▁and ▁l ament ing ▁and ▁observed ▁six ▁fires ▁were ▁burning ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁camp . ▁ ▁Work ▁later ▁learned ▁that ▁the ▁local ▁Indian ▁camp ▁had ▁been ▁attacked ▁and ▁burn ed ▁by ▁another ▁Indian ▁ra iding ▁party , ▁possibly ▁the ▁Sh ast as . ▁After ▁tra pping ▁in ▁the ▁Sac r amento ▁Valley , ▁work ▁ret rac ed ▁his ▁steps ▁to ▁the ▁Pit ▁River , ▁and ▁using ▁the ▁same ▁route ▁as ▁Mc Le od ▁had ▁earlier ▁used ▁through ▁Bart le ' s ▁G ap , ▁but ▁without ▁dis aster , ▁emer ged ▁from ▁the ▁mountains ▁and ▁was ▁assist ed ▁back ▁to ▁V ancouver . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 6 , ▁on ▁his ▁third ▁expedition , ▁John ▁C . ▁Fr ém ont ▁and ▁his ▁military ▁party , ▁followed ▁the ▁Cow ▁Creek , ▁Wal la ▁Wal la ▁Tra il ▁through ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Sh asta ▁County , ▁head ed ▁north ▁to ▁K lam math ▁Lake ▁area ▁in ▁Oregon . ▁Fr ém ont ' s ▁guide ▁for ▁three ▁federal ▁exped itions ▁was ▁mountain ▁man ▁Kit ▁Car son . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁Captain ▁Nathan iel ▁Lyon , ▁and ▁his ▁military ▁party ▁along ▁with ▁Colonel ▁Fre an er , ▁left ▁Pi erson ▁Reading ' s ▁Ran cho ▁Bu ena ▁Vent ura ▁following ▁F rem ont ' s ▁route ▁through ▁the ▁Cow ▁Creek ▁and ▁Pit ▁River . ▁Lyon ▁had ▁been ▁sent ▁from ▁Ben icia ▁by ▁his ▁government ▁to ▁a ven ge ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Captain ▁Warren .