St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-06-13
Brutal Massacre of Captive Modocs.

Dispatches from BaNlr'> camp. Sun
day. relate the following particulars OF
an atIociuuS massacre of Modoc pris-
onrr>. supposed to have been perpctra-
ted hy Oregon volunteers. On Saturday
morning James Fairchid and dozen
other men left Fairchlid'> ranch With
Il Modoc captivcs. including women
and children. and Shack Nasty Jim.
Bogus Charley. Tcehcc Jack. Pony and
Little John. The Indians were III Il
wagon drawn by four mules. At the
crossing of Lost river. the party en-
cuuntcrcd Il body Of Oregon volunteers
under Capt. IIi>er. The soldiers gath
cred about the wagon and questioned
Fai,cliid. The latter told them the
Indians were all Hot Creeks except
Little John. and there were no charges
against them. Fairchild undertook to
push on t" Baylc's camp, and the vol
untcerS retired to their camp near
CraWlcX'S. On the road. Fairchild
noticed two men ahead riding to Rocky
Point. as if to intercept them. When
the team approached the two men one
of them presented Il needle gun to Fair
child. saving. Get down. you old
whitchrad. by what authority -
demanded Fairchild. by mine. |
am going to shoot the Indians and You.
to, WAS the reply. The leader caught
hold of the mules and mhitrhcd them,
cutting the harness. Fairchild. climgmg
to the lines. escaped to the ground.
The poor wrctrheS implurcd for mercy,
and begged Fairchild to save them.
The wan oTS were unarmcd, and knew
D IL,
coolest in the party. although facing in
cNitahlc death, hut the women and
children sh!ickcd. groaned and Wept
pitcuusly. Fairchild had nothing bur a
small pistol. and six inches from his ear
WAS the muzzle of Il necdle-grm. He
says the tears came into his ewes. and
he mingled his cutrcatics with those of
the ModocS, in hopes that the massacre
might he avoided. He adds: at was
Il terrible Sccnc-onc | never shall for
get. | shudder when think what |
saw and heard. The fearful voices of
those women and children still ring in
my caiS.' But the cowardly hounds
were not to lie haulkcd. \ shot, and
Little John lay dead i'll the wagon with
bullet in his brain. The mules dashed
away with Fairchild. who became en-
tangled in the lines. Five more shots
were fired i'll rapid succession, by which
Tcchcc Jack. pony and Mooch were
killed. and Little Johns squaw fright
fully wounded in the shoulder. Away
ahead on the road in the direction of
iiaylc'S camp. Il cloud of dust was per
ccivcd. indicating the approach of a
team. The muriercrs espied the dust,
and shortly aftcrward were riding rapid
~ away. Surgeant Murphy Of battery
G.. lth artillery. with 10 men and a
tcamstcr, came up to the scene of the
massacre. The sergeant took charge of
affairs. and with his men remained on
the ground. Fairchild, teamster. and
the wounded squaw, with her two chill
drcn. came in at > o'clock, this morning.
Fairchild reached Gen. Daviss head
quarters and related his story. Teams
with an escort were sent at once to
bIing the prisoners, dead and alive.
No steps were taken for the apprehen-
sion OF the guilty parties. who are sup
posed to he Oregon volunteers. The
warriors killed were not charged with
murder. but participated in the open
fights.