Modoc War

“ Captain Jack is very dignified generally and is a full-blood Modoc. Scar-Face Charley is one of the Rogue River Tipue Tie's tribe, extinct. I have just arranged at the suggestion of a member of Congress, Luttrell, for all the strag- gling Indians of various tribes surrounding us to go to Fort Jones military reservation in Scott Valley, and remain under supervision. They are highly pleased, but they have been under great fear ever since the Modoc War broke out and were nearly starving from the fact that they did not hunt, fish or dig for roots from -fear from both whites and Modocs. ”

“ The Indians being at home in the Lava Beds, knew the natural fortifications. They had the advantage over their enemy. The volunteers and soldiers fired volley after volley into the rocks and fog, but never an Indian could they see. They fired at the sound of the Modoc shots. The fog lifted up high in the afternoon just for a minute or two. The troops and volunteers greeted it with loud cheers. The bugle called charge. Every man went forward with his gun grasped tight, eager to sight a Modoc. ”

“ The Modocs lost one warrior killed and about half a dozen wounded. The Modoc warrior killed was known as Watchman; his Indian name was Wish-in-push.*
When the Indians saw that their comrades on the south bank was into it, they jumped in their dugouts to go across and assist in the fight. When they were about in the middle of the river, the settlers on the north bank fired on them. George Faiuke fired the first shot, saying: "Up at them, boys!" ”

“ The Indians kept up a heavy fire on RECONNAISSANCE of the LAVA BEDS sketch showing JACK'S CAVE. the charging forces. Men were falling all the time, while they charged. They were exposed all this time to the deadly fire of the Modocs. The fog now banked over the opposing parties more dense than ever. No man's eye could penetrate more than twenty yards. The Modoc chief with Ellen's man, a Modoc brave, decided to get the warriors together and charge the enemy, which they did with good results, as the enemy retreated with bad order, leaving their dead and wounded behind. ”

“ No, you men answer me not. Do we Indians stand any show for jus- tice with you white people, with your own laws? I say no. I know it. You people can shoot any of us Indians any time you want to whether we are in war or in peace. Can any of you tell me where ever any man has been punished in the past for killing a Modoc in cold blood? No, you cannot tell me. I am on the edge of my grave; my life is in your people's hands. I charge the white people of wholesale murder. Not only once but many times. Think about Ben Wright. ”

“ When the soldiers were within half a mile of the stronghold, their advance was checked or stopped by a heavy rifle volley. The Modocs had been lying in wait for the soldiers, so the consequences were the Modocs fired the first volley. Seven or eight soldiers was killed. Every man was hit either in the head or neck during the first three days of fighting after the killing of the Peace Commissioners. No Indian was killed or wounded in action during the three days' fighting. The troops withdrew out of danger. The Modocs still held their ground and breastworks. ”

“ That they were different from other Indians was declared by the Modoc War. Of the several characters developed by that war, none stands out with more claim to an honorable place in history than Wi-ne-ma (the woman-chief) , who is the subject of this sketch. She was born on Link River, and very near the sacred lands of the La-la-cas (the tribe from whence sprang the Modocs) . Her father was a brother of the hero, martyr-chief, Captain Jack. Her mother is said to have belonged to a family of Indians remarkable for one peculiarity, that of having very
fine brown or red hair. ”

“ The captain called a halt about one mile from the village, told the boys it was too dark to good shooting yet. "We will go on when it gets lighter," he says. If one could have penetrated the darkness, he could have seen fifteen or twenty men, less than a mile from Curley Headed Doctor's lodge, and four or five other lodges on the north bank of Lost River, straight across from Jack's lodge. This body of men are the settlers. These men were very anxious to secure a few Modoc scalps at the risk of their own lives. ”

