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About Oregon sentinel. (Jacksonville, Or.) 1858-1888 | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1873)
-, 1 ! THE SENTINEL'. Saturday, Mat 3, 1873. IL KELLY,. .EDITOR. The Modoc Muddle. It is Dot strange that whenever the peace of any part of the country is dis turted by a sudden resort to arms that the most false and ridiculous stories of the cause of the difficulty are tho first in circulation ; first in print ; first to be "noticed, and first believed by a major. ily of the public. This fact can be readily accounted for upon the princi ple that in every disturbance there are leaders who feel and know that they are criminally responsible in inciting it, and this feeling makes them over anxious to cover up their crimes. Hence they lose no time in misrepre senting the tacts, that the eyes of the public may be blinded ; that the wrath of an injured and indignant people may Ikj turned from them and cast upon others. It's the old story of "6top, thief," repeated by every new trans gressor. It's the murderer busying himself early in the morning following the bloody deed, looking for tracks that lead from his victim toward his neighbor's house. The man that saw the stranger pYowling around the premises the day before turns out to be the identical thief who robbed the house. So it has been with the Modoc outbreak. Those who knew they per suaded the Indians to stay off the res ervation and resist the authority of the Government were the first to sec the rppbrtere; were the first to cry "Credit Mobilier." Tneir names 'were first in print. They placed themselves in a position where they could first be in terviewed. Being conscious of crime, they -were eager to charge it upon others. Their lying reports were scat tered from one end of the Union to the other, and the public mind prejudiced and biased thereby, before the inno cent thought of writing a word or stopping to consider the cause of the trouble. They were fortunate in find ing one of their own ilk, who has since proven himself to be a thief, to do their dirty work, and upon his arrest they wcro vigilant in procuring another of the same stripe,jlial not only their crimes, but thejr Jies as well, might be covered up. And .now, when they feel that they have been cornered upon every side, and know that they have signally failed to screen their guilt, they com plete tho long list of falsehoods by dropping the present and going back in tho past twenty years to find a .cause for the present difficulty in the actions of Ben. Wright and Tiis men. This is their last death struggle. They had hoped that they would be able by false representations to get a reservation established on Hot Creek and Cottonwood, and preserve the lives of their pels for speculative purposes, but their "honorable Jack" had lived too long on the blood of tho emigrants and settlers to resist the temptation to kill whenever a fair opportunity of fered. It is not the killing of Gen. Canby and Dr. Thomas that these fal sifiers object to, but it's the thwarting their plans in carrying out their spec ulative schemes. For if murder is what they object to, they had quite enough of that to find fault with Jack and his band in the killing of the inno cent and unprotected settlers on Lost river. Tho wretches that pelted and praised "Jack and his band of braved," as they were pleased to call them be fore tho massacre of Canby and Thomas, "would do tho same thing to day if thoy could 'but stay public in dignation. Tho correspondent of the San Fran cisco Chronicle very unwittingly let the secret out, just before the massacre of Canby and Thomas, when he sug gested that "the Government could easily afford to buy out the ranchmen on Hot creek and give the Indians a reservation near their old home." This schemo was plotted and planned and made known to the corrcopondent, that he might prepare the public mind through the press for its endorsement. These falsifiers well knew that if they could get the press of California to in dorse the scheme their victory would be won, because, they had already si Ucnccd tho , influence, of Oregon at "Washington, by heaping slander mountain high upon her citizens. But by the tragic act of the savage their hopes have been blasted; .their dark and treacherous schemes brought to an unprofitable end, and themselves convicted, 