When the Paiute War erupted between the Pyramid Lake Paiute and the settlers, including some who were friends of the Winnemucca family, Sarah and some of her family traveled to San Francisco and Virginia City to escape the fighting.
Cando estalou a guerra paiute entre os paiutes do lago Pyramid e os colonos, incluíndo algúns que eran amigos da familia Winnemucca, Sarah e algúns membros da súa familia viaxaron até San Francisco e Virginia City para escapar da loita.