The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-15
NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS.

From the Oregon WeeIy ma. Of May 90 we have sal
confirmation Of the complete eeiea! OF Col septoe fa
details are given In the following letter from officer
engaged IN the conflict and Published in the Weekly Times
II q GATED May Is, and reads as fclows;-
On the ON instant Col s'epsoe, YIN compares ana
Infantry, With two mountain howitrers, istt tor Was
wala FOR Colve. The ecers q the Command wore Col
Steptoe Captains windcr and Tayler, Leus Wheeler,
Fleming, Ga,son aud Gregg After marching eight days
reached the Teouse river aud were about passing In
10 the spossn country when we're informed by Indians
that the SPOKANE would resist our entrance
try. The SPOKANE have always been regarded AZ friendly
70 the whites. and when We EFT Wsha walls no one
thought Of having encounter with them any other
indians, on the march.
On Sunday morning, the 10th, on leaving camp, We
told thai the Spogans had assembled, aud were
ready nght Eot oellev this, march
tnued until about eleven O'clock wefound ourselves
In the presence Of ak hundred warriors N war costume
The command halted FOR the purpose Of hsviag q
talk In which the spokans announced that they hal heard
had gone out Tor The purpose OF wiring hen out Aad
thai te they really 70 ghs az aud that
we should the spokan Tee Indian,
well mounted, Principally armed with rides, snd we're
extended aoug our flank at the distances OF ote hundred
wards AMER some tai TIE Colonel tod Us that we would
have 20 lsht, and Immediately put ourselves n posi-
ton TO move 70 better ground deter mined that the spc
reached thect OF wsler-it decided 70 eacsmp aud
held another talk with Ind Nothing resulted from
this except the most insulting Demonstrations their
part We dared no, dsmount and kep, the sad
die three hours until the setting Of The sun dispersed The
Indians.
On Monday morning Jeff camp 10 rsorn to the
Peou,e marching IN the ollosrg order.-H company
advanes @ In the centre, with the PACKS, and
~ egfs O'Clock the Indians appeared "a great numbers
about The rear Of column and just the advance
crossing small stream they began airing In twenty
minutes tbe firing became cont pnous Seeing thai We
must fight, aps the action must become general,
ordered 10 forward and occupy bill that the
indians were making for and upon which they would
have close fire upon the head OF the column. Aitsr
close race gained the hill in advance, seeing which
the Indians moved around and took possess o.
commanding that which occupied Leaving afer men
10 defend the FIRST HILL and dep.oying my men, cha ged
the second and drove them OF
AZ this time the action was general the three co npa.
MES numbering in all aooci one hundred aud ten meu.
were warmly engaged with ave hundred Iodaus. Tue
companies were separated from each other nearly
= thousand yards, and fought ep,.rst ~ mss p
the no ~zers and the compsnes began n to
wards The position held, tue 1uians pressing closely
Of Ineians got between u and my coupauy, that hsv
ING between ivo Ores, they could wipe oct a. once
ms ss Esdsp. ~ his ,oas Ssd ySs5 near spsuss sss
cav be vse about " charge, charged with company
Inc result wan, that companies met, having the To-
dsns 10 right angle IN which angle we let twelve dead
After getting together kept up the nsO, for half
hour and started reach the water, moving half
mile under constant and rsklng Gre. under which our
comrades Taylor and CASTOR fell We hoslly reached
bill The water and occupied tue summit ADD the In
dians having completely surr0und ed IT, we dbmoln
and pckesd horses close ogebe the centre OF
the fat inclined summit ami posted our mea around the
crest making them lie fat % the ground, ~ the Indians
we've so close and so daring attempt IN charge tue
bill, but, although outnumberne US eight 70 one, they
could not succeed.
Towards evening our ammunition began 10 give out,
and our men, suffering much from thirst and fatigue,
required all our attention 10 keep them up 10 move from
point 10 another had 10 crawl on our hands and
kDes amid the ho Wing OF the Indians the grosns OF the
dying and the whstng OF balls and arrows. We were
KEEP, in this position until eight O'Clock G, vhsn a.
night came CO n became apparent that on ne morrow
we ego undev and thai mot Of would escape.
was plain that nearly destitute OF ammunition, We were
oompetely surrounded By eight hundred Indians,
ano the most o. those points which We must pass 70 get
away Fewefore, vas determined 10 run the gauntlet,
70 hst, " possible, some might escape. Abandoning
everything, We mounted ant left the hill ~ npe O'CLOCK,
and, amer ride Of ninety miles mostly AT gsllop, aud
Without rest, we reached Seake river, At Red Wolf
Cr0sng We next eyeuing and we're met By friends,
zoe Neg Perces We bad two oce-s 20 IN. sf three
friendly Inda,s killed, and ten msu wounded s-eesof
BIZ, Of co1s s,y, zssng re ssrgsaat dssagu shst