June 18 arrived; the thirty days were up; the soldiers had not come. Over on Salmon River three Indians killed an old hermit ranch man named Devine. The taste of blood whetted their appetites, and the next day four more fell victims. Mounting their horses, they hurried to Camas Prairie, where the main body of Indians was encamped. Riding through the camp they displayed the spoils of their bloodshed and exhorted the others to join them. Joseph and his brother, Ollacut, were not in the camp; they had placed their tepees some distance from the others, on account of Joseph's wife, who was sick and wanted quiet. White Bird, the next in rank and influence, gave way. Riding through the camp, he exclaimed, "All must join now. There is blood. You will be punished if you delay." Seventeen warriors joined the three and they hurried back to Salmon River. Eight more fell victims to them, including Harry Mason, who had whipped the two Indians.
On the night of June 14 another party attacked the people of the Cottonwood House, a ranch used as a frontier inn, on the road between Mount Idaho and Fort Lapwai. At ten o'clock they were warned by a messenger of the approaching Indians, and hurriedly started to Mount Idaho, two on horseback, the rest, including several women and children, in a farm wagon.
When they had covered ten miles of their journey they were overtaken by the Indians. Two men and a boy were killed and the others badly wounded, two men subsequently dying of their injuries.
Joseph protested against hostilities until he saw that war was inevitable. He then took command and moved his warriors to White Bird cañon, where they prepared to fight the soldiers. Nor had they long to wait. Colonel Perry, at the head of ninety soldiers, was soon on the road from Fort Lapwai. On the evening of the 16th he reached Grangerville, four miles from Mount Idaho, where he was joined by ten citizens. Marching on through the night, he reached White Bird cañon at daylight and began the descent of the broad trail, hoping to surprise the Indians. But the vigilant Joseph's keen eye was the first to discover the group of horsemen silhouetted against the sky at the head of the cañon, just as the sun was rising. "Get the white man's glass I Tell White Bird. Horses! The soldiers are here!" he shouted in command.
Some of his young men became a little nervous as they saw the soldiers approaching and suggested that it would be better to move across the Salmon River, where the soldiers could not reach them. "No." said Joseph, "we will fight them here." The women and children were sent across the river and a party of mounted warriors under White Bird took a position in ambush behind a ridge on the south side of the cañon. The rest, under Joseph, were crouched on the ground, squarely across the trail, hidden behind rocks and in hollows. On came the soldiers until well within range, when every bush and rock poured out its fire. At the same time White Bird's men appeared on the left and poured in another deadly volley. The soldiers were falling fast, and the order was shouted to fall back to the next ridge. This was immediately done, but with the enemy at their heels there was no time to stop. While the officers were trying to rally their men the Indians were pressing along the sides of the cañon to gain the head and cut off retreat. Part of the command reached the ascent and hurried out. The remainder, under Lieutenant Theller, were cut off, and most of them, including the gallant lieutenant, were killed. Across the rugged country the Indians pursued the flying troops for twelve miles. But once out of that death trap the officers obtained control, and the retreat was conducted with some degree of order. Four miles from Mount Idaho Joseph withdrew his men. He had fought and won his first battle, even though largely outnumbered by his enemy.
Joseph says of this encounter: "We numbered in that battle sixty men, and the soldiers one hundred. The fight lasted but a few minutes before the soldiers retreated. They lost thirty-three killed, and had seven wounded. When an Indian fights, he only shoots to kill; but soldiers shoot at random. None of the soldiers were scalped. We do not believe in scalping nor in killing wounded men. Soldiers do not kill many Indians unless they are wounded and left upon the battlefield. Then they kill Indians."
The military reputation of the Nez Perces was altered. It would require a stronger force to subdue them. Reinforcements were ordered from all the neighboring forts. Skirmishing and minor engagements continued.
While waiting for these reinforcements a detachment was sent under Captain Whipple to attack Chief Looking-Glass and his band, and bring them in before they had time to join the hostiles. Whipple discovered the red men in the neighborhood of Mount Idaho, and dispatched Lieutenant Rains with ten picked men and a scout named Foster to reconnoiter. Following this advance-guard at a distance of a mile with his main force, the sound of firing was heard at the front. Hurrying forward with his command, Whipple was horrified to find that Rains and every man in his detachment had been killed. A company of seventeen volunteers, under Captain Randall, was attacked on the Mount Idaho road; two were killed and two wounded. All would have been cut to pieces, had not Captain Whipple and his company hurried to the rescue. As to Looking Glass, his camp was destroyed, and seven hundred and twenty-five ponies captured, but he and his warriors all escaped and joined Joseph.
Meantime, General Howard was at Fort Lapwai impatiently waiting for reinforcements. But the accounts of Indian horrors came so thick and fast that further delay, though desirable, was yet impossible.
Mason, in his account of this expedition, says: "The little band of men—cavalry and infantry—together with an old mountain howitzer and two Gatling guns, are drawn up in marching order. The train of pack-mules, with their immense loads of ammunition and provision, move restlessly back and forward in the parade-ground. The trained white mare, with the tinkling bell attached to her neck, stands thoughtful and attentive, ready to lead her restless followers along the stony trail."