Today In History, 1873: The U.S. Army hangs 4 Modoc leaders for the killing of General Edward Canby: . Today we're going to learn about a war that perhaps many of you never heard of - The Modoc War. We'll learn about General Canby - the only US General killed in the Indian Wars..

The Modoc people are Native Americans, originally from Northern California and Southern Oregon, and that is where our story takes place. The Modoc War is often called the last indian war of California. .

As you know, in the late 1840's gold was found in California. Hundreds of thousands of European Americans began flooding there. California was rushed into statehood. Over the next few decades settlers/farmers began expanding, even into indian territory - Modoc territory. .

So naturally there were some conflicts between the Natives and Settlers. The leader of the Modoc's was "Kintpuash", also known as "Captain Jack". The leading US Army General in the Modoc War was General Edward Canby.

After a number of skirmishes the Modoc were to be placed on reservations. Captain Jack would not agree to this. Eventually the Modoc retreated to a place known today as the "Lava Beds National Monument" In Northeastern California, near Tulelake. .

The "Lava Beds National Monument" is 46,000 acres of Lava fields, zigzagged with "Lava Tubes" - A Natural tunnel system carved out by molten lava. It was in these tunnels that the Modoc hid from the US Army. .

For months the Modoc hid in these caves and tunnels. On April 11, 1873 General Canby met with the Modoc to negotiate a peace treaty. While he was there the Modoc decided to kill the General - shooting him in the face and slitting his throat. . .

Eventually Captian Jack was captured and the Modoc were forced onto reservations in Oklahoma, where some of their descendants still live today. . .

Captain Jack and 3 other Modoc leaders were charged with war crimes. They are the only natives to be convicted as war criminals during the indian wars. On October 3, 1873 Captain Jack and the other 3 leaders were hanged . . .

Edward Canby is the only US general killed in the Indian Wars (Custer was a Colonel at the time of his death). . .

Today there stands a large white cross in Lava Beds National Monument where General Canby was killed. Not far away from General Canby's monument, the Natives have raised a "medicine flag" to honor their chief, Kintpuash, AKA - Captain Jack.

I've been getting some requests for more lessons on the Indian Wars, so I Hope you all enjoyed today's history lesson. Thanks for reading