'before God and man of piminally aiding the wild eavago in taking, the lives of their fellow citizens. From the savage we had nothing to expect, but from them we hao. lioped for better things. But, alasl they have shown themselves to be unworthy the society of all decent men by an act of unparalleled betrayal of their own race. Despised as they feel themselves to be, they cringe with fear that Jack may yet be taken alive and turn State's evidence. But they need not have any fears. Their crimes can never be made more glaring to every sensible mind than they are at present. They have the stamp of guilt upon them, that time and repentance alone can erase. 1 Bead- We are permitted to publish the fol lowing letter from Gen. Ross to the editor of the Oregon Herald, which will explain itself: Jacksonville, Ogn.,May 1, l3. Editor Herald: I observe two ar ticles in the Bulletin of the 29ih ult., charging gross mismanagement upon the Quartermaster's Department of the Oregon Militia, in their late expedition against the Modocs, and coupling the name of Quincy A. Brooks with the matter. Permit me to say, as a matter of justice, that all the supplies referred to were purchased by Major Wm. A. Owen, one of my Aids, then Acting Quartermaster and Commissary of my Brigade, and that Mr. Brooks had nothing to do with the purchases whatever. The Quartermaster General of the Oregon Militia is Jesse N. Barker, of Douglas county, and not Mr. Brooks, as stated in the Bulletin. Mr. Brooks is Assistant Quartermaster General, and, since the massacre, of the Peace Commissioner, has purchased, on my requisition, a few articles for the troops now being sent into the Lake basin for the protection of the set tlers. These are the only purchases he has made. I have carefully read the charges of mismanagement published in the Bul letin, and pronounce them all false and malicious. John E. Ross, Brig. Gen. 1st Brigado Ogn. Militia. Just Begun. The publio mind has .just got pre pared to carry on the war against the Modocs with success. '-The pcoMe-of Oregon were united from the start upon a war policy, but then the fools and knaves must be heard in cery other State in tho Union in their clamor for peace. This clamor has at last subsided, after using upjsix months of valuable time and sacrificing thons ands of noble lives. If all had united in representing a truthlul account of the facts to the authorities at Wash ington of the outbreak of the Indians, there is scarcely a doubt but that the whole affair would have been over be fore this, and the life of many a brave soldier preserved. Much of the blood of this horrible affair must forever rest upon the heads of those who misrepre sented the facts. The Modoc Hews. EECoxsorrEnixG rov.ca of 64 JJen BOUTKU 13 K1LLEP, -WOUNDED AMI JI1SSINQ FIVE OFFICERS KILLED. We glean the following from the col umns of the Yreka Journal: Lata Bed. ADril 24lh. Kothihe? .- . . . new to report, IS either c&valtpor Warm Spring Indians found any trails on their trip?. The Warm Springs will probably scont thisjside to-morrow. There are only 11 Indians in the place where they fired on pack trains, near where Ilovey was killed. McKy has discovered that Modocs are in their last retreat. He crawlpd npon them and discovered 40, including wo men, but did not deem it prudent then to attack. Expect to hear them at tacked to-night. The probability is the Modocs are badly demoralized, and a large number of their fighting warriors slain. A squaw says Schonchin and six others were killed on the first day s battle. Hooka Jim was shot tnrough the side, and Bogus Charley through the calf of the lee Meacham crossed the lake yesterday for Frere's Ranch, whereJ Jirs. jueacnim is awaiung nun. 9 p. m. It is now believed the Mo docs have fled to a new place as none appeared to-day to get water. It is conjectured they may bo in ambush in their caves. If so, we will know to night. Lava Bed, April 2oth. Nothing particularly new or stirring. Donald McKy and Warm Spring scouts were out last night locating Modoc position thoroughly. They have not yet re turned, but will to-day. Hie report will probably decide regarding imme diate movement of the army. We ex pect a forward move every day. The troops are in good spirits. 