The November 9, 1855 Battle at Union Gap

Although they had defeated the 84 man strong American military force at Toppenish Creek, the 300 Iron Confederations warriors were yet on the defensive. New American reinforcements arrived who totaled over 700 soldiers, who were under the command of Major Gabriel J. Rains. Where was the battle of Union Gap fought? Finding the 300 warriors from the Iron Confederation was obviously not easy, but the Americans eventually discovered them and their women and children, on November 9, 1855 at a location on the Yakama River known as Union Gap. The Union Gap Battle was more of an retreat by the Indians who were outnumbered two to one, and had to put the welfare of their women and children above everything else, in order to defend their lives. After the 1855 Union Gap Battle commenced, the Indians ordered a retreat to get their women and children away from the heated Americans, and by the following morning the Americans had nearly surrounded the large group of Indian men, women and children. However, the Indians bravely escaped when they saw their opportunity to escape which enraged the Americans. Shockingly, the two day battle had only one killed. Again the goal of the Americans was to force these same defiant Iron Confederation Indians out of the war.

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