California Indian Wars facts for kids

The California Indian Wars were a series of important conflicts. They happened between the United States Army (and sometimes the California State Militia) and the Indigenous peoples of California. These wars took place from 1850 to 1880. They started right after California became a state.

California became a U.S. territory after the Mexican–American War. The U.S. Army had very few soldiers spread across this huge area. Then, the California Gold Rush began. Many soldiers left their posts to search for gold. This made the army even weaker. Because of this, the California State Militia handled most early conflicts with Native Americans. The state asked the U.S. government to pay for these military actions. They also wanted money for damages caused by Native Americans. These claims took many decades to resolve.

Sometimes, groups of miners or settlers would act on their own. They didn't wait for official militia groups. These groups often attacked local Native American tribes. They sometimes killed many people without reason.

Later, during the American Civil War, soldiers from California and Oregon took over from federal troops. They fought in many conflicts across the West. This included battles in California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. In California, they fought in the Bald Hills War (1858-1864) and the Owens Valley Indian War (1862-1863). Small fights also happened in northeastern California into the 1870s. These involved local militias and groups like the Yahi, Yana, and Paiute.

After the Civil War, most fighting in California ended. Only a few small clashes occurred. These were in the Owens Valley and Mojave Desert. They involved groups like the Timbisha and Chemehuevi. Federal troops returned in late 1865 and early 1866. They continued military actions in remote areas. These included the Mojave Desert, Owens Valley, and the northeast. They fought against the Snakes and later the Modoc people.

Key Events and Conflicts in California's Indian Wars

This section lists important events, battles, and massacres from the California Indian Wars.

Early Conflicts: 1850-1858

Many significant events shaped the early years of conflict.

Laws and Treaties Affecting Native Americans

• Act for the Government and Protection of Indians (April 22, 1850): This law allowed settlers to continue a practice from the Californio era. It permitted the capture and forced labor of Native people. This law also led to the enslavement and trade of Native American workers. Young women and children were often taken and sold. Men and other people were frequently killed during these raids. This practice greatly harmed Native tribes during the California Gold Rush.
• Land Claims Act of 1851: This act affected Native American land rights.
• Indian Appropriation Act of March 3, 1852: This law allowed the creation of five federal military reservations. These were areas of land set aside for Native Americans.
  • Sebastian Indian Reservation was the first one established.
  • Other reservations included Nome Lakee Indian Reservation, Nome Cult Farm, Fresno Indian Farm, and Kings River Indian Farm.
• Forced Removal to Reservations: In the following years, the U.S. military or California Militia began gathering Native Americans. They forced them onto these reservations. They were kept there by force. A Superintendent of Indian Affairs was appointed to oversee them.
• Rejected Treaties: From March 1851 to January 1852, U.S. Commissioners negotiated eighteen treaties with California Native peoples. These treaties were meant to establish peace and land rights. However, the U.S. Senate secretly rejected all 18 treaties on July 7, 1852. The documents remained secret for 50 years. You can learn more at California Indian Reservations and Cessions.

Major Military Actions and Massacres

• Gila Expedition (April to September 13, 1850): This was a costly failure by the California Militia. They tried to punish the Yuma people after the Glanton Massacre. It almost caused the state to go bankrupt.
• Yuma War (1850–1853): This war started because of the Glanton Gang's mistreatment of the Yuma people. After the California expedition failed, Major Samuel P. Heintzelman led federal troops against the Yuma. He established Fort Yuma and made peace in October 1852.
  • Garra Revolt (1851): Antonio Garra led the Cahuilla and Cupeño people near Warner's Ranch. He tried to unite all Southern California tribes to drive out the Americans. Major Heintzelman, with U.S. Army soldiers and State Militia, put down the revolt. Garra was captured by the Cahuilla leader Juan Antonio.
• First Pitt River Expedition (April 28 to September 13, 1850): The U.S. Army tried to build relationships with the Achomawi (Pit River), Atsugewi (Hat Creek), and Modoc people.
• Bloody Island Massacre (May 15, 1850): About 200 Pomo people were killed by a U.S. Army group. This happened on an island in Clear Lake. It was in revenge for the killing of two settlers who had been enslaving and murdering Pomo people.
• El Dorado Indian War (1850–1851): The California State Militia fought Native Americans in El Dorado County.
• Mariposa War (1850–1851): The California State Militia fought against the Yosemites and Chowchillas.
• Bridge Gulch Massacre (April 23, 1852): More than 150 Wintu people were killed by about 70 American men. This group was led by William H. Dixon, the Trinity County sheriff. This massacre was in response to another Wintu group killing Colonel John Anderson.
• Yontoket Massacre (1853): Settlers from Crescent City massacred Tolowa people at the village of Yontocket.
• Achulet Massacre (1854): More than 65 Tolowa people were killed by settlers.
• Kaibai Creek Massacre (August 17, 1854): 42 Winnemem Wintu men, women, and children were killed. This happened at a village on Kabyai Creek.
• Klamath and Salmon River Indian War (1855): This war, also called the Klamath War or Red Cap War, was against the Yurok and Karuk people.
  • Klamath River Massacres (January 22, 1855): White settlers in Klamath County, California started a "war of extermination." This was in retaliation for the murder of six settlers and cattle theft.
  • Klamath River Reservation (established November 16, 1855): This reservation was created along the Klamath River.
• Mendocino Indian Reservation (established 1856): This reservation closed in 1866. Its residents moved to the Round Valley Reservation.
• Tule River War (1856): The State Militia fought against the Yokuts in the southern San Joaquin Valley.
  • Tule River Farm (established 1858).
• Second Pitt River Expedition (1857).

