General O. O. Howard tells the story of the Nez Perce War as he perceived it. This book is a must have because its story is told by the person who actually experienced it.

---

Product Description

This book brings together three unique perspectives on the Nez Perce War of 1877. Through the words of General O.O. Howard you'll observe the 1300-mile long panorama of the Nez Perce War from the viewpoint of the commander of the pursuing U.S. Troops. In the 1878 news articles of Montana reporter Duncan McDonald, you'll hear the voices of those Nez Perces who fled during the last hours of the war to the safety of Canada and who for years afterwards sadly, bitterly, defined the war as a friendship forgotten, a trust betrayed. Finally, through the voice of the famed Chief Joseph, you'll witness the personal and cultural pride, strengths and sufferings of the pursued. Never before have these three contradictory testimonials to the much-debated military campaign of the Nez Perce War been brought together, side-by-side, for your enjoyment, judgement, and enlightenment.

---

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1047311 in Books
• Published on: 1993-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 307 pages

From the Back Cover
Three unique perspectives on the last of the great Indian wars of the west.

Through the words of General O.O. Howard, first published in 1881, you'll observe the 1300-mile panorama of the war from the viewpoint of the commander of the pursuing U.S. troops, who wrote his account in an attempt to justify what many at that time and since have called an indefensible lack of military vigor.

From the 1878 news articles of Montana reporter Duncan McDonald, you'll hear the voices of those Nez Perces who fled during the last hours of the war across the border to the safety of Canada and who for years afterwards bitterly, sadly, defined the war as a friendship forgotten, a trust betrayed.

Finally, through the voice of the famed Chief Joseph, whose oft quoted line, "From where the sun now stands I shall fight no more forever," drew a conclusion to the 4-month long saga, you'll witness the personal and cultural pride, strengths and sufferings of the pursued.

Never before have these three contradicting testimonials to the much debated military campaign of the Nez Perce War of 1877 been brought together, side-by-side, for you consideration, your judgement, your enlightenment.

About the Author
General Otis O. Howard was in 1877 the U.S. Army Commander of the Department of the Columbia. As such he was the commanding officer of the U.S. troops that pursued the non-treaty Nez Perces for the entire 1300-mile route of their flight through Idaho and Montana. His account of the events leading up to the Nez Perce War and of the campaign itself was originally published in 1881 under the title Nez Perce Joseph: An Account of His Ancestors, His Lands, His Confederates, His Enemies, His Murders, His War, His Pursuit and Capture.

Duncan McDonald was the son of Hudson Bay Fur Company manager Angus McDonald and Angus' Nez Perce wife. The younger McDonald was fluent in both English and Nez Perce and was known personally by many of the approximately two hundred ninety Nez Perces who fled to Canada after the final battle of the 1877 war. His perspectives on the war were gained from his interviews with this group and were published in 1878 in a series of articles in The New North-West, a Deer Lodge Montana newspaper.

Chief Joseph was the chief of the Wallowa band of Nez Perces and led those who surrendered at the Battle of the Bear Paw and were sent into exile in Kansas and Oklahoma. His thoughts on the war were provided in an extensive interview with The North American Review published in 1879.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
From Duncan McDonald's Through Nez Perce Eyes

I give below a list of Nez Perce Indians killed by whites before the war of 1877.

Chief Bear Thinker was poisoned; Juliah was killed near Bozeman without cause; Taivisyact was shot while passing a house on horseback near the Missouri River on the road to Bozeman; Took-kay-lay-yoot, Lapwai, by a soldier on liquor; Yalmay-whotzoot, Lapwai, was killed while looking for horses; Him-p-augh, was killed on account of buying a pistol; Tip-iala-huana-chino-mouch at Elk City, cause unknown; Koyotes was killed on a spree with supposed friends at Slate Creek; Maltze-qui was killed because he was falsely accused of stealing a bottle of whiskey; Eya-makoot, a woman, was killed with a pick on account of her dog whipping a white man's dog; Cass-say-u was accidentally killed by the son of their own minister, Spalding, who shot at another Indian while gambling and killed the wrong man; Took-ooghp-ya-mool on Salmon River; Usay-kay-act was taken away by a white friend and never seen again; T-nan-na-say, a councilman, was shot by a soldier in a council south of Yakima; Tipia-la-natzi-kan because his field was taken from him; Willatiah in the mountains near Wallowa.

