1860 Wiyot massacre facts for kids
The Wiyot massacre was a terrible event that happened on February 26, 1860. It took place at a place called Tuluwat, also known as Indian Island. This island is near Eureka in Humboldt County, California. Early that morning, groups of settlers attacked Wiyot people. They killed between 80 and 250 Wiyot individuals. These attacks were planned and happened at the same time. More attacks on other Wiyot villages followed later that week.
Contents
Understanding the Wiyot Massacre
Why the Attack Happened
People had been moving into the area since the California Gold Rush, about 10 years before the massacre. The Wiyot people were peaceful. They had never fought with the white settlers. They were not expecting an attack.
Before the killings, there had been two years of problems. Some local white settlers were hostile towards the people on Indian Island. Local newspapers also printed angry articles. Volunteer groups of settlers were formed. Problems grew between local Native Americans and settlers. Settlers' cattle would wander onto Native American lands. The Wiyot people used the cattle, and the cattle owners got angry.
The Night of the Attack
On the night of February 26, 1860, a small group of settlers crossed Humboldt Bay. They wanted to avoid being noticed by people in nearby Eureka. Many Eureka residents might not have agreed with the killings. So, the attackers mainly used hatchets, clubs, and knives. Some guns were also used. A few Eureka residents reported hearing shots that night. However, most people did not know about the attack right away. News reports said that only adult men were shot. Handheld weapons were used against women and children.
Who Was Lost
The Wiyot Tribe believes that 80 to 250 Wiyot people were killed. Another estimate says about 150 Native American people died. Most of the strong, adult Wiyot men were away. They were gathering supplies for a special event called the World Renewal Ceremony. This ceremony usually lasted seven to ten days. The men traditionally left at night for supplies while elders, women, and children slept. This is why most of the victims were children, women, and older men. The Wiyot people were mostly defenseless.
Who Survived
Only a few people survived the attacks.
- One woman, Jane Sam, hid in a trash pile and lived.
- Two cousins, Matilda and Nancy Spear, hid with their three children. They were on the west side of the island. Later, they found seven other children who were still alive.
- A young boy named Jerry James was found alive in his dead mother's arms.
- Polly Steve was badly hurt and left for dead. But she recovered.
- Mad River Billy was one of the few Wiyot men on the island during the attack. He jumped into the bay and swam to safety in Eureka.
- Another woman, Kaiquaish (also known as Josephine Beach), and her eleven-month-old son William survived. They were not on the island when the attack happened. Kaiquaish had left in a canoe with her son for the ceremonies. But she got lost in the fog and had to go home before the attacks began.
Other Attacks That Day
The attack on Tuluwat/Indian Island was part of a bigger plan. Other Wiyot villages were attacked at the same time. This included a camp on the Eel River. On the same day, the same group reportedly killed 58 more people at South Beach. This was about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Eureka. Many of these women worked for white families and spoke good English.
On February 28, 1860, 40 more Wiyot people were killed on the South Fork of the Eel River. A few days later, 35 more were killed at Eagle Prairie. Newspapers outside Humboldt County strongly criticized these attacks. However, no one was ever punished for the murders.
Bret Harte wrote an article against the massacre from Uniontown (now Arcata, California). He soon had to leave the area because people threatened his life. Several important local citizens also wrote letters to the San Francisco newspapers. They angrily condemned the attacks and named people they suspected were involved.
Why It Happened: The Real Reasons
The local sheriff, Barrant Van Ness, wrote in a newspaper that the attacks were revenge for cattle stealing. Ranchers in the inland valleys claimed that Native Americans had stolen or killed a lot of their cattle. One rancher was killed while chasing suspected thieves. However, the area where the ranches were located was home to the Nongatl tribe, not the Wiyot. So, the Wiyot people killed in the massacre were not responsible for any cattle stealing.
Major Gabriel J. Rains, who was in charge of Fort Humboldt, reported on the situation. He said a local group of vigilantes wanted to "kill every peaceable Indian - man, woman, and child." These vigilantes called themselves the Humboldt Volunteers, Second Brigade. They formed in early February 1860 in Hydesville, a ranching town. They spent most of February attacking Native Americans along the Eel River.
A request was sent to California Governor John G. Downey. It asked for the Humboldt Volunteers to become official soldiers and get paid. Governor Downey said no. He stated that the U.S. Army was sending more soldiers to Fort Humboldt.
Later letters to Governor Downey showed the true reason for the massacres. The volunteer group wanted to be officially recognized by the state. This would make them eligible for state money. A rancher named E. L. Daivs wrote to Downey after the massacre. He said that if they didn't get state protection, they would "fight our own battles in our own way-- exterminate the Indians from the face of the earth." He added that the attack on Indian Island was "only a beginning."
What Happened After
The Wiyot Tribe says their people were not allowed to return to the island or their other lands. Soldiers from Fort Humboldt took many of the Wiyot survivors to the fort for safety. Later, they were moved to the Klamath River Reservation.
However, the Wiyot people did not leave their homeland without trying to return. Many Wiyot people came back home soon after arriving at the Fort. Attacks on white settlements were stronger in areas where fewer white people lived.
Recently, the Wiyot people have been buying back their land. They want to perform their annual World Renewal Ceremony there again.
