The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-05-08

THE MODocS.
What Knoxville Man knows about them.
The late barbarous assassination ofGen. Candy
and the Peace Commissioners, by the Modocs.
and 1.-THE war now raging between the United
States and that tribe of Indians, adds the great
est interest TO anything relating to them. With
q view of getting an Item, we the other day in
tsry, ewed Mr. John Brownlee, of this city, who,
| for wears was resident Of the far West and
| who, we supposed, knew something of the cut
| throats now receiving the earnest attention Of
| the Government.
The well known modest demeanor, for which
Mr.. Brownlee is distinguished, made our sur
prise as great as was our satisfaction, when we
discovered what rich 'lead" we had struck, and
listened to his many "reminiscences Of Indian
warfare, and statements of historical events, "all
of which he saw, and part of which he was"
that now are being discussed from one extent
of the Union to the .other-by the pious New
Englanders whose only knowledge of the red
m en- is based upon the traditions of their ances-
tors who robbed them of their rocky hills of the
east and caused them to occupy better lands in
the West, and who now, to expiate the crimes OF
their daddies, send the murderers of the border
hatchets, knives, red shirts and blankets, in
cts full OF testamente with which to lead the
oppressed Indians to grace by the business
men OF the Middle States who know but little of
Indians and care less, and by the heroes of the
hills and valleys of Oregon, Washington and CAL
ifornia whose every day occupation has been
from their birth to fight for their lives and their
property.
Captain Bro nice was thirteen years in the In.
ptru and rlv n hat
gagged in active warfare with the Indians of Cali
fornia, Oregon and Washington. He was q bos-
ON friend OF the wrights-Ben and Bill-two OF
the most noted Indian fighters Of the plains
He was in all the prominent engagements from
1852 to 1858, and was one OF the small band of
nineteen white men who met and defeated the
Modocs in 1884 near the very ground where they
are now lighting.
That engagement is now being earnestly dis
cussed by the newspapers East, because it is
claimed by some that that event bears some re.
semblance to the assassination of Gen. Candy
and hisparty, and offers some excuse for the
peachery of the Modocs. Captain Brownlee
repels with indignation.the aapereion that he and
his friends were guilty of treachery on that &C.
casion, and his statement, which lie no donbt cor
rect, proves the fallacy of the charge.
In 1928, the Modocs murdered every immi.
grant who came within their reach. Hundreds
were killed, and many women and children were
carried into captivity. The government entirely
failed to protect the immigrants and Settlers
The murders became SO comm on, that there was
danger Of the whole white population being ex-
terminated, and in answer to tn pleadings the
settlers, Ben Wright gathered together eighty OF
his friends and 'went for" the Modocs. The
company was composed of residents Of Jackson
vile, OREGON, and Yreka, CalifoIn mia. The COM
mand fret took up the trail and were for several
months engaged in burying the bodies of the
murdered emigrants. This having been done,
attention was given to the murderers. Advancing
upon the strongholds of the Modocs, several bat
ties were fought without decisive results. Four
months time was consumed i'll skirmishes and
fights. In the fall, the wet and cold weather
somewhat dampened the ardor of The Indians,
who begged for "a talk" The request was lis
tened to by Wright and meeting appointed
Before this time, however, nearly all the whites
had gone home, leaving with Wright but eight
cen men, Mr.. Brownlee being one of the number.
At the time appointed. the Modocs, to the num-
Der of fifty, all armed-about half with guns and
the remainder with bows and arrows-met the
whites at The natural stone BRIDGE on Lost river,
ON the emigrant road near where the river enters
into Tule Lake-the scene of many murders, and
a bout thirty miles from the cave and lava beds.
