The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-07-19
THE INDIAN WAR IN IDAHO.
Interesting Account of its Origin-The
Cause of the Indians Hatred to the
Government--Alarming Seriousness
Of the Outbreak.
Correspondent ofMe Ne,u York S,sn.

~ Correspondent of the Ne,u York Sttn.
The uprising of the non-treaty Nez
Perces and other wild tribes of Indians
in northeasternsIdaho, close to the Ore.
gonA boundary, threatens to grow into a
formidable war, involving heavy loss of
life, vast destruction of property, and un7-
usually large outlays ofmoney. Already
a pitched battle has been fought between
troops aud q band Of sayages, under Chief
Joseph, who is the leader of the hostiles
in this new field Of trouble. The whites
were defeated, with the loss of one officer
and thirty-two men killed, and since the
fight, about three weeks ago, there have
been several engagements, in which the
Indians have shown stubbornness. Over
twenty settlers-men, women and chill
.dren-were cruelty slaughtered at the
outbreak, and the terror excited by these
tragedies spread over a wide region, ex-
tending to Montana and Washington
Territories. Hundreds of Families aban.
bonded their homes and sought places OF
safety. Some shut themselves up in
block houses, rifle pits were dug in front
of the small towns to keep off the savages,
and there was scarcity of arms that left
the people in a measure defenseless.
When it considered that the country
swarmed with renegade and disafected
Indians we'll equipped with breach-load.
ing weapons, and smarting under what
they deemed continued wrongs, the gen.
eral sense of imminent danger that pre-
vailed is issnotsurprising. The movement,
there was good reason for knowing, was
not temporary outbreak, but measure.
that had been matured on the basis of
agreement between the tribes, and under
taken to be fought to the bitter end un-
less the government accedes to demands.
General O. o. Howard is in command
of the department of Columbia, IN which
the territory lies where hostilities broke
out. He had been in the immediate vi
cinity in communication with Joseph
and other; chiefs, to bring about "a peace
able settlement of dispute relative to
the Wallowa valley. The Indians had
repeatedly declared that they would
never give mp the tract, and they told
Howard so again. The latter hinted at
the use vf.force to place them on reserVa-
tions when he actually had only hand
fuIof mem at his disposal and the hos
tiles could in a few days collect several
Thousand warriors, thoroughly equipped
and anxious for fight. The General
had permitted them to roam around the
country upon the pretext of gathering
up stock, when in fact they were prepar--,
ing to take the warpath. Joseph and his
counsellors smiled at Howard's speeches,
saying, however, that he would never
persuade them to give up their old haunts.
The temporizing policy of the govern
ment is also much to blame for the pres
ent condition of affairs in Idaho. The
course pursued toward the Indians has
neither been firm nor consistent. Their
reservations were continually trespassed
upon by whites, who would sell whisky
and otherwise demoralize them. Repre-
sentations were made at Washington in
order that some change might be made.
The wishes of the Nez Perces and other
bands received no attention at the De-
partment of the Interior, and discomfort
increased day after day among them.
The Rev. Father Mesplic, the chaplain
at Fort Boise, was informed short time
ago by Howlish Wampoo, chief of the
Umatillas, that they had made up their
minds that there was nothing to hope
from tie government, and they would.
ioin JOSEPH. on, Salmon. River. He added
that if the government had attended to.
theis lust complaints in time everything
might have been amicably arranged, and
a confederated force of fully five thousand
warriors would not now be on the war
path. e4la -2ai4 -
:. The main cause of the outbreak, as in
timated, is a dispute over rich and ex-
tensiye tract. of land, known as Wallowa
valley, on the west bank of Snake River,
in Union County, Oregon. 1t extends
beyond the boundary line. of Idaho, and
is in. the vicinity of Lewiston. The Nez
Perces have reservation of 75O, 900 acres
secured to, them by the treaty OF 1863,
which further guaranteed the title they
ACQUIRED in 1856 to the land. A portion
of the tribe 1880 souls) are settled and
partlyscisilEed, some Of them being pros
nerous farmers and stock raisers. The
other half, under Joseph, are nomads,
and have never entered into any treaty
withsthe United States for the surrender
Of their claims to the soil. They were
not parties to the agreement Of 1868, and
refuse to be bound by its terms. For
many yesrs subsequent they held on and
hunted over Che Wallowa valley, no one
rmms{pputing n their title, which, it was ad-,
hack foSx the sIndiar Department, ran
and Id was ~ sRs sknowleu uge of the country,
tsa,, case; Sss rs anid then
non-hS. .S reservation
the valles vs. yrous hs