and Cooke, Quartermaster Goohue,. Judge-Advocate Rinear-
son, and Paymaster Magone. Captain English had been
left in charge of Fort Waters, and Captain McKay was ill
at Fort Walla Walla. Captain Maxon was, by an accident,,
placed in a position where he was compelled to conduct
the official correspondence, and therefore to leave his own
name out of this commendatory mention where it properly
belonged. 24
The troops on the right had also a warm engagement ii* passing a fortification erected and manned by some of the best warriors among the Indians. In passing this point several volunteers were wounded, one of whom, William Taylor, died soon after the battle. The Indians lost four killed and fourteen wounded. 25 Their women cried and! implored them to cease fighting, which they did, nor eouldl any taunts excite them to renew the conflict.
The victory was with the volunteers, the Indians fioft crossing the Touchet. Their yells and battle cries were? changed to wailing; the sharp war rattle, and crack and ping of musketry, were followed by the nerve thrilling death song.
Thirty hours of fighting without rest or food 26 had left the troops in a condition to be glad of a respite. They arrived at Fort Waters on the sixteenth, with a better knowledge of what was before them during the spring and summer, should they not be able to take the murderers, than they could otherwise have obtained. The Yakimas might remain neutral, the Walla Wallas friendly, and the Nez Percés keep their promises, still there were renegades from all these and other tribes, and all the Palouses, who like the Hessians of history were ever ready to fight on any side for hire. There were more northern tribes who
24 Oregon Spectator, April 6, 1848. Oregon Archives, MS. 806.
-" The Catholic Magazine, volume VII., p. 491, gives the number of Indians killed as fifty. It is an error.
2 "In a Narrative by Peter W. Crawford of Cowecman, Washington, is the state ment that all the army ate in the thirty hours was one small colt. There is no men tion of it in the reports, but it is probable enough.
