The Shasta courier., 1859-09-17
A Sketch of the Recent Indian Troubles
In Pit River Valley.

| On Thursday, Aug. IS, Napoleon McIlroy and
David Wells were killed, on Hat Creek On
account of this murder, the citizens of Pit River
valley called meeting for the purpose of taking
measures for the suppression of further Indian
depredations. The meeting was called at Tho
mas Burk's store, one mile from Fort Crook
| There were between forty and fifty citizens of
the valley present. company of nineteen men
was organized, and John 7. Langley was elected
Captain, J. Whitney as Lieutenant, and Jere-
| miah Ford as lst Sergeant
The company started out on the night of the
25th, for the scene of action, where Callaehan
and boy named John Rizer, McIlroy and Wells
had been murdered. The company remained
In that vicinity for some eight days. making dill
igent search for the Indians, during which time
they only saw three, who were going down Pit
River in canoe. Several shots were fired at
them, but it is uncertain whether they were kill
ed or not
After this, the trails of Indians were found
leading to Roff's ranch, some eight miles from
Lockharts ferry. The company-conssting of
~ men-left Lockhart's ferry on Friday night
the I'd inst, for the rancheria known as Roff7s
rancheria, where they arrived at daylight on the
morning of the 3d. The comp any approached
the rancheria in semicrcle, and as soon as II
was light enough, volley from % rifles and
shot gnns was poured in upon them-the ranch.
eria containing some $50 or 800 bucks. souaws
and children. The company then made a des
perate charge upon the rancheria each man be-
ing armed with revolvers and knives, and an
ndiscriminate slaughter took place. At least
% buck warriors and 40 squaws and children
were killed There were large number of
bucks wounded, who escaped to the mountains.
and probable died there from the effects of their
wounds. The slaughter of the squaws and chill
dren was unavoidable, from the fact that the
buck Indians could not be caught ousde of the
rancheria. During the whole fight, the Indians
fought we'll the arrows flew about the heads of
the volunteers thick as hail. Two of the volun-
teers were shot with arrows, but not mortally
wounded.
After the first volley was fred, Mr.. F McIlroy,
whose brother had been murdered by the same
tribe of Indians, rushed frantically into the ran
cheria for the purpose of avenging his brothers
DEATH and was shot in the back with six buck
shot from the gun of one of the volunteers At
this time the firing was indiscriminate, and his
death is attributable only to his own rashness in
avenging his brothers DEATH
The company was at Lockhart's ferry on the
9Th inst, recruiting and awaiting reinforcements
When reinforced, the company intend to 90 to
the lower canon on Pit River, where it is sup
posed there are 300 or 400 Indians secreted-
The volunteers very sanguine of taking the
whole of them.
The citizens of Pit River valley are determin
ed to keep the volunteers in the field until the
Indians are wiped out. 1t is supposed that there
are white men aiding and abetting their murder
Gus operations.
On Hat Creek, about five miles from the place
where McIlroy and Wells were murdered. the
Indians have constructed a stone fort-a wall
some six feet high and three feet at the base
with port holes. White men must have planned
it. This fort is placed at the mouth of the ca
non, and if white men were in possession of If |
would be very difficult to take The volunteers
however. destroyed the whole structure. A dead
squaw was found inside, wrapped up in a blap.
ket The Indians had only left few davs he.
fore the volunteers arrived.
On the 10th, Capt. Jordan, with his command
OF twenty-four Pine Grove Rangers, arrived at !