Both parties were surprised-the Indians at the
small force Of whites, and the whites at the large
number Of Indians, when 1t was intended that
but the leading men of the tribe should be pres
ent at the ''talk." Both parties .camped togeth.
er. Having perfect knowledge of the treacher'
Gus character of the Indians, every white man,
although pretending sleep, remained wide awake
l. - u,A nnrfn n
the night slight rain fell, which unstrung the
bows OF the Indians rendering them useless. In
the morning. it was noticed that the Indians were
earnestly engaged in drying their bows and
strings, inspecting their arms and getting ready,
as the whites were certain, to commence slaugh.
ter With men who for years had witnessed the
villainy of the Indians, it was not necessary to
wait until they had been str lck before taking &C
ton. The word was given by Wright, and before
the indians could escape, thirty-fve were killed
within one hundred yards of the camp. The re-
mainder escaped. Not white was injured.
Several years afterwards, Wright was murdered
by Enos, Modoc. He had charge of number
of friendly Indians on a reservation in Southern
Oregon, and EnOs, who had been with him four
years, one night murdered Wright. Mr.. Brown
lee was at that time in company with Bill Wright,
the brother of Ben, lighting Indians in Wash ing
ton Territory. On hearing of the murder of his
brother, Bill, accompanying with Mr.. Brownlee,
turned their faces South, and after swimming the
Columbia river at night, In order to avoid the In
dams, Travelled five hundred miles through hos
tile country, with but one object-t0 avenge the
murder Of their old captain. When they arrived
at the reservation Enos had fled, but several
years afterwards he was caught and executed for
the murder.
Capt. Br0wnlee was present at the great battle
at Walls Walla In 1857 In which 300 whites fought
1000 Indians and whipped them, and was an eye
witness to the killing of the Indian chief, Peu-
Peu MOx- Mox, about which the red-tape me at
Washington and those who believe in conque ring
Indians with love, made such fuss at the time.
The Walla Walla Indians and neIghboring
tribes, had before 1857 been very troublesome.
They had murdered settlers, stolen stock, and
ended by brutality taking the life of Col: BOman,
an Indian agent and cousin of Mrs. Geo. Kruck
OF this city, whose head they stuck on pole.
The United States troops sent to chastise them
were defeated and forced to retreat. This made
the Indians more vilainous than before. Old
Mox-Mex gathered his tribe to tn number OF 1000,
and awaited the coming Of more soldiers. The
soldiers didn't come; but one morning without
notice, he found In his front, 800 old fighters who
had made forced march OF so miles in "a hours
and were ready to chaw cid Mox and his band
up This the old rascal did not want done under
the circumstances. The women and children.
and stock were in reach Of the whites, and fight
aud defeat would be utter ruin to him and his
tribe. AS In all similar cases, the dodge of a
short talk was resorted to. He hosted the
white shirt OF some murdered white man upon
stick, and alone boldly marched out to see the
whites. When he got among them he was sur
prised at their force He begged for peace, and
promised to pay for all the stock stolen by his
tribe to deliver mp all prisoners In his hands and
to forever after be the friend of the white man.
This talk satisfied the Colonel in command ofthe
troops. but the old fighters couldn' t see it. Mox-
Mox was allowed to communicate with his war
riors under guard. He was held prisoner until
the terms OF his treaty were complied with He
shouted to his men and instead OF talking peace,
ordered them to remove their women and child
rem and prepare for battle! The order was COM
piled with, and next morning, instead of the
prisoners promised, came 1000 painted warriors,
who boldly charged the whites. MoxMox when
the fight commenced, sprang upon Lieute nat
and Stable him with knife which he had con-
cealed beneath his blanket and then grasped the
rifle of his guard, named Warfeld, a powerful
man, and life and death struggle ensued. War
field, by his superior strength, threw the chief TO
the ground, and raising his rifle struck him over
the head, killing him upon the spot. Thus died
Mox Mox, the great chief. The fight ragged four
days. The whites were driven back, forced to
build trenches and fort but at last defeated the
Indians, who retreated across the Colum bis
River.
Captain Brownlee. in his numerous fights with
the Indians wa several time severely wounded,