The　main　plan　of　campaign　was　to　engineer　a　successful　retreat
  into　Montana　and　there　form　a　junction　with　the　hostile　Sioux　and
  Cheyennes　under　Sitting　Bull。　　There　was　a　relay　scouting　system；
  one　set　of　scouts　leaving　the　main　body　at　evening　and　the　second
  a　little　before　daybreak；　passing　the　first　set　on　some　commanding
  hill　top。　　There　were　also　decoy　scouts　set　to　trap　Indian　scouts
  of　the　army。　　I　notice　that　General　Howard　charges　his　Crow　scouts
  with　being　unfaithful。
  Their　greatest　difficulty　was　in　meeting　an　unencumbered　army；
  while　carrying　their　women；　children；　and　old　men；　with　supplies
  and　such　household　effects　as　were　absolutely　necessary。　　Joseph
  formed　an　auxiliary　corps　that　was　to　effect　a　retreat　at　each
  engagement；　upon　a　definite　plan　and　in　definite　order；　while　the
  unencumbered　women　were　made　into　an　ambulance　corps　to　take　care
  of　the　wounded。
  It　was　decided　that　the　main　rear　guard　should　meet　General
  Howard's　command　in　White　Bird　Canyon；　and　every　detail　was　planned
  in　advance；　yet　left　flexible　according　to　Indian　custom；　giving
  each　leader　freedom　to　act　according　to　circumstances。　　Perhaps　no
  better　ambush　was　ever　planned　than　the　one　Chief　Joseph　set　for
  the　shrewd　and　experienced　General　Howard。　　He　expected　to　be　hotly
  pursued；　but　he　calculated　that　the　pursuing　force　would　consist　of
  not　more　than　two　hundred　and　fifty　soldiers。　　He　prepared　false
  trails　to　mislead　them　into　thinking　that　he　was　about　to　cross　or
  had　crossed　the　Salmon　River；　which　he　had　no　thought　of　doing　at
  that　time。　　Some　of　the　tents　were　pitched　in　plain　sight；　while
  the　women　and　children　were　hidden　on　the　inaccessible　ridges；　and
  the　men　concealed　in　the　canyon　ready　to　fire　upon　the　soldiers
  with　deadly　effect　with　scarcely　any　danger　to　themselves。　　They
  could　even　roll　rocks　upon　them。
  In　a　very　few　minutes　the　troops　had　learned　a　lesson。　　The
  soldiers　showed　some　fight；　but　a　large　body　of　frontiersmen　who
  accompanied　them　were　soon　in　disorder。　　The　warriors　chased　them
  nearly　ten　miles；　securing　rifles　and　much　ammunition；　and　killing
  and　wounding　many。
  The　Nez　Perces　next　crossed　the　river；　made　a　detour　and
  recrossed　it　at　another　point；　then　took　their　way　eastward。　　All
  this　was　by　way　of　delaying　pursuit。　　Joseph　told　me　that　he
  estimated　it　would　take　six　or　seven　days　to　get　a　sufficient　force
  in　the　field　to　take　up　their　trail；　and　the　correctness　of　his
  reasoning　is　apparent　from　the　facts　as　detailed　in　General
  Howard's　book。　　He　tells　us　that　he　waited　six　days　for　the　arrival
  of　men　from　various　forts　in　his　department；　then　followed　Joseph
  with　six　hundred　soldiers；　beside　a　large　number　of　citizen
  volunteers　and　his　Indian　scouts。　　As　it　was　evident　they　had　a
  long　chase　over　trackless　wilderness　in　prospect；　he　discarded　his
  supply　wagons　and　took　pack　mules　instead。　　But　by　this　time　the
  Indians　had　a　good　start。
  Meanwhile　General　Howard　had　sent　a　dispatch　to　Colonel
  Gibbons；　with　orders　to　head　Joseph　off；　which　he　undertook　to　do
  at　the　Montana　end　of　the　Lolo　Trail。　　The　wily　commander　had　no
  knowledge　of　this　move；　but　he　was　not　to　be　surprised。　　He　was　too
  brainy　for　his　pursuers；　whom　he　constantly　outwitted；　and　only
  gave　battle　when　he　was　ready。　　There　at　the　Big　Hole　Pass　he　met
  Colonel　Gibbons'　fresh　troops　and　pressed　them　close。　　He　sent　a
  party　under　his　brother　Ollicut　to　harass　Gibbons'　rear　and　rout
  the　pack　mules；　thus　throwing　him　on　the　defensive　and　causing　him
  to　send　for　help；　while　Joseph　continued　his　masterly　retreat
  toward　the　Yellowstone　Park；　then　a　wilderness。　　However；　this　was
  but　little　advantage　to　him；　since　he　must　necessarily　leave　a
  broad　trail；　and　the　army　was　augmenting　its　columns　day　by　day
  with　celebrated　scouts；　both　white　and　Indian。　　The　two　commands
  came　together；　and　although　General　Howard　says　their　horses　were
  by　this　time　worn　out；　and　by　inference　the　men　as　well；　they
  persisted　on　the　trail　of　a　party　encumbered　by　women　and　children；
  the　old；　sick；　and　wounded。
  It　was　decided　to　send　a　detachment　of　cavalry　under　Bacon；　to
  Tash　Pass；　the　gateway　of　the　National　Park；　which　Joseph　would
  have　to　pass；　with　orders　to　detain　him　there　until　the　rest　could
  come　up　with　them。　　Here　is　what　General　Howard　says　of　the　affair。
  〃Bacon　got　into　position　soon　enough　but　he　did　not　have　the　heart
  to　fight　the　Indians　on　account　of　their　number。〃　　Meanwhile
