Petaluma’s Past: Northern California’s ‘Indian War’

Skip Sommer takes us back in time to 1873|

It was the only actual “Indian War” in California history. And the only Native American uprising in which a U.S. Major General was killed.

One-hundred-forty-six years ago, Sonoma County and Petaluma were terrified.

The “Modoc Territory” was only 200 miles north.

Would we be next? Would our local Pomo or Miwok tribes follow suit? Would the Modocs come south? Petaluma was stressed-out, as our Evening Argus headlined on April 12th, 1873.

“MODOC WAR!”

“Awful News from the Lava Beds!”

And then, later …

“General Canby Killed!” and “Dr.Thomas and A.B. Meacham murdered by red fiends!”

U.S. government attempts had been made in 1869 to relocate the California tribe of Modocs to the Klamath Reservation in Oregon. But the Klamath and the Modoc tribes were bitter enemies and 200 of the Modoc, led by a young chief named “Captain Jack,” returned from Oregon to the Tule Lake area in 1870 and soon, violent Indian raids were occurring there.

In April of ’72, the government called for a peace conference with Captain Jack, but those efforts were unsuccessful, and by November, President U.S. Grant ordered army troops to once again enforce the moving of the tribe to the Klamath.

The Modocs, in response, killed 13 settlers on Nov. 29th and fled into the high lava beds of what is now Modoc County, an area of caves and lava outcroppings, soon to become infamous as “The Stronghold of Captain Jack,” an almost invincible fortress. Our Evening Argus warned, “Indians armed with Spencer Rifles” (7-shot repeating rifles). As anxiety was fast building here, the paper reported, “Two companies of our troops cut to pieces!”

Then, on Jan. 17, 1873, the U.S. troops attempted a major assault on “Jack’s Stronghold.”

Stunningly, the army lost, with 35 dead and many wounded - and no casualties to the Modocs. In addition, the soldiers had fled the scene, leaving even more weapons for the enemy.

Then, the following April 11, at a long-planned peace conference agreed upon by both sides, Captain Jack sprung a trap and murdered the unarmed General Canby, the Reverend Dr. Thomas and others. The U.S. army attacks, as well as those negotiations, had been incredibly inadequate. Our Argus editor stated, “The news of the butchery created a sensation on our streets last evening. There seems to be but one expression among the people, and that was for a drastic change of tactics from fighting the red skins with formal West Point rules.”

In other words, get down-and-dirty and do it now.

It was then that President Grant lost his patience and, via General Sherman, issued this (amazing) order.

“Your dispatch announcing the terrible loss to the country of General Canby, by the perfidy of the Modoc Band of Indians, has been shown to the President, who authorizes me to instruct you to: Make the attack so strong and persistent that their fate may be commensurate to their crime. You will be fully justified in their utter extermination. W. T. Sherman, General.”

Imagine … a U.S. President advocating “extermination” of a people.

On April 14, a new army siege began with some 530 troops. On April 26, the headlines in the Argus cautioned, “The Modocs were armed with Spencer Rifles, now having two or more each,” the new U.S. military tactic of surrounding the stronghold was aimed at keeping the enemy from getting to their only source of drinking water at Tule Lake. The standoff lasted over a month until finally, desperate with thirst, the Modoc warriors began to desert Captain Jack and, on June 1, 1873, Jack himself laid down his weapons.

The Modoc War had cost the loss of 83 U.S. soldiers and citizens, while the Modoc Tribe itself had lost just 17. Captain Jack and three of his braves were later hanged for murder at Fort Klamath and the remaining 163 tribe-members were relocated to Oklahoma.

A local sidelight to this story is that Petaluma’s well-known Professor Lippett had been a close friend of General Canby’s. Lippett’s ceremonial tribute to the General stated, “He was among my first friends made upon this coast 12 years ago. He was the sun and sum of all domestic happiness. E. S Lippett. April 14, 1873.”

Were the fears of an “Indian uprising” justified in Petaluma?

Most likely not, as those Native Americans who remained, after the small pox epidemics of 1838-47, had long been hunters and gatherers, rather than warriors. And they had been peacefully cohabitating with the white populace of our county for many years.

To give you an idea of how things were in the “civilized America” of 1873: Yellowstone had just become our country’s first National Park, Susan B. Anthony cast her first vote in New York City that year (and was arrested for it), Brigham Young was completing his Mormon trek to the West, San Francisco’s Bohemian Club was established, and - to the consternation of Petaluma’s dairy ranchers - something called “Oleo Margarine” was invented.

It was in 1873, that San Francisco got its first cable cars and Levi Strauss produced the first copper-riveted jeans. Barbed wire was invented that year as well, and in Petaluma, the city built what would become Walnut Park, and our Professor Lippett sold his large D Street Victorian home, to become a city school house.

Indian attack nerves were somewhat calmed here on April 24 of 1873, when our Evening Argus editor opined, “It is thought no general outbreak will occur among other tribes of Indians.”

And, anyhow folks, if that cautious advice didn’t do the trick, Petaluma gentlemen of those years were known to regularly calm their nerves at any of the 27 saloons in our tiny town.

(Historian Skip Sommer is an honorary life member of Heritage Homes and The Petaluma Historical Museum. You can drop him a note at skipsommer@hotmail.com)

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