The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-12-08
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The following letter u from our old friend and
fellow citizen, d. M. Morrison, and will on this
account be read with interest BY great portion
Of our readers.
UREKA, Sept. 1911, 1852
MEssRs. MERRITr Il Co.
My Dear Friends.
Thinking that many of our old acqnaintances
would like to know what has become of our part
Of the Dubuque emigration for California,
have concluded TO give you short account OF
our adventures after leaving the old iangtown
Route, up to which time you have no doubt
been furnished from the journals Of Mr.. Cook
et al. better qualified TO relate our travels than
myself.
Never having written anything for publication,
hope you will make snch corrections and pub.
lish only such parts Of my letter as you deem
proper.
When we arrived at the junction OF the old
(LosD Lawson Route, we met with MIR. John
Dreibbelbis, brother Of my old friend Martin S /,
Of Dubuque, who recommended new route
across to Shasta City, which we concluded to
take-Mr. Donellan and Mr.. Hanway from
Ia, f. K Stow & Co., and two Of MIR. Cook $
men, nj. II. Crib & Geo. w Cossweli, and
German wagon with four men and boy from
ILL.,, who Joined US at Salt Lake, and Benz. F.
Davis with three Of Mr.. Cooks men, Elias and
Nit Myers and young man called kentuck,
whose real name do not know. left the old
road on the 10th Of August for Shasta City
Messrs. Cook and Connell kept the old road
We came on to Black Rock Spring about sixty
miles, where we met one Capt. Nutter in COM
pany with three men from Ureka, Sheriff Chas
McDermi.t, Thos ii. Coots Representative and
DR.. J T. Lowery County Surveyor, all OF Lis
ki,on Co and whom we found to be very fine
men. Capt. Nutter stated to us that, he had
travelled through to coils on the old road in
1850, and that he had been through on new
route to Ureka the present year-lS52-which
was much the better route to the northern mines,
where we all wanted to 60. The three men
from Ureka stated to US that they did not wish
to persuade us to go to this part of California,
but if we wished to 60 there, they had come OFT
TO warn us to be on our guard, for some part OF
the way the Indians were very dangerous
They represented to US the advantages we would
have in going direct to this part, and if we con-
cluded to do SO one of them would stay with US
and Pilot us in or till we overlook two other
trains, one from Mo-, known as Gilmoreis train,
with fourteen wagg MS, the other from Wis.,
with four wag CONS under the direction OF Mr..
Whiting, one from Iowa by the name Of Cool,
one from Mo, by the name Of Bollinger. With
those trains they had left ten of the men that
had come out with them to pilot an1 guard the
emigrants in. Our men were almost unani-
mously in favor of the Ureka Route, so we all
came over except Davis and the three men
with him who went on to Shasta City, under
the guidance of Mr. Coots the Representative
to the Legislature from this county whom we
found to be brave and noble hearted young
man. we come on all well over very rough
road, passed both Of the other trains, till we got
to Mound Springs about one hundred and TWEEN
" miles from Ureka When, at breakfast, on
the morning Of the 30th we we're overtaken by
Messrs james A. Long, and John Owensly
who had been left with the No Train, on their
way in for provisions for the Train as they had
not suffi .ient to take them in. They had trav-
ellcd all night. Their Tram was more than
day behind Writings Train was up with US
here but was compelled to lay by for day or
two to recruit. The men from the Mo, Train
wanted our guide MIR. Coots to 60 in with then.
They told us we would pass throu n the most
dangerous part Of tae route by noon, that they
would stay with us till after we moved and then
with packer that had overtaken Us by the name
Of Martin, whose father lives in milwaukee,
would go on. We were all anxious to get
through as soon as possible and concluded to 60
on we yoked up and started in co. with the
four men, Whiting remaining at the Springs to
recruit. The three Ureka men rode on ahead
of the teams and some OF us wake d on ahead
as usual till we came to where the road leads
down off the Moun,ion into Indian Lake Valley,
for about two miles to long rough point of
black rocks. Coming down from the right it
rounds the point ard takes along the base Of j,
for about two miles, with Indian Lake dotted
all over with bushes, Gullves and Flags on the
left, with skirt above this black rock point,
from quarter to half mile in width Of Gull.
Ives or Flags, Cane and grass as high as our wag
ron covers, growing up SO thick that Eve hun.
dred Indians might be concealed in them and 1t
would be impossible to see them. We all stop
ned on the Mountain to wait for the teams, ex-
cept the three Ureka men, who rode on. While
we were standing on the Mountain waiting for
the Teams we saw collecting on the other side
Of the point OF ridge twelve Indians on horse
back and about one hundred and fifty on foot
collecting along the point. The three men could
NOT see them for the poins-Black Rock Point
and they were so far a head we could not give
them the alarm Before they turned the point
they were all out Of our sight, when they did
turn il, they rode on for about mile. when we
heard them shoot several times. As they were
turning the point the packer came up to where
We were, told him 10 ride down to the point as
soon a. he coulc and give them the alarm, but
not TO 60 beyond the Point.
He gailoped down to the point, but instead Of
stopping, road on around as fast Is his horse
could 70, he had about time to get to where we
heard them shoot. At the time we heard the
shooting We were about an hour ahead Of the
teams, went back and met the teams, hurried
down into the valley, formed our company into
a. GOOD order a. we could, which amounted to
Is men and two boys and but fourteen guns
with few pistols. We hurried on down to the
point, turned it, looked anxiously for the men,
bat could see nothing ahead, but dense Tuly
swamps ON our left and the black rocky ridge on
our right. We travelled on through this dismal
looking place for about one mile, when we dis
covered fresh blood, we halted, commenced ex-
amening ii, when all at once there came at Us
from the rocks and fags shower Of arrows
thick a. hail, We drove on to get out of the way
from where they were concealed if possible
Freeman Hathorn was shot down right by my
side; he most Of their arrows, came from the
rocky turn and were shot from the flags. !
called out 70 the men to look out for them in the
Hays When Freeman fell they raised tedious
vell and rushed from the rocks and flags and