war  against  us,  he  would 
have  driven  out  of  the  Spokan  country ;  that  the  govern- 
ment would  make  roads  through  their  country^  where  and 
whenever  it  pleased,  and  the  workmen  employed  on  them 
must  not  be  molested. 

The  Spokan  Chief  replied: — "I  am  sorry  for  what 
has  been  done,  and  glad  of  the  opportunity  now  offered  to 
make  peace  with  our  Great  Father.  We  promise  to  obey 
and  fulfil  these  terms  in  every  point," 

Another  old  Spokan  Chief  said: — "My  heart  is  the 
same.  I  trust  everybody  is  included  in  the  Colonel's 
mercy." 


94  THE  SPOKAN  COUNCIL. 

Colonel  Wright.  "  It  embraces  everybody,  and  those 
who  go  with  me  to  Walla  Walla  as  hostages  for  the  good 
behavior  of  the  nation  shall  not  be  hurt  the  least,  but  well 
taken  care  of  until  their  safe  return  at  the  expiration  of 
one  year." 

The  treaty  was  then  signed  by  all  the  chiefs  present, 
on  the  part  of  the  Spokans. 

During  the  council,  Gearry  and  Big  Star  returned,  and 
reported  that  they  had  been  hunting  all  night  for  Kamia- 
ken  without  success,  when  at  daybreak  they  found  him, 
and  Schroom,  his  brother,  on  the  other  side  of  Spokan 
river.  They  were  unable,  however,  to  induce  him  to  come 
in,  as  he  said  he  was  afraid  he  should  be  taken  to  Walla 
Walla. 

The  conditions  of  peace  were  then  interpreted  to  these 
two  chiefs,  and  the  treaty  signed  by  them. 

Among  those  present  at  the  council,  was  Milcapzy,  a 
Coeur  d'Alene  chief,  who  was  not  at  the  treaty  made  with 
his  own  nation.  As  the  council  was  closing.  Colonel 
Wright  singled  him  out  and  addressed  him  thus : — 

"  Milcapzy  !  I  saw  your  letter  to  General  Clarke.  You 
say  to  the  General, — '  Perhaps  you  think  that  we  are  poor 
and  want  peace.  We  are  neither  poor  nor  do  we  want 
peace.  If  you  want  peace,  you  must  come  and  ask  for  it. 
And  take  care  that  you  do  not  come  beyond  the  battle 
ground.' 

"Who  now  asks  for  peace?  I  do  not.  And  where 
stands  the  battle  ground?  Milcapzy  thinks  he  is  rich. 
He  has  bands  of  horses,  and  houses,  and  farms,  and  lodges 
full  of  grain.  Let  him  remember  that  riches  sometimes 
take  wings  and  fly  away.     Tilkohitz"^  was  rich  once,  but 

*  Tilkohitz  was  the  owner  of  the  nine  hundred  horses  captured  by  us 
and  shot,  September  9th. 


THE   SPOKAN   COUNCIL.  95 

is  poor  now.  Milcapzy !  look  upon  tlie  banks  of  the  Spo- 
kan.     I  should  like  to  hear  Milcapzy  speak." 

Milcapzy  reflected  for  a  moment,  spoke  a  few  words  to 
another  warrior  at  his  side,  arranged  his  head-dress,  and 
rising,  said : — 

"  I  am  aware  that  I  have  committed  a  great  crime.  I 
am  very  sorry  for  it.  My  heart  is  cast  down.  But  I  have 
heard  your  talk  jast  made  in  this  council.  I  have  confi- 
dence in  what  you  say,  and  I  thank  you  for  it.  I  am 
ready  to  abide  by  the  terms  you  propose." 

The  priest  then  explained  to  him  the  conditions  on 
which  peace  had  been  granted  to  the  Coeur  d'Alenes,  and 
he  expressed  his  willingness  to  sign  the  treaty.  The  coun- 
cil was  then  dissolved. 

Among  the  chiefs  at  this  council,  were  Polatkin,  the 
head  chief  of  the  Spokans,  whom  we  formerly  held  as  a 
prisoner,  and  released, — and  one  of  his  sons,  the  one  who 
visited  our  camp  on  the  Spokan  the  day  his  father  was 
detained.  His  brother  and  himself  were  the  Indians  who 
were  fired  at  by  the  guard,  across  the  river,  when  demand- 
ing the  release  of  the  old  chief.  He  is  one  of  the  most 
splendid  looking  men  I  have  ever  seen.  He  was  shot  in 
the  arm  below  the  elbow,  and  his  brother  was  shot  through 
the  body.  From  what  we  could  leara  of  him,  he  will 
probably  not  recover. 

One  of  our  hostages  is  Anthony,  a  Coeur  d'Alene  chief, 
who  was  in  the  fight  with  Colonel  Steptoe.  When  Lieu- 
tenant Gaston  fell,  he  took  his  body  and  covered  it  with 
leaves,  intending  afterwards  to  go  back  and  bury  him. 
When,  however,  he  returned,  he  found  the  body  had  been 
removed. 


XI. 


OWHI  AND   QUALCHIEN. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

OWHI     AND    QtJALCHIEN. 

HIS  evening,  Owhi,  the  brother-in-law  of  Kamia- 
ken,  came  into  camp,  as  he  said,  to  make  peace.  I 
first  saw  him,  as  I  did  Kamiaken,  three  years  ago 
at  the  Walla  Walla  council,  where  he  opposed  all 
treaties  to  cede  their  country,  not  only  with  great 
zeal  but  with  much  ability.  His  speech,  of  which 
I  took  notes  at  the  time,  particularly  impressed  me.  It 
was  thus  : 

"  We  are  talking  together,  and  the  Great  Spirit  hears  all 
that  we  say  to-day.  The_  Great  Spirit  gave  us  the  land, 
and  measured  the  land  to  us.  This  is  the  reason  that  I  am 
afraid  to  say  anything  about  this  land.  I  am  afraid  of  the 
laws  of  the  Great  Spirit.  This  is  the  reason  of  my  heart 
being  sad.  This  is  the  reason  I  cannot  give  you  an  answer. 
I  am  afraid  of  the  Great  Spirit.  Shall  I  steal  this  land 
and  sell  it  ?  or,  what  shall  I  do  ?  This  is  the  reason  why 
my  heart  is  sad.  Th§  Great  Spirit  made  our  friends,  but 
the  Great  Spirit  made  our  bodies  from  the  earth,  as  if  they 
were  different  from  the  whites.  What  shall  I  do  ?  Shall 
I  give  the  land  which  is  a  part  of  my  body,  and  leave  my- 
self poor  and  destitute  ?  Shall  I  say,  I  will  give  you  my 
land  ?  I  cannot  say  so.  I  am  afraid  of  the  Great  Spirit. 
I  love  my  life.  The  reason  why  I  do  not  give  my  land  away 
is,  I  am  afraid  I  shall  be  sent  to  hell.     I  love  my  friends. 


100  OWHI  AND   QUALCHIEN. 

I  love  my  life.  This  is  the  reason  why  I  do  not  give  my 
land  away.  I  have  one  word  more  to  say.  My  people 
are  far  away.  They  do  not  know  your  words.  This  is 
the  reason  I  cannot  give  you  an  answer.  I  show  you  my 
heart.    This  is  all  I  have  to  say." 

Defeated  at  the  council,  and  the  other  chiefs  agreeing  to 
the  cession  of  their  lands,  his  next  move  was,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  his  son  Qualchien  and  Kamiaken,  to  organize  the 
outbreak  which  took  place  the  following  winter.  That 
was  repressed,  and  now  he  has  probably  been  one  of  the 
instigators  of  these  last  hostihties. 

His  greeting  by  Colonel  Wright  was  stern,  and  the  ex- 
amination brief  A  priest  was  sent  for  to  act  as  interpreter, 
and  give  his  answers.  Colonel  Wright  had  seen  him  three 
years  before,  in  the  former  war,  in  the  Yakima  country, 
when  he  was  treated  with  a  leniency  which,  it  was  proved 
by  the  result,  only  enboldened  him  to  further  outrages. 
He  then  made  pledges  which  he  never  fulfilled,  and  on  this 
point  he  was  taken  to  task.  The  Colonel  has  a  peculiarly 
nervous  way  of  putting  questions. 

Colonel.  "  Where  did  he  see  me  last?" 

Pkiest.  "  He  saw  you  in  his  country." 

Colonel.  ' "  Whereabout  in  his  country  ?" 

Priest.  ''  On  the  ISTatchess  river." 

Colonel.  "  What  did  he  promise  me  at  that  time?" 

Owhi  looked  exceedingly  pale  and  confused. 

Priest.  "That  he  would  come  in  with  his  people  in 
some  days." 

Colonel.  "  Why  did  he  not  do  so  ?  (Aside.    Tell  the 

officer  of  the  guard  to  bring  a  file  of  his  men ;  and  Captain 
Kirkham,  you  will  have  some  iron  shackles  made  ready.") 

Owhi  huDg  his  head  and  looked  still  more  confused. 

Priest.  "  He  says,  he  did  do  so." 

Colonel.  "  Where  is  he  from  now  ?" 


OWHI  AND   QUALCHIEN.  101 

Peiest.  "  From  the  mouth  of  the  Spokan." 

Colonel.  "  How  long  has  he  been  away  from  there?" 

Priest.  "  Two  days." 

Colonel.  "Where  is  Qualchien?" 

Priest.  "  At  the  mouth  of  the  Spokan." 

Colonel.  "  Tell  Owhi,  that  I  will  send  a  message  to 
Qualchien.  Tell  him,  he  too  shall  send  a  message,  and  if 
Qualchien  does  not  join  me  before  I  cross  the  Snake  river, 
in  four  days,  I  will  hang  Owhi." 

When  this  communication  was  made  to  him^  he  appear- 
ed to  lose  all  power  over  himself.  He  sank  on  the  ground, 
and  the  perspiration  came  out  on  him  in  large  drops.  He 
took  out  a  book  of  prayers,  and  in  much  confusion  turned 
over  the  leaves  for  a  moment,  looking  at  the  pictures  appar- 
ently without  knowing  what  he  was  doing,  and  handed  it 
to  the  priest  who  was  standing  by  him.  He  was  then 
taken  off  by  the  guard  and  put  in  irons.  When  the  mes* 
senger  went  ofP,  he  said  he  did  not  think  Qualchien  would 
come  in. 