'Weather clear and cold, with high noith winds. The advance will be made as soon as arrangements can be completed for making it sately. the ground must be understood, that tho troops can be' moved with accuracy and dispatch, when once in motion. The position last held, or now held by Modocs, is very strong, being a succession of im mense ravines and chasms as formida ble as those from which they were driven. Tho Warm Spring scouts are in sight, T:30 a. jl, just -over the lava crest, half a mile from camp, stream ing in as careless apparently as though there was not a JHodoc in the country. It is a fine sight, their gay feathers Another Massacre. Another bloody result of the Peace Commission forty-three men killed aud wounded. The Modoc war news comes blacker and bloodier on each succeeding day. now much longer this slate of affairs will last no one can tell, but it is to be hoped that we will have more cheering news before long. It is awful to think of so many brave men falling at the hands of a few de spicable diggers without accomplishing anything. We pale when we read of the useless slaughter. Is there no way to avoid it ? If there are not enough troops, let more be called out. Every precaution should be taken to prevent surprises. Officers should be careful how they send their men over these rocky dens of hell in open daylight. dancincr in the breeze, their rifles glist ening in the sun, and their many col ored costumes gliding in and out among the rocks and sagebrush. McKy is with them, and we shall soon learn the result of the scout, and whether the Modocs are waiting or have fled before Loutjidvance-. j - f v - tU Later. We learn that thevJhavc discovered the Modocs abont si miles south of their former stronghold, and a mile and a half from the position oc enpied for the last few days. It is easy; to drive them from there. Gen. Oil lem can drive them out of that place to-day or to-morrow, if it were best; but it is not. It would only be stir ring np a hornet's nest without get ting the hornets. Preparations are be ing made to surround, if possible, the desperadoes, but I have not much faith that it can be achieved. The ground is a series of natural forts for an area of 80 miles in circumference, over which the Modocs can flee like deer when hard pressed, and like the an cient Parthians s'.ay more of their enemies in retreat than in the advance. Force enough to surround them in this country can hardly -be brought against them, if regulars alone are used. The whole effective force of regulars m tre gon and California falls short of 1,500, and 2,500 would bo small force enough to surround and destroy this party, and they must be exterminated, in vin dication of the outraged laws. It is perfectly impossible to form an ade quate idea of iho terrible nature of this irrf making peace efforts. Don't waste aiiy sympathy on such fiends, for it vf ill be impossible to expect a soldier t spare one of them on the field. Day b :fore yesterday, in searching the lava li eds, the body of the private of troop If., First-Cavalry, wounded in the ba(- Ie on Jan. 17lb, was found buried un der a pile of rocks. The body bore ev idenco of the tortures inflicted. It was scalped, fingers .and toes cut off, and oth, erwise mutilated. , , , To morrow morning a reconnoisance will be made under the command of Maior Thomas. The force will consist of Batteries A. and K., 4th Artillery, Major lhomas and Lieutenant-Uarns ; Company K, l!ilh Inianlry, Uolonel Wright, and 10 Warm Spring Indian scouts in all about 70 men. It is in tended by this move to learn the. na ture of the ground and location of the Indians, a sort of a feeler of their posi tion. To-day the soldiers fenced in a graveyard at the foot of the bluff, with a strong though rude lava wall, Gen. Gillem laying the corner-stone. At 8 A.M., on the' 20th, the troops started, and all is well so far. Yreka. April 29th. A courier ar rived this morning at 4 o'clock, bring ing account of a fight with troops sent' to maxe a reconnoissaiice at Dana liuuc cave last Saturday. The troops had stopped to take lunch, when they were attacked, and suffered a loss of 18 killed and 1G wounded, while only four Indians are known to have been killed. Among those killed are Col. Wright, Major Thomas, Lieut. Howe aud two other officers. Gen. Gillcm'a force proceeded to the cave, and were fighting when tho cou- iier left. Latest. Lava Bed, April 2Sih. Troops were ordered thiough the first lava blurt, about four miles from camp, to find