First Battle of The Stronghold - The Battle

The Battle

On the morning of January 17, the entire battlefield was covered with a thick fog. In the west Major Green formed a skirmish line, with the 21st Infantry battalion and California volunteers on the left flank, next to the lake, and the Oregon militia on the right flank. He held a detachment of the 21st Infantry and 1st Cavalry, F Troop, in reserve to defend the howitzers. In the east, Bernard's force formed up with the Klamath Scouts and B Troop on the left flank, and G troop on the right flank, next to the lake.

The battle orders called for the howitzers to fire three shots as a signal for Bernard to begin the attack, then they were to pause for 15 minutes before resuming firing to give the Modoc a chance to move their women and children out of the Stronghold. However, due to the fog, the howitzer crews could not determine where their shots were landing, and they did not resume firing after the signal shots for fear of hitting their own forces.

Green's force advanced on the Stronghold, and after covering 1.5 miles (2.4 km), reformed with F Troop taking the extreme right flank, to attempt to join up with Bernard's force. At about this time the western force first began taking fire from the Modoc, who had left the Stronghold to attack the Army in the lava beds. Green's advance was slowed to almost nothing as the rough terrain and the enemy fire combined to make advance difficult. The Modoc, concealed by the fog and hiding in the rock formations, shot any target presented to them as they slowly gave ground, causing many casualties among the Army. At about 2 pm, Green's force came to a "very deep chasm", which stopped their advance.

In the east, after advancing to about 500 yards (500 m) from the Stronghold, Bernard's force also came under fire from the Modoc; they charged the enemy as the ground on the east was much easier than on the west. However, after advancing 100 yards (100 m), they encountered a deep gully which they determined to be impassable, and withdrew 150 yards (150 m). Here Bernard's force began building crude fortifications out of the available rock.

At this point, Colonel Wheaton abandoned the plan to join the two forces south of the Stronghold. Major Green suggested that they instead attempt to join the units along the lake shore, north of the Stronghold. Orders were shouted to Bernard, who accepted the change in plans. However, Bernard's force, behind their makeshift walls, were unwilling to renew the attack. The east force did maintain their position and drew the enemy's fire.

With the exception of the Oregon militia, who claimed to be stopped by a ravine, Green's force began to move to the north along the shore. The California volunteers, 21st Infantry, and F Troop advanced behind the Stronghold, and were within 50 yards (50 m) north of the Stronghold when they were pinned down on the shore by overwhelming Modoc fire. Major Green was wounded when he stood up and urged his men forward, an act for which he later received the Medal of Honor. F Troop and half the 21st Infantry eventually made it to Bernard's force, but the rest of the Infantry and the California volunteers were pinned down along the lake shore and were ordered to remain in place until dark. At 5 pm, Colonel Wheaton realized he had failed to capture the Stronghold, and signaled Green and Bernard to retreat. The forces withdrew to their camps, a process that was not completed until after nightfall on January 18. The US soldiers the Modoc had killed were left on the battlefield, which provided the Modoc with additional rifles and ammunition.

The US lost 37 men killed or wounded; the Modoc suffered no casualties. In fact, with the fog and rock cover, not a single survivor reported having seen a Modoc during the battle. The Modoc's spiritual leader, Curley Headed Doctor took credit for raising the fog through his rituals.