Location: Beaverhead County, Montana
Area: 1010 acres (409 hectares)
Big Hole National Battlefield is a historic site of a battle between
Nez Perce native tribes and US cavalry that was fought on 9- 10
August 1877. Big Hole Battle became the largest military engagement
of Nez Perce War that lasted for five months (June- October 1877).
The outcome of the Big Hole Баттле proved inconclusive but losses
were high among both Native Americans and US cavalry. Big Hole
National Battlefield is designated part of Nez Perce National
Historical Park, the complex of parks dedicated to the history of
Nez Perce Native American tribe.
The prelude to Nez Perce
War occurred in 1877 when General Oliver O. Howard attempted to
force Nez Perce people into a reservation. New American government
greatly reduces the size of the original reservation and prohibited
any Native Americans to stay on other parts of their original
homeland that covered Oregon, Washington, and Idaho Chief Joseph
reluctantly accepted the compulsory order. Several young Indian
warriors, however, disregarded orders of the US government and their
elders and attacked a band of white settlers massacring all of them.
Chief Joseph fearing for lives of his people were forced to retreat
across Canada border in hopes to escape retaliation of the US
cavalry.
The Battle of the Big Hole was fought on August 9,
1877 in Montana, during the Nez Perce War. It pits 200 American
soldiers under the orders of Colonel John Gibbon, who attack a camp
of 89 teepees located in the valley of the Big Hole River, against
an equivalent number of armed nose-pierced men commanded by chiefs
Looking Glass and White Bird . The American assault caused numerous
victims among the women and children living in the camp, but the
very effective resistance of the armed Native American men allowed
the majority of them to escape from the trap.
In the
mid-1870s, the United States government attempted to force the Nez
Perce onto a reservation. Several groups refused to submit to the
terms of a treaty signed in 1863 by a few chiefs who did not
represent the entire tribe. A series of events then led to a
conflict known as the Nez Perce War.
Forced to abandon their
village after the attack of the American army at the Battle of the
Clearwater on July 11 and 12, the Nez Perce hostile to the United
States headed towards Kamiah to the north and crossed the Middle
Fork of the Clearwater . On July 15, the Nez-Percé chiefs held a
council near the current town of Weippe to decide on the
continuation of their actions. Although they are unanimous that
following the Lolo Trail into Montana's Bitterroot Valley is the
best way to escape General Howard's pursuit, they are divided as to
their ultimate objective. Chief Joseph wishes to eventually return
to the Wallowa Valley; White Bird suggests fleeing to Canada while
Looking Glass strongly insists that the tribe continue their march
to the buffalo plains where they can join their friends the Crows.
Ultimately, Looking Glass's supporters prevailed and the other
leaders agreed to go along with his idea.
The Nez-Percés then
began the ascent of Lolo Pass, which they reached on July 223, while
Howard, having preferred to wait for reinforcements before launching
a large-scale operation, did not set out in pursuit until July 30.
As the Montana towards which the Nez Perce were heading was outside
his jurisdiction, Howard took care to warn by telegraph Brigadier
General Alfred H. Terry, commander of the Department of Dakota, of
the probable arrival of hostile Native Americans in his area.
jurisdiction.