United States
Examine the archaeological evidence of the Modoc War with a presentation at the Klamath County Library on Thursday, December 1st at 6 pm, brought to you by archaeologist Christopher Combel, a former National Parks Service employee.
This week marks 150 years since the Battle of Lost River in late November 1872, when members of the Modoc nation fought back against U.S. cavalry forces who were attempting to force the Modoc to relocate back to what was then reservation land for the Klamath people, northeast of Klamath Lake. Modoc Chief Kintpuash, also known as Captain Jack, led a band to the tribe’s homeland along the Oregon/California border, and dug into defensive positions throughout what is now Lava Beds National Monument. The Modoc and U.S. Army forces would exchange gunfire in several pitched battles until the summer of 1873, when Captain Jack and five other Modoc leaders were captured. Four of the six men, including Captain Jack, were sentenced to death; the other two were sentenced to life in prison.
While it isn’t as famous as other conflicts between the United States and Indigenous people, the Modoc War is well documented, Combel says, with hundreds of pieces of archaeological evidence and artifacts left behind for historians to piece together.
Combel is the lead archaeologist for the National Park Service at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Arizona, and has also served at Lava Beds National Monument, Yosemite National Park, and the Southeast Utah Group of National Parks.
For more about the Modoc War anniversary, visit the special exhibit at the Klamath County Museum, which will be on display through November 2023, and other events remembering the 150th anniversary of the Modoc War.
For more information on the December 1st presentation, please call 541-882-8894.