Joseph　in　his　own　language。　　He　decided　that　there　was　nothing　to
  do　but　surrender。
  He　had　believed　that　his　escape　was　all　but　secure：　then　at
  the　last　moment　he　was　surprised　and　caught　at　a　disadvantage。　　His
  army　was　shattered；　he　had　lost　most　of　the　leaders　in　these
  various　fights；　his　people；　including　children；　women；　and　the
  wounded；　had　traveled　thirteen　hundred　miles　in　about　fifty　days；
  and　he　himself　a　young　man　who　had　never　before　taken　any　important
  responsibility！　　Even　now　he　was　not　actually　conquered。　　He　was
  well　entrenched；　his　people　were　willing　to　die　fighting；　but　the
  army　of　the　United　States　offered　peace　and　he　agreed；　as　he　said；
  out　of　pity　for　his　suffering　people。　　Some　of　his　warriors　still
  refused　to　surrender　and　slipped　out　of　the　camp　at　night　and
  through　the　lines。　　Joseph　had；　as　he　told　me；　between　three　and
  four　hundred　fighting　men　in　the　beginning；　which　means　over　one
  thousand　persons；　and　of　these　several　hundred　surrendered　with
  him。
  His　own　story　of　the　conditions　he　made　was　prepared　by
  himself　with　my　help　in　1897；　when　he　came　to　Washington　to　present
  his　grievances。　　I　sat　up　with　him　nearly　all　of　one　night；　and　I
  may　add　here　that　we　took　the　document　to　General　Miles　who　was
  then　stationed　in　Washington；　before　presenting　it　to　the
  Department。　　The　General　said　that　every　word　of　it　was　true。
  In　the　first　place；　his　people　were　to　be　kept　at　Fort　Keogh；
  Montana；　over　the　winter　and　then　returned　to　their　reservation。
  Instead　they　were　taken　to　Fort　Leavenworth；　Kansas；　and　placed
  between　a　lagoon　and　the　Missouri　River；　where　the　sanitary
  conditions　made　havoc　with　them。　　Those　who　did　not　die　were　then
  taken　to　the　Indian　Territory；　where　the　health　situation　was　even
  worse。　　Joseph　appealed　to　the　government　again　and　again；　and　at
  last　by　the　help　of　Bishops　Whipple　and　Hare　he　was　moved　to　the
  Colville　reservation　in　Washington。　　Here　the　land　was　very　poor；
  unlike　their　own　fertile　valley。　　General　Miles　said　to　the　chief
  that　he　had　recommended　and　urged　that　their　agreement　be　kept；　but
  the　politicians　and　the　people　who　occupied　the　Indians'　land
  declared　they　were　afraid　if　he　returned　he　would　break　out　again
  and　murder　innocent　white　settlers！　　What　irony！
  The　great　Chief　Joseph　died　broken…spirited　and
  broken…hearted。　　He　did　not　hate　the　whites；　for　there　was　nothing
  small　about　him；　and　when　he　laid　down　his　weapons　he　would　not
  fight　on　with　his　mind。　　But　he　was　profoundly　disappointed　in　the
  claims　of　a　Christian　civilization。　　I　call　him　great　because　he
  was　simple　and　honest。　　Without　education　or　special　training　he
  demonstrated　his　ability　to　lead　and　to　fight　when　justice
  demanded。　　He　outgeneraled　the　best　and　most　experienced　commanders
  in　the　army　of　the　United　States；　although　their　troops　were　well
  provisioned；　well　armed；　and　above　all　unencumbered。　　He　was　great
  finally；　because　he　never　boasted　of　his　remarkable　feat。　　I　am
  proud　of　him；　because　he　was　a　true　American。
  LITTLE　WOLF
  If　any　people　ever　fought　for　liberty　and　justice；　it　was　the
  Cheyennes。　　If　any　ever　demonstrated　their　physical　and　moral
  courage　beyond　cavil；　it　was　this　race　of　purely　American　heroes；
  among　whom　Little　Wolf　was　a　leader。
  I　knew　the　chief　personally　very　well。　　As　a　young　doctor；　I
  was　sent　to　the　Pine　Ridge　agency　in　1890；　as　government　physician
  to　the　Sioux　and　the　Northern　Cheyennes。　　While　I　heard　from　his
  own　lips　of　that　gallant　dash　of　his　people　from　their　southern
  exile　to　their　northern　home；　I　prefer　that　Americans　should　read
  of　it　in　Doctor　George　Bird　Grinnell's　book；　〃The　Fighting
  Cheyennes。〃　　No　account　could　be　clearer　or　simpler；　and　then　too；
  the　author　cannot　be　charged　with　a　bias　in　favor　of　his　own　race。
  At　the　time　that　I　knew　him；　Little　Wolf　was　a　handsome　man；
  with　the　native　dignity　and　gentleness；　musical　voice；　and　pleasant
  address　of　so　many　brave　leaders　of　his　people。　　One　day　when　he
  was　dining　with　us　at　our　home　on　the　reservation；　I　asked　him；　as
  I　had　a　habit　of　doing；　for　some　reminiscences　of　his　early　life。
  He　was　rather　reluctant　to　speak；　but　a　friend　who　was　present
  contributed　the　following：
  〃Perhaps　I　can　tell　you　why　it　is　that　he　has　been　a　lucky　man
  all　his　life。　　When　quite　a　small　boy；　the　tribe　was　one　winter　in
  want　of　food；　and　his　good　mother　had　saved　a　small　piece　of
