A memorial and biographical history of northern California, illustrated. Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy...and biographical mention of many of its most eminent pioneers and also of prominent citizens of today, Part 10

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1000

USA > California > A memorial and biographical history of northern California, illustrated. Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy...and biographical mention of many of its most eminent pioneers and also of prominent citizens of today > Part 10

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Their food, which consisted chiefly of grass- seeds, acorns and fish, was gathered by the women, in large, conieal baskets placed upon their backs, the apex being the bottom and rest- ing on the belts. In order to hold them to the back and support their weight, a circular band was placed around the basket across the fore- head. All the men, women and children could swim the river even when high, taking with them a basket of acorns fastened to their heads. Rafts made from tules was the only boat nsed.

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

The acorns of the scrub white-oak growing on the hills could be caten either raw or roasted - and either fresh or dried; while the long sour- oak acorns found along the streams were cooked with other articles for their more substantial food. The acorns were gathered in the fall and placed in bins kept in dry places during the rainy season. These bins were made from tough weeds growing in the river bottoms. In pre- paring these acorns for food, they ground them into meal in crudely made stone mortars. To rid this meal of the tannin, they poured it into a hollow place in the dry, white sand to the depth of half or three-fourths of an inch. Tufts of grass or small willow branches were laid on one side of this sand-pan and water was then care- fully poured through this, so that it would spread gently over the meal and soak through it without mixing it with the sand. The flour was kept covered with water for several hours, and thus inost of the tannin would be soaked ont and carried off, the sand being discolored with the astringent principle. Although some sand would in this manner be mixed with the dough, it did not seem to interfere with diges- tion. In modern times they have improved upon this method by using clothi instead of sand.

A hole was then dug in the ground and heated, and at the same time several rocks would be heated also. The ashes were then brushed out, a layer of sycamore leaves put in for the " bread-pan," and on this was placed the dough, with a hot rock in its center. More eaves were placed over it, and the fire renewed and replenished. The next day, when cold, the oaked acorn bread was taken out ready for use. In this state it resembled somewhat a bladder of putty, and perhaps was not more digestible. Grasshoppers, a favorite article of food, were more palatable and far more digestible. Clover was eaten raw in the spring time, and had a beneficial effect.

The wild pea-vines were gathered in immense quantities when young and tender. By laying elder sticks against the side of the basket, and

extending beyond the opening, the squaw was enabled to carry nearly a cart load of the light growth. To prepare these for eating they steamed them for a day in the heated hole, and with rocks beat them up into a plastic shape upon an inclined plain, made this mass into cakes with holes in the center, and placed them out to dry.

For meat they would of course eat the flesh of any animal they could catch, using the bow and arrow for the larger animals and snares for the smaller. Large fish they would spear and the small they would scoop up with dip-nets, a man at each of the four corners of the net.

Beads of ocean-shells were the standard of all values. Most tribes were never guitly of theft.

When an Indian died he was wrapped up with twine into a round ball, his head thrust down between his legs, and was thus rolled into a hole at the rancheria, and buried with a quan- tity of acorns to last him on his journey to the other world. If a woman died who had a child not large enough to gather its own acorns, it was always buried alive with its mother! The Indians were strong believers in ghosts and were much afraid of them.

INDIAN TROUBLES.

While on the subject of Indians we may as well give liere on account of some of the prin- cipal Indian troubles.

The Shasta tribe occupied Shasta and Scott valleys and Klamath River. They were closely related to the Rogue River tribe, and until a few years before the settlement of this region were a portion of the same tribe, but had be- come separated into factions by the death of the head chief. The Scott Valley factions was headed by Tyee John, son of the old head chief; at Yreka, old Tolo, always a firm friend of the whites; and each of the other factions also had its chief. The true names of these chiefs were seldom known to the whites, who called them Sam, John or Bill, or named them in accordance with some physical peculiarity or some occur-

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

rence, as old Smoothy, Scar-face, Rising Sun, Greasy Boots, etc.

As early as 1835, the Rogue River Indians had had trouble with the trappers; but 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 Lien- tenant Gillespie recognized as the Indian that had the preceding morning presented him with a fine 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 perpe- trators if they should return. They soon over- took 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 In- dian 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 life 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 a in Yreka as the founder of the Yreka Bakery, name that spells the same forward and back- ward. They were led off troin 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 sur- prise, 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 ex- ploring expedition up the Klamath. One of these men, Peter Gerwick, going out hunting deer one day, was killed by the Shastas. Dur- ing 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 inan and much anxiety and watchfulness for a long time.

