Collection: Books and Periodicals

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Title: A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Publisher: Lewis Publishing Company Published: 1891 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Source(s): Google Books # of Pages: 713 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2024-07-22 00:25:09 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 03:11:29 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 06:30:36

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 713  

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. 55 rence, 88 old Smoothy, Scar-face, Rising Sun, Greasy Boots, etc. As early as 1835, the Rogue River Indians had had trouble with the trappers; Lut the first blood that marked the intercourse of the two races in Shasta county was wantonly shed by Turner and Gay, two Americans, who shot a Shasta Indian near Klamath River, September 14, 1837. In 1846, when Fremont and his party of about fifty men were encamped in the Modoc country near Klamath, the savages committed the first of the long series of murders that have marked their treatment of the whites. They attacked ‘Fremont during the night, but were suddenly repulsed with the loss of their chief, whom Lientenant Gillespie recognized as the Indian that had the preceding morning presented him with a tine fish, the first food he had eaten for forty hours. A detachment of about fifteen men was then left in ambush there to punish the perpetrators if they should return. They soon overtook the main body, bringing two Modoc scalps to show that they had been partially successful. Just before night the advance guard of ten men under Kit Carson came suddenly upon an Indian village on the east bank of Klamath Lake, assaulted it and killed many braves. The same day another skirmish was had, and Kit Carson’s lite was saved by Fremont, who rode down an Indian that was aiming an arrow at him. Late in the fall of 1849, a party of nineteen «deserters from the United States forces stationed in Oregon passed through the Shasta region. In this party was Fred Deng, well remembered ain Yreka as the founder of the Yreka Bakery, name that spells the same forward and backward. They were led off trom the regular route by an Indian trail that led up Willow Creek back of Edison’s, and came suddenly upon a rancheria of Shastas at a place now calied Carr’s Corral. Before they recovered from their surprise, the Indians, naturally thinking themselves attacked, fell upon them fiercely and succeeded in killing three men. In July, 1850, a party of forty men left the forks of the Salmon and started on the first exploring expedition up the Klamath. One of these men, Peter Gerwick, going out hunting deer one day, was killed by the Shastas. During the few succeeding days there were several skirmishes, resulting in driving off the Indians and probably killing several, with no loss to the whites except a severe wound to one man and much anxiety and watchfulness for a long time. In the early part of Febrnary, 1851, a party of six men was passing from Oregon to California and camped one night on the Tule Lake. A swarm of Modocs surrounded their camp, poured in upon them a clond of arrows and made the air shudder with their demoniacal yells; but the loud-speaking rifles of the whites frightened them away before any serious damage was done. From this time until 1856 there were many skirmishes, depredations, several murders, etc., including a massacre at Blackburn’s Ferry; and thence until 1873 but few hostilities were suffered from the Indians. curred During this year ocTHE GREAT MODOC WAR. In July, 1872, several settlers petitioned the Commissioner of Indian Affairs at Washington to have the Indians removed to the reservation. In due time Superintendent O. D. Neal received authority to effect the removal, peaceably if he could, forcibly if he must. November 25, he sent two men to the camp on Tule Lake to request the head men of the Indians to meet him at Linkville on the 28th. They declined the invitation. He at once went to Fort Klamath and placed the matter in the hands ot the military. Captain Jackson immediately started for the Indian camp with Company B, a company of thirty-five soldiers. Marching all night, they reached the camp at daylight on the morning of the 29th. Jack’s camp was on the west side of the river near Tule Lake, at what is called the natural bridge. On the east side of the river was another small camp, in which were Hooka Jim, Curly-Headed Doctor, Long Jim and nine other braves, the three here named being the head men.