Today in History:

405 Series I Volume L-I Serial 105 - Pacific Part I

Page 405 Chapter LXII. EXPEDITIIONS TO PYRAMID AND WALKER'S LAKES.

II. Lieutenant William H. Clark, Compny E, First Battalion Nevada Volunteer Cavalry, with fifty mounted men of his company, will report to and accompany Captain Wallace.

* * * * *

IV. Captains Wallace and Wells will report to the commanding g officer for instructions.

By order of Major C. McDermit, Second Cavalry California Volunteers, commanding post:

DANIEL VANDERHOOF,

First Lieutenant Company C, First Nevada Vil. Infty., Post Adjutant.

FORT CHURCHILL, NEV., March 20, 1865.

I have the honor to report that in acocrdance with the above order I took uop the line of march at 5 o'clock on the morning of the 12th instant. I ad along with my command twelve friendly Indians and a white man to act as guides. My whole force was thirty- seven infantry of my own company and fifty cavalry Company E, Nevada Volunteers, under Lieutenant Wiliam H. Clakr. I arrivedthe first day at Mason's rach, on Walker River, distant from Fort Churchill eighteen miles. I was there joined by about twenty friendly Indians who wished to go along with the expedition. I informed them that I had no use for them and no supplies, and they then turned back. I started from Mason'; s rach at 6 a. m. on the 13th, and traveled up the Walker River fourteen miles to the junction of the East and West Walkier; thence up the West Fork four miles to the crossin g ; crossed the river and camped on the east side at Wilson's ranch, a distane of eithteen miles from Mason's ranch. Left Wilson's at 5 a. m. of the 14th; traveled fifteen miles and camped on Wheeler's rach on the west side of the East Fork of Walker River. The settlers here said that the murderers of Stewart and Rabe and their friends, about 300 strong, were camped at the foot of Walker Lake, but knew nothing of my coming, having thus far misled the m by saying that I was on my way to Aurora. To get to where the Indians were at the foot of the lake I had to cross a range of mountains where it was impossible to get teams over and the trail was very little traveled. The Indian's camp was distant from this point (Wheeler's ranch) thirty miles, twenty miles to the lake and ten miles down to the camp, and no food for our aanimals on the way. I had no packsaddles with me, and on the morning of the 15th I sent out men and borrowed five saddles of the settlers. I then ordereed the men to provide themselves with two days' cooked rations, as I did not wish to build any fires after leaving camp until the Indians could be surrounded. I was getting everything ready for an earrly start in the morning when about 11 o'clock an Indian courier arrived with the news that he waqs sent by Josephus (a friendly chief), who was watching out for th murderers at the head of the lake, to let me know that they has conight before. Placing full reliance upon this information, I immediately acted upon it, and left Wheeler's rach at 12 m. Went one miled down the East Fork of Walker River and crossed. From here I sent the infantry, under commnand of Lieutenant G. J. Lansing, across by a trail with a guide, and I took the cavalry and went around by the road a distance of twenty- five miles. The infantry made it in fifteen miles to a tollhouse on the Wellington road, which had been uninhabited for some months. It was situated in a very deep canon two miles from the mouth and eight from the head of the lake. I arrived at the tollhouse about 8 in the evening, and the infantty came in about fifteen minutes


Page 405 Chapter LXII. EXPEDITIIONS TO PYRAMID AND WALKER'S LAKES.