Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1858-08-04
NEW SERIES-VOL. III-NO 90.
From the Democratic Whigl
An Interesting Letter.

From the Democratic Whigl
An Interesting Letter.
We are under obligations to our friend
Col. j. IRWIN GREGG for permission tc
make the following extracts from letter
addressed to him by his cousin. D. MN.
GREGG, Lieut.. Of Z. S. Dragons, station.
ed on the Pacific coast, in Oregon and
Washington Territories. The writer was,
some few years ago, a resident of this
town, where, as well as in The county nj
large he has many friends, who viii be
gratiied to learn Of his good fortune and
gallant bearing, and that he has received
honorable mention in the official Rerort
OF Col. Steptoe, his commaning officer
The letter. though evidently not writ II
with the least idea of publication, gives a
very full and plain statement of the
cent battle between the command of Col.
Steptoe and the Indians, on the Spokane
river Ed. WniG,
Fort WALLA WALLA, W. IT,
May 3lst, 1858.
DEAR lRv-I can only offer as an apol-
ogy for my long silence, the fact that |
have been so unsettled Of late that to at
tempt to write to any one, could only re .
suIs IN failure. On the 7th of April. |
lett Fort Vancouver with my Company,
Tor Walla Walla, which | reached on the
2Sth OF that month. had only been here
about tn days, and had not got fixed in
quarters, when | was ordered with nv
Company on an EXPEDITION to Colvile.-
Since this has proved to be one Of the
most eventual which has been made on
this coast, It's proper ! should give YOU
some account oft. The whole country.
far and wide, is excited, and exagerations
are 50 multiplied that it would not be sur
prising if the most incorrect report Of our
eXpeditionshouldreach the Atlantic States,
On the 7th inst. Col Steptoe Left Fort
WalIa Walla, for Colville and itz vicinity.
with the following troops: &C" Company.
lst Drag. Capt. Tayler and 1t. Wheeler,
" E' Company, lst Drag (Lt. CASTOR
and "H" Company l-O DIag. myself
and in all, ljG m.n. A.... ...... ..
nine days we, to y.. .... .r... were
met by about fifteen Aunulr. ..-uIe III.
oians, eight hundred Of whom we're wei
armed with rifles. They met us o oppose
our crossing the Spokane river We told
them we had come among them as friends,
all to no purpose and accordingly our
command, on the morning of the l7th
inst, at 8 o'clock, was attacted by this
large force. The companies, for the first
three hours, We're incessantly employed
in charging the Indians and resisting their
attacks. The ground occupied during this
part OF the action was very favorable for
the movements of Dragons. The fight
Yves almost hand to hand, and it is said
by those who were not so particularly en-
gagged, that it was really grand-such as
we all have imagined might take place un-
der the most favorable circumstances-but
nothing similar to which is known to the
history of the Dragon arm of our service.
In this part of the action, Capt. Taylor
and Lieut.. CASTOR were killed, whilst gal
lantly leading their Companies; and also,
two priVates were killed. One of the pri-
Yates killed was my attendant -as gallant
an old soldier as ever wore Uniform
The poor old fellow was shot at my side.
The fight was very close, withoutmuch adj.
vantage to either side About Il o'clock
our forces were assembled OH the summit
of hill, and the fight was continu 4 un-
til s o'clock Pm. When on this hill, we
were surrounded by hundreds Of Indian
made demons by the los of many of their |
warriors. They fought like white men,
and proved themselves far superiar sllir-
mishers. SO incessant and terrific was
the fire they directed upon our position,
that we were compelled to crawl about up
on oui hands and and kness. Bad as was
our situation, we were not without music !
for the sharp whistle of balls was ever in |
our ears. Whilst on this hill, we had one
private killed and several wounded. Our
total loss during the fight of twelve hours
two officers, three privates,
and three Of our Indian interpreters Il
wourded, about eleven privates, one NOR +
tally, The loss of the Indians is not &C
tainly known, although they aclInowled
forty wounded and at one time, durng
the action, they carried off nine dead bodl
les, and during charge made 10y Lien
Castor and myself, twelve more were
killed think the Indians must have
lost about thirty killed Towards even
ing our ammunition begin to fail and sec
ing ourselves completely encompassed by
the Indians, who only awaited the NOR
row IN ,,,ol-n a oo,,,,Iot, ,,.,.....-.. n - !