| 1871 |
A separate reservation recommended for Captain Jack's band of Modoc
Indians. |
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Realizing that there was an unfriendly feeling between Jack's band
of Modocs and the Klamath Indians, the Superintendent of Indian Affairs
for Oregon, A. B. Meacham, recommended to the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs in Washington that Captain Jack and his band be given a separate
reservation. Pending action on his recommendation Meacham instructed
Captain Jack and his band to remain at Clear Lake. Refer to the sketch
map on the following pages.
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| 1872 January |
Lost River settlers petitioned for the removal of Captain Jack and
his band of Modoc Indians. |
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Instead of remaining at Clear Lake, Captain Jack and his band roamed
the country molesting the settlers with the result the settlers in the
Lost River region petitioned A. B. Meacham to remove the Indians to the
Klamath Reservation.
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A. B. Meacham requested help from U. S. Army. |
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On receipt of the petition, Meacham requested General E. R. S.
Canby, Commanding General of Columbia, to remove Captain Jack and his
band of Modoc Indians to Yainax on the Klamath Reservation.
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Meacham's request forwarded to General Schofield. |
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General Canby forwarded Meacham's request to General Schofield,
Commanding General of the Pacific, suggesting that before using force to
get Captain Jack to the reservation, another peaceful effort should be
made.
Estimated population of Klamath County, Oregon, was between 300
and 400 white people.
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| March |
Reenforcements sent to Fort Klamath. |
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At the request of General Canby, the forces at Fort Klamath were
strengthened by additional officers and troops from Fort (Camp)
Warner.
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| April |
Council with Captain Jack at Lost River Gap. |
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On April 3 Major Elmer Otis, U. S. Army, held a council with Captain
Jack at Lost River Gap, near what is now Olone, Oregon. This meeting
was arranged at the request of General Canby who desired to attempt a
peaceful settlement before using force. At that meeting Captain Jack
and the important men of his band were distinctly hostile. Nothing was
accomplished toward getting the Indians to the reservation.
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U. S. Commissioner of Indian Affairs requested that Captain Jack be
moved to the reservation. |
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On April 12 the Commission of Indian Affairs in Washington requested
T. B. Odeneal, Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Oregon, to get
Captain Jack and his band of Modocs to the reservation if practicable
and to see that they were not molested by the Klamath Indians.
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| May |
Odeneal attempted to arrange a meeting with Captain Jack. |
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On May 14 T. B. Odeneal, carrying out instructions from Washington,
sent Ivan D. Applegate and L. S. Dyer to arrange for a council with
Captain Jack. Captain Jack refused to meet in council.
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| July |
Orders given to move Captain Jack and his band of Modoc Indians to
the Klamath Reservation. |
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On July 6, 1872, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in Washington
directed Superintendent T. B. Odeneal to move Captain Jack and his band
to the Klamath Reservation, peacefully if possible, forcibly if
necessary. This order from the Commissioner was the result of
Odeneal's report on the failure of I. D. Applegate and L. S. Dyer to
induce Captain Jack to meet in council.
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| November |
U. S. Army requested to force Captain Jack to the Klamath
Reservation. |
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Despairing of a peaceful settlement, on November 27, Superintendent
Odeneal requested Major John Green, C. O. at Fort Klamath, to furnish
sufficient troops to compel Captain Jack to move to the reservation.
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Troops moved to Lost River. |
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On November 28 Captain James Jackson commanding 40 troops left Fort
Klamath for Captain Jack's camp on Lost River. The troops, reenforced
by citizens from Linkville (Klamath Falls) arrived in Jack's camp on
Lost River about a mile above Emigrant Crossing (Stone Bridge) on
November 29.
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First battle of Modoc War, November 29, 1872. |
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Firing began immediately after the Indians refused to give up their
arms. After driving the Indians from camp, Captain Jackson ordered the
troops to retreat to await reenforcements. The casualties in this short
battle included one soldier killed and seven wounded, and two Indians
killed and three wounded.
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Settlers massacred by Indians. |
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Retreating from the battlefield on Lost River to the Lava Beds south
of Tule Lake, a small band of Modoc Indians under the leadership of
Hooka Jim, on the afternoon of November 29 and morning of November 30,
massacred 18 settlers.
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| December |
Captain Jack and his band prepared to defend themselves in The
Stronghold. |
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For some months previous to the battle on Lost River, Captain Jack
had boasted that in the event of war he and his band could successfully
defend themselves in an area in the lava beds on the south shore of Tule
Lake. It was to that area that the Indians retreated after the first
battle on Lost River. The area soon became famous and is known today as
CAPTAIN JACK'S STRONGHOLD. In selecting the place in which to defend
themselves the Indians took advantage of the lava ridges, cracks,
depressions, and caves, all such natural features being ideal from the
standpoint of defense. At the time the Indians occupied The Stronghold,
tule Lake bounded The Stronghold on the north and served as a source of
water for the Indians. Today The Stronghold is one of the interesting
features of Lava Beds National Monument.
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Encounter at Land's Ranch. |
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On December 21 Modocs, scouting from The Stronghold, attacked an
ammunition wagon at Land's Ranch.
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| 1873 January |
Troops mobilized. |
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By January 15 the U. S. Army had 400 troops in the field near the
Lava Beds. The greatest concentration of troops was at Van Bromer's
ranch, twelve miles west of The Stronghold. Troops were also stationed
at Lani's ranch, ten miles east of The Stronghold. Col. Frank Wheaton
was in command of all troops, including regular army as well as
volunteer companies from California and Oregon.
