Preconcerted [guest post by Edward Fox, 12 April 1873]

[From the New York Herald, 1873; story by Edward Fox]

Camp in the Lava Beds,

Via Yreka, Cal., April 12, 1873.

[By telegraph.]

T

he massacre of yesterday was entirely preconcerted, as I find this morning that Lieutenants Boyle and Sherwood were induced to leave Colonel Mason’s camp by the Indians waving a white flag and shouting that they wanted to talk. Lieutenant Boyle miraculously escaped without a scratch, but Lieutenant Sherwood fell wounded in two places. He was afterwards brought into camp on a stretcher by some of his own regiment who had been sent out on a skirmish line. The wounds are pronounced severe, but not dangerous.

Mr. Meacham is still in a precarious condition, but hopes are entertained of his recovery.

All the troops in camp turned out under arms at two o’clock this morning, as firing commenced along the picket line; but the enemy finally dwindled down to two horses grazing, and we returned to our beds. In the hurry of getting under arms Colonel Green narrowly escaped death, as an accidental pistol shot passed through the front of his forage cap, tearing away the cross sabre insignia.

We move to-morrow into camp about twelve hundred yards from Captain Jack’s cave, and active operations will immediately commence. The Warm Spring Indians, under Donald McKay, are expected at Colonel Mason’s camp to-morrow. The remains of General Canby and Dr. Thomas left to-day under charge of Lieutenant Anderson.