The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1865-08-05
A BATTLE ON THE HUMBoLDT.


We have been permitted to make the rol.
lowing extract from letter to a friend in this
city, giving an account Of. the Indian eight
which took place near Owyhee on the Hum
boldt road on the Sd of July and in which a
Mr.. Jackson of Virginia city was Killed and
three others badly, ifnot mortally wounded.
KNOXVILLE, NV. July IL, 1865.
You have doubtless seen by the papers that
have been experiencing taste of war. 1t was
on the Sd of July, about 200 miles north
of this place between the waters of Queens
river and those of the Owyhee, and within
forty-6ye miles of the latter stream. We
were travelling quietly along on an open sage
plain about 3 O'Clock in the afternoon with
three wagons and three horsemen, there being
ia all eighteen men including one who was
being hauled in the wagon as an invalid,
having been accidentally shot on the road.
Our horsemen were some distance in advance
of the balance of the party when they were
suddenly fred upon from ambush by about
fifty Indians who were concealed in the sage
win their horses, the latter being strapped
down by passing cord over the animals
necks and around one fore foot in such a
manner as to render them helpless until by a
single jerk they can be released and they at
once sprang to their feet and were mounted
by their dusky riders. One of our men was
killed instantly and the other two shot
through their bodies, notwithstanding which
they wheeled their horses and rode rapidly
back to meet us, closely followed by about
thirty red devils, yelling, whooping and
shooting at their neeing victims. On arriv-
ing at the train we helped them dewn and got
them on some blankets and then the fun be-
gan in earnest. We only bad five rifles, the
baiance being armed with Colts revolverS
which in an Indian fight are about as good
as broom sticks. had a good Springfield
government gun and used it as well as knew
low, but the enemy were in the sage and on
~ raised up long enough at q time to hre,
which afforded us but little opportunity to
shoot with any deiiberation, and in the mean
time their bullets were whistling about our
ears as thick as bees. About Eve o'clock
some one hundred and fifty more Indians
armed only with bows and arrows, made their
appearance, all on dne tat horses and like
those with whom we were fighting, painted
and with feathers in their hair, pranced
around in a circle keeping out of range OF
oar guns, but completely surrounding US.
We at once determined to hitch mp the teams
which bad been taken loose from the wag-
uns, and endeavor to reach place of safety
and if any of us survived. to seek medical
relieffor the wounded This had to be done
by fighting our way through the circle that
had surrounded us and return in the direc-
ton of Queens river, where there was an
adobe house from which the inmates had
been driven away when Beachy's stock was
taken. This was twenty-five miles distant,
and night nearly on US with between $50 and
zoe mounted warriors at onr heels, many of
them armed with long range guns. A very
sharp engagement ehsued for few minutes
and one of our men was shot through the
breast with an iron bolt which lodged in his
back. We put him on the wagon and pushed
on, firing as we went until dark, when we
could hear no more Indian guns and saw no
more Indians.
We reached Queens river at one clock in
the night and rested short time when fear
ing that from lose of blood ahd want of treat
ment our wounded men would die before we
could reach relief, we moved on two days and
nights without stopping except for an hour
in place to Craze the teams sufficiently TOD
enable them to endure the trip until we
reached Buffalo creek. Here myself and an.
other mac came on ahead to Paradise Valley
Doctor. The wounded with the balance of
the train arrived in Paradise Valley the same
night and the physician arrived next day, and
OF all the bloody sights that have ever been
called upon to witness these were the blood
lest. Everything about the wagons was sat-
urated with blood, which had began to be
offensive to the smell, and we were all COM
pIetely worn oft and half sick, so that think
we were about the most miserable set Of NOR
tails on earth After resting day or two II
came down here in search of q military escort
to 60 through with US. As yet have no as
surance of such assistance but think will
succeed.
Our wounded men are still alive but doubt
whether they viii all live. We were unable
to get possession of the body of the man we
had killed, ard are anxious to get back for
the purpose oftrying to End and bury it. Wei
killed. the ehiefof the attacking party who
was more daring than the rest, They skulked
IN the sape and fell at every crack of our guns
whether bit or not so 1t was impossible to |
tell whether aag others were killed.
Yours truly, |
TH0S T RITTER