The Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1852-1872, 1860-05-19
Indian Massacre in Carson Valley.


terrible news flashed along the telegraph wires,
than that which startled and Mortified the peo-
pie of California in tire early part of the past
week.
At fret the reports were that the los men
who went out to chastise the murderers of the
Williams brothers and others, had been met by
two thousand well armed Indians, and all of
the little party, save fve slaughtered. Happily
these reports were greatly exaggerated. AT last
accounts, the 18th, the unknown and missing
numbered but 43 dead, 81 wounded, 3 re-
turned alive 49,
1t appears that the party-sO under Major
Ormsby and IS under McDonald-on the 18th
inst, followed the Indian trail from Williams
station, Carson river, to the Truckee, and down
the Truckee through the pass to within four
miles of Pyramid Lake. They attacked the In
dams and broke their lines, but were forced
back to the river, though they charged them
again and again. Some whites fed at the first
fire.
There were five hundred Indians, well mount
ed and armed with rifles. The whites then re-
treated and forced the pass. Many were killed
on the retreat They scattered in the noun
tains, completely routed. The baggage, mules,
provisions and arms were mostly lost.
The dead are as follows, as reported from
Carson City on the 18th:
Carson Compauy-NIaj. Ormsby, VIM. S. Spear,
DR.. T. Juder.
Carson City Company-Parsons C. Sevans,
Jas. Lee.
Virginia City Company.-Capt. F. Johnson,
C. McLoud, John Fleming, S. ANDERSON, An
dreas SchwoId, NJ. Kreserwtch, John Gavento.
Company from Virginia, under Captain A.
McDonald-William Arlington, A. K Elliot W.
Hawpkins, George Jones, Henry Meredith, Mr.
Mcintosh, S. McNaughton.
The wounded are S. Gatehouse, Hugh Me-
Laughlin, James Shabel.
The dead will certainly reach twenty-five or
thirty.
The citizens of various California towns took
immediate action. Downievile sent out a full
company of volunteers at once. Half dozen
companies from other towns reported them
selves in readiness at moments warning
Capt. Johns, however, who has supreme COM
had an abundance of men, but few arms and
little ammunition. AT the instance of Governor
Downey, Gen. Clark promptly sent from BENZ
cha 500 stand of q. S. arms and loo, 900 ball
cartridges. He also ordered three companies of
U. S. troops, numbering $50 men, to repair to
the field of war at once, which they as well as
the ammunition have reached by this time.
1t is said that the Indians are gathering in
great force, and are determined to clean the
whites out of that country. The Pit River In
dams are supposed to be with them; and the
runner that the Salt Lake bands are with them
is also confirmed So says a telegraph to the
Sacramento Bee. If this be so there can be no
doubt but that the Indians have been ins,igated
to this war by the Mormons. Indeed some of
those who escaped from the Pyramid Lake bat
tie report large number of whites among the
savages. 1t is well known that nearly all the
chiefs of the various Utah tribes have been bap
tized as elders into the Mormon Church.
As nearly all those Indians, however, subsist
chiefly on reptiles and kindred food, 1t IS lmpos
sible for them to sustain themselves in so large
body for any considerable length of time in the
Black Rock region. Hence we anticipate a
short war. We trust, nevertheless, the whites
will not permit it to terminate until the villain
Gus savages are made to feel more terrible
chastisement than they have ever experieced be-
fore. With the whites it should be 81 a war to
the knife, and knife to the hilt," until hundreds
of those brutal sayages have been made to quit a
world in which they are productive of evil and
only evil. They should be slain like so many
wildcats, or tigers, or yenemous serpents. They
encumber the earth, and should be cut down.