Owhi  and  his  son  Qualchien,  are  probably  the  two 
worst  Indians  this  side  of  the  Rocky  mountains.  The  son 
is  even  more  notorious  than  the  father,  and  therefore  Colo- 
nel Wright  has  been  particularly  anxious  to  secure  him. 
He  has  kept  the  whole  country,  on  both  sides  of  the  moun- 
tains, in  confusion  for  years.  They  are  Yakimas,  but  are 
in  this  country  a  great  deal,  where  they  have  much  influ- 
ence with  the  surrounding  tribes.  They  are  both  known  to 
have  been  engaged  in  a  number  of  murders.  The  coat 
Owhi  wore  when  he  came  in,  was  recognized  by  one  of 
our  herders  as  belonging  to  a  miner  who  was  murdered 
last  spring.  The  herder  was  with  his  party,  but  escaped. 
During  the  evening  a  party  of  miners  arrived  from  Col- 
ville.  They  brought  very  unfavorable  news  with  regard 
to  the  Indians, — that  they  could  not  keep  any  cattle,  for 


102  OWHI  AND   QUALCHIEN. 

they  were  at  once  stolen.  These  Indians  belong  to  small 
bands,  consisting  principally  of  Okenagans,  but  including 
renegades  and  outlawed  Indians  from  every  tribe.  They 
would  not  attack  a  party  of  any  size,  but  cut  off  stray  in- 
dividuals. It  is  impossible,  therefore,  to  bring  them  to  a 
fight,  but  they  will  have  to  be  hunted  down  like  bandits. 

September  24dh, — About  twelve  o'clock  to-day,  there  trot- 
ted out  from  a  canon  near  our  camp  two  Indian  braves  and 
a  fine  looking  squaw.  The  three  rode  abreast,  and  a  little 
way  behind  rode  an  Indian  hunchback  whom  we  had  be- 
fore seen  in  our  camp.  The  three  principal  personages 
were  gaily  dressed,  and  had  a  most  dashing  air.  They 
all  had  on  a  great  deal  of  scarlet,  and  the  squaw  wore  two 
ornamental  scarfs  passing  over  the  right  shoulder  and  un- 
der the  right  arm.  She  also  carried,  resting  across  in  front 
of  her  saddle,  a  long  lance,  the  handle  of  which  was  com- 
pletely wound  with  various  colored  beads,  and  from  the 
end  of  which  depended  two  long  tippets  of  beaver  skins. 
The  two  braves  had  rifles,  and  one,  who  was  evidently  the 
leader  of  the  party,  carried  an  ornamented  tomahawk. 
With  the  utmost  boldness  they  rode  directly  up  to  Colonel 
Wright's  tent.* 

Captain  Keyes,  who  was  standing  at  the  time  in  front 
of  the  tent,  pulled  aside  the  opening,  remarking,  as  he  did 
so : — "Colonel,  we  have  distinguished  visitors  here !"  The 
Colonel  came  out,  and  after  a  short  conversation,  to  his  sur- 
prise, recognized  in  the  leader  of  the  party,  Qualchien, 
the  son  of  Owhi,  and  one  of  the  most  desperate  murderers 
on  this  coast.  For  a  few  moments  Qualchien  stood  talking 
with  Colonel  Wright,  with  his  rifle  standing  by  his  side. 
His  bearing  was  so  defiant,  that  Captain  Keyes,  thinking 

*  For  this  description,  as  well  as  some  other  facts  in  this  chapter,  I  am  in- 
debted to  the  notes  of  Captain  Keyea 


OWHI   AND   QUALCHIEN.  103 

he  might  meditate  some  desperate  act,  placed  himself  on 
his  right,  a  little  in  the  rear,  with  his  eye  fixed  on  Qual- 
chien's  rifle,  ready  to  spring  upon  him  on  the  slightest  de- 
monstration. 

In  a  short  time  Colonel  Wright  mentioned  Ovvhi's  name. 
At  this  Qualchien  started,  and  exclaimed, — "  Car  f  where?' 
The  Colonel  answered, — "  Owhi^  mittite  yawa.  Owhi  is  over 
there !"  When  this  was  communicated,  I  was  standing 
near  him,  and  he  seemed  to  be  paralyzed.  His  whole  ex- 
pression changed  as  though  he  had  been  stunned.  He 
gazed  about  him  and  repeated  mechanically, — '^  Owhi,  mit- 
tite yawa!  OwM^  mittite  yawaP''  In  a  moment  he  made  a 
motion  as  if  he  would  use  the  rifle  he  held  in  his  hand, 
and  advanced  toward  his  horse.  He  evidently  saw  at  once 
that  he  had  run  into  the  toils  of  his  enemies.  The  guard, 
however,  had  by  this  time  arrived,  and  he  was  at  once  dis- 
armed. On  him  was  found  a  fine  pistol,  capped  and  load- 
ed, and  plenty  of  ammunition.  Colonel  Wright  told  him 
to  go  with  the  guard,  to  which  he  consented  with  silent 
reluctance,  hanging  back  as  he  was  pulled  along,  but  evi- 
dently undecided  what  to  do.  He  had  not  recovered  from 
the  stupifying  effect  of  the  news  of  his  father's  captivity. 

Qualchien  was  finely  shaped,  with  a  broad  chest  and 
muscular  limbs,  and  small  hands  and  feet.  When  taken 
to  the  guard  tent,  it  required  six  men  to  tie  his  hands  and 
feet,  so  violent  were  his  struggles,  notwithstanding  he  had 
at  the  time,  an  unhealed  wound  through  the  lower  part  of 
his  body. 

In  all  the  battles,  forays,  and  disturbances  in  Washington 
Territory,  Qualchien  has  been  one  of  the  leading  spirits. 
The  influence  for  evil  which  he  exerted  was  probably 
greater  even  than  that  of  either  Owhi  or  Kamiaken.  Of 
the  three,  he  was  the  most  addicted  to  fighting  and  blood- 
shed.    He  has  been  directly  charged  with  the  murder  of 


104  OWHI  AND   QUALCHIEN. 

nine  wliite  men  at  various  times.  In  the  action  of  March 
1st,  1856,  on  White  river,  Puget  Sound  District,  in  which 
Captain  Keyes  commanded,  Qualchien  was  present  with 
fifty  Yakima  warriors.  Of  these  seven  were  killed.  He 
went  over  the  mountains, — ^lie  said, — "to  learn  to  fight  at 
night!" 

Fifteen  minutes  after  his  capture,  the  officer  of  the  day 
received  an  order  from  Colonel  Wright,  to  have  him  hung 
immediately.     When  his  fate  was  made  known  to  him,  he 
began  cursing  Kamiaken.     A  file  of  the  guard  at  once 
marched  him  to  a  neighboring  tree,  where,  on  attempting 
to  put  the  rope  round  his  neck,  the  contest  was  again  re- 
newed.    Bound  as  his  arms  were,  he  fought  and  struggled 
till  they  were  obliged  to  throw  him  down  on  his  back  to 
fix  the  noose,  he  shrieking  all  the  while  : — "  Copet  six — 
stop,  my  friends  ;    Wake  mameloose  nika^ — do  not  kill  me ; 
nika  potlatch  liiyou  chickamen,  hiyou  k)^ta7i, — I  will  give  M. 
much   money,  a   great  many  horses;  spore   nika   mama- 
loose^  nika  hiyou  siwashe  silex, — if  you  kill  me,   a  great 
many  Indians  will  be  angry ;  copet  six, — stop,  my  friends!" 
The  rope  was  thrown  over  the  limb  of  a  tree,  and  he  was 
run  up.     Among  those  who  assisted  with  great  alacrity  in 
hauling  him  up,  were  two  miners,  now  in  the  quarter-mas- 
ter's employ,  who  had  been  with  the  party  which  was  at- 
tacked by  Qualchien  and  his  band  some  months  before- 
His  last  words,  as  the  noose  tightened,  were  a  curse  upon 
Kamiaken. 

It  is  supposed  from  this,  that  he  was  sent  by  Kamiaken 
into  the  camp,  as  a  spy,  to  ascertain  what  we  would  do,  and 
he  looked  upon  him,  therefore,  as  the  author  of  his  death. 
He  died  like  a  coward,  and  very  differently  from  the  man- 
ncr  in  which  the  Indians  generally  meet  their  fate.  So 
loud  indeed  were  his  cries,  that  they  were  heard  by  Owhi, 
who  was  confined  not  far  from  him.    The  old  chief,  in  dis- 


OWHI  AND   QUALCHIEN.  105 

gust,  disowned  him,  saying, — "  lie  is  not  my  son,  but  the 
son  of  Kamiaken," — meaning,  that  he  had  followed  the 
counsels  of  Kamiaken. 

We  have  reason  to  believe  there  was  some  treachery  in 
his  coming  in,  for  he  had  not  met  the  messenger  sent  out 
to  him,  but  had  either  come  in  of  his  own  accord,  or  had 
been  lured  by  the  little  imp  of  a  hunchback,  for  some  pur- 
pose of  his  own.  His  expression,  especially  that  of  his 
eyes,  betokened  a  diabolical  satisfaction.  As  soon  as  Qual- 
chien  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  guard,  the  hunchback 
galloped  on  to  the  upper  end  of  the  camp,  where  he  re- 
lated to  his  people  with  savage  glee  the  part  he  had  taken 
in  guiding  the  chief  to  our  quarters.  So  notorious,  however, 
was  the  character  of  Qualchien,  that  his  execution  seems 
to  meet  with  the  unanimous  approval  of  the  Indians  them- 
selves. When  informed  of  it,  their  first  exclamation  al- 
ways is : — "  It  is  right !  It  is  right !" 

The  squaw  proved  to  be  his  wife,  the  daughter  of  Polot- 
kin.  She  was  suffered  to  depart,  and  rode  off  with  his 
companion. 

It  was  reported  next  day  in  the  camp,  that  Qualchien  had 
a  large  sum  of  money  concealed  on  his  person.  An  order 
was  therefore  given  to  have  him  disinterred  and  examined, 
to  prevent  this  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians. 
This  was  done,  but  nothing  of  any  value  was  found  upon 
him. 

Is  may  be  well  here  to  anticipate  in  our  narration,  and 
give  the  fate  of  Owhi.  After  the  execution  of  his  son  it 
was  announced  to  him  that  he  would  be  taken  with  the 
other  prisoners  and  hostages  to  Walla  Walla.  He  showed 
no  signs  of  opposition  to  his  being  retained,  but  seemed  to 
be  contented  with  the  arrangements  made  with  regard  to 
him.  He  therefore  accompanied  us  on  our  march  back  to 
Fort  Taylor,  and  crossed  Snake  river.  Just  afterwards, 
6 


106  OWHI  AND   QUALCHIEN. 

however,  about  ten  days  after  his  son's  death,  one  evening 
as  we  were  crossing  a  small  stream  he  became  separated 
from  the  guard  for  a  moment  and  left  alone  with  Lieuten- 
ant Morgan,  by  whose  side  he  was  riding.  Suddenly,  he 
sprang  from  him  and  dashed  into  the  thick  underwood. 
Quick  as  thought,  the  Lieutenant's  revolver  was  out,  and  he 
fired  three  shots,  each  taking  effect,  and  wounding  both 
Owhi  and  his  horse.  By  this  time,  a  private  in  the  dra. 
goons  reached  the  spot,  and  gave  Owhi  the  coup  de  grace 
by  shooting  him  through  the  head.  He  died  in  about  two 
hours. 

