Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1873-05-03
TERRIBLE FGGnT WITH AN UNSEEN FOE
Nineteen Ofacers and Men Killed.

Nineteen Ofacers and Ncn Killed. |
SAN FRANCISCO, April 29.--A courier |
has just arrived, and reports that another |
terrible battle has been fought with the
Modocs, in which nineteen of our men were
killed, including Captain Evan Thomas
and Lieutenant Water Howe, of the Fourth
Artillery, and Lieutenant Wright of the
Twelfth Infantry. Twenty-three are
wounded, including Lieutenant George NJ.
! Harris, ofthe Fourth Artillery, and others.
! Particulars will be forwarded soon.
THE TROOPS SURPRISED.
LAVA BEDS, April PA reconnoter-
| ing party composed of Blt,eries X and \,
| Fourth Artillery, and Company E, Twelfth
Infantry, left camp at haltpast seven this
morning, proceeding in Il direction known
to lead to the present stronghold of the
Modocs. Captain f. Thomas, of the
! Fourth Artillery, being in Command. n
dozen or SO Warm Spring Indians were eX
| pected to cooperate on Captain Thomas
! left. The troops having formed in line,
/ the, skermishers advanced without molusta-
! ton antil they arrived ut the foot of the
| bluff south Of the lava beds, having mean
while signaled to camp that no Indians
were to be found. On reaching the bluff
! the Modocs opened a severe fire, causing
/
could find in crevices, chasms, etc.
AS usual, the foe was unseen. The first
| position soon became untenable, owing 10
/ the fact that the Indians were able TO de-
| liver both cross fire and an cnfading
| fire, and the position of the troops was so
| exposed that, up TO the present writing,
seven O'Clock 7. NJ. only two out Of the nine
wounded could reach camp. Lieutenant
| Wright, Of the Twelfth Infantry, had sought
/ shelter in crrvice, which was partially
open to the Modoc fire. Grave doubts
exist as to their ultimate safety. As soon
as information was received at headquar-
ters relative to the peril Of the party troops
were at once pushed forward to their res
cue.
-Four companies were ordered out, two
! OF cavalry from this camp, and two from
| Colon"l Masnu's. Sttetchers for The con-
veyance Of the wounded we're forwarded,
but the latter are now returning, without
having achieved the object for which they
were intended. Poor fellows, a bitter cold
I night at least before them. 1t is barely
| possible that some of them no longer heed
the cold or heat.
Their comrades who, from various causes
are coming into camp, show plainly by their
demcanor their heartfelt sorrow. They
feel for them, but are powcrless in the
matter.
THE LATEST PARTICULARS.
LAVA DEDS, April Do Special to the
New York Herald. The force under Cap
tain Thomas, which started to reconnoitre
the position supposed to be held by the
Modocs, numbered siXty-niue men. The
object was mainly TO find out how the Mo-
docs were situated whether the mortars
could be brought up and used effectively
against them. As the troops approached
the base of the lava beds, about halt-past
ten 4. NJ, our command was brought TO
u halt and the men allowed to take q rest.
The story of the first fire is differently re-
ported, some saying five or six shots were
fired, and others only four, but Ticknor
states positively that it came from a party
Of nine Indians who occupied bluff to the
eastward of where the troops were station
ed.
Major Thomas Immediately threw his
men into skirmshinG order, with Lieuten-
ant Wright's company On the right. The
latter however, had not got into position
before they were ilanAed to the right by q
party of fourteen other Indians.
The cross fire on W.right's men proved
very demoralizing, and they broke back in
confusion, leaving their gallant leader in
au exposed condition and supported By n
!
In the meantime another small party of
Indians had obtained position to the left
and opened a rank fire on the two batteries
of artillery. 1t was fearful trap, and the
first four shots Were only fired to draw the
troops more directly between the fire of the
Indians on the right and the left.
The route was complete, and, with the
exception of the officers and nOn-commis-
stoned officers, n majority of whom lay
stretched on the rock with life blood ebbing
fastawsy, the watchword ways SGgre qua
deui. -
Confused and demoralized as they were,
the men became an easy prey to the Modocs,
who, confident in the protection of their
native rocks, shot them down like so many
, frightened deer. r,
Occasionally news was brought in by the
scared stragglers, aggerated in the eX-
treme, but significant of some dire disaster.
Many of these meu who had deserted
their officers in time of peril had seen an
: hundred, Indians all around them. Fear
had indicated their Vision and made them
so helpless that ono Of their number was
! afterward found dead on the field without
a'shot aaiIe had been butchered by knives
and was so panicstruck that he could not
5 fire shot in his own defense.
e TIE MYSTERY OF THE ATTACK.
q |
There was a mystery about the attack
that nobody appeared to solve as to how
the troops were SO completely surprised in
camp, where there were piekets and ad'
vanced skirmishers. Itappeared so strange
! that party Of sixty-nine men should be
: almost surrounded by Indians, without
! their being aware OF a sign Of Indians as
: far as they could see.
: This fact alone will give the public an
4 idea of the nature OF the ground on which
: our soldiers have to contend against.
During the night the Indians were creep
ing through the rocks to scalp and strip the
/ dead. Soldiers coming through Colonel
s Green's line told him where the remains o.
a Batteries X and A were to be found.
e Col. Green Immediately moved forward
= his line 10 the place indicated, and there
s hid in some sage brush, were the bodies o.
e Majbr Thomas, Lieutenant Howe, Acting
: Surgeon Sims, Sergeant Rover and sir
+. others.