The daily gazette., 1877-10-18

go out and find White Bird. General
Miles turned to Generald Howard, say
/ ing: 10 Z 10 7''' ''l7T5' ll''fi . :
q haven't got any use for White Bird.
rye got all his traps, and don't think he
is worth q mule.'i b ~ 0..a A.,... saf...
General HOWARD agreed with this view
o. the value Of the missing chief, and they
continued, at some personal risk, their
tour together through the line of Indian
IintrenChments.l iHAW rTslD HN".t44A ali
These intrenchments consisted mainly
or q series of rifle pits dug deep into the,
earth, and they we're arranged in some
respects with skill which would have
done credit to an educated military engi-
neer. Some OF the pits were Ave and q
ha'f feet doep. In them whole families
were esconsed. By an ingenious DISPOSE
tionof the upthrown 5breastworks they
were made to overhang the pits in such
wise that the papooses could be safely
disposed of under them. s'''2' l'f' -
The pits contrived for the shelter of
families and clusters of warriors were
connected in many instances, by trench
es which admitted of safe communities
cation with each other beneath the line
Of musketry fire brought to bear on the
l. AS organized and conducted this last
battle BY j osepn and his band deserves
TO be- considered carefully, in order that
the military genius of the Nez Perces
chiettan may be properly appreciated.
Taken into consideration with the bril-
liant and substantial victory achieved
by General Miles, the entire scheme of
operations on both sides deserves high
rank among the many campaigns that
nave been fought out along the Indian
frontier. 49, ,s
The fact Is that Joseph and his tribe
OF Nez RerceS are Indians so uncommon,
so di terent from the Sioux whom the
Sitting Bull commission are presently to
meet, that those wiseacres In the East
who would settle the Indian question
without adequate knowledge of the true
stase OF affairs cannot prevent the gov
erument and the press from drawing a
just aud generous distinction between
| these Nez Perces warriors and the coar-
ser savages following the leadership of
Sitting Bull and his congeners.
The manner and method of fighting
| adopted by these Nez Perces has been
admirable from first to last, and they
have taken their mishaps and final de-
| feat without a whisper. They have
never scalped a dead white man, nor
even Ill treated a wounded soldier or
citizen throughout the enSire campaign.
| Whatever tales may have reached you in
regard to the alleged cruelties perpetrat-
ed by the Neg Perces are denied here in
anticipation by the officers and soldiers
who have been engaged with them in all
the conflicts during the progress of host1-
lities.
! Whatever scalps have been taken
from the heads of white men were taken
| by members of other tribes of savages,
who lowered along the verge OF the vari-
Gus battle fields and swooped down upon
dead Nez Perces and white soldiers
| alike. The last word 70 be said of Chief
Joseph in this connection is that the
| original difficulty between his tribe and
the white settlers in Oregon has had as
yet but confused and unsatisfactory de-
scription, When the whole truth is made
known the question will assume an as
pect quite different from the one it now
1 wears. .-l Ht