Nothing  has  been  done  in  this  campaign  so  effectually 
to  secure  the  future  peace  of  the  country,  as  the  death  of 
these  two  chiefs. 


XII. 

THE  DEAD  OF  THE  BATTLE 
FIELD. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

THE     DEAD     OF     THE     BATTLE     FIELD. 

HTr/pOjg  are  now  only  about  ten  miles  from  Colonel 
Steptoe's  battle  ground,  and  this  morning  a  small 
force  was  dispatclied  to  the  place  to  try  and  re- 
cover the  remains  of  the  gallant  men  who  were 
killed  in  that  action,  that  with  proper  ceremonies 
their  comrades  may  commit  them  to  earth,  paying  to  them 
the  last  honors  which  a  soldier  can  have.  ,They  are  also 
to  search  for  the  two  howitzers  which  were  cached  in  the 
neighborhood. 

The  party  will  be  gone  about  two  days,  and  consists  of 
three  companies  of  dragoons, — Major  Grier's,  Lieutenants 
Gregg's  and  Pender's, — together  with  Lieutenant  White, 
with  the  howitzer  mules,  to  bring  in  the  guns.  Dr.  Ran 
dolph,  who  (as  well  as  Lieutenant  Gregg)  was  in  the  bat- 
tle, accompanied  the  command.  Lieutenant  Howard  was 
also  Avith  them,  together  with  Lieutenant  Mullan  and  his 
party.  The  latter,  as  Topographical  Engineer,  was  sent 
to  determine  the  position  of  the  battle  ground,  while  his 
assistants  will  make  a  map  and  sketches  of  the  place.  Some 
Spokans  and  Coeur  d'Alenes  went  as  guides. 

To-day  the  Colonel  had  brought  before  him  the  Pelouze 
chief  and  ten  warriors,  who  came  into  the  camp  on  the 
21st,  representing  themselves  to  be  ISTez  Perces,  They 
are  such  a  worthless  set,  that  there  is  no  idea  of  treating 
them  with  the  consideration  shown  to  the  other  Indian 


110  THE  DEAD  OF  THE   BATTLE-FIELD. 

tribes.  The  Colonel,  therefore,  told  them, — "  thej  had  no 
business  to  fight  against  the  soldiers,  and  he  was  going  to 
punish  them."  He  then  put  the  chief  and  two  others  in 
irons,  and  told  the  rest  to  go  and  bring  in  their  people, 
and  if  they  did  not  deliver  themselves  up  before  he  crossed 
Snake  river,  he  would  hang  these  three. 

The  rest  of  the  Indians  who  had  been  in  camp  to  at- 
tend the  council,  took  their  leave  to-day  and  departed  for 
their  homes. 

In  the  afternoon  an  express  arrived  from  Lieutenant 
MuUan  at  Steptoe's  battle  ground,  to  inform  Colonel 
Wright  that  they  had  been  entirely  successful  in  the  object 
of  their  expedition. 

September  26th. — This  morning  six  or  seven  Walla 
Walla  Indians  came  into  camp.  They  said  they  had  come 
from  the  camp  of  Kamiaken  and  Tilkohitz,  that  they 
had  a  letter  from  the  priest,  but  it  had  been  lost,  and  one 
of  their  number  had  gone  back  to  look  for  it.  They  ac- 
knowledged having  been  in  the  recent  fight  against  us. 
Being  unarmed,  the  Colonel  asked  them  where  were  their 
arms  ?  They  said  they  had  left  them  at  home.  He  then 
ordered  two  of  their  number  to-  be  put  in  irons,  and  dis- 
missed the  rest,  telling  them  if  they  did  not  bring  in  their 
arms  before  night  he  would  hang  these  two.  One  of  them 
claimed  to  be  related  to  Tilkohitz  by  marriage. 

The  miners  from  Colville  left  to-day.  Their  object  in 
coming  was  to  ask  the  Colonel  to  send  troops  up  to  their 
"  diggings."  But  as  they  acknowledged  the  Indians  would 
not  fight,  and  were  merely  the  thieving  vagabonds  of  the 
different  tribes,  the  soldiers  could  effect  nothing.  The 
miners  must  rely  for  their  protection  upon  their  own  rifles 
and  vigilance. 

In  the  middle  of  the  day,  two  Pelouze  Indians  came  in 
bringing  a  letter  from  the  priest.     They  were  followed 


THE  DEAD  OF  THE  BATTLE-FIELD.        Ill 

shortly  after  by  seven  or  eight  more.  The  whole  party 
were  at  once  taken  to  the  guard-house  and  ironed.  At 
evening  they  were  brought  up  for  examination,  and  be- 
ing convicted  of  having  been  engaged  in  various  atroci- 
ties, six  of  them  were  at  once  hung.  One  of  them  was 
proved  to  be  the  Indian  who  killed  Sergeant  "Williams  at 
Snake  river,  when,  after  being  wounded  in  Colonel  Step- 
toe's  affair,  he  was  trying  to  make  his  way  back  to  Walla 
Walla. 

At  noon  the  dragoons  returned  from  their  expedition  to 
the  battle  field.  They  reached  there  at  twelve  o'clock  the 
day  before,  and  found  the  hills  which  on  that  sad  day  were 
swarming  with  their  excited  foes,  now  as  silent  and  de- 
serted as  a  city  of  the  dead.  The  whole  battle  field  pre- 
sented a  scene  of  desolation.  In  the  heat  of  battle  but 
few  of  the  bodies  of  the  fallen  could  be  recovered,  and  in 
the  night,  before  their  retreat,  these  were  the  only  ones 
which  could  receive  a  hasty  burial.  The  rest  had  to  be 
left  on  the  field  where  they  met  their  fate.  The  wolves 
and  the  birds  of  prey  had  held  their  festival,  and  for  nearly 
six:  months  the  sun  and  rain  had  bleached  the  whitened 
bones  which  were  scattered  around. 

As  Lieutenant  Gregg  and  Dr.  Eandolph  rode  over  the 
field,  they  could  point  out  to  the  other  officers  the  scene 
of  each  event  in  that  day's  hard  fight, — where  the  battle 
began,  where  charge  after  charge  was  made  to  drive 
back  the  foes  who  so  far  outnumbered  them,  where  Tay- 
lor and  Gaston  fell  in  the  desperate  attack  at  the  head  of 
their  men,  and  where  they  were  gathered  in  the  night 
for  the  brief  consultation,  worn  out  with  the  contest,  yet 
seventy-five  miles  of  country  to  be  passed  over  before  they 
could  place  the  river  between  them  and  their  exulting 
enemies.  . 

The  remains  of  the  two  officers  were  found,  and  the 


112  THE  DEAD  OF  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

scattered  bones  of  tlie  men  gathered  up,  to  be  broiight  back. 
The  two  howitzers  were  found,  also,  where  they  had  been 
buried.  The  Indians  had  not  disturbed  them,  but  con- 
tented themselves  with  carrying  off  the  gun  carriages, 
which  they  afterwards  burned. 

One  thing  more  remained  to  be  done.  Among  the  arti- 
cles left  on  the  ground  was  a  pair  of  shafts  belonging  to 
one  of  the  guns.  These  were  taken  and  fashioned  into  a 
rude  cross,  which  was  set  up  in  the  midst  of  the  battle 
field,  to  remind  all  future  travellers  of  the  sad  event  of 
which  this  had  been  the  scene.  "And  then,  after  deposit- 
ing around  it  all  that  could  be  gathered  up  from  the  relics 
scattered  over  the  hill-sides  and  wherever  the  fight  was 
waged,  they  left  the  field  in  solemn  silence. 

Poor  Gaston  !  my  parting  with  him  was  at  West  Point, 
when  full  of  life  and  spirits  and  bright  anticipations  of  his 
future  career.  My  last  recollection  of  him,  is  in  his  grey 
Cadet  uniform.  I  never  saw  him  after,  until  I  thus  stood 
by  his  remains  to-day.  He  was  every  inch  a  soldier ;  and 
when,  during  the  last  year,  ill  health  weighed  him  down, 
and  he  feared  the  approach  of  that  feebleness  which  would 
withdraw  him  from  his  duties,  his  military  spirit  seemed 
to  be  the  strongest  impulse  he  felt.  He  often  expressed 
the  hope  that  he  might  die  in  battle,  and  thus  it  was  that 
his  wish  was  gratified.  He  had  a  soldier's  death,  and  will 
have  a  soldier's  burial  and  grave, — 

"  The  fresh  turf,  and  not  the  feverish  bed.'* 


XIII. 


THE  PELOUZE  COUNCIL. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE     PELOUZE     COUNCIL. 

EPTEMBER  26th.— Left  camp  at  half-past  six  this 
morning,  and  marched  over  a  rolling,  grazing 
country.  By  the  side  of  a  small  cotton  wood  grove 
we  saw  the  remains  of  thirty-fonr  Indian  lodges, 
probably  deserted  on  the  first  advance  of  the  troops 
into  this  country.  Some  of  the  lodge  poles,  from  their 
magnitude,  showed  that  the  lodges  must  have  been  of  con- 
siderable size.  We  marched  fifteen  miles  and  encamped 
on  Silseepovestlem  creek,  where  the  water  was  good,  but 
not  plentiful.  To-day  was  the  coldest  we  have  had  on 
our  march. 

September  21th. — We  broke  up  camp  between  six  and 
seven  in  the  morning,  and  marched  ten  miles.  The  day 
was  exceedingly  cold,  and  it  rained  hard  all  the  time.  The 
men,  however,  bore  it  cheerfully,  for  their  faces  were  home- 
ward, and  in  a  few  days  they  expect  to  reach  Fort  Taylor. 
For  a  few  miles  our  way  lay  through  the  open  timber,  by 
the  side  of  a  large  lake.     We  camped  on  a  small  stream. 

September  2Sth. — Began  our  march  at  six  o'clock  this 
morning  through  a  level,  rocky  country.  We  made  about 
twenty -five  miles  during  the  day,  finding  water  plentiful, 
our  way,  at  one  time,  being  along  the  banks  of  a  lake. 
The  grass  for  most  of  the  distance  of  our  route  had  been 
burned  off*.     Through  the  whole  day  the  weather  was 


116  THE   PELOUZE   COUNCIL. 

threatening,  and  before  night  the  rain  began  pouring  down. 
"We  encamped  on  a  tributary  of  the  Peiouze,  about  two 
miles  above  its  junction. 

