indian heroes & great chieftains-第18章

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as　〃great　friendly　chiefs。〃　　As　a　rule　such　men　are　unworthy；　and

this　is　so　well　known　to　the　Indians　that　it　makes　them　distrustful

of　the　government's　sincerity　at　the　start。　　Moreover；　while

Indians　unqualifiedly　say　what　they　mean；　the　whites　have　a　hundred

ways　of　saying　what　they　do　not　mean。



The　center　of　the　storm　was　this　simple　young　man；　who　so　far

as　I　can　learn　had　never　been　upon　the　warpath；　and　he　stood　firm

for　peace　and　obedience。　　As　for　his　father's　sacred　dying　charge；

he　told　himself　that　he　would　not　sign　any　papers；　he　would　not　go

of　his　free　will　but　from　compulsion；　and　this　was　his　excuse。



However；　the　whites　were　unduly　impatient　to　clear　the　coveted

valley；　and　by　their　insolence　they　aggravated　to　the　danger　point

an　already　strained　situation。　　The　murder　of　an　Indian　was　the

climax　and　this　happened　in　the　absence　of　the　young　chief。　　He

returned　to　find　the　leaders　determined　to　die　fighting。　　The

nature　of　the　country　was　in　their　favor　and　at　least　they　could

give　the　army　a　chase；　but　how　long　they　could　hold　out　they　did

not　know。　　Even　Joseph's　younger　brother　Ollicut　was　won　over。　

There　was　nothing　for　him　to　do　but　fight；　and　then　and　there　began

the　peaceful　Joseph's　career　as　a　general　of　unsurpassed　strategy

in　conducting　one　of　the　most　masterly　retreats　in　history。



This　is　not　my　judgment；　but　the　unbiased　opinion　of　men　whose

knowledge　and　experience　fit　them　to　render　it。　　Bear　in　mind　that

these　people　were　not　scalp　hunters　like　the　Sioux；　Cheyennes；　and

Utes；　but　peaceful　hunters　and　fishermen。　　The　first　council　of　war

was　a　strange　business　to　Joseph。　　He　had　only　this　to　say　to　his

people：



〃I　have　tried　to　save　you　from　suffering　and　sorrow。　

Resistance　means　all　of　that。　　We　are　few。　　They　are　many。　　You　can

see　all　we　have　at　a　glance。　　They　have　food　and　ammunition　in

abundance。　　We　must　suffer　great　hardship　and　loss。〃　　After　this

speech；　he　quietly　began　his　plans　for　the　defense。



The　main　plan　of　campaign　was　to　engineer　a　successful　retreat

into　Montana　and　there　form　a　junction　with　the　hostile　Sioux　and

Cheyennes　under　Sitting　Bull。　　There　was　a　relay　scouting　system；

one　set　of　scouts　leaving　the　main　body　at　evening　and　the　second

a　little　before　daybreak；　passing　the　first　set　on　some　commanding

hill　top。　　There　were　also　decoy　scouts　set　to　trap　Indian　scouts

of　the　army。　　I　notice　that　General　Howard　charges　his　Crow　scouts

with　being　unfaithful。



Their　greatest　difficulty　was　in　meeting　an　unencumbered　army；

while　carrying　their　women；　children；　and　old　men；　with　supplies

and　such　household　effects　as　were　absolutely　necessary。　　Joseph

formed　an　auxiliary　corps　that　was　to　effect　a　retreat　at　each

engagement；　upon　a　definite　plan　and　in　definite　order；　while　the

unencumbered　women　were　made　into　an　ambulance　corps　to　take　care

of　the　wounded。



It　was　decided　that　the　main　rear　guard　should　meet　General

Howard's　command　in　White　Bird　Canyon；　and　every　detail　was　planned

in　advance；　yet　left　flexible　according　to　Indian　custom；　giving

each　leader　freedom　to　act　according　to　circumstances。　　Perhaps　no

better　ambush　was　ever　planned　than　the　one　Chief　Joseph　set　for

the　shrewd　and　experienced　General　Howard。　　He　expected　to　be　hotly

pursued；　but　he　calculated　that　the　pursuing　force　would　consist　of

not　more　than　two　hundred　and　fifty　soldiers。　　He　prepared　false

trails　to　mislead　them　into　thinking　that　he　was　about　to　cross　or

had　crossed　the　Salmon　River；　which　he　had　no　thought　of　doing　at

