The Nespelem tribune. [volume] (Nespelem, Wash.) 1934-1936, 1935-09-25
TELL REASONS
CHIEF JOSEPH'S
FLIGHT FAILED
Famous Warrior Encumbered
With Women And Children,
Inside Story
Routes Were Argued
White Bird Opposed Chief JOS
eph; Other Tribe Refused
To Aid
(Wenatchee Daily World)

(Wenatchee Daily World)
The flight of Chief Joseph and
the Nez Perces in 1877 from idaho
toward Canada failed because a
chief upon whom the wiley Joseph
depended was also under another
handicap as he was encountered
with women and children Also one
of his co-chiefs, White Bird OPP
posed his plans. So at least is the
"inside" story.
Walla Walla men had a part in
the beginning of the pursuit, for
they were near White Bird, Idaho
almost Immediately after it started.
They went from Walla Walla as a
volunteer unit to battle the Indians
following the outbreak at White
Bird. The Indians started killing
whites on June Is and on June II
in a battle with the soldiers SO en-
listed men were killed. A courier
reached Walla Walla June 10, 1877
and brought word of the battle and
that night Is men left Walla Walla
for the scene, one of the party being
killed by Indians.
At a picnic of old timers to be
held in Kalispell, Montana, the in
side facts will be given by Andrew
Garcia of Rivulet, Mineral county,
Montana. He has lived virtually
all of the 80 years of his life in the
West and knows, as few men do, the
early history of Montana. He lives
on his ranch on what is known as
Fish creek and is compiling his
memoirs of early fur trading, min
ing and Indian warfare.
Message From Garcia
To Colonel McGinnis, Justice Nc
Cartfy and Tom Pulliam, all of
Kalispell, who visited him at his
ranch few days ago he told OF
the facts as he knew them. Judge
Mccarthy told a newspaper man
when the party returned, about
Garcia's statements. To quote the
judge:
HGarcia was born on the Rio
Grande, of Spanish parents, as his
name indicates. At the age OF 10
years he was stolen away by an I'M
Gle who wanted his services in trail
ing big herds of Longhorns.
Ran Away To Indians
Garcia worked for the uncle up
through Utah and into Montana,
until he was about II years OF age
and then ran away and took to life
with the Indians. He was married
three times, each time to an Indian
woman.
Living among them, speaking
their language, he was in posltlon
of which other white historians nave
to which other white historians have
been only able to guess at.
From notes on which he was
working he recounted to me a most
interesting inside story of the fam
GUS march of Chief Joseph and the
Nez Perces from their beautiful
Willougha reservation in Idaho, al
most across Montana, with most OF
the United States cavalry in pursuit
in 1877.
ct say that was an inside story,
because, aside from any observations
of his own, he had the story as told
tim afterward by his first wife a
Neg Perce woman who made the
march and knew the councils OF
Chief Joseph, Looking Glass and
White Bird.
Selfish Doom Expedition
cat the outset there was disagree
ment over the route to be taken IN
the dash for Canada, according 10
Garcia. -,
white Bird wanted to go north
by way of the Kootenai. Joseph
urged going by Lolo Pass, on the
ground that the Nez Perces could
get much-needed assistance from
their friend, the Selfish. Joseph pre-
vailed.
"Joseph's runners brought back
word that Carlos, of the Sellsh,
would give them no help. From that
moment on the expedition was
doomed.
"Despite his skill as a strateglst,
Joseph, encountered by women and
children, could not hope alone 10
match forces with the 'one-armed
chief, General Howard.
Despite his years, Garcia IS maze
and active. He still wears his hair
long. Although he had no formal
education, he writes remarkably
well. In order to put his work into
letters he has learned how to oper-
ate a typewriter"