Nez Perce War 1877
Throughout this period of American history there were ongoing conflicts with the Native Americans which resulted in many different wars with opposing tribes. The Nez Perce War with America was unique in the way that the tribe evaded American forces for months and even went up north as Canada. After a few small battles between the two the leader of Nez Perce, Chief Joseph surrendered and said that he is tired of all the fighting and does not want to see his people die anymore.
This is a short news article on Chief Joseph. The significance of this source is the face that the writer of this wanted to inform the American people of the surrender of the Nez Perce tribe. " From the northern desolation
Comes a cry of exultation It is ended. He has yielded. And the stubborn light is won! Let the nation in its glory
How with shame before the story of the hero it has ruined and the evil it has done. How he prayed while hope remained. Though the white man's hands were stained
With the blood that cried for vengeance of his
murdered kin and clan, for the home the good gave him and the treaty sworn to save him for the shelter of his children, for the right to be a man."
Comes a cry of exultation It is ended. He has yielded. And the stubborn light is won! Let the nation in its glory
How with shame before the story of the hero it has ruined and the evil it has done. How he prayed while hope remained. Though the white man's hands were stained
With the blood that cried for vengeance of his
murdered kin and clan, for the home the good gave him and the treaty sworn to save him for the shelter of his children, for the right to be a man."
Chief Joseph's speech
"Tell General Howard I know his heart. What he told me before, I have it in my heart. I am tired of fighting. Our Chiefs are killed; Looking Glass is dead, Ta Hool Hool Shute is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led on the young men is dead. It is cold, and we have no blankets; the little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills, and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are - perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my Chiefs! I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever. "
Chief Joseph - Thunder Traveling to the Loftier Mountain Heights - 1877
Chief Joseph - Thunder Traveling to the Loftier Mountain Heights - 1877
This map shows how the land was divided up pink(U.S.) and yellow(Tribes) America was taking re-taking the land that they had set aside for Indian territory which caused the Nez Perce War.