Chief Joseph

JB

Chief Joseph the young was born on 1840, in Wallowa valley witch is currently northwestern Oregon. He was given the name Hin-ma-too-yah-lat-kekt witch means Thunder rolling down the mountain. Although he took his Christian name Joseph, most people still knew him as Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt.

His father Joseph the Elder was a supporter of the longstanding peace with the whites. For example, in 1885 Joseph the Elder helped Washington’s governor set up a Nez Perce reservation that went from Oregon all the way to Idaho. The Nez Perce tribe was a tribe that lived between “The Blue Mountain” and “ Snake River”. They hunted and ate deer, elk, mountain goats and grizzly bear. They also ate salmon that they caught. But sadly, the reservation they were in became a popular area for people looking for gold. Then the federal government took back almost six million acres from the Nez Perce reservation. Joseph the Elder was outraged. He felt so betrayed by the whites. Then he denounced the US and burned his flag and tore up his bible. He then refused to move the Nez Perce tribe anywhere or sign another reservation treaty. Then Joseph the Elder died on 1871.

And then Joseph the Young was elected to succeed him. While Joseph the young was chief, an increasingly dangerous situation of white settlers continuously arriving at Wallowa Valley. Joseph didn’t want to move the tribe into the small Idaho reservation. And in 1873 they found it a possible option to try and drive the white settlers out of the area. General Oliver Otis Howard warned them that he could create a calvary attack. He then moved to the promised Idaho Reservation. But when they got there, they were turned away and not let into the area. Then, a group of tribe members that were outraged raided a nearby white settlement killing seven whites. Chief Joseph was now willing to fight against the white army. His tribe united with other tribes in the reservation. The war leaders then came up with a strategy. Chief Joseph was about to become famous for his great military retreat. Even General William Tecumseh Sherman was impressed by it. It was a 1,400 mile march. They fought with skills, such as advance and rear guards, skirmish lines and field fortifications. For over three months they fought off 2,000 US soldiers. He was known as “The Red Napoleon” by the time he surrendered on October 5, 1877. he was tired of fighting. Most of the chiefs were dead. And many people died from epidemic diseases after the war. Joseph died on 1904, and according to the doctor, his death was caused by a broken hart. Chief Joseph was a great and peaceful tribe leader.

bibiliography:http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/chiefjoseph.htm "Chief Joseph"

http://www.mce.k12tn.net/indians/famous/chief_joseph.htm "Chief Joseph"