First Battle of Pyramid Lake

Part of Pyramid Lake War

Date	12 May 1860
Location	Nixon, NV
Result	Paiute victory

Belligerents

United States

Paiute

Commanders and leaders

William Ormsby †

Numaga

Strength

105 vigilantes

500 warriors

Casualties and losses

76 killed ~29 wounded

~10 wounded

Coordinates: 39°50′N 119°22′W / 39.83°N 119.36°W / 39.83; -119.36

The First Battle of Pyramid Lake in 1860 was one of the opening conflicts of the Paiute War in Nevada between the American people and the Paiute people, who had resisted the increasing numbers of migrants who traveled the California Trail through their territory, taking scarce game and water resources, as well as altercations with the Pony Express.

In 1859, the news broke that silver had been found in the huge in Washoe, a region that was then in the western part of Utah Territory, and that would soon become the territory of Nevada. Hordes of miners flooded to the mining center of Virginia City, near to Carson City. They cut down pinyon trees to make fuel for ore-processing, destroying the pine-nut "orchards" that were essential to the Paiute food economy. Hunters and trappers took big game, fish and waterfowl to feed the miners. Ranchers moved into the fertile valleys, cutting off access to places where nuts, roots and seeds could be gathered.

The Paiutes and their allies, the Bannocks and Shoshones, gathered at Pyramid Lake towards the end of April 1860 for a conference on how to deal with the encroachments of the white men. Most of the leaders spoke out for war. Chief Winnemucca (Poito), the most senior leader at the assembly, appeared to be in favor of war but refrained from taking a public position.Numaga was the only chief who spoke in favor of peace. He agreed that the white men had greatly wronged the Indians, but pointed out that given their numbers and resources the whites would be bound to win any war.

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Wikipedia