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Places & History  Β·  The Flight of 1877

The Flight of 1877

The events of 1877, as one Nez Perce elder suggests, can be remembered as "our people's painful and tragic encounter with Manifest Destiny." When the Nez Perce reservation was reduced to one-tenth its original size, even those who had refused to sign the 1863 Treaty were evicted from their homeland and forced onto the new reservation. What followed was a 126-day journey covering more than 1,170 miles through four present-day states.

Part One

Roots of Conflict

The complex events leading up to the Nez Perce Flight of 1877 β€” from two treaties to the forced eviction of those who had never signed.

Watercolor painting depicting the arrival of the Nez Perce at the Walla Walla Treaty on May 24, 1855.

The Treaty Era

The Treaty of 1855 designated a portion of the Nez Perce homeland as a reservation. The Treaty of 1863 reduced it in size by ninety percent.

1855–1863 β†’
A white two-story building with an outer porch.

Fort Lapwai

When war broke out in 1877, Fort Lapwai became the center of U.S. Army operations β€” until the Nez Perce crossed the Bitterroot Mountains.

near Lapwai, ID β†’
A monument beside a lake as the sun sets.

Old Chief Joseph

TΔ±wiΒ·teqΔ±s β€” Old Chief Joseph β€” refused to sell his Wallowa homeland and sign the 1863 Treaty. His remains were reburied here in 1926.

near Joseph, OR β†’
A river surrounded by rocky cliffs.

Dug Bar Crossing

On May 31, 1877, Chief Joseph's band crossed the Snake River toward the new reservation, losing several head of cattle in the passage.

May 31, 1877 β†’
A lake on a sunny day.

Tolo Lake

When the non-treaty bands gathered on June 2, 1877, three Nez Perce warriors raided homesteads in the area β€” and the fragile peace broke.

June 2, 1877 β†’
Part Two

War Breaks Out

Eventually war broke out between the non-treaty Nez Perce and the U.S. Army, forcing a 126-day, 1,170-mile journey through four states. The battles and campsites that followed continue to resonate in the hearts and minds of the Nez Perce today.

A grassy meadow and hillside on a sunny day.

White Bird Battlefield

In the first battle of the Nez Perce War, on June 17, 1877, the Nez Perce defeated the U.S. cavalry and escaped to safety.

June 17, 1877 β†’
A grassy meadow with a few shrubs and mountains in the background.

Looking Glass' 1877 Campsite

The Looking Glass Band joined the non-treaty Nez Perce on July 1, 1877, after their village was attacked by the U.S. Army.

July 1, 1877 β†’
Two signs and a monument in the shape of Idaho on the side of the road.

Cottonwood Skirmishes

From July 3–5, 1877, skirmishes took place between the U.S. Army and the Nez Perce on the Camas Prairie.

July 3–5, 1877 β†’
A grassy hillside filled with rocks.

Clearwater Battlefield

After a two-day battle on July 11–12, 1877, the Nez Perce escaped from General Oliver O. Howard's surprise attack.

July 11–12, 1877 β†’
A mountain hillside filled with conifer trees.

Lolo Trail and Pass

Seeking safety in Montana in late July 1877, the Nez Perce followed the same trail used by Lewis and Clark in 1805 and 1806.

Late July 1877 β†’
Three silhouettes of Nez Perce warriors on horseback.

Camas Meadows

On August 20, 1877, Nez Perce warriors ran off more than 200 of the Army's pack horses and mules, halting the Army's advance.

August 20, 1877 β†’
A painting that depicts two Nez Perce on top of a canyon looking down at the soldiers below.

Canyon Creek

On September 13, 1877, the Nez Perce stopped the pursuing cavalry by firing down from the canyon walls.

September 13, 1877 β†’
Painting of Nez Perce people in a snowy landscape with foreboding clouds.

Bear Paw Battlefield

From September 30 to October 5, 1877, the final battle of the Flight took place just forty miles south of the Canadian border.

Sept. 30 – Oct. 5, 1877 β†’
Map showing the route of nimΓ­ipuu south to Oklahoma and north to Canada after Bear Paw.

Aftermath

After Bear Paw, the nimΓ­ipuu were separated β€” some sent to Indian Territory in Oklahoma, others escaping north to Canada.

October 1877 onward β†’
From the National Park Service

Also Worth Reading

These parts of the story are maintained on the official National Park Service sites for Big Hole and Yellowstone. We link rather than duplicate.

External Β· nps.gov

Big Hole Battlefield History β†’

On the morning of August 9, 1877, U.S. troops surprised the Nez Perce, killing 60 to 90 men, women, and children. Big Hole is administered as its own National Park Service unit.

 External Β· nps.gov

The Flight Through Yellowstone β†’

During the thirteen days it took the Nez Perce to cross the nation's first national park, they encountered twenty-five tourists β€” some more than once.
For Further Study

Suggested Reading

Scholarly studies commissioned by the National Park Service on particular aspects of 1877, available digitally.

External Β· nps.gov

Forlorn Hope β†’

A Study of the Battle of White Bird Canyon and the Beginning of the Nez Perce Indian War.

 External Β· nps.gov

Nez Perce Summer β†’

The U.S. Army and the Nee-Me-Poo Crisis β€” Jerome A. Greene's authoritative volume.

 External Β· npshistory.com

A Sharp Little Affair β†’

The Archeology of the Big Hole Battlefield β€” a detailed site study of the August 1877 engagement.

 External Β· fs.usda.gov

Nez Perce National Historic Trail Bibliography β†’

The U.S. Forest Service's extensive bibliography of resources related to the 1877 Flight.
Historical content and photography adapted from the National Park Service (public domain). Presentation and editorial choices are Nimiipuu 54's.