A decisive U.S. Army victory over a Native American coalition that effectively ended the Coeur d'Alene War in Washington Territory.
Key Facts
- Date
- September 5, 1858
- Conflict
- Coeur d'Alene War (part of Yakima War)
- Location
- West of Fort George Wright, near Spokane, WA
- Native coalition tribes
- Kalispel, Palus, Coeur d'Alene, Spokan, Yakama
- War began
- 1855
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Coeur d'Alene War arose from escalating tensions between the United States Army and Native American tribes in Washington Territory, itself an extension of the broader Yakima War that began in 1855. A coalition of Kalispel, Palus, Coeur d'Alene, Spokan, and Yakama warriors united in resistance to U.S. military expansion into their lands.
On September 5, 1858, U.S. Army forces engaged a multi-tribal Native American coalition west of Fort George Wright near Spokane, Washington. The battle pitted regular Army units against warriors from five tribes, representing one of the larger organized Native military efforts in the Pacific Northwest during this period.
The Battle of Spokane Plains resulted in a U.S. Army victory that undermined the military capacity of the allied tribal coalition and contributed to the conclusion of the Coeur d'Alene War, accelerating U.S. military dominance over the interior of the Washington Territory and the surrounding region.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent