Willamette farmer., February 08, 1873, Page 7, Image 7

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Battle or the Lara Fields.
The following interesting letter, le
BOrlptlvo of the Into engngeinunt with
the Modoc Indians, Is from the cn of
Wni. Thompson, Ksq., editor of the
Mercury, who participated In the but
tle :
Military Heaixiuautkiis l
Van Breimkr's Uaxcu,
Jununry '22d 1873. J
Ed. Muruury : Tho Modoc posi
tion situntcd in tho Lava Fields, on
tho East sldo of Tulo Lake, wag at
tacked by tho forces operating under
Gens. Wheaton and ltoss,at 8 o'clock
on Friday morning, and, as you are
doubtless aware, resulted In a defeat,
with tho loss of 11 men, killed and
wounded.
Tho plan of attack had been ma
tured with tho greatest fare, under
tho immediate charge of llrcvct Ma
jor General F. A. Wheaton, com
manding tho District of the Lake,
nn ofllcer of ability and experience
as an Indian fighter. Everything
Which human foresight could desire
was done to insure not only tho route
but tho capture and annihilation of
the savages. The troops making tho
attack were Col. Mason's battalion
of Infantry, and Col. Perry's and
Capt. Bernard's troops of cavalry, of
tho U. 8. Army, numbering about
lioO men ; and about 150 Oregon Vol
unteer Militia. Cants. ..Kelly's. Fair-
child's and ApplcgatoV, commanded
by Gen. Jtoss, besides about 00 In
dian scouts. Jly direction of gen
eral field order. Issued by Gen.
Wheaton, 'Cant. Batumi was tomovo
from Land's, ltancli, on tho cast side
.of Tuld Lake, on Wednesday and
occupy a position not less than two
miles from tho Indian stronghold.
At tho satno timo Col. Perry with CO
dismounted cavalry was to push
across tho trail over tho tiiblo lands
to tho blufF overlooking tho Lava
Fields, eight miles from our present
encampment, and drive In tner In
dian pickets and covet tho approach
of tho main, army. which was to
movo ebyLvvayjortLltUo'rKlnniath
Lake and "Join Col. Perry under
eovorofTtight." f A 'donsofog hu,ng
over mountain and'vulloy," ami ren
dered any discovery of our move
ments Impossible. So completely
obscured wero'our movements that
not unt(l Col. Perry, whoso command
1 accompanied, had " approached
witliiu a fow hundred" yards of tho
bluff wero tnoTndlan pickets warned
of our presence. 'Col. Pdrry imniedl
ntcly deployed a skirmish line and
took possession of the bluff. Tho In
dians having given tho alarm, we
could soon-hoartho yelbj nnd'shouts
of tlio savages. The fog had by this
timo cleared away. from tho hills but
settled down dark and gloomy
over tho Lako. As the fog oc
casionally cleared away wo could see
tnrougn mo rus minim norscmen
riding hurrldly to and fro and ycll
luc likoctlio spirits r oft the very
damned. " Our Indian- Interpreter
informed us that they wero going to
attack us and.lf iosslblo recapture
the position. (But noou.tho guns and
bugles of Bernard warned tho sava
ges that they had other work to do.
Tho Indians immediately, withdrew
tho greater' portion" "of thelrforces,
and In twenty minutes firing in tho
east told plainly thatCupt. Bernard
was hotly engaged. As volley after
volley,, tlmndercd - forjh, (pjjnflcd
with the shouts or tho savages, our
men became excited to tho highest
pitch, and expressed their, iiiutft
tlcuco at not being able tocomnitjllo
tho action on our side at owe. As
nle-ht, however, approached- firing
ceased, andrtfel.!, Fsrry leaving a
sufllclent Jiumbcr of men to hold
the bin !,' retired ton Juniper grovo
000 yards In. tho roar- to await tho
arrival of the main 'army. 'By 10
o'clock nil tho troops and wagons
had arrived, and after putting out
strong picket guards, they quietly
awaited tho approach of morning to
commonco.operations in earnest.
