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By Chuck Williams
Ives continued exploring on foot to the west rim of the Grand Canyon, where he
described the area as “altogether valueless.” River traffic expanded in the 1860s

and 1870s going upstream as far as Eldorado Canyon and Callville but traffic be-

gan to decrease when the railroad reached the Colorado River in 1877. When the
Laguna Dam was constructed 14 miles north of Yuma in 1909 the era of paddle-
wheeler river transportation became history.

Colorado Boat Crew ~ Diamond Creek

Historian Dennis Casebier documented “Carleton’s Pah-Ute Campaign” an 1860 military action against the Paiute Indi-

ans who were harassing travelers and accused of murdering three men. Major James Henry Carleton was ordered to Mo-
jave country in California to establish order and punish the Indians. The letter of instruction provided Carleton much

leeway in how he operated “as it is impossible to ascertain the individuals or the particular band in each case of mur-
der, and is as certain that their acts are connived at by the tribes in the vicinity, the punishment must fall on those dwell-

ing nearest to the place of murder or frequenting the water course in its vicinity.” On April 19, a detachment killed two
Indians and Carleton had the bodies hung on gallows at Bitter Springs. Less

than two weeks later, three Indians were killed in another unprovoked attack.
Their heads were cut off and hung with the two bodies already displayed.

Carleton next decided to tempt the Indians to attack by traveling to Las Vegas
from Bitter Springs. The detachment came upon a small camp on May 19 at

Cottonwood Springs (now Blue Diamond) but the Indians had prudently es-
caped. As the scouts approached the old fort at Las Vegas, two mounted Indi-
ans were seen coming from the direction of the Muddy River. The Indians
made off to the neighboring mountains “as if greatly frightened.” As they were Cottonwood Springs ca 1867
passing Cottonwood Springs on their return to California “Three Indians were seen on the peaks and were beckoned to
— and called to in their own language to come down — but they hurried off as if terrified.” What is surprising is that
Carleton seemed puzzled as to why the Indians were frightened. Evidently, he had forgotten about the ghastly remains
he left displayed at Bitter Springs.

In early June Carleton received orders to remove the grisly exhibit and to prevent any additional mutilations. His heavy-
handed method appeared to have worked as, on July 2, Carleton reported that three Pah-Ute chiefs showed themselves
waving a white flag. They had come to make peace and agreed to Carleton’s terms.

Lieutenant George Wheeler conducted a military reconnaissance through Southern
Nevada in late 1869. On September 29 he camped at the mouth of the Virgin River
and noted that they had just missed seeing John Wesley Powell who had landed
there about a month prior to Wheeler’s arrival. Wheeler described the trip through
Boulder and Black Canyons in his report: “The mountain scenery in the locality, to
my idea, was the most wild, picturesque, and pleasing of any that it has ever been
my fortune to meet.” Wheeler’s group camped at Cottonwood Springs which was
described as, “a beautiful locality on the eastern slope of the Spring Mountains.”

Valley of the Virgin River ca 1871 (Continued on page 14)
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