The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-05-08
THE MOpOCS.
What aknoxviIIe Man knows aboutt them,

THE Mopocs.
What aknoxviIIe Man knows aboutthem.
The late barbarous assassination ofGen. Candy
and the Peace Commissioners, by the Modocs.
and 1.-THE war now raging between the United
States and that tribe of Indians, adds the great
est interest to anything relating to them. With
a view OF getting an item, we the other day in
tsry.ewed Mr. John Brownee, of this city, who,
for years was resident of the far West, and
who, we supposed, knew something of the cut
threats now receiving the earnest attention Of
the Government
The well known modest demeanor, for which
Mr.. Brownlee is distinguished, made our sur
prise as great as was satisfaction, when we
discovered what q rich "lead" we had struck, and
listened to his many "reminiscences Of Indian
warfare, and statements of historical events, "al
of which he saw, and part of which he was"
that now are being discussed from one extent
of the Union to the .other-by the pious New
Englanders whose only knowledge of the red
m en- is based upon the traditions of their ances-
tors who robbed them of their rocky hills of the
east and caused them to occupy better lands in
the West and who now, to expiate the crimes of
their daddies, send the murderers OF the border,
hatchets, knives, red shirts and blankets, in
charge often, of awall-eyed Puritan, with peck
cts full Of testamente with which to lead the
oppressed Indians to grace by the business
men OF the Middle States who know but little of
Indians and care less, and by the heroes of the
hills and valleys of Oregon, Washington and Cal
ifornia, whose every day occupation has been
from their birth to fight for their lives and their
property.
Captain Bro nice was thirteen years In the In.
dian country, and nearly all that time was en-
gagged in active warfare with the Indians of Cali
fornia, Oregon and Washington. He was q bos
ON friend Of the Wrights-Ben and Bill-two Of
the most noted Indian fighters Of the plains
He was in all the prominent engagements from
1852 to 1858, and was one OF the small band of
nineteen white men who met and defeated the
Modocs in 1884 near the very ground where they
are now lighting.
That engagement Ia now being earnestly dis
cussed by the newspapers East, because it is
claimed by some that that event bears some re.
semblance to the assassination of Gen. Candy
and his.party, and offers some excuse for the
ueachery of the Modocs. Captain Brownlee
repels with indignation.the aspersion that he and
his friends were guilty of treachery on that &C.
casion, and his statement, which is no donbt cor
rect, proves the fallacy OF the charge.
grant who came within their reach. Hundreds
were killed, and many women and children were
carried into captivity. The government entirely
failed to protect the immigrants and settlers
The murders became SO comm on. that there was
danger Of the whole white population being ex-
terminated, and in answer to thu pleadings ofthe
settlers Ben Wright gathered together eighty of
his friends and "went for the Modocs. The
company was composed OF residents of Jackson
vile, OREGON, and Yreka, CalifoI mia. The COM
mand first took up the trail, and were for several
| months engaged in burying the bodies of the
| murdered emigrants. This having been done,
| attention was given to the murderers. Advancing
upon the strongholds of the Modocs, several bat
ties were fought without decisive results. Four
months time consumed III skirmishes and
fights. In the fall, the wet and cold weather
somewhat dampened the ardor of The Indians,
who begged for "a talk" The request was lis
tened TO by Wright and meeting appointed
Before this time, however, nearly all the whites
had gone home, leaving with Wright but eight
cen men, Mr.. Brownlee being one of the number.
At the time appointed. the Modocs, to the num-
Der of fifty, all armed-about half with guns and
the remainder with bows and arrows-met the
whites at The natural stone bridge, on Lost river,
on the emigrant road near where the river enters
into Tule Lake-the scene of many murders, and
about thirty miles from the cave and lava beds.