  buffalo　meat；　which　she　solemnly　brought　forth　and　placed　before
  him　with　the　remark：　'My　son　must　be　patient；　for　when　he　grows　up
  he　will　know　even　harder　times　than　this。'
  〃He　had　eaten　nothing　all　day　and　was　pretty　hungry；　but
  before　he　could　lay　hands　on　the　meat　a　starving　dog　snatched　it
  and　bolted　from　the　teepee。　　The　mother　ran　after　the　dog　and
  brought　him　back　for　punishment。　　She　tied　him　to　a　post　and　was
  about　to　whip　him　when　the　boy　interfered。　　'Don't　hurt　him；
  mother！'　he　cried；　'he　took　the　meat　because　he　was　hungrier　than
  I　am！'〃
  I　was　told　of　another　kind　act　of　his　under　trying
  circumstances。　　While　still　a　youth；　he　was　caught　out　with　a　party
  of　buffalo　hunters　in　a　blinding　blizzard。　　They　were　compelled　to
  lie　down　side　by　side　in　the　snowdrifts；　and　it　was　a　day　and　a
  night　before　they　could　get　out。　　The　weather　turned　very　cold；　and
  when　the　men　arose　they　were　in　danger　of　freezing。　　Little　Wolf
  pressed　his　fine　buffalo　robe　upon　an　old　man　who　was　shaking　with
  a　chill　and　himself　took　the　other's　thin　blanket。
  As　a　full…grown　young　man；　he　was　attracted　by　a　maiden　of　his
  tribe；　and　according　to　the　custom　then　in　vogue　the　pair
  disappeared。　　When　they　returned　to　the　camp　as　man　and　wife；
  behold！　there　was　great　excitement　over　the　affair。　　It　seemed　that
  a　certain　chief　had　given　many　presents　and　paid　unmistakable　court
  to　the　maid　with　the　intention　of　marrying　her；　and　her　parents　had
  accepted　the　presents；　which　meant　consent　so　far　as　they　were
  concerned。　　But　the　girl　herself　had　not　given　consent。
  The　resentment　of　the　disappointed　suitor　was　great。　　It　was
  reported　in　the　village　that　he　had　openly　declared　that　the　young
  man　who　defied　and　insulted　him　must　expect　to　be　punished。　　As
  soon　as　Little　Wolf　heard　of　the　threats；　he　told　his　father　and
  friends　that　he　had　done　only　what　it　is　every　man's　privilege　to
  do。
  〃Tell　the　chief；〃　said　he；　〃to　come　out　with　any　weapon　he
  pleases；　and　I　will　meet　him　within　the　circle　of　lodges。　　He　shall
  either　do　this　or　eat　his　words。　　The　woman　is　not　his。　　Her　people
  accepted　his　gifts　against　her　wishes。　　Her　heart　is　mine。〃
  The　chief　apologized；　and　thus　avoided　the　inevitable　duel；
  which　would　have　been　a　fight　to　the　death。
  The　early　life　of　Little　Wolf　offered　many　examples　of　the
  dashing　bravery　characteristic　of　the　Cheyennes；　and　inspired　the
  younger　men　to　win　laurels　for　themselves。　　He　was　still　a　young
  man；　perhaps　thirty…five；　when　the　most　trying　crisis　in　the
  history　of　his　people　came　upon　them。　　As　I　know　and　as　Doctor
  Grinnell's　book　amply　corroborates；　he　was　the　general　who　largely
  guided　and　defended　them　in　that　tragic　flight　from　the　Indian
  Territory　to　their　northern　home。　　I　will　not　discuss　the　justice
  of　their　cause：　I　prefer　to　quote　Doctor　Grinnell；　lest　it　appear
  that　I　am　in　any　way　exaggerating　the　facts。
  〃They　had　come；〃　he　writes；　〃from　the　high；　dry　country　of
  Montana　and　North　Dakota　to　the　hot　and　humid　Indian　Territory。
  They　had　come　from　a　country　where　buffalo　and　other　game　were
  still　plentiful　to　a　land　where　the　game　had　been　exterminated。
  Immediately　on　their　arrival　they　were　attacked　by　fever　and　ague；
  a　disease　wholly　new　to　them。　　Food　was　scanty；　and　they　began　to
  starve。　　The　agent　testified　before　a　committee　of　the　Senate　that
  he　never　received　supplies　to　subsist　the　Indians　for　more　than
  nine　months　in　each　year。　　These　people　were　meat…eaters；　but　the
  beef　furnished　them　by　the　government　inspectors　was　no　more　than
  skin　and　bone。　　The　agent　in　describing　their　sufferings　said：
  'They　have　lived　and　that　is　about　all。'
  〃The　Indians　endured　this　for　about　a　year；　and　then　their
  patience　gave　out。　　They　left　the　agency　to　which　they　had　been
  sent　and　started　north。　　Though　troops　were　camped　close　to　them；
  they　attempted　no　concealment　of　their　purpose。　　Instead；　they
  openly　announced　that　they　intended　to　return　to　their　own　country。
  We　have　heard　much　in　past　years　of　the　march　of　the　Nez
  Perces　under　Chief　Joseph；　but　little　is　remembered　of　the　Dull
  Knife　outbreak　and　the　march　to　the　north　led　by　Little　Wolf。　　The
  story　of　the　journey　has　not　been　told；　but　in　the　traditions　of
  the　old　army　this　campaign　was　notable；　and　old　men　who　were
  stationed　on　the　plains　forty　years　ago　are　apt　to　tell　you；　if　you
  ask　them；　that　there　never　was　such　another　journey　since　the
  Greeks　marched　to　the　sea。　。