USA > California > Nevada County > History of Nevada County, California; with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and manufactories > Part 7
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On the 2d of July, 1846, Commodore Sloat had arrived at Monterey in the United States frigate Savannah, his whole fleet consisting of one frigate and five smaller vessels. He had no intelligence of a declaration of war between the United States and Mexico, but was aware that hostilities were impending, and was in doubt what to do. The British Rear-Admiral Sir George Seymonr's flag-ship was lying in the harbor of San Blas while Sloat was at Mazatlan, and eight other British ships were on the coast watching the American movements, and ready to take possession of Cali- fornia. When Sloat sailed from Mazatlan Seymour put out from San Blas, cach ship spreading every sail in a race for Monterey, but the American Commodore ont-sailed the British Admiral, and, when the latter rounded the Point of Pines at Monterey, he found the Americans in full pos- sessiou. On the 7th of July Commodore Sloat sent Captain Mervine with 250 marines and seamen on shore, hoisted the American flag over Monterey, the capital of Upper Cal- ifornia, and issned a proclamation declaring the province henceforth a portion of the United States. He had pre- viously dispatched a messenger to San Francisco to Com- mander Montgomery, and on the 8th of that month the stars and stripes waved over Yerba Buena. On the 10th, Montgomery sent an American flag to Sonoma, which the revolutionists received with great joy, pulled down their Bear Flag and hoisted the Union standard in its stead, and thns ended the dominion of the revolutionary Bear Flag iu California, having played a conspicuous and important part in the conquest.
Sloat then organized a company of volunteer dragoons to take possession of certain arms and stores at San Juan: but,
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1. OFFICE. 2 . MILL . 3. BUDDLE HOUSE. 4. MACHINE SHOP. 5 . DRAIN TUNNEL . 6 . SULPHURETS HOUSE. 7. TAILINGS SLUICES. 8. ROCKER HOUSE. 9. POVEFALSE
IDAHO QUARTZ MINE, GRASS
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مرسى
14 MILES TO
GRASS VALLEY
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طيع بالتالي
C. L. SMITH & CS LITH. OAKLAND CAL.
CO STING WORKS. I. BLACKSMITH SHOP 12, WASTE ROCK TRACK. 13. AIR SHAFT. 14. WATER DITCH. . 15. NEVADA C., NARROW GUAGE R. R. 16. WOLF CREEK. SS VALLEY, NEVADA CO CAL.
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THE SAN FRANCISCO COPPER MINE & REDUCTION WORKS, SPENCEVILLE, NEVADA C.9, CAL.
C. L. SMITH & CO LITH OAKLAND CAL
Nº1.MAIN SHAFT TO MINE Nº1.
,, 2. HOISTING WORKS.
,, 3.0RE HOPPER .
„ 4. COPPER STORE ROOM.
,, 5. PRECIPITATING WORKS AS CYLINDERS.
NODI MUN WATER PIPE (5 INCH DIAMETER )
Nº 11.CORO WOOO PILES
„, 12.WASTE PILE (20.000. TONS. )
,, 13, TRAM-WAYX
,, 14. LEACHING HOUSE. 200 FEET LONG.
,, 15.HOISTING ENGINE FOR TRAMWAY.
Nº22. BIG DRY CREEK.
Nº 18 ORE SHED Nº 2. 500 FEET LONG
„ 17. WATER RESERVOIR & 3 MILE DITCH.
,, 18,ORE SHED Nº 3. 700 FEET LONG.
,, 19.STORE & MINE SUPT'S OFFICE. .20. PUBLIC SCHOOL. Nº23. MIDDLE DRY CREEK.
Nº 6 COPPER SOLUTION RESERVOIR.
,, 7.ORIGINAL TANK HOUSE. .
,, 8. STORE ROOM & SCALES.
,, J. LABORA TORY.
,, 10.ORE SHED Nº 1. 400 FEET LONG.
