WRIGHT CAMPAIGN
On July 7 Col. George Wright was ordered to Ft. Walla Walla to take command of the the upcoming campaign. 700 troops were assigned to Wright and were given modern weapons and plenty of ammunition.
August 7 Capt. Keyes is ordered by Wright to build at fort on the south side of the Snake River at the mouth of the Tucannon. Keyes command consisted of 6 companies of artillery and 1 company of cavalry. The fort was called Ft. Taylor named after Capt. O H P Taylor who was killed in the Steptoe retreat. The service life of this fort was only a few months.
The last of Wright's command leaves Ft. Walla Walla on August 15th and arrives at Ft. Taylor three days later. Troops then crossed the Snake River on the 25th and left the Snake River Canyon on the 27th.
By the 31st Wright was camped near Four Lakes and on September 1 Wright attacked the large Indian forces that occupied a hill over looking the area. He ordered Maj. Grier to take 2 companies of cavalry and circle around the hill with orders to intercept any retreat. Then Wright attacked with the main force. Indians retreated and gathered in or around ravines, bushes and trees where they may be able to harass the troops. Soldiers were allowed to press their advance to drive the Indians away from the battlefield for about 2 miles before they were recalled. The battle lasted for about 4 hours. Following the battle the troops were allowed to rest for 3 days in the area.
Wright then moves toward present day Spokane and engaged the Indians again in the Battle of Spokane Plains on September 5th. Again the Indians were defeated, had 4 chiefs killed and this time asked for peace. Wright replied: I did not come into this country to ask you to make peace; I came here to fight. Now, when you are tired of war, and ask for peace, I will tell you what you must do; you must come to me with your arms, with your women and children, and everything you have, and lay them at my feet; you must put your faith in me and trust in my mercy. If you do this, I shall then dictate the terms upon which I will grant you the peace. If you do not do this, war will be made on you this year and next, and until your nation shall be exterminated.
After this victory and a day of rest the troops move towards Spokane Valley and capture 800-900 Indian horses. With the exception of a few horses Wright orders the killing of the horses. Indians saw their horses being shot and this was a major blow to their moral and having a mobile force. The surviving horses could not be tamed and were soon shot.
Wright then moves into Idaho and spends a few days around Cataldo Mission around the 13th. On the 17th Wright dictated a peace treaty to the Coeur d' Alene Indians in which they accept.
The command leaves the mission on the 18th and arrives at Latah Creek on the 22nd. Here members of various tribes were waiting Wright for a council. The next day the council began and again Wright dictated terms of a peace treaty. On the 24th Chiefs Owhi and Qualchan camp into the camp, arrested and hanged (along with six other Palouse Indians).
After this Wright started back towards Ft. Walla Walla. He ordered Maj. Grier to take some troops to recover the howitzer and bodies from Steptoe's expedition. All of Wright's command arrived at Ft. Walla Walla by October 5th.
Ft. Taylor was abandoned on October 3rd.
This campaign marked the last major uprising by Indians against whites in the eastern Washington region.
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