The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-16

tribes, of which are rumored to have par tcpated
In tho present hostilities
NEz PERCEz Timothy, Who guided Steptoe's com
mand to the Red VOLTS ground is Neg Percez chief
warmly attached TO tho whites and who many occasions
has rendered them service. The Nez Perccz under their
head chief the Lawyer" played inconsdcable part
in the retreat Of Col Stcptoe From reliable private
source we learn that the arrival OF Col Septoes
mand ut Red Wolf crossing "Lawyer had canoes ready
c push them over and covered the passage with his
When the command reached the opposite shore the men
could go further, but threw themselves upon the
ground perfectly exhausted and Lawyer and the Nez
Percez guarded them that night Some time during the
night Squaw came to Lawyer and told him that the
pursuers had moved down the river and would inter
cept the command the next morning. lawyer mmedi-
atey despatched fifty Of his warriors to prevent it, and
they did so.
The Lawyer and the bulk of his tribe have been
markable for their fealty TO their obligations during
the troubles Of the past few In 1855 and 1856
they organized volunteers under the governor
and superintendent of Indian affairs OF Washington Ter
ritpy snd they for many months efecually maintained
the peace of the Nez Percez country and it these
men who in the recent time of need rendered assist
ance troops above 1t is gratifying TO be able
to make this record 1t shows that there Indians in
that country ecta who can be relied on.
SPoKANES, &c.--Ihere are good grounds for doubt
ing whether the Spokanes Ceur Alenes or Flaheads
in the fight with Steptoe, except, perhaps, few
young Garry, the Spokane chief, man of educa
tion and intelligence has heretofore been the fast friend
of the whites and it mainly due to his exertions that
the Spokanes and adjoining tribes received Gov Stevens
and party in friendly their return from the
Blackoot country in December, 1855 and that these
same tribes maintained their friendship through the
tire of 1855 and 1856 veteran officer Of the vol
uneers of Washington in the recent Indian difficulties
and captain of the forces of the provisional government
of Oregon in the Cayusc Of 184S and 40 thus writes
to his friend in this city from Washongal Clark county
June l, 1858;
"Steptoe has been fairly defeated by the Indians said
to be Spokane. slow to believe they the real
actors. There might have been few of them in the
fight but think that the main body of the Indians
Yacamas and Palouscs. recollect in the Cayuse war
that the Indians pretended to be Spokanes in a few
weeks ael wards the Spokanes did great service to
in getting a part of the murderers.
~ beg of you not to be too hasty in passing judgment
against Garry. regard him sort Of fellow soldier.
He friend when needed one, during the Cayuse
war; when his influence would have exterminated the
white race the Pacific slope, and he knew it, or at
least he told but If the Spokanes have done as
| the Colonel thinks, they have ruined themselves.
" If the Spokanes have broken out we are in for war
My word for it, there is general combination
The Indians in the fight with Stepoe probably the
Cayuscs Walla Wallas several of the tribes of the va
kima nation including the Palouses, and few young
men from the Spokane and Ceur Alene and Collvile
tribes of Indians.
1t is to be apprehended however, that the effect OF
Septoes defeat will be to great portion of each
of these tribes to join in the combination against