I went, with thirty other Benton volunteers, under command of Major Ilgis, on horseback.... We then proceeded rapidly towards Cow Island, and arrived there just at night (after the Indians had left the island), and saw the goods still burning, but could at first see no men. Soon we saw a boat with three men in it. We hailed it and learned that eight men had kept the Indians at bay for forty-eight hours at that point, and finally had caused them to retreat, after firing the goods. We then sent by them, down the river, a message to Gen. Miles, who was forty miles below, and told them the directions the hostiles had gone, and what they had done at the island. We remained there that night, and, fearing the Indians might attack a train of wagons known to be on the north side of the river, early the next morning we crossed and went in pursuit. About nine miles from the crossing, we came upon the Indians just as they were stripping the canvas from the freight wagon. A half-breed along with us darted in advance of our party, and rode up to within two hundred yards of the hostiles, then suddenly wheeled his horse and ran back to us. Meantime, we had entrenched ourselves in a ravine, so that we could fire from under cover.

About one hundred charged back after the half-breed, and when within range of our rifles, we opened fire upon them, and they fell back. They fought us at long range for about five hours, during which ... they killed one of our men. They then left us, seeing that we were not strong enough to pursue and charge them. We returned to the crossing.