Boys' Book of Indian Warriors and Heroic Indian WomenSabin, Edwin L. (Edwin Legrand)
History
Boys' Book of Indian Warriors and Heroic Indian Women
Sabin, Edwin L. (Edwin Legrand)
Indians of North America -- Biography; Indians of North America -- Wars
He cut off the rear guard, and every one in it was killed fighting.
Captain Perry had worked hard to rally his men. No use. The Chief
Joseph men pressed furiously.
The actual battle had occupied only a few minutes. The soldiers lost
Lieutenant Theller and thirty-two men shot dead, out of the ninety;
seven were wounded. The volunteers lost four men. The Pierced Noses
did not try to take any scalps.
Chief Joseph's warriors pursued for twelve miles, and quit. During the
battle his wife was presented by the Great Spirit with a little
daughter. So now he had a baby to look out for.
Captain Perry was much mortified by the easy victory over him. The
Pierced Noses of Joseph and White Bird rejoiced. They had done better
than they had expected. The soldiers had proved to be not very great.
Joseph had planned to take his people only beyond the Bitter Root
Mountains of northeastern Idaho, by the Pierced Noses'
Road-to-the-buffalo, and stay in the Powder River country of Montana
until he might come to terms with the United States. He was willing to
risk the Sioux.
But General Howard did not sleep. He summoned troops from all his wide
department of the Columbia. The telegraph carried the word into
California, and down into Arizona.
When he had two hundred soldiers he led them, himself. Chief Joseph
ferried his women and children over the roaring Salmon River on skin
rafts towed by swimming ponies, and put the river between him and
General Howard.
General Howard viewed the position, and was puzzled. His rival general
was a genius in defense. He crossed the river, to the attack. Chief
Joseph dodged him, crossed the river farther north, and circling
southward cut his trail and his communications with Fort Lapwai; fell
upon Captain S. G. Whipple's First Cavalry, which was in his
path--surrounded it, wiped out Lieutenant Sevier Rains and ten
cavalrymen, scattered the reinforcements, and passed on, for the
Road-to-the-buffalo.
General Howard heard that he had been side-stepped, and that the Nez
Perces were beyond his lines. With almost six hundred men, two
field-pieces and a Gatling gun he followed at best speed. The "treaty"
or friendly Pierced Noses aided him; so did the Bannock Indians.
Chief Joseph had been joined by his friend Chief Looking Glass. Now he
had two hundred and fifty warriors--also four hundred and fifty women
and children, two thousand horses, as many cattle, and much lodge
baggage. In all the history of wars, no general carried a greater
burden.
On July 11 he turned at the banks of the south Clearwater, in northern
Idaho, to give battle again. He had thrown up dirt entrenchments, and
was waiting for General Howard's infantry, cavalry, artillery and
scouts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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