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they stood their ground In a fight with white men, when their numbers werePeaceable to the Last In his later years, Joseph was not aanything near equal. Here, however, was disturber; he remembered his promise a band of Indians who stood up against and he kept it. He kept it indeed bettera force not much Inferior to their own than many a paroled white would have and fought so stubbornly and bravely done; It was lived up to in spirit as wellthat they turned the rout at the open- as in letter. Not only did he refrain from tag assault into what was virtually a vie- making any trouble himself, but hl6tory. They compelled the white men councils were always for peace who had driven them from their camp lzed the hopelessness of aHe real-struggleto take refuge behind breastworks and aaginst the white invasion and he aciopt-then they followed the whites, hemmed ed the course that seemed to him wisest.them in and harassed them for 24 hours, only desisting when scouts brought themChariot a Malcontent The case of tne Nez Perces was almostnews of the approach of strong rein- an exact parallel with the treatmentforcements for the soldiers.which Chief Chariot and his Saleeshes ofIt was an unusual experience for the the Bitter Hoot valley received from the veterans in the ranks of the whites, many government. Chariot, however, refrainedof whom had fought the Sioux in east- from any act of violence against the ern Montana and in the Dakotas. Some | whites. When Joseph sent Chariot anof these men afterward said that they invitation to participate in the march would rather fight five Sioux than one out of the country, the latter refused.Nez Perce; and yet this tribe had never But Chariot remained sullen and morose, before been at war against the whites, a perpetual trouble breeder on the res-If the Nez Perces had been experienced ervatlon; a chronic malcontent. Joseph, in this sort of fighting, there is no tell- on the other hand, became a model In-ing what might have been the outcome dian after his brief struggle against the of Chief Joseph’s famous march through inevitable had been decided.Montana ir. 1877. The reputation of Sitting Bull and his Sioux would have beenChariot a MalcontentWhen Chariot had his famous confer-forfeited. But, the Nez Perces were by ence with Senator Vest, Major Martin nature peaceable and their one clash Maginnls and others regarding his pro-wlth whites arose from a cause that posed departure from the Bitter Root val-Justifled their actions in the eyes of iey. he referred to this incident. Hethose who believed that the United said that his father. Victor, had wel-States should play fair with such of the coined Lewis and Clark and helped themT-dians as were themselves honorable. on their Journey; that during the inter -ey of lmon Blt-were their 1 the y re-Jen who served during the Civil war venlng years no white man had been ^d in the Indian wars in the middle killed by the Flathead Indians in any-west and south have given testimony thing that looked like hostility; that re-that the battle of the Big Hole was the cently when his kinsman Joseph of themost bitterly contested field upon which I Nez Perces had come over the mountains they ever fought. These veterans state and asked him to Join with him in histhat they never witnessed such deter- war upon the whites, he told him that mined fighting maintained for so long a he would not do so. He said that heperiod of time and at such short range told Joseph he would not Join the whites, by any Indians as was carried on by anti that so far as the Saleeshes werethese unseasoned warriors under Joseph, concerned. Joseph might march through It was a brave body of whites who the valley if he would do so peaceably;faced Chief bluffs thatJoseph that hot day on the but that if he took anything belonging overlook the Basin where the to the white men, or even killed a calf.waters of mountain streams mingle to then he (Chariot) would Join forces with form the main fork of Big Hole river, the white men.They were worthy foes and worthily did this Indian leader and his followers meet them.Was Greatest of Indian Leaders Joseph's resentment against the whites was of the same nature as that of Char-Among the men hemmed in by Joseph. lot but it found vent in a different man-in the earthworks on the brow of that ner instead of remaining sullenly in fatal hill, was one grizzled old surgeon I lhe Wallowa valley Joseph determinedwho had fought with that same regiment |lo icave the country entirely.NoneJj1 defense of Little RolJn^ ToP .aH familiar with the circumstances and Gettysburg. In his story of the “Sht events believes that Joseph at any time*n an ash or t t i me intended to wage war against the whitesthe battle of the Big Hole, the Had he been on the w’arpath, it wouldsaid that there was no potter P*a“ °n have been a very simple matter for himfrVtn Dmmri Tan thon hn fnlinfl thflt All- I. «... • ,the Round Top than he found that Au gust day ten years or more later.to slay the soldiers and volunteers who opposed him in Lolo pass. Much rather.When his fight at the Big Hole was however, he left the members of this ended. Chief Joseph took up his march | force sleeping and marched quietlydown the valley, cumbered with women around them.and children and his wounded warriors. I Whatever may be the general opinionheading in the direction of the British held as to the justice of the course pur-possessions where he hoped to find a sued by Chief Joseph and as to thehome for his people and where they righteousness of the cause he tried to might receive the Just treatment that he uphold, there can be but one opinion re-elt had been denied them in this coun- garding the man himself—he was thetry.Joseph’s Famous March The history of the march of Josephgreatest Indian leader of all times.roved and hi8 Nez Perces is even more remark-Iioard Members Re-appointedGovernor Erickson has reappointed one
Newspaper Details
Bozeman Courier
Bozeman, Montana, US
Fri, May 13, 1927
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Geri L.
NA, 10 Jul 2024
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