Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-11
AFTER CHIEF JOSEPH.
The Nez Perces Outbreak of 1877 and
How tt Resulted.

The Nez Perces Outbreak Of 1877 anc
How tt Resulted.
The following thrilling narrative OF
the closing scenes and incidents of the
memorable Nez Perez Indian war of the
northwest in 1877 was written by Charles
King and was published in the Helena,
Mont, Herald of May Z, from which
paper it was clipped by Hon, j. R. Mead
and sent to the EAGLE. In addition to
its merits of thrilling and tragic incident
the narrative is given especial interest to
the readers of the EAGLE throughout this
section by the fact that Chief Joseph and
the remnant of his band are now our
neighbors down in the territory near the
beautiful Oklahoma land:"
ShermanS march to the Sea" was the
| dramatic and picturesque episode Of the
great war. The admirably organized and
disciplined army, complete in its commits
sarIat and transportation, and unencum-
bered with ''deadwood' of any kind, cut
| loose from Atlanta and tramped through
the heart of the Confederacytto Savannah
meeting hardly any opposition that its adj
vance guard could not easily brush away.
In proportion to numbers engaged and
obstacles to be surmounted, an Indian
chief, Joseph by name, simply triple dis
counted this brilliant exploit of our
brave and brilliant general, and despite
pursuing forces, despite incessant effort
to head him off, despite five times his
number IN fighting foemen, despite the
fact that he was burdened with all the
women and children of his tribe, this
cool-headed, yet daring Indian general,
this modern Moses led his people through
the wilderness from the eastern border
OF Washington territory through the
pra1ries of Idaho. up the valley of the
Salmon river, across the Bitter Root
mountains, through Montana to the Vel
lowstona park, down Clark's Fork,
across the Yellowstone, then straight
way northward for the British Posses
sions, and not until within a days
march of the Big Missouri-not until
two days more would have landed him
safely across the line, was he finally
hemmed in and captured, by which
time just about half the cavalry
and one-fourth of the infantry of
the United States army were in the field
engaged in the chase Sherman's storied
march to the sea was completed in $50
miles with little to hinder. Chief
Joseph's rush across the continent car
rled him some 100 miles by the way he
had to go, and it was fight or dodge ev-
cry inch of the route Behind him, close
at his heels, was Sherman's wing COM
mander, Howard, with strong array of
cavalry and infantry-stronger far than
Joseph's fighting force. Every now and
then they overhauled and made the In
dian turn and fght-every time with
disastrous results. Lieutenant Theller,
Twenty first infantry, was killed in con-
sequence at White Bird creek on the
18th of June. Lieutenant Rains, First
cavalry, was killed in another tussle,
July 3. at Craig's mountain, IDAHO Gen
eral John Gibbon packed what men he
had in wagons and made dash from
Fort Shaw to head them off at Big
Hole pass as they crossed the Bitter
Root range. He hardly had $50 effective
soldiers when, like the born fighter
that he is, he flew at the throat of his
foe at dawn on the 9th of August. He
had not half that number at noon when
forced to drop his hold and let the fierce
Nez Perez go. Captain Logan and
Lieutenants Brady and English, Sew
~
diers killed. Gibbon himself, his adiu- |
tant, Woodruff &C.. Az, other officers,
and two score men were wounded. |
Chief Joseph went on his way and How
ard came up-just too late. Sturgis, |
with the Seventh cavalry, threw himself |
across his path at Clark's fork, and |
Joseph tricked him into a wild goose
chase down around Cedar mountain, |
leaving the way clear After long
stern chase, with worn out horses, the
Seventh cavalry flew at his heels again
just after he had crossed the Yellow
stone, but it was an unavailing fight.
At last, on the Both of September, three
months from the time of his start.
the worn and weary chieftain was
halted at Battle Eagle creek,
among the Bear Paw mountains.
Snake creek is the name of the main
stream. General Miles, with his hard
lighting regiment, the Fifth infantry,
on Indian ponies, and with de-
-achments of the Second and Seventh
cavalry, had made one of his quick
1ashes-250 mileSs across country-and
barred the way. Even when they rode
INTO the charge Captain Owen Hale and
Lieutenant j. William Biddle, of the
Seventh cavalry, met their soldier
1eaths. But Joseph could go no farther.
He and the little remnant of his band
and the Nez Perez war of
II was at an end. Over three months
lad he withstood the power of the COY
Over 700 miles had he fought
lis way to freedom, as it looked to him,
Ind his exploit stands, to my thinking,
without parallel in modern warfare.