This includes the regions of Mackenzie, NorthWest Coast, California, Plateau and the Great Basin. Included are some Basin tribe actions into the Plains and Southwest regions. Not every murder, ambush or raid conducted by every group is listed.

1100-1800s. Sothern Paiutes vs various Utes and Navajo tribes.

1626-1680. Utes/Southern vs Hopi
1692. Apache + Hopi + Paiute Alliance vs Spain

1700s. Basin Utes raid New Mexico vs Navajo
1700. Ute + Comanche + Apache vs Spain + Pueblo in New Mexico
1716. Spanish Campaign into Utah vs Utes and Comanche
1730-50. Basin Utes renew raids into New Mexico vs Spain + Pueblo
1746. Utes + Comanche vs Spain
1747. Spain vs Capote/Utes
1747. Utes capture Aliquiu
1754. Apache form alliance with Mouache Utes
1761-66. ALEUTS vs Russia. Fought mainly as skirmishes between Aleuts and Russian landing parties from Russian trading ships. After the Russian traders obtained cannon for their ships, they bombarded the Aleuts villages until the Aleuts surrendered. After the surrender, the Russians used the Aleuts as scouts in their attacks on other Alaskan tribes.
1770s. Utes + Navajo vs Hopi
1779. Mouache/Utes + Jicarilla/Apache + Spain vs Comanche under Cuerno Verde
1788. Tillamook/ Umpqua vs American militia volunteers
1796. ATHENA vs Russia + Aleut allies.

1802-67. Russo-Tlingit War. Fought mainly with the Sitka tribe of the Tinglits.
1802. Tlingit war parties attack and capture the Russian garrison at Fort Archangel
1804 Russian counterattack recaptures Fort Archangel from the Tinglits.
1805-67. Frequent skirmishes between the Tinglits and Russian traders for the entire era.
1804. Utes + Jicarilla/Apache + Spain vs Navajos
1806. Battle of Taos. Mouache/Utes (400 men) vs Comanche (400)
1809. In the Arkansas River Valley. Mouache/Utes + Jicarilla/Apache vs Comanche + Kiowa + Cuampes. Estimated forces were about 600 per side.
1820-1839. Miwok raids conducted against Maidu, Washo, Yokuts and other neighbors.
1823. Lemhi Valley, Idaho. Piegan/Blackfoot vs American Trappers.
1824. Chumash Revolt vs Spain in California around Anta Inez, La Purissina and Santa Barbara.
1830-1845. Miwok warriors constantly raided Mexican settlements.
1830s. Klickitats raid surrounding tribes including Cowlitz, Chinooks along the Columbia river.
1832. July 18. Pierre's Hole, Idaho. Gros Ventre tribes vs American trappers + Flatheads
1833. Idaho-Utah border area. Humboldt Paiutes vs American Walker Expedition
1834. North of Rogue River Ore. Umpquas vs Americans. Cpt Smith's expedition lost 11 of 14.
1835. North of Rogue River Ore. Umpquas vs Americans. Umpqua killed 4 of 8 traders.
1835. HAIDA vs TSIMSHIAN/MASSET. This conflict was recorded by neutral American observers and later by oral history recorders in the area. The brief war shows the classic style of warfare practiced in the Northwest Coast. It was a combination of massive canoe battles, raids on numerous villages and constant individual sniping. Individual villages attacked other neutral villages as part of constant feud wars. The war included Masset, Haida, Tsimshian and Kaigani tribes. Numerous villages participated in the war but there was not a massive allaince of troops for a coordinated campaign. Both sides used trade muskets as well as traditional weapons.
1840. SNOQUALMIE. Chief Pakanim fought Anglo-militia in the ???? area.
1840s. Kickitat conquest continues over the coastal tribes located south of the Columbia River.
1840s. Utes vs American frontiersmen. Raids were conducted mainly in the Taos valley and in Upper New Mexico.
1844. Capote/Ute vs Mexicans. Utes attack Rio Arrisa new Mexico.
1845. Capote/Utes vs Mexicans. Utes attack Ojo Caliente Naw Mexico.
1845. Klamath Lake. Klamaths attack Fremont expedition. Fierce melee combat.
1840s Late. Klickitat defeat the Umpquas in the Rogue River area.

MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR

Paiutes under Chief Truckee serve with Gen Fremont's California Expeditionary force. The Company H is composed of almost all Native Nation troops (Paiutes and Delaware) under the command of Captain/Chief Truckee. Miwoks served as scouts and allies of the American forces in California.

