Redwood History Basic Data

1. Lewis K. Wood, The Discovery of Humboldt Bay, A Narrative (Eureka, 1872), p. 38. Wood shows that Gregg's party at the mouth of the South Fork of the Trinity encountered Indians, who appeared to have some hostile intentions. But the Indians were pacified, after taking note of the Americans' skill with their firearms. At Trinidad, the Indians were friendly.

2. Coy, The Humboldt Bay Region, p. 137; Alta California, Aug. 20, 22, 1850.

3. Bledsoe, History of Del Norte County, p. 7. Other members of the Tompkins party were: Robert L. Williams, Capt. McDermott, Charles Moore, Thomas J. Roach, Charles Wilson, Charles Southard, the Swain brothers, Taggart, George Wood, W. T. Stevens, Wm. Rumley, W. A. J. Moore, Jerry Lane, John Cox, S. S. Whipple, J. W. Bourke, James Buck, and several others.

4. Ibid., pp. 7-8.

5. Ibid., p. 9.

6. Ibid.

7. Coy, The Humboldt Bay Region, p. 138.

8. At its start the expedition consisted of 70 men, 140 mules and horses, and 160 head of cattle.

9. Department of the Interior, Report, March 17, 1953 (Serial 688), Doc. 4), pp. 134-155.

10. Ibid., pp. 158-162.

11. Ibid., pp. 166-169.

12. Ibid., p. 284.

13. Assembly Journal, 3d Sess. (1852), pp. 43, 45, 202-205, 396-397; Dept. of the Interior, Report, March 17, 1853 (Serial 688, Dec. 4), pp. 308, 310.

14. President, Annual Message, Dec. 6, 1852 (Series 673), pp. 10, 32.

15. Coy, The Humboldt Bay Region, pp. 141-142.

16. Alta California, March 21, 1852: Senate Journal, 3d Sess. (1852), p. 711; Elliott, Humboldt County, p. 163.

17. Bledsoe, History of Del Norte, p. 28.

18. Ibid., p. 29. Chetco was in Oregon Territory, 24 miles up the coast.

19. Ibid., pp. 29-30. Jim was Black Mow's son, while the Chetco's name was Narpa.

20. Included in the posse were: T. B. Thorp, Israel Deitrich, T. H. McGrew, J. R. Sloan, M. H Ritchie, J. B. Rosborough, and Leaks.

21. Ibid., pp. 29-30. The jury consisted of: D. W. McComb, J. B. Taylor, J. F. Wendell, T. B. Thorp, Richard Barnes, Jacob Lance, M. G. Tucker, T. S. Sanford, T. S. Pomeroy, John Miller, J. R. Sloan, and Benjamin West.

22. Ibid., pp. 30-31. In the 1850s the Klamath County judicial system provided but few sittings of the court; consequently, prisoners lodged in jail awaiting trial were likely to escape. The Crescent City jail was a frame structure, which afforded but scant security against escapes by the inmates. Rather than risk losing the opportunity to punish criminals, the citizens preferred to take the law into their own hands.

23. Ibid., p. 31.

24. Committee members were: Dr. Meyers., John Leverton, John Vaughn, and W. Carman.

25. Ibid., pp. 31-32.

26. Humboldt Times, Jan. 13, 20, 27, 1855; Anthony J. Bledsoe, Indian Wars of the Northwest (San Francisco, 1885), pp. 163-165; Rosborough to Henley, Feb. 4, 1855, National Archives, Record Group 75, Letters Received by Office of Indian Affairs, California Superintendency. Among the whites killed in the attack were: C. Dunham, _____Proctor, Thomas O'Neal, John Smith, and William Wheeler. The wounded were: William Lamb and James Johnson. Lamb failed to recover and died on February 3.

27. Wool to Thomas, Feb. 26, 1855, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt. Captain Buchanan reported that he had recalled Judah's company, because he could not supply it at this "season of the year." Lorenzo Thomas was acting Adjutant General of the Army at this time.

28. Rosborough to Henley, Feb. 4, 1855, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.

29. Ibid.

30. Henley to Montgomery, Feb. 23, 1855, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.

31. Rosborough to Henley, Feb. 22, 1855, NA, RG75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.

32. Ibid.

33. Wool to Davis, April 11, 1855, NA, RG 75, 01A, Calif. Supt. Jefferson Davis was Secretary of War in President Franklin Pierce's administration.

34. Ibid. Judah was incensed when subsequently he learned that the Underwoods and their men had made claims on the government for their pay while in service.

35. Ibid.

36. Ibid.; Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior, 1886, pp. 302-303; Bledsoe, Indian Wars of the Northwest, pp. 166-176.

37. Whipple to Henley, June 19, 1855, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.

38. Ibid. Klamath County was established in February 1850. At this time it included all of present day Del Norte and parts of Humboldt and Siskiyou counties.

39. Wool to Henley, Aug. 10, 1855, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.

40. Henley to Montgomery, July 16, 1855, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., Calif. Supt.

41. Henley to Mix, Oct. 4, 1855, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt. C. E. Mix was Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

42.

43. Whipple to Henley, Sept. 27, 1855, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.

44. Ibid.

45. Henley to Wool, Oct. 16, and Henley to Manypenny, Oct. 20, 1855, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.

46. Ibid.

47. Henley to Manypenny, Oct. 20, 1855, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.

48. Bledsoe, History of Del Norte County, p. 35.

49. Alexander Hamilton to President Pierce, Sept. 27, 1856, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.; Heintzelman to Crook, Dec. 15, 1857, NA, RG 98, Ltrs. Recd., Dept. of the Pacific. In getting the Tolowa to remove to Wilson Creek, Whipple had been assisted by the military.

50. Memo. received by Commissioner of Indian Affairs, April 18, 1857, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.

51. Henley to Denver, May 19, 1857, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt. Denver had been named Commissioner of Indian Affairs by President Buchanan in March 1857.

52. Henley to Heintzelman, May 19, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.

53. Ibid.

54. Heintzelman to Henley, Aug. 3, 1857, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd., 01A, Calif. Supt.

55. Henley to Heintzelman, Aug. 10, 1857, NA, RG 75, Ltrs. Recd,, 01A, Calif. Supt.