Year: 1873

The journey from New York to Fort Klamath
would some six or seven years ago, have occupied
at least five or six months; but in these days OF
progress steam and the iron rail have consdera-
bly, diminished the loss OF time labor attendant
on trip from East TO West. 1t is now
just eleven days since ! left New York
city, and seven days by rail- one and half
by coach and two and half BY special
wagon find over $500 miles accomplished and
your correspondent safely installed in comfortable
quarters at his destination. lett the railroad at
Reddlng and took stage to Jacksonville, from
whence had very pleasant drive with buggy
and team up the Rogue River Valley and through
some OF the most picturesque scenery in Oregon
TO the abiding place OF my old iriends-the Mo-
docs. Fort Klamath is situated in the State OF
Oregon, about SEQ or 600 miles due north OF San
Francisco, and is generally considered one OF the
pleasantest stations in the Department Of the
Lakes.


This fort has, during the past three months, been
brought into considerable notoriety by the pres
ence OF Captain Jack and the rest OF the Modoc
tribe who located there awaiting future de-
velopments. The garrison now comprises COM
panies and OF tae Twelfth infantry, Of the
Twenty-frst Infantry and Captain Hasbrouck's
mounted battery OF the Fourth artillery all under
the command OF Brevet Major General Frank
Wheaton, Lieutenant Colonel Twenty first in
fantry. The history OF the Modoc war is probably
well known by chs time 10 al the reading public,
but it might not be amss, under the present cir
cumstances, to recapitnate some OF the leading
features OF the caml aign, and make resume Of
the history OF this extraordinary tribe,
who much as the Semnoles OF Florida,
drew the public mind Tor season
with intense curiosity to their movements.
None OF our Indian have had half the thrilling
and tragic interest, nor q tithe OF the curious
elements of warfare, that characterized the late
Modoc campaign. People had never heard or
this strange tribe OF Indians until they had pro-
claimed defiance OF the government authority.
They lived far away from the CON-
mon stamping grounds OF the redmen
and they had always behaved themselves
comparatively exemplary manner that no
attention whatever was drawn 10 their existence.
Little i'll spoken OF them. but, on the contrary,
much TO their credit was recorded The subsequent
trouble was the old story OF unprincipled Indian
agents. IN league with equally unprinclpled white
settlers, setting on loot a scheme to rob these
people OF their lands ana carrying out the project
through the authority OF government orders
secured through INSCRIPTIONS misrepresentation.


THE CHARACTER OF THE MoDocs


was not originally OF bad type. They were intel
lgent enough to feel conscious that the scheme to
deprive them OF their hunting grounds was vio-



The explosion OF savage vengeance that followed
while every way abforrent TO civilized sentiment,
had some mitigating elements. There was secret
sense in peoples minds that this hitherto
peaceable tribe had been unfairly dealt
with; that there was cheating somewhere and
though necessary to assert the authority OF the
government, no feeling OF bloodt irsty retrlbution
accompanied the orders to coerce and conquer tfe
rebeious tribe. Then, when it was shown by the
system OF warfare that followed that these Indians
were no commonplace fighters, butshrewd skilled
and intelligent warriors, something akin to admir-
alton OF their singularly prolonged and persistent


DEFENCE OF THEIR STRONGHOLD


In the lava beds was felt in .he public mind. Peo-
pc said :-"These people are lighting for something
else besides the mere savage fun OF nghting They
must have been provoked by some grievance But
rs usual where the Indians concerned, few
stopped to inquire what the grievance
was The repeated efforts or the
United States troops to drive this tribe from the
singularly odd stronghold where they entrenched
themselves drew the attention OF the whole
country to the progress OF the prolonged and ex-
citing struggle. Had the Modocs, at the time when
propositions OF a conference to discuss peace be-
tween them and the government, been wiser In
their conclusions and met our commissioners
in good faith they might have retired from





degree of glory Tor the stubborn fight they had
tanned so long. But the Indian nature revealed
itself, and by one dastardiy and cold-pooded deed
they sacrificed not alone all their future prospects,
but the character they had previously acquired Tor
something like q heroic obstnacy In the massa-
ere OF General Candy and Mr.. Thomas they showed
their true colors as pitiless and ncarnate hends
and drew from the entire country a cry for swift
and stern retribution.


THE MoDoC TROUBLES.


and their origin we're never very clearly under
stood by the general run OF readers | will here
endeavor to recount their history, The Modoc
tribe resided Tor forty years on the borders or
California ani oregon, at place called Lost
River. This section OF country they claimed as
their own. The Oregon stters and the
Indians had occasionally trouble among
themselves. 1t is about eighteen years
since one OF these awless pioneers Of
the white mans civilization, named Ben Wright
invited number CT Modocs to peace least, and
when ne got them all together his men fired into
the crowd and killed some forty or fifty. This ex-
ample OF treachery was not lost on the Modocs
Or course, alter 1t happened, there was
considerable distrust between the whites and
Indians, and after the country was tolerably
well settled In about the year 1851 there was some
movement made to get the tribe on n reservation
In the year 1864 the Modoc tribe, or what was left
OF them were residents on Lost Riser near Tule
Lake, under the leadership OF


CHIEF NAMED scHoNcHEs.


and an effort was then made by the resident In.
dian Commissioner to get them TO move TO Yinox
reservation, on Martin River, Oregon, about fifty
miles due north OF Lost River. After consid era Bile
talk schonches and about thirty warriors, with
their squaws and papooses left Tor the rcserva.
N rap do nj IL IN