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CITIZENS BANK
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SIENT DRAFTS ON NEW YORK PHILADELPHIA BOSTON AtLoud
PRICE PAID FOR CHICK G
SAN FRAN
BROAD ST. NEVADA CITY, NEVADA Cº, CALIFORNIA. E. M. PRESTON, PRESIDENT. R.M. HUNT, VICE PRES, JOHN T. MORGAN, CASHIER & SEC. DIRECTORS. DR R.M. HUNT, JOHN T. MORGAN, GEO, M. HUGHES, L. HOUSMAN, T.W. SIGOURNEY, NILES SEARLS, E. M. PRESTON.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
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RESIDENCE OF O. MALTMAN, NEVADA CITY, CAL .
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
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PIONEER REDUCTION WORKS, ESTABLISHED 1858. O. MALTMAN'S CHLORINATION WORKS , NEVADA CITY, CAL.
Burton
LITH. BY C. L. SMITH & CO. OAKLAND. CAL.
CAMP AT DONNER LAKE, Nov. 1846.
LITH BY C.L. SMITH & CO. OAKLAND CAL
ARRIVAL OF RELIEF PARTY, FEB. 18TH 1847.
OFFICE
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
GEO. G. ALLAN'S FOUNDRY AND MACHINE WORKS. NEVADA CITY, CAL.
OFFICE
STAGE ROAD NEVADA CITY 1. ME GRASS VALLEY JM
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
WORKS OF THE FORTUNA GOLD MINING COMPANY, NEVADA CITY, NEVADA CO CAL.
R. C. WALRATH. JOSEPH THOMAS.
THOMAS MINING CO., NEVADA CITY, CAL.
C. E. HATCH. A. WALRATH. MRS M.A. STERLING.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
W. SEAMAN'S CARRIAGE & WAGON FACTORY.
W. SEAMAN'S, CARRIAGE & WAGON FACTORY, NEVADA CITY , NEVADA C9, CAL.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
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LOUIS SEIBERT'S, VINEYARD & SODA WORKS. NEVADA CITY, NEVADA CO, CAL.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON À WEST ..
RESIDENCE OF J.S. DUNN, SELBY FLAT, 2'4 MILES FROM NEVADA CITY, NEVADA CO, CAL.
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RESIDENCE OF J. T. MORGAN, NEVADA CITY, NEVADA Cº CAL.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
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HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
grassy plains from Bear river to the Honcut. Rose, who attended to this branch of the business, built a cattle corral at Pleasant Valley, between Bridgeport and the Anthony House, early in 1849. Later he established a trading post there, andl built a sinall adobe house. Rose and Reynolds had been en- gaged in ship carpentering at Yerba Buena (San Francisco) since 1842, and came to this region a ter the discovery of gold at Coloma, Mr. Rose is still living near Smartsville.
Following the establishment of Rose's trading post at Pleasant Valley, a man named Findlay, from Oregon, opened a trading post on bear river near the month of Greenhorn creck. David Bovyer also opened a store at White Oak Springs, in Rough and Ready township, in September. The Rough and Really company settled at the town of that name. Boston Ravine, and Badger Hill in Grass Valley were settled the same l'all. Work was commenced on Goll Ran and Dr. Caldwell built a store on the site of Nevada City. A party of Oreg mians settled at Jefferson, and an Indiana company at Washington. The Holt Brothers and Judge Walsh erceted saw mills about four miles below Grass Valley. A mule corral was built by a Frenchman at French Corral. During the l'all of 1849, miners spread themselves all along the Middle and South Yuba. Deer ereck, Bear river and along some of the principal tributaries of those streams. Many came in the fall, who departed when winter sel in, with the intention of returning in the early spring. Others, bundreds of them, spent the winter in the : mountains, eagerly waiting for the return of spring to open to them the treasure vaults of earth. Here and there they were senttered ; all along the winding streams could be seen the smoke from their little cabins mingling with the clouds, but uo thought was there of building a city or even a small hamlet ; all were miners, intent ou digging wealth from the ground and not in bartering commodities; yet were they laying the founda- tions of towns, proving the richness of localities, and pointing out to the merchant soon to follow the places most favorable for business. With no thought of a town, they still were the ones who settled the location of the future business points. All the " long and dreary winter " they waited for the opportu- nity to pły the piek and spade, working at intervals, whenever the weather permitted them so to do. Little realizing what was to follow them, they were the pioneers of the thousands that have worked in the inexhaustible mines of Nevada county.