1845-1870. California Extermination Campaign. A government approved campaign to eliminate the Native Nation tribes located in the California region. Various units of State militia, trained Volunteer companies and ad hoc citizen groups conducted a large number of raids on villages, attacks on traveling groups and murder/execution of individuals during this period.

1847-48. CAYUSE WAR.

A war sparked over Catholic-Presbyterian religious conversion among the Cayuses plus a measle epidemic hitting the tribe. Most of the fighting was between American militia/voluteer forces against the Cayuse and the Paluse. The Paluse defeated the militia force at Waiilatpu. The cayuse won the war but lost the peace as new harsher USA policies were adopted for the area as a result of their victory.

1850s. Sioux raid into Basin/Pleteau region. They encounter a loose alliance of Crow, Ute, Pawnees and Shoshonee.
1850-51. MARIPOSA INDIAN WAR. Fought in California between State militia, called the Mariposa battalion and several Miwak and Yokut tribes under Tenaya. Consisted of a series of skirmishes and ambushes in the rough Sierra Nevada area. (Aka Butterfly War ??)
1850, Dec. Kaweah River. Yokut raiders attack American mining camp located on their land.
1850, Dec. Fours Creeks. Yokut warriors attack two cattle drives under Lopez and Dorsey. The combined herds with about 20 cowboys are attacked while watering the herd by 300 Yokuts. Many of the cowboys were killed and numerous cattle were captured.

1851-56. ROUGE WAR or TUTUTNI WAR

Fought in SW Oregon between the Tututni and Takelma with their occasional Umpqua allies against US Army and Militia forces.
1851. June. Over 300 Tututni were defeated by US troops at Port Orford. Over 50 Tututni were known to be KIA.
1852.(Some cite 1853) August. Tututni raids on various farms and settlements.
1852. August 23 (Some cite 1853, Aug 24th)). General Lane with a small Regular force and a larger number of militia engage Tututni raiders. Militia had three or four KIA and Tututni lose fifteen to twenty known KIA.
1854. Jan 16. Yreka. An attacking militia force is defeated by Shastas.
1855. September. Joint Tututni and Umpqua raiding party fight a skirmish with American militia.
1856. 60 Snoqualmie warriors under Pakanim join American militia to fight Rogue tribes
May 27-28 1856. Battle of Big Meadows. A USA regular command (50 Mtd Dragoons, 30 infantrymen and /or militia?) under Cpt Smith are warned of an ambush and entrench on a hill overlooking the Rogue river. A Tututni force (300-400+) under Old John, Limpy and George attacks on May 27. The Tututni's few muskets were used for pinning fire from the adjacent hills while the majority of the warriors assaulted up the slopes with bows and close melee weapons. The assaults failed but heavy casualties were suffered by both sides.

A second assault was launched on the 28th but a relieving force of 100 regulars under Cpt Augur arrive and hit the Tututni from the rear. The Tututni were caught between two forces and scattered.

1851. Mouache/Utes vs Kiowa + Arapahos. Fought in the Red River valley.
1852. Lake Tule. Modocs attack several wagon trains in the area. One is destroyed and a second is releived by a volunteer force from California. Small actions continue for several months.
1852. Tinglit warriors travel 300+ miles to attack the British Fort Selkirk. The garrison was defeated and the Tinglits departed with captives which were later exchaged.
1853. Utes vs Arapahos + Cheyenne

1853-64. TSNUNGWE WAR

Fought in California along the Trinity River. Tsnungwe tribes versus American militia and US regular troops.
1854, Aug. Boise Valley, Idaho. Snake tribes vs American settlers. Several ambushes.
1854, August-Sept. Tule lake. Cpt Walker's militia campaign against the Modoc.
1854. Sept-Oct. Warner's Rock. Cpt Walker defeats the Paiutes.

1854-55. UTE WAR.