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Skirmish with Modocs. |
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On January 16 troops from Land's ranch, commanded by Col. R. F.
Bernard, skirmished with Indians near Hospital Rock.
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Attack on The Stronghold. |
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On the morning of January 17, 1873, troops advanced on The
Stronghold. The Indians, occupying excellent positions, repulsed troops
advancing from the west and east. A general retreat of troops was
ordered at the end of the day. In the attack on The Stronghold on
January 17, 1873, the U. S. Army lost 16 men killed and 5 officers and
44 enlisted men wounded. Under Captain Jack's command there were in all
approximately 150 Indians including women and children. Of that number
there were only 53 warriors. The Indians suffered no casualties in the
fighting on January 17.
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Peace Commission appointed. |
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On January 25, C. Delane, Secretary of the Interior, appointed a
Peace Commission to deal with Captain Jack. The Commission consisted of
A. B. Meacham, chairman, Jesse Applegate, and Samuel Case. General E.
R. S. Canby was appointed to serve the Commission as counselor.
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| Feb.-March |
Activities of the Peace Commission. |
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On February 19 the Peace Commission held its first meeting at
Fairchild's ranch, west of the lava beds. A messenger was sent to
arrange a meeting with Captain Jack. Jack agreed that if the Commission
would send John Fairchild and Bob Whittle, two settlers, to the edge of
the lava beds he would talk to them. When Fairchild and Whittle went to
the lava beds Captain Jack told them he would talk with the Commission
if they would come to the lava beds and bring Judge Elisha Steele of
Yreka. Steele had been friendly to Captain Jack. Steele went to The
Stronghold. After a night in The Stronghold, Steele returned to
Fairchild's ranch and informed the Peace Commission that the Indians
were planning treachery, and that all efforts of the Commission would be
useless. A. B. Meacham wired the Secretary of the Interior, informing
him of Judge Steele's opinion. In replying the Secretary instructed
Meacham to continue negotiations for peace. Judge A. M. Roseborough was
added to the Commission. Jesse Applegate and Samuel Case resigned from
the Commission, being replaced by Rev. Eleazer Thomas and L. S. Dyer.
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Troops moved to positions nearer The Stronghold. |
| April |
Gillem's Camp established. |
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Gillem's Camp was established at the edge of the lava beds, two and
one-half miles west of The Stronghold. Col. Alvin C. Gillem was placed
in command of all troops including those at Hospital Rock, commanded by
Col. E. C. Mason. The site of Gillem's Camp is one of the interesting
historical features of Lava Beds National Monument.
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Activities of the Peace Commission. |
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On April 2 the Commission and Captain Jack met in the lava beds at
place about midway between The Stronghold and Gillem's Camp. At this
meeting Captain Jack demanded: (1) Complete pardon of all Modocs; (2)
Withdrawal of all troops; (3) The right to select their own reservation.
The Peace Commission proposed: (1) That Captain Jack and his band go to
a reservation selected by the government; (2) That the Indians guilty of
killing the settlers be surrendered and tried for murder. After much
discussion the meeting broke up with nothing accomplished.
On April 5 Captain Jack requested a meeting with A. B. Meacham.
Accompanied by John Fairchild and Judge Roseborough, Frank and Toby
Riddle serving as interpreters, Meacham met Captain Jack at the peace
tent which had been erected on a flat area about one mile east of
Gillem's Camp. The meeting lasted several hours. Captain Jack
requested that the lava beds be given to them as a reservation. The
meeting ended with no agreement. After Meacham returned to camp a
message was sent to Captain Jack, asking that he meet the Commission at
the peace tent on April 8. While delivering this message, Toby Riddle,
a Modoc woman, wife of Frank Riddle, a white settler, learned of the
Modoc's plan to kill the peace commissioners.
On April 8 just as the commissioners were starting for the peace
tent a message was received from the signal tower on the bluff above
Gillem's Camp. The message stated that the lookout on the tower had
seen five Indians at the peace tent and about 20 armed Indians hiding
among the rocks nearby. The commissioners realized that the Indians
were planning treachery. The commissioners agreed to remain in camp.
In spite of warnings of treachery on the part of the Indians, Rev.
Thomas insisted on arranging a date for another meeting with Captain
Jack. On April 10 a message was sent asking that Captain Jack meet the
commissioners at the peace tent on the following morning.
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Murder at the Peace Tent, April 11, 1873. |
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On the morning of April 11 the commissioners, General E. R. S.
Canby, A. B. Meacham, Rev. E. Thomas, and L. S. Dyer, with Frank and
Toby Riddle as interpreters, and Boston Charley and Bogus Charley, two
Modocs who had brought a message from Captain Jack, John Schonchin,
Black Jim, and Hooka Jim. After some talk, during which it became
evident that the Indians were armed, General Canby informed Captain Jack
that the Commission could not meet his terms until orders came from
Washington. In an angry mood John Schonchin demanded Hot Creek for a
reservation. Captain Jack got up and walked away a few steps. Two
Modocs, Brancho (Barncho) and Slolux, armed with rifles, ran forward
from where they had been hiding among the rocks. Captain Jack turned
giving the signal to fire. The first shot from Captain Jack's revolver
killed General Canby. Reverend Thomas fell mortally wounded. A. B.
Meacham fell seriously wounded. Dyer and Riddle escaped by running.
Had not Toby Riddle cried out, "The soldiers are coming!", Meacham would
no doubt have been killed.
All efforts for peace ended when the Modocs carried out their plans
to kill the commissioner. A cross marks the place where General E. R.
S. Canby and Reverend Eleazor Thomas fell victims of Modoc treachery.
(To be continued)
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