Among the onTccrarnndrnen groat
anxiety-was expressoa icsi'ine--Indians
should discover our numbers
and under cover of darkness seek
safety lu flight. - At 4 o'clock in tho
morning every man was' up, and
after being provided with rations for
tho day placed themselves in march
ing order. It was fl clearcold morn
ing, and as tho troops filed away,, to
wards tho blufT, their arms gleaming
in tho bright iupon-llght, , afTorded
a sight at onco grand and beautiful.
Down tho tortuous r and .rocky trail
tho long lino" wound its way, and
disappeared beneath a .cloud of ox-
ceedlncr blackness, which seemed to
presage the disasters of tho coming
aay. un reacniug me oottom ei mo
bluff. Col. Mama's Infantry battalion
was deployed as skirmishers, and the
line again advanced. Soveral small
squads of inferior Indian po
nies wero found along tho margin
of tho Lako,-and wcro instantly
pounced opoa and appropriated by
our Indian jscouts, as the spoils of
war. After marching in this order
for distance of one and a half
allies, a halt was called, and the en
tire force was deployed in close skir
mish line. Capt. Fairchild's company
Wittt!
of riflemen occupied tho extreme terrible condition of the country ron
IeTt bordering on tho Lake; Col. tiering it impossible to remove them.
Mason's Infantry battalion, with a Ono noor fellow lielomrinp- o cm.
section of mountain howitzers, pack
ed, connected with Capt. Fairchild's
right: Capt. Kelly occupied tho cen
tre with his loft resting on Col. Ma
son's right; and Capt. Applegate
connected with Capt. Kelly's right
and Col. Perry's left, who occupied
tho extreme right. Tho army oc
cupied n line about ono and a half
miles in length. In tho form of a half
circle. Tho order "Forward Skir
mishers" was now given, and in a
few minutes llrlng commenced on
the right and In front of Kelly's
command. This splendid company
pushed forward as rapidly as the na
ture of tho country would permit.
Firing now became general along
...; iiiiiiu mil.-, unit un uiu lug lined,
everything bid fair for a speedy ami
complete capture of tho Indian
camp. Meauwhllo the vollcvs from
tho opK)ite side of tho Lava Fields
indicated that there was hot work in
Bernard's front. Tho line kept
steadily advancing until about ton
o'clock, when the fog again ottled
down, and it becamo dmlcult
to ills -
tinguish friend from foe,
About
ims time Kelly's
inched from Col. J
line became do
rnM)n' right, and
it became neces
uy to enter toi
Perry to swing around mid closo up i over constructed upon earth which
tho gap. This movement was cxe-.oould begin to compare to these for
cutcd without tho least confusion, i tillcations.of nature. Gibraltar, So
and as soon as tho fog had cleared bastonol, or any of the great works
away tho word "Forward by the
left" was given. Immediately in
front of Col. Perry and Capt. Kelly
me Indians naa placed tucmscives ucscnpiion wero seen ovcrywncre,
In tho rocks and cliffs and in consid- each commanding tho other, and do
crablo force, and with sago brush lying the energy of man to capture
tied around their heads, completely I them. Ono man was shot through
concealed themselves from slcrht. ! the stomach by an Indian who poked
Several men wcro hero killed aud
wounded, and it becamo evident
that thoy must bo driven out. Tho
order "chargo" was given and
re-
stranded to by tho men with a cheer.
Up the almost impassable cliffs and
crags tho bravo men clambered and
captured tho summit, losing several
men lu tho action. The sight
which now burst upon tho astonished
vision was sufficient tostrlkodismay
to the strongest hearts. A chasm
ono hundred foot wide, and whoso
perpendicular walls loomed black
ancf solemn eighty, and ono hun
dred feet from tho bottom, and pre
senting an impassable barrier to
any further movement in that direc
tion. To proceed further was im
possible, and to attempt itwasdoath.
certain and awful. Every soldier
who showed his head above the
rocks was shot at, and firing at short
rango the savages seldom missed
their aim. This condition of affairs
was reported by Colonel Perry
to headquarters, and a consulta
tion was at onco held bo
between Gens. Wheaton, Miller,
Itoss, and Major Green and Col. Ma
son, and a left flank movement was
determined upon, with a view, if
possible, of forcing a connection
with Capt. Bernard. Major Green,
who, I believe, Is tho bravest man I
oversaw, headed a storming column
consisting of Mason's, Perry's and
Fairchild's commands, and after sov
eral hours hard fighting succeeded
in passing under tho bluff along the
Lake shore to Bernard's right.
