Bear Paw Battlefield

The Bear Paw Battlefield is the location of the final battle of the Nez Perce Flight of 1877. Following the breakout of war in Idaho, approximately 800 nimíipuu (Nez Perce) spent a long and arduous summer fleeing U.S. Army troops first toward Crow allies and then toward refuge in Canada. After the skirmishes at Canyon Creek, the nimíipuu arrived at C’aynnim Alikinwaaspa (Place of the Manure Fire, now known as the Bear Paw Battlefield), a mere forty miles short of the Canadian border. Following a five-day battle and siege, the nimíipuu ceased fighting at Bear Paw on October 5th, 1877, in which Chief Joseph gave his immortal speech: “From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.”

All told, over 400 nimíipuu agreed to quit fighting and turn themselves over the military care. Another group of 30 to 50 nimíipuu left with White Bird that night; the last of between 200 and 300 people who did make it to Canada. The 126 day flight was over, but the plight of those capture and those who escaped to Canada was not even halfway over in terms of time and distance.