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28 nearly opposite to the place where we were encamped when our three men were killed. I was sent ahead in the morning with ten chosen men with orders that if I discovered any large villages of Indians to send back word of my discovery to my companions in case I should be seen by the Indians I was told to act as i thought best. I had not gone more than ten miles when I discovered a large village of about 50 lodges and at the same time I knew by the commotion in their camp that the Indians had seen us., so considering it useless to send for reinforcements I determined to attack them I charged on them and we fought for some time & killed a number of our enemies the balance of them fled. Their houses were built of flag? beautifully woven, they had evidently been fishing for they had some ten wagon loads of fish in their houses & all their fishing tackle was there also as was their camp equipage &c I wished to do them as much damage as I could so I directed that their houses should be set on fire. The flag? being dry it was a beautiful sight. The Indians had commenced the war with us without cause

I thought that they should be chastised in a summary

manner - and they were severly punished. Fremont saw the fire at a distance & knowing that we were engaged hurried to join us, but he arrived too late for the sport. We then moved on about two miles from where the Indian village had been and camped for the night, Owens and twenty men were sent back to watch for the Indians in less than an hour he sent us word that 50 of them had returned. I suppose they did this to hunt for their lost, and to bury their dead, as soon as the information was received Fremont with six men went to Owen's relief taking a different route from that which Owens had