In doing this, however, tho Indians
succeeded in cutting Major Green
off from the right of the forces, and
so covered the men from their con
ccahncnt that it was impossible to
advance or retreat. At ono timo his
situation was very critical, and had
not Capt Bernard pushed hard upon
the savages who wero concentrating
in forco in front and rear his com
mand would huvo loou completely
cut to pieces. In this situation he
remained until dark, when they
withdrew under covor of night
Tho commands of Captains Kelly
and Applegate had during this
timo been hotly engaged, but with
out making much headway. -The
fight had now lasted more than
eight hours, aud wo had driven tho
Indians two miles. As night ap
proached it becamo evident tliat
nothing could be done but retreat to
cnmp"ori'thtfblunV"'"Thl8 movement
was effected' .without difficulty, car
rying our wouuueu with us. Major
Green also retreated during tho
night to Bernard's camp at Land's
Hunch, and with much difficulty
succeeded in carrying their wounded,
some of whom with broken legs and
arms wcro compelled to ride over
a rougn road on horseback-. The
suffering of tho men were tcrihlc,
many being almost Imrefooted from
traveling over me suarp and rugged
rocks, i c-.- ? ci i c- h
Tho casualties of tho day wco. as
follows : battalion, Col. Mason, 7
killed and 11 wounded ; Companies
B. G. 1st cavalry, Capt Bernard,
' killed and 6 wounded, including
Lieut. Kyle: troop F., 1st cavalry
Col. Perry, 1 killeu and 0 wounded ;
Capt Fairchild's company had four
men wounded, several of whom are
dangerous; Capt Applegate and
Capt Kelly each bad oae man killed.
Col. Perry also received a daagerous
wound In the left arm and side. The
dead were all left on the leW, the
AMETTE AMhU.
Perry's command was wounded se
verely, and two others were killed in
attempting to tako him away. Tho
wretched man was left to a fato so
terrible as almost to congeal tho ink
in tho pen thnt attempts to portray
ir. wnaituouciits must navo occu
pied the mind of tho poor man, God !
omy Knows. ms comrades wore
utterly unable to render him any as
sistance, or answer to his pltious ap
peals for help. Alono in thoso terri
ble rocks, his appeals for help wcro
unheeded, until death, more merciful
than the savages, put an end to his
sufferings.
To glvo you anything of an accu
rate description of this terrible
country is Impossible. Indeed, were
it iK)sslblo, few would believe mo.
Hut when I tell you that Mason's
battalion lo-t one tilrtl (heir number
tn killed ttntl troumleit witfion! erer
sceiny ti Indian your Imagination
can picture omcthlngbordcrIngon
tho reality. Bravo men were there
who had foil ir lit Indians in the red
. canyons of tho Itio Grando and tho
dismal grottoes of tho Gila, but who
stood dismayed in tho presence of
tho majculc works of nature boioio
tllfilll. n Ml-tltli'Inl u-nrks mmi
of art wcro never stronger. Chasms
J of immeno depth, rocks, crags,
i cliffs, caves and fissures beggaring
. his gun up through a fissure in the
rocks over which ho was crawling.
Shots wore fired, and in an instant
the Indian disappeared through
somo narrow passage, without ever
being seen. Vt in tho faco of all
these obstacles the officers exhibited
a coolness and bravery that was
perfectly sublime; aud regulars and
volunteers obeyed every command
With the alacrity or veterans. Tho
Indians were very cool, and their
bullets came whizzing by with a
cold, remorseless sound that made
ono shudder us from tho hissing of a
venomous serpent.
This battle Is regarded as one of
tho most remarkable lu tho annals
of Indian warfare. Although 11
wore killed and wounded on our
side out of 125 men, I doubt
whether a slnglo Indian was killed
or even crippled during tho day.
