Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1901-10-24
THE NEE PERCEOUTBREAK
Gen. Towards Visit to Port
land Recalls 1t.

Gen. Towards Visit to Port
land Recalls 1t.
Major General o. o. Howard is
at present visiting in Portland and
the occasion gives the Oregonian q
chance to recall his military Prov
ess. The FREE Press has no
fault to find with the Oregon pa
per's account of the part General
Howard took in the civil war, but
it does object 10 giving him any
credit whatsoever for his connec-
ton with the Nez Perez outbreak
of 1877 The Oregonian says:
In 1877 Chief Joseph's band Of
"Nez Perez Indians went on the war
path, and General Howard took
the field in person against them.
His force was small, but he defeat.
ed the Indians in pitched battles
on their own ground on the Clear
water, pursuing them for thousands
OF miles over the toughest region
in North America. 1t was his plan
that led to their final capture at
Bear Paw mountains by General
Miles. 1t was most remarkable
campaign. in which General How
ard and his men underwent many
hardships'
To say that lit was his plan
that led to their (the Indians) cap
ture at Bear Paw mountains by
General Miles," is to state some
thing that is not correct. The
truth is that General Howard
never displayed the slightest in
tentioh or inclination to capture
Chief Joseph and his band. Dur
ing the thousand miles and more
that he followed those Indians
through Idaho and Montana, Gen.
eral Howard unquestionably had it
within his power to 0vertake the
hostiles, but always kept we'll in
the rear He has no right to
claim anything but failure as far
as his part in the Nez Perez cam
paign is concerned In relation to
making any plans for the capture
of the Indians he has not half as
much cause to take any credit for
General Miles success as Admiral
Sampson had to claim the glory OF
Admiral Schley's victory at San
tiago.
| The facts are that had it not
been for the splendid service rem.
dered by General Miles all the In
dams would have escaped over the
Canadian line. as many of them
did, and General Howard would
have been left in the humiliating
position of having the hostiles grin
ming at him across the border.
when Chief joseph finally sur
rendered to General Miles, Gen
erals Howlrd's command was still
twenty miles in the rear, although
the commanding general himself
mar aged to ride upin person to see
the results Of the great victory Of
General Miles. AS far as contrib
uting to the latter generals sue
cess. he did absolutely nothing.
Idaho people have never doubt
ed that General Howard had with
in his pc er to capture the In
. dams any time from the middle Of
July, 1877, till October in til,
same year, the latter date being
the one upon which Chief JOSEPH
capitulated to General Miles. l
o seemed to be General Howard
: plan Of campaign never to over
e take the renegades, and he mos
! studionsly followed that course
|, whether it was his set purpos
!, from the commencement of hi
It operations or not.
a The facts of the case are tha
e old Chief Joseph out-generale
i Howard from start to finish. Tn
famous Indians operations in ida
no and Montana, as viewed from
military standpoint, were cor
ceived by a master mind. Star
ing from Kamiah over the Lo
d trail they entered Montana nei
Id Missoula and proceeded down Il
Fl. Bitter Root. General GibbOn CT
n n in with his command ahead
on General Howard, and overlook Il
o., or Indians on the Big Hole, and
IN that battle as everyone know
N, Chief Joseph had all the best of
se, The Indians then proceeded sou
Est and passed back again in mort
westerly direction through the "
lowstone park, thence over to Il
= Clark's Fork and keeping mort
erly course passed almost throu,
the center of Montana to within
led few miles of the Canadian boun
in in airy, where they were headed
I'D General Miles, who soon captur
for them.
lis iIs, The retreat of Chief Joseph wi
Of General Howard and large fol
SS always closely following h
, Of would have been considered.
ute conducted by any other pers
I, lns than an Indian, a great militia
be g, achievement. AS matters were
!. got considerably morecredit out
his operations than Howard I
for the manner in which he CT
.o Quoted his campaign.