Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-04-29
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WESTERN DISPATCHES
[~srrcrAL TO THE GOLD HILL DAILY Srws.1
MoDoc WAR +!
OUR TROOPS AMBUscADED!
FRIGHTFUL SLAUGHTER !
OVER FORTY OFFICERS AND
SOLDIERS KILLED AND
WOUNDED!
THREE OFFICERS KILLED : ONE
BADLY WOUNDED ONE
MISSING!
SOLDIERS SURROUNDED AND SHOT
SOLDIERS SURROUNDED AND SHOT
DOWN!
ONLY FOUR MODOCs REPORTED
KILLED!

Nhhh <ADAtA
at 4 O'Clock this morning, bringing
the intelligence Of another terrible
fight with the Modocs on Saturday, in
which nineteen were killed, including
Capt. Thomas and Lieutenant Howe,
Of the Fourth Artillery, and Lieut..
Wright Of the Twelfth Infantry.
rwenty-three were wounded, includ-
Ing Lieut.. Harris OF the Fourth Artll-
lery. Missing, Lieut.. Cranston and
four privates Of the Fourth Artillery.
LAVA BED, April ga reconnols-
ance was made this morning In the d.
rection Of the known dead to the pres
ent Modoc stronghold. Capt. Thomas
In command with a few Warm Spring
Indians OIL Captain Thomas left, adj
vanced without molestatlon to the foot
of the bluffs south of the lava bed. On
reaching the bluffs the Modocs opened
fire, causing our troops to seek shelter
among the rocks. The foe was un-
seen. The Modocs having a cross fire
on our troops, they retired. Many Of
our troops were killed or wounded.
As saen az information was received
at headquarters. four companies Of cav
airy we're sent out to their relief.
Stretchers for the conveyance Of the
wounded were also sent, but these
have just returned without having
achieved the object.
$50 A. NJ, April IA dispatch
just sem from Col. Green, who went
out with reinfofcements, shows the
surprise to have been muck more COM
plete and terribly fatal than first sup
posed. Capt. Thomas and Lieut..
Howe are killed. Lieut.. Harris is
badly, perhaps fatally wounded.
Lieut.. Cranston Is missing. A full
list Of killed md wounded cannot be
obtained.
5P. NJ, April 27.-From a second
dispatch sent BY Col. Green, 1t appears
there are now collected and awaiting
conveyance to camp sixteen men
killed, including Capt. Thomas and
Lieut.. Howe Of the Fourth Artillery,
and Lieut.. Wright Of the Twelfth IN
fantry and eight wounded, including
Lieutenant Harris of the Fourth
artillery. These, added to the number
Of wounded men above cited, show a
large per centage OF casualties from
the small number Of men engaged
60 or 81. This Is READILY accounted
for when one considers that many of the
Modocs are armed with Spencer car
bines and breech loading muskets. Nor
is 1t a single instance, only, where one
Modoc has been known to have In his
possession two or more Spencer rifles,
enabling him to keep up a rapid fire
OF shots from his natural or artificial
breast work of rock. AS a sample of
their treachery and cunning, it may
not be amiss to state tina: a portion Of
batteries A and X, Fourth Artillery,
aud company E, Seventeenth Infantry,
finding themselves In danger Of being
o~utflanked. took shelter In a hollow
spot alording partial cover. There
were some 20 in all. No sooner had
they done so than the Indians who
knew and commanded every egress
from this cavity, and who at that point
numbered 81 warriors, detached seven
Of their number to one side, fourteen
remaining Oh the other, and opened a
cross fire on the poor fellows, who
could not show head or hand without
an almost certainty Of being struck.
A very few escaped uninjurcd, the rest
were killed or wounded. 1t Is next to
impossible to ascertain the number Of
Modocs killed or wounded yesterday,
but Captain Mckay reported to-day
that his Warm Spring Indians Ind
taken four scalps. This may be the
whole, or 1t may be only a portion Of
those killed-the Modocs being very
careful to destroy, rs far as possible,
all traces Of their casualties, and bury
Ing their dead in caves and covering
them with rocks. or, If this be not
practicable, burning the dead bodies.
Their wounded, 1t Is supposed. are hid
den in caves, as but few Of them have
been seen so far.