Bret Harte 
Under the Redwoods [PDF ebook] 

Bret Harte made his name as a writer by being one of the first to chronicle the early days of California. The tales in this collection are primarily set in the region, ranging from character studies to nuanced examination of social issues. In "Three Vagabonds of Trinidad, " a tragic massacre of Native Americans is used as a lens through which Harte examines the clash of cultures in California.