By August 11, 1877, the day after the Battle of Big Hole, the Nespers had been running and fighting the U.S.

Army for seven weeks. The first engagement was the Battle of White Bird Canyon on June 17th.

There were smaller fights in early July, and then came the Battle of Clearwater on July 11th and 12th.

After that tough loss, the Nesce went on the run. The five

bands who would not submit to life on a reservation fled east, crossed the Bitterroot

mountains in the central part of the Rocky Mountain Range, and moved down into western Montana.

About two weeks later, they were caught by Colonel John Gibbons' army in a high

mountain valley. That valley borders modern-day Highway 43 outside the tiny town of Wisdom, Montana.

The Battle of Big Hole could probably be considered a draw. Gibbons' force of fewer than

200 soldiers suffered pretty serious losses,

and so did the Nezperse. But neither side crushed the other, so the war continued.

The Nezperse had learned that their chances of living in peace in the land they called Buffalo

Country were far worse than expected. They had hoped to find safety and help from their friends

the Flathead people, but that was the first sign of trouble. The Flathead Nation was afraid to be

associated with the NezPers and told them to keep moving. Soon after, Gibbon's army had attacked.

The Nezperse had no idea they were being hunted by more soldiers.

They thought they had left their problems with the army behind

when they ran from their opponent in Idaho, General Oliver Howard.

But now the Nezperse learned about the interconnected nature of the American Army

and of America itself.

General Howard was still following them, and he wouldn't stop until one of two things happened.

He captured them, or they made it to a place that was beyond his reach.

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