Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-05-03
ANOTHER MASSACRE BY MODOCS.
Disastrous Battle tcith the Indians.
THE SURPRISE AND ATTACK.

TIN IRPkESE AND AtttSh
LAVA BEDS, April Pa reconnoi-
tering party, composed of Batteries IA n
and a, 18th infantry, left camp at ''oo
o'clock this morning, proceeding III
direction known to lead to the present
stronghold CT the Modocs, Capt. Eva; ~
Thomas, of the 4th artillery oe'TS im
command. a dozen or so arm
Snr;no Indians were expected TO coop
crate On Carr. Thomas LETT. :.
The troops, having formed line OF
,ol.;rm;shers' advanced withoet molesta-
Ton until they arrived at the foot OF the
blnff south of the lava beds, having
meanwhile signalled the camp that no
Indians were to be found. On aeaching
the bluff the Modocs opened severe
fire. causing the troops TO seek such
shelter as they ce,Ad find ia the crew
;cns cbasus. &c. AS usual the fire
was unseen.
The first position soon became I'M
tenable. owing to the fact that the In
,Iians were able to deliver both cross
fire and enflading fire, and the position
of the troops was so exposed that up to
she present. writing, G p. M.,) only two
of the wounded could reach the camp.
Out of the wounded Lieut.. Wright,
of the twelfth infantry, had sought shell
ter in creyice which was particularly
open to the Modoc fire. Grave doubts
exist as to his ultimate safety.
As soon as information was received
at headquarters relative to the peril OF
the party troops were at once pushed
forward to their rescue. -Four compa-
MES were ordered out, two of cavalry
from this camp and two from Col. Ma
sons. Stretchers for the conveyance
of the wounded were forwarded, but
the latter are now returning without
haYing achieved the object tor which
they were intended.
Poor fellows bitter cold night at
least is before them. 1t is barely posi-
bic that some of them no longer heed
cold or heat. Their comrades who
from cause are coming to camp show
plainly by their demeanor the heartfelt
sorrow they feel for them, but are pow
crless in the matter.
EXTENT OF TIE DISASTER.
Lava Beds, April 81, $50 y. MA
dispatch received from Col. Green, first
cavalry. who went out with reinforce
ments yesterday morning, shows the
surprise to have been more complete
and more terribly fatal than was at first
supposed. The dispatch states that
CAPTAIN Thomas and Lieut. n. IL.
Howe, of the fourth artillery, were Kill
cd Lieut.. Harris, of the fourth artllle-
Nv, is badly and perhaps mortally woun-
ded, and Lieut.. BranSon, fourth artllle-
~, is missing. 49,,
Private Boyle, of company +, twelfth
infantry. and one other man OF the same
company are missing. 1t is supposed
that the ModocS burned the bodies OF
the two latter Acting Assistant Sur
econ B. Semig WAS wounded III two
places while attending the wounded.
From second dispatch sent by Col.
Green, it appears that there are now
collected and awaiting conveyance to
camp the bodies Of sixteen men killed,
including Capt. Thomas, Lieut.. Howe,
of the fourth artillery; Lieut.. Wright, ot
the twelfth infantry, and eight wounded,
including Lieut. Harris, OF the fourth
artillery. These, added to the number
of wounded men, between twenty ana
thirty. show a large percentage OF casu-
altieS from the small number OF men en-
gagged.
TIE slvAGEs AND THEIR AMEUSCApES.
Some sixty or sixty one MoGocs are
armed with Spencer carbines and breech-
LOADING muskets. In mole than on,
instance 4 Modoc has been known tC
have two Spencer rifles, enabling him
to keep up rapid fire from his natural
or artificial breastwork of rock. The
surface Of the ground in many places If
torn up by volcanic action, which forms
creyices. and these are adaptable to
purposes of either hiding or for points
Of defense. In several instances, soldiers
knowing nothing of the Typography,
have come unawares Oh such assures,
and before they could escape were con
fronted by the willy Indian, with rife
iev.lled and finger on trigger. Death
or at least dangerous wound IS the re
suit. Too often the cowardly redskins
escape by 50 many paths known only to
themselves.
A SAMrlE OF TREACIIERY.
As 4 sample Of their treachery and
cunning may not be amiss, will state
that a portion of batteries 4 and II,
fourth artillery, and company E,twelfth
infantry, finding themselves in danger
of being outfanked, took shelter in a
hollow spot, affording partial cover. No
sooner had they done so than the H.
dams at this point, numbering p war
riors. who knew and commanded every
egress from the cavity, detached seven
of their number on one side, fourteen
remaining on the other, then opened a
cross-fire on the poor fellows, who could
not show either head or hand without
certainly being struck. Very few es
caped injury. The rest were either kill
cd or wounded
1t is impossible to ascertain the mum
Der of Modocs killed and wounded yes
terday. Capt Mckay reported that ms
Warm Spring Indians had taken foul