a road to lake the mortars in event of an attack on the Modocs, and if, attacked were to fall back and not bring on an engagement. Tho troops were attacked on a small hill, about 300 yards this side of the large hill, where there was no cover ecept low, 6lunted sagebrush. They began sig naling to the camp, as the soldiers say, to tell they had Wen attacked, when firing became so heavy they had to stop. The troops were surrounded on three sides. nailery A. was ordered to support tho right, and then it wa that the command became demoralized, and e cry man for himself. The move ments were seen from the signal sta tion, but the wind blowing a gale, only a few guns could be heard, and smoke rarely seen. It seemed the troop- had met a few pickets and were falling back in good order, and but little was thought of it in camp for awhile. Hut alas, such wa not the case, as we find it held bv their men. and found only Modocs. April 28th. A long, cold night has passed, during which a blinding snow Storm filled the air. A fire was kept burning to gnide our troops in with the dead and wounded, but they did not get in until about 0 a. m. Part of the soldiers were buried on tho battle field, being horribly mntilated. The efforts to march a body of men in open daylight against an Indian stronghol,d.gave the Indians every ad vantage in choosing their own ground to ambush, and none can deny that it was a bad move. We want men here who are used to fighting Indian, it be ing altogether different style from what regulars are accustomed to. We can drive them from stronghold to strong hold, but not whip them, and at the same time they use up the soldiers, with but little loss to themselves. Let ns have volunteers, who can fight them in their own way, ns the troops here cannot do it. The men and officers are bravo enough, but they fight at great disadvantage. There is no doubt sev eral of the men acted very badly, in escaping, but when they were attacked the Warm Springs were not in front as sconts, and this seemed strange. The force in the fight was as follows: Company A., Fourth Artillery, IV men ; Company K., Fourth Artillery, 19 men; Compauv K.Twelth Infantry, 23 men, with 5 officers, making 04 in all. In all there were 17 killed, 17 wound ed and 5 missing, the latter the same as dead, making 22 killed and 17 wound ed, not including Surgeon Selling, wounded-in two places. In one hole 13 dead and wounded were found, and 7 in another, aud the whole affair was a rout caused by the defection of a few men, which in the start threw everything in disorder. Yesterday, a courier from Menden hall's command, at Iiiirgotville, an nounced thai the Modoc women and children were scattered among the Pit River Indians, which means war to the knife. Later. Twenty killed or dead, six missing and se enteen wounded is tho latest report, being a loss of 43 men out of 04, killed and wounded. Excited. Upon issuing our extra yesterday morning at 5 o'clock, giving the substance of the news concerning; the total rout under Major Toroas,Col. Wright, Lint. Howe and Lieut. Harris, considerable excitement was manifest ed, and the general impression prevails that volunteers will be necessary, sacli as understand Indian fighting. Such snecesses on the part of the Modocs only encourage other Indians to break out, and nnless the Modocs. are toon conquered, we may anticipate a general uprising of every Indian in the couutry about here, it not along the entire mfth ern oast. We have contended fron the start, that the easiest and best way to whip Indians was to employ volun teers, and our opinion is justified by recent events. Volunteers whipped tha iuodocs before when the military tailed,, and can do it again, if the government will call them out. Those who made fun of Gen. Wheaton's gun boat ami his well laid plans to fight the Modocs in their lava Gibraltar, can now see that Ills head was right, and thongh whip ped with a small force, and a dense fog preventing his use of the mortars, he made a. gallant fight with his troop and volunteers. Yreka JbumaL NEW TO-DAY. RED MEN'S BALL B THE TRIBE False Charges. We feel it our duty to say a few words in relation to the charges made in the Portland Bulletin on the 29th ult., against the Quartermaster's De partment of the 1st Brigade Oregon Militia. As Mr. Brooks was not in the service, but only acting as clerk, at the lime