, 1856-10-31

EIOnI Ine OTeBOIlll
RepOrt Of Col. Shaw.

Il hSRVAS VI wi DhAnWs
Mr.. EDToR.-The following is the true
account Of therecent battle or skirmish be-
tween the volunteers and regulars and the
Yakima, CayuSe, and. other Indians: On
the 18th, Gov. Stevens, in the Walla-Walla
valley, adjourned the council; and on the
18th the train and escort moved at ii AN.
During the morning large body Of Indians
had assembled on bill ih sight ofour camp,
and had set the grass on fire in different
places; they had also placed on one of the
hills scalp pole. The train. moved Onsin
the following order;-GeV, Stevens and
Indian officers, together with the advance
guard, under Lieut. Wilks; the wagon train
and loose stock In the centre; Capt. Con-
Lieuts. Hunter and Wait, with the balance
of the command, composed the rear gnard.
After proceeding in this manner, two aud
a half miles, and coming into the valley or
small branch Of Mill Creek, the whole
body Of Indians came on the full run for
the rear Of the train, and opened FIRE on
the rear guard which was returned in good
order. The train moved on slowly one mile
further, when the wagons were formed into
corral and the loose animals run in for
security. Pickets were then placed on the
highest bills, so as to prevent the Indians
from firing into the corral and stampeding
the animals. After firing at them for some
time from the picket posts, Lieut. Hunter
was ordered to take twenty men and charge
body Of sixty or seventy Indians from
point Of brush. The Indians reinforced,
and Lieut.. Hunter prudently fell back and
took position on hill east Of the corral.
The firing was kept up by the picket in
this manner, until late in the evening, when
| took all the available force, consisting Of
Capt. Goff, Lieuts. Hunter and Wait, and
twenty-three men, and charged body Of
Indians on bill some 500 yards sonth Of
the camp. The object Of this was to see
how many Of the spectators who were con
gregated in large numbers on the left were
lighting men. The whole party advanced
at the top of their horses speed, and on as
cending the hill, the whole body Of Indians
fred a volley; the balls fortunately passed
over our heads We fired voliey when
close 10 them, wich made them give back
some distance, By this time, the body Of
supposed spectators came down on the full
run, and cut us completely Of from camp.
then ordered the command TO turn and
charge through them to camp; Wethen turn
ed, and putting our horses ct full speed, soon
came in contact with the party who had
cut us off from camp; for moment It SEEM
ed doubtful whether we could force our
way through them or not; the most Of the
men having revolVers, made good use Of
them, unhorsing several IndiaHs as we pas
sed through, which made them give way
ou both sides. On seeing this, the large
party which we FIRST charged, came down
on the full run, waving their guns and hat
chefs, and yelling in their usual maunerp
they were however sooR checked by well
directed fire from q picket in tho brush,
after this the whole body retired some dis
tance, aud did not again make their appear
ance To- any place near u.s. After dark
pickets were kept out on all the important
points Some ten or twelve Indians were
riding round our camp out Of gun shot, and
occasionally firing q shot over the corral, en-.
deavoring to make Us believe that the whole
party were with them. We fred but few
guns during the night The Indians CON
tinued to Ere occasional shots until Lient.
Davidson arriVeq with seventy men from
Col. Steptoe's camp. We then retired TO-
Col Steptoe's camp Our force consisted
Of Co. K, Capt, Goff, IS men rank and Gle,
and so teamsters and quarter-master's men.
More than half Of the party were required
to take charge Of the corral The Indians
were not less than 400 strong Taking
into consideration that we had four hundred
animals TO guard, and the great advantage
they had in numbers. I wonder that we
came Of as wen as we did. Our loss was
one killed, and one severely wounded. The
Indians loss is reported TO be IL shot; how
many hayedied, weicould not learn. si9isalE
From all that saw while In the Wallal
Walla valley, there is prospect Of Q long
war unless the government prosecutes the
war With more ugor than they have dohs
for the last Hihe or ten months When We
left the valley. no Indians were TO be- seen
10 H. a 1i9W ,@ligsHg sis,y :, glia3aA
~. -, Yours respectfully, .as,s-,
~ b. F. SHAW. &
| frHtrI0 i--ll..l.L - -, - lllla ITIT fgff