[William Naileigh, An Indian Attack on the Plains, from the Sacramento Transcript, February 1, 1851]

 

An Indian Attack on the Plains.

            Messrs. Editors: -- On perusing a late number of the Missouri Republican, I find an article giving an account of a difficulty which occurred with the Indians on the Plains, on the 15th of August last, described by a man who has spelt his name Sutter, which statement is incorrect in many particulars. Mr. Sutter, or Sowter, which is proper, was not within one hundred miles of the scene at the time ; neither had he been attached to the company since we left Salt Lake. I will here state the facts and the correct names of the party that was in the difficulty, as I have already done before, for publication in the St. Louis papers, but which I have never seen.

            On the 15th day of August last, myself and party, consisting of Wm. Barnes, Lyman Steward, Kendrick Anderson, B. M. Soule, and Chas. Rollo were crossing through a cutoff in the mountain on the head waters of the South Fork of the Humboldt River, when we came upon a camp of Indians, (the Shosones) who appeared friendly. We gave them some presents. We had but one gun in our company. The owner of that (Rollo) traded it for a mule. On leaving the camp the Indians went with us about one mile, when, by a preconcerted signal, they fell upon us, killing Mr. Barnes instantly. Mr. Soule was next wounded with an arrow. We then made an attempt to frighten them, but were compelled to retreat. Mr. Soule and Mr. Anderson were the only ones that were mounted. After running two or three hundred yards we rallied again, when Mr. Anderson was shot from his horse : he fell dead. I then mounted his horse, (at this time they had us in a manner surrounded,) and Mr. Soule and myself rode off together, followed by two Indians, one having a rifle, the other, bows and arrows. They fired four shots at us with the rifle ; the fourth shot Mr. Soule's horse fell. On being left on foot he started towards the mountains, and I charged at the Indians in order to get out of the mountains and gain my course The Indians did not go after Mr. Soule, but pursued me. They must have followed me 18 miles after Soule's horse was shot. They shot about thirty arrows at me, and five shots with the rifle. At the fourth fire with the rifle the ball, struck my coat. At the fifth shot, it is my opinion, they burst their gun, as I heard two distinct reports, and they followed me no further. On my arrival at the road, I made the facts known to the emigrants and the following day I succeeded in raising a company of ten, but it was so late in the day when we started that we did not arrive at the place till after dark. We returned to camp, and the following day a company of twenty men was raised; we went to the place and found the bodies of all but Soule, and buried them as well as circumstances would permit. On returning to camp we fell in with a party in the willows, and I think we killed all but one or two. The names of some of the gentlemen who went to bury my companions were Capt. Robison, of Fayette county, Ohio; Mr. Johns, of Missouri; Squire Tong, of Mo.; the balance have escaped my memory. It will be recollected that when my companions were killed we had no fire-arms with us, with the exception of a small pistol, which I had : it only served to keep them at a distance and I would not fire ; to it I am indebted for my life. Messrs. Stewart, Anderson, and Barnes, were from McHenry county, Ill.; Wm. Ralls was from Queenstown, Canada, .and Mr. Soule, I think, was from Rochester, Racine county, Wisconsin, from the address upon letters now in my possession. It is my desire that the above brief statement be published, that the friends of the deceased may know what has become of them, and to expose Sowter. I have no objection to his making himself out a hero, and in fact I would rather he had been where he represents himself to have been, than myself. Sowter obtained what he knew about the circumstances from me at Georgetown, in presence of Mr. Truesedale, the Deputy Sheriff. Sowter is a silversmith by trade, and was last heard of in San Francisco.

            Yours,

WM. NAILEIGH.