Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/447

Rh to assistant Quartermaster-General A. Zeiber, or his agent, in order that they may be appraised, and supply a deficiency that is most seriously experienced.

Given under my hand at Portland, this eleventh day of October, A. D. 1855.

On the thirtieth of October, Major Rains marched for the Yakima country with all the regular troops on the Columbia and north of it, being reënforced also by two companies of volunteers in the service of the United States, and on the fourth of November was joined by Colonel J. W. Nesmith, with four companies of independent Oregon volunteers, the combined forces arriving in the heart of the Yakima country on the seventh, and doing some skirmishing on the eighth. But now that the Indians were confronted with equal numbers, they were more coy. Their horses being fresh could carry them faster in flight than the horses of the cavalry could follow in pursuit. Being driven up the Yakima to where the river flows through a gap, they took a position well fortified upon the heights, but upon being charged by the regular troops under Haller and Captain Augur, hurriedly evacuated it, leaving it in their possession.

On the tenth, skirmishing was renewed, when Major Armstrong of the Oregon volunteers, with the company of Captain Hayden, and part of Captain Kelly's company under Lieutenant Hanna, made an attempt to surround and charge the Indians in a defile of the hills, but owing to a misunderstanding the charge was made at the wrong point and failed, the Indians escaping among the rocks and trees.

The troops now moved on to the Ahtanahm mission, which was found deserted, but where Major Rains received a letter from Kamiakin, written by the hand of