that　time。　　Some　of　the　tents　were　pitched　in　plain　sight；　while

the　women　and　children　were　hidden　on　the　inaccessible　ridges；　and

the　men　concealed　in　the　canyon　ready　to　fire　upon　the　soldiers

with　deadly　effect　with　scarcely　any　danger　to　themselves。　　They

could　even　roll　rocks　upon　them。



In　a　very　few　minutes　the　troops　had　learned　a　lesson。　　The

soldiers　showed　some　fight；　but　a　large　body　of　frontiersmen　who

accompanied　them　were　soon　in　disorder。　　The　warriors　chased　them

nearly　ten　miles；　securing　rifles　and　much　ammunition；　and　killing

and　wounding　many。



The　Nez　Perces　next　crossed　the　river；　made　a　detour　and

recrossed　it　at　another　point；　then　took　their　way　eastward。　　All

this　was　by　way　of　delaying　pursuit。　　Joseph　told　me　that　he

estimated　it　would　take　six　or　seven　days　to　get　a　sufficient　force

in　the　field　to　take　up　their　trail；　and　the　correctness　of　his

reasoning　is　apparent　from　the　facts　as　detailed　in　General

Howard's　book。　　He　tells　us　that　he　waited　six　days　for　the　arrival

of　men　from　various　forts　in　his　department；　then　followed　Joseph

with　six　hundred　soldiers；　beside　a　large　number　of　citizen

volunteers　and　his　Indian　scouts。　　As　it　was　evident　they　had　a

long　chase　over　trackless　wilderness　in　prospect；　he　discarded　his

supply　wagons　and　took　pack　mules　instead。　　But　by　this　time　the

Indians　had　a　good　start。



Meanwhile　General　Howard　had　sent　a　dispatch　to　Colonel

Gibbons；　with　orders　to　head　Joseph　off；　which　he　undertook　to　do

at　the　Montana　end　of　the　Lolo　Trail。　　The　wily　commander　had　no

knowledge　of　this　move；　but　he　was　not　to　be　surprised。　　He　was　too

brainy　for　his　pursuers；　whom　he　constantly　outwitted；　and　only

gave　battle　when　he　was　ready。　　There　at　the　Big　Hole　Pass　he　met

Colonel　Gibbons'　fresh　troops　and　pressed　them　close。　　He　sent　a

party　under　his　brother　Ollicut　to　harass　Gibbons'　rear　and　rout

the　pack　mules；　thus　throwing　him　on　the　defensive　and　causing　him

to　send　for　help；　while　Joseph　continued　his　masterly　retreat

toward　the　Yellowstone　Park；　then　a　wilderness。　　However；　this　was

but　little　advantage　to　him；　since　he　must　necessarily　leave　a

broad　trail；　and　the　army　was　augmenting　its　columns　day　by　day

with　celebrated　scouts；　both　white　and　Indian。　　The　two　commands

came　together；　and　although　General　Howard　says　their　horses　were

by　this　time　worn　out；　and　by　inference　the　men　as　well；　they

persisted　on　the　trail　of　a　party　encumbered　by　women　and　children；

the　old；　sick；　and　wounded。



It　was　decided　to　send　a　detachment　of　cavalry　under　Bacon；　to

Tash　Pass；　the　gateway　of　the　National　Park；　which　Joseph　would

have　to　pass；　with　orders　to　detain　him　there　until　the　rest　could

come　up　with　them。　　Here　is　what　General　Howard　says　of　the　affair。　

〃Bacon　got　into　position　soon　enough　but　he　did　not　have　the　heart

to　fight　the　Indians　on　account　of　their　number。〃　　Meanwhile

another　incident　had　occurred。　　Right　under　the　eyes　of　the　chosen

scouts　and　vigilant　sentinels；　Joseph's　warriors　fired　upon　the

army　camp　at　night　and　ran　off　their　mules。　　He　went　straight　on

toward　the　park；　where　Lieutenant　Bacon　let　him　get　by　and　pass

through　the　narrow　gateway　without　firing　a　shot。



Here　again　it　was　demonstrated　that　General　Howard　could　not

depend　upon　the　volunteers；　many　of　whom　had　joined　him　in　the

chase；　and　were　going　to　show　the　soldiers　how　to　fight　Indians。　

In　this　night　attack　at　Camas　Meadow；　they　were　demoralized；　and

while　crossing　the　river　next　day　many　lost　their　guns　in　the

water；　whereupon　all　packed　up　and　went　home；　leaving　the　army　to

be　guided　by　the　Indian　scouts。