As I have stated before, none of the murderers of these people were ever arrested or punished. At the time of this last occurrence, Joseph and his band were so excited at seeing the murderer of Willatiah go at large that they threatened the settlers of Idaho. The settlers, frightened by these threats, sent a dispatch to the soldiers at Walla Walla. When the soldiers arrived the officer in command asked Joseph if he wished to fight the whites. Joseph answered, "If I am compelled, I will have to fight. The man we wanted to fight for is dead and gone. It is better to be a peace once more. But I warn the whites to not kill any more of my Indians. I would not mind if you were killing Indians who are trying to do something wrong, but it seems you want to kill my best men, and for this cause I will not stand any more murder. I did not ask you to come and settle in my country. If you do not like us, keep away."

It was then the Nez Perces first heard there was a Big Chief of the soldiers coming to see the Nez Perce nation. They were told this by the soldiers, and the Big Chief coming was Howard. This was in 1876. It should be remembered that there are two brothers, each named Joseph. Joseph, Senior, [Chief Joseph] is the one now a prisoner at Leavenworth [Kansas]. On hearing of this appointed council, Wa-lame-moot-key, a Cayuse chief and a relative of the Josephs, sent for all the Nez Perce chiefs saying he wished to have a council with them near Walla Walla. But the chiefs were not disposed to have a council and remained at home.

But Joseph, Junior, [Ollicut] who had heard from other sources that Howard was at Walla Walla, took four or five other Indians and went there to see him.

Howard met him and said, "Joseph, I am glad to see you. But you have come alone; I would like to see the other chiefs also, and tomorrow I will see you." Howard told them to find lodgings in some of the houses of the town and ordered that they should have something to eat. Joseph declined to be quartered off on the town or to accept government board and did not remain in town.

Next morning they were called to the military post by Howard and entered the room where he was. Before taking their seats, General Howard said to Joseph, "The Sioux chief Spotted Tail has concluded to move to a new reservation."

Joseph merely replied, "And so Spotted Tail finally concluded to remove."

While Joseph was being seated, Howard drew some papers from his pocket and said to him, "These papers are my instructions from the Great Father to move all Indians to the reservation. I want to move the Indians to three different reserves. These Indians must go either across the Columbia, to Lapwai or Kamiah reserves." Joseph made no reply. Howard drew out more papers and said, "Joseph, do you understand? All the Nez Perce Indians must move to their reserve. Have you anything to say?"

Joseph replied, "Yes, I have. Howard, you are a chief and I am a chief. You know what is good for your white friends and I know what is good for my people. I think it is better to leave all the Indians alone and to leave all the whites alone. I always feel happy in seeing both living in peace. Both peoples are getting civilized and making progress in this part of the country. Both are growing wealthy. When the whites first came here, they were poor and we helped them by trading. We gave them everything they wanted. All these things I tell you come from the root of my heart. It is impossible to order all white men to leave; I think it is impossible for all Indians to leave. As I said before, the white man helps the Indian to become civilized and the Indian helps the white man to get rich."

Howard answered, "Yes, Joseph, but you must move."

---

Customer Reviews

In Pursuit of the Nez Perces
There is no substitute for reading from those actually involved in a historic event. I have already researched Oliver O. Howard's Autobiography, his publications "Famous Indian Chiefs I have Known", "My Life And Experiences Among Our Hostile Indians and now this publication "In Pursuit Of The Nez Perces". There is no substitute for this seemingly directly contact with the man itself. It's like going back 100 years and talking to the man himself. It's something no modern historian can match.

I am currently in the process of writing a series of books, historical fiction in format, on this subject, the Nez Perce War. I have volumes of research on this subject. This work adds to my understand of how the General felt and how he saw this historic event.

Has it influenced my writings?

Of course!

Has it helped?

Sure!

Having sources like this is literally as good as walking the actual trails or visiting the historic sights. It's getting first hand information from those involved. It's a viewpoint that one cannot get any other way.

It's a must for every serious Library on American History.

I am very pleased with the book. I want more!