F1-Biography

Chief Joseph was born in Wallowa Valley in 1840. Wallowa Valley is now in northeastern Oregon. His real name meant Thunder Rolling Down The Mountain but he was mostly known as Joseph. His father gave him this name from when he was baptized. Chief Joseph’s father died in 1871. Joseph was elected to succeed him. When this happened, he also accepted the situation that was made only worse as white settlers kept arriving in Wallowa Valley. He never wanted to force his band onto the small Idaho Reservation. In 1873, a federal order was passed to remove white settlers from his land in Wallowa Valley. Four years later, General Oliver Otis Howard threatened Joseph and his people with a cavalry attack to get them onto the reservation. Joseph knew there was no way to win so he led his people to Idaho where the reservation was waiting for them. They never made I to Idaho though. Twenty young warriors from Josephs band broke off and staged a raid on nearby settlers. The army soon began to pursue Joseph and his band onto the reservation. In the first place, Joseph had opposed war. He knew though that it was already too late to plead peace and put his lot with the war leaders. As a result of his military stand, one of the most brilliant retreats in American History took place. Even the general was impressed by Joseph’s 1,400 mile march. Over a span of three months, Joseph’s band of about 700 fought off 2,000 U.S. soldiers in four major battles and countless skirmishes. Joseph surrendered on October 5, 1877. He had earned the nickname “the red Napoleon” by the American press. He thouight that by surrendering that his people would be allowed to return home but first they were taken to Kansas and then to an Indian Reservation. In the few years befoe his death, Jospeh spoke out against the American government and its policy toward Native Americans. He died in 1904, according to his doctor, of a “broken heart”.