This ended The Battle of Walla Walla but it did not end the Indian hostilities in the Oregon and Washington territories for another few years to come.

The Indians were pursued by Colonel Kelly following the Nez Perce Trail north east to the Touchet River where the station and farmstead of Lloyd Brooke, John Noble and George Bumford was located. On December 12, 1855 the column turned around as many of their horses were lame and broke down plus the men were on foot. They arrived back at Fort Bennett, Larocque Cabin and farm, on December 14, 1855.

On December 15, 1855 the command moved to a more suitable point where there was grass for the horses. That place was about two (2) to four (4) miles above (east of) Whitman’s station, on the North side of the Walla Walla River and South side of Mill Creek. This place was called Camp Curry, named in honor of Governor George L. Curry, Oregon Territory.

There is more to the story about the Oregon Mounted Volunteers during this time proceeding the battle but is not told here.

OF

THE BATTLE OF WALLA WALLA

There were several estimates of the Indian warriors and casualties within the data. The tribes that were believed to be involved were the Palouse, Walla Walla, Umatilla, Cayuse, and Stock Whitley’s band of Deschutes.

(1, 2): Colonel James Kelly Official Reports: “Between 400-600 warriors were involved but less than 800 and that between 70 to 80 Indians were killed and that the number of wounded must have been great.”;

(23-F): Packtrain Master B. F. Dowell Account: “The Indians reported on the third morning (December 9, 1855) that they had 52 killed and as many more wounded.”;

(13) Oregonian dated December 22, 1855: it was reported that: “Not more than 800 warriors were fighting the volunteers. It was also thought that from 70 to 80 Indians were killed and as many more wounded but not less than 150 in all.”;

(15): John Noble to his friend Mr. Lloyd Brooke: “Stickus, I understand, says that about 150 Indians have been killed in the four days fight.”;

(33): Sergeant William G. Haley Account: “It is supposed generally that in the four days battle we killed about 60 Indians, and wounded probably about the same number.”;

(34): Colonel James Kelly Official Intelligence: “The loss of the enemy during the four days is estimated at 75 killed. 39 dead bodies have already been found, and many it is known were carried off the field by their comrades. The number of their wounded must be very great.”;

(37): Sergeant Alvin B. Roberts Account: “On the battlefield we found 87 dead and in the river we found 15 and at their camp we found 12 dead Indians which had been wounded and taken to sweat houses where they had died.”;

(3): Private George Washington Miller Account: “The bodies of 39 were counted on the battle field after it was all over, and it is estimated that at least 30 were carried off in time of battle and that many more were dragged away at night by putting ropes around their necks and pulling them with horses. It was plain to see the trails where they were dragged away. At that time no one put their loss in the field at less than 100.”

REPORT	INDIAN COMBATANTS (ESTIMATE)	INDIAN’S KILLED (ESTIMATE)
Colonel Kelly’s Report #1	400-600 but less than 800	70-80
B. F. Dowell Report	Unknown	52
The Oregonian	Not more than 800	70-80
John Noble	Unknown	150
Sergeant William Haley	Unknown	60
Colonel Kelly’s Report #2	Unknown	75
Sergeant A. B. Roberts	Unknown	114
Private G. W. Miller	Unknown	100

OF

THE BATTLE OF WALLA WALLA

DATE	KILLED	WOUNDED
December 7, 1855	5	10
December 8, 1855	1*	4
December 9, 1855	0	2
December 10, 1855	0	1
TOTAL	6	17

* Died from wounds December 13, 1855

THE FRENCHTOWN SETTLERS DURING THIS TIME

(23-F): Packtrain Master B. F. Dowell Account: “The French (settlers in the area) have all left their farms in possession of the Indians and have fled to the country belonging to the Nez Perces for safety.”;

In a November 19. 1855 letter from John Noble to T. J. Dryer, it was reported that: “The Nez Perces are friendly. All the French families…go to the Red Wolf’s country (Nez Perces) under the protection of Joseph, the Nez Perces chief. They will probably leave today.”;

(5): Private Plympton Kelly Account: “This morning (December 12, 1855), Company K was sent to the relief of the French. They came to the white settlements on the Touchet River where they were forted up with about 100 friendly Indians and escorted them to Camp Curry.”;

