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61
FLIGHT
for
FREEDOM
through the rugged Bitterroot Mountains on a flight for their
lives. Ironically, among them was the 72-year old son of Captain
Clark. Along the way they had already successfully fought two
battles and several skirmishes with General O.O. Howard, an
ex-Civil War soldier who was tasked with getting all Nez Perce
onto the new reservation.
To these Nez Perce, Montana meant freedom—a place to start
anew. They had left Idaho, so they didn't think Howard or the
government would bother them here. This was also familiar ter-
ritory. Nez Perce hunting parties headed east over these moun-
tains to the plains for buffalo for generations. Over the years
they had made friends here—friends they thought would help
them now. Among those were the Bitterroot Salish, the recent
white settlers of the Bitterroot Valley and the Crows to the east.
However, neither the Salish nor the Crows would offer aid and
assistance, fearing retribution from the government. The white
settlers were happy to do business with them and take their
money, but were glad when they moved along.
Times and technology were changing rapidly in the latter half
of the nineteenth century. The exiles were unaware of the tele-
graph, allowing communication over vast distances at nearly
the speed of light. Through this, the military were able to
keep track of them, mobilizing unit after unit along their
way and giving them no rest. Through it, their whole
struggle also played out in the newspapers and tab-
General O.O. Howard
