Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-04-30
DISASTROUS BATTLE WITH TIL
INDIANS.
Troops Surrounded and Slaughtered
-Terribie MISUNDERSTANDING an
Unseen FOe-COErngc ;nN lIeSpera-
iion-Incidenfs Of the ButtIe-IOsS
ofAfiirerS and Wen, &c.

-Terribie Dilennii-FIShtlnS an
Unseen Foe-Cournge and nespera-
| tion-InciIenfS OF the Buttlc-IOsS
of officers and Men. &c.
LAVA BEDS, April pa accommodating
marty, compo,cd of batteries X and \, 10Th in
tantrv. left camp at 7:30 o'clock this morning,
nrocccding in a direction known to lead to the
nrcscnt stronghold of the Modocs, Capt. Evan
Thomas Of the 4th artillery, being in COM
mand \ dozen or so Warm Spring Indians
were e.tpcctcd to cooperate on Capt. Thomas
left.
The troops, having formed line ofskirmlsh-
ers advanced without nlolestation until they
arrived at the foot of the bluff south OF the
lava beds, having meanwhile signalIed the
camp that no ludians were to be found. On
reaching the bluff the ModocS opened A severe
fire. causing the troops to seek such shelter as
they could find in the crcvlccS, cha>mS, NC
As usual the fire was unseen.
The first position soon became untenablc,
owing to the fact that the Indians were able 10
deliver both crossirc and cuiiladlng fire, and
the positiou of the troops WAS SO exposed that
up to the present 4 p. m.,) only two OF the
wounded could reach the camp:
Ont Of the wounded Lieut.. Wright, OF the
twelfth infantry, had sought shelter III Gre
vice which was particulrly open to the Modoc
fire. Grave doubts exist as to their ultimate
safety
As soon as information was received at head
quarters relative to the peril OF the party troops
were at once pushed forward to their rescue.
Four companies were ordered out, two OF cav
airy from this camp and two from Col. Ma
sons. Strctchers for The conveyance OF the
wounded were forwarded, but the latter are
now returning without having achieved the OBJ
iact for which they were Intended.
LAVA, BEDS, April 27 $50 a. ma dis
match received from Col. Green first cavalry,
who went out with rcintOrccments yesterday
morning, shows the surprise TO have been more
complete and more terribly fatal than was at
first supposed. The dispatch states that Cap
tain Thomas and Lieut. A. Is; Howe OF the
fourth artillery. were killed. Lieut.. Harris, Of
the fourth artillery, is badly and perhaps NOR
taIlv wounded, and Lieut. Branston, fourth ar
tiI!ery, is missing.
Private Boyle, Of company f, twelfth infant
rv. and one other man OF the same company
are missing.
!. It is supposed that the Modocs burned the
bodies of the two latter.
Acting Assistant Surgeon B. Scmig was
wounded in two places while attending the
wounded.
From second dispatch sent by Col. Green
it appears that there are now collected aud
awaiting conveyance to camp the bodies of six
teen men killed, including Capt. Thomas
Lieut. Howe, Of the fourth artillery; Lieut.
Wright, of the twelfth infantry, and eight
wounded, including Lieut. Harris, of the fourth
artillery. These, added to the number Of
wounded men, between twenty and thirty,
show 4 large per centagc OF casualties from the
small plumber Of men engaged.
Some sixty or sixty-one Modocs are armed
C.o,.o, n, rkipoc op,} hrnccl Land rnI,s
ketS. In more than one instance Modoc has
been known to have two or more Spencer rifles
enabling him to keep up rapid fire from his
natural or artificial brestwork of rock. The
surface of the ground in many places is torn up
by volcanic action, which forms crevces, and
these are adaptable to purposes Of either hiding
or for poiuts of defence 10 several instances
soldiers, knowing nothing Of the topography,
have come unawares on such assures, aud before
they could escape were confronted by the willy
Indian, with rife levced and finger on trigger.
Death or at least dangerous wound IS the re-
suit. Too often the cowardly redskins escape
BIZ so many paths known only to themselves.
As sample of their lreachery and cunning
may not be amiss, vii state that portion OF
batteries \ and X, fourth artillery, aud company
3, twelfth infautry, fnding themselves in dan
ger of being outtlaukcd, took shelter in a hollow
spot affording partial cover. No sooner had
they done so than the Indians at this point, mum.
bcring ~ warriors. who knew and commanded
every egress from the cavity, detached seven of
their number on one side, fourteen remaining
on the other, and then opened cross-fire on
the poor fellows, who could not show either
head or hand without certainly being struck.
Very few escaped injury. The rest were either
killed or wounded.
1t is impossible to ascertain the number of
Modocs killed and wounded yesterday. Capt.
Mckay reported that his Warm Spring To-
dams had taken four scalps. This may be the
whole, or it may be only portion of the kill
ed. The Modocs are very careful to destroy,
as far as possible, all traces Of their casualties,
burning the dead bodies Their wounded are
supposed to be hidden in the caves but few
of them have been seen so far
Justice to many of its gallant dead compels
the record of the following Northumberland
facts When Capt. Thomas found himself
and his men surrounded by his vindictive foes,
true to his nature as q soldier, he sought to
cheer the soldiers on to the bitter end land obtain,
if possible life for life, and to sell their lives
dearly, saying "Men, we are surrounded
we must fight and die like men and soldiers. y
In his noble efforts to sustain the courage OF
his small command, he was ably seconded by
Lieut. Howe and Lieut.. Wright. After re-
cciviug mortal wound he buried his gold
watch and chain among the rocks, and cmptied
his revolver amongst the enemy before dying.
If living, he would also write in terms of
well-desclvcd praise of the conduct OF Lieut..
Harris who was similarly situated as Captain
Thomas, with portion OF his battery IS, fourth
artillery, aud set an example of bravery and de-
termination to his men, uttering some such
sentiments rs those already quoted, not that
it required such expressions to stimulate the
men to deeds of bravery, when every man
would willingly have followed either officer
wherever they chose to lead Yet they showed
the mutual confidence existing between them.
Since they were to fall, it is pity it had not
been when opposed to worthier foes. Yet it
is mournful consolation that each, Captain
Thomas, Lieutenant Howe and Lieutenant
Wright, sons of soldiers, meta soldiers death
1 1 f. L Inx ~ hn