An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 20

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524

USA > Idaho > Kootenai County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 20
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 20
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 20
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 20

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Jackson's cavalry had failed to reach the scene in time to participate in the battle, but it was on hand for the pursuit. It, with the force in charge of the gatling gun, quickly moved to a point overlooking the Clearwater. The howitzers also were brought to this position and a fusillade was poured into the retreating Indians and their ponies. Meanwhile other troops

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

pressed down the ravines and steep hillsides to the river's edge, but further they could not go, owing to the depth of the water. Soon Perry's cavalry came to the canyon's bottom and across the river, but for some reason Perry did not press the pursuit up the opposite bank, contenting himself rather with taking a position near the deserted Indian lodges. Howard, scanning the field with his glass, noticed a movement of Indians which indicated to him a possible intention on their part to return to the conflict. He warned Perry of the danger to his cavalry and ordered him to ferry the infantry across so as to present a sufficient force in opposition should the red men evince a taste for further battle. The whites could not effect a crossing of the stream as expeditiously as did their dusky foe; the time consumed gave the Indians oppor- tunity of escape to a point so far remote as to make their overhauling before dark an impossibility; the troops, therefore, concluded to camp for the night, and the battle of the Clearwater was over. The Indian loss was twenty-three killed, perhaps forty wounded and as many more captured, besides the stores of blankets, buffalo robes, provisions and promiscuous equipage they were compelled to abandon at their camp. Howard reports his loss as thirteen killed and twenty-two wounded.

The most severe criticism made against Howard in the Clearwater battle is that he failed to follow up the advantage which Miller's successful charge gave him. McConville's volunteers had returned during the last day of the fight and were stationed on the west bank of the Clearwater several miles from the battle- field. They were holding themselves in readiness to at- tack the Indians in front whenever the troops gave evi- dence that they would support the attack from the rear. Had the troops crossed behind the Indians and hung on Joseph's flanks and the volunteers under Major Mc- Conville attacked them in front the war, so many crit- ics aver, might have been ended then and there. In- stead, however, the Indians were allowed to proceed leisurely to Kamiah, where they crossed the river and commenced their retreat.

Next morning Howard reached Kamiah in time to see the last of Joseph's band crossing the Clearwater. When the river was reached the last Indian was across, and, though the gatling guns were put into operation, they inflicted little damage. Joseph took a position at the beginning of the Lolo trail, where, by sending scouts in all directions, he could keep close watch upon the movements of the soldiers and learn the outlines of Howard's plans.

That general had it in mind to reach. if he could, a position some fifteen or twenty miles beyond Joseph, where there was a junction of trails, thus cutting off his escape, but Joseph's scouts were too vigilant ; the plan was surmised and the Indians hastily set out to anticipate him.

In pursuit of this plan Howard started on the 15th of July, ostensibly for Lapwai, but intending to go down the river to Dunwell's ferry, thence to a position in Joseph's rear. When he discovered that his inten- tions were surmised he went back to Kamiah, leaving

Jackson and some volunteers who had just rejoined the regulars to guard against a possible return by the In- dians across the river at Dunwell's. He was met by a messenger from Joseph asking upon what terms the chief might surrender. While the conference was in progress a shot, fired by the Indians, struck near the consulting party, a circumstance which certainly looked like bad faith on the part of the Indians, though Suth- erland, author of "Howard's Nez Perces Campaign." thinks Joseph really intended to surrender and was only deterred by Howard's reply that he and his men would be tried before a court-martial of regular officers. How- ard considered the proposal a ruse to delay his move- ments. At any rate Joseph did not surrender, though the messenger, his family and some other Indians afterward did.

