The Ely miner., 1930-10-24

Howard's pursuit Of the fleeing In
dians, a pursuit carried on through
some Of the most difficult country on
the North American continent. But
when the Nez Perce leader was at
last brought to bay in the Bear Paw
mountains in Montana by Gen. Nelson
A. Miles and forced to surrender, How
ard, who at last had caught up with
the fugitives, displayed rare mag
nanimity at the surrender of Chief
Joseph. The Indian leader extended
his rifle to Howard in token of sur
render, but Howard waived it over to
Miles, thus declining in favor of his
brother officer the honor which he
had so richly deserved after his try
ing and difficult campaign.
No sooner was the Nez Perce war
over, however, than Howard was
again in the field against the Piutes
and Bannocks in the campaign of 1873
that of 1877. This war resulted in
the death of two important chiefs,
Egan and Buffalo Horn, and Howard
was again the victor in another con-
f1ict with SavageS. His next service
was a series of councils with the Col
vile Indians. the Spokanes, the
Okanagans and the Occur d'Alenes
whose high regard he won by his ef-
forts to right the wrongs which they
had suffered at the hands of the
whites. The attitude of Chief Lot of
the SpokaneS toward Howard was
typical Of the Indians of that region.
When he learned that the general had
been ordered east he protested against
it. "You must not go; you cannot go!"
entreated the Indian chief with tears
in his eyes, You are the Indians
friend. If you stay everything will
go on right, but if you go the white
men around me will get my land and
there will be trouble. You must not
go!"
No doubt many another Indian lead
er would have concurred in Chief
Lots words, for until General How
ards retirement from the army in
1895 and his death in 1909, he was
looked upon by most of the red men
with whom he had had any contact
as one white man whom they could
trust. In his wide experience with
the Indians and their confidence in
him he has probably only two rivals
Gen. George Crook and Gen. Hugh L.
Scott.
But it is doubtful if either Crook
or Scott knew personally SO many
noted red men as did Howard. To
read his two books, my Life and Ex-
periences Among Our Hostile Indians"
and Famous Indian Chiefs I Have
Known" is to call the roll of most
- the Indian notables over a period
of more than forty years. In addition
to those already mentioned in this ar
ticle, the list would include Washakie.
the great chief of the Shoshones; !;
Geronimo and Natchez of the Chiri-
cahuas, Red Cloud, Spotted Tail,
Grow Dog and Short Bull of the
Sioux, Pasqual of the Yumas, Antonio
and Antonito of the Pimas, Santos
and Eskiminzeen of the Aravipas !;
Pedro Tsketesela and One Eyed Mi
guel of the Apaches, White Bird and
Looking Glass of the Nez Perces,
Moses of the Yakimas, Sarah Winnie
mucca, daughter of the great chief
Winnemucca of the Piutes. Egan and
Ovtes of the Umatillas, Homili of the
Walla Wallas and Cut Mouth John, a
Umatilla, who served as his scout
during the Bannock and Piute war in
1878 and with the forces under How
ard during the Sheepeater campaign a
short time later.
Am~oS his most interesting rem
iniscenees are those Of Geronimo, the
notorious Apache leader. Geronimo