April 10, 2006

Nevada's Online State News Journal

 

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Nevada History:

 

[From Nevada Historical Society Papers 1913-1916, vol. 1, State Printing Office, Carson City: 1917, pp. 171-174]

NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PAPERS           171

SAMUEL S. BUCKLAND—INDIAN FIGHTING IN NEVADA-1879

[PRINTER'S NOTE—Under special instructions from the Secretary of the Nevada Historical Society, this article, in regard to spelling, punctuation. and capitalization of words, is printed exactly as written.]

            Samuel S. Buckland born in Licking County State of Ohio in 1826 received the common school education. Came to Pacific Coast in Sept. 1850 by water Isthmus Panama remained in Cal till fall of 1857, Came from there to Carson Valley Utah territory now Nevada, at what was known as McMarlins ranch. Evan Jones was my nearest neighbor.  Jacob Winters lived Jacks Valley. Theo. John D and Joseph Winters three brothers Came into Washoe Valley in the fall of 1857. In the spring of 1858 potatoes were so high that C. Noteware cut the eyes out for seed and then ate the remainder. John James, Henry Van Sickle Dutch Fred No 1 (Fred Danberg) Dick Sides

            The indians came to Honey Lake Smiths Station on Carson River at what is known as the big bend (the lower end of it) in the spring 1860. two men known as the Williams boys were keeping a station or trading post there at that time. there were quite a number of Indians accompanied by their wives or squaws. the Williams boys took the squaws into their house and ravished them.[1] This act greatly

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incensed the indians and they in retaliation committed various outrages on whites. there is also a theory on the part of some that three gamblers came to the station of the Williams boys and in gaming with them lost all their coin and subsequently murdered the boys, robbed them and to conceal their crime burned the house together with the bodies of the murdered men the Indians were accused of doing this, and the whites rose up with Major Ormsby at their head and determined to avenge the act they completed an organization at Carson and after starting from Carson their ranks were added to by volunteers all along the route, the men under Major Ormsby were poorly armed having only knives and ropes the expedition seemed more like a pony stealing venture than a body of earnest men determined to avenge wrongs, the indians were well armed.

            The whites were full of whiskey and were therefore easily routed four days from the time they left Carson in high glee they were on the return trip completely demoralized one known as Dutch Charley saved his life by jumping into the [Truckee][2] river, and remaining there till the danger was passed. The whites were led into ambush about 16 or 18 miles below or East of Wadsworth at a point where you conic down from a bluff into a small valley. When the band started out after the indians there were in number about 150, about sixty of the whites were killed, there was no means of knowing how many indians were killed if indeed there were any. Among the killed were two brave men and its to be regretted that they should have fallen by the hand of the indians. I allude to Major Ormsby and Dr. Fjaden. The first trouble I ever had with the indians came near being quite serious. it was in the summer of 1859, some indians had been killing some calves belonging to me, and I rode over to a point on the Carson river where they were encamped to see them about it. they asked me if I was Capitan I said "yes I am Capitan." they said a capitan could not be hurt and to convince me that such was the ease, fired a bullet at the Captain of their party taking good care however not to hit him. but when they saw me reach for a large navy pistol with which I was armed they were not so anxious to have me try my hand on him. they seemed to have a superstition that one of their capitans could not be hurt with a bullet yet were not strong enough in the faith to risk much. then rode away and for the time avoided any actual trouble.

            Late in the Spring of 1860 I was camped on the Carson river on the site of the present Buckland ranch and in my employ was an indian by the name of George. he pretended to be very friendly. a lot of indians came up from near the sink of Carson on a hunt. the indian George came into the cabin in the morning after they came up, and refused to eat, seemed ugly about something. while he was in the act of declining to eat several of those who had come up from the sink of the Carson slipped into the cabin through the open door, and in less time than it takes to relate it the house was full, I was somewhat alarmed and confused at this to me wholly unexpected turn of affairs, but had sufficient presence of mind to sit down on the bed near the head of which was my shot gun and pistol. the indians at once formed a circle and threw into it a ten coat coin claiming they had found the dime in bread I had given them, and that I had been trying to

NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PAPERS           173

poison one of their number I saw at once the idea of throwing the dime down was to get me to attempt to pick it up when they could kill me while in the stooping position and off my guard unarmed but I did not move from my arms determined to sell my life dearly. Just at this moment as if sent by providence four white men came galloping across the bridge that spaned the Carson river and the indians scattered at once much to my relief. This occurred just prior to burning of the house of Williams boys as well as their murder, and prior to the building of Fort Churchill. while I was alone and engaged in a small trading post, the indians at once returned to the sink of the Carson. Fort Churchill was built in 1860. Captain Stewart of the regular U S army had charge of the forces while the fort was being built. the original plan was to establish the forts on the South side of the Carson river, but at my suggestion they finally concluded to place it on the North side (its present site) time demonstrated the wisdom of this course, as better view was gained, and access was easier with supplies etc.

