A group of about 80 Paiute warriors attacked a Pony Express station in Egan Canyon looking for food.
[3][4] Meanwhile, an approaching Pony Express rider turned around and rode back to a military column he passed along the trail.
In the ensuing fight, Weed's men freed the captives and ran off the Native warriors inflicting 3 killed and roughly 12 wounded.
[4][6] The San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin, on August 21, 1860, report on the incident:[7] ...[they demanded] some powder and lead of the men in charge of the station, which they refused to let them have as a matter of course.
At that instant Lieutenant Weed, with twenty-five soldiers, came up and attacked the Indians, who returned the fire, wounding three men ...