The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1873-04-17
wAR N TEE LAVA BEDS.

The dispatches announcing the murder Of
Gen. Candy and two Of the Peace Commis.
sionen, BY the treacherous Capt. Jack and
party, have been corroborated. The scene
of the murder u near the lava beds in the
mountains, rising shove Tule Lake, in Sis-
kiyou county, California, directly On the
boundary line Of Oregon and California.
The Modoc Indians have inhabited that re-
sion ever since the 6nt emigration to the
Pacific coast, and some of the most horrible
masacres Of emigrsnts are charged to bands
Of that tribe. They lived in the rocky fast
Desses of the mountains, and made frequent
incupions to the valley, killing
settlers and driving away sock.
OF late years thay have been more peaceably
disposed, and We believe occupied lands in
what is known a. the klamath reservation
in Oregon. Mr.. A. B. Meacham, Who was
shot and probably wounded 20 that he will
die, Was the agent of the Modo0 when they
were on the klamath, and acquainted him
seli with the leading Indians of the tribe.
They we're removed from the klamath res
ervation to Lost River, not far distant. and
subsieted BY hunting, fishing and raiding on
the ranches of the settlers. A war with the
whites was the result of the frequent tbefts
and murders, and on the 18th of January Lat
the first regular battle was fought Cap. JACK,
anticipating an attack, found strong natural
position in the mountains, and with his tGo
hundred warriors repulsed the regular
soldiers and the Oregon militia. The
white forces were composed of one company
of U. s. cavalry, two companies U. 8.
infantry, and three companies Oregon
volunteers, all under command of Gen.
Wheaton. 1t was designed to attack the
Modocs simultaneously on both sidea, and
demoralize them. but dense fog prevented
the signals from being seen. and - conse-
quence one body of the attacking army en-
countered Captain Jacks band without sup
port. In the engagement eight regulars and
two volunteers were killed.
After the disastrous battle, last January,
Gen. Candy was ordered thither, and
At the same time q Peace Com
mission, consisting of Mesu. Meacham,
Dryer. and Rev. Mr.. Thomas.
was authsrized to extend the SOLVE branch"
70 Captain Jack and his followers, and use
all moral suasiou to induce the Modes
to 30 on 4 reservation in Arizona. The dis
patches recently published have informed
the reader - to the result of the peace ne
gotiaaions.
The New York Herald has a''commi@ioner |
At the seat of war Who gives the following %
the number and distribution of troope:
M.jor Edwin C. Mason, of the Twenty -6rst |
commands the troops encamped on |
the eat side of Tule Lake, about three miles |
from Captain Jacks cave. His division |
companies C, D and L of the
Twenty-fist infantry, troops B and G of the
Fint cavalry, and = detachment of the
Fourth artillery, with two howiizers. The
troops 1t this camp. consisting of companies
+, K and H of the Fint Cayaly, batteries
E, A and N of the Fourth artillery, and two
of the. Twelfth infantry, leave to-
en- route for their new camp in the
ava beds At the foot of the bluffs. Major
ireen, Of the First cavalry, il in charge Of
his diviaion, and the entire army, amount
ng to about seven hundred men, i under
:harge of General Gillem, Colonel of the
First cavalry.
Major Mason report. that the lava beds
warm with rattlesnakes and scorpions and
,latooos Of rebels that will nUt add to per-
onal comfort. |,