Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-02-22
The MOdOc War.

be given TO them.
The MOdOc War.
A correspondent with the United
States troops in the Modoc fight, says
that the work of reducing Captain Jack
is one that is likely to take months to
accomplish. Meanwhile the willy old
Indian lies in his lava bed and laughs
in his sleeve at the trouble and expense
he is putting his Great Father to. He
has won two fights, and is of course
elated. He considers himself as safe
in his lair now as he would be if there
were no troops within thousand miles
of him, and he no doubt has good rea-
son to believe so. He has killed thirty
men all told since the war began, and
has lost but one warrior, and that one
in the first fight. In the last battle he
lost none at all, as all here concede. 1
have seen no one yet that claims that a
single Indian was even injured. All
this has made Captain Jack more impu-
dent and saucy than ever. There are
some funny incidents of the late battle
which have not yet been printed, but
which go to show the brazen effrontery
of these Indians more than anything
else. About noon of the day of the
fight, while Fairchild's company were
in the very hottest of it, P. A. Doris,
one Of Fairchild's men, suddenly heard
a voice above him, apparently not more
than forty feet off. He looked up, and
could just see through the fog into a
little crevice in the. rocks. There were
two Indian faces, which he at once re-
cognized as belonging to Bogus Charlie
and Frank, " the latter the same who
accompanied Doris and Fairchild when
they went into Captain Jacks camp six
weeks ago. Quick, as lightning Doris
lodged behind rock, when the two
Indians began to laugh and jeer him.
"Hil" said Frank, ''you old man Dor
ris, why youno go home and stay there ?
What for you come here to fight Mo-
docs =? You say you no want to fight.
We no want to fight you. You Siskiyou
boys better all go home. You can't get
In jun out of lava bed" Doris made
no answer, but stood behind the rock,
out of harms way. Just then Colonel
Green, who heard the talk, came up and
called to his men, Charge on that
place, boys, and rout out those two In.
dams There's only two of them =
The men we're met with the fire of three
or four rifles from the crevice in the
rock, and for an instant they wavered
cup and at 'em, boys p yelled Colone
Green. ooh, yes, that's all good,
shouted Bogus Charlie from behind tht
rocks. {" Up and at 'em! but why you
no come up and at 'em yourself? You're
pretty soldier! why for YOU no come
yourself, ell ?" Colonel Green coult
not stand this taunt, and he made one
spring at the rocks. The Indians free
at him, but the fog was Just thicl
) enough to render their aims imperfect
, The soldiers followed the Colonel, blu
before they could climb up to the poin
the Indians lodged back, and thei
jibes and ieers died away in the dis
, lance. Ten minutes afterward Dorri
} came out from behind his rock anC
CROPPED his way through the fog. Fl,
hadn't got but ten steps when he hearc
|, Bogus Charley's voice again from an
, other direction. He looked, and as thu
/ fog lifted a little he saw the Indian
head just above rock. eli! you ole
Doris; why you no go home? Nobod,
} want to kill you; you want to kill me
You come up here" Doris lifted hi
gun, but before he got it up Charlie,
twisted his fingers at the end of hi
nose, and with jeer lodged behind tn,
rock and was seen no more. All through
the night the Indians had several scall
, poles planted on the rocks, each will
several white scalps dangling to it
These have the same significance tina
battle flag usually has. Every one,
in while they would come up ant
shake the poles in suggestive name
and then dodge behind the rocks. TIT
savages all fought without clothes, save
a clout about their loins. They Tough
with terrible desperation, and had i
not been for the fog it is certain hun
dreds instead of tens would have beer
killed. Fairchilds and his men got pos
session of the spot where his interview
was held, but was unable to keep it, thu
Indian fire from the rocks above being
too hot for human endurance. Fair
childs got behind some rocks to protec
himself from fire, and while there Shacl
Nasty Jim and Scar Face Charlie, who
were not twenty rods off, rode up from
behind their shelter and called out
eli, John, come up here and get some
supper We've gotmore to eat than yor
have p Mr.. Fairchilds did not go tc
sup with the Indians, but when the foe
thickened got down on his back anC