(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Indians 201: An Indian victory in Eastern Washington in 1858 [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-12-05 In the 1850s, the policy of the United States regarding the Indian nations in eastern Washington was to force Indians onto a few reservations and open up the land for the railroad, for farming and ranching by non-Indians, and for mining. Indians were seen simply as barriers to America’s manifest destiny to “civilize” and “tame” the West. American efforts to colonize eastern Washington can be characterized as ethnocentric, brutal, barbaric, unjust, and racist. The flashpoint of the military war against the Plateau Indians came with the Indian victory over the invading American army led by Major Edward Steptoe. The Spark In 1858, two French Canadian miners were murdered near present-day Colfax, Washington. The miners in the area blamed Yakama leader Kamiakin and Palouse leader Tilcoax for the murders, but Mahkeetahkat and Slowiarchy the Younger were the actual culprits. The incident spread fear among the miners who believed that the Indians were going to kill them all. In response, the miners in Colville requested military aid from the army. The Army In response to the request for aid from the miners in Colville, a military expedition was organized to march from Fort Walla Walla through Palouse country to Colville in order to awe the Indians into submission. The expedition, led by Major Edward Steptoe, crossed the Snake River at the confluence of Alpowa Creek and the Snake. Here Nez Perce chief Timothy (Tammutsa) operated a ferry which was used by the troops to transport men, equipment, and horses across the river. Timothy, Levi (Timothy’s brother) and 13 other Nez Perce warriors joined the force as scouts. Unknown to the military leaders, Timothy and Palouse chief Tilcoax were engaged in a personal feud. Upon joining forces with the army, Timothy sent envoys to tell Tilcoax that the Palouse would soon lose their women and horses. He sent a similar message to the Coeur d’Alenes and the Spokanes. The Battle While the Nez Perce scouts knew that the Palouse, Coeur d’Alene, and Spokan warriors had gathered in large numbers, this information was not relayed to the American military leaders. According to Clifford Trafzer and Richard Scheuerman, in their book Renegade Tribe: The Palouse Indians and the Invasion of the Inland Pacific Northwest: “Timothy spoiled for a fight with Tilcoax, and he probably directed his Nez Perces to remain silent.” While the American commander Major Edward Steptoe had hoped to engage a few Palouse in battle, he was taken by surprise when he encountered more than 1,000 Indian warriors from several different tribes: Palouse, Coeur d’Alene, Spokan, Yakama, Pend d’Oreille, Flathead, and Columbia. While the Indians taunted the soldiers, no shots were fired. Tilcoax had hated the Americans since he had been driven from his traditional home and forced to establish a new village on the Snake River. On the other hand, Coeur d’Alene chief Vincent and Spokan chief Sgalgalt urged their people to return home without attacking the American troops. The first attack came from a handful of young Coeur d’Alene warriors. Three important Coeur d’Alene leaders—James Nehlukteltshiye, Zachary Natatkem, and Victor Smena—were killed in the first volley and with this the other Indians joined in the fight. Historian Jack Dozier, in an article in Idaho Yesterdays, describes the initial attack: “The initial attack was sporadic, consisting of individual isolated attacks, by honor-seeking braves. Very shortly, however, the sound of the shooting began to fire the spirit of the others, resulting in a concentrated attack on the rear of the column.” The Indians fought individually without any specific plan except to drive the American forces out of their territory. With regard to the Palouses, Clifford Trafzer and Richard Scheuerman write: “The Palouses wished to strike a blow at the soldiers, but they had no desire to annihilate Steptoe’s command. Such was not the nature of Indian warfare on the Columbia Plateau, and such as not the Palouse intent.” By nightfall, the Americans knew they were defeated. They buried their howitzers, strapped their wounded on horses, discarded all of their baggage, and slipped quietly away. Historians would later marvel at the fact that 150 American soldiers slipped apparently unnoticed and unpursued through more than a thousand Indian warriors. However, Indian warfare does not seek the annihilation of enemies, and loot—the baggage which the Americans left behind—is of greater interest than killing the soldiers. The battle became known as the Steptoe Disaster and the Steptoe Massacre. Steptoe was criticized for underestimating Indian strength and determination. The Aftermath Following the defeat of Major Edward Steptoe, there was great public pressure from American settlers, politicians, and newspapers to punish the Indians. In some of the newspaper accounts, Yakama leader Kamiakin was blamed for the attack. Clifford Trafzer and Richard Scheuerman write: “A great deal of racial hatred emerged in the aftermath of the defeat.” As a result of Steptoe’s defeat, 600 troops under Colonel George Wright were sent out to meet the Indian forces and inflict heavy casualties upon them. According to an exhibit in the Lewis Army Museum: “With warriors from the Nez Perce serving as Indian scouts for the army, Col. George Wright led more than 600 troops against non-treaty tribes east of the Cascade Mountains—the largest military campaign in the history of Washington Territory. Wright’s column included dragoons and infantry as well as several small mountain howitzers.” The result was a ruthless and bloody war with little quarter given to the Indians. The goal was to either put the Indians on remote reservations or to exterminate them. More American Indian histories Indians 301: The Puget Sound War Indians 101: The 1856 Battle of Seattle Indians 101: The 1856 battle at the Cascades, Oregon Indians 101: The 1855 Battle at Connell's Prairie, Washington Indians 101: The 1855 Walla Walla treaty council Indians 201: The 1854-1855 Western Washington Treaties Indians 101: American Indians and the creation of Washington Territory in 1853 Indians 101: Port Townsend (WA) and the Indians [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/12/5/2209451/-Indians-201-An-Indian-victory-in-Eastern-Washington-in-1858?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/