War and death: the Battle of Camas Meadows

IDAHO FALLS — Knowing what occurred 141 years ago gave the dry, broken land a reverent feel. As we walked around the soldier’s grave, the historian pointed to the protrusions of lava rock that soldiers and warriors hid behind as they exchanged volley after volley of gunshots that began the Battle of Camas Meadows.

Upper Valley Historical Society member Jim Wood said he explored these lands many times before his heart attack. As he recounted the conflict that took place here, his passion for this land’s history emanated from his every word.

He talked about how Chief Joseph repeatedly eluded the United States troops and led his people to safety. He showed me the small piles of rocks the cavalry riflemen made as their only form of cover over 100 years ago.

He told how the soldiers lay flat on their bellies in the scorching heat of August, doing their best to follow orders and return the escaped people back to the reservation.

As we continued our exploration of the battleground, the story continued to unfold and the land’s rich history became clearer.

The late 1800s were a time great strife between the U.S. and America’s native peoples. Relations between the U.S. government and Nez Perce were no exception.

The National Park Service website was a valuable resource for delving deeper into the history that led up to the Battle of Camas Meadows. It detailed how multiple treaties resulted in the Nez Perce being forced to live on a swath of land consisting of only 10 percent of their original territory.

“They were forced onto a reservation and Chief Joseph and his sub-chiefs finally made the decision that they were not going to go on reservation,” Wood recounted as we stood next to the soldier’s grave. “So they left (Wallowa Valley, Oregon). They left with the idea of making it to Canada.”

Ultimatums and battles

It came as no surprise to find out some of the Nez Perce were not content to be confined to only 10 percent of what used to be their land. That discontentment led Gen., Oliver Otis Howard to give the Nez Perce who were living outside of the reservation 30 days to relocate, according to the National Park Service.

During those 30 days, a group of young Nez Perce warriors attacked a number of homesteads on the Salmon River, killing dozens. Fearing retribution from the government, Chief Joseph gathered his people and traveled to White Bird Canyon where they had their first encounter with the U.S. Army.

In the spring of 1877 U.S. troops engaged with the Nez Perce after a civilian volunteer opened fire on a Nez Perce peace party riding under a white flag. The resulting battle left 34 U.S. soldiers dead. The Nez Perce suffered no losses and were able to escape across the Salmon River.

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The four-month-long pursuit that ensued resulted in hundreds of deaths over multiple battles.

“The biggest, most significant battle that they had was at the Big Hole in Montana,” Wood said. “They had more casualties there than any of the other battles that they had.”

Prior to the Battle of Big Hole, a member of the Nez Perce was quoted as saying, “the warriors paraded about camp, singing, all making a good time. It was the first since war started. Everyone with good feeling. Going to buffalo country … War was quiet. All Montana citizens were our friends,” according to the National Park Service.

The Nez Perce did not know the U.S. military was hot on their heels and was preparing for battle.

“Seventeen officers, 132 men and 34 citizens started down the trail on foot, each man being provided 90 rounds of ammunition,” Civil War veteran Col. John Gibbon said in report leading up to the battle.

The military and civilian losses amounted to 31 killed and 38 wounded. Losses were much worse on the Nez Perce side with 60 to 90 men, women and children killed.

The Nez Perce were able to push the soldiers back and escape once more, despite their casualties.

The Battle of Camas Meadows

“(The U.S. troops) decided to bivouac here on Camas Creek, figuring that Chief Joseph was 18 miles or more in front of them,” Wood said.

The spot where they camped is where the soldier, 2nd Cavalry Bugler Bernard Brooks, is buried. The site itself is surrounded by large mounds of lava rock, which may have saved the lives of many of the soldiers camped there because Chief Joseph and his tribe were only camped eight miles away.

According to the National Park Service, a member of the Nez Perce tribe told Chief Joseph and the sub-chiefs he had a vision of him and others escaping with the U.S. troops’ horses. Based on the man’s vision, Chief Joseph ordered 28 men be organized into a raiding party.

“During the evening some of the (Nez Perce) from the camp came down and raided their camp and took over 200 mules and several horses,” Wood said.

One account of that night indicates the 2nd Cavalry’s blacksmith, Samual A. Glass, was mortally wounded during the raid.

Lacking a good number of their horses, the cavalry did their best to chase down the raiders all the way back to the Nez Perce camp. They didn’t expect to find the entire tribe camped in a well-protected bowl.

“(The cavalry) set up the breastworks and the rifle pits all the way around this full horseshoe-shaped area,” Wood said.

We saw many of the original rifle pits during our exploration of the battle site. Those rifle pits were nothing more than rocks piled on top of each other about a foot tall in the shape of a half-circle or a ring.

It was difficult to imagine what it must have been like for those men laying there with only some rocks as protection from the hail of bullets from the Nez Perce warriors. Those cavalry soldiers, used to fighting from horseback, only carried a few extra rounds of ammunition with them.

“They realized they were outnumbered and outflanked,” Wood said. “There were too many people — they couldn’t do anything. They couldn’t get the animals back, so they retreated back. As soon as they retreated back … then Chief Joseph took his people straight out.”

That skirmish in the middle of one Idaho’s 100-degree August days was on black, flat lava rock, and aptly named the Frying Pan Battle.

The Battle of Camas Meadows claimed the life of three U.S. soldiers. Brooks, who is believed to have been killed during the Frying Pan Battle; Glass, who clung to life for a time, finally succumbing to his injuries on the way back Virginia City, Montana; and one other, unnamed soldier who is believed to have died after the troops arrived in Virginia City.

Some controversy exists over where exactly the three U.S. soldiers were wounded as a result of the Battle of Camas Meadows. Some say all three were wounded or killed during the raid. Others say it happened during the skirmish at the Nez Perce camp.

“In the notes and the diaries … there’s different scenarios of where they actually were wounded,” Wood explained. “There’s more leaning towards they were wounded here (Frying Pan) rather than down there (Camas Creek).”

Regardless, American Flags fly proudly above the graves of Brooks and Glass. Both grave sites are quiet, reverent places that inspire reflection on what the U.S. soldiers and Nez Perce people must have gone through because of the decisions made by others in far-off places.

The Nez Perce were engaged two more times after Camas Meadow when they were finally stopped at the Battle of Bear Paw, just 40 miles away from Canada. Their goal was to join Chief Sitting Bull at his camp just across the border.

When the Nez Perce stopped to gather supplies at what is now known as the Bear Paw battlefield, they were taken by surprise when 450 U.S. soldiers attacked. The battle turned into a five-day long siege where the Nez Perce lost their horses and eventually agreed to stop fighting.

Only a few hundred managed to escape across the Canadian border.

Those who were taken into military custody were exiled to what was known as Indian Territory at the time. (We know it as Oklahoma.) After eight long years, Chief Joseph was able to convince the U.S. government to allow him and his people to return to their homeland in the Pacific Northwest.