290422 “The Most Gallant Indian Chieftain”

This broadcast of Empire Builders centered on the life and inspirational words of Chief Joseph (1840-1904) of the Nez Perce. Much of the dramatized dialogue actually came directly from speeches made by Chief Joseph (also called Young Joseph, as his father was also known as Joseph).

 

Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce (1840-1904)

The dialogue of the radio script dramatizes conversation between Joseph and Brigadier General Oliver O. Howard (1830-1909), who was assigned to round up the Nez Perce and force them into reservation life in Idaho. Ultimately, after the flight of the Nez Perce across much of Montana in an ill-fated attempt to flee to Canada, Joseph and his people were forced to move to Kansas and then the so-called Indian Territory.

In about 1925, the Great Northern Railway published a booklet titled “Chief Joseph’s Own Story.” This little booklet was prepared as one of several titles distributed by the railway to accompany the Upper Missouri Historical Expedition, of which the Great Northern was the primary sponsor.

 

Use this link to download the entire booklet (about 9.5MB PDF), scanned and posted by Randal O'Toole on his terrific Streamliner Memories web site:  http://streamlinermemories.info/GN/ChiefJoseph.pdf

Much of the content of the Chief Joseph booklet was taken from the North American Review, April 1879 issue, which was later reported again in “Northwest Fights and Fighters,” originally published in 1907, and written by Cyrus Townsend Brady. As cited in “Chief Joseph’s Own Story,” some of the broadcast dialogue appears as having been spoken by Joseph on a trip to Washington, D.C. in 1897. On the other hand, there is a clear record that Joseph traveled to D.C. in 1879 to plead his people’s case. The date of 1897 in the Chief Joseph booklet published by the GN may be a transposition, versus the date of 1879. Regardless, and although I am not particularly knowledgeable about the life of Chief Joseph, it appears he may have spoken much of the material in the Empire Builders broadcast. If he did not literally say these things, much of it has at least been attributed to him.

In the broadcast of April 22, 1929, the Old Timer set up the dramatization of a conversation between Joseph and Howard. From the continuity of this episode of Empire Builders, here is part of the Old Timer’s narration as he set the stage for a council of Nez Perce with General Howard:

Well, finally, the whites got so thick in the Wallowa Valley, an’ the Government got so dumb, that it sent out a certain General Howard to try an’ persuade the Nez Perces to give up their Valley altogether, an’ move over to the Indian Reservation at Lapwai where they’d die off quicker! Well, the Nez Perces held a big council at Fort Lapwai to try an’ find out what to do. Young Joseph was there, an’ Smohalla, the prophet an’ magician, an’ Too-Hool-Hool-Suit, the preist, an’ lots of others. General Howard, he was there too, with his Staff, an’ there was plenty more. I’m a goin’ to show you that council, an’ I want to tell you that most of the speeches were jest as they are given here – taken down accurate at the time. The council fire was lit, an’ the ceremonies began when Smohalla came in, with seven drums in front of him, an’ the sacred bell a ringin’ clear.

          (The beat of the drums and the ringing of the bell is heard)

The Empire Builders dramatization of this council may contain some fairly accurate snippets of statements attributed to Chief Joseph, although some of his actual comments were more likely made while in Washington, D.C., either in 1879 or in 1897.

Here is a sample of the Empire Builders continuity, capturing Chief Joseph’s feelings, as he spoke to General Howard, about the importance to his people of remaining in the area they were in:

JOSEPH:    When my father, chief of the Nez Perces, died,

                  my white brother, he said to me –

My son, my body is returning to my mother earth, and my spirit is going very soon to the Great Spirit Chief. When I am gone, think of your people. They look to you to guide them. Always remember that this valley holds the bones of your father and mother. The white man has his eyes upon this land. Do not ever sell it to them! – And I answered that I would protect his grave with my life, and that the man who does not love his father’s grave is worse than a wild animal! Would you have me break my promise, General Howard?

 

After further dialogue that set up the decision of the Nez Perce to fight to defend their home, the Old Timer came to the microphone again – this time to introduce Hugh L. Scott.

PIONEER:          Well, that’s how it started! One misguided general, and a passel of piggish white men forced a war on an Indian tribe that never deserved it! The Nez Perces fought the most humane war that was ever waged on this continent, an’ I mean that jest as it stands! They didn’t scalp, an’ they treated the wounded well. Now folks, I’m a goin’ to give you a treat. I’m a goin’ to let you hear the story of Chief Joseph’s famous retreat from a man who took part in it – not in the retreat itself, but in the chase that followed! That is Major General Hugh Scott, who was Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and who is still a member of the Bureau of Indian Commissioners. General Scott was jest a young Lieutenant of cavalry when he took part in the pursuit of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perces, but he was there, he knew Joseph, an’ he’ll tell you about it. Folks, I hev the pleasure an’ honor to introduce General Scott, one of the great soldiers of our country!

General Scott came on the air and gave a speech about his recollections of Chief Joseph. Scott’s talk began:

My friends, I have been asked to speak to you about Young Joseph, who was one of the noblest Indians America has ever produced. Tall, stalwart and commanding, he was a fine specimen of manhood morally and intellectually, with a humanity that set him apart from the wilder Indians of that time, as well as from many of his white neighbors.

Major General Hugh L. Scott

Although they fought as enemies on the field of battle, Scott and others among the Army leadership clearly saw valor and integrity in Young Joseph, and understood how unjust the treatment they received was. Here is another part of Scott’s speech:

The treatment received at this time and afterwards by the Indians from the Secretary of the Interior, which caused the death of a large proportion of this human kindly people who had befriended the white man times without number, forms one of the blackest pages of American history, and all to satisfy the greed and rapacity of the white man. The Indians were generally successful in their first engagements with the troops, hastily assembled by General Howard. Lieutenant Sevier Rains, 1^st Cavalry – my room-mate at West Point – a most promising young officer, was outnumbered on a scouting party with fifteen troopers and was killed with all his men.

General Scott concluded his remarks about Chief Joseph by relating this brief anecdote:

While sitting many years afterward with General Miles in his office in the War Department – Joseph came in – threw his arms around General Miles and hugged him, as I have seen Geronimo do also. When he went out I said “General there goes the best of them all.” The General said – “I think he is!”

A version of Joseph’s famous speech at the conclusion of his heroic flight toward Canada (which fell just 40 miles short of the international border – about 15 miles south of the Great Northern station of Chinook, Montana) – was dramatized in the Empire Builders broadcast:

JOSEPH:            Brothers! I am tired of fighting. Our Chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead, and Too-Hool-Hool-Suit is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say Yes and No, and he who heads the young men is dead. It is cold and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are – perhaps freezing to death. I want to look for my children. Listen, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more against the white man forever!

                                              (The drums and the music die away)

PIONEER:          An’ so it was! A great Indian, a great general,

                  and great man had fought his last fight.

Sometimes, when we start gettin’ a little too proud of ourselves, it may do us good to think back to Young Joseph, Chief of the Nez Perces, an’ jest consider what we did to him. ‘Tain’t nothin’ fer the white race to be proud of. It’s a sad story, but it’s a fine one. Well, well, here I am still a botherin’ you, an’ you a wonderin’ when I’m goin’ to quit! I’m a goin’ to run along right now, but I’ll be back next week. Now that Spring’s here I want to take you out into the Wenatchee Valley with me, where they grow the big apples! I’ve got to run now though! Good night, folks! … Good night!