Both parties were surprised-the Indians at the
small force of whites, and the whites at the large
number of Indians, when 1t was intended that
but the leading men of the tribe should be pres
| ent at the talk" Both parties camped togeth-
er. Having perfect knowledge of the treacher-
| Gus character of the Indians, every white man,
although pretending sleep, remained wide awake
IL IA n.s,,
the night slight rain fell, which unstrung the
bows OF the Indians rendering them useless In
the morning, it was noticed that the Indians were
earnestly engaged in drying their bows and
strings, inspecting their arms and getting ready,
as the whites were certain, to commence slaugh-
ter. With men who for years had witnessed the
villainy OF the Indians, it was not necessary to
wait until they had been str lcE before taking &C.
ton. The word was given by Wright, and before
the indians could escape, thirty-ive were killed
within one hundred yards of the camp. The re-
| mainder escaped, Not white was injured
Several years afterwards, Wright was murdered
| by Enos, Modoc. He had charge of a number
| OF friendly Indians on reservation In Southern
Oregon, and Enos, who had been with him four
years, one night murdered Wright. Mr.. Brown
| lee was at that time in company with Bill Wright
the brother Of Ben, fighting Indians in Wash ing.
ton Territory. On hearing of the murder of his
brother, Bill, accompanying with Mr.. Brownlee,
| turned their faces South, and after swimming the
Columbia river at night In order to avoid the In
dams, travelled five hundred miles through q hos
| tile country, with but one object-to avenge the
murder Of their old captain. When they arrived
at the reservation Enos had fed, but sever al
| years afterwards he was caught and executed fol
| the murder.
Capt. Brownlee was present at the great battle
at Walla Walla In 1857 In which 800 whites fought
1000 Indians and whipped them, and was an eye
witness to the killing OF the Indian chief, Peu.
Peu Mox- Mox, about which the red tape men at
Washington and those who believe in conque ring
Indians with love, made such fuss at the time.
The Walls Wslla Indians and neighboring
tribes, had before 1857 been very troublesome.
! They had murdered settlers, stolen stock, and
ended by brutality taking the life of Col: Boman,
an Indian agent and cousin of Mrs. Geo. Kruck
OF this city, whose head they stuck on pole.
The United States troops sent to chastise them
We're defeated and forced to retreat. This made
| the Indians more villainous than before. Old
Mox-Mex gathered his tribe to tn number of 1000,
and awaited the coming of more soldiers. The
soldiers didn't come; but one morning without
notice, he found in his front, 800 old lighters who
had made forced march of 80 miles in "a hours
and were ready to chaw cid Mox and his band
up This the old rascal did not want done under
| the circums tances. The women and children.
and stock were In reach Of the whites, and fight
aud defeat would be utter ruin TO him and his
tribe. AS in all similar cases, the dodge of a
short talk was resorted to. He hoisted the
white shirt OF some murdered white man upon q
stick, and alone boldly marched out to see the
whites. When he got among them he was sur
prised at their force. He begged for peace, and
promised to pay for all the stock stolen by his
tribe to deliver up all prisoners In his hands and
to forever after be the friend of the white man.
This talk satisfied the Colonel in command ofthe
troops. but the old fighters couldn't see it. Mox-
| Mox was allowed to communicate with his war
| riors under guard. He was held o prisoner until
the terms OF his treaty were complied with. He
shouted to his men and instead Of talking peace,
ordered them to remove their women and child
rem and pr epare for bsttlel The order was COM
| piled with, and next morning, instead of the
prisoners promised, came 1000 painted warriors,
who boldly charged the whites. Mox- Mox, when
the fight commenced, sprang upon Lieutenat
and Stable ) him with a knife which he had con-
cealed beneath his blanket and then grasped the
rifle of his guard, named Warfeld, a powerful
man, and life and death struggle ensued. War
field by his superior strength, threw the chief 10
the ground and raising his rifle struck him over
the head, killing him upon the spot. Thus died
Mox -Mox, the great chief. The fight ragged four
days. The whites were driven back, forced to
build trenches and fort, but at last defeated the
Indians, who retreated across the Colum bia
River.
Captain BrOwnlee in his numerous fights with
, the Indians wa several time severely wounded,