Tho Indians are estimated at fully
100 warriors, but I am satisfied that
200 wcro engaged in tho battle of
the 17th, iiikI It is also said that tho
females fight with a desperation
equal to that of tho t mules. r To sub
due thcsd.'Gciir Wh'eatdh'cs'tliri'utcs
that it will require 1,000 men, with
mortars and nil tuo appliances Tor a
sclgo of soveral days or perhaps
weeks duration. This opinion is
concurred In by Gen. John F. Miller.
Major Green nnd other officers who
participated In tho engagement at
tno xMa t loius. l am satisfied that
if sufficient forco Ls given Gon.
Wheaton ho will subdue or annihi
late theso dovlls. Their history for
tho past twenty years has been
written lu blood, and the bones of
hundreds of mardered emigrants
which whiten tho sands of this
country fully attest tholr ferocity
und brutality. About one mile from
our present camp ono hundred emi
grants wcro massacreed in 1832, and
their bones nro bleaching In tho
sands to-day. Tho sumo year thirty
more wero massacreed on tho cast
sldo of Tulo Iiko, and in 1601 Capt.
Jos. Bailey was murdered by these
samo Indians. Since their last out
break sixty odd men have fallen
victims to their hellish lust for blood,
during thcflght.of. tho J7th,ahoy
mado all manner of light of our ef
forts to capture- thoni, und pointing
to u polo ornamented with tho man.
gled hair of white men, tantalized
our men, and dared them to go to it
If theso savages are not made an ex
amplo of n general Indian war may
bo looked for, and flio country will
have to bo abandoned for a time to
tncni,
Tho forces now In arras will be so
distributed as to render protection
to tho citizens in this district But
if sufficient forco is not immediately
furnished Gon. Wheaton another
Florida war may bo looked for.
During the Interval I shall keep your
readers posted on tho events which
may transpire in this section.
Meanwhile, I am
Yours Ac.,
W. T.
P. 8. I open this letter to state
that one of (ho men wounded at the
Lava Fields has died and was buried
to-day. A rude pine box, a few
volleys over his grave, and the re
mains of Patrick Meagher was ;left
to miogle with Its kindred dust
Camp will be broken up to-day,
and tho greater portion of the forces
will be withdrawn to the vicinity of
Lost River to more effectually guard
the settlers against pillage and mur
der.
JOHN HUGHES,
STATE STREET, SALKII, OREGON,
DKALKK IN
Bacon, Lard, Butter, Oheese, Flour, Grain, Feed,
AND DOMESTIC PRODUCE OF ALL KINDS.
Faints, Oila and Window Glass, American and English
Coach Varnishes, English and American Furnituro Var
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CASTOR OIL, LAUD OIL, NKATH FOOT OIL,
KLKPUANT OIL, DOGFISH OIL, 1'OLAll OIL,
LINSEED OIL, PUTTY COLORS' LAMPBLACK,
(IKAlNlNd TOOLS, ,tc Ac.
WALL
Lime and Piaster, Hair, Nails, and Shingles.
Wholesale and Retail
Jy27 f
COOKE, DENNI8& Co.
MANU'ACTUltK
SASH, POORS, BLINDS
RUSTIC AND ALL TUB LATEST STYLES
of liitlilo mill outcldc ttiiMi, of tho bctt nunltty
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H MIIS, STUB 1116
TURNING,
DONE WITH NEATNESS AND PISPATCH
CEDAR LUMBER
AMI
rBlilutrlcM lbr Bale Cncnp.
Best of Work at Lowtil I'rlcr
riiUfo j;Uo na call, ico oor dock, loam our
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Special attention given to order from FARM.
hits, anil Information freely glu'ii gratia to oar
patron.
Shop una Mock Kat of tho Chcmckcta Ilonic,
MARBLE WORKS"
MONROE & STAIGER,
Uealcn In
MONUMENTS,
' AND
Head aud Foot Stones.
ALSO,
MANTELS
ASD
Furniture Marble
XO ORDER
ADDiir.ss:
A.J.MOMtOK,
rialtm, Oregon.
I W.tf. KTAIUKH,
) Albany, Oregon.
Lovfiy
cio, II. Aij.li.
J. M. IATll.ntOX.
Jones I Patterson,
Real Estate. Insurance,
....and..,,
GENERAL AGENTS,
COHMKHCLU, HOTEL BUILDING,
mrtfm,
SVXOIAL ATTENTION (UVEN TO TUB lalo
of Ileal KMatc In all pari of Oregon.
