The teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1876-1878, 1877-07-14
SITUATION ATKAMIA.
FRIDAY, July G, I A. n.


at kamia Agency. On the 4th of July
there were 253 male indians just below
the Agency mill besides women and
children, supposed TO be reservation In
dams, about 515 in all. There were
two white men at the Agency in charge
the miller and engineer, and from what
had been seen and known, among the
Indians were about from fifty to seven.
ty.five guns, some of them Henry rifles,
and some revolvers. These guns in sew.
eral instances were kept cached since
the outbreak and not shown in the
presence Of the whites. One Of the
Indians told the whites that they had
cached their guns. On Sunday the lst
one of the Indians told the miller that
he had better 90 away from there, that
he was liable to be killed by some Of
the Kamias. Before Whipple cleaned
out Look ing. glass at Clear creek, II Of
Looking glass men went over to JOS
cph's camp, six of them returned and
were with Looking glass at. the time Of
Whipple's attack. Looking-glass had
then with him about 80 men. After
the attack, Looking-glass came to the
Agency, and some Agency Indians went
up to Looking glass camp. Looking
glass left on the 3D. with II men to go
to Joseph's camp and said he would be
back on the 4th, but he had not re.
turned on the morning Of the 9th. On
the night of the 9th Just after dark.
Two of Joseph's men and three of Look
ing glass men rode near the quarters of
the two whites fired off two guns, then
gave war whoop and charged down to
the main reservation encampment of
Indians. About three-quarters of an
hour afterwards four reservation Indi.
ans came up and told the whites through
one of their number who could speak
English, that Joseph's camp was only
l. miles from them, that he would
cross the river at Kamia the next day
at noon with all his families aud stock
and was going to the buffalo country,
and advised the whites to leave at once
lest they be found there and killed by
Joseph, and offered to give them an es-
cort of five or six Indians to take them
either on the road to Pierce City or
Lapwai They also said that the Agen-
cy Indians would not fight Joseph to
protect them and the Agency. They
declined the escort. and told the lndi-
ans to 60 back, that they would not
leave. After they had gone the whites
debated about what they should do in
this extremity. One was for taking to
the brush and secreting themselves till
Friday evening relying upon an Indian
boy to post them what was going for
ward with the Indians. The other was
for leaving the place Immediately and
under cover Of the night and make
their way to Lapwai if possible. They
remained in this state of uneasiness till
4 A. NJ. Friday and then with their hor.
ses took the lower trail and made Lap
wal without seeing an Indian. Our in
formant says that Lawyer told them and
those at the Lapwai Agency that his
Kamia people would not fight Joseph
and would not do scout duty against
him. that il was all he could do to keep
them from joining Joseph against the
whites. What has taken place at Kan
ia since the morning OF the 9th We
know not up to the time of writing
1t is however apparent that the whole
! Kamia Agency is virtually in the hands
Of Joseph aud his band and with thi:
advantage to stimulate the young men
there. i, is more than probable that he
has received large accessions to his war
riors from the Agency Indians. His
strength Is thus increased aud many