With the opening of the first buds of spring came hundreds of miners, who had heard of the wonderful richness of the mountain streams. Many who had been here the fall before, returned in March or April, to find the places where a few scattered enbins had markel the halting places of adventurous prospectors teeming with life and humming with the bustle and activity of a flourishing mining camp. Nevada City, Rough and Ready, Boston Ravine, Centreville (Grass Valley),
Newtown, Washington, Jefferson, Bridgeport, Freneliman's Bar, Jone,' Bar, German Bar, Enreka, and many little camps on the rivers and crocks.
In the spring of 1850 considerable trouble was experienced with the Indians, who committed a number of deprelations, and were severely punished. Among other acts was the attack upon the Holt brothers at their saw mill abont four miles below Grass Valley. During the preceding winter Samuel and George Holt and James Walsh and Zenas Wheeler had erceted two saw mills, and were busy sawing humber on May 3, 1850, when the Holts were attacked in their mill by a party of Indians. Samuel Holt, the elder brother, fell at once, his luxly filled with arrows. George Holt, with a small pocket knife, fought his way through eight or ten Indians up the hill to where the mill of Walsh Wheeler stood, where he fell bleed- ing and faint from thirteen wounds, into the arms of the proprietor. During the night the mill and property of the Holts were burned, and Walsh's camp was threatened. A few ' friendly Indians, Captain Day and another man came in during the night and gave their assistance. The body of Samuel Holt was brought in by old Chief Wemch. The next morning Captain Day and his friend went to Camp Far West, near Johnson's Crossing, on Bear river, and the next day returned with twenty-four United States troops, supplied by Major Day, in charge of the station. Mr. George Holt was removed to Stocking's store, on Deer creek, and soon recovered. A hundred miners from Deer ercek came to the scene, and in a few days they and the soldiers pimished the Indians severely and drove them from the neighborhood. This was but one of a number of depredations and outrages committed at this time as will appear from the following, taken from the Placer Times, of Sacramento, May 20, 1850. It also relates the settlement of the difficulties :
" Brigadier General A. M. Winn has received a letter from Major General Thomas J. Green, First Division California Militia, forwarded by Brigidier General Eastland, and enclosing one to his Excellency, Peter H. Burnett, Governor of California. We have been favored with the perusal of these letters. They are dated at Oro, the head quarters, at present, of General Green. Serious Indian troubles are announced on that frontier. A volunteer company, under command of Capt. Nicolaus Allgeier, had prepared to march against the savages, and other parties were being formed. The Indians are reported to num- ber several hundred and to be headed by white men and some Chilians. An engagement is said to have taken place on Deer creek, a few days before, in which four whites and fifteen Indians were killed. General Green has very wisely deter- mined to take the field, both for the protection of the citizens and to prevent exeesses on their part. He recommends that the Adjutant General should be ordered to his head quarters
with instructions and authority to make a further eall npon the militia, and U. S. troops, should the emergencies require it.
We are further advised that some two Imdred Indians were seen near Johnson's ranch, on Friday. A party of thirty went out from Nicolaus, and killed four of them, one of the party being slightly wounded in the forehead. A temuster from Nicolaus was found dead in the neighborhood, with four- teen arrows in him. llis wagon und merchandise had been burnt np, and four pair of oxen killed. The reprated outrages in every direction will induce a more general militia organiza- tion throughout this part of the State. We learn that a volunteer company of young men is bring now formed in Sae- ramento City. They will be the first to tender their aid should future developments require the further call upon the inilitia, which is anticipated in the above correspondence."
General Green arrived in Sacramento Tuesday, May 28, 1850, and was to leave immediately for Washington to represent the state of Indian affairs to the President. He made the following report to the Governor :-
Ono, May 25, 1850. To His Excellency, Peter H. Burnett, Governor and Com- mander-in-Chief, California Militia :
SIR-After my dispatch to you on the 16th instant, I moved with C'apt. Allgeier's and Capt. Charles Hoyt's mounted volun- teers, on the 17th, upon Bear river. On the afternoon of the same day, Lieutenant Bell, of Capt. Allgeier's company, with ten men, being ont upon a seont, encountered n large number of Indians, killing live and bringing in six prisoners.
