Battle of Four Lakes

Part of the Coeur d'Alene War, Yakima War

Map showing the Battle of Four Lakes and the Battle of Spokane Plains

Date	September 1, 1858
Location	Near present day Four Lakes, Washington 47°33′02″N 117°36′36″W / 47.550664°N 117.609874°W / 47.550664; -117.609874Coordinates: 47°33′02″N 117°36′36″W / 47.550664°N 117.609874°W / 47.550664; -117.609874
Result	United States victory

Belligerents

United States

Yakama
Palus
Spokan
Schitsu'umsh (Coeur d'Alene)

Commanders and leaders

George Wright

Kamiakin

Strength

~700
(including 200 civilian drovers)

~500

Casualties and losses

17 to 20 (dead);
unknown injured

The Battle of Four Lakes was a battle during the Coeur d'Alene War of 1858 in the Washington Territory (now the states of Washington and Idaho) in the United States. The Coeur d'Alene War was part of the Yakima War, which began in 1855. The battle was fought near present-day Four Lakes, Washington, between elements of the United States Army and a coalition of Native American tribes consisting of Schitsu'umsh (Coeur d'Alene), Palus, Spokan, and Yakama warriors.

Although their lands were protected by treaty, the Schitsu'umsh were outraged by miners and illegal white settlers invading their territory. They also perceived the Mullan Road, whose construction had just begun near Fort Dalles, as a precursor to a land-grab by the United States. Two white miners were killed, and the U.S. Army decided to retaliate. The Coeur d'Alene War (the last part of the larger Yakima War) began with the Battle of Pine Creek (near present-day Rosalia, Washington) on May 17, 1858, during which a column of 164 U.S. Army infantry and cavalry under the command of brevet Lieutenant Colonel Edward Steptoe was routed by a group composed primarily of Cayuse, Schitsu'umsh, Spokan, and Yakama warriors.

Following Steptoe's defeat, Colonel George Wright, commander of Fort Dalles, led a much larger unit of 500 Army soldiers, 200 civilian drovers, and 30 Niimíipu (or Nez Perce) scouts to nearby Fort Walla Walla and then north to the Spokane Plains (near modern-day Spokane, Washington). Wright's troops were armed with the new Springfield Model 1855 rifle-musket These had a range of 1,000 yards (910 m), more than 20 times the range of Steptoe's outdated guns. They also had five times the range of the weapons (bow and arrow and musket) used by the Native Americans. Wright's men also carried two 12-pound (5.4 kg) howitzers and two 6-pound (2.7 kg) cannon.

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Wikipedia