The Klamath County Museum in Klamath Falls, Oregon,
provides this page for the benefit of those
researching the Modoc Indian War of 1872-73, one
of the federal government's most prolonged and dramatic conflicts
with any
Indian tribe.
The Modocs were led by a chief named
Kintpuash, dubbed "Captain Jack" by white settlers. The natural rock
fortress that protected the Modocs came to be known as Captain
Jack’s Stronghold, located in what is now known as the
Lava Beds National Monument. From the stronghold an estimated 55
Modoc warriors were able to hold off hundreds of Army troops in two
major battles. During a peace parley on April 11, 1873, Captain Jack shot and killed
U.S. Army Gen. E.R.S. Canby. The incident played prominently in
newspapers across the country and even abroad.
Eventually the Modocs were forced to
scatter from the stronghold, and were rounded up in small groups. By
the end of the war, about 70 soldiers, civilians and guides had been
killed, while perhaps as few as six Modoc warriors had been killed.
Captain Jack was the last to be captured. He and three other Modoc
leaders were hanged at Fort Klamath on Oct. 3, 1873, and their graves remain marked
on property that is now a museum park.
NEW
The
Don Fisher Papers,
including nearly 1,900 pages
of records related to the Modoc War.
Visit Modoc War sites
today.
Images of the Modoc War, including photos, lithographs and
art.
Links to Modoc War sites
on the Internet.
Books about the Modoc War.
Maps showing
the location of battle sites and other key features.
