White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-06-15

Steptoe These scouts were from
tribe which hated the Palouses and
Spokanes, and they believed that in
case of war the whites would easily
defeat and humiliate their ancient en-
emies
On May 6, 1858, Steptoe started
| from Fort Walla Walla with his COM
mand for an expedition to Fort Col
vile. That he would be required to
do any fighting enroute seems to have
been beyond his calculations, for the
expedition was poorly equipped as to
arms and ammunition. Most of the in
fantry carried muketoons, which had
a range of less than so yards, and
were far inferior to the British.made
rifles carried by the Indians. Thirty
rounds of ammunition was the largest
amount carried by any man, and this,
together with two howitzers, made UP
the entire fighting equipment of the
expedition
The Attack.
On the morning of Sunday, May 16,
Steptoe's command was met by
body of Indians which outnumbered
them several times over The Indians
paralleled the line of march and
throughout the day tainted the
whites, evidently trying to enrage
them into some outbreak which could
be construed into cause for action.
Steptoe told them that he had no in
tention of fighting; that his expedi-
ton was merely in the nature of a
visit to Fort Colville, and that he
contemplated no encroachments on
the rights or territories of the In
dams.
However, when night fell and the
camp was made, it became apparent
that fight was imminent A council
of the officers was held, and it was
decided to turn back on the following
any sort.
Accordingly, this was done, but the
retreat was not three hours under
way until the, Indians commenced
their attack upon the rear guard, and
this quickly developed into a general
action. The fighting gre whore SEA
we're as the day progressed, until
Steptoe finally decided upon stand
at the site of what is now the town
Whitman county.
However, this proved futile, and the
retreat was resumed, as the Indians
superiority of arms made it impos-
sible for the whites to inflict any
severe injury upon them without
making direct charges, which proved
to be ineffective, as the Indians were
scattered through the tall grass. At
evenig nthe command reached Step
toe Butte, where camp was made for
the night.
The Final Retreat.
The officers held another council,
at which it was deemed best to con-
tinue the retreat under cover of dark
ness. The odds were already over
whelmingly against the soldiers, and
it was anticipated that morning
would bring fresh hordes of Indians
against them, so that they would be
annihilated History has proven that
the Custer massacre would undoubt-
eddy have been repeated had Steptoe
decided upon a stand.
The howitzers were buried in the
soft mud Of little stream in the enar
vicinity; camp equipment was
stripped to the bare necessities re-
quired for forced march to the
crossing Of the Snake, where Steptoe
had established a fort, and under
cover of darkness the little command,
after burying such Of their dead as
they could find, began It's weary
march to safety
It'll had been learned that the In
dams had planned on cutting the line
of retreat by beating the soldiers to
the Snake and taking their canoes,
and this also had great deal to do
with the decision to make sudden
retreat. Steptoe and his men reached
the safety of the fort without fur
Their fighting.
Seven Killed, 10 Wounded.
The official account of the battle
places the loss of the command at
seven men killed, including two Of.
ficers, and 10 wounded The losses
Of the Indians were probably much
greater, but nevertheless the victory
remained with them because OF their
superior numbers and equipment.
An attmpt was made to prove that
the uprising was caused by the ac-
tivities of Father Josef, priest who
labored among the Occur d'Alenes at
that period, but the charge was aft