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Imagemakers of the Modoc War: Louis Heller and Eadweard Muybridge

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Imagemakers of the Modoc War: Louis Heller and Eadweard Muybridge UC Merced The Journal of California Anthropology Title Imagemakers of the Modoc War: Louis Heller and Eadweard Muybridge Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6ff6485c Journal The Journal of California Anthropology, 4(2) Author Palmquist, Peter Publication Date 1977-12-01 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Imagemakers of the Modoc War: Louis Heller and Eadweard Muybridge PETER PALMQUIST HE Modoc War of 1872-73 in north­ THE MODOC INDIAN WAR (1872-73) Teastern California has been a subject of both considerable popular interest and Fought in the lava beds at Tule Lake on the scholarly investigation during the past century. Cahfornia-Oregon border, the Modoc Indian Many of its ethnic, social, and military di­ War of 1872-73 pitted a small band of Modoc mensions have been evaluated in depth. Al­ Indians against the crushing mihtary strength though most of the interpretive efforts have of the United States Army. Murray (1959:4) used photographic imagery produced at the summed up the meaning ofthe Modoc War as time of the Modoc conflict, analysis of these follows: photographic materials has been surprisingly casual. The Modoc Indian War was the final desperate resistance to the impact of the Nearly 100 Modoc War photographs are white man's culture on the ancient Indian known to exist. These photographs range from folkways. It marks the concluding stages of carte de visile style portraits of the Modoc the decline in vigor and numbers among a Indian prisoners to stereographs of the war- fierce people, beginning in the early years site topography, the mihtary encampments, of the nineteenth century and ending when the participants, and the mihtary hardware. a band of beaten and spiritless prisoners Curiously, these remarkable images have never were forced aboard a Central Pacific Rail­ been studied as a group, nor have the circum­ road train bound for exile on a tiny reservation in Oklahoma. stances of their origin been explored in depth. For most writers who have dealt with the Incredibly, the Modocs under their leader conflict, there has been one simple assumption: Captain Jack (Kientpoos) won nearly every "Eadweard J. Muybridge took the Modoc War battle in the seven months that the conflict photographs." This paper will show that such raged before they lost the war. Widely reported is not the case, and that an almost forgotten in both the national and international press, photographer, Louis H. HeUer, deserves equal the Modoc confrontation was the only Indian/ credit with Muybridge for coverage of the White conflict of major consequence to take Modoc War. A catalogue of Modoc War place within the present-day state of California images is presented at the end of this paper, (Thompson 1971:vii). This senseless episode followed by a representative series of images by caused the American government a great deal the photographers (Plates 1-33). of embarassment and expense. As Thompson IMAGEMAKERS OF THE MODOC WAR 207 (I971:xii) observed: "It was . the most one soldier dead and seven wounded and one expensive Indian war in American history Modoc dead and one wounded. A contempo­ considering the shortness of the war and the rary observer (Anonymous 1873:3) wrote: number of Indians involved." In terms of "Blood has been spilled, and treasure is being human values, the Modoc War stands out as a consumed in the effort to compel obedience on consummate tragedy—a case history of cultur­ the part of the desperate band under Captain al insensitivity. The three most reliable Jack." Determined to remain in their home­ modern treatments of the Modoc War are land, the Modocs retreated to the lava beds on presented by Murray (1959), Thompson the south shore of Tule Lake. These lava beds (1971), and Dillon (1973). Only a brief sum­ formed a perfect natural fortress of jagged mary of the conflict, touching on a few of the rocks, ledges, and caves, offering the war's highlights, will be presented here. Modocs—who knew the terrain—excellent Although the causes of the Modoc War opportunities for concealment, whereby they were many and complex, its origins were might easily resist attacks by government typical of all Indian/White conflicts in nine­ troops and civilian volunteers. teenth century America. A steady usurpation The first major attack on Captain Jack's of Indian lands by White settlers, together with stronghold in the lava beds occurred on Janu­ a failure of communications between the two ary 16, 1873 (Murray 1959:160-187; Thomp­ cultures, led to an inevitable struggle. Mutual son 1971:35; Dillon 1974:169-170). At least 300 fears and hatreds fueled by deliberate White soldiers, supported by howitzers, joined the deceptions created a history of skirmishes and actual assault against a Modoc force ill-will. Even