July 23, 2006

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Nevada History:

Letters From Nevada Indian Agents - 1849

 [Compiled by the publisher of The Nevada Observer in 1980-1981 and transcribed from handwritten originals in the collection of Letters Received by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Utah Superintendency, National Archives microfilm; spelling as in original documents.  Funding for the project was provided by Grace Dangberg, of Minden, Nevada.]

LETTER FROM JOHN WILSON, INDIAN AGENT AT THE SALT LAKE TO THOMAS EWING, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

Hon. T. Ewing Department Interior

                        San Francisco

                        Decm 22nd 1849

Sir

            Myself and family arrived safely at this place on the 9th inst having left Fort Leavenworth on the 5th of June last & having been en route for the whole period.  The causes of our great delay were of course many, the principal however was the intire want of experience  & inaptness to learn his duties of Capt. R.M. Morris who was ordered to command my escort.  I had selected & went with Brevt Lieut Col. Roberts to the Secretary of war & adjutant general to ask his appointment which he desired them to give to command my escort, we both left their offices understanding (of course we were mistaken) that he would be appointed to that command & he instantly left Washington with my written instructions to have the train properly got up at Fort Leavenworth by the time I should arrive there.  When I got there I found to my regret that Brevt Capt R.M.  Morris, as the result of some military arrangement amongst the officers in command of the rifle regiment had been assigned to a duty about which he was wholly inexperienced & as after results showed wholly unfit for such an undertaking, was well in temper & said position as in the want of experience, any experienced commander would have taken us through from six to eight weeks sooner as by driving the teams all day without nooning  & then tying (instead of allowing them to graze all night) he essentially broke our  teams  down in the first month &  therefore we traveled all the rest of the  road with exhausted teams  & compelled to travel slow. When we started Major Good[?]  & party ordered to Fort Kearney Majr Reynolds paymaster & party ordered to Oregon Mr. Picket & family  ordered to be transported to California in party Col. Johnson Sub agent also ordered to  be transported to California, & party were all placed under charge of Capt. Morris to take advantaged of the escort ordered for  my transportation, these gentlemen  & their parties from time to  time had quit the escort,  each & all alledging as a reason Capt. Morris’ incompetance, & most if not all of them declared he executed his duties in a partial &  unofficer like manner, as for myself his whole conduct towards me was seemingly based upon the idea that the escort had been ordered for his especial benefit & acted towards me exactly as if I had been thrust upon him against his will but in a  manner that he could not get rid of me, & while he tried to keep within that bounds so that I could not officially complain of his acts, yet he seemed to take pleasure in doing any thing less than that, that would mortify me & my family.  I must be fully understood as not desiring to make any charges against him, I can easily afford to treat with contempt the conduct of an officer of the army who did not know how or knowing was unwilling, to act, as a gentleman ought towards any person however ordinary who had by the command of the President of the United States been placed under his charge to escort to distant parts of the country.  The mistakes of his inexperience or his excissive vanity all lended to show that if even he was not born to command still every body in this train he seemed to think was born to obey.  I had adhered to a firm determination if possible to get through under his command, without breaking squares with him at all, & if any question shall be made of that disposition I pledge myself to furnish full & the most ample proof to that effect, not withstanding the other gentlemen & parties had all quitted him for things similar to those of which I had good light to complain.  When we arrived at or near the head waters of Humbolt or Mary’s river some six or Seven hundred miles from the end of our journey, he had so managed with the teamsters as to cause all but two or three to agree to leave him, by an effort to conciliate them by offering to double their wages from 20$ to 40$ per month some where near half agreed to remain with him.  Seven waggons & mules for my carriage had been assigned me at Fort Leavenworth to carry my family & baggage & eight teamsters with extras assigned to drive them--I had given my receipt for the waggons mules &c but the drivers of course were employed by the waggon master Capt. M. or most if not all of my drivers were amongst those who were discharged.  The cause of their quarrel with Capt. Morris was this shortly after we started some of the teamsters refused to stand guard saying the soldiers composing the escort were to do that (which in fact was about all that was for them to do) some angry feelings were manifested & Capt Morris deeming it there duty to do so discharged one or two who refused to do this duty. by some  interference of some gentlmen along, they were retaken into the service and a general arrangement  was made to which all I believe  asserted that not only the  teamsters but all the young men (my two sons being included) connected with the  different gentlemen  before named should do guard duty, & this arrangement was aded up to in good faith by most of those forming  part of  the train one young  gentleman attached to mr. Pickets family failed on one occasion to duty, he was ordered by Capt  M. to be  placed on the guard list for the next night & he was told by Capt M. himself that if he again failed to do his duty he would  be turned out of the train--The guard  was  only  needed to preserve our animals from being stolen by the Indians for we seldom  if ever placed a guard over our Camp. The young gentleman alluded to had no private property to be guarded, & upon mr. Picket taking his part Capt M. threatened to send him out of his Camp in the sam manner, although mr. Picket & family were ordered by the President to be transported under my escort -- Doctor Birdsal his Daughter, & mr. Mason had been attended both by curtesy of capt M. & myself to travel with the train, him & m. Mason owned a carriage waggon & 8 or 9 mules as their private property & of course these mules were allowed to be turned out & were guarded along with the other animals, except these there were no private owned animals in the Train except as I believe two or three I owned, after or about the time we started Doctor Birdsal was employed by Capt Morris a surgeon for the train & was treated as such –

