New-York daily tribune., 1851-08-26
The ARRAY on the Cosumne River.

The last number of The Sacramento
frion contains fuller account Of the afray ai the
CoSumRe River. of which brlet mention has hereto
fore been made
Nj Sheldon who : the owner Of a larse rancho
on the Costume. about twenty-icuT miles from sac
ramentO, had constructed dam. for the purpose OF
rrigaimg, with ;he waters of that rver ms farming
lands. In the project he was opposed bN party of
miners, who had located their CLAIMS above, and
whose interests would suffer by his lmpellnS the
ryer. IN carving out, after various attempts 20 eject
cOncllatory arrangement with this party, Mr.
sheldon Was threatened with violence. But he per
sisted, and means ot protection OF his work. he
CauScd 10 be mounted 4 small piece ~ ordnance
overlooking and commanding the Improvements.
Here he held watch and post. until the demonStra-
tions on the part OF his opponents hal ceased. and
the waters began 20 NIL AM a0w over his tam. sat
urday last be let with his company the grounds they
had occupied. Tor the purpose OF visiting some other
part OF his farm. He placed one man IN charge Of
The cannon. In their absence 'he miners came sud
denly upon his wOrSs, took The gutrt prisoner and
>pised the gun MIR sheldon on hearing OF tins,
ha>tcned 20 the SpOt-hayng arSt dispatched one OF
his party 10 town after the Shcrlh-and found the
dam m possession Of the miners who lined both sides
of the rIyer, ami were posted among therocks. We
low continue from Tbs mon.
Mc>Srs. Sheldon. Johnson, Cody, Cel>ton. Decker
son, Allen. Baker. Bush. Bonneville, Llooey, Bowen
and Morrison walked forward .n,o different parts Of
the DAM as some aNmen ot the other party advanced
20 cu. away the center oi the breastwOrk. Mr Shel
dou told them cooy that they were treSptSS upon
his property and that the hr>tinan who struck a blow
toward cutting away the dam would oe killed. Inn
mcdately after this one hTed and struck john
son m the let breast IeI The neck. Tie walked 4
few steps and remarked, " Boys. I'm dead man.
and tell The crowd upon the banks were then heard
70 saw There we've killed Johnson. now give 1t 10
sheldon, give Vt to Shelton,' and immediately alarge
number oi guns were fred. Mr. >hedOn, who was
facing then. as he heard these words. turned hlS
night side to them. and receiving large ball IN MS
rght breast which Tayer>ed The cAe>t and came out
under the cit afm-pli. fell dead without word or
struggle.
Mr. Gelston. seeing HIM dead, re,reated 4 few
Sieps ba kWad upon some rocks m tac center o the
dam and worked himself into 4 SSure N the rocks,
IN which place ne Was hTed at but not hit. Mr. Co
dy'S abdomen was perforated with an apparently
large ball lust above the crest OF The lhum. Mt
Dlckerson received a buck-shot IN the back 0t his
ia artery. Mr.. Bush was slightly injured on one of
ms ankles. and t j. reported that the aX-man. who
stood near TO sheldon. was slightly wounded IN the
breast. Some OF Sheldon party were taken prison
erS. but ultimately released. In SheldOnS party
there were three guns but according 10 the accounts
gwen w. none on them were hred. The number OF
miners armed was yauouSy estimated AT from ~ TO
leo.
On SUNDAY morning. The miners appeared upon the
dam about -. Jrmed, and commenced cutting away
Tie timber OF The sluict- way, but upon discovering
persons approachmg on horseback, they LETT the dam,
and have not as vet resumed the work ot demolition.
MI Cody was taken 10 4 tent a short distance from
the scene OF not, and died on sunday about II
o'clock.
The mining party charge Mr. sheldon with having
first fred. 1he following Is list of the killed and
wounded
hLed-Jared sheldon formerly of Iuderhli, VI. A,
James VI. johnson, formerly of Lancaster, Iowa
Edward Cody. formerly of Fox River Illinois.
Wotnd,d- alvin Dickerson. from Bernan County,
Michigan Emanuel Bush, Desmolnes County, OHIO