Battle of Evans Creek facts for kids

The Battle of Evans Creek was a conflict that took place in Southwest Oregon in 1853. This battle was part of the larger American Indian Wars. After the U.S. forces won, a short period of peace came to the Rogue River Valley.

Why the Battle Happened

Before the battle, different groups of Rogue River Indians often raided new settlements in Southwest Oregon. In response, settlers sometimes fought back. Sadly, these attacks sometimes targeted innocent Native American tribes. Because of these ongoing conflicts, several tribes decided to join forces. They united under a leader named Apserkahar, who was also known as "Chief Jo."

Getting Ready for Battle

Captain Bradford R. Alden led a small group of 10 soldiers from the 4th U.S. Infantry. They came from Fort Jones, California. On his way, Captain Alden gathered more volunteer fighters from Yreka, California. Even more volunteers joined from the Oregon Territory.

First Skirmishes

Before Captain Alden could start a big attack, Chief Toquahear, also called "Chief Sam," led his warriors against a small group of California volunteers. The volunteers were forced to retreat, and 8 of them were injured.

In Jacksonville, Oregon, Captain Alden met up with two more groups of Oregon volunteers. These new groups were led by General Joseph Lane. General Lane then took charge of the entire expedition.

The Battle Begins

General Lane split his forces into two main groups. Colonel John E. Ross led one group, and Captain Alden, who was now given the honorary title of "Colonel," led the other. General Lane decided to go with Alden's group. This group included two Oregon volunteer companies led by Jacob Rhodes and James P. Goodall. Their plan was to head towards Table Rock. They aimed to meet Colonel Ross's group at a specific spot on Evans Creek.

Finding the Camp

Four days into their journey, Alden's group found the warriors' camp. The camp was well-supplied and protected. It even had strong log walls built for defense.

Alden's group moved forward on foot. Goodall's company fought through a thick forest. Meanwhile, Rhodes' company tried to move around the side of the camp to attack from a different direction.

Fierce Fighting

General Lane personally brought more soldiers to the front lines. When he arrived, he found that Alden had been badly wounded. General Lane then took over the attack himself.

The soldiers got very close to the warriors' camp, about 30 yards away. During the intense fighting, General Lane was also wounded. Despite the injuries to their leaders, the soldiers kept fighting for another three hours.

Peace Talks

Finally, a message arrived from the Native American warriors. They wanted to stop fighting and make peace. Even though General Lane's other group, led by Colonel Ross, had arrived, they were asked not to start fighting again.

General Lane hid his wounded shoulder and went into the warriors' camp. He spoke with Chief Jo. Lane was surprised to see that the warriors had many weapons and supplies. However, Chief Jo told him that the chiefs were tired of war.

The chiefs agreed to meet again a few days later at Table Rock. There, they signed the Treaty of Table Rock, which brought an end to the conflict.