The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-05-30
The aBen wTight Massacre =

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A San Francisco correspondent Of
the New YORK Tribune says:
SIR: Soon after the butehery of
Gen. Candy by Capt. Jacks band of
ModOcs, an account was published
in our city papers, of an alleged sim
liar tracherous slaughter of MOdocs,
by one Capt. Ben. Wright and bis
men, in 1852. As this, or a similar
account Of that affair has probably
been republished in the NeR York
press, l send you, as a "set-off," a
slip cut from a more recent San
Francisco paper, containing, it is
believed, a true version Of the story,
and placing the matter in 3 very diff
ferent lfght:
Mr.. John NJ. Fulweller, one Of the
men who served in Ben Wright's
company of volunteers, which en-
gagged in the massacre Of Modoc
Indians during a peace talk in 1852,
has published a statement of the
facts, as he is aquainted with them,
in the The Auburn Argus Of April
.19. He says the volunteers headed
byWright numbered thirty or forty,
made UP in Yreka in September,
1852. He says Ben Wright was q
brave man, sin the true sense of the
word" and was chosen commander
of these thirty or fourty volunteers.
We quote from FulWeller's state
ment:
"They (the Yolunteers) repaired
to the vicinity Of what was then
known as Goose Lake, Klamath
Lake, and Lost River country. They
met many immigrants coming in,and
always gave them an escort. Many
of those chosen for escort duty we're
killed by the Indians. Everything
that could be done vas done by the
volunteers to assist the immigrants,
and prevent their butchery by these
incarnate devils, but still they con-
tinued their work Of murder, it be-
ing a frequent occurrence to see the
bodies Of women, young and old,
outraged, disembowelled, lacerated
and scalped; sucking infants brain
ed upon their. mothers breasts; men
and boys scalped, their ears and
noses cut of, their eyes dug out, the
muscles of the legs and arms cut out
to make boW-strings for these pets
of humanity besides other indigni-
ties that cannot here be mentioned.
The volunteers, under their brave
and tireless leader, remained in that
section of the country until all the
immigrants had passed over the
dangerous road, and had killed but
few Indians"
The Modocs sent word for a
''talk." cit was deemed advisable
to make peace with them" They
were invited to come in and "talk."
We again quote from FulWeller;
CAT the first meeting about a doz-
en- Indians came, but nothing definite
was arrived at. Conferences were
held day after day, the Indians be-
coming more numerous and insolent,
always demanding food and presents,
which were furnished them. On
the fifth day,in the morning, between
sixty and seventy Indians came into
camp, all of them being armed with.
their bows and their quiyers full Of
arrows, and conducted themselves
in such a manner that it was evident
that something was wrong. Ben
Wright soon set the interpreters to
work to find out what they meant,
and learned through one Of the
squaWs, who had become enamored
of one of the interpreters [ an Oregon
Indian J, that the AIodocs we're only
waiting for a good opportunity to
kill the whole company. Upon re-
ceiving this information, Ben Wright
commanded his men to prepare
themselves, as it was either kill or
be killed, and when he gave the
word, 'to go in and every man do his
best his orders were obeyed. After
the first fire, about forty of the
Indians stood in q line about TWEEN
ty-fve yards distant, and without
finching returned the fire Of the
volunteers; a perfect shower of ar
rows was hurled from their bows.
One of the volunteers was mortally,
three or four severely, and five or
six slightly wounded. The Indians
did not run until about half their
number were kiIled-then they broke
and scattered, after which several
more were made to bite the dust.
In all, thirty-seEen Modoes were
sent to the happy hunting ground
There were tWenty-one volunteers
engaged in the fight"