Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-05-03
THE BLOODY MoDoCs.
a Accommodating Party of Troops
SURF rised by Ghe Indians and
Almost Annihiiated.
over Forty Officers and Soldiers
Killed or Wounded.

New YORK, April ga Herald
special from LaVabeds, dated the
twenty-sixth, says the force under
Captain Thomas which started to
reconnoiter the position supposed
to be held by the MOdocs, numbered
sixty-nine men. The object was
mainly to find out how the Modocs
are situated, and whether mortars
could be brought up and used affect
lively against them. As the troops
approached the cave of the Lava
beds. about half past ten O'Clock in
the morning, our command was
brought to a halt, and the men allow
ed to take a rest. The story of the
first firing is differently reported,
some saying that five or six shots
were fired and others only four, but
TicknOr states positively thatit came
from a party of Indians who occupi-
ed the bluff to the eastward Of where
the the troops were stationed. Ma
jor Thomas Immediately threw his
men into diminishing order, with
Lieutenant WrighPs company on the
right. The latter, however had not
got into position before they were
Ranked on the right by a party of
fourteen other Indians that had
come up to the advance Of those
who fired first. The crossfire on
Wright's men proved very democrat
izing and they broke in confusion,
leaving their gallant leader in an ex-
posed condition, and supported by
few of non-commissioned officers.
In the meantime another small party
Of Indians had obtained a position
to the left, opening a raking fire on
the two batteries of artillery. 1t
was fearful. 1t TRANSFERRED that the
first four shots were only fired to
draw the troops more directly be-
tween the fire of the Indians on the
right and left. The rout was COM
plete, and with the exception of the
officers and non-commissioned Off
GERS, a majority of whom lay stretch
ed on the rocks, with the ife-blood
ebbing fast away. The Watch-word
was "SdHUe 6uipent." Confused
and demoralized as they we're, the
men became an easy prey to the
Modocs, who, confident in the pro-
lection of their native rocks, shot
them down like so many frightened
deer. Occasionally news was
brought in by the scared stragglerE
| exaggerated in the extreme, but sig.
nificant of some dire disaster. Many
of these men, who deserted their of.
ficers in time of peril, had seen an
hundred Indians all around them
and fear had distorted their vision
and made them so helpless that one
of their number was afterwards
found dead on the field, without &
shot. He had been butchered by
their knives, and must have been sc
panid-struck that he could not fire 8
shot in his own defence. There wai
a MYSTERY about the attack that no.
body appeared able to solve, as to
how the troops were so completely
surprised. If in camp, where were
the pickets and advanced skirmish.
ers? 1t appeared so strange that q
party of sixty-nine men should be
almost surrounded by the Indians
without their being aware of any
sign of Indians, who were creeping
through the rocks to scalp and "trip
the dead. This fact alone will give
the public an idea of the nature OF
the ground in which these Indians
fight and what our soldiers havs to
contend against.