Massacre at Bloody Island

The U.S. army avenges the deaths of two slaveholders.

Northern California’s Bloody Island Massacre is one that is not mentioned much in the history books. In 1849, many Pomo Indians were basically enslaved by two settlers, Charles Stone and Andrew Kelsey. When they’d finally had enough, the natives killed the pair. A few months later, army units were sent to the area with orders to exterminate the Indians. Somewhere between 60 and 200 of the Pomo died—mostly old people, women and children. Eventually, the remaining Pomo were placed on reservations.