Just  before  going  into  camp,  we  passed  the  grave  of 
some  distinguished  Indian  chief  It  was  large,  covered 
with  stones,  and  surrounded  with  a  wooden  paling.  On 
a  long  stick,  just  within  the  paling,  was  a  tin  cup,  and  un- ' 
derneath  was  tied  some  horse  hair.  Outside  the  paling, 
from  a  pole  supported  by  two  other  poles,  was  hanging 
the  tail  of  a  horse.  It  is  a  common  custom  among  these 
Indians  when  a  chief  dies,  to  kill  his  favorite  horse  and 
bury  him  near  him. 

September  29th. — Moved  from  camp  at  six  this  morning, 
and  after  marching  about  two  miles,  struck  the  Peiouze 
river,  along  which  we  marched  fifteen  miles  and  encamped 
on  its  bank.  Our  march  was  over  a  rocky,  hilly  country. 
About  an  hour  after  leaving  camp  the  express  overtook 
us,  bringing  the  mail.  Our  place  of  encamping  seems  to 
have  been  an  old  battle  ground  of  the  Indians,  as  arrow 
heads,  and  remains  of  other  weapons,  are  scattered  about. 

A  short  time  before  reaching  camp,  a  band  of  the  Pe- 
iouze Indians,  about  nineteen  in  number,  came  in. 

September  SOih. — We  did  not  march  to-day.  Early  this 
morning  a  large  number  of  the  Peiouze  Indians  arrived 
with  their  families,  and  the  Colonel  determined,  therefore, 
to  hold  the  council.  At  ten  o'clock  the  Indians  assembled 
in  front  of  his  tent  for  their  "talk."  The  Interpreter  be- 
ing present.  Colonel  Wright  delivered  to  him  the  following 
complimentary  and  gratifying  address,  to  be  communicated 
to  them : — 

"  Tell  them  they  are  a  set  of  rascals,  and  deserve  to  be 
hung;  that  if  I  should  hang  them  all,  I  should  not  do 
wrong.  Tell  them  I  have  made  a  written  treaty  with  the 
Cceur  dAlenes  and  the  Spokans,  but  I  will  not  make  a 


THE   PELOUZE   COUNCIL.  117 

written  treaty  with  them ;  and  if  I  catcli  one  of  them  on 
the  other  side  cf  Snake  river,  I  will  hang  him.  Tell  them 
they  shall  not  go  into  the  Coeur  d'Alene  country,  nor  into 
the  Spokan  country,  nor  shall  they  allow  the  Walla  "Walla 
In(^ians  to  come  into  their  country.  If  they  behave  them- 
selves and  do  all  that  I  direct  them,  I  will  make  a  written 
treaty  with  them  next  spring.  If  I  do,  there  will  be  no 
more  war  between  us.  If  they  do  not  submit  to  these 
terms,  I  will  make  war  on  them  ;  and  if  I  come  here  again 
to  war,  I  will  hang  them  all,  men,  women,  and  children. 

"  Tell  them  that  live  moons  ago  two  of  their  tribe  killed 
some  miners.  The  murderers  must  immediately  be  deliv- 
ered up." 

There  was  a  brief  consultation  among  the  Indians,  which 
resulted  in  one  of  them  coming  forward.  He  was  at  once 
bound,  and  turned  over  to  the  guard  to  be  hung.  The 
other  had  disappeared,  to  the  evident  annoyance  of  his 
countrymen. 

Colonel.  "  Tell  them  they  must  deliver  up  the  six 
men  who  stole  our  beef  cattle  at  Walla  Walla." 

This  was  at  once  assented  to,  and  after  another  consulta- 
tion the  offenders  were  brought  forward  and  immediately 
handed  over  to  the  guard. 

Colonel.  "  Tell  them  they  must  allow  all  white  men 
to  pass  unmolested  through  their  country,  and  must  de- 
liver up  to  me  one  chief  and  four  warriors,  with  their 
families,  to  go  with  me  to  Walla  Walla  as  hostages." 

All  these  terms  were  at  once  agreed  to,  and  the  "  talk " 
ended.  Before,  however,  the  council  closed,  four  of  the 
Indians, — the  murderer,  and  three  others  who  had  been 
selected  as  notorious  marauders, — were  marched  by  the 
guard  to  a  tree  several  hundred  yards  distant,  and  there 
hung. 


XIV. 


THE  RETURN. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


THE     RETURN. 


CTOBER  1st.— The  artillery  battalion,  one  troop 
of  dragoons,  the  commissary  and  quarter-master's 
train,  and  the  Indians  and  hostages  under  charge 
of  Lieutenant  Fleming,  all  under  the  command 
of  Captain  Keyes,  left  the  camp  on  Pelouze  river 
about  six  in  the  morning,  and  after  marching  eighteen 
miles,  reached  Snake  river  at  noon  and  crossed  over  to  Fort 
Taylor.  We  encamped  on  exactly  the  ^ame  ground  we  had 
occupied  before  the  campaign.  At  the  Fort,  Major  Wyse 
and  Dr.  Brown  received  us  with  the  greatest  hospitality. 

Optoher  2d. — This  morning  we  took  leave,  with  many  re- 
grets, of  Lieutenants  Mullan  and  Owen.  The  former  is  under 
orders  for  Fort  Yancouver,  and  the  latter  for  Fort  Dalles, 
to  resume  his  duties  as  Adjutant  of  the  Mnth  Infantry. 

At  noon,  Colonel  AVright,  with  the  rest  of  the  com- 
mand, arrived  at  the  river,  and  crossing  over,  encamped 
half  a  mile  up  the  Tucanon.  A  salute  was  fired  from 
Fort  Taylor,  in  honor  of  Colonel  Wright,  as  soon  as  he 
appeared  on  the  opposite  side. 

October  8d — Orders  had  been  received  for  us  to  remain  on 
Snake  river,  and  we  supposed,  therefore,  that  for  the  present 
we  had  finished  our  march.  Early  this  morning,  how- 
ever, an  express  arrived  rescinding  the  former  orders,  and 
making  Fort  Yancouver  the  place  of  our  destination. 

The  camp  was  tlierefore  broken  up,  and  we  marched 
two  miles  and  encamped  on  the  Tucanon.  In  the  after- 
noon Major  Wyse  joined  us  with  his  command,  Fort  Tay 


122  THE  RETURN. 

lor  having  been  abandoned  by  the  troops.     It  was  left  in 
charge  of  an  old  Pelouze  chief,  named  Slaviarchy. 

October  4:th. — ^Left  camp  at  half-past  six  this  morning. 
Until  eleven  o'clock  the  weather  was  very  cold  and  windy. 
It  then  moderated  and  changed  to  rain.  The  troops,  how- 
ever, made  a  long  march  of  twenty-six  miles,  and  encamped 
on  Tonch^  river. 

October  6th. — We  were  on  our  march  this  morning,  by 
six  o'clock,  through  a  country  which  was  familiar  to  us.  On 
reaching  Dry  creek,  a  distance  of  ten  miles,  the  command 
was  halted,  and  the  pack  train  ordered  to  the  rear.  We 
then  resumed  our  march  and  arrived  at  Fort  Walla  Walla 
at  twelve,  having  been  absent  just  sixty  marching  days. 

The  four  companies  of  dragoons  came  first ;  then  our 
thirty  Nez  Perces  allies ;  then  the  hostages,  drawn  up  in 
two  ranks,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Fleming ; 
then  the  two  rifle  companies ;  then  Major  Wyse's  com 
pany  and  battery  of  six  pounders ;  then  the  howitzer  bat- 
tery, under  Lieutenant  White ;  and,  lastly,  the  artillery 
battalion.  By  far  the  most  conspicuous  and  distingue 
looking  person  in  the  command  was  Cutmouth  John.  He 
rode  generally  by  the  side  of  the  Nez  Percys,  dressed  in  a 
red  blanket,  his  head  surmounted  by  a  large  skin  cap,  and 
holding  in  his  hand  a  long  pole,  from  the  end  of  which  dan- 
gled a  scalp  he  had  taken  in  the  battle  of  the  "  Four  Lakes." 

The  Inspector  General,  Colonel  Mansfield,  had  arrived 
a  few  days  before,  and  it  was  determined  that  he  should 
exercise  the  duties  of  his  office  on  the  spot.  As  soon 
therefore  as  we  reached  the  parade-ground,  the  column 
halted,  the  ranks  opened,  and  Colonel  Mansfield,  with 
Colonel  Wright  and  his  staff,  made  a  thorough  inspection. 
There  was  nothing  about  the  command,  of  the  "  pomp  and 
circumstance  of  glorious  war."  During  two  months  no 
one  had  slept  under  a  roof,  and  all  were  begrimed  with 
mud  and  rain  and  dust.     The  artillery  and  infantry  wore 


THE   RETUEN.  123 

blue  flannel  shirts  drawn  over  their  uniforms  and  belted 
at  the  waist ;  the  dragoons  had  a  similar  dress  of  grey 
flannel.  The  officers  had  adopted  the  same,  with  slouched 
hats.  The  only  marks  of  their  rank  were  the  shoulder- 
straps  sewed  on  to  the  flannel.  Yet  all  this  was  showing 
the  reality  of  service.  If  there  was  little  display  of  uni- 
forms, the  arms  were  in  perfect  order,  and  we  believe  the 
troops  had  never  been  in  a  higher  state  of  discipline,  or  a 
more  efficient  condition  for  action.  At  all  events,  Colonel 
Mansfield  expressed  himself  highly  gratified  with  the  re- 
sult of  his  inspection. 

After  the  troops  were  dismissed,  we  were  most  hospi- 
tably entertained  by  the  officers  of  the  post. 

October  6th. — This  morning  notice  was  received  from 
Colonel  Wright,  that  all  the  officers  should  meet  at  Colonel 
Steptoe's  quarters  to  pay  their  respects  to  the  Inspector 
General.  We  met  there  at  twelve  o'clock,  when  a  hand- 
some collation  was  provided,  and  a  couple  of  hours  spent 
in  pleasant  intercourse. 

October  7th. — To-day  we  turned  to  more  solemn  duties. 
At  ten  o'clock  took  place  the  burial  of  Captain  Taylor, 
Lieutenant  Gaston,  and  the  remains  of  the  men  which  had 
been  found  on  Colonel  Steptoe's  battle-ground.  It  was 
from  this  post  they  had  marched  forth,  and  here  they  were 
to  be  laid  to  their  rest.  They  were  of  course  buried  with 
military  honors,  the  ceremony  being  invested  with  all  the 
pageantry  which  was  possible,  to  show  respect  to  the 
memory  of  our  gallant  comrades.  All  the  officers,  thirty- 
nine  in  number,  and  the  troops  at  the  post,  amounting  to 
eight  hundred,  (reinforcements  having  arrived  since  our 
departure,)  were  present  and  took  part  in  the  ceremonies. 
The  horses  of  the  dead,  draped  in  black,  having  on  them 
the  officers'  swords  and  boots,  were  led  behind  the  coffins. 
The  remains  were  taken  about  half  a  mile  from  the  post, 
and  there  interred.     Three  volleys  were  fired  over  them, 


124  THE  RETURN. 

nnd  we  left  them  wliere  day  after  day  tlie  notes  of  tlie 
bugle  will  be  borne  over  their  graves,  while  we  cherish 
their  memories  as  those  who  laid  down  their  young  lives 
in  the  battle-field  for  their  country. 


