where they were, signalled Green to come into camp if he thought best, while he himself prepared to spend the night in a small cove on the shore of the lake.
But the Indians had observed the separation of the volunteers from the regulars, and were making preparations to surround them by getting between them and the high bluff where stores of ammunition and supplies had been, left in charge of only ten men. Signal fires were already springing up in that direction, and other indications given of the intentions of the Indians. Upon this discovery Wheaton determined to fall back to camp, and again signalled Green of his change of plan, authorizing him to withdraw to Bernard's camp at Land's rancho, fourteen miles distant. The forces on the west side were all of Ross' command, a portion of Perry's troop, and the infantry reserve, separated by the fog from the main force during the flank movement. Just at dark the retreat to camp began, Applegate's company leading, the wounded with the artillery in the centre, Kelly's company and Lieutenant Boss' detachment skirmishing with the Indians in the rear. As night advanced the Modocs withdrew, and stumbling along the rocky trail the command on the west reached the camp of the night before about midnight, thoroughly exhausted.
But if they found a march of four miles under the circumstances exhausting. Green's forces were in a worse position. Fearing to expose his men a second time to the peril of passing the Modoc position, when night had fallen he commenced the march of fourteen miles over a trail fit only for a chamois to travel, carrying the wounded in blankets, or on the backs of ponies captured during the day. One of Fairchild's men. Jerry Crook, whose thigh-bone was shattered, rode the whole distance with his leg dangling. His comrades tied a rope to it by which it could be lifted out of the way of obstacles ; but nothing could prevent frequent rude shocks from the rocks and bushes.
