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Volume 3 (1858-1859) (592 pages)
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Page: of 592
HOW THE YO-SEMITE VALLEY WAS DISCOVERED AND NAMED. 499
Indian warfare. Therancheria was fired
in several places at the same time, in accordance with a previous understanding,
and as the Indians sallied from their
burning wigwams, they were shot down,
killed, or wounded. <A panic seized many
of them, and notwithstanding the fear in
which their chief, “Jose”? was held; at
such a time his authority was powerless
to compel his men to stand before the
flames, and the exasperated fury of the
whites. Jose was mortally wounded, and
twenty-three of his men were killed upon
the ground. Only one of Capt. Boling’s
party (a negro who fought valiantly) was
touched, and he but slightly. It is not
my purpose to eulogise any one, but it is
right to say, that that battle checked the
Indians in their career of murder and
robbery, and did more to save the blood
of whites, as well as Indians, than any
or all other circumstances combined. In
a subsequent expedition into that region
after the organization of the battalion,
which was in January, ’51, the remains
of Jose were found still burning among
the coals of the funeral pyre. The Indians
fled at the appreach of the volunteers,
not even firing a gun or winging an arrow, in defence of their once loved, but
dreaded chief.
It will not, f think, be out of place
in this connection, to repeat a speech
delivered by Capt. Boling on the eve of
the expected battle. The Captain’s object was to exhort the men to do their
duty. He commenced :—“Gentlemen—
hem—Fellow citizens —hem—Soldiers—
hem—Fellow yolunteers—hem”—(tremblingly)—and after a long pause, he broke
out into a laugh, and said: “ Boys, I will
only say in conclusion, that I hope I will
fight better than I speak.” It was during the occurrence of the events that have
been mentioned above, that the existence
of an Indian stronghold was brought to
light. When the Indians were told that
they would all be killed, if they did not
make peace, they would laugh inderision,
and say that they had many places to flee
to, where the whites could not follow
them, and one place they had, which if
the whites were to enter, they would be
corralled like mules or horses. After a
series of perplexing delays, Maj. Savage,
Capt. Boling and Capt. Dill, with two
companies of the battalion, started in
search of the Indians and their Gibraltar.
On the south fork of the Merced, a rancheria was taken without firing a gun ;
the orders from the commissioners being
in ‘no case to shed blood unnecessarily,”
and to the credit of our race, it was strictly obeyed throughout the campaign, except in one individual instance.
As soon as the prisoners had arrived
at the rendezvous designated, near what
is now called Bishop’s Camp, Pou-watchie and Cow-chit-ty, (brothers) chiefs of
the tribes we had taken, despatched runners to the chief of the tribe living in the
then unknown valley, with orders from
Maj. Savage for him to bring in his tribe
to head quarters, or to the rendezvous.
Next morning the chief spoken of, Tenie-ya, came in alone, and stated that his
people would be in during the following
day, and that they now desired peace.
The time passed for their arrival; after
waiting another day, and no certainty of
their coming manifested ; early on the
following morning, volunteers were called
for, to storm their strong-hold. The
place, where the Indians were supposed
to be living, was depicted in no very favorable terms, but so anxious had the
men become, that more offered than were
desired by Capt. Boling for the expedition. To decidewho should go, the Capt.
paced off one hundred yards, and told
the volunteers that he wanted men fleot
of foot, and with powers of endurance;
and their fitness could be demonstrated
by arace. By this means he selected,
without offence, the men he desired.
Some in their anxiety to go, ran bare-footed in the snow,