Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-10-30
lFor the Globe.l
Carrying q Stretcher,

About the saddest as well as the most
fatiguing experience in my career as a
soldier took place at the Lava bed during
the Modoc Indian war, 1878. The bra We
Capt. Thomas and his small comm and
had just been massacred or dispersed
and the relief, under Col. John Greer
having arrived on the ground late in the
evening, drove off the few remaining hos
tiles and YEARLY awaited the approach of
day to commence the search for the bodies
of the slain and wounded About 9 O'Clock
in the morning they were found lying
upon the ground, presenting all the differ
emit forms of anguish and distortion; some
in the position of desperate defences,
others PROSTATE, in positions of dire help
lessness and despair; quite number yet
alive, but in the agony of painful wounds.
All were gathered in, some to be inform
ally inferred, and others attended with
the means at hand and prepared fol-
transit to the camp. AS the sun disap-
peared from sight on this sOrrowful day,
and the darkness was thickening over us,
the order of march was commenced, car
rying parties told off, and the nine
placed in column. Only a few miles of
Journey lay before us, but miles of rock,
precipice and chasm. AS we moved out,
the black and swiftly gathering clouds
began to discharge their bucketfuls of
wrath, and with short notice all were
drenched and shivering in their thinly
covered pelts.
Our Warm Spring Indians in charge
of the famous scout, Donal McKy, took
the lead, and in the order by file we
started. The hostiles who had been con-
fronting us all day, towards evening
showed in considerable numbers on a
ridge near by, apparently close, but, ow-
ing to the nature of the country, far be-
yond reach. They lit their signal fires and
danced about them in glee, and, some
suspecting a movement on our part had
posted themselves well, between us and
QUE destination there to intercept or an
noy Our movements were slow, the
head of the column frequently hating,
and those at the stretchers calling often
for relief for the poor sufferers had to be
lifted carefully over gulches, huge crew
aces and rocks, shook up. then adjusted
in position; not sound was heard except
that made by the falling or
shifting of the great black boulders as
they were displaced to clear the trail, and
the occasional groans of the wounded
We had progressed about half mile
when the wild braying of our two released
pack mules stumbling past disclosed our
movements to the willy Modoc. Quickly
some two or more rifle shots broke the
stiffness, and as before arranged, all of
our side promptly took the posi-
ton of squat. However this was
the only demonstration from the Indians
and we soon resumed the march. The
darkness had now become so intense that
each man had to constantly tap the Shout
der of his comrade in front, Id order to
keep the direction and avoid being en-
tirely left behind Soon the halts be-
came so frequent as to give rise to the
fear among many of our being discover.
ed at daylight, weary, unprepared and
struggling, with our helpless burdens,
About midnight the rain changed to
snow and the wind, from gentle breeze
to keen and cutting blast. All had now
served many turns at the stretchers and
ready volunteers were sought in vain;
details were made by orders, and repeat
ed and vociferated orders at that, many,
from slight feeling of panic or uncer-
talnty, slyIy shifting the labor to those
more resolute and manly The peculiar
state of feeling of the whole had been
very much wrought on of late by the nu-
merous disasters and doleful events just
having transpired, such as the treacher-
Gus killing of our esteemed commander,
Gen. Candy, and his colleague, Rev. Mr..
Thomas; the three hard and unsuccessful
battles; also, the several murders and
killings in the country adjacent to the
lava beds Each strescher required the
work of six strong and feeling men,
and in this duty the officers
fully shared in the toll i'm
posed upon their soldiers, none were
more willing than our veteran colonel.
After climbing, stumbling and tramping
till the first rays of the coming day APP
peared,w reckoned our journey to be but
half accomplished and the sun had
mounted high, as we halted abreast the
famous stronghold of Capt. Jack, luckily
for us then deserted. What wierd and
woebegone sight we presented; the waut
of sufficient water to drink for the past
thirty. six hours, the scant food and
scantier clothing and equipments, and the
benumbed feeling had blanched every
Cneek. AQQ TO LnlS the uedVy COdIinS VI
snow on head and shoulders, the many
bandaged arms and faces, and, sadder
than all else, our racked and tortured
charges, whose pallid faces now became
visible as they lay resigned to any event,
and you have picture no one need
care to look upon. We reached the main
camp all alive at s O'Clock a. m, having
consumed thirteen honest hours in trav-
ersing a distance of five miles. The
wounded comrades were quickly placed
under skillful treatment, and all but two
finally recovered. This little narration
was suggested by the preparation now
being made by Gen. Sherman to transfer
our beloved president, James A. Garfield,
to more healthful locality. I. G. t.
Rescued from Death.