War in the Lava Beds

From this command post, the U.S. Army directed part of a frustrating campaign against a small band of Modoc Indians. Determined to defend their homeland, the Modoc consistently outmaneuvered the Army, which at times outnumbered them ten to one. Just over six months of battles and surprise attacks, interspersed with long periods of waiting, resulted in a final Modoc defeat. For seven weeks in the spring of 1873, Gillems Camp, located here, served as temporary quarters for up to 600 troops. Many enlisted men were new immigrants with little training. Isolation, poor food and medical supplies, and the constant threat of attack in an unfamiliar landscape made life there difficult.

California · United States