"With  this  scene  this  journal  might  fitly  close.  It  began 
with  the  death  of  those  whom  we  have  now  seen  placed 
in  a  soldier's  grave. 

There  was  but  one  more  incident  connected  with  the 
campaign.  Two  days  afterwards,  Colonel  Wright  had  a 
"  talk"  with  the  Walla  Walla  Indians.  The  tribe  is  one 
much  reduced  in  numbers  and  importance  since  the  pio- 
neer trappers  first  came  among  them.  They  range  through 
the  valley  for  thirty  miles,  to  old  Fort  Walla  Walla,  once 
a  central  trading  post  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  Columbia  river,  near  where  the  Walla 
Walla  empties  into  it. 

They  have  been  exceedingly  troublesome,  and  it  was 
necessary  to  teach  them  a  lesson.  The  colonel  told  them 
he  knew  that  some  of  them  had  been  engaged  in  the  recent 
fights,  and  that  every  one  who  was  in  the  two  battles  must 
stand  up.  Thirty -five  stood  up  at  once.  From  these  the 
colonel  selected  four,  who  were  known  to  have  been  en- 
gaged in  several  murders  in  the  valley.  One  Indian,  by  the 
name  of  Wyecat,  was  particularly  notorious.  They  were 
handed  over  to  the  guard  and  hung  on  the  spot.  I  believe 
that  sixteen  of  the  Indians  have  been  executed  in  this  way. 

On  the  9th,  the  artillery  battalion,  under  Captain  Keyes, 
left  Walla  Walla,  and  after  a  march  of  eight  days  reached 
the  Dalles.  The  distance  being  about  a  hundred  and 
seventy-three  miles,  we  have  averaged  twenty -two  miles  a 
day.  It  is  exactly  three  months  and  nine  days  since  we  left 
there,  and  during  that  time  we  have  marched  seven  hun- 
dred and  sixty  miles.  On  the  18th  we  reached  Fort  Vancou- 
ver,'where  we  first  landed  in  setting  out  on  the  campaign. 


XV. 


CONCLUSION. 


CHAPTER   XV. 


CONCLUSION. 


'HE  older  officers  regard  the  campaign  we  have 
just  past  through,  as  one  remarkable  in  many  re- 
spects. 

One  is,  the  little  loss  which  has  been  sus- 
tained. But  two  men  have  died,  and  those  from 
eating  poisonous  roots.  But  one  man  has  been 
wounded  in  action ;  and  we  have  lost,  by  all  the  difficul- 
ties of  marching  through  the  forests  and  crossing  rivers^ 
but  three  horses  and  about  fifty  mules.  It  is  a  proof  of 
the  skill  and  judgment  with  which  the  expedition  has 
been  conducted. 

For  our  freedom  from  loss  in  the  two  battles,  I  have 
already  stated  we  are  indebted  to  the  fine  discipline  of  the 
men,  the  skill  of  the  commanders,  and  to  the  long  range 
of  our  rifles.  Had  we  been  armed  with  the  old  muskets, 
the  result  might  have  been  very  different.  The  whole 
campaign,  indeed,  would  undoubtedly  have  ended,  as  it 
now  has  done,  in  the  humbling  of  the  Indian  tribes,  but 
we  should  probably  have  missed  many  from  our  ranks, 
when  the  column  marched  back  to  Walla  Walla, 

The  object,  too,  was  most  thoroughly  accomplished.  The 
Indian  tribes,  hitherto  so  troublesome  and  defiant,  have 
been  entirely  subjected.  They  have  been  taught  the  power 
of  the  government,  their  worst  chiefs  have  been  cut  off, 


128  .         CONCLUSION. 

and  hostages  given  sufficient  to  keep  them  in  obedience. 
Of  their  head  men  who  are  hostile,  none  remain  but  Kam- 
iaken,  and  Schroom,  his  brother.  The  former  is  reported 
to  have  fled  into  the  Blackfeet  country,  and  the  latter  is 
probably  with  him.  They  will  certainly  have  no  disposi- 
tion to  place  themselves  again  in  collision  with  the  whites. 
It  is  probable,  too,  that  among  their  own  countrymen  their 
influence  and  authority  are  gone.  The  tribes  have  suffered 
too  much  again  to  submit  to  their  counsels. 

That  immense  tract  of  splendid  country  over  which  we 
marched,  is  now  opened  to  the  white  man,  and  the  time  is 
not  far  distant  when  settlers  will  begin  to  occupy  it,  and 
the  farmer  will  discover  that  he  can  reap  his  harvest^  and 
the  miner  explore  its  ores,  without  danger  from  their 
former  savage  foe.  An  Oregon  paper,  (and  the  newspa- 
pers are  not  accustomed  to  indulge  in  any  unnecessary 
laudation  of  the  Eegular  Army,)  after  the  battle  of  the 
"  Four  Lakes,"  says  : — "No  event  has  ever  done  so  much 
to  secure  the  safety  of  our  settlers  as  this  victory.  The 
people  of  this  Territory  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  the 
officers  and  soldiers  under  Colonel  Wright." 

For  this  success,  we  are  indebted  to  the  energetic  meas- 
ures of  General  Clarke,  concentrating  at  once,  even  from 
the  banks  of  the  Colorado,  so  strong  a  force  in  the  coun- 
try of  the  hostile  Indians,  and  mapping  out  the  campaign, 
the  result  of  which  proved  the  foresight  and  wisdom  by 
which  it  was  dictated. 

For  the  conduct  of  the  column  when  once  it  was  on  its 
march,  none  could  have  won  "golden  opinions"  more 
thoroughly  than  Colonel  Wright.  Entering  an  unknown 
country,  everything  depended  on  his  energy  and  talents. 
Of  these  I  need  say  nothing,  for  they  are  shown  in  the 
history  of  our  march,  the  arrangement  of  the  two  bat- 
tles, the  decision  with  which  the  Indian  Councils  were 


CONCLUSION.  129 

conducted,  and  the  entire  success  with  which  all  was 
crowned. 

I  might  speak  of  the  gallantry  of  my  comrades,  but  this 
is  recorded  in  the  official  reports  of  their  superior  officers. 
But  none  who  had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  these  bat- 
tles, and  seeing  the  steady  advance  of  the  Third  Artillery 
and  Kifles,  as  they  drove  the  enemy  on,  mile  after  mile, 
from  point  to  point,  the  gallant  charges  made  by  the 
Dragoons  under  Major  Grier,  and  the  conduct  of  the 
Howitzer  Battery  under  Lieutenant  White,  can  forget 
the  admiration  they  felt  at  the  perfect  manner  in  which 
all  was  accomplished. 

In  our  own  battalion, — the  Third  Artillery, — but  few 
of  the  men  had  ever  before  been  under  fire,  yet  no  vete- 
rans could  have  shown  greater  coolness.  This  was  the 
result  of  discipline,  for  which  they  were  indebted  to  the 
untiring  energy  of  our  Commander,  Captain  (now  Major) 
Keyes.  Through  his  exertions  the  battalion  had  been 
brought  to  the  highest  point  of  discipline ;  and  in  the 
hour  of  battle,  by  his  presence  everywhere  at  the  right 
moment,  he  contributed  materially  to  secure  the  victory. 

The  column  has  now  been  scattered,  and  the  officers 
have  been  dispersed  to  their  different  posts,  yet  they  all 
look  back  with  pleasure  to  this  campaign,  when  they  re- 
member the  unity  of  feeling  by  which  it  was  marked. 
Seldom,  indeed,  has  an  expedition  been  undertaken,  the 
recollection  of  which  is  invested  with  so  much  that  is 
agreeable,  as  that  against  the  JSTpbt^ern  Indians. 


APPENDIX. 


I. 

OFFICIAL  REPORT  OF  COLOKEL  WRIGHT, 

APTEK  THE  BATTLE  OP  THE  "FOUE  LAKES." 

Head  Quarters,  Expedition  against  Northern  Indians,  Camp  at 

"Four Lakes,"  W.  T. 

Lat.  47"  82  north.  Long.  117"  89  west 

September  2d,  1858. 

Sir: — 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  Report  of 
the  battle  of  the  "  Four  Lakes,"  fought  and  won,  by  the 
troops  under  my  command,  on  the  1st  inst;  Our  enemies 
were  the  Spokan,  Coeur  d'Alene,  and  Pelouze  Indians. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  1st,  I  observed  the  Indians 
collecting  on  the  summit  of  a  high  hill,  about  two  miles  dis- 
tant, and  I  immediately  ordered  the  troops  under  arms,  with 
a  view  of  driving  the  enemy  from  his  position,  and  making  a 
a  reconnaissance  of  the  country  in  advance.  At  halt-past  9 
A.  M.  I  marched  from  my  camp  with  two  squadrons  of  the 
1st  dragoons,  commanded  by  Brevet  Major  W.  N.  Grier, 
four  companies  of  the  third  artillery,  armed  with  rifle  mus- 
kets, commanded  by  Capt.  E.  D.  Keyes ;  and  the  rifle  bat- 
talion of  two  companies  of  the  9th  infantry,  commanded  by 
Capt.  F.  T.  Dent ;  also  one  mountain  howitzer,  under  com- 
mand of  Lieut.  J.  L.  White,  3rd  artillery,  and  thirty  friendly 
Nez  Perces  Indian  allies,  under  command  of  Lieut.  John 
MuUan,  2nd  artillery.  I  left  in  camp  all  the  equipage  and 
supplies,  strongly  guarded  by  company  "  M,"  3rd  artillery, 
commanded  by  Lieuts.  H.  G.  Gibson  and  G.  B.  Dandy,  one 
mountain  howitzer  manned,  and  in  addition  a  guard  of  fifty- 
four  men  under  Lieut.  H.  B.  Lyon,  the  whole  commanded  by 
Captain  J.  A.  Hardie,  the  Field  officer  of  the  day. 

