{"id":3415,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-04-17 19:40:15","latitude":48.377417405801537597653805278241634368896484375,"longitude":-109.2106051044798959992476738989353179931640625,"title":"Bear Paw Battlefield","subtitle":"Place of the Manure Fire","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/2cc500a89bcb5b00e85e732474191fc3.jpg","address":"Bear Paw Battlefield is located on Route 240 sixteen miles south of the town of Chinook \r\n\r\nNPS Staff Office\r\n301 Ohio Street\r\nChinook, MT 59523","all_locations":[],"zoom":6,"creator":["Montana Historical Society"],"description":"The U.S. Army’s final attempt to remove nontreaty Nez Perce (or Niimiipuu, pronounced Nee-me-poo) from their homeland in northeast Oregon in the summer of 1877 launched their 1,170-mile flight. It culminated at Bear Paw Battlefield south of present-day Chinook. Although the nontreaty Niimiipuu had reluctantly agreed to move onto Idaho’s Lapwai reservation in June 1877, young warriors raided settlers, prompting an ill-conceived Army attack on the nontreaty bands at White Bird Canyon in Idaho. After defeating the Army attack, the Niimiipuu council resolved to escape the inevitable Army response, crossing Lolo Pass into Montana with approximately 800 people to seek refuge with Crow allies. An Army column commanded by General Oliver Otis Howard pursued the Niimipuu into Montana. Battles at the Big Hole and Canyon Creek altered Niimipuu strategy, and they turned north to Canada. Two fateful decisions shaped the ensuing Battle of the Bear Paw. The Niimipuu slowed their movement north to give respite to children and elders. Meanwhile, Howard dispatched Colonel Nelson Miles from the Tongue River Cantonment to stop their flight. On the morning of September 30, 1877, Miles attacked the Niimiipuu camp at Snake Creek in the Bear Paw Mountains. Miles led the main attack on the Niimiipuu warriors in the bluffs with the Seventh Cavalry and Fifth Infantry while the Second Cavalry attacked the Niimiipuu ponies. The Niimiipuu warriors blunted Miles’ attack but could not save the herd. Without the ability to counterattack or flee, the warriors defended their camp. October 1 brought snow to the mountains as both sides dug in. On October 5, exhausted and freezing, Joseph and 400 Niimiipuu surrendered. Handing his rifle to Miles, Joseph reportedly declared, “From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.” Approximately 300 Niimiipuu escaped to Canada.","sponsor":"Montana Historical Society","accessinfo":"","lede":"","website":"https://www.nps.gov/nepe/planyourvisit/bear-paw-battlefield.htm","related_resources":[],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/2cc500a89bcb5b00e85e732474191fc3.jpg":{"id":5478,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Bear Paw Battlefield","description":"Bear Paw Battlefield is the last battle during the Flight of 1877 | National Park Service | Unknown | National Park Service","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/2cc500a89bcb5b00e85e732474191fc3.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/c4e42692dc049eb5e6e55f799d56ae7c.jpg":{"id":5477,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Battlefield Monument","description":"Battlefield Monument | National Park Service | Unknown | National Park Service","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/c4e42692dc049eb5e6e55f799d56ae7c.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/7b8f264386fd33483d022c224eed29cb.jpg":{"id":5469,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Portrait of Chief Joseph","description":"Joseph is seated in a photographer's studio, wearing a plaid shirt, pants, blanket, and moccasins. He has a knife scabbard at his waist and a watch chain attached to his vest. He is holding a tomahawk. A painted, naturalistic background is behind him | Montana Historical Society Photograph Archives, Photo 955-968 | Unknown | Unknown Photographer","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/7b8f264386fd33483d022c224eed29cb.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/689be59a649920dff1721ce1797438e6.jpg":{"id":5470,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Nelson Miles","description":"Portrait of General Nelson Miles, wearing an animal fur hat and a cape with animal fur. | Montana Historical Society Photograph Archives | 1876 | L.A. Huffman","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/689be59a649920dff1721ce1797438e6.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/6211ce06e31581ff6f8b6ae5db3b0ba5.jpg":{"id":6011,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Bear Paw Battlefield","description":"Photo of grassy hills.  | Montana Historical Society | 25 September, 2023 | Tom Ferris, photographer","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/6211ce06e31581ff6f8b6ae5db3b0ba5.jpg"}}}