A larro amount of Tery dcalrabla T-'ITV l'ROP.
F.llTY,eoMl.lnjf of nwelHnK Uoiiro, Lc-U.IUH
Dlock. and Dloeka , More. Ac? '
.i.,AlaOt,.t I
Improved PARMS and Valuable Uncultivated
rralrlii and Timber Landi, iliuatcd In tae bcH lo
cation In the State.
. ,A!fO....
nentlnir and Leailnf. tit k VlniU nt nrnti,4w
Collection of Clalmi, Ac, Ac, kill rrctlra iiromut
ll.nl nn " '
agkktb ron
Tho Mutual Life Insurance Co,
Oi Now York,
,...ANO....
Tke Union Fir Iaauranoc C.
Ol fefuu FruiialMuo.
.Kr" For complete dtecrlplloua of prtperty ap-
plyat their oBlce. r
, CB Corrciiiondrnta promptly aniwercd, and all
Information given free of ehari.
Addrria, JO.NEH A 1'ATTKRKON,
Octus-v. Hoi ax, HaU-ni, Oreeoa.
FLOURING MILLS.
Srt Faaaily Flour,
Bakar'i Extra, XXX,
SaporfiM, and Graham,
Middlings, Braa, Baorti,
CONSTANTLY ON HAND.
Hlg hsst Prjos In Cash
PAID FOB
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Afttt 0. V. M. Co.
Salem, Bpt. Uti
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CHINA NOT OIL,
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HAW ANO HOILKD OIL,
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Cosh paid for all Kinds of Merchantable Produce.
J-QKClsr HjTJG-I-IES.
H. D. BOON.
m-Aiin tv,. ,
BOOKS, STATIONERY
MUSI O,
PeriodinalB, Newspaper,
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Musical Instruments
T1IU CKLKIIUATKI)
BURDETT ORGANS
Hallett and Oumston's Pianoi
Alnnjn (in liml,
Thec Inttnimriitii are FAVOHITKH with all
mulclin, ami thl Ktoru l the reJrt of all who
ultli to buy Mood cheap,
II. U. IIOON.
Plate rlrevt, tialcu.
Dei 1.
OREGON
BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
rilHK DNBKRNinNliD
X lueucu pollcltliiK for i
WILT.
von-
Qusiness Directory
-of-
TMM STATS OP OTaBSSM
lu a fw ibji i and, to make It iutceeful, rcpecl.
fully request tho co-operation of all porona Inter
eated In tho welfare of tho country. Tho Stalo
ha now reached that po.ltlou when ajcarly inra
nary of hi r progrci la ueceiaary, bene. th. value
of a work which will combine, a condraaed
form, all mutter, of public Interret,
The work In contrinpUllon will embrac. a, gen
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tion, and all other mbjecia on which Infonuatlon
1. rriulrxl,
ThoviorL will bCjiUumrateJ with aketcho of
aoni. of tho leading prominent acanery of lb.
State, and Iti comillatlnn nlll be tinder tho eharu
or
J. Mortimer Murphy, Esq.,
Whole recent work ou W'aihlngtoo Territory haa
been hlfhly oonunended by th. pre and pabUo.
Tbo I1U8INESH DIItKCTORY of each town
aad city will bo complete; and thai, with akttche'a
of each place, ,lould make ltlnialuablo to tho
merchant, farmer, and mechanic.
At an advertising medium, It will b tho boat yet
Introduced In tho Stalo, a It will Lo pf uch Ira
portaucD that It will alwaya bo ralalsed In a prom
inent petition fur reference.
The rate of advcrtl'lns will be a fulluw i
Oae rag) , ,.$10
Hair rage u lo
Carol 5
fW Adrertlier taking one pai;o wU) receive a
copy of the book Kratl,
Prteo of lk MorH wUIIm ft.10
fW TIhi book will be dUtribuUd on every
roste of travel aid In every piiblle piaca in the
country. r
S. J. M oOOBMICK.
fi.il ,
101 Froat atrMi,
Oct. M, itm. nanAM,