Meanwhile the cavalry, scouts and volunteers had been ferried across the river, and these Howard sent under Colonel Mason to pursue the enemy, to learn his intentions and engage him in battle if such could be done with fair prospect of success. The scouts ran into Joseph's rear guard near Oro Fino creek and had a brush with it, in which one scout was killed and one wounded. One of the enemy was also killed. Believ- ing it unsafe to attempt to use cavalry in a country so favorable for ambuscades, Mason returned and the campaign in Idaho was ended. Howard summarizes the war thus far in this language:

"The Indians had been well led and well fought. They had defeated two companies in a pitched battle. They had eluded pursuit and crossed the Salmon. They had turned back and crossed our communications, had kept our cavalry on the defensive and defeated a company of volunteers* They had finally been forced to concentrate, it is true, and had been brought to bat- tle. But, in battle with regular troops, they had held out for nearly two days before they were beaten, and after that were still able to keep together, cross a river to deep to be forded and then check our pursuing cav- alry and make off to other parts beyond Idaho. The result would necessitate a long and tedious chase.

"Still, on our side, the Indians had been stopped in their murders, had been resolutely met everywhere and driven into position and beaten ; and by subsequent pur- suit the vast country was freed from their terrible presence."

It is practically impossible at this late date to so come into possession of the details of the war as to enable one to express a definite opinion about the merits of the dispute between the regulars and volun- teers, even if a historian were justified in usurping the function of a judge or jury and dealing in generaliza- tions and deductions from facts rather than in the facts themselves. Many severe criticisms have been made upon Howard's slowness of movement, and it is the general opinion of volunteers and others that, while he proved himself a gentleman of many virtues, he failed to adapted himself to the condition presented

*The volunteers are unable to understand why their gal- lant charge at Cottonwood should be repeatedly classed as a defeat.

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

by the known methods of Indian warfare; that he was not aggressive and vigorous enough to be called a "good Indian fighter." Howard, in his valuable work enti- tled "Nez Perces Joseph," has attempted an answer to these objections, mainly by pointing out the difficulties which surrounded him and contending that greater expedition was impossible under the circumstances. Severe strictures were made by citizens upon some of the inferior officers, particularly Captain Perry, whose military movements were made the occasion for the sessions of two courts of inquiry. Charges of lack of discipline and incompetence were brought by some officers of the regular army against the volun- teers also, the most bitter being by Major Keeler, of General McDowell's staff, who had the least oppor- tunity to know whereof he spoke. Howard, be it said to his credit, frankly commended the volunteers, more than once publicly, thanking them for valuable assist- ance rendered him.

After the return of Mason with the report that Joseph had certainly gone toward the buffalo coun- try, Howard naturally began revolving in his mind plans for future operations. He thought at first of leaving a small garrison at Kamiah and going to Mis- soula at once, trusting Colonel Green, who was bring- ing a force from Fort Boise, and General Wheaton, coming to Lewiston from Georgia as fast as steam could carry him, with the task of protecting Camas prairie and the rest of north Idaho. This plan had to be abandoned on account of the alarm lest Joseph should suddenly return and swoop down again upon the temporarily unprotected settlements. So Howard himself awaited the arrival of Green's advance guard, thus giving the hostiles a splendid lead in the race and occasioning a loud clamor from the impatient journ- alists and people. The plan evolved during the per- iod of waiting was to form two columns and a reserve, the right column to be led by Howard in person, the left by Wheaton, and the reserve to stay with Green at Camas prairie. Howard's force was to take the Lolo trail; Wheaton's the Mullan road and the re- serve to "watch all trails, keep inter-communication, be ready for hostile Indians, should they double back, and give heart to all neighboring farmers, miners, prospectors, and friendly Indians by the show of pro- tection at hand."

Howard with his right column took the trail on the 26th of July, 1877. His journeyings from that time until the capture of Joseph are replete with adventures and incidents, but all this is extra-territorial to the his- torian of north Idaho and though completeness de- mands a brief narration of the long chase, yet it must be brief. Day after day the column toiled on, slipping, sliding, up the steep acclivities, down the precipitous mountain sides, following the windings of the inter- minable "hogs-backs," as connecting ridges between two mountain uplifts are called, vigilant always to keep out of traps the wily red skins may set, the com- manding general not alone burdened with the respon- sibility of a campaign, presenting at times grave dan- ger of ambush and surprise, but smarting under the lash that is being applied by numerous newspapers the