(5): Private Plympton Kelly Account: “Major Chinn…informed us that the French settlers would return to their farms in a few days accompanied by those friendly Indians who protected them and that we should respect their persons and property.”…BUT DID THEY RETURN TO THEIR PROPERTY?…;

The Muster Roll, Company K, First Regiment, Oregon Mounted Volunteers indicated: The French settlers and friendly Indians moved to their camp on Mill Creek, about 10 miles from the Whitman Mission ruins, on December 18, 1855 and that Company K (Marion County), was assigned to protect these people from December 18, 1855 until February 29, 1856 (Major Chinn to Curry, Camp Curry, January 4, 1856);

26: Raymond to Noble: John Noble, who was in The Dalles (November 19, 1855), received the letter from Narcisse Raymond, delivered by John McBean. It was also related that “All the French families, and most of the Cayuses, went into Red Wolf’s (Nez Perces) country, under the protection of Chief Joseph.”

DOCUMENTS USED

The Oregonian, January 5, 1856, “Official Report of Col. Kelly Of The Battle Between The Oregon Mounted Volunteers And The Indians” from Fort Bennett, December 14, 1855, To Wm. H. Farrar, (Adjutant 1st Regt. O. V.) from Lieut. Col. James K. Kelly (December 14, 1855: Kelly to Farrar: Official Report) (FHA);

#906 HED 3rd Sess., 34th Cong., Vol. 9, Ex. Doc. #76, Indian Affairs On the Pacific, 1856-1857: (Report of Battle of Walla Walla) To George L. Curry (Governor of Oregon) from Lieut. Col. James K. Kelly, January 15, 1856, page 198-201 (January 15, 1856: Kelly to Curry: Official Report) (FHA);

Walla Walla Daily Union, December 7 and 8, 1905, and Tacoma Tribune, October 28, 1892: an account by George Washington Miller, Company H (Linn County, 1st Reg. Oregon Mounted Volunteers) (FHA);

“We Were Not Just Summer Soldiers” a daily account (in diary form) by Plympton Kelly, Oregon Mounted Volunteers, Company A (FHA);

The Oregonian, December 22, 1855, “The Gallant Volunteers Of Oregon Again Victorious”, Unknown (FHA);

15.The Oregonian, December 29, 1855, “A Private Letter from a resident in the Walla Walla Valley” dated December 19, 1855, To Brooke from John Noble (FHA);

“OMV’s Fort Henrietta: On Winter Duty, 1855-56” by J. W. Reese, Oregon State Historical Society, No. 66 (1965) (FHA):

Major Chinn’s Account: House Journal, 1855-56;

Letter of a “55’er”: The Oregonian, March 1, 1897;

Unknown, from a Diary Account a Letter from “Y” in Portland Oregon Weekly Times, December 8, 1855;

“A Volunteer Account”, Democratic Standard, December 6, 1855;

Olney to Palmer; (Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs (National Archives microfilm, M-2, Roll 5), Letter Books, Vol. D, 370-371);

B. F. Dowell Account, The Oregonian, December 29, 1855

Journal of the House of Representatives of the Territory of Oregon,1855-56 (Salem, 1856, appendix, 61(Refered to as the “House Journal, 1855-56”);

Colonel Kelly’s Dispatch of December 8, 1855, “House Journal, 1855-56, appendix, 90”:

The Oregonian, November 24, 1855: Narcisse Raymond’s letter to John Noble, (FHA);

The Oregon Statesman, January 1, 1856: December 15, 1855 W. G. H. (1st Sergeant William G. Haley, Company H, Linn County) to Bush (Editor of the Oregon Statesman), (FHA);

The Oregon Statesman, December 18, 1855: December 8, 1855 letter from Colonel Kelly to W. H. Farrer, (FHA);

“The Yakima War of 1855: The Campaign to Walla Walla: The Capture of the Most Noted War Chief of the Pacific Coast” by (Sergeant) Alvin Brown (A. B.) Roberts (Oregon Mounted Volunteers, Company A, Multnomah County), Clark County History, 1967, (FHA);