  another　incident　had　occurred。　　Right　under　the　eyes　of　the　chosen
  scouts　and　vigilant　sentinels；　Joseph's　warriors　fired　upon　the
  army　camp　at　night　and　ran　off　their　mules。　　He　went　straight　on
  toward　the　park；　where　Lieutenant　Bacon　let　him　get　by　and　pass
  through　the　narrow　gateway　without　firing　a　shot。
  Here　again　it　was　demonstrated　that　General　Howard　could　not
  depend　upon　the　volunteers；　many　of　whom　had　joined　him　in　the
  chase；　and　were　going　to　show　the　soldiers　how　to　fight　Indians。
  In　this　night　attack　at　Camas　Meadow；　they　were　demoralized；　and
  while　crossing　the　river　next　day　many　lost　their　guns　in　the
  water；　whereupon　all　packed　up　and　went　home；　leaving　the　army　to
  be　guided　by　the　Indian　scouts。
  However；　this　succession　of　defeats　did　not　discourage　General
  Howard；　who　kept　on　with　as　many　of　his　men　as　were　able　to　carry
  a　gun；　meanwhile　sending　dispatches　to　all　the　frontier　posts　with
  orders　to　intercept　Joseph　if　possible。　　Sturgis　tried　to　stop　him
  as　the　Indians　entered　the　Park；　but　they　did　not　meet　until　he　was
  about　to　come　out；　when　there　was　another　fight；　with　Joseph　again
  victorious。　　General　Howard　came　upon　the　battle　field　soon
  afterward　and　saw　that　the　Indians　were　off　again；　and　from　here　he
  sent　fresh　messages　to　General　Miles；　asking　for　reinforcements。
  Joseph　had　now　turned　northeastward　toward　the　Upper　Missouri。
  He　told　me　that　when　he　got　into　that　part　of　the　country　he　knew
  he　was　very　near　the　Canadian　line　and　could　not　be　far　from
  Sitting　Bull；　with　whom　he　desired　to　form　an　alliance。　　He　also
  believed　that　he　had　cleared　all　the　forts。　　Therefore　he　went　more
  slowly　and　tried　to　give　his　people　some　rest。　　Some　of　their　best
  men　had　been　killed　or　wounded　in　battle；　and　the　wounded　were　a
  great　burden　to　him；　nevertheless　they　were　carried　and　tended
  patiently　all　during　this　wonderful　flight。　　Not　one　was　ever　left
  behind。
  It　is　the　general　belief　that　Indians　are　cruel　and
  revengeful；　and　surely　these　people　had　reason　to　hate　the　race　who
  had　driven　them　from　their　homes　if　any　people　ever　had。　　Yet　it　is
  a　fact　that　when　Joseph　met　visitors　and　travelers　in　the　Park；
  some　of　whom　were　women；　he　allowed　them　to　pass　unharmed；　and　in
  at　least　one　instance　let　them　have　horses。　　He　told　me　that　he
  gave　strict　orders　to　his　men　not　to　kill　any　women　or　children。
  He　wished　to　meet　his　adversaries　according　to　their　own　standards
  of　warfare；　but　he　afterward　learned　that　in　spite　of　professions
  of　humanity；　white　soldiers　have　not　seldom　been　known　to　kill
  women　and　children　indiscriminately。
  Another　remarkable　thing　about　this　noted　retreat　is　that
  Joseph's　people　stood　behind　him　to　a　man；　and　even　the　women　and
  little　boys　did　each　his　part。　　The　latter　were　used　as　scouts　in
  the　immediate　vicinity　of　the　camp。
  The　Bittersweet　valley；　which　they　had　now　entered；　was　full
  of　game；　and　the　Indians　hunted　for　food；　while　resting　their
  worn…out　ponies。　　One　morning　they　had　a　council　to　which　Joseph
  rode　over　bareback；　as　they　had　camped　in　two　divisions　a　little
  apart。　　His　fifteen…year…old　daughter　went　with　him。　　They
  discussed　sending　runners　to　Sitting　Bull　to　ascertain　his　exact
  whereabouts　and　whether　it　would　be　agreeable　to　him　to　join　forces
  with　the　Nez　Perces。　　In　the　midst　of　the　council；　a　force　of
  United　States　cavalry　charged　down　the　hill　between　the　two　camps。
  This　once　Joseph　was　surprised。　　He　had　seen　no　trace　of　the
  soldiers　and　had　somewhat　relaxed　his　vigilance。
  He　told　his　little　daughter　to　stay　where　she　was；　and　himself
  cut　right　through　the　cavalry　and　rode　up　to　his　own　teepee；　where
  his　wife　met　him　at　the　door　with　his　rifle；　crying：　〃Here　is　your
  gun；　husband！〃　　The　warriors　quickly　gathered　and　pressed　the
  soldiers　so　hard　that　they　had　to　withdraw。　　Meanwhile　one　set　of
  the　people　fled　while　Joseph's　own　band　entrenched　themselves　in　a
  very　favorable　position　from　which　they　could　not　easily　be
  dislodged。
  General　Miles　had　received　and　acted　on　General　Howard's
  message；　and　he　now　sent　one　of　his　officers　with　some　Indian
  scouts　into　Joseph's　camp　to　negotiate　with　the　chief。　　Meantime
  Howard　and　Sturgis　came　up　with　the　encampment；　and　Howard　had　with
  him　two　friendly　Nez　Perce　scouts　who　were　directed　to　talk　to
  Joseph　in　his　own　language。　　He　decided　that　there　was　nothing　to
  do　but　surrender。
  He　had　believed　that　his　e