Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-30
Fhe g,cIoc Eaa5au war.

The DcIOc Indian War.
A special correspondent OF the San Francisco
Chronicle writes:
''The Modoc Indians, tribe Of which but
remnant remains, have long been a source o
UneasinesS 10 the settlers in southern OREGON
| or all the t1OcS they have shown the least dis
position TO abide by The rules OF the lndan de
plrtmeut or tne wishes of the ctiZ rs. RT
reason of their superior intelligence and les
tractabie nature they have generally N mayed
to have Their own way so long as they did nj
| a2iual deeds OF violence. In this way They
have lived, by sutIerance, so TO speak. Thei
camp was at the mouth OF Lost river, wherC
il emptleS into the Iuie or Rlett Lake, and they
got their living nv hunting and fishing, aOd
oliumes by stealing from the settlers when
| they cot a good chance This past summer
the country about Rhett and Klamath LskeS
and on the banks OF Lost river has been large
| " settled by people mostly from the neighbour
| hood OF Eugene and Jacksonville. These peo
pie were well aware Of the nature of the
MudccS, snd knew also of their suppressed hos
| filthy, hut relying PATTY on the government and
panty on their own ability to protect them.
selves, they lived in comparative peace and
quiet
"The Modoc band is under command of Cap
| tain Jack, stalwart Indian, VITO Is well known
| at this place, having come here often to pur
| chase supplies OF whiskey and the like. l am
| told that Captain Jacks costume on these visits
| consisted of nothing but a black sila stovepipe
and gray wooden blanket. He ALWAYS carried
himself rather insoleutly, aud had many quar-
rel here with people whom he fancied had in.
suited him. The other prominent members Of
| the band are Scar-faced Charley, Bogus Charley
| One-eyed Watchman, the Doctor and Black
| jim. The former is an Indian of great bravery,
| and is said to be desperate OF the worst kind.
| He, too, has Often visited freka. He speaks
English quite well, and at the beginning of the
| hnt,.
| and Captain Jack, who Is ignorant of the Ian
guagt. The other Indians, about ninety in
| number, are all Warriors and are regarded as
desperate men. They have repeatedly sworn
| that they will never go on the reservation on
| Rogue river where the remnants of other tribes
are fast being collected, and 1t was final at
tempt on tue part of the government TO pat
them there which has led to the recent out
| break.
During the past summer he Modocs in their
| camp AT the mouth of Lost river looked on the
| increased immigration TO their ueIghho:h0od
| with good deal of jealousy. They knew that
as the country filed up they would be compelled
TO give way and finally submit TO going on the
| reservation. La consequence of this they soon
| became more Troublesome In their manner
| toward the new settlers they were particularly
| insoltnt-aeneray treating them in manner
| which implied the most intense haired. They
| would oiien 20 to ranch in the absence OF the
| settler, walk up 10 the fire where a meal was
| beng cooked Tor his wife and children, take the
| provisions and make the most lriIhtlul threats
against The women ii any opposition was
| Shown. They would 20 to other settlers cabins,
take the food right off the liable, frighten the
family and threaten 10 burn the ranch ii re-
| sisted.
FINALLY .hings got so had that the settlers re-
solved 10 do something Tor their own protection.
| About Two months ago they united in petition
| 10 Superintendent 0deneal, superintendent of
| Indian aR ire tba Il Of
| guessing that lie fake measures to remove the
| Modocs, Captain jack, Scar Faced Charley and
all included, to the Indian reservation IN Rogue
| RIVER Mr.. Oleneal laid the petition, together
| with statement of the case, before The COM
missioner of Indian affairs in Washington.
That officer at once ordered that The MOdocs he
| placed on their reservation, peaceably it posi-
| bic, but iorciDly il necessary. The order was
| OF the most perempory character, and Super
| inendent Odeneal proceeded to The Indian
| camp at Rheit axe 10 procure its enforcement.
| The CHIEF, Captain JACK and Scar Faced Charley,
| hearu of his approach, and knowing what it
meant, refused TO meet him, set his authority at
| defiance, aud sent word to him that they were
| tuliy determined 10 remain IN their camp and
| would never 90 on their reservation.
