The Battle of the Big Hole: A History of General Gibbon's Engagement with Nez Percés Indians in the Big Hole Valley, Montana, August 9th, 1877

In Short

This book serves as a focused historical record of the Battle of the Big Hole, a pivotal and violent encounter during the Nez Percé War of 1877. It documents the tactical movements of Colonel John Gibbon’s infantry, their grueling march across the Rocky Mountain divide, and the subsequent dawn surprise attack on the Nez Percé camp. By blending official military reports with the perspectives of participants, the work provides a somber, detailed examination of a campaign defined by desperation, tactical ingenuity, and heavy casualties on both sides.

The Story

The narrative begins with the geopolitical tensions surrounding the Wallowa Valley. Following treaty disputes and the federal government's insistence that the Nez Percé relocate to a reservation, grievances escalate into open conflict. After skirmishes in Idaho, the Nez Percé—led by figures including Chief Joseph, White Bird, and Looking Glass—begin a long, defensive migration toward what they hope will be the safety of the "buffalo country" and eventually the British territories.

The central action focuses on General John Gibbon, who receives orders to intercept the retreating tribe. The author describes the immense physical toll of the pursuit, detailing how Gibbon’s men must haul wagons over mountain passes and navigate difficult, uncharted terrain. As the soldiers close the distance, Lieutenant Bradley’s scouts locate the Indian camp nestled in the Big Hole Valley. Gibbon, aware that his force of fewer than 200 men faces a significantly larger number of warriors, decides to launch an immediate, surprise dawn attack rather than wait for reinforcements.

The assault is swift and chaotic. Soldiers fire directly into the lodges before charging into the camp, sparking a desperate, hand-to-hand struggle. The narrative emphasizes the initial panic among the Nez Percé, followed by their rapid recovery as they take up positions along the riverbank and in the surrounding brush. The tide turns when the soldiers, forced to retreat from the open river bottom, become pinned down in what becomes known as "Battle Gulch."

For the remainder of the engagement, the soldiers are besieged. They suffer from starvation, thirst, and constant sniper fire while digging into the rocky earth for protection. The environment itself becomes an enemy, as a brush fire threatens to consume their position until a last-minute wind shift provides a reprieve. Eventually, the Nez Percé break camp and continue their retreat, leaving behind heavy casualties. The author concludes by tracing the subsequent pursuit by General Howard and the final surrender of the Nez Percé to General Miles at the Bear Paw Mountains, immortalizing Chief Joseph’s famous, sorrowful declaration of defeat.

How It Unfolds

The gathering storm The book outlines the breakdown of treaties in the Wallowa Valley and the subsequent violence that forces the Nez Percé to flee. It highlights the frustrations of federal agents and the growing resolve of the tribal leadership to resist forced relocation.

The arduous pursuit General Gibbon leads his men on a punishing march across the Rocky Mountain divide. Soldiers and volunteers endure meager rations and broken sleep, all while navigating a trail that requires manual labor to move their equipment.

The surprise attack In the quiet of the night, the infantry creeps into the Big Hole Valley, positioning themselves just yards from the unsuspecting camp. The signal is given at dawn, turning the sleeping village into a scene of immediate, ferocious violence.

The siege at Battle Gulch After the initial charge fails to decisively end the battle, the soldiers are driven into the timber and a dry, rocky gulch. The narrative follows their desperate defensive struggle, marked by dwindling supplies and the constant threat of being overrun.

The aftermath The Nez Percé eventually abandon the site, and the author details the recovery of the dead and the long-term impact on the survivors. The account closes with the final surrender of the tribe, emphasizing the heavy price paid by both the military and the Nez Percé warriors.

The People

General John Gibbon emerges as the central figure of the narrative. Portrayed as a "brave as a lion" veteran of the Civil War, he is characterized by his strict adherence to orders and his unflinching tactical aggression. For Gibbon, the Nez Percé are a military objective to be intercepted; he is driven by a professional necessity to engage the enemy on sight, regardless of the numerical disadvantage.

Chief Joseph serves as the primary leader of the Nez Percé, though the author notes the influence of other chiefs like Looking Glass and White Bird. Joseph is depicted as a figure of high moral principles who struggles to navigate the survival of his people against the unrelenting pressure of the U.S. military. He is shown as a reluctant leader, eventually forced by the deaths of his comrades and the suffering of his people—especially the children freezing in the cold—to accept that further resistance is impossible.

Captain Charles A. Coolidge, who contributed an introduction, serves as a bridge between the reader and the military reality of the fight. His presence reinforces the author's argument that the engagement was a significant, albeit tragic, chapter in frontier history. Through these figures, the author explores the collision between the expansionist policy of the U.S. government and the desperate, often fragmented, attempts of the Nez Percé to retain their autonomy.

In Its Own Voice

"The Indians rushed from their lodges panic-stricken by the suddenness and ferocity of the attack."

This sentence captures the immediate, overwhelming impact of the surprise dawn assault on the Nez Percé camp.

"He felt himself and his little army equal to a contest with the band of hostiles in his front, and the result proved that he was correct in his estimate."

The author offers this justification for General Gibbon’s decision to attack a numerically superior force without waiting for reinforcements.

What It's Really About

At its core, this work is an argument about the nature of military duty and the ethics of frontier conflict. It seeks to defend General Gibbon’s controversial decision to attack by framing it as the honorable choice of a commander who refuses to "count hostiles" when ordered to act. Beneath this, the text grapples with the inherent cruelty of the Indian Wars, contrasting the "highly civilized" conduct of some warriors with the greed of merchants who bartered with the fugitives. It asks whether such a battle was a triumph of tactical leadership or an inevitable tragedy born of broken treaties and the relentless, often avaricious, expansion of the American frontier.

Why Read It Today

This book will appeal to readers who appreciate rigorous, primary-source-heavy military history. It provides a granular look at 19th-century combat, from the specific use of "trowel bayonets" to build rifle pits to the harrowing realities of surviving on raw horse meat under fire. It is not a polished, modern synthesis; it is a product of 1889, retaining the period’s sometimes harsh, binary views on "civilization" and "savages," which may be jarring for modern readers.

However, for those willing to navigate the historical distance, the text offers a remarkable, visceral feeling of being present in the Big Hole Valley. The author’s commitment to detailing the logistics of the march—the "hard tack and raw pork," the night-time silence, and the specific names of fallen soldiers—creates a vivid, haunting atmosphere. It stays with you not just for its military strategy, but for the stark image of the soldiers digging into the earth in "Battle Gulch" while the sun beats down on them, and the sorrowful, final words of a chief who had lost everything. It is a dense, demanding read, but one that captures the raw, jagged end of the American frontier in a way that feels uncomfortably close to the bone.