[L., Letter from Fort Ruby, Sacramento Union, August 13, 1863]

 

LETTER FROM FORT RUBY.

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[CORRESPONDENCE OF THE UNION.]

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Execution of Indians.

FORT RUBY (N. T.), July 28, 1863.

            The dull routine of camp life was somewhat changed to-day by the excitement attendant upon the hanging of an Indian. The circumstances attending the cause, arrest and hanging, are these : Last August, two emigrant families in passing down the Humboldt were attacked by Indians and all killed — nine in number — on the spot, except one little girl ten years of age, who was reserved for a much worse fate, and finally a horrible death. On the arrival of the troops here last September, every effort was made by Colonel Connor to find and bring the murderers to justice, but without success. However, a friendly Indian was found who knew the parties concerned in the massacre and promised to give all the information he could get in regard to them, and this is the first result. It was ascertained that one of the leaders of the band was at a camp about twenty miles from the post, and four miles from the first station west — "Jacobs' Wells." Captain Brown, who arrived at this post on the 24th of July, in command of Company L, Second Cavalry, California Volunteers, and who had done such good service in the Owen's River country, was just the best man to go on such an errand. The next morning he, with one sergeant and three privates, disguised as emigrants, started for the Indian camp, which was near a by-road traveled by emigrants, to get grass and water. Falling in with a train on the road served their purpose, and at "camping time " they all "turned out their stock" near the Indian "lodge." All the men who were not engaged then took a walk with Captain Brown and his men to see the Indians ;and they, expecting nothing of the kind, were soon surrounded by the party; when the station keeper, who was to identify the guilty party, was sent for to the train ; and a few minutes sufficed to secure the captive. His squaw, finding that he had allowed himself to be thus easily "trapped," threw dirt upon him in token of her utter contempt, as she had been opposed to remaining so near the soldiers' camp. The squaw also threw dirt upon Captain Brown ; but he was too gallant a soldier and gentleman to resent such an insult from a lady, and left the lodge with his prisoner without any further demonstrations of hostility.

            Arriving at "Jacobs' "Wells " Station, the Captain had the Indian's legs tied together with a six-strand hair rope, and sat him down to have something to eat. While thus engaged, he employed himself in cutting the bands from his feet, which he accomplished by the time he finished his supper, and when he was raised to his feet to be put on a horse to start from camp, he bounded from the guard and was off like a deer. He could have been easily shot down, but that was too easy a death for such a villain, and private John Young gave chase, and fully verified the adage that ''blood will tell," and soon overtook and grappled with him, when a sharp struggle ensued for the possession of the soldier's pistol; but help was soon at hand and that matter decided, and the party started for the post, where they arrived at 7 o'clock a. m, with the prisoner. He was heavily ironed and placed in the guard house. Major Gallagher immediately dispatched a messenger for the chief of the tribe, and the interpreter, who were some thirty miles down the valley. When they arrived the prisoner was fully identified as one of the leaders in the attack. Full particulars were obtained in regard to the other Indians engaged in the bloody work, and their "shift" and rope will be as short as his — if we can only catch them. An Indian has a great horror of being hung, and this one begged hard to be shot, pleading to be allowed to run, and in the act be shot, by the soldiers. But all his pleadings were in vain, and at 6 1/2 o'clock p. m. he was on his way to some other "hunting grounds." The old chief Timmack, with about thirty of the tribe, were present, and all acknowledged the justice of the sentence, saving that he was a bad Indian, and they were glad he was killed. Alter dark the body disappeared, and the surgeons at the post are suspicioned of knowing something about what became of it.

Other Matters.

            Lieutenant Colonel J. B. Moore, in command of Companies A, B and D, Third Infantry, California Volunteers, arrived here recently, and will await further orders. General Connor is expected here in a few days. He is now on a trip north of Salt Lake City, to meet and make a treaty with the famous Bear river Chief, Pocatello. There will then remain on the Overland route but the small band of Goshutes to subdue and treat with, and then — but I will not anticipate.

            Captain Smith is still out with his company in the Goshute country, and we hope soon to hear of his surprising them again as he has several times before, when we have no doubt but what they will sue for peace. But now I must not close this without referring to Captain Brown's trip from Fort Churchill to this post. He made the trip in ten days, and stopped at Reese river long enough to administer the oath to a reluctant "Secesh," late Probate Judge. It happened in this wise : P. B. Ladd, who for some time had disgraced the name and calling of Probate Judge of Lander county (N. T.), was dismissed therefrom for disloyalty [Resigned, he calls it.—Eds. Union], and other causes, and since then had boldly expressed his traitorous feelings and sympathies. This coming to the ears of Captain Brown, together with a copy of a rather singular public document headed thus: "County of Lander, Territory of Nevada, Fractional Government of the United States," etc., drawn up by the late Judge, was rather too much for a good Union officer to let pass unnoticed, and so Ladd was arrested and called to account. When arrested, he denied the right of Captain Brown to detain him or make the arrest at all, and claimed, as all cowardly traitors do, that he was "just as good a Union man as anybody;" but still he refused to take the oath of allegiance to maintain that Union. But Captain Brown was firm in his demand, and offered the traitor but one alternative — to either take the oath, or pay a visit to the guard house at Fort Ruby. Then he asked time to consult with his friends, and appealing to Jacobs, the Postmaster at Jacobsville, as one of the most prominent in the Secesh ranks, he asked to know if his brother Democrats could blame him for taking the oath of allegiance to his country. What a question for a citizen of the United States to ask ! But the answer was characteristic. "" Certainly not," replied Jacobs, because you will be under no obligations to keep such an oath, taken under protest and compulsion." So Ladd took the oath, and it is to be hoped that more of his kind may be made to go and do likewise.

            I wonder if there is no man in Lander county who could and would fill the place of Jacobs as Postmaster, whose loyalty could not be called in question, as is Jacobs. He is not only disloyal, but notoriously incompetent and neglectful. Union men of Lander county and Reese river, should purge themselves of all such men in office by petition for their removal, and show faith by their works.

L.