            It had long been alledged by those who stood guard that this mr. Mason being too the only person who stood guard that had any private property in the herd failed to do his duty it soon became evident to all that Doctr Birdsal his daughter & this mr. Mason his partner were the especial favorites of Capt Morris & Lieut Haynes who accompynied him & assisted him in the duties of command -- This dissatisfaction grew daily worse & worse till we passed some two hundred miles this side the Salt Lake Capt M. leaving Lieut Haynes in command went to Fort Hall to exchange if possible some of our exhausted mules for better ones, While he  was gone Mason still failed  to do his duty, & the teamsters at lenth determined to tell  Lieut Haynes, that if Mason did not do his duty of  take his mules out of the Herd they would do guard duty no more, this produced some angry feelings but at length the Lieut promised that hereafter Mason should be  compelled to do duty or  take out of the herd his mules -- By the influence as I suppose of Doctr B.& his daughter & mr. Mason, the  Lieut. soon discovered that Capt  Morris had  no right  to compell  young gentlemen, not in the employ of the government & only permitted to go along as attached to the different gentlemen under escort to do duty & therefore gave orders that none should be required to do guard duty but the soldiers & teamsters; this order being an intire departure from those that had  prevailed for  about  1400 miles it was seen was expressly made to screen mr. Mason, who was the only person who was complained of as not having done his duty.  Capt. M it was expected would restore the old regime as soon as he returned & the more especially was it believed so from his prompt & decided course towards mr. Pickets young man for exactly a similar but only single offence whereas it was known that mr. Mason, had often times failed to do his duty. When capt M. came back, being greatly partial to Doctr Birdsal & party were the only ones who were not belonging to his escort, by orders, & as we all believed partly[?] under their influence & therefore he confirmed the new rule made by Lt. Haynes. The teamsters having all agreed with two or three exceptions, to refuse to stand guard in case Capt. M. did sanction Lt. Hs orders therefore those ordered for guard on the 25th Sept. openly demanded of Capt M. to force Mason to to do his duty of take his mules out of the herd, and told him they would not do duty on any other terms, he then forth with discharged about 14 of them & by persuasion retained the rest offered them if they would stay to increase their wages, from 20$ to 40$. & in that way  retained about as many as he discharged -- Those who drove my teams were nearly all amongst the discharged -- our  animals were very poor & very much exhausted & nothing but good & experienced drivers could be expected to carry us through.  The next morning he sent me some of his soldiers to drive my teams, & others who were by no means qualified to drive & one of them did not know how to gear a mule & he did not furnish me (& indeed he had them not to furnish) a full quoto to drive all my teams, I called upon him on the 26th of Sept. & remonstrated with him he told me I could take any driver he had, except those who drove his own & Lieut Haynes’ waggons & these indeed were nearly all that were good drivers & said in an excited abrupt & angry manner, if I did not like that I might  dismiss him & his escort from my service.  As I did not agree with Genl. Taylor and his cabinet, to allow him that should be ordered to command my escort, to insult me whenever he chose I did dismiss him. a copy of my note to him I append to this  letter marked 1.  I immediately went & employed through mr. Thompson my waggon master the 14 teamsters which Capt Morris had, discharged deeming them few enough to drive my teams & guard us through & this after experience fully confirmed as we were nearly every night afterwards surrounded with Indians & even with their diligence 29 of our mules were stolen on the Sierra Nevada, in one night Seven of which we retook & those that were left all died when we were over taken by the snow in the high lands on the west side of the  Sierra Nevada, leaving us on foot with part of our train 80 miles & part 20 miles from the settlements in the valley of Sacramento, and we were left on foot & had to encamp till I sent my son through the snow & rain to the settlement for animals,  to  carry my wife & daughters, he got some & came out but the roads being impassable they were of little use as  traveling out there exhausted them so that out of 8 we lost 3 before we got to the settlement, & my whole family had to walk on foot, through such loads you never saw even in the first settlements of Ohio.  I had bought one horse on the way to help our teams along.  I had to hire those my son took out & of course have to pay for the three lost. & which died from exhaustion --  When the Indians stole the 22  mules at  the Sierra Nevada, I  had to leave half of my goods and amongst the rest of  my library which if I had now would be almost invaluable to me so scarce are law Books.  When our animals died we had to leave all the ballence of our goods, we had started with 7 waggons loaded with provisions & such of our substantial household property as we thought would have enabled us, to go to houskeeping to save us from such enormous expenses as living costs, here -- we had not so much weight in our waggons, as my order for transportation directed should be brought for me, all of it we left in the mountains,  walked in on foot some of us not having a "change of raiment," to put on wading through snow 2 1/2  feet deep, on roads with no bottom that a mul could reach, & remain head above ground.  We reached the settlements in this fix & had to expend, many hundred Dollars to reach this City.  I am pretty well used up.  I had to furnish the 14 men taken into my employ with rations for two months the time I had them employed Capt Morris had rations in store for all the teamsters including my drivers as well as his own after I took in these men I applied to him for rations for 8 teamsters the No. I was entitled to for 30 days, but he refused them although I had an order directed to all officers ordering them to supply me at cost at least -- See my note to him & his answer to me on that subject marked 2 & 3.  He had an abundance as I believe for the whole the whole way he had discharged 14 I asked him for 8 only & he refused -- thus I was treated I feel the government ought to authorise me at their expense to send for my things left in the mountains which I cached as carefully as I could & suppose they are likely to be there & perhaps not much injured in the spring if I could Send for them, as early as the roads & grass will permit, or if the government will not do that, I feel they ought to pay me for them, their clear value would be several thousand Dollars, & their loss to me is ruinous almost. were we to purchase them  or such as them here I am well assured 10,000$ would not pay for them.  my late arrival here & other engagements in business you know I have to attend to for the government will not allow me time now to send you a full account of  all  these as well as other transactions in relation to my official duties, by this steamer (1st of Jany) but will do so the next  mail that goes out in Feb.  I will send you a full account of the loss of my property, the cost of hire & purchase of mules horses &c my cash expenses in getting myself and family down here after I reached the settlement.  I consider all the loss to be occasioned by the unfitness of Capt Morris to command had Brevt. Lieut Col Roberts been appointed to the command, as I requested & as I thought so as promised me I am sure his experience would have brought us here nearly two months sooner & so escaped the snows & rains that killed all our animals that remained. Before I seperated from Capt M. we both felt the absolute necessity of a guide & on the waters of goose creek some two hundred miles west of the Salt Lake met Lieut Hawkins conducting a government train from Oregon to Fort Hall, there was with him a mr. Joel Palmer, who is perhaps the most efficient guide that has traveled the plains whom Lieut. Hawkins highly Recommended & as he had just come over the road we employed him at the lowest rate we could being 2,000$ for the trip the use of a guide is not to show the road, for that is equally plain as Pensylvania Avenue, but the grass & water to camp at & this year this sort of guide was more needed than any other, for the grass in most cases was eaten out at the usual camping places & it takes a person who is well acquainted with the localities of the road to find Sufficient for our animals to subsist on --  If it had not been for mr. Palmers superior knowledge in this particular I am satisfied  beyond  a  doubt all our animals would have perished so exhausted were they from bad management  long before we reached near enough the settlements to send in for help or even for  my wife & Daughters to walk on foot -- If the government does not think  my suggestion to be wrong & I can not feel  that it is & they  will send  an order on the quarter masters department here to furnish animals & men to bring in my things, I  will try & get them in & if not I am fully of opinion I ought to be paid for them—

