Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1917-10-19
PENSION ACT ON
INDIAN WARS
Applies to the Nezperce and
RannOck Wars.

Many old time residents of this por
ton Of Idaho who participated i'll the
Nez Perce Indian war of 1877 and
the Bannock war of 1878 as volunteers
will be pleased to know that the gov
ernment is now actively engaged Sc
curing records dealing with the ser
vices rendered by these volunteers so
that they may benefit by the pension
act which became a law i'll March last.
A number of residents of this sec
ton, who served as volunteers in these
campaingns, have already made ap-
plication for pensions under the act,
but large numbers have not. Through
the Lewiston Commercial club pen
sion blanks and other data relative to
the act have been provided a number
of the volunteers.
The latest development in connec-
tiOn with the steps taken by the pen
sion apartment relative to the act is
contained in the following information
received from Boise:
For the past two weeks M. M.
Brewer special examiner for the pen
sion department of the federal gov
ernment, has been quietly inspecting
the records of the adjutant generals
department to ascertain the number
of living veterans of the Nez Perce
Indian war Of 1877 and the Bannock
Indian war in 1873, both of which
were bloody affairs and cost the Ii es
! of many of the pioneer settlers OF
Idaho as well as many more Of the
two Indian tribes involved.
THE purpose of this inspection is
to see that the veterans Of these wars
receive the benefits Of the act OF
March i, 1917, passed by congress, by
the terms of which they receive pen
siOnS for their services to the cOun
try Amy information leading to the
whereabouts of these veterans, 'AeiI
service, relatives, documents they may
have showing enlistment and service
will be appreciated by the special eX
aminer and may be delivered to him
in person or by mail to the adjutant
| generals department at the state
house where he is now making his
temporary headquarters.
portions Of three regiments en-
gagged in these wars besides a number
of Independent companies. Many OF
the veterans or the men who enlisted
and faced the brutal Indians in those
days survived the wars and are still
alive The records of the adjutan
generals office show this to be {
fact. The records Of many of thu
veterans still living are possibly mo
contained in the records of the ad
jutant general and information ma!
be secured from other sources.
Il would be very glad to get an!
authentic information with regard t
these veterans, said Examiner Brow
er discussing his work. 1t is possibl,
that some people have papers anC
records that may be of value to me il
my investigation and if that is tn,
case they may consult me or for
ward them We want to find all of tn,
living veterans"
Forty years ago, October 5, 1877
Chief Joseph Of the Nez Perce trib
of Indians, surrendered to Genera
Miles in the Bear Paw mountains il
Montana after having held out agains
all the forces the government cOult
array against him for nearly fou
months, and COY ering over 1900 mile
with his entire tribe, men, women an,
children.
The retreat of Joseph, which bega
near Lapwai, is declared by militar
critics to be one of the most masterfu
ever executed anywhere. At times h
repulsed and evaded forces far super
iOr to his and at times he completed
disappeared taking with him all c
his tribe.
When captured by General Mile
Joseph was within so miles of his goa
: the Canadian boundary.