The weekly Arizona miner., 1873-05-10
THE MOpOC WAR.
Disastrous Attack---0ur Troops Trapped and Butchered--- 20men Killed--Thres Officers Among the Number--A Sorry Result.

Prom The To. Angeles sano Apsi %, and May Il z SAS FRAScIsco. April 20.-Lava Bed, April | 2G.-A reconn sissance composed ot Batteries A and K, Fourth Artillery, and Companies C and L, Twelfth Infantry, left camp this morning and proceeded in the direction oi the Modec stronghold, Captoin F.. Thomas in command. The troops formed in line as | skirmishers, and advanced without mOlesta- tion until they arrived at the foot of the | bluff south of the Lava Beds. On reaching the bluff the Modocs opened a severe fire, causing the troops to seek for such shelter as they could find in the crevices and chasms. | As usual, the foe was unseen. The first position becoming untenable, owing to the | fact that the Indians obtained both a cross and an enfilading fire, it was deemed eXpcdi- ent to retire to better cover. On the first fire and that received during the retreat, many fell, killed or wounded, so severe was the fire and SO exposed the position. Up to l : D. m, only one of the wounded could be | got into camp.
 LATER.-COl. Green, who went to the aid | of Thomas command, shows the surprise to have been more complete than was at first supposed. His despatch states that Captain Thomas and Lieut.. How IlIowardl were | killed Lieut.. Harris was mOrtally wounded Lieut.. Cranston Is missing.
 STILL LArER.-Tbere is now collected awaiting conveyance to camp, sixteen men killed, including Lieuts. Howard and Wright, and eight wounded, including Lieut.. Harris. The Modocs are known to be armed with | Spencer carbiues and brceeh- loading muskets. l 4 portion of Batteries A. and K, Fourth Artillery, and Company E, Twelfth In ianiry, finding themselves in danger of being outiianked, took shelter in n hollow spot, at- 1 fordng partial cover. No sooner had they done so than the Indians, who knew every egress, and who at that point numbered twenty-one warriors, detached seven of their number to one side, fourteen remaining on the other, and opened a cross fire on the troops, who could not show head or hand without being struck. Very few escaped uniniured.
 | It is impossible to give the Modoc loss. McKay's Indians report having taken four scaps.
 The Indians attacked freight train on the 20tb. They were repulscd.
 | General Davis and staff was to have ar rived at the Lava Bed on the 26th, the date of the above despatch-En. SrAR.l | TIE VERT LArEsr.--SAS yKASCIsCo, April 20. -Dspatches ot tue 2Sth say that the reeonnoiter. | ing force numbered seventy, and fourteen Warm | Spring Indians. The command had advanced about four miles and halted for rest when the at. tack was made. The names Of twenty killed, lg wounded, and four missing, and supposed to be | killed, are teiegrapbed. portion of the killed have been brought iu. They are SO horribly mu. tated that it Is difficult to recognize them. Dr. semig was badly wounded while dischargiug his duties on the field.
 The Bulletin compares the slaughter to the Sem. mole war in Florida, and says that gross missman- agcment was shown.
 HAMILTON. New, April 23-The Pioche stage was robbed ten miles from town, and the driver killed. Wells, Fargo & Co. lost their treasure box.
 Ground will be broken on Thursday, and the Darrow-gauge road commenced at Benicia.