Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-05-01
THE MODOC WAR.
Battle of the Lava Beds-Capt. Jack
Forced from his Stronghold.


Forced from his Stronghold.
A dispatch dated Headquarters Modoc Ex-
petition. Camp South of Tule Lake. April 16,
gives the following account of the way in
which the Modocs were forced out of the lava
beds:
The day opened warm and still, but was ush-
cred in by a roar of musketry and occasional
booming of howitZers. Gen. Gillem. who had
been waiting for the arrival of his stores and
the Warm Spring Indians, issued orders yes
terday for the tents to be struck down in a
compact place near the hospital, for the troops
to be supplied with three days rations and 100
rounds of ammunition. Next. for the cavalry
to be ready to move at 2 a. m. to-day, and for
Col. Mason, on the opposite side of the lava
bed, to move at the same hour on the enemy.
Col. Perry's and Lieut.. Cressan's cavalry were
to conceal themselves until Joined i'll the morn
ing by the infantry and artillery. 1t was hoped
when the latter companies left camp that the
Modocs would observe them, and, in an attempt
to cut them off, fall into the hands of the cav
airy. These movements were faithfully exc
cuted, and probably hurried a little on our side
by the escape of Long Jim, a Modoc, who was
under guard a prisoner of war. At midnight
he leaped past the guard and escaped, though
many shots were fired at him.
At daylight We had an irregular fusilade ON
the opposite side of the lava bed, and we knew
that Col Mason's forces or his skirmishers
were engaged. At 6 we heard the boom of a
howitzer and saw shells bursting over Capt.
Jacks camp. At this time the rocks were
swarming with Indians, and the firing was
rapid. The plan of battle was from the north
side. Col. Mason was in advance of his COM
mand ON the right of Warm Spring, the In
dams on his left. From this side there was
only the lake for the Modocs to escape by.
Lieut.. Greery was in camp in charge of the
arms and ammunitions. Capt. Trimble, First
Artillery, with twenty men, was left in charge
of the camp on this side. Col. Green, at z
, - - Ill ~
pany. In about an hour and a half after leav-
ing camp the ball opened. While marching
along the lake shore, just at the head of a
long cave, about a mile and a half from Jacks
camp, they encountered the first opposition,
with struggling shots from the bluff, at long
range.
The men deployed in open skirmish order,
and advanced slowly under such a cover as
the rocks afforded. Our right gorge opened
on the bluff, from the right bank of which
came struggling shots, while a few fell around
US from the left point. Our administers crept
up, supported by reserves, until we arrived
within short range when a severe volley was
fired from the bluffs, evidently there being
twenty-five or thirty Indians posted there.
The fire was heavy. After standing about ff-
teen minutes, the order to charge was given,
and the men sprang forward amid the most
deafening wells from the Modocs. Such was
the rapidity of the onslaught, and so unex-
t00NOAf ~" = b1SI
knew it, and in a few minutes were masters of
the situation, and our brave boys behind the
rocks resting at their leisure. Gen. Gillem
had sent an order to Col. Mason to stir them
up on his side, and he let into them with a
vengeance, distracting their attention ma
terially and assisting our troops. The charge
was a gallant one.
At 2 p. m. the order was given to advance
the mortars. Maj. Thomas is in command.
Lieut.. Cranston Howe, Fourth Artillery,
Sergeant Ramer, and nineteen men composed
the party, as gallant a set as ever handled
guns. At half-past 4 the line deployed down
the lake opposite Jacks camp, and crossed the
Intervening open space at double-quick with
out receiving a shot. They are now in readI-
ness to charge on the Bluffs when the mortars
have done their work. The mortars arrived on
the ground, and took position. All quiet until
$50, when a sudden and heavy volley rolled
along Mason's line, and continued several
minutes. Maj. Thomas dropped shells directly
into it, provoking frantic war-whoops. There
was a sudden e~xtinguishing of the fire. An
other shell dropped in the same locality, and
was followed by yells of pain and dismay. The
Modocs then appeared and challenged the sol
diers to come out and fight. Another shell
was the answer, and they were driven back.
At 9 o'clock Col. Gillem's command moved
forward from the position gained on Tuesday,
and soon occupied the ridge next to Jacks
camp Col. Mason then moved right forward
as rapidly as possible, to form a junction with
Gillem's left, cutting off the Modocs from the
lake, and from their only source of water sup
ply. The junction was effected at noon. At
2 P. m. the mortars were throwing shells in
excellent range. Col. Greeu fell back behind
the ledge, awaiting the Modocs, should the