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567:. F Troop and half the 21st Infantry eventually made it to Bernard's force, but the rest of the Infantry and the California volunteers were pinned down along the lake shore and were ordered to remain in place until dark. At 5 pm, Colonel Wheaton realized he had failed to capture the Stronghold, and signaled Green and Bernard to retreat. The forces withdrew to their camps, a process that was not completed until after nightfall on January 18. The US soldiers the Modoc had killed were left on the battlefield, which provided the Modoc with additional rifles and ammunition.
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508:, two miles east of the Stronghold. However, a thick fog obscured their view and the forces came within a mile of the Stronghold. At this point Bernard ordered a withdrawal, but the Modoc had already observed them and gave chase. They began firing on Bernard's left flank and pack train, before being run off. Three of Bernard's men were wounded in the exchange. Bernard's force withdrew to Hospital Rock, and prepared for the next day's battle.
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the Army in the lava beds. Green's advance was slowed to almost nothing as the rough terrain and the enemy fire combined to make advance difficult. The Modoc, concealed by the fog and hiding in the rock formations, shot any target presented to them as they slowly gave ground, causing many casualties among the Army. At about 2 pm, Green's force came to a "very deep chasm", which stopped their advance.
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In the east, after advancing to about 500 yards (460 m) from the
Stronghold, Bernard's force also came under fire from the Modoc; they charged the enemy as the ground on the east was much easier than on the west. However, after advancing 100 yards (91 m), they encountered a deep gully which
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and the weather was damp. In the west Major Green formed a skirmish line, with the 21st
Infantry battalion and California volunteers on the left flank, next to the lake, and the Oregon militia on the right flank. He held a detachment of the 21st Infantry and 1st Cavalry, F Troop, in reserve to defend
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With the exception of the Oregon militia, who claimed to be stopped by a ravine, Green's force began to move to the north along the shore. The
California volunteers, 21st Infantry, and F Troop advanced behind the Stronghold, and were within 50 yards (46 m) north of the Stronghold when they were
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Green's force advanced on the
Stronghold, and after covering 1.5 miles (2.4 km), reformed with F Troop taking the extreme right flank, to attempt to join up with Bernard's force. At about this time the western force first began taking fire from the Modoc, who had left the Stronghold to attack
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in Oregon, to which they had been relocated from their territory in order to enable
European Americans to settle in the area. The Modoc soundly defeated the Army, inflicting numerous casualties and forcing it to retreat. Factors aiding the Modoc included their excellent defensive position, steady
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The battle orders called for the howitzers to fire three shots as a signal for
Bernard to begin the attack, then they were to pause for 15 minutes before resuming firing to give the Modoc a chance to move their women and children out of the Stronghold. However, due to the fog, the howitzer crews
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At this point, Colonel
Wheaton abandoned the plan to join the two forces south of the Stronghold. Major Green suggested that they instead attempt to join the units along the lake shore, north of the Stronghold. Orders were shouted to Bernard, who accepted the change in plans. However, Bernard's
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Colonel
Wheaton planned a two-pronged attack. The main force in the west would launch the primary attack, with a secondary attack from the east to prevent the Modoc escaping. The two forces were to spread out and meet in the middle of the lava fields, south of the Stronghold, trapping the Modoc
398:, who had not been involved in the Lost River action. The Modoc were encamped at a natural fortress of caves and trenches 300 yards (270 m) wide and 2 miles (3.2 km) long in the lava beds, which they had improved to make more defensible. The Modoc had captured about 100 head of
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The defeat of the Army at the First Battle of the
Stronghold strengthened the Modoc position. The United States began peace negotiations from a position of weakness. The Modoc also gained confidence in their ability to defend their position against a superior force.
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to the south end of Tule Lake, where the units established two encampments, the larger at Van
Brimmer's Ranch, about 10 miles west of the Stronghold, and a smaller force at Louis Land's Ranch, 12 miles (19 km) to the east.
613:, commanding officer of the Department of the Columbia, came to the lava beds to lead the peace effort. Mistakenly thinking that killing leaders would encourage the Army to leave the Modoc alone, on
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The US lost 37 men killed or wounded; the Modoc suffered no casualties. Given the fog and rock cover, no Army survivors reported having seen a Modoc during the battle. The Modoc's spiritual leader,
617:, April 11, 1873, Captain Jack and some of his men ambushed and killed General Canby and Reverend Eleazer Thomas, and wounded two more. This act ended the peace talks. The Army initiated the
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501:, which had traveled a longer, though flatter route, arrived after dark. Their camp was at the top of a bluff, overlooking the lava beds, about 3 miles west of the Stronghold.
474:; 1st Cavalry, Troop F, under Captain David Perry; a company of California volunteers under Captain John O. Fairchild, and one section of two 12-pounder (5 kg) mountain
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pinned down on the shore by overwhelming Modoc fire. Major Green was wounded when he stood up and urged his men forward, an act for which he later received the
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the howitzers. In the east, Bernard's force formed up with the Klamath Scouts and B Troop on the left flank, and G troop on the right flank, next to the lake.
