A classic account of the Indian Wars of the great American North West The author of this book, William Thompson, was a true pioneer and American frontiersman. He travelled westward by covered wagon with his family experiencing the wild and lawless country he would be destined to help tame at first hand. In keeping with many of his contemporaries in all the new territories he tried his hand at several ways of making his living, but, in common with other men on the edges of civilisation, he was constantly called upon to serve with volunteer units--often created quickly and in emergencies--to combat uprisings, incursions, raids and outrages against settlers by the indigenous native peoples including the Snake and Modoc Indian tribes among others. The author provides a riveting account of his personal participation in several Indian campaigns in particular the 'Lava Beds Campaign' against Captain Jack and his band of renegade Modocs.