Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-11-16
Daily Sirainiau.
Moro Brilliant Battles with the Indians in
WashinGton Territory.

land mail We suloin the following
Important Battle in Washington Territory.
| Tho Portland Standard Of the 10Th September
gives the following description Of The Battle Of
the Spnkan Plain, IN the batlc--of which we
heard by the expr"ssnan Pierson, by the last
mail sicamer-is allied. II was fought on the
9th of September, five days after tbs battle Of tho
| Four Lakes.
Colonel Wright hns again fought the Indians in
his front Mt the Srokan Plains, some 10 miles in
advance of his first battle ground. His enemies
bet re. were tho Spokan. Conur Alene, Palouse
aud Pend d'Orcil tribes, numbering some six or
sesrn hundred warriors. Equally brilliant with
t. affair Of tho Four Lakes in results, aud in tho
liul management and uso of the several arms
'hc service. Tho Indians having fired the grass
on several sidcs. besct our troops with decided
spirit On three sides Mt once until charged through
the 'roulsng flames" of the burning grass, aud
driven to shelter by squadron of Dragons, COM
mandcd by Major Grier.
We killed two chiefs and many other Indians.
woundlng large number. and killed mud captur-
ed many horses. On one of tho dead bodies was
found hy Lieut.. Tyler's company tho pistol worn
hy Lieut.. Gnston in Stcptoc's battle, aud his
horse. saddle and all falling booty to tho compa-
| ny,
About ! o'clock tho command struck the Spo-
kan river, much exhausted and broken down.
Only ono man was wounded in tho fght--none
killed, which may b" regarded the most won
| dc,lul thing on record. for the firing by tho enc
mics was wnrm and long hut our long -rangcdr ri
ies placed them at great disadvantage; and they
had To- give way before us. We made camp on
| the Spoken. where. bcing much exhausted, we
rested tho next day to recruit mon and animals
Meyer did men fight Drawer or iolder. Tho blood
! 81 men slain without cause or proyocoton seemed
Ia impcl cach individual soldier to surer aim, and
with determination to mike safe his enemy,
lowered his rifle and caNed each his man to know
! that we were inst becomihg their masters.
COL Wright, with his staff, DR.. Hammond, Capt.
kirkham, Lieut.. Mullan and Lieut. Owen, were
moving from point to point over the field,
while Maj. Gricr and his ever ready dragons
spread dismay among the Indians. Lieut. Ponder
aeDcd during the fight with marked galantry;
cening up with an Indian. with his hnnd hurling
HIM from his saddle, aud then dispatched him.
Lieut.. Tyors company and Capt, Ord did most
effective services and bore. in all probability. tho
srcncst hlunt of the bnttle But each and nll
! deserved the highest credit. FOR the enemy was
! ll.nrr aud bollcr than Indian enemies usually
f3r. ana only left the field from tho most diro
necessity. The active and energetic Capt.
k"ycS, with his line Of skirmishcrs, assisted by
In, mliutnnt, Lieut.. kipp, moved from end to end
+ his line, nenr mile long and did most gallant
scryicc tho balls whistng round him Mt every
| point. Col. Wright made narrow escape from
being shot while the balls told through our ranks
throughout it's length during the early action
capt. Dents aud Lieut., Davdsons compa,
uios. nnl tho friendly Indians under Lieut.. Null
Ian, guarded tho train, that now moved on like
piece If machinery.
Ginning the river we found our enemy on the
opposite bank, flying to his camp, with his bands
ii loose horses with him, 10 gaia points inr from
cur reach. The Indians, however, still hovcrsA
around us ON the opposite bank, watching our
movements, and anxious to know our next steps,
In they had tried both plnin and forest, and be-
IN, Nursted in each, must have been now Mt n
l1ss To know how to move next. Garry, tho
Spoken chief. sent in for permission to enter our
camp. to explain his position and connection
with tho affair Of Cob Steptoe, which was granted
him, and lie entered our second camp on the Spo-
E, KIN.
Leaving this camp on hearing our enemies were
| in force above On the Spoknn, determined to
move up, which was dono along the south bnnk
ol thc Spokan for distance Of six miles. On the
first days march We lasscd the great Spokan falls
most beautiful anect OF water, where the whole
river, having n fall Of from 40 to- 80 feet, comes
plugging over mn inclined ledge Of rocks, through
n Ugh narrow basatic canon, with beautiful fore
aud bnck rounds nirording landscape that the
artist N Glt truly envy.
Ren hing new ccmp, some of the hostcs
coming ia, two of them were made prisoners, one
Of IN being Polantken the chief Of the Spo-
! lan,. One proving to be one Of the murdcrers Of
tbr miners on the Palouse in early spring, was
mug. - ..,,,, a.. -. -. ,. ,,....
large camp Of Cnur d 'Alcnes and Palouses trav-
elng, when preparations were agaiu made for
battle, but finding the Indians in lasty retreat,
the dragoons under Mai. Grier, and the friendly
Indians, under Lieut.. Mullen, were sent in ad-
vance, and, after pursuit Of six miles overlook
them drove them from the field and captured n
band Of eight hundred horses and band of horned
stock.
The command were again compelled to remain
in camp two lnys, to kill the horses captured, rs
M mi bp N
ell tp inflicfa blow upon the enemy, and hence
determined to shoot them: aud aftor picking out
one hundred of the best. seven hundred beautiful
horses and mares driven in coral and left
dead. Mai. Grier. with his command, was again
sent out, and burnt village and seven barns Of
wheat. The command then moved towards the
Cnur d 'Alenc Mission, burning fences and fields,
and every vestige Of improvement by the road
side, when the Indians sent in one of the Fathers
to for peace. The Paouscs and Spokans
have fed. The Coeur d 'Alenes coming in ac-
knowledge their actions and will abide the re-
suit. They were our bravest enemies, AMI fought
we'll
We may remain here for several days. and
thence start for Colonel Steptoe's battle ground
Four Cnur Alenes bear this express to the set
Elements. We await anxiousy the news from
more civilized sections. We are now in the noun
tain businesses. Weather cold at night. Short
ra.ons Men almost barefoot, but the command
in good spirits, for our successes have been un
preccdcnted in Indian warfare. One complete
series of brilliant successes, without yet one
reverse. Col. Wright thus far has received the
encomiums Of all and it is hoped kind Providence
and prudent, discreet, sound judgment on his
part may hereafter guide the remainder OF his acts
while on the expedition.
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