“At sunrise, the Indians got up and crowded around the fire near which J. Fields, who was then on watch, had carelessly left his rifle, near the head of his brother, who was still asleep.  One of the Indians slipped behind him, and, unperceived, took his brother’s and his own rifle, while at the same time two others seized those of Drewyer and Captain Lewis.  As soon as Fields turned, he saw the Indian running off with the rifles; instantly calling his brother, they pursued him for fifty or sixty yards; just as they overtook him, in the scuffle for the rifles R. Fields stabbed him through the heart with his knife.  The Indian ran about fifteen steps and fell dead.  They now ran back with their rifles to the camp.  The moment the fellow touched his gun, Drewyer, who was awake, jumped up and wrested it from him.  The noise awoke Captain Lewis, who instantly started from the ground and reached for his gun; but finding it gone, drew a pistol from his belt, and turning saw the Indian running off with it.  He followed him and ordered him to lay it down, which he did just as the two Fields came up, and were taking aim to shoot him; when Captain Lewis ordered them not to fire, as the Indian did not appear to intend any mischief.  He dropped the gun and was going slowly off when Drewyer came out and asked permission to kill him; but this Captain Lewis forbade, as he had not yet attempted to shoot us.  But finding that the Indians were now endeavoring to drive off all the horses, he ordered all three of us to follow the main party, who were chasing the horses up the river, and fire instantly upon the thieves; while he, without taking time to run for his shot-pouch, pursued the fellow who had stolen his gun and another Indian, who were driving away the horses on the left of the camp.  He pressed them so closely that they left twelve of their horses, but continued to drive off one of our own.

“At the distance of three hundred paces they entered a steep niche in the river-bluffs, when Captain Lewis, being too much out of breath to pursue them any further, called out, as he had done several times before, that unless they gave up the horse he would shoot them.  As he raised his gun one of the Indians jumped behind a rock and spoke to the other, who stopped at the distance of thirty paces.  Captain Lewis shot him in the belly.  He fell on his knees and right elbow; but, raising himself a little, fired, and then crawled behind a rock.  The shot had nearly proved fatal; for Captain Lewis, who was bareheaded, felt the wind of the ball very distinctly.  Not having his shot-pouch, he could not reload his rifle; and, having only a single charge also for his pistol, he thought it most prudent not to attack them farther, and retired slowly to the camp.  He was met by Drewyer, who, hearing the report of the guns, had come to his assistance, leaving the Fields to follow the other Indians.  Captain Lewis ordered him to call out to them to desist from the pursuit, as we could take the horses of the Indians in place of our own; but they were at too great a distance to hear him.  He therefore returned to the camp, and while he was saddling the horses the Fields returned with four of our own, having followed the Indians until two of them swam the river and two others ascended the hills, so that the horses became dispersed.”