DID YOU KNOW THAT?

In 1873 the First Battle of the Stronghold took place as part of the Modoc War of 1872–1873. The battle was fought between the US Army under Lieutenant Colonel Frank Wheaton with a force of 400 troops and 53 Modoc warriors from Oregon and California, led by Captain Jack. The United States Army was attempting to remove the Modoc from the natural fortress called Captain Jack's Stronghold, in the lava beds on the south shore of Tule Lake in northeastern California, and return them to the Klamath Reservation in Oregon. The Modocs soundly defeated the Army, forcing it to retreat. The defeat of the Army strengthened the Modoc position, and caused the United States to begin peace negotiations from a position of weakness. The Modoc also gained confidence in their ability to defend their position against a superior force.