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 was relieved July 17, 1872, by Major John Green, in command at this time. Major Otis had also been relieved of the command of the district of the Lakes, June 18th, by Colonel Frank Wheaton, 21st infantry. To Wheaton, Odeneal addressed a communication at the same time, informing him of the purpose of his visit, to carry out the instructions of the commissioner to remove the Modocs to the reservation. Odeneal had been of the opinion, when he came into office, that force would not be necessary; but on learning more about the matter, and conferring with Ivan Applegate, he asked to have a force in readiness sufficient to overawe the Indians, should they prove refractory on receiving his message, so suggesting to Wheaton in preferring his request to have the troops ready for immediate action in case they were needed.

On the 27th the superintendent, in company with Dyar from the Klamath agency, went to Linkville to meet the Modocs, as he had appointed, but there found only his messengers, who informed him of Jack's refusal either to go upon the reservation or to meet him at Linkville. "Say to the superintendent," said Jack, who with a part of his men was in camp at Lost river, "that we do not wish to see him, or to talk with him. We do not want any white men to tell us what to do. Our friends and counsellors are men in Yreka. They tell us to stay where we are, and we intend to do so, and will not go upon the reservation. I am tired of being talked to, and am done talking."

It being now apparent that nothing short of an armed force could influence these Indians to submit to the government, the superintendent sent a report of the late conference of his messengers with Captain Jack, and of the reply of Jack to his proposals, together with the order of the commissioner, to Green, with a request that he should furnish sufficient force to compel the Modocs to go upon their reservation; and in case it became necessary to use compulsory measures, to arrest first of all Jack, Black Jim, and Scarfaced