However；　this　succession　of　defeats　did　not　discourage　General

Howard；　who　kept　on　with　as　many　of　his　men　as　were　able　to　carry

a　gun；　meanwhile　sending　dispatches　to　all　the　frontier　posts　with

orders　to　intercept　Joseph　if　possible。　　Sturgis　tried　to　stop　him

as　the　Indians　entered　the　Park；　but　they　did　not　meet　until　he　was

about　to　come　out；　when　there　was　another　fight；　with　Joseph　again

victorious。　　General　Howard　came　upon　the　battle　field　soon

afterward　and　saw　that　the　Indians　were　off　again；　and　from　here　he

sent　fresh　messages　to　General　Miles；　asking　for　reinforcements。



Joseph　had　now　turned　northeastward　toward　the　Upper　Missouri。　

He　told　me　that　when　he　got　into　that　part　of　the　country　he　knew

he　was　very　near　the　Canadian　line　and　could　not　be　far　from

Sitting　Bull；　with　whom　he　desired　to　form　an　alliance。　　He　also

believed　that　he　had　cleared　all　the　forts。　　Therefore　he　went　more

slowly　and　tried　to　give　his　people　some　rest。　　Some　of　their　best

men　had　been　killed　or　wounded　in　battle；　and　the　wounded　were　a

great　burden　to　him；　nevertheless　they　were　carried　and　tended

patiently　all　during　this　wonderful　flight。　　Not　one　was　ever　left

behind。



It　is　the　general　belief　that　Indians　are　cruel　and

revengeful；　and　surely　these　people　had　reason　to　hate　the　race　who

had　driven　them　from　their　homes　if　any　people　ever　had。　　Yet　it　is

a　fact　that　when　Joseph　met　visitors　and　travelers　in　the　Park；

some　of　whom　were　women；　he　allowed　them　to　pass　unharmed；　and　in

at　least　one　instance　let　them　have　horses。　　He　told　me　that　he

gave　strict　orders　to　his　men　not　to　kill　any　women　or　children。　

He　wished　to　meet　his　adversaries　according　to　their　own　standards

of　warfare；　but　he　afterward　learned　that　in　spite　of　professions

of　humanity；　white　soldiers　have　not　seldom　been　known　to　kill

women　and　children　indiscriminately。



Another　remarkable　thing　about　this　noted　retreat　is　that

Joseph's　people　stood　behind　him　to　a　man；　and　even　the　women　and

little　boys　did　each　his　part。　　The　latter　were　used　as　scouts　in

the　immediate　vicinity　of　the　camp。



The　Bittersweet　valley；　which　they　had　now　entered；　was　full

of　game；　and　the　Indians　hunted　for　food；　while　resting　their

worn…out　ponies。　　One　morning　they　had　a　council　to　which　Joseph

rode　over　bareback；　as　they　had　camped　in　two　divisions　a　little

apart。　　His　fifteen…year…old　daughter　went　with　him。　　They

discussed　sending　runners　to　Sitting　Bull　to　ascertain　his　exact

whereabouts　and　whether　it　would　be　agreeable　to　him　to　join　forces

with　the　Nez　Perces。　　In　the　midst　of　the　council；　a　force　of

United　States　cavalry　charged　down　the　hill　between　the　two　camps。　

This　once　Joseph　was　surprised。　　He　had　seen　no　trace　of　the

soldiers　and　had　somewhat　relaxed　his　vigilance。



He　told　his　little　daughter　to　stay　where　she　was；　and　himself

cut　right　through　the　cavalry　and　rode　up　to　his　own　teepee；　where

his　wife　met　him　at　the　door　with　his　rifle；　crying：　〃Here　is　your

gun；　husband！〃　　The　warriors　quickly　gathered　and　pressed　the

soldiers　so　hard　that　they　had　to　withdraw。　　Meanwhile　one　set　of

the　people　fled　while　Joseph's　own　band　entrenched　themselves　in　a

very　favorable　position　from　which　they　could　not　easily　be

dislodged。



General　Miles　had　received　and　acted　on　General　Howard's

message；　and　he　now　sent　one　of　his　officers　with　some　Indian

scouts　into　Joseph's　camp　to　negotiate　with　the　chief。　　Meantime

Howard　and　Sturgis　came　up　with　the　encampment；　and　Howard　had　with

him　two　friendly　Nez　Perce　scouts　who　were　directed　to　talk　to

Joseph　in　his　own　language。　　He　decided　that　there　was　nothing　to

do　but　surre