whole country over. The Indians, familiar with the country by frequent former trips to the buffalo grounds, possessing an ability to get work out of a horse such as no white man can, and led by one whom Miles has characterized the greatest military genius of the Indian race, are making one of the most brilliant retreats in the annals of Indian warfare. Once they might have been stopped and held for Howard. A small force of regulars under Cap- tain Rawn and a considerable number of citizen soldiers had built a fort at the enterance of the Lolo trail into the Lolo valley. The pass was narrow, the walls high and precipitous. The fort, though a hastily constructed affair, was so favorably situated that it commanded the situation completely. When the Indians arrived they quickly saw their dis- advantage. Being diplomats as well as warriors, they determined to try the effect of a parley where bullets would be plainly ineffective. They promised to do no damage to the citizens of the valley if only they should be allowed to proceed. Why should they not make such a promise? They not only hoped to gain a pres- ent advantage but to placate the people and perhaps get them in the notion of trade, for they were sorely in need of fresh horses, and fresh supplies of ammuni- tion and provisions. Looking-glass's diplomacy tri- umphed. The soldiers and citizens withdrew, allow- ing the red men to pass without opposition through a trail they had been busily preparing during the four days of parley to the left of the fort. An unpatriotic act, certainly, but Howard did not blame them and surely we can afford to be no less charitable. Hardly, however, can we imagine Randall or McConville or Paige or Cearley doing such a thing.

Space forbids narration of the day and night rid- ing of messengers between Howard's advance col- umn and the United States forces to the eastward who were now becoming interested in the campaign. Even a war of small magnitude develops numerous heroes, for the world is full of heroism, so full that it cannot pay its meed of hero-worship to each. If it could the despatch-bearers who rode furiously and without rest day or night over the danger-beset, roadless, rough and rugged country between Howard and the Indian rear guard. would come in for a full share.

One of these messengers reached Howard on the 6th of August, announced his name as Pardee and brought the news that General Gibbon had left his headquarters at Helena ; had hastened to Missoula, ar- riving just after the Indians had passed Rawn's fort, was pushing forward on Joseph's trail with less than two hundred men and wanted reinforcements. An- other, named Sutherland, left the same evening with Howard's reply which was that "General Howard is coming on, as fast as possible, by forced marches with two hundred cavalrymen, to give the needed reinforce- ments."

In compliance with this promise, Howard quick- ened his pace, but the horses were weary with long marches, weakened by insufficient nutrition and un- able to satisfy with their speed the eagerness of the commander. On the 10th of August, therefore, How-

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

ard determined to take twenty-five picked horses and men and seventeen scouts, with whom to ride as fast and as far as possible in quest of Gibbon, leaving the remaining cavalry to pursue as quickly as they could. At dusk this advance guard encountered seven citi- zens, from whom they learned that Gibbon had had a fight the day before. The citizens gave a gloomy ac- count and, though little credit was accorded it as it seemed like the semi-imaginative report of men who run as soon as a battle commences, a messenger is sent forward that night to apprise Gibbon of the help coming. Gibbon's messenger missed Howard's small force but delivered the message to Mason, in the rear, with whom were the much needed medical officers.

By 10 A. M. on the morning of August 11th, How- ard came up to Gibbon's fortified camp, where the train and a small guard of soldiers and volunteers had been left. Hastening onward he soon reached Gib- bon's position, and found him, as his message would have told had it been received, near the mouth of Big Hole pass in rather sorry plight. The camp looked very much like a hospital from the number lying help- less and the profusion of bandages.

Gibbon had arrived at a point within six miles of the Indians' camp on the 7th of August. On the 8th a party under Lieutenant Bradley managed to steal up close enough to observe the Indians, and in the mid- dle of the night Gibbon's main force secured a posi- tion within a mile or so of their camp. Reconnoisance proved the central Indian position to be across a bend on the north fork of the Big Hole river and that the lodges numbered eighty nine. Before daylight Gib- bon's forces were very close to the enemy and still unobserved. Dawn brought the attack. Bradley was killed at the willows which lined the stream. Before the Indians could get out of their lodges, the whites were across the stream and upon them. A stubborn hand to hand fight ensued, Indian boys and squaws taking part and fighting with desperation. Eventu- ally the Indians fell back to the brush and high points commanding their camp, whence they poured a melt- ing fire upon the troops, busily engaged in destroying the camp. As the Indians outnumbered the whites two to one the latter were at a disadvantage as soon as their antagonists recovered from their surprise. The soldiers were therefore compelled to withdraw from the open to a wooded point near the canyon by which the troops had effected their approach. In so doing they had a fierce fight with the Indians. Gibbon ex- pected his howitzer to be brought to this position, but it was captured, one of its six defenders being killed and one wounded. White Bird was heard and seen endeavoring to inspire the Indians with courage to attack Gibbon's position. In this, however, he failed. One attempt was made to capture Gibbon's supply train, but it was so valiantly defended by Kirkendall's little squad, that the small force of Indians sent against it dared not attack it and a larger force could not be spared from the main engagement. This surprise would have been fraught with grave consequences to the Indians had they been led with less consummate ability, but thanks to the generalship of their com-

