The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-07-10
JEFF AND JACK.
Gen. Davis Declara alton to Capt.
Jack-The Order that Instruc-
tions from Washington Stopped.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF CoLUM-)
Ria, In rHE FIELD, TULE LAKE,
CAL, June, 1873.
JACK Since white men first began
to travel through or settle in the coun.
try occupied by the Modocs, a people
Of which you claim to be one OF the
chiefs, the Modocs have been known
rs band of merciless robbers and
murderers. The history Of your tribe
Is filled with accounts of the murders
Of the white race. Even among your
Indian neighbors you are known as a
domineering and tyranical tribe. Old
settlers IN the country report as many
as 800 murders committed by your
people within the limits of the present
generation. Along the shores Of this
beautiful little lake, in view Of which
we now stand, are the graves OF over
sixty victims OF Modoc barbarity, all
murdered by your immediate ances-
tors In brutal acts. They were peace
ful emigrants, men, women and chill
dren, passing quietly through the
country on the public highway. For
these many crimes no adequate pun
ishment has ever been visited upon
the guilty, either as q tribe or indi-
vidually. Upon the contrary the
Government has tacitly overlooked
them. A few years ago, regardless OF
these acts Of treachery, 1t gave you
reservation of land for home, where
II you chose you could remain and en-
joy the annual bounties Of the Govern
ment unmolested. You all went upon
the reservation thus provided, and
part of your tribe has remained. But
you and your band seemed to have
preferred the ar-path. You left the
reservation. You spurned the kind
ness Of the Government, and even re.
sisted the soldiers In the execution Of
their duty while endeavoring to force
you back to the reservation. You
FASTENED to fight, emulating the bloody
deeds of your fathers, you again
strewed the shores of Tule Lake with
the slain victims of your bloody hand.
All those victims were peaceful and
unsuspecting citizens and were slaugh.
tered while at their daily avocations.
You then fled to your stranghold, the
lava beds, prepared for war. and defied
the power Of the Government. Still
the President at Washington ordered
the soldiers to desist until the Peace
Commissioners could have talk with
you, and IL possible avoid shedding
more blood. Their efforts were fruit
less. After much delay and many
attempts at cancellation on their part
you decoyed the Commissioners into
your hands. Armed or unarmed,
these acts have placed you and your
band outside Of the rules of civilized
warfare. In other words, you have
made yourselves outlaws; and ~ such,
since my arrival here "a the successor
of General Canby (whom you MUIR
dered with your own hands,, l have
made unremitting war upon your race
and upon you, until at last you have
been captured. after much expense to
the Government and the loss Of many
valuable lives. Now that l have re-
counted your history and that Of your
tribe-fhe recent acts of yourself and
band will close this interview by
informing you that I have this day
directed that you aud your confeder-
ates, members Of your band, be execu-
ted at sunset tomorrow in the presence
OF the troops, your people, and the
citizens of the country.
JEFF. c. DAVIS, GenI Commanding.