Bridger, Montana
At this point the Nez Perce were only a few hours ahead of Colonel Sturgis, camped on the Yellowstone River. The Nez Perce had long hoped they might find refuge with their old friends, the Crow, but it was evident by this time that the Crow had sided with the government. Politically, they could not afford to fight the U.S. Army. The Nez Perce had to keep moving. The only option now was to try to join Chief Sitting Bull and the Lakota Sioux in Canada.
“A few Crow Indian warriors joined us at a point on Clark’s Fork thirty or forty miles above where it empties into the Yellowstone…The Crows attached themselves to Fisher’s little band of Bannock scouts. Other Crows arrived. Within a day or two they greatly outnumbered the Bannocks. The whole body of Indian special detectives were going here and there, in groups, presumably searching for the enemy. Most likely, they were searching for loose horses – or for anything else that was loose and desirable and conveniently transportable.”
– Private William H. White
– Private William H. White
“I do not understand how the Crows could think to help the soldiers. They were fighting against their best friends!”
– Hímiin maqsmáqs (Yellow Wolf)
– Hímiin maqsmáqs (Yellow Wolf)