mander, they were effectually rallied and inflicted up- on the attacking column a loss of twenty-nine killed and thirty or more wounded. During the night the Indians moved away. Gibbon was in no condition to follow, himself having been wounded in the engage- ment and many of his small command disabled. Look- ing-glass, the Indian diplomat, was killed at the last battle on Milk river.

Howard remained near Gibbon's battlefield during the 12th of August awaiting for the rest of his force to come up, and on the 13th again took the pursuit. At his encampment that night, he learned from two excited messengers that eight citizens had been mur- dered by Joseph on Horse prairie, and that two hun- dred and fifty fine horses had been secured by the hos- tiles.

On the evening of the 15th, word was sent that the Indians had turned back into Idaho and surrounded temporary fortifications at a junction of two cross- roads in Lemhi valley. "Push straight for Fort Lemhi and you will have the Indians" was the message of Colonel Shoup, in command of sixty Idaho volunteers. Howard did decide to turn to his right into Lemhi valley and was making preparations for doing so when after midnight, another messenger arrived, reporting that the Indians had broken camp, rushed past the temporary fort doing it no harm and gone eastward, so Howard pushed on as at first intended.

August 17th found him at Junction station. Here he was met by stage men, who persuaded him to aban- don his purpose of proceeding straight to what was known as Tacher's Pass, going rather by the road via Dry creek. Lieutenant Bacon, with forty picked men, and Robbins, with the Indian scouts, were, however, sent direct to the coveted pass and Henry Lake. On the 18th the camp of the Indians was discovered by Buffalo Horn about eighteen miles from Dry creek station in Camas meadows, and Howard was appraised of the whereabouts of his wily foe.

"How confident I then felt !" says the General. "Ba- con and Robbins ahead of Joseph and my cavalry only eighteen miles behind on the direct trail! If it were possible, I would reinforce Bacon ; but he is seventy miles off! 'He can annoy and stop them, if he can- not do more.' I exclaim."

The general condition of things was far from fa- vorable however. The cavalry horses were so jaded and slow that eighteen miles was a considerable trip for them ; the Montana volunteers were still farther be- hind and the infantry at least a day's march behind them. But on the night of August 19th, Howard with the cavalry. Calloway's volunteers and fifty infantry were in camp together in Camas meadows, where Buf- falo Horn had seen Joseph's band the day before. The trail of the hostiles was distinctly visible. They were supposed to be in a camp some fifteen miles beyond. Suddenly in the middle of the night, the multitudinous noises of battle and the wild Indian war whoop burst upon the ears of the sleepers.

Joseph has determined to double back and, with a few of his men, distract the attention of the soldiers, while some of his skilled horse thieves are cutting the

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

hobbles on the mules and making away with these ani- mals. Howard saw the herd in full stampede. He sent Major Sanford after them with the cavalry and soon that officer sent word that he had recovered between fifty and seventy-five head of the lost stock. A second messenger brought less pleasing tidings. He informed Howard that the Indians were returning in force and turning Sanford's left. The remainder of the force was quickly ordered to the rescue. It met Sanford re- turning and inquired for Norwood, but no one knew definitely where that officer was. The advance was continued and eventually the missing cavalry officer and his force were discovered. He had had quite a skirmish, one which cost him the loss of one man killed and six wounded. This surprise of Howard and the capture of some of his mules was the theme of much fun-making among eastern journalists.

