Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1880-12-19
THE PlUTE WAR.
MORE LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT By some OF THE
SURVIVORS,.

The following letters have been received a
this Office from two survivors of the battl
with the Piutes at Pyramid Lake:
| RENO, December II, 1880.
| EDITOR APPEAL: have read with grea
interest the account published III your paper
regarding the battle with the Plutes at Pyra
mid Lake some t.entY years ago. am salts
| fled that in the main details the Indians have
| given a correct account, but think that some
| further explanation is due the survivors. Vi
| course we got terribly whipped in the fight
and / for one have no desire to smooth the
| matter over. We were little too confident
when we went into action, and most of lis
honestly believed that the 1nGians would dis
perse at the first charge. Their right rested
on a knoll near the Truchee river, and their
numbers were considerably underestimate.
They were so closely massed that we did not
realize that there were 80 many until after the
charge was begun. We delivered volly and
then they broke for us in two divisions. To
me il seemed as if they literally rose from
the ground. We made for the river and then
their horsemen skinned along the rising
ground to flank us. 1t didn't take FIVE
minutes to see that We were in q trap. Half
were in front pressing us and the other hall,
we'll mounted, were making for our rear.
Now according to my way of thinking, no
raw volunteers such as We had could have
done anyt hing else than retrea, after the first
break for the trees. There were really not
over one hundred armed men with us, and
perhaps not as many. l remember a good
many men and young fellows in their teens
who went along "to see the fun, SO they
said. Some looked upon the expedition as u
sort of picnic excursion. The unarmed broke
in a body and the panic became universal.
When We began to retreat along the river it
was impossible to rally the men. because the
moment a stand was made the horsemen
would circle on to our rear, and the instant
this was done the retreat would begin again.
The Truckee was running high and it was
worth a mans life to cross. Several tried it
and were glad enough to get back to the bank
again. 1 saw one man (whom l think was
called Little Bob trying to swim the stream,
and Indians fired from the bank upon him,
the balls splashing about him good deal be-
fore one reached the mark. He had just
gained the bank when he gave painful yell
and sank down in his tracks. l saw another
man named DR.. Jaden, as near as l can re-
who let himself down into the water
under the bank in clump of willows. The
Indians passed him and afterwards heard of
his escape After We had made three or four
attempts to rally, it seemed to be no longer
any use to do anything, and it was case Of
every man for himself. Had the river been q
little lower we might have crossed, and
think made an effective stand on the opposite |
bank. We were out-generaled and outnum. |
bered, and went into the fight with too much |
confidence. had a good horse and he took |
me on a dead run to Wadsworth. l was !
mighty glad to get there. In that fight were |
Is brave men as ever faced death, and there |
we're also some who were not cut out for In |
liam fighters and never should have been |
here at ALL l think that belonged to the |
lass who should have remained At home.
Yours truly,
ONE OF THE SURVIVORS.
sILvlR CITY HEARD FROM.
SILVER CRY, Dec. Is, 1880.
EpITeR APPEAL: have read the APPEALs
.ccount of the battle of Pyramid Lake and
would like to tell what know abaut it. 1t
vsula appear from it that none but whites
we're killed in the retreat along the Truckee
think as many Indians passed in their checks
long the river as whites. l saw at least half
dozen fall, either killed or severely wound
3D. The Indians speak of old Winnemucca
s trying to stop the fight by rushing before
he forces with his hands up. 1 saw him
head Of his men with his hands nplifted, but
believed at the time that it was some sort of
signal, as in response to it there was a
barge The chief who rushed past old Win
emucca must have been Bannock, who had
ather fight than do most anything else. Yet
bout a mile and half down the river Ban
eek found his match in a man who ran him
lear through his own lines, as described in
our article The man, l think, was called
'ill Hedley, or Hoodley. At any rate, he
as game clean through and was in favor of
ying right there on the field. He rode right |
o to Bannock and began to pepper him with l
six shooter. He made things so warm for
ne old chief that he turned tail and ran. ,
elieve had the rest of the boys stood pat at
lis time We could have fought the enemy to
standstill, but not over half a dozen would I
lily and the rest were utterly demoralized c
nd panic stricken. After this man had run
annock through his lines l saw him drop
ON his horse as though he had been shot in s
,e back. turned my horse to the rear as T
ION as possible after this and made for Wads- !:
crth. L. T.
HAvENoRs SPEEcH.-Away back in Pen 9
sylvania, Assemblyman. elect Havenor's e
ONE, are numbers of persons who are anx- I
rs to hear about his campaign in Ormsby. a
few days ago the APPEAL received a COM
from one of his relatives asking
lat the copies of the APPEAL which con-
ined his Empire speech be sent on. This P
tier was shown to an Empire man whe was d
mething of wag, and sent the following +