Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-11-05
DETAILS OF THE INDIAN ENGAGEMENT
IN OREGON.

IN OREGON.
The Battle OF the g Fear lakes s''---Desear
and Loss Of the Indians---Signal Victory
Of the United states Troops.
The adviees from Oregou and Washington Ter
ritories fully confirm the report df bfitsiit en-
ragement with the Indians, at the Four Lalss in
the Spoksn country, 0hs scene Of Col SieFtos's
reverse. in which The government forces, under
Col wright, ssined signal victory On The lsi of
| September
The enemy numbered from three to Eve hundred
warriors from The SpOkans, Re-ouse and Four
! dAeue tribes Small detaohmenIs of lniiins bad
| for ten days before the fight besn watching and
arncyiBg the troops but when pursued would r,tirs
/ beyond Teseh On the 3lst Augugl q party hrfd
the grass in the Of the train 'Fhie the column
vas on the march, and usder c,yer Of The smoke
made 81 attack but the rapid dsployemeni oi he
troops (Cspt. Winder's riae-l prevented the iceou~
plishmeu Of ans object Small parties Et;s kept
IN sight Only deceive the troups viii rela'd 20
their strength They had prepared q sirolg pssi-
II n for attack vi heir whole force about mile
/ from the camp Of the troops, on ihe hne-o Their
supposed route in advancing on the lst o. otp.sm-
/ Der where the train passes through de6le
On The morning OF the lsl, he parties q The
| enemg on the hill increased in number; and eE~
pecting the troors to be decoyed INTO The smtus-
cade they were defiant and ins8ent, a. a invited
attack Little delay vas had. Hat an hour "a sr
The drago rs. four companies Of artillery, one see
ticn Of the hOWiEer battery, ard The tWo rifle eura
/ panies were ordered out. One company Of artilie-
! ~ uuder Leutents Gibson sad DANDY, desoh-
/ nent Of dragons and the guard consisting Of
about fifty men were left IN ihe camp 70 guard o.
1 The Dragons uuder command Of Major Grierf
/ started first marching around he bsse Of tbe bill
a. the left The body Of friendly indians {heE
Perces) under The direction Of Lieut. Mullan (lep.
engineer to The eommandl started next Up he hIll
/ 10 The right Then came Col Wright, cOmmand-
/ ing, with bis staff, followed by Capt Keys. com
! mandng the third a-tilery, with LIeut. LaWTence
Kip, adjuant Of the artillery battalion, and ihe
/ artillery, The rifles, and ibe h0Wilzer battery.
The dragoous reached the top Of the hill, first
driving the enemy of and holding IL until the foot
/ soldiers could arrive On gheir way up. Colonsl
! Wright received an express from Major Grier that
the Indians collected n large numbers about
500 it was thought) al the foot Of the BILL aTpsr~
/ sntly prepared 70 fight Cap ain Keys immediafslg
advanced bis bauallon rapidly forHari, ordering
Captain Ord's company to the jeff, % be deployed
as skrmisbers. Upon reaching TIE top Of the bill,
they found the Dragons skirmishers keeping The
Indians in play until they could be relieved By the
/ artillery and r.des-
! When the command was concentrated on the hjli,
the rifles we're ordered to deplOy down to The right
| and drive he Indians out Of the wood, while The
hO sitter artery. under Lieut. While, supported by
I an artillery company, under Ii Tyler we're order
ed to charge a. the left Of The rifles These orders
| we're most g1llantly performed. aud after sharp
/ 6ght the Iniians we're driven fr N the woods.
/ AZ this time the me was exceedingly fine. The
pain below and the slope Of the hills was covered
/ with the emmy. numbering. IL thought, about
500 The iroOps had been formed into line, more
| than a mile ng which advanced win all The pre-
elsion Of q parade, firing they went. As ibey
moved steadily forward delivering most effective
FIRE the enemy fell back, and many took refuge in
wood at the left. Here they we're charged BY Lieut.
Raus m, with company 6. Of tbe third artillery,
| and after short Struggle, disl0dged.
