The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1880-12-17
From the Carson Appeal.l

lfEOIn tne CaISoh AppeSll.P
Mr.. Gilbert, the gentleman who is
compiling the history of Nevada for
Thompson & West, returned yesterday
from Pyramid Lake, where he had been
spending week with the Indians for
the purpose of gathering from them an
authentic account of the Indian war of
1860. He gained access to them through
the assistant Indian Agent, and met the
leaders of the tribe one evening, ON
which occasion he madea speech through
an interpreter. Mr.. Gilbert explained
the purposes Of the book he was com
piling, and pledged them that if they
furnished their side of the story he
would print it in detail, and not in any
way abuse the confidence of his infor-
mants. The chiefs expressed their
qualification at being able to put their
side of the story before the public, and
the next three days were spent
GOING OVER THE BATTLE GROUND.
The fighting began at Pyramid Lake,
the whites having first opened fire on
the Indians Over hundred whites
came to fight and not over thirty got
out alive. The Indians led Mr.. Gilbert
over the ground, pointed to the graves
of the dead and showed where this or
that man had been killed. They recol-
lected how each man fought, and told
how one ran Like a coward and another
fought like lion. 1t was scarcely a
fight after the first onset of some six
hundred Piutes. The whites tried to
mfskea stand, but were demoralized and
swept away. From the lake to Wads-
worth it was a slaughter, the fighters
being overtaken and killed for about
eighteen miles along the river. Two
graves were even shown ON the old emf
grant road beyond Wadsworth. They
were pursued as late as o'clock at
night 1t was shutdown seven miles be-
fore the pursuit reached Wadsworth
They showed forty-six graves, and also
spots where men were killed and left to
rot. They claimed that forty-six whites
were killed on tire ground, and many
u leu ava III viz
and died or escaped.
HOW THE FIGHT OPENED.
The whites opened the fight on a level
natnea Pyramid Lake, riding up and
sending a volley Into the Indians, who
were drawn up in line with the right
resting ON a knoll near the river. As
the whites dashed past the line they for
the first time became aware of the
actual strength of the enemy and crcled
back into the cottonwood timber which
flank ed the river. Here they attempted
to make stand. At this point, while
the Indians were closing in, young Win
nemucca, the war chief, rushed in be-
tween the two opposing factions and
with uplifted hands waved back his
warriors, desiring to hold council, but
one of his chiefs, followed by his band,
dashed past Winnemucca, refusing to
to obey his orders and the last chance
for an amicable settlement was lost.
- THE RoUT BEGUN.
The whites were then driven through
the timber along the river. The Indians
who followed the whites were on foot,
and the rest skirted the left and east on
horseback. 1--WE drove them like cat
tle," said one of the Indians, land
gave them no chance to stand" The
whites did not dare to stop for fear OF
being surrounded by the men on horse
back. ., ...s
THEY ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE RIVER.
At point near where the reservation
school house now stands the whites
made desperate attempt to cross the
river, but failed. The water was high,
and those who rode their horses into
the stream were swept down and came
back to the bank to join the main force.
The first white man was killed just
after this attempt had been made. He
fell from his horse which was wounded
and rising, shot an Indian in the knee
and was riddled with bullets. 1t was
impossible to kill any before that, on
account of the underbrush and because
OF the panic.
A BRAVE STAND.
About half mile beyond this the
whites made determined stand. One
man, whom the Indians designate as
the bravest of the foe, made stand
with three men. These men singled
out the chief who had disobeyed Win
nemuccas commands, determined to
kill him. They charged him and drove
him through his own line. The man
who led this charge was killed by bau