The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-17
BY GEN. NELSON A. MILES.

Copyright, 1895, by Gen. Nelson a.
Miles)
CThis paper will form part of book
about to be published by General
Miles. entitled From New England to
the Golden Gate.'D
In the summer of 1877 information
was received through unofficial re-
ports and newspaper accounts OF
threatened hostilities on the part OF
the Nez Perez Indians in Idaho.
The Nez Perez Indians had lived
from time immemorial in Idaho; and
ND to that time it had been their boast
that no Nez Perez had ever taken the
life of a white man, though it could
not be said that no white man had
ever killed Nez Perce From our
first acquaintance with them through
the expedition of Lewis and Clarke
they had been exceedingly friendly to
white explorers and settlers; yet the
OLD story Of a desire on the part Of the
white people to occupy Indian land
caused the serious trouble that oc-
CURED during that year, followed by
the usual result. They were occupants
of the Wallowa valley. BY treaty this
land was given to the Indians as
part of their reservation, and they
were opposed to the surrender of it.
They were in comfortable circum-
stances, having herds Of cattle ana
plenty of horses. A determined effort
was made by interested whites to
make them surrender the contested
ground, and the prominent chiefs, in
Guiding Looking Glass and Chief
Joseph, opposed it.
Chief Joseph told me afterward that
his father. before his death, called him
to his bedside and counseied him never
TO sign a treaty giving up the Wallowa
valley. Faithful to the dying injunc-
ton of his father, he never did con-
sent to part with that bit of territory
But the white people were determined
to occupy it. They had enough In
fuence TO have a commission sent to
demand the surrender of this terri
tory. and when that was not surrend-
cred to have a body of troops sent to
remove the Indians from the disputed
territory This incensed the owners of
the soil to a very high degree, and yet
many We're so opposed to war that
they decided to relinqUish their cher
ished lands under the pressure OF
force.
Possibilities Begun BY n Deed of
Vengeance.
Chief Joseph and others had gone IN
to the hills and mountains to gather
up their stock with view to remov-
ing Il at the very time a disaffected
element took advantage of the condi-
tor of affairs to precipitate hostiiities.
One young man whose brother had
been killed the year before by
white man, went out and found the
man, killed him and brought his horse
into the camp. AS he sat upon the
stolen horse, stroking his name, he
said: You will now have 10 go to
war as I have commenced it by kill
ing the man who killed nv brother
Troops will be sent against all OF
you"
This act did, in fact, start HOSTILE
ties. as it created intense excitement
and feeling against them on the part
of the white people, and troops were
sent to arrest depredations and hos
tiIities. Then commenced some sharp
fighting by troops under General How
ara. the Indians retreating east over
the mountains, up what Is known as
the Solo trail and Clarke's fork Of the
Columbia. thence east through what is
known as Big Hole Basin. where they
were overtaken by the command of
General Gibbon. Then sharp and
desperate fight occurred, ~ which
General Gibbon was wounded and his
attack repealed. The Indians, how
over retreated and were followed by
General Howard's command through
Yellowstone Park and out over c1arke's
Fork pass. a tributary OF the Yellow
stone. They came near interceptlng
General Sherman in his tour through
Yellowstone park.
From the unofficial reports and
newsparer accounts, l judged that the
indians would. should they evade the
troops in western Montana. endeavor
TO reach to Judith basin, and. if pur-
sued, would n'ove north of the Missis-
sippi river. Being in command OF me
district Of the Yellowstone, with head
quarters at Fort Keogh cantonment,
row Montana, ordered aug. (3)
First Lieutenant G.. c. Doane, Second I
cavalry. with company z, Seventh
cavalry. and the Crow allies to the