Map. 6. Second Battle for Stronghold, April 15-17,
1873. Colonel Gillem's Plan: Major Mason (from east) and Major Green
(from west) to attack Stronghold on April 15. Mason's left to join
Green's right, thus surrounding Stronghold. (Essentially, the same plan
devised by Colonel Wheaton, January 17.)
Gillem's Camp: Green in command of troops, Gillem
present but in charge of whole operation. Troops:
Batteries A, E, K, and M, 4th Artillery; Companies E
and G, 12th Infantry; Troops F and K, 1st Cavalry, and mortars.
Hospital Rock: Mason in command of troops: Companies
B, C, and I, 21st Infantry; Troops B and G, 1st Cavalry; Warm Spring
Indians; and howitzers.
April 15
1. Two a.m. Troops F and K, dismounted, marched from
Gillem's Camp to holding position on Hovey Point.
2. Eight a.m. Green's command marched from Gillem's
Camp. Battery E led the column. 1/2 mile from camp, Battery E changed
to skirmishers. One mile from camp, Battery E came under fire. Rest of
column then deployed as skirmishers.
3. Battery A, 4th Artillery, a detachment from Troop
H, and the mortars remained for the time being at Gillem's Camp.
4. April 14-15, midnight, Major Mason's command left
Hospital Rock and took an assault position about 700 yards east of the
Stronghold by dawn April 15. Howitzers kept to rear—too far back to fire
effectively.
5. One-thirty p.m., Green's infantry and artillery
charged, gaining several hundred yards. During afternoon, infantry and
artillery units moved slightly to right (south) creating space at north
that allowed the cavalry to move into line by 4 p.m. Mortars moved
forward by late afternoon.
6. Attempt to cut off Stronghold at south failed.
7. The cavalry, under Green, gained high ground at
northwest corner of Stronghold by nightfall. Western line generally 1/2
mile from Stronghold.
April 16
8. Mortars (to rear of Green's cavalry) and howitzers
(now moved up) fired throughout night of 15-16. Ten a.m., general advance began on west
side—steady but slow progress. Another attempt to join forces
around south of Stronghold failed.
9. By afternoon, Green's and Mason's forces joined at
north, cutting Modocs off from water. This united force pushed south,
penetrating outer defenses of Modocs by nightfall.
April 17
10. Mortars and howitzers continued firing through
night of April 16-17, and at a reduced rate on morning of 17th. Despite
a flurry of Modoc firing at 11 a.m., the troops realized by noon that
the Modocs had evacuated the Stronghold. Troops entered the Stronghold.
Modocs successfully escaped south into Lava Beds.
