September 13, they beat off an attack by
troops of the Seventh U.S. Cavalry under Col.
Samuel Sturgis at Canyon Creek. Two weeks
later the hungry Indians raided an army depot
at Cow Island on the Missouri River to obtain
food. The garrison was left unharmed and the
Nez Percé continued on.
Hungry and weary, they encamped on
Snake Creek in the Bearpaw Mountains, 30
miles from their goal. On September 30, the
Indians were suddenly surrounded by Col.
Nelson A. Miles and 600 soldiers. Despite the
loss of their pony herd, the Nez Percé dug in
and defended themselves ferociously. Nelson
employed howitzers and Gatling guns in an at-
tempt to pry the warriors out of their posi-
tions, but a stalemate ensued. After six days
in freezing weather, Joseph, one of the last
surviving chiefs, surrendered 414 members of
his band on October 5, 1877. “Hear me, my
chiefs, I am tired; my heart is sick and sad,” he
eloquently declared. “From where the sun
now stands I will fight no more forever.”
Despite government promises, the Nez
Percé Indians were refused access to the Wal-
lowa Valley. This occurred despite the pleas
of Howard and Miles, who came to respect
and admire so worthy a foe. Nonetheless, the
Indians were interned at reservations in Okla-
homa and Washington. Joseph seemed re-
signed to his fate and encouraged education
and abstinence from alcohol among his peo-
ple. He died in Nespelem, Washington, on
September 21, 1904, a heroic symbol of Indian
resistance.Bibliography
Haines, Aubrey L. An Elusive Victory: The Battle of the
Big Hole.West Glacier, MT: Glacier National History,
1999; Hampton, Bruce. Children of Grace: The Nez
Perce War of 1877.New York: Henry Holt, 1994;
Joseph, Nez Percé. Chief Joseph’s Own Story: An
Indian’s View of Indian Affairs.Fairfield, WA: Ye
Galleon Press, 1981; Laughty, Linwood, comp. The
Pursuit of the Nez Perce: The Nez Perce War of
1877.Wrangell, AK: Mountain Meadow Press, 1993;
Lavender, David. Let Me Be Free: The Nez Perce
Tragedy.New York: HarperCollins, 1992; McDer-
mott, John D. Forlorn Hope: The Battle of White
Bird Canyon and the Beginning of the Nez Perce
War.Boise: Idaho State Historical Society, 1978.KAMIAKIN
Kamiakin
(ca. 1800–1877)
Yakima War Chief
K
amiakin was a strident opponent of
white settlement in the Pacific North-
west and instigated the Yakima War of
1855–1858. He also attempted to resurrect a
pan-Indian confederation reminiscent of Lit-
tle Turtle and Tecumseh but, ultimately,
failed to preserve his homeland.
Kamiakin (He Who Says No) was born near
present-day Starbuck, Washington, around
1800, into fortuitous tribal circumstances. His
mother was a Yakima woman but his father,
Chief Kiyiyah, was a Nez Percé. This familial
arrangement endowed him with considerable
influence among both tribes. Kamiakin devel-
oped into a tall, strong man, over six feet in
height, and reputedly one of the best warriors
and buffalo hunters in his band. He was also
highly regarded by peers for stirring oratory
and an enterprising nature. Reputedly, Kami-
akin was the first chief to introduce agricul-
ture among his people. He was also kindly
disposed toward the handful of white mis-
sionaries in the region and openly solicited
Catholic priests to visit and teach. As chief, he
consulted with Capt. Charles Wilkes of the
United States Exploring Expedition, who