The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-03-02
How The Modocs Fought.
A TOUCH OF THE HoMERsc.

A correspondent says: There are some
funny incidents of the late battle which
have not yet been printed, but which &C
| to show the brazen efrontery of these In
dams more than anything else. About
noon of the day of tho fight, while Fair
OF it, p. A. Doris, one of Fairchild's men,
suddenly heard a 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 Frank" the later the same
who accompanied Doris and Fairchild
| when they went into Captain Jacks camp
six weeks ago. Quick as lightning Doris
lodged behind rock, when the two In
dams began to laugh and jeer him. chip
SAID Frank, "you old man Doris, why you
no 60 home and stay there's What for
you come here to fight Modocs You say
You no want to fight. We no wait to
fight you. You Siskiyou boys better all
go home. You can't get Ipjun out of lava
ped" Doris made no answer, but stood
behind the rock, out of harms way. just
then Colonel Green, who heard the talk,
came up and called to his men, "Charge
on that place, boys, and rout out those two
Indiana there's only two Of them" The
men were met with the fire of three or
four rifles from the crevices in the rock,
and for an instant they wavered, "Up and
at EN- boys" yelled Colonel Green. "Oh,
from behind the rocks. Cup and at 'em
but why you NO come up and at 'em YOUR
selff You're a pretty soldier Why for
you no come up yourself, eh7" Colonel
Green could net stand this taunt, and he
made enc spring at the rocks. The Indians
to render their aims imperfect. The SOL
diers followed the Colonel, but before they
could climb up to the point, the Indians
edged back and the jibes and jeers
died away in the distance. Ten minutes
Afterwards Derris came out from behind
his rock and groped his way through the
fog. He hadn't got but ten steps when he
heard Bogus Charley's voice again from
another direction. He looked, and as the
fog lifted a little he saw the Indians head
jast above q rock. eli you old Doris
why you no go hemef Nobody wants to
kiln you you want KIN me. You come up
here" Doris lifted his gun, but before he
got it up Charley twisted his fingers at the
end of his nose and with o leer lodged
behind the rock 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 while
they would como up aud shake the poles
IN suggestive manner, and then dodge
behind the rocks. The savages all tough
without clothes, save a clout about their
loins. They fought with terrible despera-
ton, 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 his inter-
view was held, but were unable to keep
it, the Indian fire from the rocks above |
being too hot for human endurance Fair |
child got behind some rocks to protect
himseif from fire, and while there Shack
Nasty Jim and Scar Face Charlie, who
were-not twenty rods off, rode up from be-
hind their shelter and called out, eli,
John come up here and get some supper,
We've got more to eat than you have.n
Mr.. Fairchild did not go to sup with the
Indians, but when the fog thickened got
down on his back and rolled out of the
line of fire.