Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-11-24
AFTER CHIEF JOSEPH.
Gen. Howard Tells Of the 1,40o Miles
Chase,

SndS0.
"Chief Joseph had as good an idea
Of skirmishing as any Of us and he
could rally his command after it had
been broken, as successfully as any
one. He showed that ability when
Gen. Gibbon attacked him in the Big
Hole country"
Major-Gen. o. o. Howard, retired,
who is to be the guest Of the Knife
and Fork club at the Coates House
tonight, was talking about his chase
of 1,400 miles in 1877 after Joseph,
chief of the Nez Perces Indians. 90
seph," Gen. Howard continued, stud
led tactics from the soldiers at Walla
Walla, Wash. He was a shrewd In
dian. met him in the school at Car
lisle, Pa. about two months before his
death, which took place in September,
a year ago, on the Colville reserva-
ton, in Washington. We were on the
same platform talking to Indian pu-
pills. 4 tried hard to kill Gen. Howard
said Joseph in his speech. but now /
hope he will live to a good old age
"Chief Joseph's outbreak against
the governments authority was not
entirely of his own seeking. The Nez
Perces had a large reservation which
took in part Of Oregon and ran up
into Idaho. The government decided
they had too much land and a major
ity Of the tribe voted to reduce 1t.
Joseph voted aginst it and all his
immediate followers were with him.
These include White Bird, Looking
Glasses, Hush-Hush-Cute and Too
Hol-Hol-Sute. They were called nom
treaty Indians. because they refused
to sign the treaty between the govern
ment and the majority Of the Nez
Perces. second reduction was
made in the reservation still later,
because Of the discovery Of mines, and
settlers kept crowding in. Once more
the majority agreed to the govern
ment's terms, but still Joseph and
his four or five chiefs stood out
They couldn't understand the situa-
ton, or they didn't want to. and they
refused to go on the reservation set
apart for them. The Interior De-
partment insisted that they must
obey and I was ordered to see that
they did. Many writer's have blamed
me for what did. but had to do my
duty. Then, too, the Indians were
not Of the industrious sort, they sell
dom cultivated their land, they want
ed everything to remain as 1t was
and they allowed to roam where they
pleased. hunting and fishing.
II saw trouble ahead when I went
to Oregon. I was forty miles from
the scene of the first outbreak when
some of Chief Joseph's young men
began to commit murders. They
killed every one in sight, wounded
many, and stole all the horses and
cattle. I had to stop that. The
chase began the last day Of May and
ended in the latter part Of November
The Indians had warriors, women,
children and stock with them. 1t
led along buffalo trails. along rivers
up to Montana and into the National
Park, with fighting all the way. The
principal battle was fought on the
banks Of the Clearwater, where Jo-
seph surrounded our men and kept
us two days. We had about an equal
number Of men OH each side, 500 OF
500.
"At one time before the trouble
began, Chief Joseph promised me that
he would go on the reservation, and
I think he intended to, but he COULD
not control his people"
The chase after Chief Joseph has
been described by noted generals,
Sherman and Miles among the num-
Der, as the most extraordinary In
dian war Of which there is any record.
The Indians throughout displayed a
courage and skill that eiicted univer-
sal praise. They are said to have
fought with almost scientific skill,
marching with rear advance guards.
skirmish lines and field Notifications.
Some army officers declared that Jo-
seph was the greatest military mind
of all American Indians.-Kansas
City Star.