The Modoc War War in the the Modoc War Was the Only Major Native American War Fought in Lava Beds California and the Only One in Which a General Was Killed

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The Modoc War War in the the Modoc War Was the Only Major Native American War Fought in Lava Beds California and the Only One in Which a General Was Killed National Park Service Lava Beds U.S. Department of the Interior Lava Beds National Monument A Brief History of the Modoc War War in the The Modoc War was the only major Native American war fought in Lava Beds California and the only one in which a general was killed. It was also one of the most costly wars in U.S. history. According to some estimates it cost $10,000 (about $300,000 today) per warrior to subdue the Modocs in battle. The Modoc warriors totaled between 50 and 60, while there were as many as 1000 U.S. troops at the height of the conflict. The war lasted six months, from November 29, 1872 to June 1, 1873, although tensions leading to the conflict began much earlier. Much of the war was centered around Captain Jack’s Stronghold, a natural lava fortress characterized by deep trenches and small caves. The Stronghold was named for the Modocs’ war leader Keintpoos, or Captain Jack as he was known to the settlers. Some 150 Modoc men, women,and children lived in the Stronghold for five months of the war, including the harsh winter months. By the war’s end, the fatalities included 53 U.S. soldiers, 17 civilians, 2 Warm Springs Scouts, 5 Modoc women and children, and 15 Modoc warriors, five of which were killed in battle. Background to the The sage brush-covered basins and transition. Additionally, there was Conflict forested mountains of central northern friction between the Modocs and California and southern Oregon were Klamths. For many Modocs the the homeland of the Modoc people. reservation would never be “home.” Their settlements were scattered along the shores of Tule Lake, Lost River, Captain Jack and other Modocs left the Clear Lake, and in Butte Valley where Klamath Reservation and asked for a they lived on fish, waterfowl, wild reservation of their own along Lost game, seeds, and bulbs gathered from River. The presence of the Modocs the surroundimg areas. unnerved some of the settlers, who again demanded that they be removed. As non-Indian emigrants entered the Oregon Superintendent of Indian region and established homesteads near Affairs, Alfred Meachem, convinced Lost River, some demanded that the Jack to return to the reservation late Modocs be relocated to the Klamath in 1869. After their return, Reservation, north of present-day conditions were no better and tensions Klamath Falls, along with the Klamaths between the Klamaths and Modocs and members of the Yahooskin band of continued to mount. In April of 1870, Paiutes. Conditions on the reservation Jack along with 371 other Modocs, left were poor. The Modocs had trouble the reservation and returned to their adapting to a new lifestyle and did Lost River homeland. There were a not receive adequate provisions from number of Modocs, however, who the government to help ease the remained on the reservation. The War Begins The Modoc War began on November 28, to the Stronghold, an unauthorized 1872, one day after Army Major John attack on a Modoc village across the Green left Fort Klamath with orders river was carried out by a group of from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to civilians. These skirmishes resulted move the Modocs back to the Klamath in the burning of Captain Jack’s Reservation. Green encountered a Modoc village and the deaths of a Modoc force nearly equal in number to his woman and child. An enraged group of troops and, while reluctant to attack Modocs traveled east around Tule Lake without being certain of victory, and killed 14 male settlers. A third fighting eventually broke out. The band of Modocs, who were not involved ensuing battle, the Lost River Battle, in the early fighting, joined Jack and caused the Modocs to flee by boat, his group in the Stronghold after crossing Tule Lake, to take refuge at being warned of an angry group of the Stronghold on the southern end of settlers as they rode toward Fort the lake. As Captian Jack’s band fled Klamath seeking amnesty. The Battle of the On the morning of January 17, 1873, a victory and were convinced that their Stronghold dense fog surrounded the Stronghold as guns would “astonish and terrify the more than 300 soldiers and volunteers Modocs.” However, they lacked launched their