Gen. Wheaton said; “My chief scout could tell just the number that he has, but I think some sixty-three or sixty-four warriors.”

“And you had fifteen hundred men in that three days’ fight?”

Gen. Wheaton said he had.

“And you got whipped?  There was bad management somewhere,” said Canby; and he concluded he would take Captain Jack by storm, but postponed it for a month, this bringing it into the foggy weather in that country, and in that time of the year it is the foggiest country I ever saw.  I have seen it for a week at a time in the lava bed that I could not tell an Indian from a rock when twenty paces away.  And this was the kind of weather Gen. Canby was waiting for.  He marched down to the lava bed and placed his howitzer on the hill about a quarter of a mile from Jack’s stronghold and commenced playing the shell.  This was done in order to give the infantry a chance to march down to the main entrance of the cave and there shoot the Indians down as fast as they came out.

Three days and nights this was kept up, but not an Indian came out, and Gen. Canby drew off, losing over one hundred men killed, but I never knew the exact number wounded.

When Gen. Canby found he could not take the Modocs by storm, he sent to Yreka, Cal., for a man named Berry, who was a particular friend of Jack’s, or rather Jack was a particular friend to him.  On Mr. Berry’s arrival at headquarters Gen. Canby asked him if he thought he dare go to Captain Jack’s stronghold.  Mr. Berry replied that he would provided that he went alone.  I never knew just what Mr. Berry’s instructions were, but, however, I accompanied him to within two hundred paces of the main entrance to the cave, in order to direct him to the proper place, and he chose his time to go after dark.

I remained there until after he returned, which was before midnight.  A few days later I learned that there was to be a council meeting between Gen. Canby, Rev. Col.  Thomas and Captain Jack, and in a conversation with Col.  Miller he asked me my opinion in regard to the matter.  I told him that I did not understand all the particulars, as I had heard but little about it.

He then told me that Gen. Canby and Col.  Thomas, with George Meeks as interpreter for them, and Meek’s squaw as interpreter for Captain Jack, were to meet Jack next Sunday morning for the purpose of effecting a treaty with the Modoc tribe, they to meet Jack at a certain place, without escort or side arms.  After the Colonel had told me of the council and manner in which they were to meet Captain Jack, I said:  “Colonel, do you really believe they will go?”

“Go,” he replied.  “Gen. Canby will go if he lives till the time appointed for the meeting.”

I could not think that Canby would do such a thing, and I told Col.  Miller that there was one thing he could depend upon, if they went in that manner they would never return alive.  I also told him I did not consider Mr. Berry showed good judgement in letting Captain Jack choose his own ground for the council and agreeing to meet him without escort or side arms.