The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1878-06-12
THE HAMMOCK WAR.

The widest excitement prevails, and
all sorts-of rumors are afoat. The
Bsnnocks are raiding. the settlements
in the northern part of the county. and
over the line in Oregon, burning houses
and driving of stock. Communication
with Silver City has been cut off for
forty eight hours, and last night the
wires were cut between here audsMc-~
Dermit. Two months ago. when it
was apparent to everybody convsrsant
with the habits of Iudians. that an out
break was imminent, we directed atten-
ton to the unprotected condition of
northern Nevada. and suggested the
propriety of calling the attention of
military officers to the necessity of re.
inforcing the infantry garrisoning Nc
Dermit. with cavalry. Though, the
Territorial Enterprise. the leading
journal OF, Nevada, coincidsd with, that
view of the situation, and urged the au.
thorities to afford asnch protection to
the settlers, aud petitions setting forth
the facts. and sigaed by many promi,
nent citizans ofthis county, and by the
Governor. of the State, were sent to
Washington, no notice was taken of the
matter by the War Department. Now,
the sayages.f orsthe removal of whom to
Malhenr and other reservations. Con-
geess a.few weeks ago, upon the repre-.
sentation. of Indian Agents, made an
appropriation, are on the war path. and
the few infantry at McDermit, however
willing they may be. are powerlsss to
afford protection to the settlements.
Now the whole country north is be-
ing laid waste. A band Of probably not
more than one hundred warriors. which
Accompany or two of cavalry could ate
tack and pursue. are devastating the
frontier. plundering, the settlements
and naurdering the settlers. The, mode.
OF warfare adopted by the red devils
seems to be to raid through the, country.
burn houses. drive of stock and MUIR
der the settlers, when they Can do so
without risking their own lives. They
make no stand. and avoid fights with
volunteers. or regular troops. but con-
sntthemselves with laying waste the
country through. which they travel, and
murdering the defenceless inhabi-
tsuts. No estimate of the number
of Indians on the war path
can be made. but it is probable that
four or Eve bands of not more than. one
hundred each are doing all the
mischief. By. preconcerted, arrange.
ment they strike at once along the
frontier through Idaho and Northern
Nevada and Southeastern Oregon. The
number of persons killed within the
last three or four days is not known,
and as no troops or volunteers are in
parsnit of the bands now raidlng north,
east and west of McDermit, they are
having things their own way, an will
probably pilIsgs the whole country in
the direction of.Stein Mountain. Cat
tie are abundant on the extensive
grazing lands of that section. and the
Indians experience no difficulty what
ever in procuring supplies. They are
mounted on the. best horses in the
country and we'll supplied with arms
aud anm anition. aud have not, so far
ss heard from yet, lost a man. A snffi-
eient force must be sent against them
TO sarround the different bsnds and
force them to fight or surrender.
Meantime troops or volunteers should
he sent. at once to the relief of the peo-
pie along the Nevada and Oregon line
where there are no villages and i the
settiers- are wholly at the mercy OF. the
6avAges.E fNge~