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they determined to be impassable, and withdrew 150 yards (140 m). Here Bernard's force began building crude fortifications out of the available rock.
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could not determine where their shots were landing, and they did not resume firing after the signal shots for fear of hitting their own forces.
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force, behind their makeshift walls, were unwilling to renew the attack. The east force did maintain their position and drew the enemy's fire.
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The units left their camps on January 16 to move into position. Major Green's units arrived at the southwest corner of Tule Lake at 1 pm; the
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The west force, under Major Green, consisted of the 21st Infantry under Major Edwin Mason; two companies of the Oregon
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against Tule Lake. The howitzers were to provide support for the western attack. All men were to proceed on foot.
702:, Stackpole Books, 1914; full text available online at Internet Archive; also there is a reprint edition (1975),
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Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior, for the Year 1873.
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The Modoc bands numbered about 160 people, 53 of whom were warriors. The leaders of the group were
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and Troop G under 2nd Lieutenant John Kyle; and a company of Klamath scouts under Dave Hill.
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390:, California. Their band included women and children. There they joined a Modoc band led by
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Captain Bernard's much smaller force consisted of 1st Cavalry, Troop B under Captain
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The US Army forces tried to dislodge the Modoc from the natural fortress, now called
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The US Army force in the field consisted of about 400 men. Lieutenant Colonel
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Captain Bernard's group also advanced on the 16th, their objective being
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On the morning of January 17, the battlefield was covered with a thick
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was in command, and had his headquarters at Van Brimmer's Ranch. Major
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During the peace conferences that followed the battle, Major General
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patience, and a thick fog that obscured portions of the battlefield.
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Lt. Col. Wheaton was relieved of command, and replaced by Col.
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in Oregon, the Modoc escaped to the lava beds in what is now
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in northeastern California. They had illegally left the
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574:, took credit for raising the fog through his rituals.
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Immediately after the inconclusive November 27, 1872
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The First Battle for the Stronghold – (Sources)
684:Hell with the Fire Out, A History of the Modoc War
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662:Modoc War, Its Military History & Topography
323:of 1872–1873. The battle was fought between the
319:(January 17, 1873) was the second battle in the
459:commanded the force in the west, and Captain
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672:, Sacramento, California: Argus Books, 1971.
365:, in the lava beds along the south shore of
638:"Captain Jack's Stronghold: Ghost Dancing"
463:was in command of the forces in the east.
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69:Learn how and when to remove this message
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32:This article includes a list of general
549:Modocs Scalping and Torturing Prisoners
402:which they relied on as a food supply.
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790:Native American history of California
528:Captain Jack's cave at the Stronghold
405:The Army moved units from across the
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699:The Indian History of the Modoc War
478:under 2nd Lieutenant W. H. Miller.
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785:Battles involving Native Americans
780:Sieges involving the United States
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38:it lacks sufficient corresponding
16:Part of the Modoc War of 1872–1873
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619:Second Battle of the Stronghold
604:Warm Springs Indian Reservation
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327:Army under Lieutenant Colonel
317:First Battle of the Stronghold
84:First Battle of the Stronghold
1:
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647:, 25 Sept 2008 (10 Feb 2009)
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697:Jefferson C. Davis Riddle,
388:Lava Beds National Monument
108:Modocs defending Stronghold
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729:(also used as a reference)
407:Department of the Columbia
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363:Captain Jack's Stronghold
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775:Battles of the Modoc War
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234:42 killed, many wounded
53:more precise citations.
751:41.90932°N 121.53305°W
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489:Preparation for attack
173:Commanders and leaders
147:Decisive Modoc victory
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226:Casualties and losses
756:41.90932; -121.53305
572:Curley Headed Doctor
384:Battle of Lost River
805:January 1873 events
747: /
659:Erwin N. Thompson,
621:starting April 15.
590:, a veteran of the
371:Klamath Reservation
795:1873 in California
725:2007-04-22 at the
667:2003-12-07 at the
643:2009-07-09 at the
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331:and a band of the
800:Conflicts in 1873
433:Scarfaced Charley
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156:Belligerents
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59:January 2011
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754: /
742:121°31′59″W
615:Good Friday
338:tribe from
95:Indian Wars
51:introducing
769:Categories
739:41°54′34″N
625:References
551:, an 1873
457:John Green
437:Hooker Jim
378:Background
344:California
299:Sand Butte
284:Lost River
196:John Green
136:California
34:references
578:Aftermath
499:artillery
476:howitzers
396:Hot Creek
367:Tule Lake
352:Kintpuash
346:, led by
321:Modoc War
272:Modoc War
220:howitzers
91:Modoc War
723:Archived
665:Archived
641:Archived
304:Dry Lake
206:Strength
131:Tulelake
125:Location
89:Part of
468:militia
47:improve
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600:Nevada
512:Battle
439:, and
414:Forces
400:cattle
340:Oregon
144:Result
36:, but
419:Modoc
394:from
356:Modoc
336:Modoc
162:Modoc
704:ISBN
688:ISBN
342:and
315:The
231:None
117:Date
518:fog
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
