Battle of Cottonwood

Battle of Cottonwood
Part of the Nez Perce War
Chief Joseph and his Nez Perce warriors defeated the US Army at the Battle of Cottonwood
Date 3–5 July 1877 Location Near Cottonwood, Idaho, United States Result Nez Perce Victory
Belligerents
United States Army Civilian volunteers	Nez Perce Native American Tribe
Commanders and leaders
Captain David Perry Captain Stephen Whipple	Chief Joseph Ollokot White Bird
Strength
85 soldiers About 30 civilian volunteers	About 150 warriors
Casualties and losses
11 soldiers killed 6 civilian volunteers killed	1 killed 1 wounded

The Battle of Cottonwood was a series of engagements July 3–5, 1877 in the Nez Perce War between the native American Nez Perce people, and U.S. Army soldiers and civilian volunteers. