"Their purpose," says one who was present, and in the thick of the fight,[1] "was to leave no foes to rise behind them; their policy was the policy of extermination; their flags were the scalps of our people, murdered in cold blood, whose gray locks floated from poles raised on every prominent point on the hills to our left, with a squad of those bloody fiends dancing the war dance around them. From the brush on the plain and the timber on the river, they poured a murderous fire on the volunteers, who were compelled to fall back. Here Henry Crow and S. S. Van Hagerman fell, mortally wounded, and several others were wounded. At this critical moment, Lieutenant J. M. Burrows, with a small detachment, was ordered to cross the fence that surrounded the La Roche field, and charge upon the Indians in the brush, the writer being one of the number who crossed. When only a few steps beyond the fence the brave Burrows fell dead, and Captain Munson and several others were wounded. A dispatch having been sent to Captain Wilson of company A to come forward, he and his company came at full speed, dismounted, and with fixed bayonets pushed their way through the brush, driving the enemy before them. In a short time, Captain Bennett, with company F was on hand, and with these reënforcements, the Indians were driven about one mile further up the Walla Walla river, where they took possession of a house with a close-built fence around it. In attempting to dislodge them, Captain Bennett of company F, and Private Kelso of company A were killed."
A howitzer found at Fort Walla Walla was soon brought to bear upon the house; but Captain Wilson having nothing but a sandhill to fire from, the piece burst in exploding, inflicting a wound upon Wilson, but dispersing the Indians. The volunteers immediately took possession of the premises and recovered the bodies of Bennett and Kelso, while the wounded were removed to the house of La Roche, which was converted into a hospital.
- ↑ G. W. Miller, who kept a diary.
