Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-09-26
EAHLY DAYS IN Ell DORADO.
Campaign Against the Digger Indians
"Reminiscences,


In the fall of 1850 occurred the first FL
Dorado campaign against the Indians 1t
was claimed that the object was to sup
press an Indian instruction. The truth is
that there had not been any outbreak or
any probability of one The Digger In
dams are too eowardly TO fight when they
can have chance torun. Two white men
had been robbed and murdered and it
was afterwards ascertained that they had
been murdered by white men, who spread
q report to screen themselves, that the In
dams had done it. Poor Iso had only re-
ceived cruel and inhuman treatment from
the whites. when the latter should have
protected and defended this despised race.
As soon as the report of the Indian out
break reached Coloma, Sheriff Rogers went
below to consult Governor Burnett. The
Governor issued o Majors commission to
Sheriff Rogers, with authority to raise
troops sufficient TO quell the instruction.
Sheriff Rogers raised about 200 men in the
county, and took the warpath at the head
of his troops the last of November. 1850
Leslie II. Mckinney, County Clerk of FL
Dorado, was second in command in the
expedition, and Lathrop Drum First Lieu
tenant. The Indians, on the approach of
the troops, scattered in every direction and
fed to the mountains. Major Rogers swept
south across FL Dorado county with his
troops, into what is now d part of Amador
county. securing the hills and mountains
for Indians, but finding none One small
detachment OF troops, under command of
Captain Mckinney, ran across stray In
dian, who fed up the mountain, with the
troops in pursuit. Captain Mckinney. in
advance of his men, discharged his pistols
at the Indian, without effect, and was close
upon him, when the Indian turned and
shot his last arrow, MORALLY wounding as
brave and noble man as ever had the
honor of holding Office in the county of Ell
Dorado. Lieutenant Drum, in moment
after the Captain fell from his horse,
was by his side and killed the Indian.
Captain Mckinney, in falling from his
horse, broke the arrow, leaving about five
inches in his body. Major Rogers was i'm
mediately informed of his death, the
troops were recalled, and with shroud-
ed banner and muff1ed drum they
marched into Coloma carrying the body of
the dead to the Rogers Hotel. DR.. Simon
ton, of Colema, performed post mortem
examination, and found that the arrow had
passed about half way through the Cap
tain's heart. The funeral took place
at Coloma, and our citizens turned
Ods 4hE-sSS ~ Allt l1Sb Sdt dCJ Oh
respect 10 the remains of the brave and
noble dead. The troops were discharged
from further service at Coloma, and
returned TO their mining claims.
The expedition had cost the State $100, 600.
which the Federal Government afterwards
paid, so that this Indians scalp cost the ma
| ton that large sum. | would be pleased if
some mathematician would tell US what it
would cost the Government TO secure every
Indian scalp in the United States at that
price.
John Knowles was an old pioneer. hay
ing settled in 20 at Colome, and in the fall
Of so was running 8 butchers shop on the
north side of the river, near the store OF J.
8. hittle. The beef was of excellent quail
ity, but we had no fresh pork or mutton in
the market, and it could not beprocured at
any price. Knowles is now located
at Modesto, and has a large Touring
| mill, manufacturing flour for the San
| francisco market. George Chadwick was
carrying on blacksmith shop, and I
think that it was the only one in the place
in the fall of so; horse-sboeing was one
ounce per horse, and all kinds OF black
smith work carried with it very high
price. The last | knew OF Chadwick he
was running blacksmith shop.on Fourth
street in your city. between l and J.
After Philip Scheld left Coloma, John
Merchant established g. bakers shop on
Piety Hill, and supplied the town and
mining population with bread, pies and
cakes. Whether he is dead or living. /
cannot say. Hutchings, an old forty-niner.
lived on the north side of the river, and
vas the first miner who locsted quartz
claims in the vicinity of Coloma, and
turned his attention to prospecting for gold
in quartz. In 81 he opened book in the
Recorders Office for recording quartz
claims-S20 per claim-and I have re-
corded five in one day. AS soon as the
miners discovered that quartz rock con-
tanned gold, there was big rush to locate
claims. Hutchings in oil had promising
quartz claim near Kelseys In 40 J. B.
Phelps, fatheT-in-law of ex-senator James
T. Farley, worked at General Suffers saw
mill, and hauled logs to the mill, and part
of his time welded the pick and shovel in
the mines. Mr.. Phelps resides now in San
Francisco, and is Custom-house officer.
E. 5. HALL.
Plymouth, September 81, 1885.