In-Fighting Indian Fighters

Learning how the whites dealt with the native population during the early years of Del Norte County has often caused me to reflect on how I deal with people. In the case of A. French’s murder and the rushing to judgement, I have discovered other problems tend to crop up.

In this case — for a while it was the Klamath Mounted Rangers versus the Coastal Rangers.

The hanging of the three Indians did little to curb the growing tension between white settlers and local Indian tribes. Soon violence erupted during 1854-55 when 30 natives were killed along the banks of Lake Earl during various encounters.

The killings were in part due to the retaliation of the death of the white farmer French. But before the murder of French, a group of defenders were formed to protect settlers from hostile Indians.

Called the Klamath Rangers, they were formed on April 27, 1854 and comprised of 66 men. Henry Kennedy was the company’s first lieutenant and W. J. Terry as their Captain. The Muster Roll of this company is dated “From May 2 to June 5, 1854″, and shows the Klamath Mounted Rangers served that length of time in actual service.

The troop saw a great deal of action when the unit in company with the Union Volunteer’s, (now Arcata,) took the field against the Indians of the Tule Lake Region, in a short but bloody campaign.

Three times Terry wrote to Adjutant General William C. Kibbe, in regard to his command. In the first letter dated June 25, 1854, he expressed his regrets that the arms had not been received in time for the Fourth of July, as they had planned to give that glorious day a grand celebration.

He also complained another militia company had been organized, saying it was unnecessary as one company was sufficient to keep the Indians in subjection. He added that this new company called, “Coast Rangers”, under Captain Thorpe was composed of “beach combers and sailors who had no experience in the mountains.”

Evidently someone else had said the same thing to the general about the Klamath Mounted Rangers. It appears being called a beach comber and/or a sailor was quite the insult back then.

The Coastal Rangers organized themselves on May 13, 1854, under the command of Captain Thorpe. His first course of action was to write to reported to Governor John Bigler on July 12th asking for army revolvers and that his commission be sent by the next boat. Four boxes of percussion rifles and accouterments were shipped to the company November 14, adding to the twenty he had already received September 15th.

The company made good use of the arms as the Indian attacks continued from December 27 to January 29, 1855. The Coast Rangers and Klamath Rangers, together with volunteer citizens, under the command of First Lieutenant Myers engaged in several skirmishes, killing about thirty Indians and resulting in one of their own men being wounded.

Myers gave the Adjutant General a brief report of the activities by letter on March 10th, in which he informed the general that he had requested Mr. P. Bryan to make up a payroll of all the services and expenses incurred. But it seems there was some contention over the nonpayment of the officers, as the Lieutenant explained both he and the Second Lieutenant had paid their fees to the Captain to be sent in to Headquarters, but had been lax in-sending his money in.

The Lieutenant concluded his letter to the general, “…Captain Thorpe has moved away, some time back, and that I have taken command.”

It seems the Captain had better things to do than fight Indians or lead his men. Of course Thorpe wasn’t the only officer to vacate his post.

Of the three letters from Terry to the general, two were addressed from Crescent City. The third, dated October 30, 1855, however is from Yreka and signed simply William J. Terry.

From the manner in which the letter is written its apparent Headquarters was trying to call together all the State Militia in an effort to attend an Encampment  Terry told the general he would like to comply with the solicitation, however Klamath Mounted Rangers were disbanding.

After all, the company had been composed of miners, mechanics and merchants, most  having left their jobs to serve. They would be reluctant to attend the Encampment in Sacramento, preferring to return home to their families and livelihoods.

Meanwhile, residents along the Smith River feared revenge from local Indians for the execution of Black Mow, Jim and Narpa. Their paranoia led to the surveillance of Tolowa Rancheria at Yontucket, where Yurok, Rogue River, Chetco and Tolowa could be found living.

This, along with the discovery of “secret trails,” raised the whites’ suspicions. Word went out that a “possible Indian uprising” was being planned and with that the white’s decided to strike first.

Finally on New Years Day 1855, some Smith River settlers, the Klamath Mounted Rangers and the Coast Rangers, attacked the Rancheria, killing 30 natives. There were no reported injuries or deaths among the whites.

There is no further recorded activities of the Klamath Mounted Rangers other than remarks of the Adjutant General’s Report for April 1861 noted the company had been disbanded. As for the Coast Rangers they disbanded without notifying anyone and have faded into history.

Can you say: From bad to worse?