assault, after nearly knowledge of the terrain and of the two months of preparation. Stronghold’s natural fortifications. They were confused by the fog, The troops were confident of an easy exhausted by the bitter cold, and overwhelmed by the rugged terrain. The retreated. They left behind weapons, soldiers, stumbling and bloodied by ammunition, and the dead. The Modocs bullets and the jagged lava, had won a decisive victory. Attack on the Peace Following the First Battle of the were to attend the meeting as Commission Sronghold, several meetings were held translators. Toby warned the between Army and Modoc leaders. As the commissoners that the Modocs were two sides tried to reach a peace planning an ambush, but they chose to agreement, the Army continued to ignore her warning. The following day increase its number of troops. At each eight Modocs met the four peace meeting, Captain Jack requested a commissioners (General E.R.S. Canby, reservation in the Modocs’ Lost River Reverend Eleazar Thomas, Peace homeland. When talks broke down, Commissioner Alfred Meacham, and President Grant organized a peace Indian Agent Leroy Dyar) just west of commission to meet with the Modoc the Stronghold. leaders. The night before the peace commission meeting, April 11, 1873, After Canby again declined the request the Modocs held a meeting of their for a Lost River reservation, Captain own. They assembled to vote on whether Jack, using a revolver that he had or not they should kill the peace smuggled in, shot General Canby. The commissioners. Despite Captain Jack’s rest of the Modocs opened fire, pleas for peace, he was outvoted by killing Reverend Thomas, as Dyar and the Hot Creek Band and others. Meacham, who also had guns, began shooting. Mecham was wounded and Frank Riddle and his wife Toby, a partially scalped but survived. Dyar Modoc who was later known as Winema, and the Riddles escaped unharmed. Response to the The second attack on the Stronghold Cpt. Evan Thomas and Lt. Thomas Wright Attack began four days after the peace left Gillem’s Camp to try to locate commission killings. The army planned the Modocs. As they stopped for lunch to surround the Stronghold and force they were fired upon by a small group the Modocs to surrender. On April 17, of Modocs commanded by Scarfaced the troops captured the Stronghold, Charley. In 45 minutes, two-thirds of only to find it deserted. The Modocs the patrol was killed or wounded. Both had escaped during the night toward Thomas and Wright were killed in the the lava flows to the south using the fighting. The battle ended when deep trenches of the Stronghold for Scarfaced Charley ordered the Modocs cover. to cease their attack and allowed the remaining soldiers to return to On April 26, a patrol of 69 men led by Gillem’s Camp. War’s End The Modocs suffered their first defeat small, independent bands. On May 22 on May 10 when an attack on troops the Hot Creek band surrendered. In camped at Dry Lake was repulsed. return for amnesty, the Hot Creeks Ellen’s Man George was killed in the tracked Captain Jack, who surrendered skirmish, one of the few Modocs to on June 1, effectively ending the war fall in battle. Following the defeat, that had brought suffering and tragedy the Modocs quarreled about whether to to Modocs, settlers, and soldiers surrender. They dissolved back into alike. After the War The Modocs who had attacked the peace after their exile. Many died of commissioners were imprisoned at Fort tuberculosis. The Indian Agent Hiram Klamath, where they were tried and Jones was put on trial and relieved of convicted of murder. On October 3, duty in 1879 for giving the Modocs 1873, Captain Jack, Schonchin John, substandard food, supplies, and Black Jim, and Boston Charley were medical care. hanged. Barncho and Slolux had their sentences commuted by President Grant In 1909 any Modoc who wished could and were sent to Alcatraz. Nearly return to the Klamath Reservation in 2,000 people attended the hanging. The Oregon. Some returned, while others attendance of all Modocs was remained in what had become their mandatory. home. In 1978 the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma was federally recognized and Twelve days after the hanging, 163 eight years later the Klamath Tribes, Modocs were sent as prisoners of war including the Modocs, were reinstated to the Quapaw Agency in Oklahoma. as a federally recognized tribe. Their population dropped by one-third EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA .
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