The Battle of Four Lakes was a battle during a US Army expedition against a confederation of Indian tribes in Washington and Idaho

Idaho

Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....

. Indian resistance to U.S. troops in the area had continued as part of the Yakima War

Yakima War

The Yakima War was a conflict between the United States and the Yakama, a Sahaptian-speaking people on the Northwest Plateau, then Washington Territory and now the southern interior of Eastern Washington, from 1855 to 1858.- Naming :...

. Commander of the Department of the Pacific

Department of the Pacific

The Department of the Pacific was a major command of the United States Army during the 19th century.-Formation:The Department of the Pacific was first organized on October 31, 1853, at San Francisco, California, taking over from the previous Pacific Division. The department reported directly to...

, General Newman S. Clarke

Newman S. Clarke

Newman S. Clarke was a career military officer in the United States army who served with distinction during the Mexican-American War.Clarke was born in Connecticut and served in the United States Army during the War of 1812. At the outbreak of the Mexican-American War in 1846, he was appointed...

 sent a force under Colonel George Wright

George Wright (general)

George Wright was an American soldier who served in the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...

 to deal with the Indians. Wright's troops were armed with the new Springfield Model 1855

Springfield Model 1855

The Model 1855 Springfield was a rifled musket used in the mid 19th century. It was produced by the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts.Earlier muskets had mostly been smooth bore flintlocks. In the 1840s, the unreliable flintlocks had been replaced by much more reliable and weather resistant...

 Rifle-Musket giving them an advantage over the Indians. Chief Kamiakin

Chief Kamiakin

Chief Kamiakin was a leader of the Yakama, Palouse, and Klickitat.-Early years:Kamiakin was born about 1800 near present-day Starbuck, Washington. His name means "He Won't Go" derived from ka - miah - kamman...

 attacked Wright near present day Spokane, Washington

Spokane, Washington

Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...

. Wright counterattacked and drove off the Indians inflicting heavy losses while reportedly not losing a single soldier due to the long range (500+ yards) of the new Springfield Model 1855

Springfield Model 1855

The Model 1855 Springfield was a rifled musket used in the mid 19th century. It was produced by the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts.Earlier muskets had mostly been smooth bore flintlocks. In the 1840s, the unreliable flintlocks had been replaced by much more reliable and weather resistant...

Rifle-Musket vs. the short range (50-100 yards) of the Indian's smoothbores. The Indians were cut down by the long range rifle fire well before they could get in range with their smoothbores, which explains the zero American casualties.

Further reading

• U.S. Army defeats Native Americans at Battle of Four Lakes on September 1, 1858 at HistoryLink.org
• Map of the battle plan at Washington State University online library