I  ordered  Brevet  Major  Grier  to  advance  to  the  north  and 
east,  around  the  base  of  the  hill  occupied  by  the  Indians,  with 
a  view  to  intercept  their  retreat  when  driven  from  the  sum- 


132  APPENDIX. 

mit  by  the  foot  troops.  I  marched  with  the  artillery  and 
rifle  battalion  and  Nez  Perces  to  the  right  of  the  hill,  in  or- 
der to  gain  a  position  where  the  ascent  was  more  easy,  and 
also  to  push  the  Indians  in  the  direction  of  the  dragoons. 
Arriving  within  600  yards  of  the  Indians,  I  ordered  Captain 
Keyes  to  advance  a  company  of  his  battalion  deployed,  and 
drive  the  Indians  from  the  hill.  This  service  was  gallantly  ac- 
complished by  Captain  Ord  and  Lieutenant  Morgan,  with 
Company"  K,"  8rd  artillery,  in  cooperation  with  the  2nd  squad- 
ron of  dragoons  under  Lieutenant  Davidson  ;  the  Indians  were 
driven  to  the  foot  of  the  hill,  and  there  rallied  under  cover 
of  ravines,  trees  and  bushes. 

On  reaching  the  crest  of  the  hill  I  saw  at  once  that  the  In- 
dians were  determined  to  measure  their  strength  with  us, 
showing  no  disposition  to  avoid  a  combat,  and  firmly  main- 
taining their  position  at  the  base  of  the  hill,  keeping  up  a 
constant  fire  upon  the  two  squadrons  of  dragoons,  who  were 
awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  foot  troops.  In  front  of  us  lay  a 
vast  plain,  with  some  4  or  500  mounted  warriors,  rushing  to 
and  fro,  wild  with  excitement,  and  apparently  eager  for  the 
fray  ;  to  the  right,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  in  the  pine  forest, 
the  Indians  were  also  seen  in  large  numbers. 

With  all  I  have  described,  in  plain  view,  a  tyro  in  the  art  of 
war  could  not  have  hesitated  a  moment  as  to  the  plan  of  battle. 

Captain  Keyes,  with  two  companies  of  his  battalion,  com- 
manded by  Lieutenants  Ransom  and  Ihrie,  with  Lieutenant 
Howard,  was  ordered  to  deploy  along  the  crest  of  the  hill,  in 
rear  of  the  dragoons,  and  facing  the  plain.  The  rifle  bat- 
talion under  Captain  Dent,  composed  of  two  companies  of 
the  9th  Infantry  under  Captain  Winder  and  Lieutenant  Flem- 
ing, was  ordered  to  move  to  the  right  and  deploy  in  front  of 
the  pine  forest ;  and  the  howitzer  under  Lieutenant  White, 
supported  by  a  company  of  artillery  under  Lieutenant  Tyler, 
was  advanced  to  a  lower  plateau,  in  order  to  gain  a  position 
where  it  could  be  fired  with  effect. 

In  five  minutes  the  troops  were  deployed,  I  ordered  the 
advance.  Captain  Keyes  moved  steadily  down  the  long  slope, 
passed  the  dragoons,  and  opened  a  sharp,  well-directed  fire, 
which  drove  the  Indians  to  the  plains  and  pine  forest.  At  the 
same  time  Captain  Dent  with  the  rifle  battalion.  Lieutenant 
White  with  the  howitzer,  and  Lieutenant  Tyler  with  his  com- 
pany, were  hotly  engaged  with  the  Indians  in  the  pine  forest, 
constantly  increasing  by  fugitives  from  the  left. 
^  Captain  Keyes  continued  to  advance,  the  Indians  retiring 


APPENDIX.         s  133 

slowly ;  Major  Grier,  with  both  squadrons,  quietly  leading  his 
horses  in  the  rear.  At  a  signal  they  mount,  they  rush  with 
lightning  speed  through  the  intervals  of  skirmishers,  and 
charge  the  Indians  on  the  plain,  overwhelm  them  entirely, 
kill  many,  defeat  and  disperse  them  all,  and  in  five  minutes 
not  a  hostile  Indian  was  to  be  seen  on  the  plain.  While  this 
scene  was  enacting,  Dent,  Winder,  and  Fleming,  with  the 
rifle  battalion,  and  Tyler  and  White  with  Company  "  A"  and 
the  ho"vvitzer,  had  pushed  rapidly  forward  and  driven  the  In- 
dians out  of  the  forest  beyond  view. 

After  the  charge  of  the  dragoons,  and  pursuit  for  over  a 
mile  on  the  hills,  they  were  halted,  their  horses  being  com- 
pletely exhausted,  and  the  foot  troops  again  passed  them 
about  a  thousand  yards ;  but  finding  only  a  few  Indians,  in 
front  of  us,  on  remote  hill-tops,  I  would  not  pursue  them 
with  my  tired  soldiers ;  a  couple  of  shots  from  the  howitzer 
sent  them  out  of  sight.  The  battle  was  won.  I  sounded 
the  recall,  assembled  the  troops,  and  returned  to  our  camp 
at  2  P.  M. 

It  affords  me  the  highest  gratification  to  report,  that  we 
did  not  lose  a  man  either  killed  or  wounded  during  the  action, 
attributable,  I  doubt  not,  in  a  great  measure,  to  the  fact  that 
our  long  range  rifles  can  reach  the  enemy,  where  he  cannot 
reach  us. 

The  enemy  lost  some  eighteen  or  twenty  men  killed,  and 
many  wounded. 

I  take  great  pleasure  in  commending  to  the  Department 
the  coolness  and  gallantry  displayed  by  every  officer  and  sol- 
dier engaged  in  this  battle. 

1st.  Brevet  Major  Grier  conducted  his  squadrons  with  great 
skill,  and  at  the  decisive  moment,  after  Captain  Keyes  had 
driven  the  Indians  to  the  plain,  made  the  most  brilliant,  gallant, 
and  successful  charge  I  have  ever  beheld.  The  Major  com- 
mends particularly  the  coolness  and  gallantry  of  Lieutenants 
Davidson,  Pender,  and  Gregg,  each  in  command  of  a  troop, 
for  the  handsome  and  skilful  manner  in  which  they  brought 
their  men  into  and  conducted  them  through  the  fight. 

The  Major  also  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  Assistant 
Surgeon  Randolph,  who  was  with  the  2nd  squadron  during 
the  action,  exhibiting  great  coolness  and  courage,  and  ever 
ready  to  attend  to  his  professional  duties. 

Major  Grier  also  reports  the  following  named  men  of  his 
squadrons,  as  having  been  mentioned  by  their  company  com- 
manders for  distinguished  conduct. 


134  APPENDIX. 

"C"  Tkoop,  1st  Deagooxs. 
1st  Sergeant  James  A.  Hall;  Sergeants  Bernard  Korton, 
and  Patrick  Byrne  ;  Bugler  Robert  A.  Magan  ;  and  privates 
James  Kearney  and  MicHael  Meara. 

"E"  Tkoop,  1st  Dragoons. 
1st  Sergeant  C.  Goetz;  Sergeant  J.  F.  Maguire;  and  privates 
J.  G.  Trimbell,  J.  Buckley,  Wm.  Ramage  and  F.  W.  Smith. 

"  H  "  Troop,  1st  Dragoons. 
1st  Sergeant  E.  Ball ;  Sergeant  M.  M.  Walker ;  and  Bugler 
Jacob  Muller. 

"  J  "  Troop,  1st  Dragoons. 

1st  Sergeant  W.  H.  Ingerton;  and  Sergeant  Wm.  Dean. 

Lieutenant  Davidson  reports  of  1st  Sergeant  E.  Ball,  "  I 
saw  him  charge  upon  some  Indians,  unhorse  one  of  them,  dis- 
mount himself,  and  kill  him." 

2nd.  Captain  E.  D.  Keyes,  commanding  the  3rd  Artillery, 
brought  his  battalion  into  action  with  great  skill,  and  after 
deploying,  made  a  gallant  and  successful  charge  in  advance 
of  the  dragoons,  driving  the  Indians  from  the  hill-sides  far 
into  the  plain;  and  again,  after  the  dragoon  charge.  Captain 
Keyes  pushed  vigorously  forward  in  pursuit  as  long  as  an 
enemy  was  to  be  seen. 

Captain  Keyes  reports  the  gallantry  of  the  officers  and  men 
of  his  battalion  as  admirable,  and  so  uniform  among  the  offi- 
cers, that  he  cannot  attempt  to  discriminate ;  the  position  of 
some  of  the  officers,  however,  brought  their  conduct  under 
the  special  notice  of  the  Captain,  and  in  that  connection  he 
mentions  Lieutenants  Tyler,  White,  and  Ihrie.  The  Captain  also 
says, — "  The  activity  and  intelligence  displayed  by  Lieutenant 
Kip,  Adjutant  of  the  battalion,  in  transmitting  my  orders  to 
all  parts  of  the  line,  were  most  commendable." 

3rd.  Captain  F.  T.  Dent,  commanding  the  rifles,  composed 
of  two  Companies  "  B"  and  "  E,"  8th  Infantrv,  with  Captain 
Winder  and  Lieutenant  Fleming,  brought  his  battalion  into 
action  with  great  spirit,  and  after  deploying  on  the  hill  in  front 
of  the  pine  forest,  dashed  gallantly  forward,  and  sweeping 
through  the  woods,  drove  the  Indians  before  him,  and  came 
out  on  the  plain,  forming  the  right  wing  of  the  whole  line  of 
foot  troops. 

Captain  Dent  speaks  in  high  terms  of  Captian  Winder  and 
Lieutenant  Fleming,  and  the  men  of  both  companies,  for  the 
intelligent  and  fearless  manner  in  which  they  behaved  through- 


APPENDIX.  185 

out  the  battle,  and  further  says,  "  I  feel  I  have  a  right  to  be 
proud  of  my  battalion." 

4th.  Lieutenant  John  Mullan,  2nd  Artillery,  Top.  Engr.,  and 
commanding  the  friendly  Nez  Perce  Indians,  moyed  gallantly 
forward  in  advance,  and  to  the  right  of  the  foot  troops,  in 
the  early  part  of  the  action,  giving  and  receiving  from  the 
enemy  a  volley  as  he  skirted  the  brush  to  the  east  of  the 
main  hill. 

Lieutenant  Mullan  speaks  in  glowing  terms  of  the  Nez  Perces 
throughout  the  action,  at  one  time  charging  the  enemy  lurk- 
ing in  the  brush  and  timber  on  the  Spokan  plain,  driving  him 
out,  and  pursuing  him  beyond  view ;  and  again  a  small  party 
under  the  chief  Hutis-e-mah-li-kaw,  and  Captain  John,  met 
and  engaged  the  enemy,  that  were  endeavoring  to  attack  our 
rear ;  recapturing  a  horse  left  by  an  officer,  while  moving 
over  the  rocks  and  ravines. 

Lieutenant  Mullan  expresses  his  approbation  of  the  good  con- 
duct generally  of  this  band  of  friendly  Nez Perces,  and  mentions 
Hutis-e-mah-li-kaw,  Captain  John,  Edward,  and  We-ash-kot, 
as  worthy  of  special  notice  for  their  bravery. 

