Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1880-12-15
AFTER TWENTY YEARS.
THE PIUTEs GIVE THEIR VERSION OF THE
INDIAN WAR OF 1S60-BLOoDY REMINIS-
CENSRs OF THE SLAUGHTER AT
PYRAMID LAKE.


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 lead
! ers of the tribe one evening, on which occa.
sion he made speech through an interpreter
Mr.. Gilbert explained the purposes of the
book he was compiling, 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 informants.
| 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 THg BATTLE GROUND.
The fighting began at Pyramid Lake, the
, whites having first opened fire 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 recolected
how each man fought, and told how one ran
like a coward and another fought like a lion
1t was scarcely fight after the first onset of
some six hundred Piutes. The whites tried
to make stand but were demoralized and
swept away. From the lake to Wadswor,h
it was a slaughter, the fighters being over
taken and killed for about eighteen miles
along the river. Two graves were even
shown on the old emigrant road beyond |
Wadsworth They were pursued as late as
8 o'clock at night. 1t was shutdown seven |
miles before the pursuit reached Wadsworsh.
They showed forty-six graves, and also spots
where men were killed and left to rot. They
claimed that fortv-six whites were killed Oh
the ground, and many wounded crawled away
in the ravines and died or escaped
HOW THE FIGHT OPENED.
The whites opened the fight on level fat
nesr Pyramid Lake, riding up and sending
voley into the Indians, who were drawn up in
line with the right resting on 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 circed back
INTO the cottonwood timber which flanked the
liver. Here they attempted to make a stand.
At this point, while the Indians were closing
n, young Winnemucca, the war chief rushed
n between the two opposing factions and
With uplifted hands waved back his warriors,
lesiring to hold a council, but one of his
hiefs, followed by his band dashed past
refusing to obey his orders and c
he last chance for an amica5e settlement was
ost. t
THE RoUT BEGUN.
The whites were then driven through the r
imber along the river. The Indian who fol-
owed the whites were on foot and the rest 7
kirted the left and east on horseback ave =
rove them like cattle, said one of the In
ians, "and gave them no chance to stand. " !,
The whites did not dare to stop for fear of J.
eing surrounded by the men on horseback.
THKy ATTEMPT To CROSS THE RIVER.
At a point near where the reservation school -
ouse now stands the whites made a desper- ;,
te attempt to cross the river, but failed
he water was high, and those who rode their 6
orses into the stream were swept down and
anne back to the bank to join the main force. !,
he first white man was killed just after this -
tempt had been made He fell from his horse X
hich was wounded and rising, shot an Indian n
the knee and was riddled with bullets. 1t
as impossible to kill any before that, on &C i
punt of the uuderbrush and because of the \,
mic. {.
BRAVE STAND. =:
About half mile beyond this the whites J.,
ade determined stand. One man, whom .,
10 Indians designate as the bravest of the ~,
e, made stand with three men. These w.,
en- singled out the chief who had disebeyed %
innemucca's commands, determined to kill
M They charged him and drove him
rough his own line. The man who led this VI
arge was killed by ball through the back W
the head after he got through the line. He ia
As trying all the way down to rally the men W;
d was recognized as the leader by the In do
ans. He was thick set man, who fought wi
his shirt sleeves and had revolver on tn
len killed. About twenty rods beyond ar
is in the timber another stand was made. of
ere Meredith was killed. At this point the
lites were nearly fanked and broke again.
10 trail now passed up into the plateau where mi
D horsemen joined in tho pursuit. Three hs
re killed here, among whom was Spear, tho Tic