The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1848-10-31
FROM OREGON-SEvERE BATTLE
,, a-, WITH THE INDIANS. .. W

OF April has been received in New York
which represent the war between The Indlan.
and the whites as still raging. 81 .-.a IA
AdvIces were received, as we learn from
The Oregon Spectator, on the 23d February
from the commissioner sent 20 treat with the
Indians, by the return of NIessrs Newell anc
Palmer Having succeeded in procuring ths
neutrality of the Nez Perces, Walla Walla
small part of the Cayuses and tie Backa
mons, and assurances OF friendship from the
tia'heads, Spokans, and upper country In
dians, they returned to the Dales, and afteI
long talk with The De Chutes Indians, The
latter declared that from that tire ",hey were
The friends ofihe Americans" Tho Indian.
IN. the field then consisted of two hundred
1 warriors, OF Cayuscs and vicious and reck
less persons from neighboiing tribes. These
were pursued by COL Gillian ard party un.
I'll the 18th of March, when the little army
came IN sight of the hostile Indians. The
following is all account OF the succeeding bat
lie with the Indians: .. .... 10.
...tr WAsK PAM, March, %, Is4s.
When within 400 yards of their camp, we
were met by an old man, uuarmed, with one
arm on his head, the other on his lleari-as.
surIng US they were friends, the people of
the Yellow Serpent, and would not fight US !:
that the murdcrers were gone, and our only
resource would be TO take their stock, with
which the bills around were covered. ...
We went into their camp, found them all
painted and armed, but from their repeated
assurance of friendship, VIC ordered not to
hrc, but TO proceed to the hills and collect in
their stock. When VIC reached the high
lands, we saw Snake river just below, full tf
their stock, swimming over, and thousands
ascending The opposite bank. We succeeded
however, in securing about 500 head of hor-
ses and cattle, and proceeded about one mile
ON our route TO the Fort, when we were at
tackled in the rear, by a large party Of Indi-
ans Chose VIC had just spared) and Peou-
chcs, to the number of about 400. We con-
'lnned very warm marching fight till about
dark, when we encamped ON a small stream
without food or fire. They were shooting
in our camp all night and annoyed our
guard so much, that we tuned out the stock
AT daylight we renewed our march, and with
II Tho fight, as vigorously as the day prece-
ding, until within about two miles of the
Toosha river, where the enemy charged a,
full speed to the river, 10 get posso ssion of
the brush at The fort, in Which, owing 10 the
swiilness of their horses, they partially sue
ccedcd.
The history Of savage warfare contains few
instances of greater Indian prowcss and dar-
ing, than the scene which followed. The
struggle for the ford was obstinate for some
time, The fire Of the combatants minglng TO-
gethcr, cyincea the obsinacy of,ho combat
And leie must say, had it not been for The
bold and decided stand Of a few men at the
mcst vulnerable point, the army must have
sustained heavy loss in crossing the stream,
perlE p, been thrown into confusion and cut
TO pieces. In an hour the sound of our rifles
had hushed. The long baltic was ended
We were all over the river alive, and but
nine or ten wounded, none morlally. Ii was
not so with our enemy. The deafening roar
oftheir musketry which had been sounding
in cur cars for thirty hours had died away
their shrill war-whoop was changed 10 the
melancholy death song-while number of
Ihcir lileess brothers, who lay on the field;
heard not their mournful elegy. "
They called off their warriors-more anx-
;ous TO leave The ford Of the Toosha than
they had been 10 gain it: We moved on to
The fort, at which place we arrived ON the
evening ofthe 10th, worne down with fatigue
and hunger, having eaten nothing but a
small colt for three days. Two days after a
council of officers was convened, in which il I
vas resolved, that we had accomplished all
Se cou'd, without more men and ammuni-
ion, and that it was best for $50 Of us 10 pro,
iced forthwith to this place, and remove up
su(iciency ofammunition, and confer with
'ou on the further movements of the army.
Colonel Gillian was accompanying US in
pursuance of this resolution, when the fatal
ccidenl Of his death occurred, at the springs
his side of the Umailla river. We brought
With us all the wagons but Two, and find
,ere about fifty men, 10 ammunition, and
lille provisions. ,-.-.,..
The intelligence Of this battle, and of the
lcaih of The Colonel, produced great ex-
:itemen in the settlements. Governor Aber-
lcihy, Immediately on the receipt Of the in
diligence, issued his Proclamation for"the
aising ofihree additional companies, for the
lcfcnce Of the settlement. Major Lee was
;hosen Colonel in the place Of the lamented
Gillian .@s' sa' so nt ola" 1850
Accounts from the camp present the men
a be in very destitute condition--some
lmost without clothing and many without
lorses. The term Of enlistment Of some
vas about 10 exnira There was very little L