Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-04-30
THE BLOODY MODOCS.
A Accommodating Party Of Troops
Surprised by the Indians, and
Almost Annihilated.
The United States Still Deiled by
a Small Band of Naked, but
Well Armed SaVages.
Over Forty Officers and Soldiers
Killed or WOunded-Sad COM
mentary on our Inefii-
cheney.
Full Particulars of the Most Stu
pid Mismanagement-Reck-
less Of Valuable

pid Mismanagement-Reck-
less of Valuable
Lives.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 29.-Advices
from Lavabeds ofthe twenty-sixth report
a reconnaissance, composed of batteries
X and A, fourth artillery, and company
T., twelfth infantry, which left camp
at thirty minutes after seven this morn
ing, proceeding in the direction of the
MOdOc stronghold, Captain K. Thomas,
fourth artillery, being in command; a
dozen or so Warm Spring Indians were
expected to cooperate on Captain
Thomas left. The troops having formed,
a line of skirmishers advanced without
molestation until they arrived at the
foot of the bluff, south of the Lavabeds,
having meanwhile signalled that no
Indians could be found. On reaching
the bluff the Modocs opened a severe
fire, causing the troops to seek such
shelter as they could find in crevices
: and cbasms, and, as usual, the
foe was unseen. The first
position becoming untenable, owing
to the fact that the Indians obtained
both cross and enfilading fire, was so
exposed position that up to the present
writing, seven O'Clock in the afternoon,
I only two wounded could go to camp, as
nine wounded, including Lieutenant
Wright, of the twelfth infantry, had
sought shelter in the erevice, which was
particularly open to the Modoc fire.
Grave doubts exist as to their ultimate
safety. So soon as information was
received at headquarters relative
to the peril Of the parties of troops, aid
was at once pushed forward to their res
cue, four companies being ordered out;
two Of cavalry from this camp, and two
from Colonel Mason's. Stretcbers for
the conveyance of the wounded We're
forwarded; these latter are returning
Just now, without having achieved the
object for which they were intended.
| Poor fellows! a bitter cold night, at
least, is before them. 1t is barely pos
sible-but from the character of the enc
my it can be eoneeiyed-that some of
| them no longer heed cold or heat. Their
comrades, who from some cause are
coming into camp, show plainly by
/ their demeanor the heartfelt sorrow they
/ feel for them, but they are powerIess in
/ the matter. The wounded, so far as can
be learned just now, are First Sergeant
Clifton, company E, twelfth infantry;
private John H. Clifford, battery X,
fourth artillery, twice; private John
| Lynch, battery X, fourth artillery,
since dead; private Joseph J. Me-
Laughlin, battery X, fourth artillery;
private William Mccoy, battery X,
fourth artillery, twice; private Michael
Wallace, battery K, fourth artillery,
since dead; private Joseph Broderick,
battery A, fourth artillery. Lieutenant
! Wright, of the twelfth infantry, is re-
! ported as dangerously wounded; Lieu
tenant Harris, fourth artillery, struck by
a spent ball, but not injured much.
At $50 am, April 9th, dispatch
was received from Colonel Green, of the
! first cavalry, who went out with rein
! fOrcements yesterday morning, showing
that the surprise must have been much
more complete and more terribly fatal
than was at first supposed. The dispatch
states that Clptain Thomas and Lieu
tenant A. X. Hswe, of the fouth artil-
lery, were killed, and Lieutenant Harris,
of the fourth artillery, badly, perhaps
nOrtally wounded, also Lieutenant Can
stOn, fourth artillery, missing. A full
| list of the killed and wounded cannot
now be obtained. But is known that
/ privates Ward, battery X, and Parker,
Of Collins battery, are killed, and
also privates Boyle of company
L, twelfth infantry, and one other man
Of the same company. 1t is supposed
! the Modocs burned the bodies of two OF
| the latter. In addition to the list given
above, First Sergeant Robert $. Roemer,
/ battery A, and Private John Higgins, OF
battery K, fourth artillery, are reported
badly wounded; and Matt Murphy, OF
company K, twelfth infantry, and James
Noble and Charles Cuff, OF battery A,
| fourth artillery, were slightly wounded.
| Acting -Assistant-SurgeOn B. Semig was
wounded in two places while attending
the wounded troops.
April II, 5p.m.-From the second dis
patch sent by Colonel Green, it appears
! that there are now collected and wait
| ing conveyance TO camp, sixteen men,
who were killed on Sunday. Captain
/ Thomas and Lieutenant Howe, of the
| fourth artillery, Lieutenant Wright,
! twelfth infantry, and eight wounded,
! including Lieutenant Harris, fourth ar
! tillery. These, added to the number of
wounded men above cited, show large
! per centage of casualties from the small
number Of men engaged, some sixty or
/ siXty-one. The Modocs are armed with
| Spencer rifles, breeeh-loading muskets,
nor is il single instance only where one
| MOdoc has been known not TO have pos
| session of tive or more Spencer rifles, en-
abllng him to keep rapid fire shots from
his natural or artificial breastwOrk of
rock. The surface of the ground in
many places is torn up by volcanic
actions, leaving large crevices, and
these are adaptable for the purposes
either of hiding or points of defense. In
! several instances the soldiers, knowing
nothing of the topography Of the coun-
| try, have come unawares on such fis-
sures; and before they could escape were
confronted with a willy Indian,
rife leveled and finger on the trigger, and
| death or at least a dangerous wound is
the result. Too often the cowardly red
skin ESCAPES by 50 many paths known
only 10 themselves. As a sample of
their tTeacheTy and cunning NAV not be
amiss, will state that portions of bat
teries A and X, fourth artillery, and
company i, twelfth infantry, finding
themselves in danger of being Outfank-
ed, took shelter in hollow spot afford
ing partial cover to some twenty. No
sooner had they done so than the In
Glhlt6t " LU AAtCh anu RNEfX
mode of egress at that point, and who
numbered twenty-One warriors, detached
seven OF their number on one side, the
fourteen remaining on the other and
opened a cross-fire on the poor fell
lows, who could not show head or hand
without the certainty of being struck.
Very few escaped without injury, and
the rest were either killed or wounded
1t Is next to impossible to ascertain the
number of MOdocs killed and wounded.
Yesterday Captain Mckay reported
that his Warm Springs had taken four
scalps. This may be the whole, or may
be only portion Of the killed, the Mo
docs being very careful to de-
strOy, as far as possible, all
the traces of their casualties,
burying their dead in the caves and
burning the dead bodies. Their wounded
are supposed to be hidden IN the caves,
as but few Of them have been seen so
| far.
Justice to the memory of the gal
liant dead eompels the record of the fol-
lowing well-authenticated facts: When
Captain Thomas found himself and
men surrounded by the vindictive foe,
true to bis nature, he sought to cheer
the soldiers on to the bitter end. and OBJ
tain, if possible, life for Hfe-sayine TO
hfa 90 No