Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-10-27
THE NEZ PERCES WAR.

fenocP 0f tho Hohtuen-A Mem0fkaDl(
RannisE Fight Across Over TOO Mils
Of Territory. .. .,H
The war with the Nez Perces, happily
brought to an end by the surrender O.
Chief Joseph and his band to Genera
Miles, was begun last June, and origi
mated in an effort to turn Chief JOSEPH
and his band from the Wallowa valley,
in the northeastern part Of Oregon, tc
ono OF the reservations for the Neg Perces,
Lapwai or Lapway reservation. which ID
in the northwest part Of Idaho, near the
boundaries Of Washington Territory,
Oregon and Idaho. 1t is said that there
vera 800 Nex Perces in the Wallowa val.
ley. They were non.treaty Indians, al
though they belonged to the same tribe
as those on the reservations, and theil
country having been opened to settle
ment, it was thought necessary to put
them on reservation. Hostilities were
brought about before the removal of the
Indians to the reservation by murder
committed by white man avenged by
the Indians. The murder Of settlers be.
gan June 14th, and in Ave days twenty.
nine had been killed. Chief Joseph's
band was reinforced by disaffected H.
dians from other tribes, and Gen. Howard
who was at Fort Lapwai with about 800
troops, estimated the strength of the In.
dians at 1900. Col. Perry was sent
from Fort Lapwai with 200 soldiers to
prevent the Indians under Joseph from
penetrating the Southern Idaho, where
the chief settlements are. Col. Perry
came up with the Indians June 18th,
near the Salmon river, which flows west
into Snake river, forty miles below Lap.
wal, and was defeated by numbers, los.
ing one officer and thirty-three men.
The Indians crossed the Salmon river,
with Gen. Howard, joined by Col. Perry,
in pursuit. Civilians joined the small
body of soldiers, but on account Of a
want of arms and ammunition, added
little to the effective strength of the
force. In the meantime, Joseph re-
ceived, probably, as many recruits from
renegade Indians. General Howard
overlook Chief Joseph on White Bird
creek, on June 9th, but the Indians be-
ing well-posted were not attacked, and
slipped away. Colonel Whipple caught
d detachment of them under Looking
Glass, on the Clearwater river (north of
Salmon river), July 2, and had skir-
mish with them, killing seventeen In
dians. He subsequently came to the re-
Lief of Colonel Perry, who, while on his
way to Cottonwood, near Mount Idaho,
on the Salmon river, with thirty men,
was attacked by Indians and lost one
officer, ten enlisted men and two citizen
scouts. The trap which General How
ard had prepared for them failed to hold
them. Chief Joseph with his band had
recrossed the Salmon river, and break
ing through the cavalry lines had started
eastwardly for the Bitter Root valley,
Montana, threatening to clean out the
settlers and the peaceful Flathead In
dians on reservation there.
Now commenced the "stern chase I"
across n mountainous broken country
filled with deep canyons, making wide
detours necessary and admirably fitted
for defensive Indian warfare. Volunteer
troops were called for and all available
forces sent to General Howard. On
July II General Howard overlook the
Indians and a fight ensued, in which
eleven enlisted men were killed and
wounded, the number of
Indians killed being variously stated at
from seven to thirteen. Another fight,
on the 18th of July, resulted in
the killing of two scouts and the wound
ing of two enlisted men. In the meantime
were made to intercept the
Indians in their retreat from Howard.
G ,neral Gibbon, with less than two
hundred infantry, left Missoula, Mon
tana, which is north of the Bitter Root
early in August, and on the
ninth of that month had severe en-
with the Indians. At Big
Hole, Montana, he captured the hostile
camp, but lost three officers, seventeen
soldiers and five citizens killed, while
he, four other officers, thirty-six soldiers
and four citizens were wounded. The
Indians fed at night, leaving forty of
heir dead on the battlefield. Gen.
Howard arrived on the 18th, but
without his command, and subsequently
the pursuit. Chief Joseph
md his band now made wide detour
% the south, followed by General
Howard, who reached Virginia City
August "a and six companies of his
roops, under Gen. Sturgis, moved at
he same time up the Yellowstone river
% the east, and therefore sin front" of
he indians. While in the neighbor.
lood of Virginia City the Indians stole
many horses, frightened the settlers into
he city and then disappeared. Nothing
more was heard of the Indians for some
ime. except that struggling bands we're
settlers and tourists and COM
hitting depredations near the Yellow
tone river. General Sturgis engaged
he Indians September 13, near Clark's
Fork and the Yellowstone river, and
them for two succeeding days.
Three of his officers were killed, and
our soldiers killed and twelve wounded.
twenty dead Indians we're found on the
ield, and probably more we're killed,
Vhile the number of their wounded was
stimated at sixty. Several scouts be-
onging to Gen. Sturgis' command were
lso killed and wounded.
At this time, Generals Howard and
derritt were on the fanks of Joseph's |
orce. The Indians were so hard. pressed |
hat they abandoned many of their
lorses, and Gen. Sturgis' men, pressing |
onward without supplies, lived for sew.
raj days on mule meat. The Indians |
ad now turned to the north, and were
making for British Columbia,
1here they expected to join Sitting Bull
nd accapo from, n v,,oro;1o,. ,,,,rs,,:x