Utes vs USA. Fought in the Basin area of Utah.
1856. Tule River War or Campaign. Fought in the area of Tulare lake, California. Yokut tribes which had not been pacified during the Mariposa War continued to defend their land from settlers. In 1856 California authorities launched a campaign to destroy the resisting tribes.
1856. American Volunteers, Tulare Mounted Volunteers, launched an unprovoked attack on a Tejon village. Several warriors are killed after only slight resistance.
1856, Apr 28-29. First Assault of Battle Mountain. This was actually two consecutive attacks on the Yokut mountain stronghold. On April 28, DeMaster with 100 volunteers launched a frontal attack and were replused with few casualties. The Yokuts fielded between 100 and 200 (est) warriors armed with mainly bows and a few flintlock muskets. On April 29, DeMaster was reinforced by Poindexter with an additional 100 men and a second assault was tried. Though American casualties were light, the furious defense convinced the Americans to retreat and request regular army support.
1856, May 13. A force of 100 Yokuts ambush an American column consisting of 25 men of Co K 3rd Arty (Arty Company employed mainly as infantry/ red-legged infantry) + one cannon + 30 men of the Millerton Militia. The ambush occurred as the Americans were deploying to attack the Battle Mountain stronghold. The heavy brush prevented any effective distance fire and the Yokuts refused to get pinned by close combat. The force succeeded in breaching the stronghold and force the Yokuts to scatter.
1856, May-July. Several isolated skirmishes and ambushes by both sides in the Tulare River area
1856, August. A large Voluteer force overwelmed three Yokut villages in three days. Aug 11, unknown name; Aug 12, King's River; and Aug 13, Dry Creek.

1855-59. YAKIMA WAR

The primary action of the actual Yakima War occurred in 1855-56 with the second phase also being called the Spokane War. The Yakimas were aided by the Walla Walla. During the early phase most of the action involved fruitless US Army patrols, occasional ambushes by Indians and uncontrolled murderous raids by militia. During 1856 the majority of the hostile warriors moved to the seek refuge in the Spokane area.

The significant events that could provide good scenarios are:

Sept 1855. Fort Dalles. A US Army column (100-200 men est.) under Maj Haller was defeated by a Native force (500 men) and forced to return to the fort.
Mar-Apr 1856. Sevral cases of US Army regular detachemnt having to defend neutral Indian towns against the raids of militiamen. (Great scenario possibilities for an unusual situation)
July 1856. Grande Ronde Valley. A militia force under Col Shaw engage an Alliance force. The contact was broken before any major casualties were inflicted.

1858. COEUR D'ALENE or SPOKANE WAR. An alliance of tribes (Palouses, Coeur d'Alene, Spokane and Northern Paiutes versus USA. Some regard it as an extension of the Yakima War.
May 1858. Pine Creek. A USA force (164 men) under Maj Steptoe was routed by a force of Spokane-Palouse-Coeur d' Alene (1000 men).
September/1st week 1858. SPOKANE PLAIN. Rare Open field set battle between 600 men under Col Wright and a combined Spokane-Palouse-Coeur d' Alene force of 1200 men. The Alliance withdrew after suffering heavy casualties.
September/1st week 1858. BATTLE OF FOUR LAKES. Battle between 500 men under Col Wright and a combined Spokane-Palouse-Coeur d' Alene force of 900 men (estimate as these are the survivors of the Spokne Plain battle). The Alliance was routed after suffering heavy casualties. The Army column proceeded to capture most of the alliance's leaders.

1857, Sept. Mountain Meadows, SW Utah. Cpt Fanchers wagon train is attacked by Paiutes (200+) and Mormans (50+). After several days of siege, the settlers surrender to the Mormans but are massacred enroute the the nearest Morman town.
1858. Ft Lehmi, Idaho. Bannock vs Mormon settlers. The Mormons retreated to Utah.
1858. Utes vs Navajos
1860. Navajos vs Utes + US Army

1860. PAIUTE WAR or PYRAMID LAKE CAMPAIGN. Several Northern Paiute (of western Nevada) raids on the Pony Express stations in their territory.
1860, May 7. William's Station raid. 30-50 Paiutes attack the Pony Express Station and kill at least five employees after two Paiute girls were kidnapped and raped.
1860, May-June. Paiute attack seven more Pony Express stations and kil several employees
1860, May. Battle of Big Bend /Truckee River valley. American Volunteers (105 men) march to attack Paiute camps but are ambushed by an equal number of Paiutes under Numaga. Over 45 American volunteers are killed. The Paiute ambush is set along the two sides of a ravine pass.
1860, June. Battle of Pinnacle Mountain. After a failed ambush at the Big Bend site, the US forces (800 men) under Col Hays engage Paiute defenses at Pinnacle mountain. Paiute casualties exceed 30 men.
1863. Bear River Campaign. Conducted by USA to stop various tribes from attacking trespassing settlers in the Basin region. A California State Regiment was sent to garrison Utah and patrol various trails in the area. The unit's commander, Col Connor, attacked (50 casualties) the Shoshonee village of Bear Hunter (lost 224 men). The initial assault was repulsed but the US used rifles to shatter resistance.
1863, Jan 27 (some sources cite date as Jan 29). Battle of Bear River or Battle Creek. The Shoshonee/Weber Utes OR Bannocks (500+) had erected a defensive barricade along the main trail into the village. The USA command (300) divided into two flanking forces with a holding element (comprised mostly of men with frostbite) at the barricades. A four hour battle ended with over 200 (224 losses cited) Shoshonee warrior casualties including their chief Bear Hunter and about 70 USA casualties. The key for the USA was their superior rifles which pinned the Shoshonee in their defensive positions.