“ Meacham's tent and told him, Mr. Dyar and Thomas, that we had got information that the Modocs intended to kill all the Commis- sioners and all others that went with them the next time they met. I advised them not to go. I told them what Hooker Jim told me while we were at Fairchild's ranch. He took me out to one side and told me if you come with them Peace Com- missioners to meet us any more, when I walk up to you and push you to one side, you stand there. We won't hurt you, but we will kill all the others. Yes, murder them. ”

“ After dusk the soldiers commenced shelling the Indian camp. They were trying to locate their breastworks by the flash of the Indians' firearms, when they would discharge their guns. The Modocs soon quit firing. They saw that every time one of them fired, it would draw a heavy rifle fire from their enemy; also the mortars were trained on the Indians' fire, so the In- dians quit firing altogether. The soldiers kept up rifle firing, off and on all night. The next morning, when the sun threw its bright rays over the country, the few Modoc braves still held their position. Battle raged all day. ”

“ My people are just as good as these Indians here. I am not afraid of them, but I shall not fight them. I am going back to my own country. If I stay here I will be killed. I know it, for I cannot stand for what the Klamath Indians do and say. I just as well die in my own country." Next day in the forenoon, Capt. Jack and his entire band of Indians was back on the banks of Lost River on their old camping grounds. Some of the Modocs visited their friends, the settlers, and told the settlers that they could not get along with the agent and Klamaths. ”

“ Enraged at the loss of some of her fighting men, she made a charge at the head of her braves with such audacity and skill, that the Pitt Rivers, accustomed to fight individual style, each man for himself, were taken by surprise and completely routed, leaving three dead warriors and the stolen horses in the possession of the Modocs. ”

“ That the Indians provided for themselves, by fishing and hunting, and the only fear he had was that the reservation people would try to remove them, and would create war, in which settlers would be sacrificed; for, said he, they are determined to die, rather than be taken back to the reservation; and you know how inaccessible portions of the country are, and if an outbreak should occur it would be a severe struggle, in which many valuable lives and innocent people would be lost. ”

“ He gave them all to his comrades, but one. He kept it for himself, and after Pat's company was called in from the front, Pat and his comrades took great pride in showing the scalps to the other boys in blue who had not been so successful in killing Modocs. Pat would say when he would be showing the piece he had, "Every piece or scalp we have represents one Modoc warrior that we killed. Begorra, boys, every time I fired at me Injun, I got him sure. The Modoc
hounds will not last long when I get after them. ”

“ The Modocs soon broke and retreated in the direction of the Lava Beds. They contested the ground with the troops hotly for some three miles. The object of this hasty movement of the troops was to overhaul the Modocs, if out of the Lava Beds as reported, and prevent them from murdering the settlers in their probable retreat to another locality. This object was obtained and more. The troops have had, all things considered, a very square fight and whipped the Modocs for the first time, but the whole band was again in the rocky stronghold.JEFF C. DAVIS,
Colonel 23rd Infantry, Commanding Dep't. ”

“ Ben Lawver, Yellow Hammer, a Modoc warrior. Indian name Ha-kar-gar-ush. Returned from Quapaw, Oklahoma, a few years ago and now residing at the Yainax, Klamath Indian Reservation, Oregon.
instant use. These men were Scarface Charley and Bogus Charley. Capt. Jack was the first one to speak. He said: "My people, what do you men seek? Tell me, do you want to talk to me or do you want to fight me ? I am ready to talk or fight. I know you have turned against me for money. My heart tells me so. You are no better than the coyotes that run in the valleys. ”

“ The white men that killed our people was attacked by Indians, while they were sleeping. A few of them got hurt. That was done in our country. These men thought the Indians that attacked them was Modocs. None of you has told the white people that it was the Pitt River Indians who made the attack. For my part I cannot blame the white people for firing on our people. If I was a man today, I woulld not plot against white people. The next white people that comes through our country with their families won't be responsible for the act of
the white men that killed our people many moons ago. ”

“ I have been so long on the frontier and have seen the natives in their native disgusting state that I have no special regard for them further than making out justice, and I have none of the poetry enter- tained by many that do not know them. The Modocs are generally a whiter tribe of Indians than any other that I have met with ”