5th.  It  aflfords  me  additional  pleasure  to  present  to  the  De- 
partment, the  gentleman  on  my  staff — 

1st  Lieutenant  P.  A.  Owen,  9th  Inf.  Acting  Assist.  Adjt. 
General. 

1st  Lieutenant  J.  Mullan,  2nd  Arty.  Engineer  officer. 

Captain  R.  W.  Kirkham,  Assist.  Quar.  Master. 

Assist.  Surg.  J.  F.  Hammond,  Chief  of  the  Med.  Dept. 

These  gentlemen  were  with  me  on  the  field,  cool  and  col- 
lected, ever  ready  to  convey  my  orders  to  every  part  of  the 
line,  or  to  attend  to  their  professional  duties  as  circumstances 
might  require. 

Their  good  conduct  and  gallantry  commend  them  to  the 
Dept.  Inclosed  herewith  is  a  topographical  sketch  of  the 
battle  field,  prepared  by  Lieut.  Mullan,  illustrating  the  tacti- 
cal part  of  this  Report. 

Very  respectfully  your  obt.  servt. 

G.  Weight,  Col.  9th  Inf'y  Commanding. 
Major  W.  W.  Mackall,  Assist.  Adjt.  Gen. 

Head  Quar.  Dept.  of  the  Pacific, 
Fort  Vancouver,  W.  T. 


n. 


OFFICIAL  REPOET  OF  COLONEL  WRIGHT. 

Head  Quarters,  Expedition  against  Northern  Indians, 
Camp  on  Spokan  River ^  W.  T.^  12  miles  below  the  Falls. 

September  6, 1858. 

To  Maj.W.  Mackall,  Assistant  Adj't.  General  U.  S.  Army : — 
Sir : — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of 
the  battle  of  the  Spokan  Indians  fought  by  the  troops  under 
my  command  on  the  5th  inst.  Our  enemies  were  the  Spokans, 
Coeur  d'Alenes,  Pelouses  and  Pend  d'Oreilles,  numbering 
from  five  to  seven  hundred  warriors. 

Leaving  my  camp  at  the  "  Four  Lakes"  at  6^  A.  M.  on  the 
5th,  our  route  lay  along  the  margin  of  a  lake  for  about  three 
miles,  and  thence  for  two  miles  over  a  broken  country  thinly 
scattered  with  pines,  when  emerging  on  to  the  open  prairie, 
the  hostile  Indians  were  discovered  about  three  miles  to  our 
right  and  in  advance,  moving  rapidly  along  the  skirt  of  the 
woods,  and  apparently  with  a  view  of  intercepting  our  line 
of  march  before  we  should  reach  the  timbers.  After  halting 
and  closing  up  our  long  pack  train,  I  moved  forward,  and 
soon  found  that  the  Indians  were  setting  fire  to  the  grass  at 
various  points  in  front  and  on  my  right  flank.  Capt.  Keyes 
was  now  directed  to  advance  three  of  his  companies,  deployed 
as  skirmishers,  to  the  fi-ont  and  right.  This  order  was  promptly 
obeyed,  and  Capt.  Ord  with  Company  K,  Lieut.  Gibson  with 
Company  M,  and  Lieut.  Tyler  with  Company  A,  3d  Artillery, 
were  thrown  forward.  At  the  same  time  Capt.  Hardie,  Com- 
pany G,  3d  Artillery,  was  deployed  to  the  left,  and  the  how- 
itzer under  Lieut.  White,  supported  by  Company  E,  9th  In- 
fantry, were  advanced  to  the  Ime  of  skirmishers.  The  firing 
now  became  brisk  on  both  sides,  the  Indians  attacking  us  in 
front  and  on  both  flanks.  The  fires  on  the  prairie  nearly  en- 
veloped us,  and  were  rapidly  approaching  our  troops  and 
the  pack  train.     Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost.    I  ordered 


138  APPENDIX. 

the  advance.  The  skirmishers,*  the  howitzer,  and  the  1st 
squadron  of  Dragoons  under  Major  Grier,  dashed  gallantly 
through  the  roaring  flames,  and  the  Indians  were  driven  to 
seek  shelter  in  the  forest  and  rocks.  As  soon  as  a  suitable 
position  could  be  obtained,  the  howitzer  under  White  opened 
fire  with  shell.  The  Indians  were  again  routed  from  their 
cover,  closely  pursued  by  our  skirmishers,  and  followed  by 
Grier,  with  his  squadron  leading. 

All  this  time  our  pack  train  was  concentrated  as  much  as 
possible,  and  guarded  by  Capt.  Dent,  9th  Infantry,  with  his 
Co.  B,  Lieut.  Davidson,  1st  Dragoons,  with  his  Company  E, 
and  Lieut.  Ihrie,  3d  Artillery,  with  his  Company  B,  advancing. 
The  trail  bore  off  to  the  right,  which  threw  Ord  and  Tyler 
with  their  skirmishers  to  the  left.  A  heavy  body  of  Indians 
had  concentrated  on  our  left,  when  our  whole  line  moved 
quickly  forward,  and  the  firing  became  general  throughout 
the  front,  occupied  by  Ord,  Hardie  and  Tyler,  and  the  how- 
itzer under  White,  supported  by  Winder,  with  Gregg's 
troop  of  Dragoons  following  in  rear,  waiting  for  a  favor- 
able opportunity  to  make  a  dash.  At  the  same  time,  Gibson, 
with  Company  M,  3d  Artillery,  drove  the  Indians  on  the 
right  front ;  an  open  plain  here  intervening.  Major  Grier 
passed  the  skirmishers  with  his  own  and  Lieutenant  Pender's 
troop,  and  charged  the  Indians,  killing  two  and  wounding 
three.  Our  whole  line  and  train  advanced  steadily,  driving 
the  Indians  over  rocks  and  through  ravines.  Our  point  of 
direction  having  been  changed  to  the  right.  Captain  Ord 
found  himself  alone  with  his  company,  on  the  extreme  left 
of  the  skirmisherg,  and  opposed  by  a  large  body  of  the  en- 
emy. They  were  gallantly  charged  by  Captain  Ord,  and 
driven  successfully  from  the  high  table  rocks  where  they  had 
taken  refuge.  Captain  Ord  pursued  the  Indians,  until  ap- 
proaching the  train  he  occupied  the  left  flank. 

Moving  forward  tow'ards  the  Spokan  river,  the  Indians  still 
in  front.  Lieutenants  Ihrie  and  Howard  with  Company  B,  3d 
Artillery,  were  throAvn  out  on  the  right  flank  and  instantly  clear- 
ed the  Avay.  And  after  a  continuous  fight  for  seven  hours,  over 
a  distance  of  fourteen  miles,  we  encamped  on  the  banks  of 
the  Spokan  river-^the  troops  exhausted  by  a  long  and  fati- 
guing march,  twenty-five  toiles  without  water,  and  for  two- 
thirds  of  the  distance  under  fire.  The  battle  was  won,  two 
chiefs  and  two  brothers  of  the  chief  Gearry  killed,  f  besides 

*  The  three  companies  of  3d  Artillery  above  mentioned. 

+  Since  the  battle  we  learn  that  Kamiakcn^  war  chief  of  Yakimas,  was  nearly  killed  by 
a  shell. 


APPENDIX.  139 

rnauy  of  lesser  note  either  killed  or  wounded.  A  kind  Prov- 
idence again  protected  us ;  although  at  many  times  the  balls 
flew  thick  and  fast  through  our  ranks,  yet  strange  to  say,  we 
had  but  one  man  slightly  wounded. 

Again  it  affords  me  the  highest  pleasure  to  bear  witness  to 
the  zeal,  energy,  gallantry  and  perseverance  displayed  by  the 
officers  and  men  during  this  protracted  battle. 

Brevet  Major  W.  N.  Grier,  commanding  a  squadron  of  1st 
Dragoons,  composed  of  his  own  Company  and  that  of  Lieu- 
tenant Pender,  made  a  gallant  charge  at  the  right  moment, 
killing  two  and  wounding  three  of  the  enemy.  The  Major 
speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  the  gallantry  of  Lieutenant 
Pender,  commanding  Company  "  C." 

Lieutenant  Davidson  with  Company  "  E  "  was  rear  guard 
to  the  general  train,  and  that  duty  was  well  performed. 
Lieutenant  Gregg  with  Company  "  H  "  was  posted  in  rear  of 
the  howitzer,  with  a  view  of  making  a  dash  at  the  enemy,  but 
the  ground  was  so  broken  that  dragoons  could  not  operate 
effectively. 

Captain  E.  D.  Keyes,  3d  Artillery,  commanding  battalioii 
pursuing,  was  energetic  and  gallant  throughout.  Although 
the  troops  extended  over  a  mile,  yet  the  Captain  was  always 
in  the  right  place  at  the  right  time. 

Captain  Keyes  reports  the  folloAving  companies  and  officers 
as  particularly  distinguished. 

Company  "  K,"  Captain  E.  O.  C.  Ord  and  Lieutenant  M. 
R.  Morgan. 

Company  "  G,"  Captain  J.  A.  Hardie  and  Lieutenant  Ran- 
som. 

Company  "  M,"  Lieutenants  Gibson  and  Dandy. 

Company  "  A,"  Lieutenants  Tyler  and  Lyon. 

The  howitzer  battery  under  Lieutenant  White,  with  detach- 
ment of  20  men  Company  "  D,"  3d  artillery,  behaved  most 
gallantly  throughout  the  action.  Eight  shells  were  thrown 
into  the  midst  of  the  enemy  during  the  fight,  and  with  effect. 

The  conduct  of  Lieutenant  Kip,  Adjutant,  of  artillery  bat- 
tahon,  is  noticed  by  Captain  Keyes  as  having  been  excellent 
throughout  the  day. 

The  rifle  battalion,  companies  "  B"  and  "  E,"  9th  infantry, 
under  Captain  Dent.  Captain  Dent  with  his  company  was  on 
the  rear  guard  to  protect  the  pack  train.  This  duty  was 
handsomely  performed,  and  the  train  moved  along  uiiharmed 
by  the  enemy  or  the  fires._ 

Captain  Winder  was  detached  with  Lieutenant  Fleming  and 


140  APPENDIX. 

Company  "  E  "  to  Isupport  the  howitzer  battery.  This  ser- 
vice was  admirably  performed,  bravely  advancing  and  pouring 
in  a  fire  with  their  rifles  when  opportunity  ofiered,  till  the 
close  of  the  battle. 

The  friendly  Nez  Perces  were  employed  chiefly  as  spies  and 
guides,  as  well  as  guards  to  pack  train.  As  usual  they  be- 
haved well. 

