The New York herald., 1877-10-15


not savage hostles but rude knights OF the plains
and mountains who, finding themselves fairly
beaten, handed up their weapons in true chivairic
fashion Instead Outright lances and heavy shields
these Indians surrendered death dealing rines. and
In reversing their weapons gave significance to
the act easily appreciated by the veterans who
we're silent witnesses OF 1t.
THE WARRIORS CONE IN.
This ceremony OF surrender or the part OF Chief
Joseph and his principal warriors began at two
O'Clock p. NJ on the 5th inst. 1t was kept up in
desultory sort OF fashion all through the afternoon.
From time to time the Indians forsook their rifle
pits individually and In groups OF two or three, to
come across the debatable line and deliver them
selves up as prisoners OF The fact that these
warriors failed TO come up In body was peculiarly
characteristic OF the Indian nature, for it hard
for them to voluntarily acknowledge themselves
worsted. But as their leaders had taken the inita-
tive in the matter they slowly followed the ex-
ample.
THE ENTIRE BAND CAPTURED.
Even at nightlall the entire band had not sur
rendered. and the lines Of sentineis had to be MAN.
tained all that night Alter the sun rose on the
morning Of the 9th the remainder Of the braves
the previous day. on the first day about sixty
seven warriors and their families, including young
bucks, came in, ano when the remainder were all
in hand 1t was found that 24o men, women and
children had surrendered.
THE WOUNDED INDIANS.
Forty wounded Indians were discovered by the
troops us they lay in their burrows, many OF them
being badly hurt These wounded braves were being
the courers who come to US from General Miles
are not mistaken in their information there was
not single dead Indian found in the captured camp,
nor at the time OF their departure had the troops
were undoubtedly killed during the desperate
fight.
1t must not be supposed that there were none
killed in the Indian ranks, for IL is almost certain
that the band lost nearly thirty killed in the first
assault upon them by our troops, and they must
have lost more killed during the progress OF the
engagement
RELUCTANT CHIEF.
White Bird, one OF Josephs chiefs, failed to come
In with the other leaders and declined to give HIM
self up on the morning OF the 9th. Finding that he
would not appear, General Niles and General How
ard, accompanied by Mr.. John Healy, The scout
latest here IRON the scene OF the surrender, went
down into the camp and explored the Nez Perces
missing
NOT WORTH A MULE.
One OF the Indians then stepped forward and in
timated that II General Miles would give him
mule he would 60 out and find White Bird. Gen.
eral Miles turned to General Howard, sayng:-
81 haven't got any for White Bird. I've got
all his traps. and don't think he is worth mulen
General Howard agreed with this view or the
value of the missing chief, and they continued, at
some personal risk, their tour together through
the line OF Indian intrenchments.
NEZ PERcEs' ESGINEERING DEFENcEs.
These intrenchments consisted mainly OF series
CT rifle pits dug deep into the carth and they were
arranged in some respects with skill which would
have done credit to an educated military engineer
Some of the pits were i've and half feet deep In
them whole families were found ensconced. BY an
ingenious disposition of the upthrown breastworks
they were made to overhang the pits in such wise
that the papooses could be safely disposed OF under
them.
The pits contrived Tor the shelter OF families and
clusters OF warriors were connected in many in
stances, by trenches which admitted OF safe com.
munication with each other beneath tho line OF
muskctry fire brought to bear on the pits.
JosEPn's MILITARY GENIUS.
AS organized and conducted this last battle by
Joseph and his band deserves TO be considered
carefully, in order that the military genius OF the
Nez Perces cmcitain may be properly appreciated.
Taken In consideration with the brilliant and SUBJ
stantial victory achieved by General Miles the en-
tire scheme of operations on both sides deserves
high rank among the many campaigns that have
been fought out along the Indian frontier
SUPERIOR TO THE SIOUX.
The fact is that Joseph and his tribe OF Nez
Perces are Indians so uncommon, so different
from the Sioux whom the Sitting Bun Commission
are presently to meet that those wiseacres in the
East who would settle the Indian question without
adequate knowledge Of the true state OF affairs
cannot prevent the government and the press from
drawing a just and generous distinction between
these Nez Perces warriors ana the coarser saw
ages following the leadership OF Sitting Ball and
his congeners.
sroIcAL CONDUCT or THE NEz PERcEs
The manner and method OF lighting adopted by
these Nez Perces has been admirable from frst to
last, and they have taken their mishaps and lnal
defeat without a whimper They have never
scalped dead white man. nor even i'll treated a
wounded soldier or citizen throughout the entire
campaign. Whatever tales may have reached you
In regard to the alleged cruelties perpctrated by
lad hara In