In 1877 the United States opened up Nez Perce lands in the
Oregon Territory to mining and other public use. Rather than relocate to a
reservation, a group of the Nez Perce people led by Chief Joseph chose to
retreat to Canada. With United States Army troops led by General Oliver O.
Howard and others in pursuit, the group traveled all the way to the northern
edge of the Bear Paw Mountains in Montana, where they were attacked and engaged
in heavy fighting for several days. Chief Joseph surrendered on October 5, 1877.
His statement is among the most well-known surrender speeches in history.
Chief Joseph: 'I Will Fight No More Forever'
Tell General Howard I know his heart. What he told me
before, I have it in my heart. I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed;
Looking-Glass is dead, Ta-Hool-Hool-Shute is dead. The old men are all dead. It
is the young men who say yes or no. He who led on the young men [Chief Joseph’s
brother] 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.
Source: The Penguin Book of Historic Speeches.
MacArthur, Brian, ed. Penguin Books, 1996.
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