Bedford Inquirer

For the Inquirer.

California News.

Genoa, Carson Valley, Cal., May 27, 1860.

Mr. Editor: I will endeavor to give you some of the news of this country, and ask you to give my letter an insertion in your paper for the benefit of my numerous friends. I have a great many friends to whom I would like to write, but can't take time to do so, and if you will give my letter a place in your columns, you will honor and oblige your humble servant.

No doubt you hear large stories of the discovery of rich silver and gold mines in this country, known as the 'Washoe Country,' the 'Eastern Slope,' etc. And no doubt you have heard by this time of Indian troubles in this country, and of a bloody battle being fought between the whites and Indians on the 12th of this month, in which the whites were badly defeated. Through the Pony Express and the telegraph, the above news has no doubt been spread throughout the whole Union, and I have no doubt but that said news, and all other news from this country reaches the Atlantic States in an exaggerated form, as a story seldom loses by travelling. I know that a great many people in this country would sooner tell a lie on credit than tell the truth for cash. What little I tell you shall be the truth to the best of my knowledge. I will try to present things exactly as they are. There has been a small bit of an Indian war stirred up in this country, and no mistake; and it will retard the progress and development of it to some extent, no doubt, but I don't think it will amount to much, though some valuable lives have been lost already, and the probability is that more will be before the savages are subdued. The first outbreak was the murder of three men and the burning of a station on the mail route and emigrant road about 60 miles east of this town, at the great bend of Carson River. The house was burned, and the bones of the three men were found in the ashes. The station was kept by three brothers, named Williams. There is a report of a more brutal outrage having been committed against the Indians by the men of said station, for the truth of which I cannot vouch, but there is no doubt the murder was committed by the Indians, as a large herd of cattle was driven off by them at the same time from the same vicinity. On the strength of this, a volunteer force of 105 men were raised in five little towns in these valleys, viz: Genoa, Carson City, Silver City, Gold Hill, and Virginia City. They were not mounted on very good horses, and rather poorly equipped, both in regard to arms, ammunition and provisions. I don't think they calculated to have a fight; they thought it was only necessary to go out and show themselves, frighten the Indians away, and take their horses. They followed the trail of the cattle driven off by the Indians about 100 miles north of this, to near Pyramid Lake, the sink of Truckee River, where they met, as they suppose, about 600 Indian warriors, who gave them a very warm reception. Our men stood them no show at all; the most of them were badly scared, and didn't half fight. A friend of mine who was in the battle, says that on the retreat he picked up a loaded rifle which had been carried to the war by a Dutchman, and, from the appearance of the gun he was satisfied that it had not been fired at all. The Dutchman escaped unhurt, and claimed his rifle after my friend (Bob Pooler) had carried it all night. The battle was fought in the evening, and night coming on, enabled many to secrete themselves and escape. The Indians followed the whites in hot pursuit for 20 miles, and no doubt slew a good many on the retreat. Our men were coming straggling in like lost sheep for a week after the battle. The leader of the expedition, Maj. Ormsby, one of our best citizens, is still missing, and supposed to be killed; he was known to be wounded, and three horses shot under him. But three of the returned warriors brought their horses with them. Nearly all their accoutrements fell into the hands of the Indians. 25 or 30 men are yet missing, supposed to be killed. About 800 men, part Uncle Sam's men, and part volunteers, have started out against the Indians the past week.

In regard to the mines, there are some very rich silver mines in operation, gold mixed with the silver in the same rock or ore. The ore has to be crushed in a mill or smelted in a furnace to extract the metal. The ore taken out of some of the mines is worth $3,000 per ton.

Mines that can be worked on a cheap scale are scarce, and I would say to my friends who have anything of a chance of making a comfortable living in the old States, stay there and persevere. The wages for laboring men here are about $40 per month and board; mechanics $4, and board themselves. I am getting $2 a day and boarded, driving an ox-team, hauling sawlogs. Good bye.

Your friend,

JNO. T. PIPER.