Battle of Spokane Plains

Part of the Coeur d'Alene War, Yakima War

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

Date	September 5, 1858
Location	near modern-day Fort George Wright near Spokane, Washington 47°40′40″N 117°28′33″W / 47.677867°N 117.475915°W / 47.677867; -117.475915Coordinates: 47°40′40″N 117°28′33″W / 47.677867°N 117.475915°W / 47.677867; -117.475915
Result	Native American defeat, United States Army victory

Belligerents

United States

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

Commanders and leaders

George Wright

Kamiakin

Strength

~700
(including 200 civilian drovers)

~500 to 700

Casualties and losses

1 (wounded)

6 (dead)
unknown wounded

The Battle of Spokane Plains 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 west of Fort George Wright near Spokane, Washington, between elements of the United States Army and a coalition of Native American tribes consisting of Kalispel (Pend Oreille), Palus, Schitsu'umsh (Coeur d'Alene), 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). On September 1, 1858, Wright's men defeated the Yakama chief Kamiakin and a force of about 500 Schitsu'umsh, Palus, Spokan, and Yakama warriors in the Battle of Four Lakes. Wright rested for three days, and at 6:30 A.M. on September 5 moved out again to the north.

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Wikipedia