Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-05-29

h"N 1H
esque Nez Pcrce visitor passed in the
line Of parade at the Grant celebration.
II got my nickname 'Scar-faced Jack
In that affair, and Is | shall carry q
souvenir of it to the grave there is sat
isfaction In knowing that it was given
me by foemen of mettle and in digniied
warfare. A soldier dislikes TO be man
gled and married in q commonplace Dor
der rumpus.
mo man whose exploits are recorded
In history ever made a more glorious
fight in defense of freedom, lands,
homes, wives and children, than did this
same savage general when he led our
armies a chase of 1900 miles along a
bloody trail stretched from the Salmon
river to the Missouri, through the blind
passes of the Rocky mountains, along
wide exposed valleys and across theil
foothills, with enemies thoroughly
equipped and Of tried courage in front
of him, behind him, to the right and to
the left of him. Defeat was his certain
fate, and the annlhilation of his tribe
probable.
"~Joseph's people were not turbulent
Indians, nor was he a hot-headed leader
The quarrel came about through the
revocation of a treaty grant, followed
by the murder, at the hands of a white
man, of a brother of Joseph. The In
dams demanded that the murderer be
tried. 1t was not done, and yet the
peacefully disposed Nez Perces settled
upon lands allotted them by the gov
eminent. Then one of those unfortu'
nate border episode stirred up n war
During commo brawl between whites
and Indians, four Of the former were
killed, and their slayers were known te
be Nez Perces. Past experience taught
the tribe that it would have to suffer
for the guilt of a few, and under the
leadership of one of the wal chiefs
known as White Bird, the disconnected
young bucks declared that they would
not stay upon the reservation which
had been allotted them in western
Idaho, between the Salmon and Clear
water rivers. Unfortunately, at that
iuncture, Gen. Howard sent Capt. DaviG
Perry to the scene with two companies
of cavalry. This act was interpreted
by the excited Indians as a declaration
of war on the part of the government
White Bird called upon his braves to
take to the warpath, and Chief JOSEPH
was dragged in by the enthusiasm of his
fighting men. Capt. Perry attacked
the two bands at White Bird canyon
and was repulsed after the slaughter
of 80 Of his troopers. This bloody vic
tory was turned to account by the wal
| party of the Nez perces, who made thu
| people believe that their tribe would bt
punished for the death of so many sol
diers, and the only thing left to dc
was to go to war in self-defense.
"The government had the best of thu
situation from the start. The regular
troops on the plains were led by expe
rienced soldiers of the civil war. Strong
forts and camps had been established
throughout The region and were strong
w garrisoned. On the other hand, thu
Nez Perces, having been Christianizet
and having learned farming, were no
ready for n campaign.
Gen. Towards troops were alert a
once. Scouts and couriers alarmed tn
posts along the Nez Perces' reservation
and every avenue of escape was fille'
with armed soldiery before the Indian
had time to get their families and ponie
together. Chief Joseph announced j
MS the intention of the tribe to 60 upol
their annual buffalo hunt along tn
Missouri, but Gen. Towards cavalry
armed with Calling guns and howit
zers, seized and closed that route.
Joseph then made n circuitou
march south and west across Salmon
river, then north and eastward to tn
Clearwater, where Howard headed hir
off and gave him battle on July II an
~. The Indian village was in the she
ter of a %ravine, but not out of reach O
the howitzers and Calling guns, whic
the soldiers planted on the surroundin
bluffs. Towards force was about 40t
besides real guards, scouts, ETC., and tn
Indians also numbered 400 fightin
men, but their movements were han
pered by the presence of women, chi
dren, baggage, and a herd of extra pc
MICS. About 300 braves took part j
the fight. Our mel claimed that tn
squaws acted as reserves and fought q
well as the male warriors.
"rhe savage general made use {
every form of tactics possible at the bat
tie Of Clearwater. His warriors som,
times charged on their ponies and agai
charged ON foot. They erected bal
ricades of stones and timber at ever
point exposed to attack. Their sharI
shooters were always at the front, ac'
ing as skirmishers, and although til
Calling guns and howitzcrs kept up
deadly fire, they held the position tw
days, and finally cut their way on
The losses were about equal. Howar
captured 20 Indians and found 20 dea
warriors on the field. Ills own los
was 10 killed and 23 wounded. Til
wounded Indians were, of course, cal
ried off with the tribe.
Clearwater was only the beginnin,
The Rockies lay between Chief JOSEF
and the promised land of his people, III
buffalo trails of the upper Missouri
Every pass through that great ba,
rier was guarded by soldiers, and b,
yond It, In the valleys and at the eros,
ings Of the streams and In the gaps i
the mountains, weren armed posts, SON
of which could be called forts, and a
of them were connected by telegraph
Not alone were the soldiery in arm
against the Indians, but also the cit
zens. Nevertheless, Joseph struck o,
for Missouri through Io Lo pass wit
his squaws and children and ponit
and wounded braves. The trail has lou
been known as the hardest ever tro
by man or beast. The order of marc
was that Of an advanced guard well I
the front, and n rear guard following II
and blocking the trail by cutting dow
trees and rolling rocks from the mouI
tain side to choke up the narrow pa
sages. The last was so successful thu
Howard was bafied and gave up Ii
pursuit.
"The first obstacle met with was n
army D0st near Micro,lo a ,,hn.