The Lost River Fight - (29 November 1872) - History - http://maxpages.com/modocwar/Lost_River

CRAWLEY'S RANCH, LOST RIVER, OREGON, November 30, 1872.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that I jumped the camp of Captain Jack's Modoc Indians yesterday morning, soon after daylight, completely surprising them.

I demanded their surrender and disarming, and asked for a parley with Captain Jack. Captain Jack, Scar-faced Charley, Black Jim, and some others would neither lay down their arms nor surrender, and some of them commenced making hostile demonstrations against us and finally opened fire. I immediately poured volley after volley among the hostile Indians, took their camp, killed eight or nine warriors, and drove the rest into the hills. During the engagement I had one man killed and seven wounded, three of the last severely and perhaps dangerously.

The band that I attacked was on the south side of the river; another smaller band on the north side was attacked by a party of ten or twelve citizens, and their surrender demanded; but when the firing commenced in Captain Jack's camp, these Indians opened on the citizens, and drove them to the refuge of Crawley's ranch. One citizen was killed during the fight, and two others coming up the road unconscious of any trouble, were shot; one (Mr. Nuss) mortally wounded, and the other (Joe Pennig) badly. My force was too weak to pursue and capture the Indians that made off, owing to the necessity of taking immediately care of my wounded, and protecting the few citizens who had collected at Crawley's ranch. The Indians were all around us, and, apprehensive of a rear attack, I destroyed Captain Jack's camp, and crossed to the other side of the river by the ford, a march of fifteen miles, taking post at Crawley's ranch, where I now am. I need re-enforcments and orders as to future course. There are a number of citizens and families in the valley it will be necessary to look after and protect, if they are not already killed. Most of the Indians have retired to their caves south of Tule Lake, but I imagine will soon be out in war parties.

From the best information I can get, Captain Jack, Scar-faced Charlie, and Black Jim are killed or mortally wounded.

The troop behaved gallantly and deserves every praise. The fight was at close quarters, and very severe for thirty minutes. The citizens engaged did good service, I learn, and deserve much credit; but for them we would have had a fire in rear that would have been very destructive. The Indians or their leaders were determined on a fight at all hazards, and got enough of it, I think. The worst men among them are undoubtedly killed, not less than 16 of them being put out of the way. I need more men, for the valley will have to be scouted to protect the citizens. The troop from Warner should come over immediately, if it is intended to pursue these Indians. Please send me instructions by courier at once. Dr. McElderry, who goes up this morning with the wounded, will give you more detailed information.

Citizens killed, John Thurber, Willian Nuss; wounded, Joe Pennig.

Soldiers killed, Private Harris; soldiers wounded, Corporal Fitzgerald, severely; Corporal Challinor, Private Totten, Private Doyle, Private Kasshafer, severely; Private Kershaw, Private Gallagher, severely.

John Schonchin (8 July 1873)

[Homecoming]

When I was camped on lost River I was scared by the soldiers. I was living there in peace, killing ducks. I was out ducking, and I looked over and I could see them fighting. It scared me, and I wondered what was the matter; this was the first fight on Lost River, in November, 1872. I seen the fire on each side of me, and I started for the fire. I wondered to myself if the soldiers and Indians were fighting, and wondered what it was about; and wondered who was the cause of the fight, and how the fight could take place there, and why the soldiers came to kill my children. I wondered where a chief could come from that was mad with me. I didn't know why they should come to fight me and my children. I saw the Indians pulling their guns and their wounded Indians into a canoe. When I got to where the fight had taken place, the Indians had all gone. I wondered who had set the grass afire there or the houses. I wondered what they wanted to burn up my house for. I started then for the mountains. I went to hunt my family. I overtook Hooker Jim in the mountain; I told him not to go. Hooker Jim told me that there were two of our men killed. Hooker Jim was very mad, and kept on in the mountains. I told him not to fight, but to go to the mountains and stay there. I told him to make haste and get into the mountains.

Editorial -- Portland Bulletin (2 December 1872)

Fight With Indians

The news by the dispatches of yesterday from Southern Oregon, of the severe fight between the Company of United States Cavalry under Major Jackson and a band of Modoc Indians near the mouth of Lost river, in the Klamath Lakes region, is somewhat exciting. The Indians, we are glad to say, met with a disastrous repulse--the reward of their treachery and insubordination; but they have caused the loss of valuable lives, of soldiers and residents, and the fear that other lives will yet be sacrificed before the troops shall be so reinforced as to punish them into peaceful submission to the orders of the constituted authorities. The Modocs are bad Indians at best. In days past they and the Rogue river and Pitt river tribes were among the most hostile and aggressive against the white settlers, and murder and spoil have been their sins in many instances wherein white men, women and children were the victims. A vigorous and effective policy should be pursued towards the unruly savages, and if they will not obey the laws let them incur the most rigorous penalties for their transgressions and crimes.

The outbreaks of the hostile Indians of Southern Oregon in 1854, and again in 1855-56, under the powerful leadership of that undaunted and unconquerable Chief, "Old John"--who was as brave a mortal as ever breathed--were made when that division of the State was more sparsely peopled than it is now; but the exigency brought out gallant and brave volunteers from the settlements to immediately take the field in protection of the lives and safety of the women and children who would otherwise have been left to the merciless and diabolical tortures and butchery of the savage foe, and their aid to the regular troops was both opportune and vital. There are yet living in Southern Oregon a number of the brave men who participated in the good work of quelling the Indian outbreaks of those times, and we feel confident that they will, in case the emergency shall again arise in the present instance, offer for the field themselves, and also arouse the younger men to prompt and vigorous action. The same chivalric spirit which inspired them in days that are memorable in Oregon's history to hasten to the rescue and protection of defenceless women and tender little ones and to strike down the savage arm which threatened or assailed all, will animate them in the present to similar meritorious deeds. And the Modocs must be whipped into a lasting peace.

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