Battle of Owyhee River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Owyhee River |
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| Part of the Indian Wars, Snake War |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States |
Paiute | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| George Crook | Howluck (Big Foot) | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1 Company, 1st U.S. Cavalry | ~90 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 wounded 1 mortally wounded |
30 killed 7 captured |
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The Battle of Owyhee River was an important fight during the Snake War in 1866. It happened near the Owyhee River in Oregon. This battle was a response to attacks by the Paiute people earlier that year.
Why the Battle Happened
In November 1866, Lieutenant Colonel George Crook took charge of the Boise area. He led a group of soldiers from the 1st U.S. Cavalry. They started their journey on December 18. The trip was very difficult from the beginning. They faced bad weather and rough land. Some of Crook's own soldiers also disagreed with his plans. Their guides were not always helpful either.
Despite these problems, Crook kept going. His goal was to find the Paiute camp of Chief Howluck. Chief Howluck was also known as Bigfoot. Crook's soldiers finally reached the camp along the Owyhee River in southeastern Oregon.
The Battle Begins
On the morning of December 26, Crook's soldiers found the Paiute camp. The Paiute people were still asleep. The soldiers fired the first shots. Chief Howluck decided that his people would stay and fight back.
The Paiute warriors bravely challenged the soldiers. However, the soldiers fired very accurately. Soon, almost every warrior who was on horseback was shot down. The remaining warriors found cover behind rocks. They stayed there until the middle of the day. Then, they decided to retreat and leave the area.
What Happened After
Colonel Crook's attack caused a lot of damage to Howluck's warriors. Thirty Paiute warriors were killed. Seven more were captured by the soldiers. Crook's side had one soldier wounded. Another soldier was hurt so badly that he later died.
Crook later said that this battle "ended any more depredations from that band." This meant he believed that this group of Paiutes would not cause any more trouble. Among the things captured were horses and supplies. They also found a Wells Fargo mail pouch. This pouch had been lost in an earlier Paiute raid. Crook did not go straight back to Boise. Instead, he continued his mission. He fought the Paiutes again later at the battle of Steen's Mountain.
