MODOCS, the name of a tribe of American Indians, meaning "enemies," and applied to them by a hostile tribe. The Modocs formerly belonged to the Klamaths (q.v.). but became estranged from them and eventually antagonistic. They are supposed to have originated on the shores of lake Klamath in California. They were dull and lethargic by nature, unimpressible, with little expression to their features, and little energy or activity in their movements and habits. They had the custom of making slaves of their prisoners of war, and of buying and selling these, after the fashion of the ancient Romans and Carthaginians. They had a religion, in which a mythical deity whom they called Komoose, stood in the place of a god. In 1847 and 1849 they are said to have conducted predatory excursions against the whites. A year later capt. Nathaniel Lyon fought a band of these Indians on Clear lake, Modoc co.. Cal., and defeated them, indict ing severe and merited chastisement. But by 1852 the Modocs appear to have forgotten this infliction, or remembered it with an unwise disposition for vengeance, for they again indulged in a massacre of white settlers, and invited fresh retribution. This was effected in a manner not according to the laws of civilized warfare, however, for the Modocs were invited by the whites to attend a pow-wow and feast, presumably of a peaceful character, and, of the 46 who accepted the invitation. 41 were ruthlessly murdered. After this act warfare continued for many years. In 1856 a campaign against them WItU carried out by gen. Crosby, and a large number were slaughtered. This did not put an end to the war, however, which continued until 1864, when they acceded to the stipula tions of a treaty, ratified and proclaimed early in 1870. By this treaty they agreed to give up their lands to the U. S. government, and to go upon a reservation to he set apart for them. They did, in fact, go upon two different reservations, but these were already occupied by their enemies, the Klamaths, a fact which kept them continually in trouble. Two chiefs had now began to obtain considerable notoriety, not alone on the frontier. but among the settled states. These were capt. Jack, who was the leader of a baud of
Modocs that was making itself particularly obnoxious to the whites; and Schonchm, hereditary chief Of the tribe, whop -folldwerswere less objectiontikle; In 1868 capt.
Jack, with Ills party, moved to Lost river, where they remained until 1872, when orders were given by the superintendent of Indian affairs to return them to the reservation. Troops from fort Klamath were sent against their camps, and after sonic fighting were dislodged, and retreated to a district known as the "lava beds," near fort Klamath, Orogen, where they were enabled to strongly intrench themselves, owing to the peculiar natural formation of the country, On Jan. 17, 1873, the troops under gen. Wheaton entered the lava beds and attempted to drive out the Modoes, but with such ill success that they were even unable to approach nearer to them than a distance of 2 or 3 miles. The troops lost 11 killed and 21 wounded. and were forced to retire. A second attempt was pilule under the command of gen. Gillem, but this also resulted in failure. Commis sioners were now appointed by the government to confer with rapt. Jack, and endeavor to bring about a peaceful settlement of the existing troubles. A meeting was arranged for April 11, 1873, which took place according to appointment, but was treacherously concluded by the Modocs, who fired upon the commissioners, with the result of killing outright gen. Canby and Dr. Thomas, and wounding Mr. Meacham, also a commissioner. This act broke up the conference, and a tierce tight ensued, the Modocs resisting desper ately until starved out and forced to surrender, an event which did not occur until nearly two months later. The troops during this part of the siege were commanded by gen. Jeff. C. Davis, to whom belongs the honor of having at length forced the stubborn savages to acknowledge their defeat. A military commission was now appointed to try the chief offenders, and rapt. Jack, Schonchin, jr., and two other Modocs were con demned to die. They were accordingly executed at fort Klamath, Oct. 3, 1873. The remainder of the baud were retired to a reservation in the Indian territory.