The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-07-15

TaE Barrls IN oREaoN.--A letter from officer
Of Col steptoe's command appears In the Oregon
Times Of the 18th May. giving the dets.ls OF the
disastrous fight with the Indians. There we're IL
killed, ,and no. so az before reported. The writer
says:
Ga the 9th inst, Col. Steptoe, with G, i and IL
companies of LIST dragons. and IS hen Of 9th iu-
fantry, with two mountain howiiseIs. left Fort
Walla WaIIa for Coivie The officers Of the COM
maud were Col Steptee. Captains Ninder aud
Taylor, Lieutenants Wheeler. Fleming. tiatson and
Gregg. After marching eight days, We reached
the peiouse river, and were about marching into
the Spokan country. when we were informed by
Indians that the Spokans would resist our entrance
into their country.
On Monday morning. we left camp to return to
the Pelouse marching Ia the following order: III
company in advance, c in the CENTRE with the
packs, and in rear. At O'Clock, the Indians
appeared in great numbers about the rear OF the
column, and just as the advance was crossing a
small stream, they began driug. In twenty mi
nutes the firing became continuous Seeing that
must ii ght, aud that the action must become
general, / was ordered to move forward aud &C
cupy hill that the Indians were making Tor,
and upon which they would have a close fire upon
the head OF the column. After close race gain
ed the hill in advance; GU seeing which, the H.
dams moved around and took possession OF one
commanding that which | occupied Leaving a
few men to defend the first Hill, and dsploying my
men, I charged the second and drove them of,
At this time the action WAS general; the three
MES, numbering in all about 10 men, were
warmly engaged with 500 Indians. "A running
fight was kept up all day.
Towards evening. our ammunition began to give
out, and our men. suffering so much from thirst
and fatigue. required all our attention to keep
them up. To move from one point to another. we
had to crawl on our hands and knees. amid the
bowling Of the Indians, the grOans of the dying,
and the whistiing Of balls and arrows We were
kept in this position until o'clock, p NJ, when,
as night came il became apparent that on the
morrow must ''go under" and that not one of
u. would escape. 1t was plain that, nearly desti-
tute of ammunition, were completely sur
rounded by six eight hundred Indians, and the
most of these on points which must pass
to get away. Therefore, it determined to
run the gauntlet, so that, if possible, some
might escape. Abandoning every thing, we
ride of ninety miles, mostly at a gallon, and
without a resi- reached Snake river at Red v off
Crossing the next evening, and were met by our
friends the Nez PerCes. We had two officers, five
men and three friendly Indians kilisd, aud ten
men wounded; Sergeant Ball. of ii Company, miss
ing. The Sergeant distiE guished himself very
much during the action aud We all hope he will
yet come in.
Captain Taylor shot through the neck, and
Lieut. Gatson through they bohy; the both fell
fighting gailantly. The companies fought bravely
Ike true men. We brought orr horses back III
good condition, except about thirty, which were
shot during the fight. The Indians made cap
lures. B9fJre the battle near over the H.
dams picked up nine of their dead; how many of
them were killed is not known, but can count
fifteen. They acknowledg &c having forty wounded.
1t viii take u Thousand men to 20 into che Spo-
kan country.