Top of monument to Chief Joseph, Big Hole Battlefield BIG HOLE BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT MONTANA bloodshed had it not been for the grow­ homes. Captain Rawn's force returned grey-tinged streamers of dawn found the Leaving a force of their warriors to BIG HOLE BATTLEFIELD ing feeling on the part of the Indians to Fort Missoula to await reinforcements. entire command within a few yards of continue the siege, most of the Indians NATIONAL MONUMENT that the whites failed to punish their The Nez Perce Indians traveled leis­ the camp, only the shallow river sep­ returned to the village. General Gibbon own people for alleged misdeeds. Some urely, trading with the settlers, secure arating them. wrote: "Few of us will soon forget the United States Department of the Interior of the young warriors, ignoring the in the belief that the agreement they Natalekin, an old Indian, arose and wail of mingled grief, rage, and horror authority of their chiefs, went forth on Harold L. Ickes, Secretary had concluded at Lo Lo Creek meant the started toward the horse herd and, un­ which came from the camp four or five their own to punish the whites, thus cessation of hostilities. They arrived at aware of their presence, approached to hundred yards from us when the National Park Service, Newton B. Drury, Director precipitating the movements of troops their old camp-ground on the Big Hole within a few yards of the advancing Indians returned to it and recognized against these "Non-Treaty" Indians. River, August 7, 1877. whites. He was shot, and this was the their slaughtered warriors, women, and The Big Hole Battlefield National of their retreat until their capture within Gen. John Gibbon had been ordered signal for the attack. The entire com­ children. Above this wail of horror, we THE CAMPAIGN OF 1877 Monument, with its battle-scarred trees a few miles of the Canadian border on from Fort Shaw to intercept and hold the mand charged the camp, pouring a could hear the passionate appeal of the and grass grown ring of shallow trenches, October 5, 1877, their action was more Gen. O. O. Howard, June 15, 1877, Indians. As General Gibbon followed deadly fire into the lodges. They en­ leaders urging their followers to fight marks the site of the outstanding battle­ ferocious in all their contacts with the sent two companies of cavalry to quell the Indians he added to his command deavored to set fire to the camp, but and the war whoops in answer which ground along the line of the famous whites. uprisings and return the Indians to the from Fort Missoula and the Bitter Root many of the lodges would not burn. The boded us no good." retreat of Chief Joseph and his fleeing reservation. On the 17th a battle oc­ Valley until his force numbered 17 confusion and rout of the Indians was The attempt to bring up General Nez Perce women, children, and war­ CAUSES OF THE NEZ PERCE curred at White Bird Canyon, Idaho. officers, 146 regulars of the 7th Infantry, complete. Many of the warriors ran out Gibbon's howitzer was frustrated by riors. Here occurred on August 9, 1877, WAR OF 1877 The troops were repulsed and the Nez and 34 volunteers. of the village without weapons of any the Indians. They captured the cannon one of the more dramatic and tragic Gov. Isaac Stevens, of the Washing­ Perce Indians then started their retreat. kind. and a pack mule carrying 2,000 rounds episodes during the long struggle in the ton Territory, had concluded a treaty On July 11 they were overtaken by THE BATTLE OF THE BIG HOLE The deadly fire of the troops and the of ammunition which was sorely needed United States to confine the Indians to with the Nez Perce Indians in 1855 General Howard with a force of about AUGUST 9, 1877 terrific hand-to-hand fighting in the by the besieged whites. ever-diminishing reservations and to wherein their hereditary lands in the 500 men at the Clearwater Crossing, On the night of August 8, the Indian village drove the warriors to the pro­ Suffering from wounds, hunger, and force them off land wanted by the whites. Willowa Valley in Oregon were to be Idaho. Here a battle occurred with small Camp slumbered while the smoldering tection of the willows, leaving the camp thirst, the plight of General Gibbon's The flight of the Indians from Idaho had theirs for all time. These lands were soon losses on both sides and the Indians con­ fires sent a heavy haze of smoke down in possession of the whites. From fallen command was