The Nevada journal., 1858-06-18


Full details are given in the following
letter from an officer engaged in the
conflict, and published in the Weekly
Times. 1t is dated May 23d, and reads
as follows:
On the 9th instant, Col. steptoe. with
c, Z and II Companies of the 1st Dra-
guons, and seventy-niuc men of the 9Th
Imfalmry, with two mountain howiizers.
eft Fert Walla-W ALA for Colvile-
The officers of the command were Col.
Sleptoe, Captains Winder and Taylor,
Lieuts. Wheeler, J. lerning, CASTOR and
Gregg. After marching eight days, we
reached the Pelouse rivei, and were
about passil g into The Spokan country,
when we were informed by Indians
that the Spokans would resist our eli
'raace into their country. The Spok
ans have always been regarded as
friendly to the whites; and when we
left Waila- Walla, no ole though. Of
having an encounter with them or any
other indians Oh the msr rch.
On Sum ay morning. the 10th, on
leaving camp, we were told that the
Spokans had assembled, and were ready
to fight us. Not believing dis, our
march was continued until about IL o.
clock, when we found ourselves in the
presence of six hundred warriors in wal
costume. The command was halted f,r
II pun pose of having talk, in which
the Spok ans announced that they had
heard we had gone out for the purpose
"f wiping them olt. and if that was
the case, they we've ready to fight us,
and that we should not cross the Spokan
river. The Indians we've we'll mounted.
principally armed with ,ifles. ard we've
extended along "ur flank at the distance
IF one hundred yaids After some
talk. the Colonel told us that we would
have 10 fight; aud we immediately put
ourselves in position to move to better
ground. determined that the Spokans
ing mile. we reached sheet If water
it was decided to camp and hold another
talk with the Indians. Nolhing result
ed from this excep, the / ost insult' g
demonstrations on their pant We
dared not d;smount, and were kept iii
the saddle three hours, until the setting
sun dispersed the Indians.
On Monday morning we left camp TO
return to the Pelouse. marching i'll the
following order: II company in advance.
G in the centre. with tie packs, and Z
in the rear. AT s o'clock. the Indians
i,a
rear of the column, and just as the ad
vance was crossing a small stream they
hegan firing. In twenty mil. iltcs the
firing became continuous. Seeing that
we must fight, and that the action must
lecome general, | was ordered to more
forward and occupy a hill that the Indi-
ans were making for, and upon which
head of the column. After Il close
race I gained the hill in advance, or
seeing which the Indians moved around
and took possession of Que command Q
that which occupied Leaving few
men to defend the first hill, and deplnv-
ing my men. charged the second and
drove them eff.
At this lime the action was general ;
the three companies, numbering in all
about 1l0 men, we're warmly engaged
with five huntred Indians. The com
palies were separated from each other
nearly a thousand yards, and fought
entirely by making short charges. At
IL o'cl.ck l was reinforced by the how
itzers, and the TWO companies legan ia
move towards the position | held, the
Indians pressing closely upon them. As
E company was approaching, a large
body of Indians got between. it and my
company, So that, having it between
two fires, they could wipe it ont at once.
CASTOR pelcieving This. moved quickly
towards me, having the Indians in his
front and when near enough, and saw
he was about to charge. charged with
Ii company. The result was that our
companies met, having the Indians in a
right-argle, in which angle we left II
dead Indians.
After getting together we kept up
the fight for half an hour, and again
started to reach the water, moving halt
an hour under constant and raking fire.
under which our comrades Taylor and
CASTOR fell We finally reached hill
near the water and occupied the sum
init, and the Indians having now COM
plrtely surrounded it, we di>mnunied
aud pickcted our horses close together
on the centre of the hat.nclincd sun
NIT, and posted our men around the
ci est making them lie fat ON the ground,
as the Indians were So close and So
d"iiIig as to attempt TO charge the hill;
but, although outnumbcrng us eight TO
one, they could not succeed.
/ Towards evening, our ammunition he
gan to give out, and our men. suffe ing
50 much from tliirst and fatigue, required
all our attention 70 keep them up. L"
move from one pqi"t to another, We had
% crawl on our hands and knees. amid
the howlings IF the |, diais, The gloalts
Of the dying, and the whisli G Of balls
and arrows. We were kept in this pc
siti"n until S o'clock. p. NJ, when as
night came on, it became apparent that
! on the morrow we must sspO unt,er," and