Posted on 07/03/2020 6:47:17 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
The Indian troubles have occurred six hundred miles west of Camp Floyd. One or two stations have been threatened between here and Ruby Val- ley, (300 miles west;) but between Ruby Valley and Carson City the Mail and Express route has been almost abandoned. Immediately after the intelligence of the murder of the Express riders, Light Company "B," Fourth Artillery, was converted into an impromptu Dragoon Company, and Lieut. WEED sent out with, a detachment of twenty men with orders to proceed as far as Ruby Valley, there to establish a depot and wait the arrival of Lieut. PERKINS, who Started the day after with the remainder of the Company, about forty men. The whole Company was then to go on to Carson Valley. The volunteers from California will undoubtedly meet them there. What Lieut. WEED can do with his handful of men against the swarm of Indians on the Mail route remains to be seen. His friends anxiously wait intelligence from him.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: Sometime in the future.
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Lt. Weed died at Gettysburg as a Brigadier general.
A toy and fireworks store, with paper balloons and gaslights. What could go wrong?
Thanks for that. I wasn’t going to link today’s news at Twitter and FB because I didn’t think there was a Civil War connections. Now I will.
INDIAN WAR. (Column 4)
The overland mail from San Francisco has arrived, and brings the following summary of news from the Pacific coast:
San Francisco, June 8. -The mail departing to-day leaves California in the midst of great excitement, on account of the Indian difficulties in Western Utah. The war there is becoming serious. Within the month just closed the Indians have made attacks on different parties of whites as far southward as Walker river, and northward as far as Honey Lake.
The main body of the Indians are concentrated at Pyramid Lake where Col. Ormsby's party were recently defeated.
It is now ascertained that over one hundred Indians were killed in that action. They are defiant, well armed, and according to information which can be relied upon, furnished by Col. Jack Hays, number 1,500 to 2,000 warriors.
On the 29th ult., Col. Hays, with a party of over 600 volunteers, and Capt. Stewart with a party of sixteen U. S. troops, started from Carson Valley for the Indian headquarters at Williams' station, on Carson river, where the first Indian murders occurred.
Col. Hays and men came upon a party of 300 Indians, attacked and defeated them, killing seven. Among the killed is one of the principal chiefs. Two of the volunteers were wounded. On the 31st the regulars and volunteers marched for Pyramid Lake, and by the 2d inst. they confidently expect to bring on a general battle with the main body of the savages.
The most intense anxiety is felt for the result, for if our men are unsuccessful in striking an over whelming blow, the most severe Indian war ever known on this coast is inevitable.
The effect of the disturbances has been to concentrate the mining population of the Washoe region, now numbering seven or eight thousand men, within a very small space in the vicinity of the settlements.
The pony express with St. Louis dates to the 20th of May, now five days overdue, has not arrived, and probably has been cut off by the Indians.
The Iowa Hill stage was robbed of $11,000, in charge of Wells, Fargo & Co's Express, on the 26th ult., by six highwaymen.
The money has not been recovered, but was promptly paid by the Express Company.
.
Springfield, Mo., June 25. The Overland Mail of the 4th has arrived here. The news brought by it is important.
There is no doubt that the Indians in Utah and a portion of the tribes in Oregon had combined for the purpose of waging war upon the white settlers of the Sierra Nevada, and of seizing the remnants of their stock.
It is feared that many of the agents have been murdered. Nothing is known of two expresses which are now over due.
A party of miners at Walker river, were attacked and three of them killed by the Indians. Volunteer companies were organizing.
Hays' expedition had not been heard from since it started for Pyramid Lake.
There was a skirmish on the 2d between 300 men under Col. Jack Hays and 500 Indians. After a running fight of two or three hours the Indians were defeated with a loss of 25 killed. Capt. Storey, of the volunteers, was mortally wounded. Two of the men were killed and four wounded. The bodies of Major Ormsby and 20 of his men were found on the field where they fell.
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