Chief Joseph & the Nez Perce War: The Fight Begins

The Wild West Extravaganza

Wild West Josh

History, Education

4.8 • 833 Ratings

🗓️ 27 August 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Battle of White Bird Canyon was one of the most lopsided defeats the U.S. Army ever suffered in the American West. On June 17, 1877, Captain David Perry led roughly one hundred soldiers and scouts into Idaho’s White Bird Canyon, believing they could quickly subdue the Nez Perce. Instead, the Nez Perce delivered a crushing defeat. In less than an hour, 34 soldiers lay dead as dozens more were forced to flee on foot. The Nez Perce, fighting for their very survival, lost not a single warrior. This stunning victory was only the beginning. Just two weeks later, Nez Perce warriors annihilated Lieutenant Rains and his command of ten men, once again without suffering a single casualty. These early triumphs showed the tactical brilliance and determination of the Nez Perce people, who had long endured broken treaties, land seizures, and violence from settlers. Once a peaceful nation led by figures such as Chief Joseph and Looking Glass, they were pushed into war after decades of betrayal and deception. The conflict would span several states, involve thousands of soldiers and volunteers, and claim hundreds of lives. But at White Bird Canyon, the Army met a devastating and unforgettable defeat. Join us as we explore the story of the Nez Perce, the opening battles of the war, and how a peaceful people were forced into one of the most legendary struggles of the Old West. Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/ Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/ Join Patreon for ad-free and bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The American public was shocked to learn of Custer's defeat at the Little Big Horn.
0:04.2	And for good reason. After all, Custer was a celebrity, a larger-than-life hero, who everyone just sort of assumed would make quick work of the hostiles.
0:13.0	And, of course, the exact opposite happened.
0:15.6	Rather than conquer the Lakota, the boy general instead led over 200 of his men to an untimely demise.
0:21.8	But did you know that the U.S. Army would suffer two similar defeats a year later?
0:26.8	Albeit, just a little smaller in scale.
0:29.6	The first loss came on the morning of June 17, 1877.
0:33.6	Captain David Perry and around 100 troops, along with about a dozen scouts,
0:37.6	attracted a few bands of renegade Ness Purse all the way to Idaho's White Bird Canyon.
0:42.4	And although they outnumbered the warriors two to one, it proved to be a resounding defeat.
0:47.5	According to historian Daniel Sharfstein, quote,
0:50.4	The soldiers who survived White Bird Canyon would remember nothing of their foes.
0:55.1	They heard the air whistle with lead, saw their comrades and horses wounded and dying,
0:59.6	but barely laid eyes on the Indians before running away.
1:03.1	The enemy's power was an anonymous fury, shrouded in dust and smoke, end of quote.
1:08.8	Not only with 34 soldiers lose their lives in a matter of minutes,
1:12.4	but the rest of them, including the commander, Captain Perry, were forced to flee on foot.
1:17.1	And then just to add insult to injury, they failed to kill a single opponent.
1:21.5	A few of the Nespers sustained minor injuries, but that's it.
1:25.2	The next loss came just 16 days later, some 20-odd miles to the north near present-day Cottonwood, Idaho.
1:31.8	A pair of civilian scouts had the misfortune of bumping into a nest per century by the name
1:35.8	a red spy.
	...

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