Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-10-10
Monument Built on Bear PAU Battlefield
Marks Spot of Last Battle Bet1ueen Indians and Whites

in the west the scene of the fight
- between Nez Perez Indians under
Chief Joseph and American soldiers
under General Nelson A. Miles on
Snake creek In the Pear Paws in
what is now Blaine county, is the
best preserved, and more nearly in
its natural state.
In spite of the fact that the en-
gagement vas fought some So years
ago there still remain intact many
Of the depreSSiOns Zone might call
them trencheS) where the Indian
sharpshOOters dug themselves in and
wrought havoc among the soldiers
as they charged across the depreS-
sion toward the Indian camp.
This battle, which was the last
serious engagement between the In
dianS and soldiers, marks the end
OF Indian warfare and the beginning
OF final submission of the Indians
to the ways of his white brother.
The manner in which Chief
Joseph selected this site for battle
and the conduct of his soldiers dur
ing the engagement, as we'll as their
conduct on the long trek from the
west toward Canada, stamps him
as one OF the great military geniuses
OF the age.
Situated under a cut bank. pro-
tecting them from the hills adjoin-
ing, from Oncoming enemy in case
OF battle and from the snappy fall
winds while in camp, the Indians
had an ideal place in which to re-
pell the attack of the soldiers. The
cut bank lies toward the east, with a
deep ravine to the south and fairly
level land to the west.
1t would have been possible for
the Indians to have held out against
the soldiers much longer than they
did, but Chief Joseph with humani-
tartan instinct wanted to save as
many lives as possible and protect
the squaws and children. He also
realized that henceforth it would be
white soldiers, and with escape
practically cut off, he could not hope
to reach Canada, the object of his
journey.
His words at the surrender have
gone into history as among the best
known declarations of famous Indi-
an chieftainS. AS he surrendered to
General Miles, he raised aloft his
right hand and in tremulous voice
declared: From where the sun ne
stands, l will fight no more, forever
In recent years the battlefield h
gained in the attention bestowed up,
it and annually hundreds of visitors
Montana go out to see what remains
it. Through the efforts of the peoI
of Chinook, congress has set aside t.
land around the battlefield as a n
tional park, that there may be pr
served as much as possible the histOl
spots connected with the battle.
On the SIND anniversary of the bat
this year, largely through the efforts
Chinook people and OF members of t.
Nez Perez tribe, there was dedicat
this fall a monument On the battlefie
The monument faces east and we
Toward the east looks a beautit
bronze plate paying tribute to t
American soldiers, who fell in acti
there, while on the west a similar pla
pays just tribute to the bravery of t
Nez Perez in their last stand, and
the genius, courage and humane spi
of Chief Joseph.
The accompanying picture of t
surrender Of the famous chief W
painted by Paxon, the Montana arti
and hangs in the lobby of the hou
Of representatives of the Montana ste
capitol.
Chief Joseph fought his way throu
1,400 miles of wilderness, Subsisti
on the country, carrying old Peep
women, children and wounded wi
him, and fighting off three or fo
columns of white soldiers, who mu
Outnumbered him, and made his 9
jective in 10 days. Had he not m.
takenly believed he was in CanaS
though 40 miles from the border, a
gone into camp, he easily could ha
escaped his pursuers.
From northeastern Idaho to mort
eastern Montana, beseiged and be-
by white troops half a dozen tin
on the way, crossing rivers, Scali
mountains, Chief Joseph astonish
the white man. He Is called the OF
standing Indian military genius
the white commanders who fought h
on that long and p~erilous trek-Gi
bOns, Howard, Miles and the rest, ]
Guiding three generals and as ma
captains and colonies.
His first battle with the white S
dierS was in White Bird canyon,
eastern Idaho, June II, 1877. 7
| whites attacked. He fought two me
battles, and then began his fame
retreat, though it was not a retire
but a forced march through enel
country toward a land of refuge, U
der the most difficult conditions.
is held to be one of the most remal
able in military history.
Captain Rawn undertook to stop h
in the Bitter Root, but he march
by. General Gibbons launched a 81
prise attack upon him in the Big He
and captured his village. Chief Jose
gathered his braves and recaptured
camp, killing man white soldiers.
General Miles said that the \
Perez were the best Indian marksm
he ever encountered. Chief Jose