History of Placer County (Excerpt from)(1882) (6 pages)

358 HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. A rifle barrel was poised before them, its aim directed at the most prominent one, and the trigger sprung. The hammer struck a cap rendered harmless by the dampness, and a savage lite was prolonged. A pistol was then jerked from a scabbard underneath the outer garments, levelled and attempted to be fired, but the damp had penetrated to the percussion upon that, too, and made ineffective. ‘The fist was next tried, and several fleeing Indians rolled upon the sleet-covered ground as they came in a body over the threshhold of the door. Their bows were all unstrung, and the suddenness and fierceness of the attack had frightened the Indians so that they were glad to escape, without attempting their use, not knowing the number of their assailants. The mules were unpacked and tethered for the night, the fire removed to the ample hearth, and the hole in the roof patched up. Supper got and eaten, and clothing dried, the two occupants of the cabin sought the repose of their blankets. Not long after that the noise of men tramping aiound them, and the voices of white men, re-assured them. It was a a party from the upper end of the valley, who, having noticed the depredations during the day, and knowing the owners to be absent, had come down armed intending to chastise the intruders, but upon learning of the state of affairs returned to their homes after an hour or two. PURSUIT OF THE INDIANS. Morning came, and not a mule was found where the previous night they had been securely fastened, and the tell-tale tracks showed but too plainly where they had gone. The Indians had taken them. Following up their trail, a couple of miles brought the pursuer to a place where one of them had been killed, though not a particle of the animal remained, only the offal emptied from the entrails. Returning to the town, the citizens were informed, and several men volunteered to follow up the trail and attempt the recovery of those yet alive. Of this party Mr. Pierson was one, and the trail had not been long followed before it became apparent that the Indians had taken some oxen as well as mules, and if so they were cattle belonging to Pierson. Though the animals at first had been driven, or led, singly and circuitously, upon nearing the strongholds of the Indians the tracks augmented and the trail became more marked. Places were found where other animals had been slaughtered, and the flesh packed away on the backs of Indians. Pierson was furious over his loss. FIRST MILITARY COMPANY ORGANIZED. It was unsafe for the small party in pursuit to go further. They therefore decided to return to Ilinoistown, report the situation to the inhabitants, and obtain reinforcements. This was done. A public meeting was called and held at Pierson’s store, which resulted in the formation of the pioneer military organization of Placer County, under the euphoneous title of “ California Blades.” Twentyone members enrolled, and elected J. W. Gish, Captain. CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE SAVAGES. Arming themselves, not “ as the law directs,” but as each member best could—some with United States yagers, others with old-fashioned muzzleloading rifles, swords of curious pattern, conceived by some fertile brain in the far East and fashioned for the use of some mining company that came across the plains, old cutlasses, single-barreled cayalry pistols glittering with much brass, Allen’s ‘“Mepper-boxes,” and such other incongruous weapons. The day following the organization this company went upon the war-path. Some four or five miles westerly from Illinoistown—the evidences of Indian depredations accumulating as they traveled—while following up a trail, the company came suddenly upon a ridge and surprised and captured an Indian who was evidently there as an outlook to warn the tribe of any approaching enemy. Silently the whites proceeded, and not long after, unheralded, they entered the Indian village, but fired no shots. Alarmed, the Indians vanished in a moment—all but the prisoner and several decrepit ones unable to escape. Here were undoubted evidences of their thefts; mules and cattle hides fresh from the animals were used to cover the bark huts; the meat and bones were found; many goods stolen from the store were in the wigwams, and there were even other articles seen which gave rise to suspicions that they had not been obtained without the murder of their original owner. Besides these were large cribs of acorns, piles of pine cones, and supplies of manzanita. The capture having been effected, the question was then mooted as to what disposition should be made of the captured material. Some argued that there would be no security from Indian raids until they were all driven across Bear River, and to do this their huts and stores must be destroyed; while others, who bad lost nothing, and who had never made fast time over a rough course to the twanging bowstring as it sped a glass-headed shaft in pursuit, thought it would be too inhuman to deprive the savages of their huts so cunningly contrived, and their food so carefully garnered. But the evidences of their raids were palpable; men out alone in the woods had been shot at with arrows, and if not punished, the Indians might construe an act of clemency into cowardice. The advocates pro and con. seemed to be about evenly divided in the ranks of the “Blades,” and they would put the question to vote. The destructionists won by a single vote; and an hour or two later all that remained about that Indian village besides piles of ashes and glowing embers were the stone mortars and pestles used by the squaws in

