This is a story that has been thrown around in the past. I am curious if any others here have heard anything or could add any thing.
In 1878 the Bannock and Paiute tribes under Chief Buffalo Horn in southern Idaho went to war against the encroaching settlers. The Army, consisting of the 21st Infantry under Brig Gen Howard were dispatched to quell the outbreak. They engaged in running battles in southwest Idaho where Chief Buffalo Horn was killed at a place called Indian Meadows. The Indians regrouped under Chief Egan and headed for the Steen's mountains in Oregon. The Army trailed the tribe and met in a small skirmish at Trout Creek. Chief Winnemucca's daughter was educated and had befriended the Troops. She was also Paiute so she came and went within the Indian encampment. While in the Steens, she met with Col. Bernard and told them the Indians were going to turn north and meet up with the Umatillas in the Blues and join forces where they could make a great stand.
Col. Bernard then decided to dispatch 3 soldiers back to Fort Boise to mobilize the artillery and try and intercept the indian column on the John Day. The artillery failed to get there in time and the Indians once again broke and headed for the Blues where they had their last battle near Meacham.
Now for the good part. The 3 soldiers dispatched rode back to Fort Boise, when they got to the Ferry crossing they paid with gold nuggets. The ferryman was named Kenney and he relates the story that they told him. They had camped two days ride out near a spring. The next morning they awoke to find that their ponies had wandered off. They trailed them up a narrow canyon and found them. while there they discovered a crack in the canyon wall and it was pure gold. They filled there saddle bags and pockets and continued there journey. This intrigued Kenney to the point that he sold his ferry business and headed for the camp which he was pretty sure he knew. He found what he believed had been their camp and there the search began. Kenney spent the rest of his life in search. In fact they even named a mountain after him. He never found the mother lode. The soldiers continued in service and were sent to battle. 1 was killed in battle and the other two went onto Fort Umatilla, 1 went on to Portland and from there disappears. Nothing else is heard form any of them.
Many years later in a similiar story. A sheepherder was grazing a band of sheep in the same vicinity, he got flea bit and contracted Rocky Mtn. fever. The camp tender found him in camp burning up with fever, he took him back to the base camp at Twin Springs, from there they decided he needed a doctor so he was taken into Vale. He kept telling of a cache he had found, but nobody took him serious until after he died. They opened his sleeping bag and found a tote bag full of pure gold. This sparked a relentless search for many years, but no one has declared they have found it. The gold the sheepherder had was sold to the bank and was on display in a case for many years. It was wire and rough cabs like broken off stringers. I know the Grassy Mountain, Twin Springs area has been worked to death. Studying maps, and telegraph messages I have concluded that these stories may well be one in the same except for time difference.
I don't think the gold is placer. I believe it is a pure stringer that has been in a canyon wall. A dry wash, or maybe even just an outcropping. I read a book many years ago written by a lady who as a young girl, her dad and family during the depression had lived in a covered wagon, prospecting the desert and mountains of the great basin. In Nevada not far from Battle Mountain, he was prospecting an area when he stopped mid day to rest and eat his lunch. He rested near a sagebrush covered hilltop. As he ate he noticed an odd looking stick poking out of the ground near the sage. He said it was about as big around as a childs wrist and a deep rusty red color. After finishing eating he got up and kicked the stick. It was a solid gold stringer and it bent over. He broke off a large chunk and went about securing the area of his find. After some mining, he found a mother lode. eventually he sold his claim to UP Railroad, and it became one of the biggest gold finds in Nevada at that time. I think the mine is still being worked today.
Studying the geology of the surrounding area, there is a lot of silicated sandstone and ryolites. Most of the area is overlaid basalt flow. There are several claims and some gold has been found scattered throughout this area. But up one draw you find nothing but leverite, over the ridge you find entirely different rock.
I have searched for this for at least 10 years now, I haven't given up because I keep getting bits and pieces of the story. I wish I had more time and less work. This is big country and hostile at best. I have already had to hike 15 miles out once after blowing 2 perfectly good tires in one day.
