Lt. Col. Charles McDermit was killed by Indians on August 7th, 1865. He was born in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, on May 7, 1820. He went to school at Ebensburg and was a cabinet maker. He served as lieutenant in the Mexican War with the 2d Pennsylvania Volunteers. Shortly after that he went to California. During this time he supervised the construction of Benicia Barracks. In 1852 he was a member of the expedition that founded Crescent City, California. Also, he was the Sheriff of Siskiyou County, California, and a member of the State Assembly from 1859-60. He was promoted to Lt Col on May 2 1865. In March of 1862 he was placed in command of Fort Churchill. Not long after that he was put in command of the Military District of Nevada.