358 HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. A rifle barrel was poised before them, its aim directed at the most prominent one, and the trigger sprung. The hammer struck a cap rendered harmless by the dampness, and a savage lite was prolonged. A pistol was then jerked from a scabbard underneath the outer garments, levelled and attempted to be fired, but the damp had penetrated to the percussion upon that, too, and made ineffective. ‘The fist was next tried, and several fleeing Indians rolled upon the sleet-covered ground as they came in a body over the threshhold of the door. Their bows were all unstrung, and the suddenness and fierceness of the attack had frightened the Indians so that they were glad to escape, without attempting their use, not knowing the number of their assailants. The mules were unpacked and tethered for the night, the fire removed to the ample hearth, and the hole in the roof patched up. Supper got and eaten, and clothing dried, the two occupants of the cabin sought the repose of their blankets. Not long after that the noise of men tramping aiound them, and the voices of white men, re-assured them. It was a a party from the upper end of the valley, who, having noticed the depredations during the day, and knowing the owners to be absent, had come down armed intending to chastise the intruders, but upon learning of the state of affairs returned to their homes after an hour or two. PURSUIT OF THE INDIANS. Morning came, and not a mule was found where the previous night they had been securely fastened, and the tell-tale tracks showed but too plainly where they had gone. The Indians had taken them. Following up their trail, a couple of miles brought the pursuer to a place where one of them had been killed, though not a particle of the animal remained, only the offal emptied from the entrails. Returning to the town, the citizens were informed, and several men volunteered to follow up the trail and attempt the recovery of those yet alive. Of this party Mr. Pierson was one, and the trail had not been long followed before it became apparent that the Indians had taken some oxen as well as mules, and if so they were cattle belonging to Pierson. Though the animals at first had been driven, or led, singly and circuitously, upon nearing the strongholds of the Indians the tracks augmented and the trail became more marked. Places were found where other animals had been slaughtered, and the flesh packed away on the backs of Indians. Pierson was furious over his loss. FIRST MILITARY COMPANY ORGANIZED. It was unsafe for the small party in pursuit to go further. They therefore decided to return to Ilinoistown, report the situation to the inhabitants, and obtain reinforcements. This was done. A public meeting was called and held at Pierson’s store, which resulted in the formation of the pioneer military organization of Placer County, under the euphoneous title of “ California Blades.” Twentyone members enrolled, and elected J. W. Gish, Captain. CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE SAVAGES.

Arming themselves, not “ as the law directs,” but as each member best could—some with United States yagers, others with old-fashioned muzzleloading rifles, swords of curious pattern, conceived by some fertile brain in the far East and fashioned for the use of some mining company that came across the plains, old cutlasses, single-barreled cayalry pistols glittering with much brass, Allen’s ‘“Mepper-boxes,” and such other incongruous weapons. The day following the organization this company went upon the war-path. Some four or five miles westerly from Illinoistown—the evidences of Indian depredations accumulating as they traveled—while following up a trail, the company came suddenly upon a ridge and surprised and captured an Indian who was evidently there as an outlook to warn the tribe of any approaching enemy. Silently the whites proceeded, and not long after, unheralded, they entered the Indian village, but fired no shots. Alarmed, the Indians vanished in a moment—all but the prisoner and several decrepit ones unable to escape. Here were undoubted evidences of their thefts; mules and cattle hides fresh from the animals were used to cover the bark huts; the meat and bones were found; many goods stolen from the store were in the wigwams, and there were even other articles seen which gave rise to suspicions that they had not been obtained without the murder of their original owner. Besides these were large cribs of acorns, piles of pine cones, and supplies of manzanita. The capture having been effected, the question was then mooted as to what disposition should be made of the captured material. Some argued that there would be no security from Indian raids until they were all driven across Bear River, and to do this their huts and stores must be destroyed; while others, who bad lost nothing, and who had never made fast time over a rough course to the twanging bowstring as it sped a glass-headed shaft in pursuit, thought it would be too inhuman to deprive the savages of their huts so cunningly contrived, and their food so carefully garnered. But the evidences of their raids were palpable; men out alone in the woods had been shot at with arrows, and if not punished, the Indians might construe an act of clemency into cowardice. The advocates pro and con. seemed to be about evenly divided in the ranks of the “Blades,” and they would put the question to vote. The destructionists won by a single vote; and an hour or two later all that remained about that Indian village besides piles of ashes and glowing embers were the stone mortars and pestles used by the squaws in