5o6 The Book of Woodcraft 



on his flank. He was obliged to retreat, and did so for 

 one thousand miles. "A retreat worthy to be remembered 

 with the story of the Ten Thousand." 



After four months his starving band of warriors, now 

 reduced to half, surrendered to General Miles on condition 

 of being sent back to Idaho in the spring. 



It was promised Joseph that he would be taken to Tongue 

 River and kept there till spring and then be returned to Idaho. 

 General Sheridan, ignoring the promises made on the battle- 

 field, ostensibly on account of the difl&culty of getting supplies 

 there from Fort Buford, ordered the hostiles to Leavenworth 

 . . . but different treatment was promised them when they 

 held rifles in their hands. — (Sutherland, i.) 



Seven years passed before the promise was kept, and in the 

 meantime the band had been reduced by disease and death in 

 Indian Territory from about 450 to about 280. 



This strong testimony to the high character of Joseph and his 

 people and the justice of their cause comes from the commis- 

 sioner at the head of Indian affairs during and immediately after 

 the outbreak: 



I traveled with him in Kansas and the Indian Territory for 

 nearly a week and found him to be one of the most gentlemanly 

 and well-behaved Indians that I ever met. He is bright and 

 intelligent, and is anxious for the welfare of his people. . . . 

 The Nez Perces are very much superior to the Osages and Paw- 

 nees in the Indian Territory; they are even brighter than the 

 Poncas, and care should be taken to place them where they will 

 thrive. ... It will be borne in mind that Joseph has never 

 made a treaty with the United States, and that he has never 

 surrendered to the government the lands he claimed to own in 

 Idaho. ... I had occasion in my last annual report to 

 say that "Joseph and his followers have shown themselves to 

 be brave men and skilled soldiers, who, with one exception, have 

 observed the rules of civilized warfare, and have not mutilated 

 their dead enemies. " These Indians were encroached upon by 

 white settlers on soil they believed to be their own, and when 

 these encroachments became intolerable they were compelled, 

 in their own estimation, to take up arms. " — (Comr. 27a.) 