On the 18th, I moved in the direction of Deer creek, and scoured the country where a number of Indian depredations had been committed. We found the Indian villages newly deserted, and their trails leading south, in the direction of Bear river.
On the 19th, pursued said trails in the direction of Wolf ereck, to where Col. Holt was murdered and burnt in his mnill ; found the Indian villages in this neighborhood deserted, and the white settlement abandoned ; trails still leading south, which we followed to Bear river, and encamped upon the same.
On the 20th, leaving a camp guard with the horses, we crossed the river on foot to visit a large village on the south of said river, which we found deserted, and the trail recrossing the river. Upon our return I was informed that a large number of Indians, between two and three hundred, had assembled upon an elevated conical hill within two miles, a position evidently taken to give battle. After examining their position I ordered Captain Hoyt with twenty men to take station at the foot of the hill upon the left, and with Captain Allgeier, Lieutenant Bell and the balance of the mnen, in all thirty, I charged up the most accessible side of the hill upon the right into the camp, and drove the Indians upon Captain
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HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Hoyt's position, where a smart skirmish ensued. We pursued them for several miles in the hills and ravines, killing and wounding a number and took cight prisoners. Their chiefs report eleven of their men killed, besides wounded. We had none killed. Wounded, Captain Hoyt, Lieutenant Lewis and Mr. Russell. My Aid, Major Frederick Emory, was accident- ally shot through the thigh by the discharge of a rifle. All doing well. The day previous, in attempting to capture one of their spies, his determined resistance caused him to be shot, and in camp we found his remains upon a funeral pile nearly consumed. Here we found a large amount of supplies, con- sisting of beef, sugar, tea, and other articles robbed from the wagons, and the clothes of the murdered teamster, Matty. On the afternoon of the same day I sent the following note, with a flag of truce, to the chiefs, by an old woman who had been taken prisoner :-
WOLF CREEK CAMP, May 20, 1850.
To the Indian Chiefs Weima, Buckler, Poollel, and others :- Your people have been murdering ours, rubbing their wagons and burning their houses. We have made war upon you, killed your men and taken prisoners your women and children. We send you this plain talk by one of your grandmothers. When you cease to rob and murder our people we will cease to make war upon you, and then you can come in and get your women and children, who will be taken care of in the meantime. If you wish peace come down to Johnson's old ranch, on Bear river, and report yourselves to Captain Charles Hoyt, who will protect you until your Great Father shall speak.
THOS. J. GREEN,
Major General, First Division, California Militia.
To-day the chiefs, with a number of men, mnet me at Kear- ney, and entered into the following treaty. It is my opinion, as well as the opinion of others better acquainted with these Indians, that they will observe the treaty in good faith. It is to he hoped that no acts of aggression will be commenced upon them by the whites. These Indians can be made very useful to the miners if they have even a small portion of justice extended to them. Heretofore a few persons have monopolized much of their labor, by giving them a calico shirt per week and the most indifferent food. This is not only wrong, but highly disgraceful, when they would be content with the pay of one-fourth of the wages of the white men.
I have sent these chiefs over on the north fork of the Amer- ican river, to bring in others now hostile, to Brigadier General Eastland, on Bear river, who will in the absence of further instructions from your Excellency, endeavor to bring them to terms. I have the honor to be very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THOS. J. GREEN.
Major General First Division, California Militia.
" TOWN OF KEARNEY, Bear River, Yuba County, Cal.
WHEREAS, numerous depredations and murders have been committed upon the persons and property of the American cit- izens in this vicinity by native Indians belonging to the tribes of the undersigned Chiefs; and whereas, it became the duty of the undersigned Thomas J. Green, Major-General of the First Division of California Militia, to pursue and punish said depre- (lators and murderers; Now, therefore, in the absence of higher authority, I, Thomas J. Green, Major-General, as aforcsaid, on behalf of the people of California and the Government of the United States, on one part, and the head Indian Chiefs, Weina and Buckler, and Sub-Chief, Poollel, on the other part, repre- senting fully and completely their several tribes, do enter into the following solemn treaty of peace and friendship, to wit :
Article 1. Henceforth and forever the American citizens and the several tribes aforementioned shall live in peace and friendship.