            I came at the recommendation of Lieut. Hawkins who had just come over it the northern or what is called Lassens rout which is no doubt a longer rout than the others but is decidedly the safest from snow storms.  Genl. Taylor who is fully acquainted with military affairs & men will be easily able to appreciate what I say when I call his mind to the subject of how easy it is for an inexperienced, vain dictatorial puffed up young Lieut without any thing to qualify him for the trip but what he learned at Westpoint, especially when he had not succeeded well there, to render a person placed under his charge as I was unpleasant, if he chose to do so, most certainly he took no pains to render my situation pleasant, but  treated everything  exactly in  that manner which showed  he thought the escort had been ordered for his benefit & that I had been thrust upon him against his will -- self respect as well as respect for the government & the administration prevented me from in a summary manner long before our seperation, doing myself justice in teaching him his duty.  For a long time I indeavoured to persuade myself his acts, were the mere result of vanity & that kind of self importance so apt to accompany new beginners in all trades & professions the marked disrespect which he showed me with its manner contrasted with his course towards Doctr Birdsall  & his family at last satisfied me, as it had most of his party long before, that he sought to mortify me --to this conclusion I unquestionably came slowly & with great reluctance & I feel sure I was the nearly  the last  in the  party to adopt it. Circumstances cause too thick & strong to admit of a doubt at last on the subject why or wherefore this conduct on his part?  I cannot say I am sure I gave him no cause wilfully. Certain it is no one not even Genl Taylor for whom you well know I have unlimited respect & whom I would go farther to serve than I would any other man shall not get me to go out under a government escort, again unless I have the chance to choose or be consulted as to whom is to command.   I am with great respect

