The Nevada Democrat., 1856-12-10
Flight with the Indians In Washington Ter


rltOfys
By the arrival of the bark Jenny Ford, from
Puget Sound particulars Of battle fought
with the Indians on the 2lst ult have been re-
ceived. The day preceding the battle, Captain
Swartwout, of the United States steamer Mas
sachusetts sent several messages to the Indians,
desiring their principal men to come on board
and have talk with him. They had previous
ly been committing depredations up tide Sound,
to remedy which Captain Swartwout was then
in pursuit of them. The party bearing the
message were menaced with all attack by the
Indians, who even went SC far as to catch hold
of the boat of the officers bearing the message.
The request itself was treated with contempt,
the Indians refusing to come, but saying they
were ready to fight They danced about the
two boats of armed men, hrandishing their wea-
pons and whooping. A second and stronger
force was Immediately sent from the ship after
the first returned, which met with like recep-
ton. As night was approaching, Captain Swart-
won't determined to postpone more decisive
measures until the morning, and transferred
the men in the boats to the steamer Traveller,
formerly the Kangaroo, of San Francisco, with
orders to Lieut.. De Forrest, the officer in COM
mand, to prevent the Indians from leaving i'll
their canoes during the night.
The next morning, about I O'Clock, Lieut.
SHINES went on board of the Traveller, and
taking the party from her, landed on the beach,
some distance below the Indian encampment,
having with him two officers, twenty-nine sal
lors and marines, making thirty-two all told,
aud a boat howitzer. Lieut.. Slmmcs then adj
de thp
talking with the interpreter, and told them that
they must either leave in their canoes, OF he
would take them. They gave no definite an
swer, but returned to the camp, danced about
il some minutes, then, seizing their arms, they
rushed into the woods just behind the encamp-
ment
Lieuts. SHINES and De Forrest with twenty
two men, started for the woods for the purpose
Of outAanking the Indians opposite the place of
landing, but, finding it impossible to ascend the
bank, charged up the beach upon the encamp-
ment. The howltZcr was tended by Capts.
Clark and Tendall, and it cleared the way with
q discharge of canister. Whether tue Indians
OF the Massachusetts, men fired first cannot he
determined. The ship now opened upon them,
pouring grape with great effect into their ranks,
the Traveller preceding her with a discharge
from the howitzer. After setting fire TO the en-
campments, worth several thousand dollars,
aud destroying all the canoes except those on
shore, the party returded m board with loss
of one killed and one wounded. The ship con-
tinued to fire at intervals during the day.
In the evening the same party, nearly, to-
gether with Third Assistant Engineer Riud, and
Masters Mate, Moore. made q second landing
to destroy the canoes. which they effected under
u hot fire, and returned to the ship. The loss
Of the Indians was II killed and Il wounded
among the latter one chief. They have since
come to terms, and are now on board to be ia
ken to their own country, in the English pos
sessions. The steamer Traveller was stationed
SO that Mr.. Cumming, Masters Mate, in charge
of the howitzer, had raklng fire upon the en-
emy, while the steamer Massachusetts was an
chored With spring upon her cable and abreast
of the encampment, about 600 yards Distant
Lieut.. Fairfax directed the operations on board
part of the time, while Capt SwartwOut was
absent visiting the other detachments. The
number of killed and wounded was obtained
from the Indian chiefs. The steamer Massachu-
setts had sailed for Victoria previous to the
sailing of the Jenny Ford.