In the early part of February, 1851, a party of six men was passing from Oregon to Califor- nia and camped one night on the Tule Lake. A swarm of Modocs surrounded their camp, poured in upon them a cloud of arrows and made the air shudder with their demoniacal yells; but the lond-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 suf- fered from the Indians. During this year oc- curred

THE 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 re- quest 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 of the mili- tary. 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 namned be- ing the head inen.

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

When the troops arrived at Jack's place the only Indian seen stirring was Bogus Charley, a visitor there. They called for Captain Jack, who was in his tent; but before he appeared one or two other Indians came upon the scene and a fight began. One of Jack's men was killed and four wounded, some of them fatally. While this battle was raging a terrible tragedy was being enacted on the other side of the river. The settlers who had gone to the camp of Hooka Jim and Curley-Headed Doctor, met first an Indian called Miller's Charley. He was told that they had come to take him and the others to the reservation, and that they would not be harmed. Upon this assurance he sur- rendered his gun, but had hardly done so when the sound of shooting and the yells of Indians were borne across the river from the other camp. The Indians rushed out, and in the con- fusion both parties commenced shooting, Mil- ler's Charley being wounded and another Indian killed. One of the squaws rushed out with her baby in her arms, which latter was acci. dently killed by a stray bullet. Not knowing her baby was dead, and still clasping it in her arms, she mounted a horse, exclaiming, " Don't shoot; me squaw, me squaw." They did shoot, and she was wounded in the ankle and fell from her horse.

Maddened by this apparently wanton attack and slaughter, Hooka Jim, who had the most cruel and blood-thirsty disposition of them all, pursuaded the others to go with him and take revenge on the settlers. One of the attacking parties was killed while walking about the camp after he supposed the figlit was over. Hooka . Jim's band hastened to the settlements along the river, bent upon murdering all they saw; and now commenced a scene of carnage and massacre. The settlers, who had been promised notice of trouble, but in vain, were exposed to this raid, and many therefore fell victims. Fourteen settlers, comprising men, women and children, were killed before armed parties could protect them. Jim and his party reached the lava beds, at the south end of Tule Lake,

whither Captain Jack and his band had already retreated. This peculiar spot consists of a mass of rocks some ten miles square, cut up with fissures, deep gulches and high, abrupt cliffs, abounding in caves, and almost impassable. The whites were ignorant of this labyrinthian section, while the Indians were familiar with it.

Some communications were had with Captain Jack in this rocky fastness, who claimed that he did not know any reason why he and his men should be attacked. In the mean time great preparations were made to expel him from his stronghold. A company of twenty-six whites, with John A. Fairchilds as Captain, prepared for the attack, and while the Indians were un- expectedly appearing here and there in the vicinity, white troops were gradually bronglit in, preparing for a general battle. The first act of this series was the attack of the Indians upon six soldiers who were escorting a wagon of sup- plies near Barnard's Camp. One soldier was killed and scalped and three wounded, one of whom. died. One Indian was killed.

But the grand assault was ordered for Friday, January 17, 1873. The morning was foggy, and Colonel Wheaton would have postponed the assault had he been able to communicate with Captain Barnard. He advanced, and was op- posed at every point by a hidden and unseen foe. The troops charged over several almost inac- cessible places, meeting a shower of bullets but finding no enemy. So rapidly did the Indians change their positions and so incessant a fire did they maintain, that although there were but about twenty good warriors there seemed to be many times that number. The troops lost many, while the enemy lost none. Soon the air in all the country was filled with wild rumors of hundreds of disaffected Indians of other tribes, flocking to Jack's standard. Captain Jack was shrewd enough to place upon the upper edges of rocks great numbers of blocks of volcanic scoria resembling human heads, so as to make it appear that he had many more men than were really with him.

Of course the Goverment could not retreat

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

The Indians must go. Therefore more troops, with more guns and ammunition and military supplies must be brought in. In the meantime the Indians frequently sallied out in their characteristic manner, attacking wagons, ranches and any passing straggler who might happen within sight. They had the additional advan- tage of understanding the English language, while the white soldiers did not understand the Modoc tongne. The Indians could hear and understand all the orders given by the white officers and thus be ready to oppose any move- ment. They shouted their orders from one to another in their own language, which were as Greek to our men. The Government saw that it had to get down to a tedious war. It ap- pointed a peace commission to investigate the condition and complaints of the Indians, and General Canby was ordered to go to the front with the commissioners and take full command of the military, Colonel Gillem commanding under him. Two women were sent to Captain Jack to arrange for a compromise. Ile said he did not want to talk to women, but wanted the commissioners to pay him a visit, and they would not be harmed. They reported that the Indians were nearly out of provisions and cloth- ing, and that there was dissension in their inidst. An agreement was made to hold a con- ference on the 25th, a mile and a half from the lava beds, where there could be no ambuscade; but Captain Jack, not being satisfied with the inen on the commission, requested three of his friends to be added to it; and conference by messengers caused a delay of the time for the meeting. He designated the Government of- ficers who should meet him at the appointed place, including among them General Canby. Details of the conference could not be agreed upon, and delay followed. April 3d, Captain Jack stated that his terms were to have the soldiers removed and a reservation on Lost River given to him; but this was refused him. Communications were again had with our Government and messages exchanged until finally it was agreed to meet on the 11th. 4

