The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-05-08
The Modoc War.

troops by the Modoc Indians oc-
Cured In the Lava Bed in Oregon
on the Goth ult. A special to the
New York Herald says:
THE force under Captain Thomas,
which started to reconnoiter the po-
sltion supposed TO be held by the
Modoes, numbered sixty-nine men.
The object was mainly to find out
how the Modocs were situated, and
whether the mortars could be
brought up and used effectively
against them, AS the troops APP
preached the cave in the lava beds,
about 1890, our command was
brought to halt, and the men al
lowed to take rest, The story of
the first fire Is differently reported,
some saying FIVE or six shots were
| fired, and others only tour, but Tick.
nor states positively that it came
from a party Of nine Indians who oc
cupied q bluff to the eastward OF
where the troops were stationed.-
Capt. Thomas Immediately threw
men into skirmishlng order, with
Lieut.. Wrights company on the
right. The latter, however, Lad no.
got into position before they were
fiankod to the right by q party OF
up to the assistance of those who
fired. The first cross fire on Wriyht's
men proved very demoralizlns, and
they broke back in confusion, leaving
their gallant leader in an exposed
condition, and supported by few OF
his non commissioned officers. In
the meantime another small party OF
Indians had obtained a position to
the left, and opened raking fire Oh
the two batteries of artillery. |.
was fearful trap, and the first tour
shots were only fired to draw the
troops more directly between the
fire of the Indians on the right and
left. The rout was complete. The
watchword was Sauua qM peW.-
| Confused and dcmoralized as they
were, the men became an easy prey
to the Modocs, who, confident in tn
protection of their native rocks, shot
them down like so many frightened
deer Occasionally news was brought
in by the scared stragglers, exag
gerated IN the extreme, but signifi
cant of some dire disostcr. Many of
these men, who had deserted their
officers in time OF peril, had seen
hundred Indians all around them
Fear had distorted their vision and
made them SO helpless that one OF
their number was afterwards found |
dead on the field without shot. lie |
had been butchered by knives and SO |
panic struck that he could not fire a
| SAiOt WV icItUCC.
There was mystery about the at.
tack that nobody appeared to solve,
as to how the troops were so com
p'etely surprised. 1t appeared so
strange that party of sixty nine
men should be almost surrounded by
Indians, without their being aware OF
the sign OF an Indian as far as they
could see. This TACT alone will give
the public an idea of the nature of
the ground IN which these Indians
fight, and what our soldiers have to
contend against. During the night
Warm Spring Indians, coming thro'
Colonel Green's lines, told him
where the remains OF batteries K
and A were to be found. Colonel |
Green Immediately moved forward |
his line to the place indicated, and
there, hid in the sage brush, were
the naked bodies Of Captain Thomas |
Lieutenant Howe, Sergeant Power. |
and six others. Colonel Wrlght's |
body lay little to the left, and on |
the right was Lieutenant Harris. sc. |
verely wounded, and the bodies Of
tive Of his men, stripped Of all their
clothing Forty-nlne men were kill.
ed and wounded, out of a command
OF sixty nine men"
SKETCH OF THE DEAD OFFICERS.
WASHINGTON, April 29.-Cap.ain
Thomas, reported among the killed
by the Modocs, was tho son Of Gen.
eral LORENZO Thomas, formerly Ad.
jntant General Of the army. Lieut..
Howe was the son Of Major Howe.
and son-in-law Of General Barry. the
commandment at Fortress Monroe.
Lieutenant Wright was the son OF
General George, aud nephe " of the
late General Sumner.