After The enemy had been driven partly scross The
plain, the dragons passed through the intervals Of
the companies and charged them in the most splea~
did STYLE. driving them over 10 take refuge in the
opposite bills. Then The artillery companies asd
hoErzsr battery again passed them, driving ihe In
disns over the hills, when the route was entire and
the enemy, without attempting again 10 make beads
scattered through the woods and broken grounds
where they could not be followed By the tr ops.
The last shot was fred BY the boWitzer battery,
throwing q shell into group, which most eheetu-
ally scattered them. After remaining some time end
| no enemy appearing, the recall was sounded, ano
! the troops marched back TO camp During the hehsi
the Indian force was driven back about three niles
! and half the firing commencing about mile and
q half from camp, and ending shout Eve miles oh.
The hostile Indians numbered, ss near could be
| Judged about i've hundred, all fpendidly mounted
| and well armed A large number Of trophies Eere
taken, in the shape Of bows and arrows buffalo
robes provisions and horses 10 was amusing 70 see
the troops returning with their spOils One ohhcer
had two buffalo robes aud blanket wrapped around
himself and horse Strange 20 say, not an ohicer OF
I
had bullets through their cars. and adragoon borse
was shot The long rife muskeis took The Indians
/ very much by surprise. What was their loss pc IS
impossible TO say, being all mounted they rush
forward and carry of those Vho fail Alghten deaa
1 bodied however, were found, and the humber of
wounded must have been large. Our allies, the Nez
Psrces took q number Of sealpE which they brought
into camp, where they had a grand dance on their
return.
I 60. hrsf fhr all Il hat hov had
never seen finer discipline or more gallant oonduct
than they evnced TIE spirit Cf The hostile Tribes
must now be broken, when they find themselves de-
prived Of the prestige they supposed they had Won oy
their defeit OF Col, s eptoe The papers speak 10
ghterms Of the gallant conduct Of Col Wright snd
Capt Keyes
Tbe following is list Of the officers who we're en-
g8ged u the battle
Commander Colonel George Wright siaf-CaPt
l Ralph Krkham, quartermaster; Lieut. p Ogeni
% assistant adjufant general; DR. Hammond surg o.
Tn I'd Artillery-Captain Erasmus D. Keyes, CON
L | mandIng Staf-Lieutenant Lawrence Kip, adIuian
, Of the battalion; Lieuienants Robert Tyler, ID
: Ronsom George P IhIie aud James Howard
Mountain HoEhzer Battery One section com
e manded By Lieut. James L. hite.
, DragOoDs-Bre7st Msj Wm- \ Crier, Lieuts-
Henry B. Davidson, Wm. D. Psndu and David d. a.
Gregg O
Rifles Captains, Fred 7 DEBT and Charles >
Wiuder; LieuieBan' H Fleming
II Surepou Randolph was also in the heli- capt
O. G. Ora aAd Lisutsuant N Morgan were viii
= the reserve Captain J. A. Hardie and Lieu enane
H. B Lyon, II q Gibson ana = Z o. Danly Hei'
- ,vi,b The oomp4uics left as guard 10 the camp
The command was TO be pushed forward immedi
afelv 10 Spokan river pursuit Of e hostile tribes
IA h said that Col Wrighs had captured tWo noted
he hostile chiefs, aud had them promptly shot.
In addl,ion 70 the news Of the battle. Mr Pierson
bearero of dispatches from Cri0nel WTighs stat''
tbat nine hundred head Of horses were captured l
% The Indians He also states that the lndiaos ~ -
M section Of our northern territories have oeSn
50 pletely discouraged and dismayed sinos - - -,
nE lie TIE concerted movements Of tae '-ii
4 have been broken up ana desroyeu 49, ,-hs.h NJ
~ Il is supposed that The disPaeaes Snol y sl ,L
Person bears viii charge ,hs destination Go q ne
h various troops nov On iASir = 80 ,Ss-s -
= Wssbington Territories. The forces no" mere re-
i sbs 70 msnags and keep IN subiee-
ton ~ Indians without additional ala