the grievances complained of occurred, of course it releases him lrom all responsibility. We arc aware that the boys suffered for tho want of clothing and food, and that great credit is due them for the manner in which they braved it through, but we believe with two.thirds of them that it was no fault of any officer in the Quartermaster's Department. It was owing to the bad condition of the roads that these supplies were not fur. p'shed tn time. country, unless one has been over it. You cannot sec a skirmish line 100 yards away, unless mounted on a high rock. 10.000 men could be concealed in a small area and be passed by unno ticed. Water trails and smokes are the only guides to point the lurking places of the Modocs. Col. Menden hall is expected here on Tuesday with 130 more men. who are much needed. I do not expect a battle before Ufir arrival, for it will be the aim of the fight to corral the Modocs, if possible. Brevet Colonel James Biddle, late Cap tain in First Cavalry, promoted to be Major in the Cth Cavalry, leaves for San Francisco tomorrow. His troop is located in Kansas. Fox, of the N. Y. Herald, leaves with him for New York. The squaws fight like devils, load guns and are as dangerous as the bucks, and should share the same fate, though none have been killed ontside ol battle. Four are now fed and pro tected at this camp, taken since the fight was ended. They will not be harmed, though at first chance they will flee to the Modocs with prnis and ammunition, if they gel a chance to steal any, and in event of another light thev would return to our lines to do the same thing over again. Remember they are not white women, but fien Is, guilty of murdering and torturing ev ery wounded soldier who fell in their hands, and horribly mutilating tho dead. Kemember the fate of the sol dier of the 21st Infantry, wounded and left on the field of battle on the 17lh of January. The squaws tortured him in every conceivable way all night long, until death put an end to his sufferings in the morning. This they admitted to be so during the interval employed learned trom btragglers who came in IrighU'iicd too-much to tell fn Intel! ; gible stoi y. From them it was learned that the command was surrounded, and were or would all be slain, having been attacked by Indians, from 0 to 100 in number, pouring in a deathly fire on the hand. Col. Mason and Major Green were signalled at once, who sent men, uiit ciarKiiess cioeu on me scene aud we waitediJll night long for news of tho fight. About daylight Noble came to Green's lines. The troops were taken unawares, ambuscaded, thrown into confusion and demoralized, offering but feeble resistance. They were in fact wild in the effort to pre vent a rout and iudciiminatc massa cre. The officers exposed themselves too much in the vain effort, and it is probable most of them have lost their lives. We know that Major Thomas, Col. Wright, Lieuts. Howe and Hai- ris and Seigeant Homer arc wounded, and report says killed. One man who escaped says Col. Wright with eight others got in a little hollow to avoid bullets, aud the Indians were firing on them from all sides. The Indians even tried to kill them with stones, so close were thev. It was a total rout, and probably the highest number of Indians engaged was 40, and those who had not become demoralized say from 25 to 30. A dispatch from Col. Green stales briefly that the surprise of the party under Major Thomas must have been more complete and terrible than antic ipated. Major Thomas and Lieutenant Howe were killed, Lieutenant Harris severely and probably fatally wounded, and Lieutenant Uranston missing, the braveColrWrightis also dead, as gal-' lant a man as ever drew a sword, and who exposed himself to great danger in rallying his men. An Indian called out m English "say, you fellows who ain't killed or wounded had belter go home; we.don't want to kill you all." At first the attack seemed to be a feint by a few, just to keep them busy until the trap was set. The 14 Indians endeavoring to flank the troops had another object, for when the troops fell back to the bluffs behind them tor ref uge they found them occupied by In dians, who poured a murderous fire on that unsheltered glade. When at tacked, the troops were all sitting down chatting. Batteries A. and K. and Company K. are now without a com missioned officer, the whole force being 59 