The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-04-27
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event Of twenty years ago, which is be-
'iieyed to have Peen' the prime cause Of
Ene massacre OF General Candy and DR..
Ihomaa. The details of this event are
briefly summed up in the following tele-
inst: s:: -'''A
"In 1852. North California was dis
turbed by Indian troubles, and the same
year company; under command of Can
tain Bepjamin Wright, was organized
and proceeded from Yreka to the Indian
country around Tale Lake aud the lnya
beds. They fought three unsuccessful
bnttles, the force being insufficient for
the subJeotion Of the Modoos. They re-
turned to Yreka. organized larger force
ana marched again to the Modoc country,
Winter approaching, found the Modocs'
supplies OF blankets, ammunition and
iood extremely limited; CONSEQUENTLY.
the Nlouocs were anxious for cessation
OF nostilities: In April, Captain Wright
roceiVeu the Modoc overtures with great
oordialiey: APeace conference was agreed
upon and place appointed in the i'm
meoiate vicinity OF the massacre of Con c.
raj Oanby. The conference met. consist
ing Of about twenty-five Indians and
thirty white men. While discussing the
terms. Wright gave the men signal. and
in q moment they killed eighteen Modocs.
and seven Modocs escaped. Thus ne.
rished the fathers Of the present Modocs
Captain Jack was nine years old, John
Schonchin nineteen, and Boston Charley
anu LOCKER Jim two years old. It is
probable revenge grew with age, culmi.
mating III tho Candy and Thomas massa. !.
cre Some years afterwards. Wright was
appointed Iudian Agent on Rogue River.
wright was apprehensive of Modoc ven
geancr. One night, Modoc chief.
named fnos, murdered and horribly mn
| tllated Wright's body. Chief Enos was
after wards captured and hanged. He
died exnlticg that lie had wreeked ven.
geanoe on the leader Of the massacre of
his murdered tribe.
"Ehongh the Infamous butchcry per-
petrated by Wright is no sufficient npo-
iogy for the murlerous treachery of Can.
tain Jack, yet, from q strictly Indian
point Of view, there is logical aud iusti.
fable connection between these two
bloody deeds. OF the two, Wrigat's is
the worst. BE was white man aud an
American, and therefore might be sup.
posed to have faint perceptions of human
ity, honor and Justice; while Jack and
his comrades, being savages, are sup
posed to he utterly destitute of these
qualities. Wright's slaughter Of the
Modocs Was entirely unprovoked; Jack =
murder OF Canby and Thomas did have
provooatlon. Let not the innocence of
the victims, and tho horrible manner of
'aeir taxing OIL, put that provocation out
OF ;lght altogether. We cannot afford to
| ignore facts, even where Indians NAV de-.
rive slight benefit from them"
| The 80rraanonIppk of tI,o Co.
cisco Chronicle writes from the Modoc
camp:
The principal portion OF the camp ia
Situated in "a huge opening or widening
OF tho ravine, of perhape IN acre in area.
On nil sides OF this opening, which
seems more like huge wash. bowl than
anything else, the natural wall rises 100
feet or more; but ID is easily scaled, for
the inner side is inclined, and the rocks
are sharp and jut out all over it. Once
in this basin, there is but one way out,
and that is by the trail We entered.
There are other ways out, but they are
by tunnels loading to the many caves or
sink holes in another part OF the lava
bed, and which will be more fully de-
scribed further. On the outside of this
basin, there is succession of ridges as
nigh as that which enclodes it, but these
do not extend all tho way around, To
the West Of the basin is fat, table-like
surf"ce Of lava, extending from tho very
summit of it's rim clear back for more
than mile. Iu this level place are .he
sink holes or caves formed thousands of
years ago, perhaps in the cooling of this
immense body Of molten earth. The
openings OF the holes are very small
indeed, ono does not SEQ them until he
has almost fallen in. But they widen as
they 60 down, and, their sides being
s!oplng, one can pick his way to the bot
tom without difficulty. Most of these
caves are connected with each other aud
with the larger basin by subtcrraneous
passages. so that one can go for half q
mile in the bed, without coming to tue
surface ut MI. This is Of incalculablc
benefit in defending tho stronghold, for
one man can keep 100 y. bay almost any-
where in it, without fenr of being
smoked out or having retreat cut OH.
After supper, which, by tho way, was
shared with keen relish by about II
dozen naked Indian babies, Bogus
Charley came and said ho would conduct
us to Captain Jncis. SO tho whole party
gathered mp their blankets and folio we'd.
Charley led tho way right up one side of
the baniD thrOu ri, i,,tio tr,;i -.