[From the New York Herald,
1873; story by Edward Fox]
Yreka, Cal., March 26, 1873.
he prospects of peace with the Modoc Indians are not very
promising, as they appear to grow more independent every day, and consequently
more grasping in their demands. Mr. Meacham still represents the Peace
Commission at Van Bremer’s, and was joined yesterday by the Rev. Mr. Thomas, a
newly appointed member sent by the Indian Bureau to practice the theory of
moral suasion. Mr. Dyar is expected from Oregon every day. Judge Rosborough
will come as soon as he can leave his court at Shasta. Great things are
expected from the new peace delegates, but I am an unbeliever and maintain that
the Modocs will not leave this section of the country until the military have
exercised a little physical suasion. At present the Modocs are firmly imbued
with the belief that they can “lick” all the soldiers that can be brought
against them, and consequently intend remaining where they are.
As General Canby is evidently getting rather tired of the
peace manipulations the troops will soon be moved into position surrounding the
lava beds, and then some aggressive movements will be made in order to impress
the Modocs with an idea of the number of soldiers that can be brought against
them. It is expected that the mortars will have a very salutary effect on their
weak nerves, as in the last fight they expressed considerable curiosity about
the guns that “shot twice.” On that occasion, however, only a few shots were
fired from the howitzers, and none of them took effect, only one shell bursting
within their neighborhood and that about one hundred and fifty feet above their
heads.
Last Friday [21 March] we made a reconnoissance of the lava
beds in force and did not get back until midnight the same day. The object of
the scout was to give Generals Canby and Gillem a chance to examine the country
with a view to selecting a camp on Tule Lake somewhere near the foot of the
bluffs. General Canby and aide-de-camp, Captain Anderson, Major Mason, Major
Throckmorton and Major Thomas, of the Fourth artillery; Acting Assistant
Surgeon Cabaniss, the Herald correspondent,
Colonel Biddle and Lieutenants Cresson and Bacon, with Troop K of the First
cavalry, left Van Bremer’s at half-past six A.M. and met General Gillem,
Assistant Surgeon McMillin, Major Trimble, Lieutenant Rockwell, Colonel Perry,
Mr. McKay and Troop F of the First cavalry, at the bridge over Willow Creek. The
entire force, numbering over one hundred rank and file, then followed the trail
to the top of the bluff overlooking the lava beds and were then dismounted. They
arrived at this point about noon, and Generals Canby and Gillem got out their
field glasses and took a good look at the lava beds that lay directly beneath
them. The Indians were seen below us, moving about as if in rather an excited
state, and gathering in about twelve or fifteen horses that were scattered over
the plain. Presently three or four of them took up a position on a ledge of
rock, about a mile from the foot of the bluffs, which appeared to be their
first line of fortifications.
They began to shout to us in English, and finally asked one
man to come down and talk, saying that he would not be hurt. Acting Assistant
Surgeon Cabaniss was then sitting about half way down the bluffs, and when he
heard their request he asked permission of General Canby to go and see what
they wanted. The General answering in the affirmative, Dr. Cabaniss went down
the hill and walked across to where the Indians were sitting behind the rocks. Looking
through our glasses, we saw him shake hands with them and sit down for a talk. Presently
one of the party got up, and, bringing out a white horse from behind the rocks,
rode off in the direction of Captain Jack’s cave. Dr. Cabaniss then returned to
the foot of the bluffs, and shouted up that he wanted another man to come down.
I then got up and started down the hill, preceded by Lieutenant Moore, who was
called back by General Canby and returned to the top of the bluff.
When I got about half way down I heard Dr. Cabaniss’ message,
which was that a Captain Jack and Schonchin would talk with Generals Canby and
Gillem at the juniper tree, half way between the foot of the bluffs and their
present position. I passed the message on to General Canby who was seated at
the top of the bluffs, and, after receiving his approval of the proposition,
continued on and joined Dr. Cabaniss at the foot of the hill, and we both
walked across to where the Indians were awaiting our return. They all shook
hands with me when I arrived, and after setting my pipe on its rounds sat down
and had a talk. There were only four Modocs on duty when I came up, and one of
them, William, my host on the occasion of my former visit to the lava beds, was
stripped to the waist and in full war paint. They occupied a rather ingenious
fortification of about thirty feet front. It was originally a wall of rock
about twenty feet high, with a projecting ledge about ten feet from the ground.
On the edge of this ledge they had built a breastwork of loose rocks, about
four feet high, which allowed them a space about three feet deep to work in, with
the main rock at their backs. They were all armed, two with Springfield rifles,
one with a Spencer carabine and the other with an old-fashioned Kentucky rifle.
We sat some time talking, but, as none of those present spoke English well,
gained no information of importance.
The messengers sent after Captain Jack returned shortly
afterwards and said he was on his way, but wished to meet Generals Canby and Gillem
nearer to his own camp. We, however, overruled that suggestion, stating that
General Canby was a big Tyee and an old man, and therefore would not come any
further than the juniper tree, which they had designated for a place of
meeting. They finally agreed to stand to the old arrangement, and Dr. Cabaniss
started for the Bluffs to get General Canby and General Gillem down to the
appointed place. I remained with the Modocs, who were presently reinforced by
Scar-faced Charley, Boston Charley, Wild Gal and several others. We presently
saw General Canby and General Gillem come down the hill and sit down, awaiting
the arrival of Captain Jack. Dr. Cabaniss then returned to where we were, and
sat down in the circle. The Indians appeared rather nettled about the loss of
their horses, and were rather particular in their inquiries who were the
soldiers that took them away. I told them they were taken by a hundred new
soldiers, hoping that the knowledge of such an addition to our forces might
have a wholesome effect, but I am grieved to say they did not look very scared.