1866-8. SNAKE WAR or SECOND PAIUTE WAR

Northern Paiutes (under Old Weawa and Pauline)of the SE Oregon-NW Nevada area had conducted raids on American miners and settlements throughout the Civil War 1860-65. A US Army expedition under Gen Crook is launched to end the raids. The war consists of over 40 skirmishes in which over 300 paiutes are killed including Chief Pauline (Jan 67) and another 200+ warriors are captured.

1872-73. MODOC WAR

Klamath warriors under Kintpuash/Captain Jack and Hooker Jim resist efforts to return them to reservations in Oregon. Their main base is in the Lava beds.
1872, Nov. US Army troops under Cpt Jackson skirmish with warriors under Captain Jack. The Modoc flee to entrench themselves at the Lava beds.
1872 Nov-Dec. Modocs under Hooker Jim raid settlements and farms killing at least fifteen men. 1873, Jan. An US volunteer force including artillery and state militia from Oregon and California under Lt Col Wheaton attack the Lava bed stronghold. The Modoc force (50+ men) defeat the much larger force in a superb defensive use of interior lines of communications by constantly moving small groups from one threatened postion to another.
1873, Apr 15. US troops (1000+ men) launch a probing attack which forces the Modoc force (50 men) to retreat to another lava maze.
1873, Apr 26. A US recon patrol (80 men) is ambushed in a barren hollow by Scarfaced Charley (22 men). The Moducs kill 25 men including several officers and wound numerous other men.
1873, May. Dry Lake. A large Modoc ambush party is routed by superior army weapons and numbers.

1877 NEZ PERCE WAR

Series of skirmishes between Nez Perce bands including families and US Army and volunteer forces. The Nez Perce were trying to depart the US and migrate to Canada. The small Nez Perce band grew to over 700 people but less than 200 warriors. Much of the fighting was skirmishes between cavalry scouts and 'Indian' rear guard parties. The main USA force under General Howard numbered over 600 soldiers.
1877, June 17. Battle of White Bird Creek or Canyon. A smaller Nez Perce force which was well deployed in the rocky hills defeated the larger US Army force under Cpt Perry with only two men wounded while inflicting 38 casualties. Nez Perce victory allowed the tribe to obtain some new rifles and leave the area.
1877, July. A US cavalry scouting party under Lt Rains are eliminated in an ambush by Nez Perce warriors.
1877, July 11-12. Battle of Clearwater. The USA force under Gen Howard attacks the main Nez Perce camp. A brilliant flanking counter-attack pins the main US force while the tribe's non-combatants evacuate. At about dusk on the second day the warriors with only ten casualties withdrew leaving over 50 US casualties.
1877, July 25. Fort Fizzle. Hypothetical. The actual Volunteer barricade built in the mountain pass was bypassed by a daring cliff climbing maneuver by the tribal force. What if the Nez Perce band had had to assault the barricade/fort ? The volunteer force numbered between 60 and 100 men under Cpt Rawn.
1877, Aug 9-10. Big Hole. Actually could be considered two battles. Phase One was the US Army under Col Gibbon's launched a dawn attack on the Nez Perce camp. Phase Two lasted from the afternoon into the next day. It includes the 'Indian' counterattack and the USA defensive actions at a nearby hill. Both could be great simulation scenarios. Casualties were heavy on both sides. US Army casualties were at least 67 and Nez Perce casualties exceeded 100+ warriors.
1877, Aug 20. Camas Creek Raid. A small Nez Perce war party launched a night raid on Gen Howard's camp in an effort to slow his progress. Numerous pack animals were driven off which did result in a day's delay for the Army while the animals were recovered.
1877, Sept 13. Canyon Creek. US Seventh Cavalry (350 men) under Col Sturgis fought an extended skirmish with a Nez Perce rearguard force. The US suffered only 15 casualties but their horses were exhausted, so they halted their pursuit.
1877, Sept 14-28. Pro-US Crow scouts conduct several hit and run raids on the Nez Perce column throughout the two week period.
1877, Sept 25. Cow Island. The location of an army supply depot. The garrison barricaded themselves away from the post. The Nez perce raided the post then skirmished with a recon force out of Ft Benton.
1877, Sept 30-Oct 5. Bear Paw Siege. The Bear Paw Siege consists of two phases. The intial Assault Phase of Sept 30 included several bitterly contested attacks by US Army troops under Col Miles which resulted in heavy casualties on both sides. The second Bombardment Phase consisted on a savage bombardment by artillery and gatling guns on the Nez perce positions which return sniping being the main Nez Perce response. After several days the Nez perce, now under Chief Joseph surrenders which ends the war except for some raids by very small isolated groups of warriors who had slipped through army lines.

