Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-04-19
The WAR BEGUN.
The Attack on the MOdOe Camp
Roar of Msrtars, HOWitzers
and husketry in the
Lavabeds.
Steady Advance OF the Govern
ment Troops, and the Red
Devils Fleeing their
StrOnghOlds.
Particulars of the Attack, and
Preparations for its Renewal
The HOdOe Camp Sur
rounded.
Orders from Washington to Dis
continue the Peace Commits
sion-The Work Begun
in Earnest.

in Earnest.
san FRANCISCO, April Dispatches
from the camp south Of Tule lake, the
headquarters of the Modoc expedition.
dated April 18th, state that the day
opened warm snG STILL but was Ushered
in with the rosr of musketry and the
occasional booming of howitzers from
Colonel MasOn's camp, Hospital Rock,
on the the moth side OF Captain Jacks
position, and directly under that famous
stronghold. General Gillem, who had
been waiting for the arrival of his stores
and the Warm Spring Indians, ordered
tents be struck and drawn in a compact
place near the hospital, and for the
troops to be supplied with three days ra-
tiOns and one hundred rounds Of ammu-
milton; next, for the cavalry TO be ready
10 move at two o'clock in the morning
to-day, and for Colonel Mason, on the
opposite side of Lavabed, to move at the
same hour on the enemy. Colonel Per-
~ and Lieutenant PressOn, with their
cavalry, were to move at a point be-
yond, and the main cavalry to conceal
themselves until joined in the morning
by the infantry and artillery. Tt was
hoped when the latter companies left
camp the ModOcs would observe them,
and in an attempt TO cut them of, fall
into the hahJis Of the cavalry. These
movements were faithfully executed
probably hurried little on our side by
the escape Of Long Jim, a ModOc, who
was under guard as q prisoner of war.
At midnight he lesped past the
guard and escaped, though many shots
were fired at him. At daylight we
heard an irregular fusilade on the oppO-
site side of Lsvabed, and we knew that
Colonel Mason's force, or his skirmish-
ers, were engaged. At six O'Clock We
heard the boom Of howitzers, and saw
shells bursting over Captain Jacks
camp. At this time the rocks were
swsTming with Indians, and the firing
was rapid. The plan of the battle was
IS follows: Colonel Mason was to ad-
vance his command from the northwest
on the right, with the Warm Springs
Indians on his left, and eircling along
the edge, unite with the right of the
troops from this side, leaving only the
lake for the MOdocs to escape by.
Lieutenant Greery WAS left in charge of
the arms and ammunition at the camp.
Captain TTimble, of the first artillery,
with twenty men, was left in charge of
the camp on this side. Colonel Greene, |
at seven o'clock in the morning, united /
with Colonel PerTy's command in about 1
an hour and a half after leaving camp, /
aud soon the ball opened. Captain |
Miller, Of the twelfth infantry, COM |
manded the battalion, his company
being commanded by Lieutenant Long.
Miller had the extreme right, next TO
Captain ThrOckmoTton, battery NJ,
fourth artillery; Lieutenant Harris,
battery X, fourth artillery; Captain
Egsn, company G,and Captain Wright,
company E, both of the twelfth in
fantry, in the center, and the cavalry
on theIelt. While marching along the
lake shore, Just at the head of Long
Cave, about one mile and half from
Captain Jack camp, they encountered
the first opposition from struggling
shots from the bluff at long range.
The men We're deplOyed in open skirm-
ish order, and advanced slowly under
such cover as the rocks afforded. One
Of cur guns on the right opened on the
bluff, from the right bank of which
came struggling shots, while few fell
around Us. From the left point our
skirmishers crept up, supported by the
reserves, until We arrived at short range,
when a vOlley was fired from the bluffs,
evidently there being twenty-five or
thirty Indians posted there. The fire
was heavy, and after standing about
fifteen minutes, the order to charge was
given, and the men sprang forward
amid The most deafening yells from the
ModOcs. Such was the rapidity Of the
onslaught and so unexpected, that the
troops were on them before they knew
il. and i'm a few minutes were masters
of the situation, and our brave boys
were behind the rocks resting at their
leisure. General Gillem had sent an
order TO Colonel Mason to stir them up
ON his side, and he let into them with
81 vengeance, distracting their at
tention, and materially assisting our
troops. The charge was a gallant one.
Ia The meanwhile We extricated our
wouuded-four; none killed. Captain
lgan and his men fought gallantly; so
did all engaged. Captain Egan was
wounded in the arm, but would not
leave the field. L. O'COnnor, private
OF Battery NJ, Fourth artillery, was shot
in the leg, a flesh wound; Private J.
Darby, Battery X, Fourth artillery,
shot in the forearm. Corporal f. Relish,
Battery X, Fourth artillery, scalp wound.
McManus, company +, twelfth in
fsptry, thigh crushed. P. MeManus, of
Yreka. ventured within the advance
line. held by Captain Mullins's men,
who carried the bluff under orders in
- such pallant style, and was shot from the
bigh bluffs and left on the ground.
uThe lines are five hundred
Yards apart. When the mortars
arrive the bluff will be shelled and re-
covered. Ii is supposed he was shCt
through the heel by the way his mule
was wounded. Three shots were nred
al them. At two o'clock, pm. order
was given to advance the mOrtaTs. Ma
ior Thomas's command, with Lieuten-
ant Cranston Howe, Fourth artillery
and Sergeant Rover and men compose
a party OF as gallant set as ever hauled
guns. At balf-past four O'Clock the line
deployed down the lake opposite Capt
ain Jacks camp, crossed the interve-
ming open space at douole-qulck
without receiving shot. They
are row in readiness TO charge the
bluffs when the mortars have done their
work. The mortars which have arrived
on the ground have all been placed in
position. All was quiet until half-past
i've O'Clock, when sudden ana heavy
yolley ratified along MasOn's line, and
continued several minutes. Just pre-
N,ious thew signaled that no one was
killed or wounded. A paek-train of
Warm Spring Indians has just arrived
with seventy-five mules aud one hun
drsd and fifty horses. At ten minutes
after five this afternoon the first shot was
fired from mortars, planting shell fair
i'm the bluffs. A few shells were thrown,
going well into part of the lava bed, ap-
parently doing good work. Our line
now extends from under the blufis,
where Jacks cave is, up the ledge to the
south for nearly a mile The bluffs,
carried by Miller, who held the second
ledge, intervene between the men and
main plateau. The mortars are being
moved forward, as our men are
ready to scale the heights. Colonel
MasOn's line has not been broken.
BY tomorrow we shall be with the
Warm-Spring Indians, and will have
the red fiends encircled, with but a lake
left them for escape. The reports of the
dead and wounded win not arrive to-
d.v. From appearances II would seem
that the lower lake shore and the bluffs
have been cleared Of the Indians by
Colonel Mason, as our men are steadily
advancing without receiving any shots,
and they will probably hold the lower
r5cks for cover until morning
IAvABKD, April l6.-During The night