Joseph’s father had converted to Christianity but tore up his bible when the gold rush led to the U.S. taking back millions of acres of Indian lands which were the subject of an 1855 treaty. This was followed by attempted forced removal of the tribe to reservations. Tensions were high and white settlers were killed by fellow Chief White Bird’s men.
In 1877 Chief Joseph, White Bird and Looking Glass made the decision to make the long trek to Canada in hope of preserving the freedom of the tribe. Around 700 people set off on the 400 mile march, their 200 warriors fighting off around 2000 U.S. soldiers along the way.
After four months they nearly made it, having reached the Bear Paw Mountains in Montana; but only 87 fighting men survived and conditions were desperate. Chief Joseph surrendered and is reported to have made this speech:
“I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Toohoolhoolzote is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say Yes or No. He who led the young men (Olikut) 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 of them 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."
The survivors were escorted to Oklahoma and imprisoned at Fort Leavenworth. In 1885 they were allowed to return to the Pacific Northwest. Joseph died in 1904 and is buried on the Colville reservation.
Sources and reading: Biography.com
