For more than three months (June 17–September 30, 1877), Chief Joseph led his followers on a retreat of about 1,600–1,700 miles (2,575–2,735 km) across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, outmaneuvering the pursuing troops, which outnumbered Joseph’s warriors by a ratio of at least ten to one, and several times …
Table of Contents
What did Chief Joseph do in 1877?
For more than three months (June 17–September 30, 1877), Chief Joseph led his followers on a retreat of about 1,600–1,700 miles (2,575–2,735 km) across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, outmaneuvering the pursuing troops, which outnumbered Joseph’s warriors by a ratio of at least ten to one, and several times …

What happened to Chief Joseph on October 5th 1877?
On October 5, 1877, Chief Joseph, exhausted and disheartened, surrendered in the Bears Paw Mountains of Montana, forty miles south of Canada. Thunder Rolling Down the Mountain was born in 1840 in the Wallowa Valley of what is now northeastern Oregon.
What was Chief Joseph most famous for?
Chief Joseph (1840-1904) was a leader of the Wallowa band of the Nez Perce Tribe, who became famous in 1877 for leading his people on an epic flight across the Rocky Mountains.
How did Chief Joseph help create change in America?
Joseph the Elder’s relationship with the whites had been unprecedented. He’d been one of the early Nez Perce leaders to convert to Christianity, and his influence had gone a long way toward establishing peace with his white neighbors. In 1855, he forged a new treaty that created a new reservation for the Nez Perce.

Who said this quote when Nez Perce surrendered in 1877?
My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.” On October 5, 1877, Chief Joseph spoke these words during his surrender in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana.
What are three facts about Chief Joseph?
Interesting Facts about Chief Joseph
- The band of Nez Perce that he grew up with was the Wallowa band.
- For his military genius during the retreat, he earned the nickname the “Red Napoleon.”
- His doctor said he died from a broken heart.
What caused the Nez Perce War of 1877?
The Nez Percé War of 1877 resulted from two otherwise unrelated events: a shady treaty negotiation that ceded some tribal lands and a raid in the Wallowa valley in which several settlers were killed.
Why is Chief Joseph a hero?
Chief Joseph lived among the Nez Perce tribe. They resided in what is now Northeastern Oregon and Southeastern Washington. This Nez Perce chief still is a hero today because of his resiliency in fighting for what he knew was right. He was able to capture the hearts of his followers and of many Americans.
What was Chief Joseph’s final sentence of his famous surrender speech?
“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.” On October 5, 1877, Chief Joseph spoke these words during his surrender in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana.
What was the purpose of Chief Joseph’s surrender statement?
In actuality, Chief Joseph was a spokesman for and caretaker of his people, not a military leader. In his surrender speech, for instance, he focuses on the Nez Perce people’s lack of food and blankets, and his desire to locate the children who had been lost during the fighting.
Who was the last Indian chief to surrender?
Geronimo
When Geronimo was captured on September 4, 1886, he was the last Native American leader to formally surrender to the U.S. military. He spent the last 23 years of his life as a prisoner of war.
What war was going on in 1877?
April 24 – Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878): Russia declares war on the Ottoman Empire. May 5 – Great Sioux War of 1876: Sitting Bull leads his band of Lakota into Canada, to avoid harassment by the United States Army under Colonel Nelson Miles.
Who won the Battle against the Nez Perce in 1877?
General Nelson A. Miles
On October 5, 1877, Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph formally surrendered his forces to General Nelson A. Miles and General Oliver Otis Howard at Bear Paw Mountain, Montana Territory. This effectively ended the Nez Perce War of 1877.
What did Chief Joseph do for human rights?
Joseph never stopped pressing for land in the Wallowa Valley, and up to his death in 1904, the government kept reopening and reconsidering his claims. Joseph became an inspiration to generations of civil rights and human rights activists due his forceful message of universal liberty and equality.
What effects came from the surrender of Chief Joseph and the broken promises by the United States?
The surrender of Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce ended a decade of warfare between Indians and the U.S. government in the Far West. It meant that virtually all western Indians had been forced to live on government reservations.
Why did the government not keep its agreement with Chief Joseph?
Chief Joseph’s son, Young Joseph, assumed leadership of the Wal-lam-wat-kin band in 1871. Over the next few years, he insisted that his people were not bound by the terms of the 1863 treaty because his father had not signed it.