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HISTORY
El
Dorado County, California.
Chapter
XXXI.
Indian
Troubles.
El
Dorado Indian War of 1850 and 1851.
About the middle of summer, 1850, some Indians had been
killed in the neighborhood of Johnson's ranch, situated about six miles
above Placerville on the emigrant road. It was rumored at that time, that
no provocation on the side of the Indians had given cause to such
occurrence, but that it had been done with a view to stir up the Indians
to commit some outrage or depredation in retaliation, and then have the
strongest measures taken against them ; a permanent military post to
keep them under control was probably the least what those parties did
expect. If so, the scheme worked well enough, the Indians revenging
themselves, killed several miners, whereupon the settlers and miners
complained in a petition to the county and State, asking for relief from
the ravages of the Indians. Three companies of militia were consequently
mustered out, one from Mud Springs, and two from Placerville, the whole
army was placed in command of Sheriff William Rogers, as Paymaster, B. F.
Ankenny being Quartermaster of the expedition, and as soon as the
companies were organized they marched up towards Johnson's ranch there to
go in camp, awaiting the appearance of the enemy. In the meantime, for
several weeks, J. C. Johnson, (by contemporaries called "Jack,"
or "cock-eyed Johnson,") who kept a store and trading post on
his ranch, had to undisputed revenue from the whole camp, but no Indians
turned up. The ardor of those Indian fighters being not yet abated, after
about four weeks of easy camping life, the officers in charge of the
expedition came to the understanding that they had to do something, and it
was decided to go in pursuit of the savages, hunting them up in their own
hiding places. Order was given to break camp, and soon after the whole
army was on the march scouring the country in the direction of Fiddletown,
but as far as to the county line no Indians came in sight, and finally
giving up the pursuit removed back to Mud Springs, where the army was
disbanded. Thus ended the first Indian war expedition of El Dorado county,
with considerably different result from the intention under which it was
commenced--to punish the outbreak of the Indians. The official report gave
one Indian killed. Dr. Miller, of Placerville, accompanied the
expedition as an army surgeon, but his services were not often required
for, at least not in the direction where he was employed for.
The Indians, however, had not given up hostility, they
only had waited their time, undisturbed higher up in the mountains, while
they would not dare to operate agressively* the few against a couple
hundred well armed. But so soon as the army was disbanded they left their
hiding places and came down on a raid through Diamond Springs township;
they shot at a miner in his cabin which stood on a gulch near Martinez
creek and committed lots of other outrages, always avoiding the populated
villages or clusters of houses, but annoying the lonesome miners' cabins.
This raid was extended as far down as Mud Springs, and returning they
drove all the stock what they could get hold of, from there up on Weber
creek toward the mountains, crossed the American river near Brockless'
bridge, and brought their booty in safety; one or two more miners were
killed on this retreat.
Renewed lamentations and complaints were made, followed
by a flood of urgent petitions for protection, and the consequence was the
organization of another army to fight and punish the incorrigible Indians.
Sheriff William Rogers was again appointed commander-in-chief and Major A.
W. Bee, Quartermaster of the expedition, which was accompanied by Chas.
Leake. It caused no difficulty to fill the ranks of the companies, as many
young men looked at this campaign as a change from the monotonous work in
the diggings, and the grand time which the camping life of the first
expedition had occasioned, enticed them to enlist. This done they were
sent out in pursuit of the Indians, and to secure a better result than the
first campaign had, Bob Carson was accompanying the militia in the
capacity of an Indian scout. The whole of this army went into camp again
at Johnson's ranch, giving Johnson the benefit of their stay, and smaller
bodies were sent out reconnoitering and hunting after the aborigines.
After one of these reconnoitering trips the report was sent down to
Placerville that the militia had met the enemy and had made an attack with
the result of a good many killed on the side of the Indians ; the report
did not mention if there was any loss on the other side. This report,
however, it seems, was only manufactured to stimulate the townpeople*; by
making researches for the battle field no such thing could be detected,
and some time after Carson, the scout, declared it as nothing better than
a hoax.
After all, this campaign was on the best way to end just
as fruitless as the first one, and to avoid this result the commander and
staff decided to try to compromise with the Indians. The services of Smith1,
an old trapper and Indian scout, who was very familiar with the Indian
habits and languages, were asked for, and he ratified the negotiations for
peace with the enemy. Thus ended the second and last bloodless Indian war
in El Dorado.
The Indian war matter came up in the State Legislature,
in session in 1855, to settle the outstanding war claims and to look after
the accounts of the officers of both expeditions. The voluminous report
gives the following figures for the expenses of the war :
The first El Dorado expedition, William Rogers,
Paymaster, paid out,....$23,171.83
The Board of Examiners of military war
claims,......$1,495.50
Quartermaster Ankenny failed to make returns of public
property:....$1,185.00
Total...................$25,852.33
Col. Bee's bill as paid for horses and mules for the
second expedition mounted to...$19,060.00
On Christmas day, 1850, a young man from Pilot Hill, by
the name of Avery, took his rifle and went out to kill a deer ; about a
quarter a mile from Bayley's he was murdered by Indians for his gun, which
they carried off. The camp became alarmed at his not returning as some
went out to look after him, but not finding any trace of the missing man,
returned and gave the report that in their belief Avery had been killed by
Indians. A meeting was held in the evening and A. L. Parker, once a Texas
ranger, was appointed captain of a company, which at daylight sallied
forth for the Indian camp, surrounded it and captured the chief and five
others ; but no threatening whatever could move them to confess what they
had done with Avery, notwithstanding his rifle was found in searching the
camp. The prisoners, one of them being a boy 12 years old and the son of
the chief, were taken to Pilot Hill. One of the party understanding the
Indian language took the boy aside and after promising him that he should
be sent to the Eastern States for his safety, and to be educated, he took
them to the spot where Avery's body had been secreted under a pile of
leaves and sticks. He had been shot three times and his brains were beaten
out ; most all his clothing were taken away also. The body was brought to
Pilot Hill, but no coroner being present, an inquest was not held, but the
Indians put on trial. J. D. Galbraith was elected Judge, and he empanelled
a jury, and five Indians started for court ; of of them broke and ran, but
at his third jump he fell down dead, five balls had pierced his
heart. After a speedy trial the jury found a verdict of murder
against the remaining four, and the Judge sentenced them to an immediate
execution. They were placed on a wagon and by means carried under a tree
and by removing the wagon, Pico, chief of Piutes, and three of his braves,
were launched into eternity.