“ Jack was ready with all his people for the journey. It took eight big government wagons with mule teams to haul the Modoc women and their clothing, etc., up on the reservation. The point is known as Modoc Point today, named on account of the Modocs being settled there in November, 1869.
Jack in a few days had all his people well settled. About the month of December he called on the Indian agent, Knapp, at the agency. He told the agent that he wanted chopping axes, cross-cut saws, wedges and maul rings. He said he wanted to put his men to work making rails, etc. ”

“ On the 28th day of February, Judge Steele, Judge Roseborough and John Fairchild, accompanied by Riddle and Winema, the interpreters, visited the Modocs in the Lava Beds. The above-mentioned parties did not fear the Modocs, as they all were the best friends the Modocs had. When the party of peace-makers dismounted at Capt. Jack's stronghold, the Indians greeted them sullenly. Jack demanded the nature of their visit. Winema replied first by saying: "Our object is to have a good talk with you people, which will be explained to you tonight. We intend to stay all night with you people." ”

“ The unmarried men was the last ones that made their way out. They left four old people in the cave. They were unable to travel, as two were old blind men and one was a cripple; he had both of his arms broken in one of the battles they had with the troops before, either in November on Lost River, or in January in the Lava Beds. The other one was an old woman, mother of the crippled man. She would not desert her only son. Next morning, after the Indians had vacated their stronghold, the morning was bright and warm. The troops were all in their rock forts, lying low ”

“ I am a leader of my people. My people are only a handful. I have listened to the chosen words of the Mocloc Chief. He predicts the truth: we shall all be killed in time by the white men if we run every time we see them. I am not going to run. I am going to fight. I will get some of them before they get me. I say, fight! I am going to lead my men to the first white man's camp I see. I will see what they will do when they see their women and children killed, lying around dead, food for the coyotes, bugs, ravens and buzzards. ”

“ How is the rest of the people? Where are they holding out at?" Scarface said: "Me well, we all well. You soldiers no kill many of us; may be four or five good men, maybe five or six old squaws. An old man, Capt. Jack, Schonchin, maybe fifteen more go way off, me not know where him go. Other Modocs little ways from here, all well. Maybe some Modoc man like fight more, I no. No, me no like fight more; me got enough fight. This man pointing at the other three him no like fight. We give you soldiers our gun, pistol, too ”

“ So they all agreed that would be the best thing to do. Davis also learned that only a few Modocs had not been captured, namely, Modoc George's son Billie, his wife and four sisters, two grown, and their mother, last seen near Vanbrimer Mountain, California; Long Jim and father, last seen on Bryant Mountain ; two other old men and women ; one boy, last seen on Sheep Mountain, going west.
There were five other crippled Modoc Indians that were held at Fairchild's Ranch, during all the Lava Bed fighting. They were crippled in the first engagement on November 29th,
1872, at Lost River, I think ”

“ Go to Yainax, where the other Modocs are. You will be safe if you take my advice, but if you fight the soldiers, all of you will be killed. You cannot whip the white people. There is too many of them. You people could never kill all the soldiers the government could send here." Capt. Jack: "I do not want to fight, and I do not expect to fight without the soldiers force me to fight; if I am forced to take up arms against the soldiers, I will die game." While Jack was still talking, Tobey Riddle mounted her trusty animal. ”

“ Jack said : "My brave woman friend, no one shall hurt you in my presence. They step over my dead body first. You are a true Modoc. You have proved it today. Some one told you a mistake. We are not going to kill any one if everything goes right. You tell them peace-makers that we will be at the tent early tomorrow, six of us, unarmed. Nothing will happen if they talk sense to me. Now, Tobey, it is getting late. Get on your horse, and go back to your husband and boy. I detail these eight men, your friends, to escort you within talking dis- tance of the soldiers' camp. ”