The march was not resumed until the 21st. On the 22d some scouts joined the pursuing party from Fort Hall, also Captain Bainbridge with more scouts and a small guard of soldiers. The night of the 23d there must have been little sleeping, for the Bannock scouts had a dance and council; then some of their number came to Howard with a request for permission to kill three professedly friendly Indians, claiming they were traitors, which request was denied ; then to make mat- ters worse at two o'clock reveille was sounded. Day- light revealed Tacher's gap and the Indian camp near it. A rapid advance was made and the gap soon reached but the birds had again flown. How discour- aged and disgusted the soldiers must have been! Ba- con and his party not seeing any Indians had left Henry lake, in plain sight of the pass, turning back and by this unfortunate move coming out far in the rear of the main column. Howard's messengers to him had failed in duty and as a consequence this splendid chance of cutting off the retreat of the foe and terminating the war was lost.

For many weary miles the soldiers had striven to overtake the Indians and now that they were on the heels of the redskins, they must again allow the latter to get a lead of several days. Howard's order to fol- low Fisher's scouts on through the pass was met by the protest of the physician, the quarter-master, the inspector and other officers. "We cannot, we cannot, general !," said they. "Come look at your soldiers ; look at their clothing, ragged already and tied with strings ; look at their feet, some harefooted and the most with shoes so badly worn that in one or two days they will be gone. The ice froze an inch in our basins last night, and we have no overcoats, nothing but thin blankets, now falling to pieces. You can go no far- ther."

The was no gainsaying this reasoning. The com- mand was allowed to rest four days on the banks of Henry lake while the commander, the quarter-master, and Lieutenant Howard set out by wagon to Virginia City for supplies. Cushing and Norwood were di- rected to proceed to Fort Ellis for supplies, joining the main body two hundred miles farther on. Blankets, provisions, fresh horses, everything needful were pro- cured ; the general and those accompanying him re-

turned and on the 27th of August, the march was re- sumed under more favorable conditions. The famed National Park was soon entered, and some members of the ill-starred Geyser party encountered, which, while on a pleasure trip had the misfortune to fall into the hands of the hostile Indians. The first man re- ported his comrades all dead, but two others, wounded, were afterward met. The women were spared by Jos- eph and eventually rescucd.

In the park Howard received news of Joseph's whereabouts from a man who had been captured by the Indians and recaptured by Fisher's scouts, which information saved the command nearly one hundred miles of marching. About the same time evidences were discovered of Bannack treachery. Ten of these Indians were arrested, dis- armed and held as prisoners until their comrades, by bringing in the horses which the Bannocks were ac- cused of having stolen, earned the liberty of all ex- cept one, the leader, who was sent under guard to Fort Ellis.

Under the guidance of the rescued prisoner the soldiers proceeded to the Yellowstone river at Baron- et's bridge and across it, the scouts finding "too abund- ant evidence of their (the Indian's) usual murder and rapine for twenty miles down the river to the Mam- moth Falls, where a raiding party from Chief Joseph had met and robbed some wagons and burned a store." The scouts found evidences that Gilbert's calvary had been there, but through want of knowledge as to How- ard's whereabouts their commander had swung off, coming upon the trail of the pursuing party one hun- dred miles in the rear. He tried to overtake Howard, but failed and finally returned to Fort Ellis. Unfor- tunately the cavalry of Cushing, who left the main column, as we have said, at Henry lake, had been taken to reinforce Gilbert, but with the remnant Cushing made a race for the valley of Clark's Fork to head off Joseph, when he should come down from the moun- tains. He failed to anticipate the swift-footed chief- tain, but effected a junction with Howard, turning over to that general the supplies he had been sent for. Arriving at the Soda Butte silver mine, the command came upon about twenty armed miners, all of whom were employed as guides. These led the main column by a short route, while the scouts on fresh horses fol- lowed the trail of the hostiles, and learned of the out- rages committed by Joseph in his march. Three min- ers were robbed of everything, then killed in spite of earnest begging for mercy. A fourth, robbed and dreadfully wounded, made his escape to the soldiers.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 20

Author: Publication date: 1903 Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1524

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524