Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/503

Rh with this purpose, the Indians had presumed upon the non-combativeness and forbearance of the soldiery to drive off the garrison live stock, and return flippant or insolent answers to demands for explanation, he gradually became convinced that it would be necessary to mingle with mercy some lessons of justice.

In April, 1858, Colonel Steptoe reported to General Clarke that an expedition to the country bordering on the northern mines seemed to be called for, a petition signed by forty persons residing at Colville for troops to be sent to that place having been received at his post. Besides, two white men had been murdered on the road to Colville by the Palouse Indians, who had also made a raid into the Walla Walla valley, driving off the government cattle.

On the sixth of May, Steptoe left the post with a force of one hundred and thirty dragoons, intending only to make a march and impress upon the Indians the fact that a military power resided in the country, which, on occasions, it might be unpleasant to encounter. He proceeded to the Nez Percé country in a leisurely manner, and was ferried over the Snake river by chief Timothy, once a member of Mr. Spalding's church, who also acted as guide. At the Alpowah he found the party of Palouses said to have committed the two murders, who fled at his approach. Proceeding northward, he received information on the sixteenth that the Spokanes were preparing to fight him. Disregarding the report he kept on until he found himself surrounded by about six hundred Indians in their war paint, who had posted themselves close to a ravine through which the road passed. The force here assembled was drawn from the Palouse, Spokane, Cœur d'Alene, and Nez Percé tribes, the latter numbering but few. It was so stationed that it could attack the troops on three sides should the command enter the ravine, and Steptoe called a halt, during which a parley was held with the Spokanes, in which they informed him they heard he had come for