Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-05-29
CHIEF JOSEPHS WHRFHRE.
THE WONDERFUL CAMPAIGN OF H
NEE R IN 1877



, rugged broken country, they came up
to the Indian village vt Big Hole Basin
in Montana. The soldiers made their
way in the darkness through the herds
of ponies without alarming the savages,
and Law down close to the village, and
in sight of the tepees, to watch for the
dawn of day. At daybreak the line
moved forward in silence, and at n sig
nal opened fire upon the tepees where
the Indians were sleeping. The startled
braves rushed from their lc5ges In every
direction, and finding cover H. the brush
Us well as behind the bank ct n creek,
poured a terrible fire into the troops
the moment the soldiers got out into
open ground. In 20 minutes Gibbons
men were in possession of the camp and
had set fire to the lodges, but the officers
and soldiers fell rapidly, and Gibbons
gave orders to retire for shelter in the
timber. The fight continued all day,
and soon after nightfall the Indians
gave the troops a parting volley and dis
appeared.
From the battle of Big Horn basin
Joseph marched on across the main di-
vide of the Rockies. He left behind him
50 dead Indians, while Gibbons loss was
only 60 killed and wounded. The In
dams crossed the Rockies, then turned
and recrossed, closely pursued all the
way by Towards troops and a detach-
mcnt of Gibbons command. Howard
had telegraphed eastward, and called
into the field the command of Col. Sur.
gis. Sturgis set out, first sending ccur-
iers to Col. Miles on Tongue river, no.
tifying him of the course the Nez Per-
ces were following, in the belief that
he might, by n rapid and direct march,
intercept the hostilcs further to the
north. Stnrgis marched 80 miles the
first day, ard came up with the Indians
at Canyon creek. The Indians occupied
both the canyon and the high ground
on each side of it, but they were steadily
driven off in an all-day fight, losing 81
braves killed and about 1000 ponies cap
turcd. Then followed n running fight
of 100 miles, but the soldiers were with
ont ~rations, and the limit of endurance
of both men and animals had been
reached. Sturgis gave it up and wait
ed for Howard to join him.
"Col. Miles first learned of the trouble
afoot on the night of September II, and
marched rapidly northwest. Ills COM
mand consisted of portions of the Sec
ond and Seventh cavalry, five companies
of the Fifth infantry ~(mounted), two
pieces of artillery and detachment OF
white and Indian scouts. l was placed
in command of the scouts. We struck
the trail Of the Nez Perces on Septem.
Der 80, and the whole column advanced
at q rapid gait. The Second cavalry
made a detour to the rear of the In.
dians, and in a gallant attack cut off a
herd of 800 ponies. The Seventh cavalry
and Fifth infantry charged, mounted,
direct upon the village. The Indians
fought as savages will when cornered,
but we soon secured command of their
whole position, excepting the beds of
the r~avines where some of the war
riors took shelter. In order to dis
lodge them n detachment dismounted
and charged on foot. ] was wounded
in that charge, and nearly every other
man, that is, about one in every two
who went forward, was hit. The re-
call was then sounded and Col. Miles de.
cided that, as he had the Indians sur
rounded, it was best to let well enough
alone. Next day n parley began under
a flag of truce. The Indians appeared
willing to surrender, but were suspi-
cious about the future. That night a
terrible snowstorm set in, and the In
dams, being without food or blankets
or ponies, had no curse left but to
surrender. Out of the 400 warriors who
had started from the reservation tC
follow Joseph OF this wonderful cam
paign, only 81 survived.
And what is still more to the credit
of Chief Joseph, his warriors on all that
march were not guilty of a single act
of scalping or other form of savngery
and all the women taken captives by
them at the settlements through which
they passed were Immediately set free
\. Y. Sun.