Owens Valley Indian War

Owens Valley Indian War
Part of the American Indian Wars
Date1862–1867
LocationOwens Valley, California
Result United States victory
Belligerents
 United States Owens Valley Paiute
Shoshone
Kawaiisu
Tübatulabal
Commanders and leaders
William Mayfield +
United States George S. Evans
United States Herman Noble
United States Moses A. McLaughlin
Captain George
Joaquin Jim
Shondow +
Tinemba
Strength
2-3 Companies of 2nd Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry
60 Mayfield's militia
+500 Owens Valley Paiute
Casualties and losses
60 200

The Owens Valley War was fought between 1862 and 1863, by California Volunteers and local settlers against the Owens Valley Paiutes, and their Shoshone and Kawaiisu allies, in the Owens Valley of California and the southwestern Nevada border region.[1] The removal of a large number of the Owens River Indians to Fort Tejon in 1863, was considered the end of the war. However minor hostilities continued to flare now and then until 1867.

Origins of the conflict

During the winter of 1861-1862, in the Owens Valley, the storms that produced the Great Flood of 1862 resulted in snow and flooding conditions in the surrounding mountains and as far to the east as the Mono County seat at Aurora. There had been light snowfall in November, then mild weather until Christmas Eve when it began a heavy and rapid snowfall for days, the temperature dropped below zero and the passes over the Sierra were closed. During the second week of January it warmed slightly and the snow became a torrential rain. Creeks overflowed their banks, flooding low lying areas. After a week it cooled again and snow began to fall again. Within a few days the snow was deeper than it had been before the rains had begun to fall. Samuel Young of Aurora, recorded in his diary that the snow and rain had fallen for twenty six days out of thirty since December 24, 1861.[2]

This cold weather and flooding resulted in the local Paiute suffering the loss of much of the game they depended on. Additionally, the cattle driven into the Owens Valley in 1861 to feed the Aurora miners, competed with the native grazers. They also ate the native wild plant crops the Paiute irrigated and depended on as a staple to survive. Starving, the Paiute began to kill the cattle and conflict with the cattlemen began, leading to the subsequent Owens Valley Indian War.

Events, skirmishes and battles of the Owens Valley Indian War

Beginning of hostilities

Evans' first campaign

Evans' second campaign

First attempt at peace

Owens Valley Indians return to war

"The captain will halt a few days in the upper end of the valley, where the difficulties are said to exist, and investigate the matter, and if the position of the Indians should be found as favorable as represented, if deemed advisable will give them battle. The captain will have about forty men, with arms to arm twenty more. This, with the number of citizens that will join him from Keysville, will give him a force sufficient to handle any number of Indians that he will be likely to meet at that place."[5] - April 12, 1863.

McLaughlin's campaign

Captain George and others surrender, Paiute removed to Fort Tejon, Camp Independence abandoned

Apparent peace, mining rush, new settlements and minor incidents

"The valley is fast filling up with settlers and miners, and no fear is entertained of Indians as far up as Bishop Creek, which is the highest settlement in the valley. There the people are very uneasy, and fear to travel to and from Aurora, from whence their supplies are obtained. I would therefore respectfully recommend that so soon as the grass is sufficiently good that a force be sent into the valley to be stationed between Bishop Creek and Aurora, where the greater portion of the Indians supposed to be now in the valley are congregated."[14]

