Last updated: July 19, 2025
Place
War in the Lava Beds
War in the Lava Beds
November 1872 - June 1873
From this command post, the U.S. Army directed part of a frustrating campaign against a small group of Modoc Indians. Determined to defend their homeland, the Modocs consistently outmaneuvered the Army, who at times outnumbered them ten to one. Just over six months of battles and surprise attacks, interspersed with long periods of waiting, resulted in the Modoc’s defeat. Significant Modoc War sites are located and interpreted throughout the park (see inset map).
For seven weeks in the spring of 1873, Gillem’s Camp served as temporary quarters for up to 600 troops. Many enlisted men were new recruits with little training. Isolation, poor food and medical supplies, and the constant threat of attack in an unfamiliar landscape made life here difficult.
November 1872 - June 1873
From this command post, the U.S. Army directed part of a frustrating campaign against a small group of Modoc Indians. Determined to defend their homeland, the Modocs consistently outmaneuvered the Army, who at times outnumbered them ten to one. Just over six months of battles and surprise attacks, interspersed with long periods of waiting, resulted in the Modoc’s defeat. Significant Modoc War sites are located and interpreted throughout the park (see inset map).
For seven weeks in the spring of 1873, Gillem’s Camp served as temporary quarters for up to 600 troops. Many enlisted men were new recruits with little training. Isolation, poor food and medical supplies, and the constant threat of attack in an unfamiliar landscape made life here difficult.