This fatal day arrived fair and calm. The commissioners and officers went forward to the place of meeting with many fearful misgivings, some of their number warning the others that treachery would be exhibited and they would be probably killed. Canby and Thomas con- sidered it their duty to attend, and that duty was more sacred than life. Arriving at the council tent, Canby and Thomas were cordially welcomed with hand-shaking and words of friendship. Canby distributed cigars, and they all sat abont the fire and smoked in silence. Soon the remainder of the party arrived and mnet with the same hearty welcome, even before they could dismount. Eight Indians were present, instead of five, and they all had revolv- ers under their coats. The officers saw signs of treachery, but their pride of the soldier char- acter prevented them from exhibiting any fear. The council was formally opened. The Indians at first pretended that they desired no blood- shed but simply a certain tract of land. An argumentation followed, during which the speaker in behalf of the Indians declared that there was no more nse in talking. Captain Jack gave the signal and the Modoc war-whoop rent the air. At the same time he drew a revolver from under his coat and presented it at Canby's head, exclaiming IIa-tuk (all ready)! It missed fire. Quickly revolving the chamber, he again pulled the trigger and buried a bullet in his victim's head. Canby soon fell, shatter- ing his jaw upon the rocks, and he was then stabbed in the neck by a knife as a butcher kills a hog; and furthermore another Indian sent a bullet through his brain. He was then stripped of his clothing and left naked on the rocks.

Simultaneously with Jack's attack upon Canby, Boston Charley shot Dr. Thomas in the breast. As he partially fell to the ground, he begged them to shoot no more, as he had a death wound; but soon they buried a bullet also in his brain. The other officers escaped, except that Meacham, who was almost fatally wounded by several shots, got away with his life by the rarest contingency.

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

While these events were happening at the council tent, still another tragedy was being enacted at Colonel Mason's camp at Hospital Rock. Colonel Mason was suspicious of treach- ery, but Major Boyle ventured to go out and investigate, accompanied by Lieutenant Sher- wood. Making their way to a point where a white flag was elevated, they noticed a gun peeping over the top of the rocks and started on a run for camp, one exclaiming to the other, " Run for your life!" Two volleys were fired in quick succession by the concealed savages, Sherwood falling at the second one with a bullet in his thigh. The troops from the camp in- stantly charged, and the treacherous devils fled to their stronghold.

As soon as the news of the tragedy at the council tent reached the camp of the United States troops, the latter rushed ont to the ill- fated spot, but found no enemy. In their stead there lay the inanimate forms of the brave soldier and the white-haired peacemaker, covered with blood, the one entirely stripped of his clothing, and the other nearly so. Tears sprang to the eyes of that rnde soldiery, while the . friends of the murdered mnen wept with the depth of their emotions. Cautiously they ad- vanced, momentarily expecting to receive a vol- ley from their unseen foe. The caution was needless, however, for the Modocs, content with what they had accomplished, had retired to their retreat in the rocks, to rejoice over their hellish work.

All thought of everything but a vigorous prosecution of the war was now abandoned. The troops, under Colonels Mason and Miller, surrounded the Indians' retreat, and closed in, the artillery meanwhile dropping shells into the recesses of the hostiles. These "double- shooting" guns were a mystery to the uninitiated savages. They did not like them, although little damage was done by them except to knock the rocks about and make the strongholds an exceedingly uncomfortable place to stay in. They had the effect of keeping the Indians on the move and of taking away the confidence

and sense of security they had previously en- joyed. One of these shells was picked up by two Indian boys, and it exploded in their hands. blowing the boys to atoms.

The three lines advanced slowly on all sides. the most severe fighting being the capture of a bluff on the lake shore. The men crept along until at the base of the hill, and then charged up with a yell, the hostiles beating a precipi- tate retreat. Here the troops rested for the night, during which time the Indians built a huge fire at their camp; but Major Thomas trained a gun on it, and scattered them and their fire in all directions. All the next day the shells were freely dropped into the lava beds, keeping the enemy on the "anxions seat," while the soldiers cautiously advanced. Early on the morning of the third day they suddenly charged into the stronghold of the savages, only to find that they had escaped through a gap in the lines to the south. The loss in the three days' fight was six killed and twelve wounded, but not a Modoc was slain!