worse, government Indian policy numbering only about sixty men (Thompson was repeatedly insensitive to the needs of the 1971:43). The results were disastrous for the Modoc people. army, which withdrew leaving some of its dead Between 1867 and 1869, the Modocs were on the field. In the two-day engagement, the removed under mihtary pressure from their Modocs killed nine soldiers and wounded 28, aboriginal lands, which stretched across the yet not one ofthe attackers ghmpsed a Modoc Oregon-California border, to the Klamath during the battle (Thompson 1971:43). Reservation in Oregon. This removal placed The government next decided that talk was them directly in the hands of their more cheaper than war, and efforts were made to numerous traditional rivals—the Klamath. negotiate a settlement. A four-member peace Integration with the Klamaths proved in­ commission was sent to the lava beds, initi­ tolerable. In 1870, the Modocs began leaving ating a prolonged, frustrating period of negoti­ the reservation and returning to their own ations. Meanwhile, the army continued to lands. During the next two years, every effort gather reinforcements, eventually raising its by government agents to return the Modocs to total force to 1000 men. Tension and suspicion the Klamath Reservation failed. By late 1872, of bad faith mounted on both sides. Then, on having failed at negotiation, the government Good Friday, April 11, 1873, the peace com­ was preparing to use force to achieve its ends. mission and a Modoc delegation met under a The first direct confrontation between U.S. flag of truce. Without warning, the Modocs Army troops and the Modocs occurred at Lost suddenly opened fire, killing General E.R.S. River on November 29,1872 (Murray 1959:82- Canby and a peace commissioner and severely 113; Thompson 1971:15-21; Dillon 1974:127- wounding another commissioner (Murray 159). What the government intended as a 1959:180-200; Thompson 1971:51-65; Dillon simple show of force resulted in a skirmish with 1974:181-232). Before soldiers reached the 208 THE JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA ANTHROPOLOGY scene, the Modocs again disappeared into the involved in a series of skirmishes. The lava beds. slaughter of the army patrol was so sickening The death ofthe highly-respected Canby— by mid-day that Scarfaced Charley, a Modoc the only Regular Army general officer to be leader, called off the attack, shouting to the killed in the Indian wars—aroused intense troopers, "All you fellows that ain't dead had demands for revenge (Thompson 1971:64). better go home. We don't want to kill you all in Colonel Alvan C. Gillem, regrouping Canby's one day" (Murray 1959:231). command, prepared for an immediate attack After this stunning defeat of the Army by on the Modoc stronghold. His resources in­ the Modocs, Col. Jefferson C. Davis (Canby's cluded four batteries of artillerymen (prepared replacement) arrived on the scene of military to fight as infantry), five troops of cavalry, five operations. Davis had hoped for sufficient companies of infantry, and 70 Warm Spring time in which to regroup a disillusioned com­ Indian scouts, reinforced by howitzers and mand. The Modocs, however, continued mortars (Thompson 1971:67-68). Beginning mounting attacks on military supply trains, on April 15, the soldiers pressed an attack for forcing Davis to send patrols to the affected two days, supported by artillery fire. Using areas. One such patrol, commanded by a their meager resources, the Modocs deployed Captain Hasbrouck, fell victim to another themselves expertly. Eight Modoc warriors, Modoc ambush, but succeeded in rallying a for example, held 400 troopers to a half-mile counterattack that routed Captain Jack's advance over a six-hour period. Murray (1959: forces. Known as the Battle of Sorass Lake 208) noted: "They were as effective with their (May 10, 1873), this was the first in a series of long-range sniping as a company of machine engagements in which the Army troops proved equal to the Modocs (Murray 1959:246-251; gunners would be at the present time." Eventu­ Thompson 1971:101-105; Dillon 1973:283). ally, the army forces succeeded in penetrating the stronghold, but the Modocs were gone. The tide now turned. While the Modocs The irony of the engagement was not lost upon had been winning, their morale had remained a contributor to the Yreka Journal (June 11, consistently high. After the battle of Sorass 1873): Lake, many latent jealousies broke out within the various Modoc sub-groups under Captain In truth it was a gallant sight. Jack. These differences eroded Modoc co- To see a thousand men of might. hesiveness and the Indians now became victims With gun and cannons, day and night of a "cat and mouse" hunt by the Army. Fight fifty dirty Indians. Continually pressing the exhausted Modocs, Although the army had failed to ac­ the soldiers succeeded in capturing several complish its primary mission—to capture or small groups of stragglers.
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