Again  I  have  the  pleasure  of  presenting  to  the  Department 
the  gentlemen  of  my  staff": 

1st  Lieutenant  P.  A.  Owen,  Adjt.  9th  Infantry,  &c., 
1st  Lieutenant  J.  MuUan,  Acting  Engineer,  &c., 
Captain  R.  Kirkham,  A.  Q.  M.,    ^ — 
Assistant  Surgeon  J.  F.  Hamm^jid,  U.  S.  A., 
Assistant  Surgeon  J.  F.  Randol]3h,  U.  S.  A. 
These  gentlemen  were  all  on  the^^eld,  cool,  energetic  and 
brave,  whether  conveying  orders  to  distant  points  of  the  line, 
or  attending  to  their  professional  duties. 

A  memoir  and  topographical  sketch  of  the  battle  by  Lieu- 
tenant MuUan,  Engineer  officer,  is  herewith  enclosed. 
Respectfully,  &c., 

G.  Weight,  Col.  9th  Inf'y,  Com'g. 


,<r' 


III. 


EXTRACT  EROM  THE  "GENERAL  ORDERS." 

INDIAN  BATTLES  FOE  THE  PAST  YEAE  AND  THE  OFFICEES  ENGAGED. 

6EKBBAI.  0EDEB8,  NO.  22. 

Head  Quarters  of  the  Army, 

New  York,  Nov.  10, 1858. 

The  following  combats  with  hostile  Indians — in  which  the 
conduct  of  the  troops,  including  volunteers  and  employes  in 
the  United  States  military  service,  is  deserving  of  high  praise 
for  gallantry  and  hardships — have  occurred,  or  been  brought 
to  the  notice  of  the  General-in-Chief,  since  the  publication  of 
General  order,  No.  14,  of  1857,  viz  : 

T*  •!€  JjC  •!»  ^  ^  t* 

XrV.  September  1,  1858. — The  expedition  under  Colonel 
Wright,  9th  infantry,  composed  of  companies  C,  E,  H  and  I, 
1st  dragoons  ;  A,  B,  G,  K  and  M,  3d  artillery ;  and  B  and  E, 
9th  infantry — aggregate  five  hundred  and  seventy — with  a 
company  of  thirty  Nez  Perces  Indians,  marched  from  Fort 
Walla  Walla,  Oregon,  on  the  7th  and  15th  of  August ;  cross- 
ed Snake  river  on  the  25th  and  26th  ;  established  a  post  at 
the  crossing,  which  was  left  in  charge  of  Brevet  Major  Wyse 
and  his  company  D,  3d  artillery  ;  and,  after  a  march  of  nearly 
a  hundred  miles,  mostly*  over  a  forbidding  country,  during 
which  they  were  twice  attacked,  came  upon  a  large  body  of 
united  Spokan,  Coeur  d'Al^ne  and  Pelouse  Indians,  of  which 
some  four  hundred  were  mounted. 

After  securing  his  baggage  and  supplies,  by  leaving  them 
under  the  guard  of  Company  M,  3d  artilJery,  with  a  mountain 
howitzer,  and  a  detachment  of  fifty-four  men,  commanded  by 
Lieutenants  H.  G.  Gibson,  G.  B.  Dandy  and  Lyon,  the  whole 
under  Captain  Ilardie,  3d  artillery.  Colonel  Wright  moved 
with  the  rest  of  his  force  against  the  Indians,  who  had  taken 
possession  of  a  high  hill  and  an  adjoining  wood,  and  awaited 
his  attack.     They  were  driven  by  the  foot  troops^from  both 


142         ^  APPENDIX. 

their  positions  into  the  plain,  and  then  charged  and  utterly 
routed  by  the  dragoons,  with  a  loss  of  some  seventeen  killed 
and  many  wounded. 

The  troops  sustained  no  loss  in  either  killed  or  wounded. 

Colonel  Wright  mentions  the  following  as  entitled  to  credit 
for  their  coolness  and  gallantry : 

Brevet  Major  Grier,  1st  dragoons ;  Captain  Keyes,  3d  ar- 
tillery; Captain  Dent,  9th  infantry;  1st  Lieutenant  Mullan, 
2d  artillery,  acting  as  topographical  engineer  and  command- 
ing the  friendly  Nez  Perces  ;  1st  Lieutenant  P.  A.  Owen,  9th 
infantry;  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  General;  Captain  Kirk- 
ham,  Assistant  Quarter-master ;  and  Assistant  Surgeon  J.  F. 
Hammond,  Medical  Department. 

The  following  are  also  mentioned  as  having  been  highly 
commended  by  their  immediate  commanders : 

Medical  Department. — Assistant  Surgeon  Randolph. 

1st  Dragoons. — Lieutenants  Davidson,  Pender,  and  2d  Lieu- 
tenant Gregg. 

1st  Sergeant  James  A.  Hall ;  Sergeants  Bernard  Korton 
and  Patrick  Byrne ;  Bugler  Robert  A.  Magan,  and  privates 
James  Kearney  and  Michael  Meara,  Company  C. 

1st  Sergeant  C.  Goetz;  Sergeant  J.  F.  Maguire;  and  Pri- 
vates J.  G.  Trimbell,  J.  Buckley,  Wm.  Ramage  and  T.  W. 
Smith,  Company  E. 

1st  Sergeant  E.  Ball;  Sergeant  M.M.Walker;  and  Bugler 
Jacob  MuUer,  Company  H. 

1st  Sergeant  W.  H.  Ingerton ;  and  Sergeant  Wm.  Davis, 
Company  I. 

Zrd  Artillery. — 1st  Lieutenants  Tyler,  White  and  Ihrie,  and 
2d  Lieutenant  Kip. 

^th  Infantry. — Captain  Winder  and  Lieutenant  Fleming. 

Nez  Perces. — Hute-E-Mah-li-kah,  Captain  John,  Edward 
and  We-ash-kot. 

XV.  September  ^th  to  15i5/i.— Colonel  Wright,  9th  Infantry, 
after  defeating  the  united  hostile  tribes  at  the  Four  Lakes, 
in  Washington  Territory,  on  the  1st  (as  noticed  above,  par. 
XIV.),  continued  to  advance  in  the  Indian  country  with  the 
same  force,  and  on  the  5th  of  September,  was  again  met  by 
the  Spokan,  Pelouse  and  Ccuur  d'Alene  Indians  who  had  been 
joined  by  the  Pend  d'Orcilles. 

After  a  continuous  conflict  of  seven  hours,  over  a  distance 
of  fourteen  miles,  and  a  fatiguing  march,  in  all,  of  twenty-five, 
the  Indians  were  completely  routed  with  the  loss  of  two  chiefs 
— two   brothers  of  the  Chief  Gearry — and  many   others  of 


APPENDIX.  143 

lesser  note  killed  and  wounded.  The  troops  had  but  one  man 
— name  not  given— wounded,  and  he  but  slightly. 

Colonel  Wright  bears  witness  to  the  zeal,  energy,  persever- 
ance and  gallantry  of  his  officers  and  men.  He  specially 
mentions  the  following : 

Brevet  Major  Grier,  1st  Dragoons,  commanding  squadron  ; 
Captain  Keyes,  3d  Artillery,  commanding  artillery  battalion, 
acting  as  infantry  ;  Captain  Winder  and  Lieutenant  Fleming, 
9th  Infantry,  detached  to  support  the  howitzer  battery  :  1st 
Lieutenant  and  Adjutant  Owen,  9th  Infantry,  Acting  Assist. 
Adjutant  General ;  Captain  Kirkham,  Assistant  Quarter-mas- 
ter ;  Assistant  Surgeons  J.  F.  Hammond  and  J.  F.  Randolph  ; 
and  1st  Lieutenant  Mullan,  2d  Artillery,  acting  as  engineer 
officer  and  commanding  the  friendly  Indians. 

The  following  officers  are  spoken  of  in  the  highest  terms 
by  their  several  immediate  commanders,  viz : 

\st  Dragoons. — Lieutenant  Pender. 

Zd  Artillery. — Company  K,  Captain  E.  O.  C.  Ord  and  Lieu- 
tenant Morgan ;  Company  G,  Captain  J.  A.  Hardie  and  1st 
Lieutenant  Ransom  ;  Company  M,  1st  Lieutenant  Gibson  and 
2d  Lieutenant  Dandy  ;  Company  A,  1st  Lieutenant  Tyler  and 
2d  Lieutenant  Lyon. 

1st  Lieutenant  White,  commanding  howitzer  battery — com- 
posed of  a  detachment  from  Company  D,  3d  Artillery — and 
2d  Lieutenant  Kip,  Adjutant  of  Keyes'  battalion. 

Captam  Dent,  9th  Infantry,  with  his  Company  (B),  and  1st 
Lieutenant  Davidson,  1st  Dragoons,  commanding  Company  E, 
together  with  the  friendly  Nez  Perces,  guarded  the  train 
effectually. 

After  resting  on  the  6th,  Colonel  Wright  continued  his  pur- 
suit of  the  Indians  through  their  country,  arriving  at  the  Cceur 
d'Alene  Mission  on  the  15th  of  September.  During  this 
march  he  had  a  skirmish  with  the  enemy,  on  the  8th  of  Sep- 
tember, took  from  them  some  nine  hundred  horses,  a  large 
number  of  cattle,  with  quantities  of  wheat,  oats,  roots,  &c., 
&c.,  all  of  which  were  converted  to  the  use  of  the  troops  or 
destroyed. 

Those  severe  blows  resulted  in  the  unqualified  submission 
of  the  Coeur  D'Alenes,  the  dispersion  of  the  other  tribes,  and, 
it  is  not  doubted,  ere  this  in  the  subjugation  of  the  whole 
alliance. 

Results  so  important,  without  the  loss  of  a  man  or  animal, 
gained  over  tribes  brave,  well  armed,  confident  in  themselves 
from  a  recent  .iccidental  success,  and  aided  by  the  many  difficul- 


144 


APPENDIX. 


ties  presented  by  the  country  invaded,  reflect  high  credit  on 
all  concerned. 

Colonel  Wright  is  much  to  be  commended  for  the  zeal, 
perseverance  and  gallantry  he  has  exhibited. 

To  Brigadier  General  Clarke,  commanding  the  Department 
of  the  Pacific,  credit  is  primarily  and  eminently  due  for  the 
sound  judgment  shown  in  planning  and  organizing  the  cam- 
paign (including  Major  Garnett's  simultaneous  expedition), 
as  well  as  for  his  promptness  and  energy  in  gathering,  from 
remote  points  in  his  extended  command,  the  forces,  supplies, 
&c.,  necessary  for  its  successful  prosecution. 

In  this  merited  tribute  to  the  General  his  staff  is  included. 


By  command  Brevet  Lieutenant  General  Scott. 

L.  Thomas,  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 


Wikr 


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