At a public meeting held at American Flat, on August
26th, 1854, to take into consideration the best means of suppressing the
supply of spiritous liquors to Indians, either by gift or by sale, the
following preamble and resolutions were adopted :
Whereas,
We believe that most of the scenes of violence and bloodshed, enacted in
our midst by Indians residing among us, originate in the excessive use of
intoxicating liquors ; and whereas, from the best information we can
obtain, such seems to have been the cause of the recent unfortunate
disturbance in which several of these Indians lost their lives. Therefore,
be it
Resolved, That every many who sells intoxicating
liquors to Indians, endangers the safety of the community, degrades his
own character, and outrages the feelings of humanity.
Resolved, That we do know there are such men in
this neighborhood, and we hereby pledge ourselves to use the utmost
vigilance to ferret them out and bring them to justice, and that we will
not fail to observe that Indians go to certain houses sober, and leave
those houses drunk.
Resolved, That henceforth we will denounce and
discountenance every person, white or black, who shall furnish Indians
with liquors, under any pretense or for any purpose whatever, and more
particularly those who are in the habit of buying liquors at the stores
and conveying them to stealthily to Indian ranchos for vile and sinister
purposes.
Resolved, That a copy of these proceedings be posted at
this place (American Flat), Columbia, Irish Creek, and other places in the
neighborhood, and also be published, etc.
J.
E. Sill, Chairman
Pitman S. Price,
Secretary
A Row Among the Digger Indians.
May 14, 1855, was an exciting day among the Diggers.
Difficulties had existed among the different bands in this vicinity for
some time past. A Diamond Spring Indian had taken unto himself a Hangtown
squaw, and perhaps, finding her a great deal worse than he anticipated,
took occasion to chastise her for some real or imaginary offence.
Whereupon her brother, Pueblo Jim," no doubt admiring and fully
endorsing the sentiment, that " He who lays his hand upon a woman,
save in the way of kindness, is a wretch whom it were base flattery to
call a coward," with a chivalry worthy of imitation, sought out the
ungallant husband and inflicted upon him severe corporal punishment. He
afterwards attacked Jim with a knife, inflicting upon him several severe
wounds. Jim recovered, killed his antagonist, and was finally himself
slain by a relative of his victim. On the above stated date the Diggers
were assembled for a "big cry" in memory of their departed
friend, on a hill in the immediate vicinity of Placerville, when a fight
growing out of the circumstances above narrated occurred, in which one
squaw was killed and two Indians mortally wounded.
In consequence of the unusual mortality among the
Diggers during the winter of 1855-6, a general order was issued by
"Captain John," for the assemblage of the tribes in this and
adjoining counties, to meet in the city of (Placerville) to hold a
"cry" for the purpose of propitiating the Great Spirit in their
behalf. On the 21st of March, the city was thronged with Indians, the 22d
having been designated by Captain John for the ceremony. They had prepared
a large enclosure on the hill back of the American Quartz mill, their
camp-fires surrounding it completely. The prelude to the opening of the
fandango was the grand reception of the Auburn Indians, who, to the number
of 150, participated in the ceremonies. They came in procession to within
a half mile of the encampment, and halted to dress. The chiefs were
continually yelling forth orders, and the runners were constantly passing
from tribe to tribe. A fantastical spectacle did they present, with their
gaudy headdresses, when once more in motion. The Hangtown Indians opened
column for their guests to pass through into the corral. The strictest
silence was observed--not a word was uttered until the Aubun Indians had
squatted on the ground, when all collected inside, and then arose a slow,
mournful hum, mingled with groans, from the leaders, which at last broke
out in a prolonged, unearthly wail from the multitude. Old and young
appeared stricken with intense, uncontrollable grief and fear, exhibiting
apparently deep contrition for past offenses to their Deity. This lasted
for half an hour, then the fandango regularly opened.
The ring was cleared, and the Auburn Indians invited to
open the ball. Some twenty stepped forward, led by a brawny old
time-keeper, who stepped upon a short plank, underneath of which a
singular instrument was placed in the ground, that gave a clear, ringing
sound every time he stamped on it. Their dance consisted of heavy, quick
stamps and muscular contortions of the body. Every hour a fresh number
would occupy the ring. The day was excessively hot, which caused the
perspiration to roll off their glistening copper hides in streams. With
but few intermissions, the dance was kept up until midnight. Nothing
occurred to mar the harmony and good order which prevailed. Not one
drunken Indian was seen. The number present was estimated at 600. Quite a
large number of ladies and gentlemen visited the encampment during the
day.
1. For distinguishing this man Smith
from others of the large family of the Smiths, the early day's miners
called him "Peglegged" Smith, from the wooden leg he wore. (return)
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