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Nez Perce lived in the Rocky Mountains-Plains
”borderlands” (Oregon-Idaho-Montana)
Egalitarian and decentralized society -> a federation of
autonomous bands based on kinship
Tradition of oratory, decision making by consensus
A leader gave counsel and advice rather than orders
Major suppliers of horses, made buffalo hunting forays
to the Plains
Lewis & Clark: proud, happy, dignified people of high
moral standards
Warrior ethos moderate -> no expansionists, yet
established fighters when threatened
In the 1830s and 1840s missionaries arrived -> Nez
Perce divided
1850s, white settler invasion begins
1860 gold discovery and the influx of thousands of
white miners (mines established inside the
reservation)
Fearing that whites would take all their lands, some
Nez Perces signed treaties (1855 and 1863)
Many bands refused to move to the reservation
In Wallowa Valley the relations between nontreaty
bands and whites grew tense
Walloway Valley,
Oregon
Whites saw the valley’s potential for cattle
They took the lands and robbed, cheated, and even
killed some Nez Perce
Nontreaty bands pressured to move
Government indecision: in 1873 Pres. Grant established
a reservation in the Wallowa Valley, then rescinded his
executive order in 1875 and opened Wallowa to whites
General Oliver O. Howard called a council on May 1877
and ordered the nontreaty Nez Perce to move
Whites saw Nez Perce as a threat -> influenced by a
revivalist dreamer religion and poised on exterminating
all whites in the area
Nez Perce must settle down, farm, and give up their
traditions
Army’s ultimatum, and the arrest of one of the Nez
Perce leaders during the negotiations, only intensified
feelings of injustice
Chief Joseph
“I have been talking
to the whites many
years about the land
in question, and it is
strange they cannot
understand me; the
country they claim
belonged to my
father, and when he
died, it was given to
me and my people,
and I will not leave it
until I am compelled
to” -Joseph
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On June 14, three aggravated Nez Perce youths went on
a revenge raid against white settlers who previously
had insulted or killed their relatives
Headmen convened: war looked inevitable, whites
would revenge against them all -> they saw no going
back
Whites fled to towns in panic as Nez Perce attacked
isolated settlers during the next three days
at least 18 whites killed
Gen. Howard’s troops could not prevent Nez Perce
escape to Montana
Problems: cavalry ineffectiveness in combat; speed;
knowledge/movement in rough terrain; departmental
cooperation; poor leadership; limited intelligence;
supply lines broken
Army troubled by constant delays (waiting for
reinforcements or the supply train to catch up,
uncertainty of routes, lack of motivation?)
Army like a dog fastened to a chain (wagon train and
supplies)
Bannock Indian scouts disgusted with the army’s slowness ->
many quit
Nez Perce effective combatants, sufficiently armed,
excellent sharpshooters, knowledgeable of routes and
terrain, able to live off the land, stole horses en route,
motivated: running for their lives
Army indecisive
Shortage of troops in the vicinity
Movement of supplies arduous
Uncertainty over what kind of combatants Nez Perce might
be
June 17, army’s first encounter with the Nez Perce (White Bird
Canyon fight, Idaho)
White army scout shot at the Nez Perce delegation displaying
a white flag -> battle broke out -> disastrous for the army
Nez Perce escaped to find safety on the Plains
Nez Perce divided whether to flee or surrender
Logic for flight: whites would forgive and be willing to settle later
If needed could escape to Canada
Some 700-800 people left, of whom approximately 200 were
warriors
Army’s effort became a farce
Settlers panicked as the Nez Perce approached
Army ridiculed in local and national press
Howard pressed unconditional surrender of the Nez
Perce
Howard needed assistance -> his superiors ready to
remove Howard from command
After several failed attempts to stop
the Nez Perce, soldiers were totally
exhausted and demoralized, their
clothes shred to pieces and horses
rendered unserviceable
General Oliver O. Howard
Army efforts still caused damage:
Battle of Big Hole (Aug. 9)
Col. John Gibbon’s men surprised Nez Perce camp at dawn ->
routed Indians lost their camp in few minutes -> pursued by
soldiers, Indians fought them to a standstill -> a stalemate ->
Indians tried to set grass aflame and burn the soldiers -> Howard’s
reinforcements drove off Nez Perce sharpshooters
From 50 to 80 Nez Perce killed, army losses at 70 men -> Gibbon
unable to continue pursuit
Badly wounded Nez Perce asked to be left behind
Abandoning wagon trains and mounting supplies on pack
mules, Howard pushed on
As the pursuit continued throughout August and early
September different army commands failed to stop the Nez
Perce in and around the Yellowstone National Park
Over 1,000 soldiers guarded park entrances
For one week the Nez Perce recuperated in the remote
reaches of the park
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Civilian volunteers fielded by many towns en route did not
do any better than the army
At first eager to get at the Indians, but in the end lacked
determination to fight
Usually Nez Perce avoided settlements
Some unlucky civilians captured or killed by Nez Perce
For example, a party of tourists at Yellowstone
Nez Perce sought help from their Crow allies -> Crows
refused
Instead stole many of the Nez Perce horses
Many Crow scouts in the army deserted rather than fight the
Nez Perce
At Cow Island, a poorly guarded (12 soldiers) Missouri
River crossing, supply depot, and the end of the steamboat
line, the Nez Perce captured supplies on Sept. 22
Crossing the last natural obstacle, the Missouri River, Nez
Perce looked to be on their way to Canada and safety
Only 40 miles from Canada, General Nelson Miles caught up
with the Nez Perce on September 30, 1877
Nez Perce did not have enough time to escape, but fortified
their position
Miles attacked at dawn
cavalry charged but was forced to retreat because of heavy
resistance
Nez Perce fought with desperation and dug trenches
next day Joseph asked for a truce and a meeting -> Miles
arrested Joseph -> Nez Perce captured one lieutenant ->
prisoner exchange
canon fire caused heavy damages among the Nez Perce -> the
futility of continued fighting became evident
Joseph refused to try to break through enemy lines
Surrender of Chief
Joseph by Frederick
Remington
Oct. 4, Howard and his
troops arrived at the scene
Oct. 5, Joseph
surrendered; the pursuit of
nearly 1,500 miles was over
From 100 to 300 Nez Perce
managed to escape to
Canada <- often forgotten
by historians
Many died making their
escape
“The old men are all
dead... It is cold and we
have no blankets. The
little children are
freezing to death. My
people, some of them,
have run away to the
hills, and have no
blankets, no food; no
one knows where they
are – perhaps freezing to
death. I want to have
time to look for my
children and see how
many of them I can find.
Maybe I shall find them
among the dead. Hear
me, my chiefs. I am
tired; my heart is sick
and sad. From where the
sun now stands I will
fight no more forever” Joseph
Casualties of the Nez Perce war:
123 soldiers, 55 civilians, and 150-200 Nez Perce dead
Nez Perce gained much sympathy and impressed the
nation with their love of home, resilience, and fighting
ability
Howard and Miles fought for fame in the press
Nez Perce thought they would be returned to Idaho ->
those who surrendered were instead removed to Indian
Territory where many died of disease, poverty, and
malnutrition
In 1885, Nez Perce removed to Colville Reservation in
Washington, where Joseph died in 1904
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