Nebraska advertiser., 1856-06-07
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Washington Territory, April LIST, 1856.-[St.
Louis Republican.
For the past six months the clouds have
been thicksuing around us andin almost all our
attempts to brighten matters, our enemies have
come of first best. From Hallers defeat up
70 the last mastery strokes, enacted a few miles
above this post the Indians certainly have
had the better of US.
1t became necessary, a few months since, to
apply to the authorities at Washington for ad-
ditional troops and they. were promptly grant
ed. The 9sh Infantry came to this post when
Col. Wright was invested with full powers to
conduct the campaign against the Indians
Ferry miles above this place the river naviga-
ton ceases and over five miles, the falls and
rapids Of the river, all stores have to be trans
ported, in part, by small boats, cordelled, and
the balance of the way, about a mile and a
half, BY a wooden Railway; the small cars
carving about a ton Of freight; being drawn by
mule and hand power. at the lower end Of.
this Railroad a Block House was constructed
in October last which has, proEidentially been
The means Of saving many valuable lives
This portage Of Eve miles is one Of the strong
est places that l have ever seen, once IN POS
session of the enemy and all supplies to the
upper country, Fort Dallas Walla Walla, &C.,
&c, must cease. Besides this, from the nature
of the ground, the party having possession
must have immense advantage over those az
tempting to dislodge them. Ina military point
of view 1t, therefore, is necessary to hold this
place, or of what use are our river steamers to
rs on either side, or how is the army, aboutto
take fhe field, q be supplied with Their daily
focd Rumor upon Tumor had reached us
that The Indians intended to hold this place,
so soon as the troops all got past and es route
for the Walla Walla country, and that they
intended to burn the steamers, after which they
would make a descent upon Fort Vancouver,
1he great depot of ammunition and supplies of
all kinds. All these were laughed at by the
knowing ones. ,"The idea of these miserable
half clad, half fed creatures attacking the
portage is preposterous! Have we not Block
House held by a Sergeant and eight men about
midway on this formidable bug-bear p
before remarked, Col. Wright was in
dusted with the management of affairs in thi.
r ZION. Lieut.. Col. Casey, with two companies
Oh the 9th, having been ordered By Gen, Wool
to Puget Sound, The Colonel Went to worE
with a will and got things in readiness, in tn,
shortest possible time, to take the field. Hi
disposition Of the forces was as follows
One company of the 9th and one of the At
Infantry at Fort Vancouver. One of the st
at the portage, tie Cascades Of the CoIunabia.-
One company of the 4th at Fort Dallas. On
at the Indian reservation, sixty miles South
the Dallas and the balance six companies
the 9Th, one Of Artillery and one of Dragon
disposable for service in the field, with himse
at their head. In the meantime the ma
steamer arrives, having on board the Gener
commanding, and it was necessary and prop
TO take the company Of the 9th, destined +
the stronghold at the Cascades and the OF
ordered 70 remain here with him, to Pug
Sound. What are the consequences? CC
Wright leaves the Dallas with his command
the Indians wait until they think that he has
clever start and then make a simultaneous d
scent upon this unprotected five miles of po
a0e and upon one of the steamers at the upI
Ianding. blow up the houses and Governmt
nroperty and murder one soldier, out from {
Block House getting wood, shoot two othe
wounding them badly, and kill thirteen WON
and children. The little steamer at the upI
landing makes a gallant defence until they c
oct ND steam and puts back TO Dallas with
Startling intelligence that the line Of Co
munication is interrupted; that the portage
IL The hands Of 1nsste IndisnSi
~ altf H1l tulIaltHtI. HuG5 WAS utAl
We Anewnot The prssampi;on was 4
tbs weHld be the next place attacked. w
a scattered garrison of a quarter of a mile.
one direction and more than a half nib
another, and one company, seventy st"ng
protect it. the necessity existed to aSempt Il
relief of those Door Fellows begged IN Il
Block House. A6etachment Hforty-one fro
the ~seventv[~fth nine Drsoons under Lieu
Sber;de-,Wa sent of. 4hiS left Vancouv,
va twenty-nine meyfor its protection. III
indians cognizant6 ali these facts. as they a
in daily commyncation with those who hay
disarmed apxwho pretend to be friendly. col
templatedan attack upon this place that high
but we deferred, we hear, by the.timely arr
valof the Columbia, mail steamer. about
o'clock. P. H., with eighty recruits.
Lieut.. Sheridan repaired to the relief
those men in the Block house, on Thursda-
the 9th, and fought all day, and at night wei
obliged to withdraw to the opposite side of Ii
river, and send the steamer down for addition
al force. He reported the Indians FIVE to b
one, and they in position disputing every foe
of ground. He also reported the steamer Mar
had been captured, and no chance. liz conse
quence, for achievements from the Dallas
The timely arrivalo Of the recruits, per Columbi;
enabled the commanding officer to spare TWEEN
lynne mel. 10 the assistance OF Lieut.. Sheri
dan. They started at 2 O'Clock, P. NJ. an,
reached his camp at 10 P. NJ, the night exceed
ingly dark and rainy. The men were loader
and ready to jump on shore the instant tb,
boat touched the land. We neared the banl
slowly, hailing and received for answer tha
the Cascades had been re-taken from IN,
Indians by a large command under Colone
Wright and the detachment under Lieutenan
Sheridan. Those of us who were about +
jump ashore and hold the bank, were not dis
appointed atthis news
What the plan Of campaign now will be. j
more than / can tell you. It would seem tina
the settlement of new posts above Fort Dalla
a snbiect6 Coz future consideration. when NOR
troops Get into the country.
TOUCH OF TEXAS LFE--SNAKEs, scOR
PI0NS, &C,