Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-07
Said that Gen. Bacon and Whole
Force Have Been Massacred.
Both Indians and Troops Receiving Reinforce
ments at Bear Island.

Minneapolis, Oct 6.-Arthur P. Peg
Ter, the staff correspondent of the Jour-
nal, wires, at $50 this morning, from
Walker, Mimi:
"The force of so men under Gen.
Bacon, have been annihilated. l do not
know whether Inspector Tinker has
more information than I have, but he
sent word to the war department, last
night, that the Sd Infantry detachment
had been wiped out.
Il got in very late from an expedi-
ton on the Flora. We started out to
carry supplies and rations to the
troops. 1t was very dark off shore and
we signalled for an hour. Corporal
Nettlekoven used the code in use at
Santiago.
Either the troops have been driven
inland or there is not man of them.
No answering signal of any sort was
received, although we lay off and on
the whole length of the head land.
ITO land was an impossibility in the
dark, as the reinforcements from
Brainerd have not arrived and there
was only one old Winchester rifle on
the boat.
"Reddy LaZard, captain of the Flora,
is dead game man and he would have
landed. There was no possible doubt
that the small force on the boat would
have been annihilated if this had been
done. There were men aboard who pre-
ferred to die in an effort at rescue,
however futile it might have been. We
had our blankets and rations for the
blue coats. If any of them survive,
they slept last night in the open. A
very heavy frost prevailed there. There
is not SO much as a coffee bean to divide
between the whole command, this
morning."
At later date l am going to tell
the whole truth about this expedition.
1 never knew of such gross misman-
agement or witnessed such criminal
obstinacy as has been exhibited here.
The men of Bacon's command We're
taken out under conditions that would
disgrace military sergeant We're he
responsible for them. Every life that
has been lost here is a useless sacrifice.
1T broke my heart to see the poor
fellows dropping. Had a proper force
been sent in the first place, not a shot
would have been fired. I have hoped
self and that the failure to answer
signals last night was due to his de-
termination not to betray his location.
The men had 100 rounds of ammunition
each. l hardly think they have ex-
hausted their supply. The newspaper
correspondents Brill. Braton and
Knappen are still with the troops.
The third expedition to the point has
just started. There are Is rifiemen on
board, picked men. The boat carries cof-
fee and provisions. The detail is under
the command of DIR. Camp of Brainerd,
an old Indian fighter The troops have
had nothing to eat since yesterday at
noon. They have not even had a drink
of wthiskey to sustain vitality. The night
was fearfully cold. Men without blankets
must have suffered.
Reinforcements have been wired for re-
peatedly, but there is no assurance here
that they will arrive, today The situa-
ton is desperate. Every man in this |
town slept all night with a Winchester |
across his arm. The party that came up
from Brainerd, under DIR. Camp. are
about as determined lot as I ever saw.
Lieut.. Humphrey is counting the min
utes until reinforcements arrive. This |
command will probably be relieved when |
the fresh troops come and be given |
chance at the enemy.
There was desultory firing from the |
headlapds about this town, all night.
What 1t was about l could not discover.
think the Indians were signalling in this |
There were 200 men under arms
here. Major Kinkle very quickly closed |
the saloons at o'clock. Drunken row.
dies shooting in the street were promptly
l have been to the agency on
my way back here. The Indians there
swear they are friendly. At the same
time the Indians are not to blame for
their attitude. l hardly know whether l
blame them for fighting.