Nez Perce War (jun 13, 1877 – 14h 20min, oct 5, 1877 y)
Description:
A conflict between the US and the Nez Perce tribe in the West (OR, ID, MT, and WY) over land. In 1855, the Treaty of Walla Walla was signed, granting the tribe 7.5 million acres of land in the territory they controlled. However, the US infringed upon this agreement in 1877 and insisted the tribe move to a reservation in Idaho. The Nez Perce refused, spurring the US to send the military in to force them. A couple hundred Nez Perce fled to Canada for safety, while a smaller group attempted to fend off the US attackers. The war climaxed with the Battle of the Big Hole in southwest MT Territory, where both the Nez Perce and the US suffered several dozen casualties. Nearly all the Nez Perce leaders, such as Looking Glass, Ollokot, and Toohoolhoolzote, were killed. On September 30, the US Brigadier General Nelson A. Miles led a surprise attack on Nez Perce Chief Joseph, who surrendered by October 5. In his famous speech, Chief Joseph declared that "I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed… 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… My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever."
Casualties:
125 US troops killed
146 US troops wounded
103-133 Nez Perce killed
71-891 Nez Perce wounded
418 Nez Perce surrendered
150-200 Nez Perce fled to Canada
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