The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-05-09

the winter is more favorable than at the same
date in 1872. so f. .r.-
= THE MODOC WAR.
A Remembering Party Ambushed and
Massacred-Complete and Terrible Rout
Of the Troops.
: We are called upon to record another bloody
chapter Of the Modoc war. On the morning
of the Goth nit. two companies Of d~ismounted'
artillery and . company Of infantry advanced
as skirmishers upon the lava beds. They
came suddenly upon 9 party Of Modocs who
were lying concealed in the c~revices, and who
at once opened q murderous fire upon them.
Such was the position Of our soldiers that
they could do little else than stand and be
shot down by the hidden and securely in
trenched enemy. The result WAS that ont Of
three companies, numbering about sixty-nine
men, nineteen were killed and nine wounded.
We condense from the telegraphic accounts
the following particulars of this last bloody
massacre: a
reconnaissance, composed of Batteries X
and A of the Fourth Artillery, and Company
E of the Twelfth Infantry, left camp at 7:SO
in the morning, proceeding in . direction
known to lead to the Modoc stronghold, Capt.
E. Thomas, of the Fourth Artillery, being in
command. A dozen or SO Of the Warm Spring
Indians were expected to cooperate on Capt.
Thomas left. The troops, having formed q
line Of skirmishers, advanced without hesitar
ton until they arrived at the foot of the bluffs
south of the lava beds, having in the mean
time signaled to the camp that NJ 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 the ~crevices and chasms. and, as usual, the
foe was unseen. The first position became
untenable, owing to the fact that the Indians
| obtained both q cro~ss-enfilading fire and q
direct fire. The troops were completely at the
mercy Of the red devils, and were shot dow
like dogs. In an incredibly short time nine
teeen Of the poor fellows had received their
death wounds, and nine more were so badly
wounded as to disable them for service.
A portion of the Batteries A and K, Fourth
Artillery, Company z, Twelfth Infantry, find
ing themselves in danger Of being outflankcd,
took shelter in u hollow spot, which afforded
Q partial cover. Some twenty had no sooner
done 80 than the Indians, who knew and com-
manded every egress from the cavity at that
point, and numbered twenty-one warriors, de-
tached seven Of their number or one side,
fourteen remaining on the other, and opened
a cross-fire on the poor fellows, who could not
show head or hand without the certainty of
being struck. Very few escaped injury, and
the rest were either killed or wounded.
1t was impossible, at last accounts, to ascer-
tain the number VI Modocs killed and wound
ed. The Warm Spring Indians captured four
scalps, which is probably the wiole number
killed, Az they were very careful to destroy ~
far a. possible all traces Of their casualties,
buryipg the dead in caves and burning the
dead bodies. Their wounded arc supposed to
be hidden in caves.
When the news OF the massacre reached the
camp, soldiers who had grown gray in the SCR
vice, wept like babies at the fate OF their Off
cen and comrades.
The New York Nera,fs correspondent gives
the following account Of the disastrous affair !:
The force under Capt. Thomas. which start
ed to reconnoiter the position supposed to be
held by the Modocs, numbered 90 men. The
object was mainly to find out how the Modocs
were situated, and whether the mortars could
be brought up and used effectively against
them. As the troops approached the cave in
the lava beds, about half past 10, our command
was brought to a halt and the men allowed to
take . rest.
The story OF the first fire is Differently re-
ported, some saying that five or six shots were
fired, and others only -four, but Ticknor states
positively that it came from O party Of nine
Indians who occupied q bluff to the eastward
Of where the troops were stationed. Maj.
Thomas Immediately threw his men into skir-
mishing order. with Lieut.. Wrigfit's company
on the right. The latter, however, had not
got into position before they were
flanked to the right by . party Of IA
other Indians, that had come up to the advance
Of those who fired first. The cross fire on
Wright's men proved very demoralizing, and
they broke back in confusion, leaving their
| gallant leader in an exposed condition, and
supported by a few Of his non-commisni0ned
officers. In the meantime another small party
of Indians had obtained . position to the left,
and opened O raking fire on the two batteries
of artillery. 1t was a fearful trap, and the first
four shots were only fred to draw tho troops
more directly between the fire Of the "a Indians
on the right and left. The rout was complete.
and with the exception Of the officers and nom
commissioned officers, the majority Of whom
lay stretched on the rocks with their life blood
ebbing fast away, the watchword was suape
gui peut. Confused and demoralized as they
were, the men became N easy prey TO the
Modocs, who, confident in the protection Of
their native rocks, shot them down like 30
many frightened deer. Occasionally news
was brought in by the scared s~tragglers, ex-
aggerated in the extreme, but significant Of
some dire disaster. Many Of these men, who
had deserted their officers in time Of peril.
had seen 100 Indians all around them. Fear
had distorted their vision, and made
them so hopeless that one OF their number
was afterward found dead ON the field
without . shot. He had been butchered by
knives, and 30 panic-struck that he could not
| fire q shot in his own defense. There was q
mystery about the attack thst nobody ap.
peared to solve, o. to how the troops were 20
completely surprised II in camp, where wore
the pickets or advanced ekirmishers? Z, Il ap-
np.rsd 40 afranOa that n marty NJ 60 mas