One gentleman, on hearing the news, passed his hand
affectionately over a scalp of curly brown hair that covered his shot pouch, as
if congratulating himself on the speedy acquisition of more of the same sort. This
was too much for my refined and well educated wool to endure, and it gently
raised my hat, as if it desired to remind me of the company I was in. I took
the hint, and when I got back to Van Bremer’s had my hair cut off, thinking it
might not wear well as a pouch cover. After waiting about an hour Captain Jack
arrived, accompanied by the Curley-Headed Doctor, Steamboat Frank and about a
dozen others. After shaking hands with the party I showed Captain Jack where
General Canby and General Gillem were sitting awaiting his arrival.
He did not show any very great eagerness for an interview, and
thought General Canby had better come where he was. To this motion, however, I
put a most decided veto, but, in order to reassure him of his safety, said that
Dr. Cabaniss and I would remain where we were as hostages for his safe return. He
then appeared more satisfied and started to meet the Generals, accompanied by
Scar-faced Charley, Steamboat Frank, the Curley-Headed Doctor and three others.
Just as they were going I noticed that they had their guns and immediately told
them they must leave them behind. To this, however, they objected; but finally,
after I had explained that General Canby and General Gillem were unarmed,
Scar-faced Charley set the example by laying down his gun, and the others did
the same, with the exception of Steamboat Frank, who got sulky and asked me
what I was afraid of. I told him I was not afraid, as I had come to see twenty
of them, all armed, carrying guns, but General Canby was a big Tyee, and when
he talked peace he came without arms and expected to meet Indians without arms.
This satisfied the others, but Steamboat was evidently in a
bad humor, and sat down, refusing to go. The others started off, but before
they had got half way I noticed that three of them had not taken off their
revolvers. As they were then pretty near the place of meeting I thought it
better to let them go on, trusting that there would be no contretemps to mar the harmony of the meeting. Our position would
not have been very pleasant if one of those revolvers had gone off
accidentally, as the soldiers on the bluffs would immediately have come tearing
down to see what was the matter, and our scalps would probably have suffered
before they were half way down.
The conference, however, concluded peacefully, and as soon as
we saw Generals Canby and Gillem on their way back, we left our friends and
started for the top of the bluffs. On the way we met Captain Jack and his party
returning from the talk, and we stopped for a few minutes to find out the
result of the conference. Captain Jack said he had not talked much and did not
think that the soldier Tyees had much good to offer. He said he wanted peace
and wanted to remain where he was. We then shook hands and left them pushing on
up the hill to join the rest of the party. As soon as we got to the top of the
hill we mounted our horses and started to return to Van Bremer’s. It was half
past six P.M. when we left the bluffs, and our party did not get to Van
Bremer’s until after midnight, after a ride of about forty-four miles. General Gillem and party returned to Dorris’
ranch.
On the way back General Canby told me that he did not think
Jack wanted peace unless he could get Lost River. Captain Jack told him as he
was going away that if he had anything to give him he could send it down to the
lava beds. General Canby asked him why they did not come out and meet the
wagons according to their own proposal, and to that question he could not get
an answer. The General is of the opinion that nothing can be done with the
Modocs until they have experienced the power of the troops and thoroughly
understand their position.
The Lost River troops marched last Sunday from their old camp
and are now located on the east side of Tule Lake, about three miles from
Captain Jack’s cave. The howitzers, under command of Lieutenant Chapin, are
with them. General Gillem and the two troops of cavalry at Dorris’ are expected
at Van Bremer’s to-morrow, and in a few days all the troops from the latter
place will move into camp at Tule Lake, at the foot of the bluffs, about two
and one-half miles this side of Captain Jack’s cave. The Modocs will then be
between the two camps. Major Mason is in command on the east side and Major
Green will take charge on this side. If the Peace Commissioners do not succeed
with “moral suasion,” General Canby will probably try the power of the
military. The attack will be made in skirmishing order, quietly, but firmly,
and the troops will take their blankets and hold their position during the
night. Under cover of night they will be supplied with rations and fresh water.
The mortars will cover the advance of the troops and keep shelling Captain Jack’s
stronghold day and night. These tactics will, I am satisfied, have more effect
upon Captain Jack and his band than all the “moral suasion” of the Peace
Commission and Indian Bureau combined. I return to Van Bremer’s to-morrow
morning.
[The juniper tree conference occurred 21 March. The date of 23
March occasionally given for this event is based on Canby’s statement in a
telegram dated 24 March that he “had an unsatisfactory meeting with Captain
Jack yesterday afternoon” (Modoc War,
p. 74). The telegram is clearly misdated. As it was received in Washington on the
25th, it can hardly have been written later than the 23rd, two days
transmission time from the front to Washington being typical. The 24th would
therefore be the date the telegram was sent from Yreka, not the date it was
written. Correspondent Alexander McKay’s account of this expedition appeared
only in the Yreka Union, 29 March
1873. The San Francisco Evening Bulletin,
25 March 1873, carried instead the Associated Press story derived from Fox’s
account of events. Fox had carried General Canby’s dispatches to Yreka, writing
this account and the earlier telegraphed dispatch there. He left Yreka 27
March, returning to the front. sbh]
