, 1856-04-25

have hastily alluded, l was on the southern
hills and had clear view Of the strength
and positions assumed by the enemy and Of
the operations OF my command.
The Indians having been dispersed at
every point, at noon l recalled the differ
ent detachments to camp, preparatory 10 q
movement of my whole command in pur-
suit. The extent Of ground covered by the
enemy had compelled me to divide each
company and assign to each officer par
ticular district from which to dislodge the
threatening foe, and maintain the same at
all hazards from its re-oceupancy by the In
dians This necessity in connection with our
total want Of knowledge Of the numerical
force which we had to contend, and the bro
ken nature Of the ground induced me to issue
the order / gave eoch officer in command
of detachment, not to delay in charging
and carrying with all possible expedition
the more prominent positions the enemy
had selected from which to attack US. In
no single instance did an officer or private
hesitate or falter in the performance Of
his assigned part; and each and all bravely
and promptly well did his full duty.
cannot over commend the gallantry Of my
command. 10 the valuable assistance Of
my adjutant Capt. Farrar, l am greatly in
debted.
was detained in the removal Of camp
by the non return of four men who had tho
previous afternoon been dispatched back on
our route to recover several lost animals.
A removal Of camp, even for distance Of
2 miles would have been equivalent 10 an
abandonment Of these men 10 certain de-
struction. That i could not do. sent
Lieut.. Hutchinson with twenty-five men
from Co.'S B and G down the Yacklma
river for ten miles in search Of the absent.
Before his return some Of my scouts re-
ported that the Indians were fortifying on
an abrupt and rocky eminence six or seven
miles up the creek. Immediately ordered
Mai. COrnoyer with detachments Of the
companies, excepting A, to proceed forward
and dislodge them Between two and three
O'Clock be left camp with one hundred men
and returned at nine in the evening. Capts
Wilson and Burch retained, and ordered
positions commanding camp, to enable them
to repel any attempt Of the enemy to charge
upon it. i5
Lieut.. Pillow was assigned to the COM
mand of force ready to be sent forward,
should Maj Cornoyer require to be reinforced
regret that l, am unable at this time to
send you written report from the Major
as soon as received ] will transmit it. He
reports verbally the force Of the Indians he
engaged to be three hundred warriors.--
Their position was formidable. It was
strengthened by stone structures from be-
hind which tho enemy poured forth steady
ere. With portion Of his command the
Maj scaled the heights, routing and driving
forth the enemy who fed 10 the adjacent
hills on the west, receiving and returning
the Gre Of 'the remainder Of our force sta
toned at difernet localities along the hills.
The defeat Of the Indians was as decisive
as it had been In the former part Of the day.
Quite number Of their party were killed
and wounded. In the engagement Kamia-
kin occupied position on a butt. in the
vicinity Of that held by the warriors and
directed their actions Capt's WILDER and
Ankeny, and Lieuts. Caldwell, Hibler,
Myers, Stillwell, Cooper, Powell aud Hult
with their men behaved gallantly and exc
cuted their several parts with commendable
prudence aud alacrity. Late that day the
men who had been out in search Of missing
horses came safely in. Two Of them were
chased by band Of twenty-five Indiansfor
seyerals mile, but fortunately escaped un-
harmed.
The number Of Indians engaged 10 the
forenoon would not fall short Of three hun
dred. Some Of my officers estimate the
number considerably higher. Not far from
the same number were opposed to Major
Cornoyer. .s,.i..,. s.-
Providentially none Of my command
were killed after the loss Of Captain Hem
bree, and but one was wounded slightly. -
The succeeding morning not an Indian was
perceptible. Scouts traversed the hills but
failed to detect the enemy, as the course
taken by the Indians in their flight the day
previous had been towards the mouth Of
the great canon, and that night camped
some few miles from Its entrance. Through
ont the day not an Iudian made his appear
ance. frf .afsr rf
J, Before sunrise on the 18th inst. twenty
to thirty Indians were discovered on the
brow Of the hill above camp. This impaired
( to us the hope that Kamiakin with his band
of Yakimas and Clokitats would meet US
at the mouth Of the canon.
3 l put the command in motion at an early
$ hour and proceeded over rough trad wind
. ing along the base Of projecting hills and
D bluffs until about one mile from the great
} canon. Here ordered Capt. Ankeny and
Q 1t. Stillwell to scale the mountain on the
right with the advance guard and march
1 forward as expeditiously as possible. MAJ.
B Conoyer took command of the rear column
/ while proceeded with the front column %
0 the mouth Of the canon. At that point
!, two Indians were discovered, they fled up
; a rayine to the right. We charged after
e them, overlook and killed them, bat were
B disappointed at not meeting more. Not an