ORDER OF BATTLE // May 17, 1858
Battle of Pine Creek
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
1 sides catalogued · combined 1,000 estimated
Coeur D' Alenes
1,000
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The Battle of Pine Creek, also known as the Battle of Tohotonimme or the Steptoe Disaster, resulted in a Native American victory over U.S. Army forces under Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Edward Steptoe. Fought near present-day Rosalia, Washington, the engagement involved warriors from the Coeur d'Alene, Palouse, and Spokane tribes, with the opposing force numbering approximately 1,000. The defeat of Steptoe's column marked a significant reversal for U.S. military operations in the interior Pacific Northwest during the Yakima War, demonstrating that tribal forces could coordinate across multiple nations to resist Army incursions. The outcome, widely referred to as the Steptoe Disaster, prompted the U.S. Army to mount a more substantial retaliatory campaign in the region.
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