Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-02-20


dian was injured. All this has made
Capt. Jack more impudent and saucy
than ever There are some funny Incl
dents 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 neon
of the day of the fight, while Fairchild's
company were in the very hottest OF it,
P. A. Doris, one of Fairchilds men,
suddenly heard voice from above him,
apparently not more than forty feet off.
He looked up and could just see through
the fog into little crevice in the rocks.
There were two Indian faces, which he
at once recognized as belonging to Bogus
Charlie and Crank, the latter the same
who accompanied Doris and Fairchild
when they went into Captain Jacks camp
six weeks ago. Quick as lightning Dor
ris lodged behind a rock, when the two
Indians began to laugh and jeer him.
eli, said Frank, ''you old man, Dor
ris, why you no go home and stay there?
What for you come here to fight Mo-
docs? You say you no want to fight.
You Siskiyou boys better all go home.
You can't get Injun out of lava bed. !"
Doris made no answer, but stood be-
hind the rock, out of harms way. Just
then Col. Green, who heard the talk,
came up and called to his men, ''Charge
on that place, boys, and route out those
two Indians There's onlytwO of them!"
The men were met with the fire of three
or four rifles from the creyice in the rock,
and for an instant they wavered. Cup
and at 'em, boys!" yelled Col. Green.
sob, yes, that's all good, shouted Bogus
Charlie from behind the rocks. Cup
and at 'em but why you no come up
and at 'em yourself? You're pretty
soldier? Why for you no come your
self, eh ?" Col. Green could not stand
this taunt, and he made one spring at
the rocks. The Indians fired at him,
but the fog was just thick enough to rem
der their aims imperfect. The soldiers
followed the Colonel, but before they
could climb up to the point the Indians
lodged back, and their jibes and jeers
died away in the distance. Ten minutes
afterward Doris came out from behind
the rock and CROPPED his way through
the fog. He hadn't got but ten
steps when he heard Bogus Charles
voice again from another direction. He
looked, and as the fog lifted little he
saw the Indians head just above rock.
Eli, you old Doris; why you no go
home? Nobody want to kill you; you
want to kill me. You come up here. y
Doris lifted his gun, but before he got
| it up, Charlie twisted his fingers at the
end of his nose, and with jeer lodged
behind the rocks and was seen no more.
All through the fight the Indians had
several scalp poles planted on the rocks,
each with several white scalps dangling
| to it, These have the same significance
that a battle-flag usually has. Every
once in a while they would come up and
| shake the poles in a suggestive manner
and then dodge behind the rocks. The
savages all fought without clothes, save
a clout about their loins. They fought
with terrible desperation, and had it not
| been for the fog, it is certain hundreds
| instead of tens would have been killed.
Fairchild and his men got possession of
| the spot where this interview was held,
but was unable to keep it, the Indian
! fire from above being too hot for human
| endurance. Fairchilds got behind some
| rocks to protect himself from fire and
while there Shack Nasty Jim and Scar
/ Face Charlie, who were not twenty rods
off, rode up from behind their shelter
and call out, eli, John, come up here
and get some supper. We've got more
to eat than you have!" Mr.. Fairchilds
| did not go to sup with the Indians, but
when the fog thickened got down on his
| back and rolled out from the line of fire.
HOW THE TROOPS FOUGHT,
Fairchilds men say that the troops
fought like tigers. None of them finch
ed, and if the fog had not covered every
! thing they would have scaled the rocky
walls like cats. In fact, there seems to
have been no faltering, no wavering any
where. All did their duty splendidly.
| From all | can learn it was the sharpest
| fight that ever took place in California.
| If ended disaetrously to oUc side, but 1t
was none the less gallant affrir, and
all concerned in it deserve the fullest
measure of praise. Col Wheaton had
for weeks been preparing for the fight
| and had disposed his forces, as he thought,
in a manner that could not fail OF vic
! tory when the moment of attack came.
That he failed is due more to circum-
stances that he nor any Oneaelse could
control than any lack Of generalship or
military sagacity. AS an evidence of
the fact that a long campaign is antici-
pated by the military, it may be stated
that huge contracts lof gram, provisions
and other supplies have been let within
two days. Mcconnell & McManus of
Yreka have one which will amount to
! 81, 900 Ball Brothers one that amounts
to even more, and others of greater or
less amount are held in this vicinity.
This looks like a long, expensive cam
paign, and raises an important question
as to whether Capt. Jack and his band
are game worth the powder.