Captain Sou
Captain Sou was the chief of a Paiute band near Unionville/[1]
In December 1865, Captain Conrad and Captain Sou[2] tracked Black Rock Tom to Fish Creek (present day Battle Creek Ranch) and in the resulting battle killed forty of Tom's band with only three survivors.[3] See Wheeler's Nevada's Black Rock Desert for a detailed description of the battle.
Below is the text from Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867:
"Remarks on Return of Company B, Second Cavalry, for November 1865.- In accordance with P.O. No. 35 dated November 12, 1865, First Lieutenant R. A. Osmer, Second Cavalry, California Volunteers, and sixty enlisted men of Company B. Second Cavalry, California Volunteers, proceeded to the Black Rock Mountains on November 13, 1865, taking with them one mountain howitzer. At Willow Creek Station, thirty-five miles from this post (Dun Glen, Nev.), seven enlisted men, who are on detached service, joined company; also two citzen, and ten Indian warriors under command of Captain "Sou" (friendly Piute). On Friday, at daybreak, attacked the India camp five miles from Black Rock Mountains, and one hundred ad five miles northwest of this post. Killed about one hundred and twenty Indians in all; of these about eighty were bucks, but the Indian allies ould not be restrained from a general slaughter, neither could a squaw be distinguished from a buck in the general fight and but one Indian si supposed to have escaped. Captured a quantity of ammunition, several guns, five Indian ponies, and destroyed a large lot of provisions. THese were the same Indians who killed and robbed the teamster two weeks ago, as some of his load was found in camp, The loss was private David W. O'Connell, killed and Sergeant Lansdon and private Moon, wounded; also one horse was wounded, but will recover. Four privates deserted the day of departure from this post. Detachment returned to this post at 6 o'clock A.M. November 20, 1865. Distance traveled, two hundred and fifty miles."[4]
Captain Sou was wounded and never fully recovered. His wife Susie, died in 1888.[5]
References
- ↑ "Prehistory and history of the Winnemucca District ," Regina C. Smith, Peggy McGuckian Jones, John R. Roney, Kathyrn E. Pedrick, p. 111-112, BLM, 1983.
- ↑ "Old Cap Susie dead," The Pacific Bee, Sacramento, p. 5, March 1, 1888.
- ↑ "History of Nevada," Robert Lewers, Weekly Nevada State Journal, p. 1, November 14, 1896
- ↑ "Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867," California. Adjutant General's Office, pp 185-186, 1890.
- ↑ "Old Cap Susie dead," The Pacific Bee, Sacramento, p. 5, March 1, 1888.