The Nevada Democrat., 1862-04-24
The owens River Indian War.

ih1Es W ATEeu W 0Sscu3 WIZ "esS N~''
EMS river, TO inquire into the state OF Indl-
an affairs there, has furnished the Carson
City Age on account Of the expedition.
We condense bis statement;
Being unable, on my arrival at Aurora
to obtain provisions or transportation Tor
the company organized there to receive
the arms sent in my charge by Gov. Nye, /
WAS compelled to leave them. and to pro-
ceed on. accompanied by Lieut.. Noble and
his command of fifty mounted men. We
arrived at the upper crossing of Owen river
on the evening of the 9Th of April. Next
mornine we met with Col. G. Evans, of the
cd Cavalry. Cal. VOL. with Lieuts. French
and Oliver. Capt. Whine of bis command
having been left with seven men to garri-
SON the Stone Fort, 40 miles below. There
were under Col. Evans command 33 sol.
dlers. together with As citizens under the
command of Col. MayGeld, formerly of vi.
salia, Cal.
From them we gathered the following
statements of the condition of things as far
as could be understood from their various
and conhictlngtaccounts That the Indians
had, during the past winter, been IN the
habit of killing cattle, which had led to the
killing of some Indians; after which the
Indians avaied themselves OF every oppor-
tunity to kill the whites, without endanger-
ing themselves. The whites finally collect.
ed their cattle at q point about 30 miles
above the Lake, fortified themselves and
sent messengers to Visalia and Carson for
relief. They were reinforced by party Of
l8 men who left Aurora on the 18th Of
March, when so men under Col. Mayfeld
{leaving behind enough TO garrison the
Forty followed the Indian trail 80 miles up
the valley to a'creek opposite the upper
crossing end encamped on an old camping
ground of the Indians. About noon on the
9Th inst, the Indians showed themselves in
considerable force, ia the direction OF the
mountains on the southwest. Leaving q
detachment in charge of the camp, and pro-
ceedinQ ia two divisions against the Indi-
ans, the firing commenced as soon as they
got within range, at which time @. j. Plea
SAINTS, of Aurora, was killed and they re-
treated in confusion back to their camp,
and no doubt would have continued their
flight but for the exertions of some of their
leaders who compelled them to take shell
ter in ditch dug by the Indians for the ir.
riQatiOn Of their lands. Here they remained
exchanging shots at long range with the In.
dians until night, few of the shots taking
effect. Sheriff Scott, of Mono, received a
ball in the head and was instantly killed.
Mr.. Morrison, formerly of Visalia, was shot
in the bowels and died the day following.
The Indian who crept into the ditch and
shot Scott, was killed At night, after the
moon went down the Indians ceased firing,
and the whites left that night, leaving be-
hind II or Is Of their horses and cOnsidera.
BILE ammunition aud provisions.
The next day they met Col. Evans and
his command, who pursuaded some 45 to
return with him In pursuit of the Indians,
the balance of them retreating on to the
Fort. 1t was the next day that we met
with Col. Evans and bis force. Col. Evans
out ranking Lieut.. Noble, from this point
took command of the entire expedition.
That night we encamped on the battle
ground Of the day previous, and next NOR
ming buried the bodies OF Scott and Pleas
ants with military honors. The body of the
former had been dug up by the Indians and
stripped Of its clothing aud horribly mutil-
ated. Scouts sent out reported the Indians
twelve miles above at the head of the val
ley. The command was soon under way
aud arrived about noon at the mouth of
the canon where the Indians were reported.
to be. Lieut.. Noble with his commond was
ordered to advance up the mountain to the
right of the canon; Col. Evans with his
command advancing on the left; Col. May
field coming up between the two. We pro-
ceeded up the mountain three miles, facing
terrific snow storm which prevented our
seeing three feet before Us. Satisfied that
the Indians were not in that canon, We re-
turned to the valley aud encamped on the
creek.
Soon after dark we discovered Indian
fires in q canon one mile north of the one
we had gone up. Next morning Sergeant
Gillespie, of Lieut.. Mobiles command, with
nine men, was sent to reconnoiter the canon
where the fires had been seen. After pro-
ceedng up the canon some 300 yards, they
were fred upon, Sergeant Gillespie was in-
stantly killed, and Corporal Harris was
wounded in the arm with Eve buckshot,
when they retreated, leaving behind the
body of Gillespie and his arms. They met
the command about half mile below the
mouth Of the canon. and as many as could
be spared we're ordered to the attack. Lieut..
Noble was sent to take possession of the
mountain to the left Of the canon. Col. Ev.
ans was to have taken the right Col. May
field and four men accompanied Lieut.. No
BILE; the balance of Mayfeld's command re-
mained below.
Lieut.. Noble succeeded in gaining his po-
sition under brisk FIRE on both sides from
nnncaalad Indiana Hora Col Mav6ald uvas