Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1884-05-29
JOSEPH AND HIS NEE PERclS

Gen Howard In the Nez Pcrce campaign
and was on the commission to settle diff
fculties with Joseph before the war, and
wrote book or pamphlet in advocacy OF
Joseph at an early date, has again sought
to distinguish himself in the Century
Magazine, as the special pleader and ad-
vccate of that chieftain aud bis people
His views as to the claims Of Joseph 10
the WaIlowa differed widely from the
report Of the commissioners as published
before the war. His article in the Cen
fury Magazine was evidently written
and published to induce the Eastern
papers to think it contained true history
of the war and cause that led to it, where
q it is, in many respects. untrue in fact,
and an attempt to gid the doings Of Gen.
Howard in the campaign, and throw the
blame Of its early beginnings upon the
settlers, and the want Of success in the
White Bird fight. 1t represents that
the force Of the Indians in that fight was
about 800, while not 30 Indians were in
the fight, and represents that about 700
men, women and children were in their
camp at the time Of the fight when in
fact there were not then in the field and
in their camp, men, women and children
200 sod.s at the time. 1t represents that
the few volunteers who went out with
Col. Perry into the White Bird canyon
and we're stationed in the key position,
and that they 'broke and fed panic strick-
en- and that this demoralized the soldiers
and the sad affair was only saved from
being a rout and total massacre by the
coolness Of the few who preserved military
order and thereby escaped alive" The
facts were, that IL citizens were upon
the left flank on the fiat out Of sight OF
the troops near the brush, from which
the Indians, under cover commence
ed firing, TO which FIRE the citi
sens made return, until they saw the
soldiers and the Colonel himself, retreat
ing with all speed up the canyon, some
on horseback and some on foot, then they
being only very few in number, follow
ed. The commander, Colonel Perry,
first attempted to rally his men but
could not SO demoralized was he
himself, that he said he kept one charge
in his revolver in order to shoot himself
in case the Indians were about to capture
him. He had rode down one horse and
took another belonging to soldier whe
had been dismounted, and had not w. Is
Boomer, citizen, notified him Of hi,
danger Of humiliation, he would hav.
rushed into Rocky canyon and been
slaughtered and who called to him to stop
when Perry says to him, then you lead
the way out Of this The officer who
showed the most real bravery was Lieut.
Thealer who gathered some six or eigh,
soldiers around him under steep preci
pios and stood off the Indians and tough,
them till every man Of his squad, includ
ing himself, was shot down. When the
Indians made the attack with about 90
men they expected to be rcpulsed, and
then fall back about mile where wa,
their reserve force Of about go entrenched
for the purpose Of receiving the troops a,
they pursued the advance skirmish Oh
their retreat. But their advance nevel
had to retreat, for tho troops fed in pre-
cipitancy almost at the FIRST FIRE, and tn.
great part Of them never did stop till tho,
had gone four miles up the canyon, saw.
those who were killed ip the fight, and
the Indian reserve never came into tn,
fight, except few old squaws who on
seeing the soldiers in fight, followed close
up to plumber the dead. We will concede
that Col Perry led but few experienced
soldien into that fight, as most Of them
were new recruits, who had never been
In battle, especially against Indians, and
they were frightened at the first volley
discharged in their direction, and with
their saddle girths loose from long ride
when they attempted to rc-mount their
horses, their saddle, turned, and this
frightened .hcm more, and We always
inferred that Col. Perry seeing this and
knowing that he had raw recruits only
: to depend upon, became frightened him.
self aud was determined to save his own
scalp by flight Mr.. j. j. Manuel whose
family had been murdered the day before,
himself seriously wounded, and his house
burned, lay concealed in the brush near
BY aud personally saw the Indians when
they made their breast work Of rails, the
number who were there, aud the number
who sailed out to meet the soldiers, and
he says that not more than SO of the Indi-
an warriors left the breast works, and
that there was ut no time more than 2uO
Indians in the hostile party at the time
OF the White Bird fight aud from SO to
~ Of these were women and children,
After the fight when they had their rev
elry over the victory they had gained
over the soldiers, Manuel was within a