            In May or June 1860 I joined a company of volunteers under Capt. Rowe, there was also two companies of regulars. We camped on the river for several days and from there went to the Williams Station and joined the regular command from there we went over on the Truckee, we camped on the Truckee just below or East of where the town of Wadsworth now is, the next day we went down the river about 12 miles & camped, after we struck camp Captain Storey (after whom Storey County is named) went down the river and found the indians and were run into camp by them. The alarm being given that the indians were close on us we made preparations to meet them in this engagement we routed and drove back the indians. I saw one scalp taken and it was claimed that several of them were killed, in this fight we lost Captain Storey who was killed by the indians and one of our men was shot accidentally. Storey was killed in the early part of the fight I dont know how many indians there were, but there must have been several hundred of them as the hills were alive with them, had we been permitted by the command to have followed them this night we could have captured every one of them as our men were anxious to do so & fresh and the indians were demoralized, but Captain Stewart deemed it wise to wait till morning, thus giving them a chance to escape. we did not know the lay of the land for as we subsequently saw we might have passed back of the hill upon which the indians were encamped that night and easily cut off their escape. The next morning we packed up and started for Pyramid Lake (at the head of the Lake where the 'Truckee empties into the water is perfectly good and pleasant taste, trout & fish with mouth like a sucker abound in this Lake) expecting to have a big fight with the indians that day, but when we got down to their camping ground we found they had gone bag and baggage we continued to follow their trail on as far as Mud Lake which lies about 10 to 12 miles East of Pyramid Lake (this Lake[3] is about 8 or 10 miles long and 4 or 5 wide) at about noon we found the indians trail turned to the left into a deep canyon toward the hills, at the mouth of this canyon the command ordered a halt. this halt was occasioned because the men who had been acting as scouts, refused to go up into the

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Canyon Robert Lyon, Ben. Webster Bill Allen and myself together with another man who was from what is now Silver City Nev whose name I cant recall volunteered to act as scouts, thus taking the place of those who refused to go into the canyon. we started, the command coming up to the foot of the hill and halting to wait for our report. we at once saw fresh Indian tracks and evidences that they had just preceded us.  Both Lyon and Bill Allen were in the lead. I called their attention to the evidences of the near presence of the indians and suggested waiting till we could report to the command and have them come up to this point—Bill Allen said he didnt care a d—n he was going up the hill anyway.  on this we continued on when we got to the top of the hill, we found a large rock about 20 feet across Allen & Lyon went to the right of it and Webster the Silver City man & myself to the left of it Webster and myself took out our pipes with a view of taking a smoke as I was about to light my pipe, I looked down over the mix and saw two indians at the same time calling my companions attention to it. at this moment I heard the report of a gun just then Bob Lyons came round from the other side of the rock and said Come on boys, Bill Allen is killed. the indians at this instant opened fire on us front all sides our descent was hasty and while going up we had to pick our way with difficulty owing to the narrowness of the trail and the great number of stones in the way on our way down not a rock tumbled as the bullets whistled past us as, thick as hail.  I was the last one down, and was struck on the leg but sustained no harm the bullet evidently being a spent one. the command hearing the firing started up the hill and meeting us we turned back with the command and found poor Bill Allen, who had already been stripped of everything he had on him, and lay there as naked as he came into the world. he was shot in the mouth. we returned that night to Williams Station and the next day to Carson, all feeling that we had had enough indian fighting. the volunteers disbanded and the regulars returned to the Truckee where they remained till Fort Churchill was established and ready for occupation.

            This whole indian business was a foolhardy undertaking as one dozen indians could if well managed and brave have killed every one of our command before we could have killed one of them, so securely were they hidden behind rocks and shrubs in the canyons and hills.

            There were many indian scares at different times, but no serious trouble after this.

S S Buckland


 

[1] This was one of the stories set afloat in Indian wars. There was no proof whatever; on the contrary there was plenty of proof that the Indians had been preparing all the spring for the outbreak.

[2] Carson in original and has been crossed out.

[3] "Note the lake. etc" is written in by editor.