In 1878 the Bannock and Paiute tribes under Chief Buffalo Horn in southern Idaho went to war against the encroaching settlers. The Army, consisting of the 21st Infantry under Brig Gen Howard were dispatched to quell the outbreak. They engaged in running battles in southwest Idaho where Chief Buffalo Horn was killed at a place called Indian Meadows. The Indians regrouped under Chief Egan and headed for the Steen's mountains in Oregon. The Army trailed the tribe and met in a small skirmish at Trout Creek. Chief Winnemucca's daughter was educated and had befriended the Troops. She was also Paiute so she came and went within the Indian encampment. While in the Steens, she met with Col. Bernard and told them the Indians were going to turn north and meet up with the Umatillas in the Blues and join forces where they could make a great stand.
Col. Bernard then decided to dispatch 3 soldiers back to Fort Boise to mobilize the artillery and try and intercept the indian column on the John Day. The artillery failed to get there in time and the Indians once again broke and headed for the Blues where they had their last battle near Meacham.
Now for the good part. The 3 soldiers dispatched rode back to Fort Boise, when they got to the Ferry crossing they paid with gold nuggets. The ferryman was named Kenney and he relates the story that they told him. They had camped two days ride out near a spring. The next morning they awoke to find that their ponies had wandered off. They trailed them up a narrow canyon and found them. while there they discovered a crack in the canyon wall and it was pure gold. They filled there saddle bags and pockets and continued there journey. This intrigued Kenney to the point that he sold his ferry business and headed for the camp which he was pretty sure he knew. He found what he believed had been their camp and there the search began. Kenney spent the rest of his life in search. In fact they even named a mountain after him. He never found the mother lode. The soldiers continued in service and were sent to battle. 1 was killed in battle and the other two went onto Fort Umatilla, 1 went on to Portland and from there disappears. Nothing else is heard form any of them.
Many years later in a similiar story. A sheepherder was grazing a band of sheep in the same vicinity, he got flea bit and contracted Rocky Mtn. fever. The camp tender found him in camp burning up with fever, he took him back to the base camp at Twin Springs, from there they decided he needed a doctor so he was taken into Vale. He kept telling of a cache he had found, but nobody took him serious until after he died. They opened his sleeping bag and found a tote bag full of pure gold. This sparked a relentless search for many years, but no one has declared they have found it. The gold the sheepherder had was sold to the bank and was on display in a case for many years. It was wire and rough cabs like broken off stringers. I know the Grassy Mountain, Twin Springs area has been worked to death. Studying maps, and telegraph messages I have concluded that these stories may well be one in the same except for time difference.
I don't think the gold is placer. I believe it is a pure stringer that has been in a canyon wall. A dry wash, or maybe even just an outcropping. I read a book many years ago written by a lady who as a young girl, her dad and family during the depression had lived in a covered wagon, prospecting the desert and mountains of the great basin. In Nevada not far from Battle Mountain, he was prospecting an area when he stopped mid day to rest and eat his lunch. He rested near a sagebrush covered hilltop. As he ate he noticed an odd looking stick poking out of the ground near the sage. He said it was about as big around as a childs wrist and a deep rusty red color. After finishing eating he got up and kicked the stick. It was a solid gold stringer and it bent over. He broke off a large chunk and went about securing the area of his find. After some mining, he found a mother lode. eventually he sold his claim to UP Railroad, and it became one of the biggest gold finds in Nevada at that time. I think the mine is still being worked today.
Studying the geology of the surrounding area, there is a lot of silicated sandstone and ryolites. Most of the area is overlaid basalt flow. There are several claims and some gold has been found scattered throughout this area. But up one draw you find nothing but leverite, over the ridge you find entirely different rock.
I have searched for this for at least 10 years now, I haven't given up because I keep getting bits and pieces of the story. I wish I had more time and less work. This is big country and hostile at best. I have already had to hike 15 miles out once after blowing 2 perfectly good tires in one day.
