Early Statehood: 1850 – 1880s: Federal Indian Policy & the Modoc War
Captain Jack's Cave in the Lava Beds. 1873. Eadweard Muybridge, photographer. One frame of albumen stereo card. Collection of Oakland Museum of California.
This image depicts one of the caves inhabited by Modoc warriors during the fight for their stronghold. The lava beds comprise an area of rugged boulders and natural trenches formed by ancient lava flows. This harsh landscape provided an excellent defensive position, enabling fifty Modoc warriors to hold off more than 400 U.S. soldiers for four months.