| "Forl Klamath is situated about forty miles
north Of the Indian camp 1t is garrisoned nv
Company of the FIRST Cavalry, and Company
| i of the rwenty-frst Infancy, under the COM
mand OF Major jackson. To this point Super
| intcndent OIeneal now repaired and requested
| Major Jacksons aid in carrying ont his order
| He placed the order in the majors hands, and
stipulated that 1t should be carried out wltbou
| boodShed il possible, and that force sufficient
to overawe the saVages should be used But
| the courage and disposition of CAPTAIN Jack s
| band seems to have been underated, for Major
| jackson started out with only thirty-tive caVal-
| ry to effect the object desired. The Indians then
numbered one hundred, aud it is folly to believe
oil lam
irighten them into submission.
| "On Thanksgiving dav Major Jackson's COM
| mand, accompanied by Ivan Apologize, settler
at Clear Lake, and James Brown, messenger OF
| the Indian department, arrived at the Indian
camp at the mouth OF Lost river They arrived
there at early dawn and quietly surrounded The
camps on either side OF the river Major Jack
son taking the side On which was located Capt
| Jacks cabin, and Apologize with ten or twelve
citizens, taking The other side, where about hal
of the warriors had their huts.
| when all Was ready the presence OF the mill
tarV was made known, and instantly the camp
| became scene of confusion. Indians ran
| hllher and thither, seized their guns and hud'
| died together in Il Sullen manner apparently
ready 10 fee at Il moments notice Major Jack
son asked il any OF the Indians spoke English
Scar-laced Charley came forward, gun in hand
and said angrily that he did. Major Jackson
then explained 10 Charley the nature OF the
order from Washington, and requested the Mo
docs 10 20 10 the reservation quietly. Charley
interpreted 10 Capt. Jack and the other Indians
all OF whom shook their heads and turned theii
backs III token OF unqualified refusal to obey
the order While Major jackson was deberat
in1 what to do, Scar faced Charley suddenly
raised his gun and fired at Lieut.. Boutee, WHIT
stood in front OF his men
This, Of course, was the signal for battle
Lieut. BOutelle promptly returnrd the fire. and
the fight at once became general Scar-fdceC
Hsn fhgFs ,nl,,, Al.
Others Kept up sharp fitting at the troops, who
ny this time had ranged themselves in order Of
battle. The OH cers and men stood their grounC
well, and fought bravelv, but they were LARGELY
oninumbercd by The Indians, who had also al
advantage in ground. White the battle wa,
gong on with the troops, AppleEaie and Brown
with the settlers on the opposite side oil tht
river, were nor idle. While the parey was 90
ing on with Major Jackson, they took severa
guns away from the Indians on their side. hu
when the firing began the battle opened here
too. Three or lour indians were killed on mi,
side of the river and one citizen-John Thurb
"A settler who had joined the party Maiol
Jackson's command suffered quite severely, one
soldier being killed aud four wounded, two o
them MORALLY.
Seeing that the Indians were too strong 10
be disl0dged or subdued with the force af h
command, Major Jackson withdrew The troop.
TO the other side OF the river 10 cate for hi
wounded, 1t is not known how many Indians
| were wiped out BY the troops, but probably MOI
m IRE than three or four. The Indians who haC
been lighting the Brown Apologize parry flrt
across the river and joined their band unde
CAPT. Jack, and as Major jackson had alTend,
crossed to join Brown and Applegate, tn two
forces eyed each other from the opposite banks
all night long. 81 far the Indians had the be st
OF II, but toward morning of the 20th they de
serted their camp, leaving their women ant
chlldleu at the mercy Of the military, who a
once crossed over and took them prisoners"
Alter the battle The Indians retreated dowr
the east shore OF the lake, when they committee
the massacres which have already been re
ported.
The following is the letter of DR.. Hight, de
clining he office of bishop to which he was late
ly elected:
New YORK, Dee. Is, 1872
To tie Req Ale1ander II. Vjntoa, D d., tn
Rev. Alexander Burgess, D. d. George {
Shdttuck, w. D
Dear Brethren-I have given TO the verv i'm
porlant subject OF your recent communicate,
10 me touching the action Of the convention o
the diocese OF Massachusetts on the 9th inst, b.
which was chosen bishop OF the sad diocese
my most patient aud earnest consideration, no
without prayer 70 Almighty God for his guild
auce In my view no higher honor could b
profiered TO a presbyter Of this church, than tn
chief pastor ship Of the diocese OF Massachusetts
1t is an old historic diocese. Its bishops hay
been men of mark and faithful men, One O
them is cnshrined in the hearts OF churchmer
OF every school for his eminent saintness, hi