Wagons West Chronicles October Issue 2016 October Issue | Page 20

20

A TERRIBLE
LESSON

Modoc Attacking Peace Commission.

April 17, 1873, Weekly Union,
Kerrville, Texas — There is a threatened uprising of the Indian tribes
inhabiting that portion of the western part of the Indian Territory,
lying between the headwaters of
the Cimarron and Red rivers.
These tribes consist of the
Cheyennes, Arapahos, Kiowas and
Comanches. Several surveying parties are reported to have been
attacked recently, and a number of
their members killed. The Seventh
Cavalry have been dispatched to
the scene.
The telegraph brings us the

October 2016

dreadful
tidings
that the Modoc
Indians have murdered
General
Canby and the Rev
Dr. Thomas, of the
Peace Commission,
and that they have
mortally wounded
Commissioner
Meacham.
This
awful tragedy is the
direct result of the
criminally foolish
policy that has
been pursued by the Government
in dealing with these renegade savages. When the outbreak of these
Indians occurred in November
last, we briefly sketched the causes
which had induced it, and
affirmed our belief that nothing
but the immediate and thorough
chastisement of this refractory
band would meet the necessities of
the case. We then said: “During
the whole of the past three years
this band of Modocs has been permitted to treat the Indian authorities with contempt. They have
been coaxed and entreated when
they should have been promptly

and severely punished. The present trouble may be traced directly
to the same woeful mistake that
has ruled in Arizona. It is due
solely to the vacillating course that
has been pursued towards a comparatively small number of Indians
who have persistently defied the
authority of the Government.”
Having taken this position at the
outset, the UNION has steadfastly
maintained
it
throu