New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-06-03

sist of stealthy skulking and sudden rushes OF
the foe. But the Modoc campaign MADE
necessary by series of bureaucratic dun
ders, has been specially unfortunate anu 'g-
noble. The Indians had uncommon au-
vantages from the first; and, by some mex
plicable faulty, our forces were never apio "
take any other attitude than one OF alneu
observation. The Modocs secure In tncr
rocky Businesses, came out only 10 eAo
cute the bloody treachery by winch
the Peace Commissioners and zen
Candy were attacked. They resisted tne
first appearance of assault - that OF Aprn
$3.50 vigorously that we lost over forty men
in the killed and wounded, while the unseen
enemy scarcely suffered. There was some
Smelling of the lava beds at odd Intervals
with what result we cannot tell and when Cne
beleaguered Modocs were finally compelled, Dy
the failure of their supplies, to leave their
hiding, they got off successfully. flity-one
women and children and nineteen men, Vi
those now in our camps, voluntarily suiion
dered themselves about two weeks ago.
We must believe that the military operations
against the Modocs have been conducted as
sharply as the sudden emergency ana an I'LL
perfect knowledge of the foe and their resources
would allow. There never has been any ade-
ouate defense of the unfortunate steps that
led into the war which has cost us so dearly
The trouble had reached its head, apparently,
two years ago. In 1871 the Modocs had Deen
removed to the Yainax Reservation, where
they were unable to subsist, and where WIN
n fatuity which is amazing they were herded
with their ancient enemies, the klamaths'
The Modocs left Yainax and went
roaming about the country, ana IL
WAS n wear ago that the Indian Superntend-
ent for Oregon was directed to remove them
TO the eservatiOn-peaceably II no could
forcibly if he must. Still they were not DIS
turbed until November, 1872, when, after al
ternate threats and coaxing, the whole matter
was turned over to Col Wheaton with re-
ouest TO execute the order of the Commits
sioner of Indian Affairs. The precipitation OF
hostilities which then followed resulted IN
defeat of the little handful of troops under
Wheaton's command, and the murder OF
eleven citizens Of tho region. The next col
lision was in the following January, when
force of about four hundred men-regulars,
California and Oregon volunteers, and few
Klamaths-attacked the Modocs and were
again defeated with q loss of about forty men.
Next came the battling and fruitless peace nego-
tiations with the victorious savages. Mean
time the party of Capt. Jack had been Ieen-
forced by the old chief SchOnchin, who, with
his band, had been friendly to the whites and
had heretofore kept his faith This old man,
now a captive, was the chieftain of branch
of the Modocs; Capt. Jacks party was another
division of the tribe, and the Hot Creek
Modocs constituted third. All these were
gradually consolidated by the original success
Of Captain Jack and the subsequent failure OF
the Government to make any progress in the
campaign against him. On the 18th April
Gen. Candy and the Rev. DR.. Thomas were
killed; the disastrous attack by Capt. Thomas's
detachment was on the Goth of the same
month; and, after varying drift of the wave
of war about the MOdoc stronghold, the saw
ages escaped early in May. On the 22d Of
Nav the Hot Creek band, seventy all told,
surrendered, leaving Captain Jack and his I'M
mediate followers on the trails which fade into
the wooded mountain ranges of NORTHEASTERN
Oregon. Within the last few days, by the
malicious use of surrendered ModOcs as scouts,
Gen. Davis has captured even these scattered
fugitives. The scouting parties have been
dasbing and determined in their bravery; they
have done much to retrieve the discouraging
character of the campaign; and so ends the
war virtually begun in 1871, and actively pros
ecuted since November, 1872.
The brief resume of facts which we have
given needs no special comment. The vacil-
lation, capriciousness, and hesitation which
have characterized the dealings Of the Gov
ernment with the Indians generally are sig
nally conspicuous in this long and dreary
campaign. The MOdoc tiger, to borrow fig
ure, was kept at the end of long chain and
checked or loosened as the within moved the
authorities. Negotiations and delay inspired
the Modocs with new belief in our treachery;
and repeated failures Of attempted fOrcible re-
moval of the tribe and of armed attacks con-
WINGED them of our weakness. The war has
cost us a great sum of valuable life. 1t was
undertaken to drive a remnant of an Indian
tribe to their allotted reservation. After a
long and costly campaign, the surviving men,
bers of the little gang are in our grasp. But
what can atone for the bloody sacrifice Of
Candy, Thomas, Harris, and the many gallant
gentlemen and brave men who have fallen in
the campaign just dying Quit The war, with
all its record of inefficient conduct, is over at
last. Is it too much to ask that its costly
lesson shall not be lost on the Government
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