New trouble

"Honorable IRVIN McDOWELL,
"Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Coast, &c.:
"The undersigned, your petitioners, would most respectfully represent that they are now and have been citizens and residents of Owen's Valley for the last past twelve months, and a number of your peititioners for a much longer time. Your petitioners would state that said valley is situated in Mono County, State of California; that said valley is about 100 miles in length; that there are a number of towns and villages situated in said valley, and also many persons, of whom your petitioners form a part, engaged in farming; that the whole white population now resident therein may be about 250 souls; that this population is so sparse and scattered over such a large extent of country that in case of trouble with the Indians upon a sudden emergency they would be wholy unable to render material aid to each other. It is well known to the military headquarters at San Francisco that this valley has been for the last two or three years the scene of many Indian outrages and depredations, and that those who are now residents of the valley live in continual fear of an outbreak of the Indians, which, if it should occur, must necessarily result in the shedding of much innocent blood, as we have now among us many families of women and children. Your petitioners would further represent that the notorious Joaquin Jim, chief of the Pi-Utes in this region since the removal of Captain George to Fort Tejon, with his own particular adherents, together with many fugitives from Fort Tejon and renegades from Captain George's tribe or division, are now settled in our midst; that is to say, on Bishop's Creek, near Owensville and upon the identical ground upon which Mr. Scott, sheriff of this county, and Colonel Mayfield were killed some two years ago. It is a well-known fact that Joaquin Jim is now and ever has been an uncompromising enemy of the whites; that he refused to emigrate with his people under treaty made with the U. S. authorities; that the many murders and outrages committed in this valley since the withdrawal of Government troops from this locality is traceable to the implacable animosity of this captain or chief to our people. In view of the premises, feeling uneasey and insecure in our settlement, being as we are scattered over a wide extent of country, with helpless women and children among us, we would most respectfully pray that if compatible with the public service you would order to this locality one company of dragoons with such dispatch that the Indians, may be intimidated, and that your petitioners may rest in security; and your petitioners in duty bound will ever pray, &c."
"WM. P. GEORGE,
"J. H. SMITH,
"S. JACKSON,
[AND 37 OTHERS.]"[17]
"Sir: In accordance with orders from headquarters Department of the Pacific, I have the honor to make the following report relative to the Indians in Owen's River Valley: I found Indian supplies in the valley not good, and the most of the Indians had left for the mountains. The Indian agent invited them to come in. Sixteen came and made the following report: They said they had been maltreated by the whites in various ways. To use their own language, they said Americans no good men. Hire Indian, and not pay him according to agreement. I learned from Mr. Maloney, one of the present proprietors of Camp Independence, that the settlers of the valley were in the habit of sending to the Tule River Reservation for Indians to come and work for them, and when they would get them there decline paying them, and after a certain length of time drive them from their claims and cabins without pay or allowance. The Indians said they would retaliate and drive the whites out of the valley. From what I could learn from the best authority (white settlers), I find that unless troops are sent there the whites will have to leave the upper portion of the valley, as all the men connected with mining in White Mountain and vicinity had to leave on account of the Indians, supposed to be Captain Joaquin's party, composed of Pi-Utes and Owen's River Indians, and they are determined (so say peaceable Indians) to drive the whites out of the valley. From conversation with Indians left in the valley we were informed that all the Indians capable of doing duty as warriors left for the mountains, leaving those that could not fight to take care of themselves. These Indians say they will go to Tule River Reservation if war commences. I believe the Indians have not been properly treated by the whites in Owen's River Valley, and I think, by all the information I could gather, that unless troops are sent there an outbreak by the Indians is inevitable."[18]

Haiwai Meadows Outbreak

End of Owens Valley warfare

References

  1. Captain John W. Key, V., U. S. Army Reserve, The Owens Valley Indian War, 1861-1865, Submitted to the Faculty of U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. 1979
  2. Roger D. McGrath, Gunfighters, Highwaymen, and Vigilantes: Violence on the Frontier, University of California Press, 1987. p.20]
  3. McGrath, Gunfighters,..., p. 33
  4. McGrath, Gunfighters,..., pp. 33-34
  5. Official Records of the War of the Rebellion Series I, vol. 50, Parts 2, p. 386. Colonel R. C. DRUM, Asst. Adjt. General, Dept. of the Pacific to WM. JONES, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Camp Babbitt
  6. War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volume L, Part I, p. 210
  7. War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volume L, Part I, pp. 210-212
  8. McGrath, Gunfighters, ..., p.42
  9. McGrath, Gunfighters, p.42, Note 93. Visalia Delta, 27 August 1863; Inyo Register, 5 March 1914
  10. McGrath, Gunfighters, p.42, Note 94. Inyo Register, 5 March 1914
  11. McGrath, Gunfighters, p.42, Note 95. Inyo Register, 5 March 1914; San Francisco Daily Evening Post, 22 November 1879
  12. McGrath, Gunfighters, p.42, Note 97. Visalia Delta, 24 September 1863; San Francisco Daily Evening Post, 22 November 1879; Ezra D. Merriam's personal account in the Henry G. Hanks manuscript collection as quoted in the Inyo Register, 5 March 1914
  13. Chalfant, The story of Inyo, pp. 157-159
  14. War of the Rebellion, Series I, Vol. L, Pt. 2, p.699
  15. Chalfant, The story of Inyo, pp. 163-164
  16. McGrath, Gunfighters,..., p. 46
  17. War of the Rebellion: Series 1, vol 50, Part 2, pp.1081-1082
  18. War of the Rebellion, Series I, Vol. 50, Part 2, p.1083-1084
  19. War of the Rebellion, Series I, Vol. 50, Part 2, p.1085
  20. McGrath, Gunfighters,... p.49
  21. McGrath, Gunfighters,... p.49
  22. War of the Rebellion, Series I, Vol. 50, Part.2, p.1166
  23. War of the Rebellion, Series I, Vol. 50, Part.2, p.1166
  24. Records of California Men, p. 169
  25. Daily Alta California, [San Francisco] June 11, 1866; 1:3
  26. Records of California Men, p. 169
  27. McGrath, Gunfighters,... p.50
  28. McGrath, Gunfighters,... p.50
  29. Chalfant, The Story of Inyo, p.188