your Obt Sevt.

John Wilson

Indian agent at the Salt Lake California

P.S. I do not exactly know whether this communication ought to be addressed to you or mr. Crawford but as I act under your orders I send it to you if it is required to be made to the Honl. Secty of war please hand it over to him

yours

John Wilson

[attachments]

NOTE FROM JOHN WILSON, INDIAN AGENT AT THE SALT LAKE TO CAPT. R.M. MORRIS, ESCORT COMMANDER

Capt. R.M. Morris

            Sir    You having  been appointed  to  the command  of  the escort which was ordered to transport me &  my family where I should direct; we have traveled together for a long distance; I have had many causes of dissatisfaction with  the manner in which you  have  discharged you  duty  but have  always  felt determined to  abide any  thing reasonable;  you have  lately altered a  rule of  your own  first adoption  under which  we traveled for near two thirds of the way  with peace & harmony amongst all your employees which change I did  not approve of myself &  which  has given  dissatisfaction  to most  of  our teamsters & for dissatisfaction they have been discharged and my teams are  left without  experienced drivers  here in  the midst of  the  dissert &  I  do not  believe  those you  have assigned can now take them through and then  you do not offer me a driver at all for my carriage wherein my family has been transported.  I can now get back my old drivers & hence I hereby for the above & many other causes of which hereafter I will give you due notice; I dispense with your escort & command & shall take my own teams mules  &c and try to get to California you are therefore at liberty to report yourself & those under your command to your superior officers for duty.

yours. John Wilson

Indian agent at the great Salt Lake in California

____________________

LETTER FROM JOHN WILSON, INDIAN AGENT AT THE SALT LAKE TO THOMAS EWING, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