Article 2. Should any Indian belonging to either of the beforementioned tribes commit any murder, robbery or other offense against the persons or property of the American citi- zens, the offender or offenders shall be promptly delivered up to the proper authorities for punishment.
Article 3. Should any American citizen or foreigner com- mit any wrong upon the persons or property of the before- mentioned tribes, they shall be punished therefor as the law directs.
Article 4. To prevent any hostile feelings arising between the whites and Indians, as well as to prevent the friendly Indians from being mistaken for those unfriendly, it is hereby stipulated that the people of the beforementioned tribes shall not carry arms while in the settlement of the whites.
Article 5. To cultivate warmer friendship and acquaint- ance between the white people and the Indians, the latter are guaranteed the free use of the gold mines, and the full value of their labor in working the same, without charge or hindrance; and any contract made between the Indians and whites, before competent witnesses, shall be recoverable before any Court of competent jurisdiction.
Article 6. The Indian prisoners shall be delivered up with the signing of this treaty.
Article 7. The Government of the United States shall have six months from this date to confirmn, amend, or annul the treaty; and should said Government of the United States con- firm the same, it is hereby stipulated that each of the before- mentioned tribes shall receive a semi-annual annuity of one thousand dollars to be paid to them respectively for the term of ten years from the date thereof.
Hoyt, Colonel James Bell, J. S. Christy, Counsellor at Law, Edwin P. Linck, J. B. Fairchild, Joseph Foster, subscribing witnesses.
May 25th, 1850.
THOS. J. GREEN,
Maj. Gen. 1st Div. California Militia. WEIMA, his x mark. BUCKLER, his x mark. POOLLEL, his x mark.
Nicolans Allgeier, Chas. H. Hoyt,
J. Bell, Witness.
J. S. Christy,
J. B. Fairchild,
Jos. Foster, Interpreter.
Fred. Emory,
John T. Hughes,
EDWIN P. LINCK, Secretary."
The towns mentioned in the above account live only in the memory of the "oldest inhabitant," if, indeed, they are remem- bered at all. Oro, the headquarters of General Grecu, was a magnificently projected city, on the south side of Bear river, near its month. At this time it rejoiced in the possession of one house, and to greater proportions it never attained. It was the pet of the general, who was trying to nurse it to a healthy growth, and who succeeded in having it made the first seat of justice of Sutter county, an honor it retained but a short time. The town of Kearney was an effort made by Henry E. Robin- son and Eugene F. Gillespie to build a city at Johnson's Cross- ing on Bear river; its flickering flame was soon snuffed out. Captain Nicolaus Allgeier was proprietor of the town of Nico- laus, on Feather river, still existing, and Captain Charles Hoyt was the man in charge of Robinson and Gillespie's settlement at Kearney.
Nevada City was at first the most important settlement in the region, and when the county was organized in the spring of 1851, became the scat of justice. The reason for the more rapid growth of Nevada City was the discovery of hill diggings and the "Coyote claims." It became for the time the commer- cial center of the county. In 1851 Grass Valley began to acquire considerable prominence; the discovery of quartz ledges in the vicinity and the consequent excitement giving that city an impulse forward that soon made it rank second to Nevada City. The town of Rough and Ready, also, became a large and prosperous one. Moore's Flat, Woolsey's Flat, Orleans Flat, Cherokee, French Corral, Sweetland, and muany smaller places became thriving mining camps. The year 1852 saw the open-
In witness whereof, the undersigned parties beforementioned have signed, sealed and delivered this treaty, each to the other, in the presence of Captain Nicolaus Allgeier, Captain Chas. H. | ing up of the hill claims in Little York township. Little York,
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PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
RESIDENCE OF MRS J.J. OTT, NEVADA CITY, CAL.
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HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Walloupa, Red Dog, Hunt's Hill, You Bet, Lowell Hill, Rem- ington Hill, Omega, Alpha, Humbug (Bloomfield), and a great many smaller places sprang up as if by magic within the next two years.
