Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-05-07
ANOTHER MODOC BATTLE.

hJhN i shL'N1SOOj Oaist u pm 10
A courier who has arrived here re-
ports another terrible fight with the
Modocs, in which nineteen Of our men
were killed, including Captain Thomas
and Lieutenant Howe, of the Fourth
Artillery, and Lieutenant Wright, Of
the Twelfth Infantry, and twenty
three wounded, including Lieutenant
Harris, of the Fourth Artillery. 9th
ers are missing.
New York, April 29.-The Herald
special from the lava beds, dated the
10Th, says: The force under Cap
tain Thomas, which started to re-
connoiter the position supposed to be
held by the hiodocs, numbered sixty
nine men. The object was mainly to
iud out how the Modocs were situated,
and whether the mortars could be,
brought up and used effectively against
them. As the troops approached the
cave In the lava beds, about 1880,
our command was brought to halt, and
the men allowed to take rest. The
story of the first fire is differently re-
ported, some say FIVE or six shots were
fired, and others only four, bat Tlcknor
states positively that it came from
party of nine Indians who occupied
bluff TO the eastward of where the
troops we're stationed. Major Thomas
Immediately threw men into skirmish-
ing order, with Lieutenant Wright's
company on the right. The latter,
however. had not got into position be-
fore they wer fanked to the right by
"A party of fourteen other Indians that
bad come up to the advance of those
| who fired. The first cross-fire on
Wright's men proved very demoralizlng
and they broke back in confusion, leav
ing their gallant leader in an exposed
condition and supported by few of his
nen-commissioned officers In the
meantime another small party of In
dams had obtained position to the
left, and opened raking fire on the
two batteries Of artillery. 1t was a
fearful trap, and the frs. four shots
were only fired to draw the troops more
between the fire of the Indians on the
right and left The route was COM
plete, and with the exception of the
officers and non com missloned officers,
the majority of whom lay stretched
en- the rocks with their life blood eb-
bling fast away. The, watchsword was
SuaUe qui peut. Confused AMI de-
mOralized as they were, the men be-
came an easy prey to the NIodocs, who
who, confident in the protection OF
their native rocks, shot them down
like so many frightened deer. Occas-
ionally news was brought in by the
scattered stragslers, exaggera in the
extreme, but significant of some dire
disaster Many OF these men who
had desreted their Officers in time of
peril had seen hundred indians all
around them Fear had distorted their
vision and made them SO helpless that
one of their number was afterward
found dead on the field without shot
He had been butchered by knives and
so panic struck that he conld not fire
a shot in his own defense There was
a mystery about tie attack that nobody
appeared to solve as to how the troops
were so completely surprised. 1t APP
peared SO strange that party of sixty
nine men should be almost surrounded
by Indians without their being aware
Of the sign of an Indian as far as they
could see. This fact alone will give
the public an idea of the nature of the
ground liz when these Indians 6uht
and what our soldiers have to contend
against. During the night Warm
Spring Indians coming through Col.
Green's line told him where the re-
mains of batteries K. and A. were to
be fonnd. Colonel Green Immediately
moved forward his line to the place
indicated, and there, hid in the sage
brush, were the naked bodies of Major
Thomas, Lieutenant Howe, Sergeant
Bower, and six others. Colonel
Wright's body lay little to the left
and on the right was Lieutenant Har-
ris, severely wounded, and the bodies
of five of his men, stripped Of all their
clothing. Forty-nine men were killed
and wounded ont of command of sixty
nine men
WASHINGTON, April 29-Captain
Thomas, reported among the killed by
the Modocs, was the son of General
Lorenzo Thomas, formerly Adjutant
General in the Army. Lieutenant
Howe was the son of Major Howe. and
son-in-aw of General Barry, the com.
mandant at Fortress Monroe. Lieuten-
ant Wright was the son of the late
General George, and nephew of the
late General SumDer.
WASHINGTON, April 30.-General
Sherman to-day received the annexed
dispatch from General Schofeld:
LAVA BEDS, April 2S.-On the
26th. Major Green, commanding the
camp on the west 81 be of tina lava beds
ordered Captain Thomas, of the 18th ar
tillery, and a party of Warm Spring
Indians, about 70 soldiers and IA In
dams, to make a reconnaissance in a
sousheasterly direction to point about
4 miles from camp. The party left
the camp about Il o'clock meridian,
reached the designated point, and were
resting. No Indians had been seen.
Suddenly the party was fired upon by
Indians, when upon searching in lava
chasms, the bodies of Captain Thomas
and Lieutenant A. 2. Howe, Of the
4th artillery, and Lieutenant Thomas
E. Wright, of the 18th infantry, were
found. First Lieutenant Arthur Gran
ston, Of the 18th artillery, has not been
found. 1t is supposed that they were
killed. Lieutenant Geo. NJ. Harris
and acting Assistant surgeon B. Semig
are seriously: though I hope not dan
gerously wounded. Thirteen enlisted
men were killed and wounded. Al!
of the officers and part of the smen re-
manned together and fought like heroes