May 14 - Skirmish in Humboldt County #civilwarhistory

Added: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]On this day in 1862, a firefight happened in Northern California. This was another episode of the Bald Hills War which began in 1858 and continued until 1864.

[00:00:12]On May 14th, 1862, troops from the 2nd California infantry came into hard contact with Native American guerrillas at Angel's Ranch on the Mad River.

[00:00:23]This was the second time that year, the second time that season, that natives had attacked Angel's Ranch specifically.

[00:00:30]By the way, still open today is a campground, but it was a functional ranch in the 1860s.

[00:00:35]We don't know who the attackers were, but they were probably Wailaki people, aka Eel River Athabaskans, because they came into contact with the soldiers a lot during the military offensive of the spring of 1862.