indeed serious. Exposed been marked with a desire to escape encroached upon by white settlers and tinued their retreat over the Lo Lo Trail. the valley on the cold, frosty air. No members of General Gibbon's com­ to the fire of sharpshooters stationed on peaceably and reach Canada with as in 1863 the Government concluded On July 27, 1877, Capt. Charles C. guard was posted to warn the sleeping mand the unarmed Indians secured rifles higher ground to the west, the fight con­ little trouble with the whites as possible. another treaty that took these lands from Rawn met Chief Joseph at the mouth of Indians of the approaching white troops. and commenced firing at the troops in tinued without respite throughout the While the Indians recovered from the the Indians. All Indian groups did not Lo Lo Creek and demanded that the More than 2,000 Indian ponies grazed the village. General Gibbon had to day. One Indian stationed in the large surprise attack of General Gibbon and concede to this treaty. Gen. Howard on Indians submit to the authority of the upon the grassy slope above the valley. retreat across the willow flats to higher bushy pine trees east ol the trenches in­ his command, the loss of warriors, May 4, 1877, met with the "Non-Treaty" Government. This the Indians refused to General Gibbon's command, preparing ground and the Indians concealed in flicted serious damage until he was lodges, and supplies was a serious Indians, or Chief Joseph's division of do, but they promised to pass through to attack the Indians, extended in a long the willows kept up their effective fire finally located and killed. handicap. They were embittered with the tribe, and commanded them to move Montana peaceably and to molest no line, working its way silently step by until the whites reached a wooded flat The Indian women, children, and old the realization that every man's hand to their designated reservations. This one. This appealed to the Volunteers, step through the willow flat toward the above the river, where they hastily men buried their dead, dismantled the was against them and for the remainder would have been accomplished without who disbanded and returned to their river and the Indian camp. The first entrenched themselves. camp, and retreated southward. The General view of Big Hole Battle Site Museum, Big Hole Battlefield Area where soldiers were besieged Site of Indian village where battle started warriors continued the siege until 1 1 carried with them in the retreat died on p.m., when they fired a farewell volley the trail. General Gibbon reported 29 ORIGIN AND PHYSICAL LOCATION AND toward the soldiers and followed the killed and 40 wounded, himself one of DEVELOPMENTS ADMINISTRATION trail of the tribe southward. Thinking the latter. The Indians continued their The original national monument of 5 The Big Hole Battlefield National that the ensuing quiet was a ruse to get march south and east, through what is acres was created by Presidential Proc­ Monument is located in western Montana, them into the open, the troops kept to now Yellowstone National Park, then lamation, June 23, 1910, and was en­ 12 miles west of the town of Wisdom. It the protection of the trenches for the swung northward and finally surrender­ larged June 29, 1939, to 200 acres. It is part of the National Park Service sys­ remainder of the night. ed in the Bearpaw Mountains in north­ does not include the Indians' campsites tem and is administered by the Super­ Dawn found the Indians gone from ern Montana. Thus ended one of the where the initial attack occurred. intendent of Yellowstone National Park the area, leaving behind 83 dead. Of most spectacular "retreats" in American At the national monument there is a who has a representative at the monu­ their number, there were 10 women and history and one of the more valiant, small museum, headquarters building, ment from June 15 to September 15each 21 children killed in the first attack on though futile, attempts of the Indians to and monuments to the memory of the year. Communications should be address­ the village. Some wounded that were escape from an imposed white-man's soldiers, citizens, and Indians participat­ ed to The Superintendent, Yellowstone civilization. ing in the Battle. National Park, Yellowstone Park, Wyo. Top of monument to Chief Joseph, Big Hole Battlefield BIG HOLE BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT MONTANA M'COSMICKARMSIRONG CO.-WICHITA, K A N S . 5-10"4l 1 OM .