The whereabouts of the savages was now a question of great interest, not only to the soldiers, but also to the settlers for miles around. They were soon found, still in the lava beds, occupying a position nearly as strong as the old one, and abont six miles south of it. They did not remain inactive, but einerged from their retreat in sinall parties, firing upon scouts and couriers, attacking provision trains, and even firing into headquarters. Their bold- ness and the rapidity with which they moved from point to point completely puzzled and nonplused the military. They maintained that 2,000 men would not be sufficient to surround the lava beds and capture the hostiles in a place where 1,000 men could lie concealed in a small area, and where the besieged could fly to new strongholds as fast as driven from the old ones. Accordingly more troops were sent for, and those present had to wait.

Major Thomas. to whom idleness was a source of uneasiness, obtained permission to recon- noiter. Starting on the morning of April 26,

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

they halted at noon in a narrow sage-brush plain for dinner, without having seen any one of the enemy, and while there the savages rushed upon them and scattered them. Some of the troops reached camp, while others gath- ered in small parties in hollows among the rocks and fought desperately all the way. Only one Modoc lost his life in this affair, while twenty five of the whites were killed! Major Green, at the camp, hearing the firing, at ouce dispatched with a force to the scene of trouble, but owing to ignorance of the ground did not arrive until daylight the next morning, before which time the Indians had safely retreated.

On the 3d of May, General Jefferson C. Davis, who had been assigned to succeed Gen- eral Canby, arrived and took charge of opera- tions One morning, very soon afterward, a party of thirty-four Modocs crept up to the camp and fired into it, killing one and wound- ing eight. This attack was intended to stam- pede the troops, but it failed, and a quarrel arose among the hostiles which resulted in a division. The entire cavalry force was then sent out to scour the country and find Captain Jack, who had so strongly developed the quali- ties of the Irishman's flea: three times had they put their hand on him, and he wasn't there. Some days afterward the troops found the savages on the bluffs at the head of Langell Valley, to the eastward, when the latter came out of their retreat and said they wanted to surrender. Captain Jack, however, and some others had departed for other scenes; but his lease of liberty was short, as he had fled directly toward a detachment under Captain Perry, and to whom he was obliged to surrender. A few others were still at liberty, and these, with a number of scattered ones who had not partici - pated in the hostilities, were soon taken and conveyed to Boyle's camp on Tule Lake. On the 4th of June, more than six months after the first fight, the Oregon volunteers captured a few braves with their families, ten miles east of Lost River Springs, turned them over to General Davis, and thus ended this peculiar war.

According to the report of the Indians, they had but forty-six men capable of bearing arms when the war commenced. Five braves, two boys and three squaws lost their lives. Oppo- site these figures can be placed the statement that more than 150 white soldiers were killed and wounded, three times of all the enemy, and the Secretary of War reported that the Modoc war had cost $338,009.78, exclusive of hay and equipment of troops; and after all this, many claims were put in for damages, and many allowed!

The prisoners of war were tried by conrt- martial, and Captain Jack, Schonehin John, Boston Charley, Black Jim, Watch-in-tate and Slolox were found guilty and sentenced to death; while Hooka Jim, Bogus Charley and Shacknasty Jim were entitled to their lives for services rendered in capturing their compan- ions; and Ellen's Man had already met his death in battle. On the day before the execu- tion, the sentence of Watch-in-tate and Slolox was commuted to imprisonment for life in Al- catraz; they both died in confinement. The others were executed. There was some clash of authority between the local civil and the military officers concerning the Lost River mur- derers, ending with nothing being done. The remainder of the Modocs, 155 in number, were then peaceably removed to the Indian Territory, where Scar-face Charley was invested with the chieftainship.

It appears from Joaquin Miller's account that the Pit River Indians were massacred during the Modoe war.

EARLY GOLD DISCOVERIES.

The first mention of gold in California was made in Hakluyt's account of the voyage of Sir Francis Drake, who spent five or six weeks, in June and July, 1579, in a bay on the coast of California. It has always been a question and will remain a question, whether this bay was that of San Francisco or one further to the north. In the narrative of Hakluyt it is writ- ten: "There is no part of the earth here to

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

A memorial and biographical history of northern California, illustrated. Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy...and biographical mention of many of its most eminent pioneers and also of prominent citizens of today, Part 10

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1000

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1000