men and 5 officers. Sergeant Ihorn hill from the scene of slaughter found a Modoc on the way and killed him. Warm Springs scalped the dead In dian, making 4 scalped. Instead of the troops holding the ground and covering the bluffs as or dered, they broke aud fled like fright ened sheep, or a part of them did, and left their brave commanders to die al most alone. This threw the rest in confusion, and then it seems a panic seized them all The Warm Spuing Indians. The Warm Spring Indians now engaged with the troops against tlio Modocs, says the Yreka Journal, are said to be all large men, many of them six feet tail and over. They obey their leader McKy and their sub chiefs implicitly. Their head chief is called Dumeta, who is at Umatilla, where the tribe alto gether, when on the reservation, num bers 400. Donald McKy i 3 years ol age, his father being a Scotchman, nd his mother a Northern Indian woin;. TT t 1 3 5 1 I-"" I OREOONIAN POCAHONTA3 (SO. 1) WtU. OITB THEIR ANNIVERSARY BALL B AT VEIT SCHUTZ' HALL JACKSONVILLE, ORECON!,. cx MONDAY, MAT T2ik, 187X A .CORDIAL INVfrlTA.-EI.QN. Is cxtend.O to- aM. Committee of Arrmtgrmeats r An.vn ScmiiTT, C. W.Sivvahe, P. D. P.VKSOXS, Di.GltOXEUIt.LKR, Eu jTbacock. Committee- or Reception: E. B. Watson,. Soi- Sachs, II. K. Haxna, W. IL McDaxiel, A.Fisiier. Floor- Managers : E. D. Fousuav,. A. P. Owe.v, J. 11. Wabk, Tiios. Gaixi.ni, John CisinonsKY. MUSIC: JACKSONVILLE STRING BAND. Ticket! 3 SO. He has been raised and brougfit up al together among the whiles, wholly in terested in their welfare, and knows every Indian trick in warf.ire. These Indians carry small flags to eingal their positions, and they play all sorts of dodges to coax a Modoc out for a fair shot. Exciting Indian News From present appearances it would seem that a general Indian war o 1 this Coast i inevitable. Everywhere the Indians aro difiant and saucy. The red skin, 1,400 in number, are fortifying at While Bluff, near Yakima, in Wash ington Territory, having left the reser vation. The settlers in ikiS section are very much alarmed. The Spo kanes are loving about in bands of twenty and thirty, serving notices on the whites to leave and claiming the country as their own. Even the Nrz Perces, always friendly heretofore, show signs of insubordjnation. So much for the Peace Commission farce. . . Hon. A. B. Meacham. This gentle man, of Peace Commission fame, and who so narrowly escaped with his life at the time Genenl Canby was killed, passed through town on Wednesday, en route home, his wife accompanying him. ne was so dh-figured by the wounds' received from the Modocs as to be scarcely recognized by his ac quaintances. Death of Judge Tiiayei:. Judge Thayer died at his residence in Corvallis on the 29th ult,, having been pros trated for some time previous with ty phoid fever. Judgo Thayer was an old resident of Oregon, a lawyer of fine ability and. universally respected. Peace to his ashes. SPRING OP 1873. GKEAT "ASSORTMENT OF SI'KliVG ANfi SUMMEK GOODS Just opened at SACHS BROS.' TEMPLE OF FASBXOX, Consisting in part of LADIES' FLATS AND RIDBOSS; DBESS GOODS, a Among which aro Grenadines, Ieisii PoruNS, " llf J A. -T Pitt River Indians. Word reached here last Sunday, by some one going to Scott Valley, who stopped at theForest tlouse without coming through town, that the Pitt Kiver Indians had killed aiman named Wagoner in Hot Spring Valley. We placed very little reliance on the rumor, but since the Modoc squaws and children, are among the Pitt Rivers, there may be some trnlh in the rumor. It seems evident that the squaws and children being sent there, looks like the Modocs retreating there when forced to do so. The lava country extends all the way down to Pitt River and Fall river, into Shasta I countv. and that section is verv noorlv When the command nreDared for Indian denredations. fell back to the bluffs they expected io ' Yreka Journal. rw'L '...U . u -.'SFKENCH'ANn ''-" , , , , American Lawns, Jafanese - Steipks and i OHOAND1Z&. Panoy QrootSLm Of all descriptions OUR, SPECIALTY. AWO BICCK1VKD A LARGE STOCK- Or Gents' Clotliiag ana Ilatt. CALL nnU fee our New Goods. TTJM bow lh toJa W"h Pls7cHSBROS. N. B. A Good Slock or Groceries sud Household FuroWhing Good on hnd t low prices. May 3. 1873-tr. HOMESTEAD, PKE-EMPTION and COURT BLANKS or'all kinds, kpp on hand for tale, or yrlnted to order at th'u offica.