Papoose Meadows Conflict

Papoose Meadows, 1914.
Papoose Meadows, 1914.

During the 1860s, a state of uneasiness existed between the Indians and the new settlers. Because of the hostilities, the settlers were suspicious of unusual Indian activities. In June 1866, Joe Hale, who had been hunting in the mountains, returned to Susanville and stated that he had seen some Indians who might be selling ammunition to another group of renegade Indians. The latter group, purportedly, were planning a possible attack in the Summit Lake country of Nevada. The following day, a party of men from Susanville consisting of Joe Hale, Byron B. Gray, Charlie Drum and E.V. Spencer went to investigate Hale’s observation. On the return trip from the rendezvous they stopped at Papoose Meadows where they found a group of Indians camped.

What actually happened at Papoose Meadows has never been clearly revealed. It was reported that Hale’s company killed anywhere from four to ten Indians, with at least one Indian escaping. That Indian was later identified as Joaquin (who became a distinguished member of the local Paiute tribe, better known as Old Man Joaquin). It was also reported that, before the conflict, an old Indian woman fled the scene but returned to the camp the next morning to see what had happened. The woman heard a baby (a papoose) whimpering and she found the child safe in a basket. Upon further investigation she discovered a trail of blood. She followed the trail and found the injured Joaquin.

It remains a mystery whether or not the Indians were involved in selling ammunition. Some reports state they were, while another version has it that they were “friendly” and were at Papoose Meadows only to hunt and gather roots.

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