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indian heroes & great chieftains-第22章

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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 surrender。



He had believed that his e
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