The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-09
THE MoDocs.
How They Are Entrenched-Their Natural
Fort;Hcations Impregnable-It Will Cost
the Lives Of Six American Soldiers 10
One Indian to Move Them.

Correspondence OF the San Francisco ChrOnclel
YREKA, Jan. q, 1873
All is quiet at the front. Captain Jack, Scar
faced Charley, Shack Nasty Jim and the other war
riors are resting complaccnty in their bOwl-lIke
camp, waiting Tor the next demonstration. had q
conversation with James &. Fairchid to-day. Mr..
Fairchild is brother OF John A., the man who had
the famous interview with the Modocs. Both his
brother and himself were in the late fight Mr..
Fairchild is q very intelligent gentleman, and Is Q
shrewd, keen observer. He says that 1000 men wiz
not get those Indians out OF that lava bed. He de-
scribes their position OF the most wonderful
natural fortincations he ever behed. He Is a man
of great experience He went through the late war
the SIEGE and In dozen others. what were at that
time supposed to be impregnable strongholds, ana
he says he never saw anything like 1t. These lava
rocks he says, are filled up In way that no
engineer could plan out. The Indians use them as
real FORTS getting behind them and shooting
through the cracks the same as through case
mate. Their positions cannot he charged because
some OF them are 100 feet In height and utterly
shecd, Tor shells would strike against these rocks
like boiled turnips against a tombstone. Mr.. Fair
child says there are two ways OF getting at these
Indians. One IL to charge on them with q force Of
twenty to one, expecting to lose six lives out Of
them out. The plan viii cost ocean OF blood,
the other mint OF money. The latter plan In almost
cannot be brought into the lava bed and anS GORDON
| tnat Ia drawn around Jack must be located right
IN the rocks AS II was the otner day, the wounded
| had to be packed out on horseback for miles.
| Nothing IN the form OIL wagon could be brought
within ten miles of where the troops fought. Again,
ia has beef cattle by the hundred in his camp,
with plenty OF grass on tae lake shore to feed them
on. Months would have to elapse before he would
even feel the necessity OF supplies and by that time
our side would feel as tired oil the starving Out
process as he. The only feasible plan, then, is to
charge on them-kill and get killed. This will in
volve terrible loss OF lite; but then-pshawi
| what are soldiers made ior and what are their
lives worth when the dignity of the government Is
to be preserved (Eitte senator Coles dispatches
| to Governor BoOth.l
Mr.. Fairchid informs me that the indians fight
with tenacity OF purpose and with military sa-
gacity worthy Of the highest civilization Their
| ev0utons on the day OF the main battle were
ried out with consummate tact and wonderful pre-
| cisi0n. They seemed to have their whole position
laid out In parallels, each man having his lava
| rock breastwOrk from behind which 10 fire. When
they fell back, which they did whenever they were
hard pressed they dld 1t deliberately. merely TAX
| ing their positions behind the rocky breastworks
| next in their rear where they were even mere sc.
| cure than before Captain Jack was constantly
heard giving his ORDERS and to all appearances his
| authority was recognized as promptly as though
he had been a major general. The Indian squaws
and children all occupied q position in q kind OF
basin, within the Indian lines and the fight took
place all around them In q circle.