Later Conflicts: 1858-1880

Conflicts continued and changed as the state grew.

Northeast California Indian Wars (1858–1871)

Local settlers and militia groups fought against the Yana and Achomawi people.

• Spring 1859: Settlers organized an expedition against the Yahi.
• California's Pitt River Expedition (1859): Yana people were attacked, rounded up, and removed from their homeland by a state militia.
• August 5, 1861: A skirmish occurred in the Upper Pit River Valley with the Achomawi.
• August 15–22, 1861: An expedition went from Fort Crook to the Pit River.
  • August 19: A skirmish happened near Kellogg's Lake, California.
• 1865 Mill Creek Fight: 40 Yahi were killed by a settler group.
• 1865 Silva Massacre: 30 Yahi were killed by a settler group.
• 1866 Three Knolls Massacre: 40 Yahi were killed by a settler group. This included the father of Ishi, a famous Yahi man.
• 1867 Camp Seco Massacre: 45 Yahi were killed by a settler group.
• 1871 Kingsley Cave Massacre: 30 Yahi were killed by a settler group.

Bald Hills War (1858–1864)

This long war involved California Militia, settler volunteers, and U.S. Army forces. They fought against many Native American groups. These included the Chilula, Lassik, Hupa, Mattole, Nongatl, Sinkyone, Tsnungwe, Wailaki, Whilkut, and Wiyot peoples.

• Wintoon War (1858-1859).
• Federal Peacekeeping Fails, State Inaction, Settler Militia Campaigns (1859-1861).
  • 1860 Wiyot Massacre.
• 1st California Volunteer Campaign (1862).
  • Smith River Reservation (1862–1868): This served as a replacement for the flooded Klamath River Reservation. It also acted as a prisoner-of-war camp for Native Americans captured in the Bald Hills War.
• Two Years War (1863-1864).

Other Notable Conflicts

• Mendocino War (1859–1860): This war was against the Yuki.
• Bitter Spring Expedition (1860): Major James Henry Carleton and his troops attacked suspected Paiute raiders. This happened along the Los Angeles - Salt Lake Road.
• August 3–12, 1861: A scout mission went from Fort Crook to Round Valley in Mendocino County.
• Owens Valley Indian War (1862–1865): This war was against the Owens Valley Paiutes (also called Numa) and their allies.
  • Lt. Colonel Evans Campaigns.
  • Keyesville Massacre (April 19, 1863).
  • Captain McLaughlin's Campaign (April 24 - July 31, 1863).
  • Owens Lake Massacre (January 6, 1865).
• Mojave Desert Indian Campaign (1866 - 1870): Chemehuevi raids led to the killing of miners and ranchers. This happened in the San Bernardino Mountains and Mojave Desert in 1866. A San Bernardino County posse retaliated.
  • Skirmish of Rabbit Springs (1867): The Chemehuevi were defeated at Rabbit Springs by a county posse.
  • Federal Cavalry Patrols (1868-1870): Federal cavalry patrolled the Mojave Desert from Camp Cady and other posts along the Mojave Road.
• Skirmish at Rainy Springs Canyon (March 12, 1867): U.S. Cavalry from Fort Independence pursued and defeated Panamint Shoshone raiders. This happened after their raid on the Spanish Mines.

Final Conflicts: 1872-1880

• Modoc War (1872–1873): 53 Modoc warriors, led by Captain Jack, fought against 675 U.S. Army soldiers for 13 months. Major General Edward Canby was killed during a peace meeting.
• Calloway Affair of 1880: A war between the U.S. Army and the Chemehuevi was avoided. This followed the murder of Oliver P. Calloway near what is now Blythe, California.