Nez Percé War Topics – Access Genealogy

Biography of Chief Joseph – Nez Percé

Chief Joseph. Hinmaton-yalatkit. The leader of the Nez Percé in the hostilities of 1877. His mother was a Nez Percé, his father a Cayuse, who received the name Joseph from his teacher, the missionary Spalding, who was with Dr. A. Whitman and who went to the Idaho country in the late thirties of the 19th century. Chief Joseph’s native name was Hinmaton-yalatkit (Hinmaton, `thunder’; yalatkit, ‘coming from the water up over the land.’ – Miss McBeth), but both he and his brother Ollicot were often called Joseph, as if it were a family name. Joseph was a man of fine presence and impressive features, and was one of the most remarkable Indians within the borders of the Union.

Biography of General Edward McConville

In the recent trial of arms in which America won recognition and admiration never before accorded her by the older “powers” of Europe, there was no more distinguished or valiant soldier than General McConville, of Idaho, who went forth as one of the commanders of the Idaho troops and laid down his life on the altar of his country. His was a noble life and a glorious death, and his name is enduringly inscribed on the roll of America’s heroes. Though his loss is deeply mourned by his many friends, his memory will ever be cherished by all who knew … Read more

Biography of Joshua G. Rowton

One of the prominent farmers of Camas prairie is Joshua Graham Rowton, who was born in Benton County, Missouri, June 16, 1850. He is of English descent, his ancestors having been early settlers of Kentucky, where the family was founded by John Rowton, the grandfather of our subject. He afterward removed to Missouri and was numbered among the pioneers of that state. William Willis Rowton the father of Joshua, was born near Louisville, Kentucky, and when a young man accompanied the family on their emigration to Missouri. He made his home in Benton County but died at the early age … Read more

Biography of William H. Sebastian

Among the pioneers who came to northern Idaho in an early day to secure homes and open up this region to civilization is William H. Sebastian, now an enterprising farmer of Camas prairie. He located on the prairie in 1871, fought for the protection of the settlers in the Nez Perces Indian war, and has ever labored for the advancement and upbuilding of the section. He was born in Missouri, December 31, 185 1, but has practically spent his entire life in the northwest. His father, Daniel Smith Sebastian, was born in Missouri, November 21, 1819, and was there reared … Read more

Biography of John J. Bingman

For twenty-two years this gentleman has carried on agricultural pursuits on Camas prairie and is now the owner of one of the finest farms that adorn this section of the state. He was born in Pennsylvania, in 1853, a son of Jacob and Mary Louisa (Swarts) Bingman, also natives of the Keystone state. The father was a farmer and a charcoal burner, and at the time of the civil war he enlisted in his country’s service as a defender of the Union. He was a drum major and belonged to Company E, Fifty-third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, with which he served … Read more

Biography of Alexander D. McKinlay

The west is peopled with brave men, as men’s bravery is measured, but it has some notable citizens whose experiences extend back into the days of constant adventure and ever present peril. Could the exploits and dangers of such men of the west be written down and put into book form, they would form a series of narratives of more absorbing interest than the most exciting romances of western life and adventure that have ever been penned. A fair representation of this class is Alexander D. McKinlay. He is a son of Henry and Barbara Clarke McKinlay, natives of Scotland, … Read more

Nez Percé Indian War

Chief Joseph, took active measures of resistance of the treaty of 1855, and the Nez Percé war of 1877 resulted. This article is a brief history of that war.

Nez Perce Tribe

Nez Percé Indians (‘pierced noses’) A term applied by the French to a number of tribes which practiced or were supposed to practice the custom of piercing the nose for the insertion of a piece of dentalium. The term is now used exclusively to designate the main tribe of the Shahaptian family, who have not, however, so far as is known ever been given to the practice. Nez Percé History The Nez Percé or Sahaptin of later writers, the Chopuunish (corrupted from Tsútpěli) of Lewis and Clark, their discoverers, were found in 1805 occupying a large area in what is … Read more

Retreat of the Indians under Cover of Night

The Indians claimed after their final surrender that they would have held Gibbon’s command in the timber longer than they did, and would have killed many more, if not all of them, had they not learned that Howard was at hand with reinforcements. They admit that they were warned of impending danger in some form in due time to have avoided a meeting with Gibbon, but did not heed it. They tell us that on the evening before the arrival of Gibbon’s troops at the Indian camp, a “medicine man ” had cautioned the chiefs that death was on their … Read more

Stealthy Midnight March

At 10 o’clock at night the officer of the guard spoke to the General in a whisper, and he arose with the alacrity of a youth who goes forth to engage in the sports of a holiday. The men were called at once, and in whispered orders the line of march was speedily formed. All were instructed to preserve the most profound silence from that moment until the signal should be given to open fire on the enemy, and, under the guidance of Joe Blodgett and Lieutenant Bradley, the little band filed silently down the winding trail, threading its way, … Read more

Battle of the Big Hole

A History of General Gibbon’s Engagement with Nez Perce Indians in the Big Hole Valley, Montana, August 1877… referred to as the Battle of the Big Hole. Includes a list of the American Soldier casualties.

Stubborn Resistance of the Indians in the Pine Woods

As soon as the command abandoned the camp, the Indians reoccupied it, and under the fire of the sharpshooters, hauled down several of their teepees, hastily bundled together the greater portion of their plunder, packed a number of horses with it, and, mounting their riding ponies, the squaws and children beat a hasty retreat down the valley, driving the herd of loose horses with them. They had hot work breaking camp, and several of them and their horses were killed while thus engaged. Two of Joseph’s wives and a daughter of Looking Glass were among the slain, who were believed … Read more

Testimony of Officers and Men as to the Courage and Fierceness of the Nez Percé

Veterans of the civil war, and men who have been years on the frontier, who have participated in many of the most sanguine Indian campaigns ever fought, say this was the most hotly-contested field they were ever on. They tell us that never have they seen such cool and determined fighting, at such short range, kept up for so long a time, by Indians; that never have they known so many bullets placed with such deadly accuracy, and so few to fly wild as in this fight. Nearly every man engaged in the action, white or red, officer, private soldier, … Read more

Description of the Battle Monument

A grateful country has erected on the Big Hole battle field a fitting monument, a modest but enduring shaft of solid granite, which marks the scene of the bloody conflict and tells in mute but eloquent words the story of the victory won there. The base of the monument is five feet six inches square; the pedestal is four feet six inches square by three feet seven inches in height, and the height of the entire structure is nine feet ten inches. On the north face of the shaft are carved the words: Erected By The United States. On the … Read more

Events Leading up to Various Treaties

Gibbon Reinforced by Citizen Volunteers

General Gibbon moved as rapidly as his means of transportation would permit, cover ing thirty to thirty-five miles per day. In his march through the valley he was joined by thirty-six citizens who did not sympathize with the kind treatment their neighbors had shown the fugitives, but who believed that they (the Indians) should be punished for their crimes, and who were anxious to aid the troops in administering the punishment. The pursuing party gathered all possible information en route as to the rate of speed at which the Indians were traveling, their numbers, etc., and from the citizens and … Read more

Northwestern Fights and Fighters

The Epic of the Nez Percé: Refusing life on a government-selected reservation, Chief Joseph, Chief Looking Glass, Chief White Bird, Chief Ollokot, Chief Lean Elk, and others led nearly 750 Nez Perce men, women, and children and twice that many horses over 1,170 miles through Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana mountains, on a trip that lasted from June to October of 1877, until checked by Miles just short of the Canadian border at Bear Paw Mountain (1877). This manuscript depicts their story.