User:Asiaticus/sandbox/John "Red" Irving

John "Red" Irving (?-1851), said to have formerly been a Texas Ranger, was leader of the Irving Gang, a band of desperados from northern California, on their way to Mexico, that committed various crimes in Los Angeles County, and on 27th day of May, 1851 was trapped and killed in a box canyon along with ten of his men in San Timoteo Canyon by a posse of Californios and Cahuilla warriors from Apolitana led by Juan Antonio.

Like many men that came to California in the California Gold Rush, little is known about John Irving, except what he put about, as being from Texas and that he was a former Captain in the Texas Rangers, during the Mexican American War.

Interveiw with George Evans
One man, named George Evans, of Irving's gang survived the encounter with the Cahuilla and Californio posse. Evans survived the massacre in San Timoteo Canyon and returned to Los Angeles from New Mexico Territory in the fall of 1851 and gave the following interview to the Los Angeles Star that appeared in its November 20, 1851 issue:


 * "The gang had been at the home of Jose Maria Lugo for only minutes, "when they saw a large body of Indians advancing towards the house from the direction of Apolitan. They immediately mounted, and resumed the road.  As the Indians approached, a hasty council was held, when Irving insisted on retreating, to which Evans strongly objected urging him to fight the Indians at once, as the only means of securing a successful passage along their road, which led through the mountains, to that taken by their companions who had been sent ahead.  Irving's will prevailed, and this, according to Evans was the cause of the catastrophe.  They occasionally fired at the Indians as they came near, but in the main kept up a rapid retreat until they reached the forks of the road, where Evans again begged Irving to fight, but in vain.  He also advised him to keep the road, but Irving, as if doomed, turned  into the mountains, along the path which led into the fatal trap where they were caught and killed.  It was here that Evans, seeing that they were lost, determined upon attempting to escape.  He was here, as generally, riding in the rear of the men, who were making all speed toward the hills.  When near the chapparel[sic], his horse stopped and refused to go further.- Seizing his pistols from his holsters, Evans pushed on afoot, the savages almost at his heels. The chapparel[sic] is thick along the path and a limb knocked of[f] his hat.  Just there the road made a sudden turn, and he dashed in a clump of bushes, which offered the only hope of eluding pursuit.  Almost instantly the Indians passed, one of them stopping to pick up Evans' hat.  Soon Evans heard a few shots, followed by moments of dreadful silence, and then a few shots more.  Thus he lay still near dark, when a cart passed, which he supposed contained the dead and wounded Indians, as much crying or lamentation accompanied it.  From time to time various parties passed returning.  At length, a Californian, mounted on a fine horse, rode right up to his hiding place, seeming to be in search of him. Evans waited to catch his eye, intending then to shoot, and if possible, seize the horse and escape. It was a moment of terrible suspense, eluded by another Californian on the hill-side telling his companion to "come on."  The other immediately left.  Evans remained in the hiding place until dark, when all returning parties seemed to have passed.  The strangest part of his adventure remains to be told, and we have no reason to doubt its truth. Evans followed the Indians directly back to the house of Jose Maria Lugo, (about eighty miles); there he found a mule saddled which he took and fled towards Temascal[sic], subsequently joining the company of Sonorenian miners near the Colorado, telling them that Irving would be on shortly.  The true state of the case did not leak out until they had crossed the river, when, as if only then relieved from his terror, Evans exclaimed, 'Thank God  I am safe.'"