The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-23
He ODOCS.
An Account of the Massacre Of the
Indian Captives.
Disgraceful Conduct and Disorganization Of the
Troops-Unwelcome But Fearless Criti-
cisms on the Conduct Of
the Campaign. S..

i
| lam physically unfit to write much Of letter
but win endeavor to give you resume OF what has
passed since my last letter. First, will give you
an item substantiating my account as to who
really captured Captain Jack, the Modoc CHIEF. !
teegraphed that he was captured by Warm Spring
Georges detachment OF Warm Springs. under or
with Colonel Perry's command. Owing to a morbid
Jealousy some OF the military rather doubt the
assertion. or AFFECT to, claiming that Major
| Trimble took him. While ! am willing
| to give the Major all the credit he de-
serves, VIII not permit him or any one but the
real captors to have the credit Of this capture.
Carpi-o-lu and We-na-shet, two Indians OF Warm
Spring Georges division, Captain Of McKay's CON-
mand captured the redoubtable CHIEF and to them
he surrendered. They then reported the capture to
Major Trimbe and turned over their prisoner He
had no gun when he first surrendered, all accounts
to the contrary Notwithstanding He might have
taken his gun when going to Major Trimble, as
he was permitted time to change his clothes.
| In proof Of this l give my authority,
| Charles Putnam, grandson of Jesse Applegate,
who was with the two Warm Springs, and the only
white man with them when the capture was made,
and l think his yeracity s beyond question. 1t
amuses civilian to the Jealousy manifested by
some of the officers regarding the distribution OF
the little honor won in this tarcical campaign,
though all profess to not care q rush as to what
the papers say of them.
| A CoLD-BLooDED MASSACRE
was perpetrated saturday evening, the 18th,
by some of the Oregon volunteers, as is supposed,
! In which four Modoc males (prisoners were killed
| and one squaw wounded 1t happened in this
way:-Captain Fairchild and j. c. Burgess had
been sent out by General Davis to get some
stragglers who were Shovel Greek,
tributary OF Bogus Creek. They had secured
four bucks with their families, brought them to
Fairchllds ranch, from whence they started with
wagon for this camp to turn over their prisoners
to the military .Uncle jimmy" brother to Cap
tain Fairchild drove the team OF four mules. The
Others mounted, rode on ahead with Shack Nasty
Jim and Bogus Charley, who went with them after
the Modocs, and came into camp SAFE "Uncle
Jimmy" with his prisoners, had reached point
about eight miles from camp, when two men
rode around a bluff, gained his front, and sit
1 ting by the road side waited his approach
AS ne came up one put his gun to his head,
| halted him, while the other cut the mules loose
| from the wagon. Then they commenced an indis
/ criminate massacre OF the unarmed Indians in the
wagon in which the party Of males we're murdered
/ No doubt the cowardy wretches would have
| butchered the women and children had not a de :
tachment OF ten soldiers under Sergeant Murphy
| hove in sight, when the miscreants fed.
There is no doubt but what the party-there
were three or four more seen-intended to- catch
| Captain Fairchd. with the two Modocs, Bogus
| Charley and Shacknasty Jim, and murder the
whole party. They would rather kill Farchild
/ than Captain Jack, but If he and Burgess had been
with the prisoners the cowardly rufians would not
have dared to attack them. This is on a
| stripe OF all 1.-The cowardly acts which have
heretofore provoked Indian wars. Cowardly,
| brutal acts have marked the frontier history and
Oregon has her full share OF these stains
peoples honor. We boil with Indignation because
these Modocs slew settlers, after having been at
/ tackled by them, and because they slew General
Candy; but l question if either case equals in
atrocity and cod-blooded cowardice the massacre
OF these defenceless prisoners two of whom were
DID, feeble men. and wounded and neither OF the
band had been implicated in anything beyond fight
| ing. Two OF the party had fought in the lava
| beds and TWO had never been with Captain
Jack at ALL Tins is a glorious record for the Ore
gon volunteers, and may God give them JOY OF it.
But II this band, or the ruilany portion Oft Is not
disbanded it viii provoke general war along the
! border. There is lar more danger in their dis.
turbing existing peace than that the Indians will
reDel. And peaceful citizens had better take their
| chances with hostile Indians than with sucn allies
! OF such spirit was the
ArrEMPr OF MRS. DADDY TO KILL HOOKER JIM.
| Though she has suffered much, and Is in meas
ure excusablc Tor her passionate act, the prin-
ciple is about the same and not to be CON-
| mended. Her husband and the husband OF his
daughter were among those slain on the lake shore
| after the attack oy Oregon citizens on the
Modoc camp at Lost River. These ladies
the murderers. Hooker Jim and Shack Nasty
Jim sent to the tent where the ladies were by
General Davis that they might be Identified. The
women recognized Hooker Jim at once and accused
him OF the murder The elder went to ner vase
for pistol. A gentleman informed General Davis
of his suspicious, and the General entered the tent
just in time to wrest the pistol from her
from her Also Her daughter had a pistol and
knife; In TACT, they have had arms enough with
which to stock small arsenal. am not sorry
| had they killed Hooker Jim it would have placed
| General Davis in bad position. | doubt not he
deserves death at the hangman's hand, but MUIR
der by any one while prisoner OF war Is to be
reprooated; and, besides we want no more
are to be hung Tor numbering whites we call on
! General Davis TO hunt down the white murderers
! OF Indian prisoners and hang them also. The rule
has been too long IN Oregon that law is for the In
dian alone; tine whites are not bound TO respect
It heIe an ea Is %no ne1e ps only
stake, everything to gain and nothing to
lose in the event Of q continuance OF the
war or the outbreak OF other tribes. But l
! glad to know that the citizens the respectable
portion OF them condemn such proceedings. Gov
ernor Grover has already been petitoned to strike
4 Captain Hiser and his company from the muster
rolls and in so doing remove as far as possible the
foul stain cast on the good name of the state.
| Thompson, editor OF the Salem Mercury, is doing
all in his power to have the murderers
crime been Committed by those who had lost rela as
tves by the Modocs. there would have beeh some
palliation for II. Bot such was not the case. Ev
! dence now gathered points to the fact that Captain
Hsers company contains the villains, and probably
an investigation will disclose the facts TO be as
now suspicioned. We are having
/ A COURT MARTIAL
here to-day for the Trial Of six deserters, brought
here in irons yesterday. IL will probably go hard
with them, for they deserted in the face OF the fee
/ At one time feared the larger half OF the army
would desert, so badly were the troops demorazed.
| This has been Denied but II Is nevertheless true.
II IL was not so, why did the bodies OF those slain
! at Thomas massacre lie thirteen days on the
field before the men were sent TO recover
themY Simply because the officers feared that
| some OF the commands would not stand If at
tackled. Why was the Warm Spring Indians and
/ the reserve ordered 10 fire INTO those susnected