The Lincoln County herald., 1873-05-07

'eyS ate arming. They are sppreheusive
Of geucsal war. The ladies' have taken
measures TO send to the sick and wounded
lint, haudages, fruit and other neccs.
saries.
A New York Herald special from the
Lava Beds, dated April 26, says that the
force ander Captain Thomas which
started 10 seccnnoitro the position sup.
posed to be held by the Modocs mum.
bered sixty nine men. The object was
mainly TO find out how abe Modocs we're
situssed, aud whether morters could be
brought up and used effectively against
them. As .he troops approached the
cave IN shc lava beds, about half past
ten, our command was brought to a halt
and the men allowed to take rest The
story OF the officers is differently re
ported; some say five or six shots were
fred, and others say only four, but
Tickuos states positively tha. il came
from q party Of nine Indians, who occu-
pied the bluff to the eastward Of where
the troops were stationed. Mai. Thomas
Immediately threw the men into skir.
mishing order, with Lieutenant Wright's g
company on the right. The latter, how.
ever, had not gone in'o position before
they were aauked on the right by party
Of fourteen other Indians that had come
up to the advance of those who fred first
The cross fire on Wrieht's men proved
very demoralizing and they broke back
in confusion, leaving their gallant leader
in an exposed condition, and supported
by few Of his non commissioned officers
In the meantime another small party Of
Indians had obtained . position to the
left and opened raking FIRE on the two
batteries of artillery. 1t was trap and
the first four shots we're only fred to
draw the troops more directly between
the fire Of the Indians on the right and
left.
The rout was complete, and with the
exception of the officers and non-com
missioned officers, a majority Of whom
lay stretched on the rocks with their
life blood ebbing fast away, the watch
word was souve qui peut Confused and
demoralized as they we're, the men be
came an easy prey to the Modocs, who,
confident in the protection Of their ma
tive rocks, shot them down like so many
frightened deer. Occasionally news was
brought in by the scared stragglers. ex
aRgerated in the extreme, but significant
Of some dire disaster. Many of these
men who had deserted their officers in
time Of peril had seen an hundred Indians
all around them. Fear had distorted
their visions. and made them SO helpless
that ona of their number was afterwards
found dead on the field without shot
He had been butchercd BY knives, and
so panic struck that he could not FIRE a
shot in his own defence. There was a
mystery about the attack that nobody
appeared to solve as to how the troops
we're SO completely surprised as If IN
camp. Where were the pickets or the
advance skirmishers? 1t appears 80
strange that party of sixty nine men
should be almost surrounded by Indians
without their being aware Of . sign Of
Indians as far as they could see. This
fact alone will give the public an idea Of
'uC uotu'C VI euo e'ouuo III VhiSu thS'0
Indians fight, and what our soldiers have
to contend against. During the night
the Indians were creeping through the
rocks to scalp and strip the dead, Sol
diers coming through COL Green's line
told him where the remains Of batteries
X and II were to be found. Col. Green
Immediately moved forward his line to
the place indicated and there, hid in
some sage brush, were the naked bodies
of Maj. Thomas, Lieut.. Howe, Sergt.
Rowe and six others. Col. Wrights
body lay little to the left, and on the
right was Lieut.. Harris, severely
wounded, and the bodies Of Eve Of his
men, stripped Of all their clothing.
Forty nine men we're killed aud wounded
out ofa command of SO men.
A DINNER EXCUSE. Apologies for