1878. BANNOCK WAR

Fought in the Oregon and Idaho area. Included the Bannock, Northern Paiutes, Cayuse and some Umatillas (200 men) under Buffalo Horn. One of the causes was the settlers disregard over destroying camas crops which was a food staple of the local tribes.

1878, Jun 8. Battle of South Mountain. Cpt Harper's militia (26) + Paiute scouts engage Bannock (50) raiders under Buffalo Horn, who is mortally wounded. The Bannocks withdraw. 1878, Jun 23. Battle of Bennett/Silver? Creek. Robbins (35 mtd) + Bernard (250) vs Bannock (1000). A surprise dawn mounted probe from upstream combined with the main assault from downstream. Fierce fighting with Chief Egan being wounded. The attack stalled and the Bannocks retreated that following night.
1878, July 2. Robbins' (12) scouts disrupt a Bannock (50) ambush set for 1st Cav Rgt.
July 8 1878. Birch Creek. The Paiute-Bannock force now under Egan and Oytes fought a Regular Army force under Gen Howard. The "Indian" force holding positions on high bluffs was defeated and pursued. One group was captured after several skirmishes near Pendleton, Oregon in August. The last major war party of Paiutes was captured in September in Wyoming.

1878-9 SHEEPEATER WAR

(Curious Note: Some sources date this war in 1878 while others list it as occurring in 1879 ??) Fought in the mountains of central Idaho. Around 50 Bannock, Coeur d' Alene, Nez Perce and Sheepeaters/Shoshonee warriors under Chief Eagle Eye and Tamanmo fought several skirmishes with regular Army troops. The Army command as usual under-estimated the 'Indian' strength and capabilities and sent several small 'round up' columns. Col Bernard with 56 men of the 1st Cavalry; Lt Catley with 48 mounted infantrymen of the 2nd Infantry and Lt Farrow with 20 Umatilla Indian Scouts + 7 Army sharpshooters + 2 guides + 6 muleskinners + up to 40 (# varied) additional volunteers; constituted the three columns. The badly outnumbered warriors finally surrendered in small groups during September and October.
1879, April ?/Spring. Payette Forest Mining Camp. Sheepeaters attack a mining camp occupied mainly by Chinese immigrants. Many Chinese were killed after very limited resistance.
1879, July 29-30. Battle of Big Creek and Vinegar Hill. A successful battle with a column under Lt Catley. It consisted of ambushes over several days. An initial ambush (Big Creek)of the columns vanguard as it descended a steep ridge forced the column to begin a retreat. Another well planned ambush (Vinegar Hill) on July 30th hit both the column vanguard and rear simultaneously. The column was forced to entrench on Vinegar Hill then conduct a night withdrawal. The numbers for the USA was about 45 men and less than 30 for the Sheepeaters. The defeat resulted in more troops (Cpt Forse 1st Cavalry)being sent to the area.
1879, Aug 15. Rains Ranch Raid. Four settlers were attacked at the Rains Ranch by a small Sheepeater scouting party. One settler was killed and one wounded. A good skirmish scenario with the farmers in the hay field near a house and barn. I would recommend no more than 10 Sheepeater warriors.
1879, Aug 19-20. Lt Farrow's command engaged in skirmishes on both days losing one man.
1879, Sept/Oct. Battle of Milk Creek. Utes (100+) vs US Army (150 cavalry and infantry). The Utes surrounded the Army column for a week. The column had barricaded themselves inside a wagon laager. On the third day elements of a black Cavalry regiment reached them with limited aid. The siege continued until the seventh day before a large relief force forced the Utes to leave the Ute force had grown from the initial 100 men to 300+ warriors. Army casualties were 60+ with Ute losses being unknown. I consider it a Ute victory.

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More America's Far West

Introduction
Warfare Among the Native Nations of the Mackenzie and Northwest Coast
Major Nations in the Mackenzie and Northwest Coast Regions
The Nations of the Plateau
Major Nations of the Great Basin
Major Nations of the California Region
Chronology of Conflicts