Hon. T. Ewing, Secty of Department Interior

                                                San Jose

28th Decm 1849

Sir

            I wrote you from Fort Bridger & Salt Lake somewhat at large my views about the Indians east of the Sierra.  So far as I was then able to form them from the very limited information I possessed.   I wrote them under circumstances that precluded me from retaining copies of my letters.   I have been able to collect some few items of information since.  I will be very thankful if you will send me copies of my letters before referred to so that I may if necessary correct  & at all events extend the observations then addressed to you  On the west side of the Sierra the Indians have no political organization whatever they live in families & little bands & are in an extremely degraded state they generally live upon ranches here & for the most part are under the entire control of their owners & labour for them, at the rates & terms fixed by these land-holders & of course some treat them better & others worse, none of them occupy as good a situation as the slaves do in the western States.  The old Spanish Regulations were that when they granted lands to their people if there were indians on it they were still to remain there & could not be driven off but were allowed to cultivate & live on the land as long as they chose.   The effect of this has been to make them the Slaves in effect of these ranch owners. & Their condition is worse than the wildest mountain tribes -- They are now in the very heart of our settlements mostly in a State of nudity & studpidity that I have rarely witnessed in the wildest mountain Indians, although they are entirely harmless except they will steal but a more miserable race of beings I have not seen -- & this undoubtedly is the result of this Spanish system -- I say of these (& more emphatically so) as I said in my former communications about those on the other side of the mountains--they are not capable of any self  government or control -- The Government ought in all things to become their guardians--control all their actions--teach them by precept & example of those local parentis placed over them, how to work & contrive -- teach  them all  the useful  avocations, &  to labour for their support -- say appoint one Superintendant generally if you please to form & inforce a system of work, morals & econemy amongst them & let all  they do go for their own use -- as for instance let this general superintendant appoint agents & their wives to go & live amongst them let both the man & his wife be paid  reasonable salaries & let both devote themselves to the instruction of the poor indians of both Sexes, especially the young Girls who are to be the future mothers of their Race -- until woman -- mothers-- become civilized no child is raised above the Savage State --Let an out side valley  be selected away now in a pleasant plac in the mountains where  no whites are -- enough of such can now be found -- let the Indians be induced by persuasion not force to go to these selected vallies & so The agent & his wife -- there to establish a farm, let him induce the men by proper wages to work & teach them how by  mildness -- let his wife teach the Girls also as well as old women how to sew knit spin, cook keep house &c as the men began to understand how to labour -- induce them to attempt the  cultivation of the soil them selves aid them with a yoke of oxen plough & show them how to use them & urge Them indeed force them by gentle means to work & let all each raised be for their own benefit -- all  raised on the agents farm over & above his support to go to the Indians &c This is the only mode I can see of  doing them any good.  It can not be accomplished without some trouble.  Now each Ranch owners consider them as good to as slave & if you attempt to force them away at once you will incur their opposition -- but if you select these outside vallies & lay them off for the benefit of these people & then send your agents there male & female -- for sending out men without families goes more to corrupt, than civilize them -- until you raise the Standard of virtue amongst women & daughters you cannot Civilize – They are I am told generally disseased in the whole mass. with the venerial – you cannot amend this State of things while you send out men without their wives & daughters to be their masters -- This is all a  humbug; these men  generally teach them to fall into this vice more effectually then if left to themselves.  their  position enables  them to do it &  then where no women go, how is a man to teach the Girls the duties of women the very & indeed almost the only  place where any sensible man  would  begin if he intended to civilize any Savage people -- it is preposterous to suppose there can be civilization amongs any collection  of people where there  is no virtue amongst  their females. & to this more than any other cause is the almost intire failure of the policy of the U.S. to civilize & improve the Indians to be [?] - They have sent agents &  licensed traders  amongst them, who took not their wives & daughters along with  them to show  the Indian wife & daughter how to act -- Too many of these agents & traders have rather encouraged than restrained by their example these wives & daughters to disregard virture  & this by their position were enabled to do more effectually than the Indians could or would have done themselves -- Supposing all the men you send are virtuous & not obnoxious to this charge, as no doubt many  are, still they are not  the proper persons to teach women & Girls how they were to do their duty -- let it be apart of the policy  to teach the children the first rudiments of our letters & language, & as they progress establish Indian Schools upon their own labours & its profits-- Let these male & female agents be supported by cultivating the Soil as much as  possible by indian force give  them fair Salaries & force them to devote their whole  attention to the interest of the Indians in superintending all around in their district the whole comduct of these unfortunate people, at their own houses showing them how to farm & make tools &c The woman to show her charges how to cook sweep, wash Iron & all the primary & necesary work of a neat house Keeper in the same way that a good  guardian or parents do with  their children When they will not do it make them --  mildly - If you leave these poor people amongs the citizens, as they are they will soon go down to  the tomb of the doomd man & the race will become extinct -- Some  gentlemen here have  taken fancy to some of the young Indians on their Ranches & raised them up as I advice they should be & I  assure you almost in all cases they equal in Smartness any white boys of their age -- I have  no time to digest  any plans to be carried into execution except indeed the very skeleton of it & this I have presented above merely to go by this Steamer as hints of what I suppose is the only thing which can  be done to do them any good or to  reflect any  credit on the  U.S.  If these hints should meet your approbation & you will signify so much to me I will endeavour to elaborate a System on a basis that after improvements; as we gain experience may be added till a System more beneficial than the old one is fully established & put in operation the old plan has proved producted of but little good the one I propose I feel no hesitation would greatly improve the old  & new lights in time unquestionably would be elucidated to improve this.  I write in the greatest haste as the mail now closes here for the Steamer in a few minites.  yours

John Wilson

Indian agent at the Salt Lake

California

P.S.

By the way has Col. Johnson all the control west of the Sierra or have I any control over his actions?   answer

Letters from Nevada Indian Agents 1849-1861 (1981): 1849;  1850;  1851;  1852;  1853;  1854;  1855;  1856;  1857;  1858;  1859;  1860;  1861