As if endowed with the wonderful properties of the "seven league boots" the county made enormous stridles towards settle- ment and prosperity. The State census, taken in 1852, within two years after the organization of the first city, showed the population to be as follows:
White, Males 12,448
" Females. 920
Negroes. .
103
Foreigners, Males.
721
" Females.
61
Indians
3,226
Chinese
3,88G
Total.
21,365
Tho population was estimated in 1856 to be about 20,000, exclusive of Indians.
By this time churches and school-houses were built, families had settled throughout the county, and the towns began to assume the appenrance of ohl communities. The Frazer river excitement in 1858, and the Washoe exodus in 1859 and 1860, munterially reduced the population of Nevada county. The lutter became nhinost a hegira, so grent was the excitement and the engerness to scenre a claim in the fabulously rich silver dis- tricts. To Nevada county belongs the honor of discovering and announcing to the world the silver region that has made for the English language a new word, bonansa, and has added so many millions of silver to the world's stock of precious metals.
J. F. Stone, and W. P. Morrison, ohl citizens of Nevada county, who had been living for a short time on the eastern side of tho mountains, came to the Journal office in Nevada City, June 24, 1839, and exhibited some specimens of ore, re- lating the circumstances of their discovery. The lead had been discovered by Anthony Comstock, and these gentlemen had purchased an interest, and brought these samples for the pur- pose of having the value tested. J. J. Ott made an assay which resulted in giving $1,595 of gohl and $3,196 of silver to the ton. Mr. Attwood, of Grass Valley, also made an assay with cqually favorable results. The excitement then became intense, hundreds hastened to the spot; the Comstock Icad was all claimed in a few days; men left their families and their business to seeure a location on the ground whose wonderful richness seemed to them like fairy land. Two turnpike roads were built to the new miniug field, and stages, wagons, horse- men and footmen passed along the route daily.
The result upon the population of Nevada county can be
plainly seen in the returns of the United States census, taken in the summer of 1800 :
Nevada Township .. 4,040
Grass Valley Township 3,940
Bridgeport Township. 2,720
Eureka and Washington Townships. 2,100
Rough and Ready Township. 1,782
Little York Township 1,048
Bloomfield Township. 784
Total 16,414
The Indian war in the Washoe country in ISGO is of special interest to Nevada county on account of the prominent part taken in it by her citizens. In the evening of May 7, 1860, intelligence of the massacre of seven white men by Indians was brought to Virginia City. Two companies, one commanded ky Major Ormsby aud the other by Captain McDonald, in all over one hundred muen, proceeded toward the scene of the massacre, below the great bend of the Truckec river. They followed the trail until on the twelfth, near Pyramid lake, they were am- bushed by a band of Pi-Utes in a pass. The men fought des- perately until their ammunition became exhausted and then sought to escape by flight. Many were killed in the action while many more were shot in their attempt to escape. Henry Meredith, an old and respected citizen and business man of Nevada City, was with the party, and fell while fighting bravely after many had fled. The news reached Nevada City *on Sunday ; the alarm bells were rung, and the people assem- bled in the theater and made arrangements to send aid to the terrified settlers. All that night men were busy making cartridges and preparing ammunition. Early in the morning a volunteer company of thirty inen, under Captain Van Hagan of the Nevada C'ity Rifles, started for the scene of action, has- ing a great amount of ammunition and about sixty muskets. At Virginia City the company was increased to seventy-seven men, and served through the campaign of six weeks, doing good service. A few days after the departure of this company an effort was made to raise another. It is related that, at the meeting called for this purpose, an enthusiastic gentleman was moved by the scarcity of vohinteers to say, " Let us make up a compauy consistent with the pride of the county and the danger to be encountered. Yes, gentlemen, let us raise enough to make a respectable corpse." The effect of this ghastly remark was the opposite of that intended, as many of the volunteers " wilted " on the spot. . When the company returned from the scat of war they brought back the body of Henry Meredith, which was received by the citizens of Nevada in pro- cession a few miles from the city, and buried in the city ceme- tery with honors and respect.
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