Mary Lou McCloskey's Resource Pages
Background on Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce
Photos of Chief Joseph and his reservation home.
Map of the Nez Perce Trail in the Nez Perce National Park
Memories
of Chief Joseph by a descendant.
Looking Glass. Famous Nez Perce warrior. More - Picture. Photos.
Toolhulsote A wise old man of the Nez Perce.
He
who led the young men Chief Joseph's younger brother, Olikut,
was the leader of the warriors.
WebText by Mary Lou McCloskey, Ph.D.
Chief Joseph's Land, by David Manuel
I
Will Fight No More Forever
Surrender
Speech by Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce
I
am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking
Glass is dead. Toohulhulsote is dead.
The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no.
He
who led the young men is dead.
It is cold and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing
to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills and
have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are--perhaps freezing
to death. I want to have time to look for my children and see how
many I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead.
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.
Background
Joseph
was chief of the Nez Perce,
a Native American tribe of the Wallowa
Valley in Northwest Oregon. In 1877
the Nez Pierce were ordered to a reservation, or special land reserved
for Native Americans. The Nez Pierce refused to go. Instead,
Chief Joseph tried to lead 800 of his people to Canada. Fighting
the U.S. Army all along their 1100 mile journey, they crossed Idaho and
Montana. They were trapped just forty miles from Canada. After
a five-day fight, the remaining 431 remaining Nez Perce were beaten.
It
was then, on October 5, 1877 at Bears
Paw, that Chief Joseph made his speech of surrender.
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Map of the Nez Perce Trail
If you have comments or suggestions,
email Mary Lou McCloskey
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