Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/639

Rh. When the troops were attacked they were in open ground, from which they ran to take shelter in the nearest defensible positions. Many of them never T stopped at all, or heeded the word of command of their officers, but kept straight on to camp. "Men, we are surrounded; we must fight and die like soldiers," cried Thomas; but he was heeded by few, fully two thirds of the men being panic-stricken, and nearly one half running away.

The only shelter that presented itself from the bullets of the concealed Modocs was one large and several smaller basins in the rocks. In these the remainder of the command stationed themselves, but this defence was soon converted into a trap in which the victims were the more easily slaughtered. The Indians, who from the first aimed at the officers, were now able to finish their bloody work. In what order they were killed no one could afterward tell; but from the fact that only Thomas and Wright were remembered to have said anything, it is probable the others fell at the first fire, and that it was their fall which demoralized the men so completely. Thomas received several wounds. Wright was wounded in the hip, in the groin, in the right wrist, and through the body. He was in a hole with four of his men, when a sergeant attempted to bring him some water, and was also shot and wounded in the thigh. Soon after Wright died, and the remaining three, all of whom were wounded, were left to defend themselves and protect the body of their dead commander. About three o'clock an Indian crept up to the edge of the basin, calling out in English to the soldiers if they were not wounded to leave for camp, as he did not wish to kill all of them, at the same time throwing stones into the pit to cause some movement if any there were really alive. Hearing no sound, he crept closer and peered over, with two or three others, when the soldiers sprang up and fired. The Indians then left them, whether wounded or not the soldiers could