Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-04-17
THE LATE INDIAN xynpEHs IN

The late murders in Surprise Valley.
near the Humboldt river, has caused con-
siderable excitement in that section of our
.State-and having caused to be ordered
out about one hundred of the Nevada
cavalry, into that region, we hope to hear
before long that the soldiers have wiped
out every red-skin in the State, from
Honey Lake to the borders of Utah. The
fact is, the red-man "has out-lived his
usefulness westward land eastward
the star of Empire takes its way" and
when a useless race in the 10th century,
such as We all must acknowledge the
Indians to be. stands in the way of civil
ization, the interests Of mankind and the
country demand that they shall be exter-
minated. The age we live in is too pro-
gressive to be retarded in its onward
march by manifestations of false sympathy
for the red man Tor the black either, for
that matter y and the sooner that an in
tellgent, enterprising, and progressive
people nd the country of these drawbacks
or place them in position of higher
scale Of civilization and usefulness, the
better it will be for all concerned. A
destiny hangs over this North American
continent which win have to be fulfilled
and he or she who fails to fill the require
ments of that destiny is only drone in
the great Governmental hive of industry
in which we live. But we have digressed;
we started out to tell the readers of the
News of the Indian murders on the Hum
boldt. Judge Dunn, of Unionville, has
Just sent to Adjutant-General Cradle
baugh, the following account Of the late
murder and roasting alive, and manning
of another settler in Paradise Valley:
One of the first outbreaks was at Cotton.
wood Creek on the west side Of the Valley,
about twenty miles from here, upon sod
house with rye-grAss roof. On awakening in
the morning the inmates (three men, Barber,
Feursborn and Collins,) found themselves
surrounded By about twenty-five Indians.
Barber, seeing the situation hopeless, saved
his own life by GOODNESS and daring. He
walked out carelessly to the corral and COM
menced saddling his horse, four Indians fol-
lowing him with their thumbs on the hammer
Of their guns. They asked him where he
was goings He replied, carelessly, that he
was going to drive up stock. For some I'M
accountable reason they allowed him to pro-
coed until he had mounted, when quick as
lightning, he drew his revolver and point
ing it at them put spurs to his horse and es-
capped without their firing shot. The Indi-
ans then burned the building, with Collins
and Feursborn in it. Aid having been pro-
cured, the settlers repaired to the place, and
found that the men after suffering much from
the FIRE had come out. Feursborn made his
way some $50 yards, Collins fell at the door
step. They built a fire over Collins and
burned him where he fell, and also mutilated
the body Of Feursborn.
The alarm having been given, the neigh
boring settlers, nine men and four women,
gathered into an open corral, some twelve
miles from here, up the Valley. They were
soon surrounded BY Indians firing upon them
from range Of about 200 yards. One Of the
men, Burns by name, seeing aid was still
necessary, jumped on a horse, and, amid
shower Of bullets, broke through the line,
bringing word to Willow Creek. A messen-
ger was Immediately dispatched to the river,
and from this account of the situation Of
these women, the natural inference OF their
massacre was easily, in the. excited trans
mission of the news, converted into positive
statement Of it as a fact. II was in this way
l was led to telegraph to you that they had
been killed, much to my regret, as l have en-
deayored TO avoid mere rumors. The result
was that the Indians, after three hours firing,
finding the range Of the settlers guns was too
killed no one.
Lieut.. wolverton hastened to the Valley
with all speed, arriving at Willow Creek on
the 9th. A body OF Indians had gathered
some twelve miles from Willow Creek, whom
they engaged that night, killing ten Of them.
Report having been brought in that another
band had collected in the Martin Creek Gap,
at the head Of the Valley, thirty two miles
distant from Willow Greek, be pushed on 70
engage them. Our Company arrived at Will
low Greek about 10 o'clock at night the 7th
inst, and followed OH after them at o'clock
the next morning. On arriving at the Gap
we found they had killed two Indians and
were accommodating the Gap. We camPed
there that night. The scouts returned In the
night with the news that the Indians had es-
capped far into the mountains. Being without
forage for the horses, and there being no
grass, we were compelled 10 return here.
What course we will take from here depends
upon circumstances. The Indians have
swept the Valley Of stock, and we are hardly
strong enough to pursue them very far. We
look for more men from Fort Churchill in
day or two. The Valley is entirely quiet
now, but troops are needed to keep it so.
The route to Boise, being well travelled, is
not molested; but it is different with the
country at the head Of the Valley, which be-
ing the finest agricultural land in the world,
is eagerly sought after, and it is Of impor-
lance to the whole country that the farmers
should be protected there in their lives and
property.
have distributed all the arms you sent me,
and they have been Of the greatest benefit.
As things now look, there is no danger Of In
dams anywhere but along the Honey Lake
road and the head of Paradise Valley, and
the establishment of a military post in the
latter place, of sufficient strength to permit
Of sending out detachments, will make all
safe. Respectfully, E. F. DrNNE.
P. S. Wolverton's command had one
u II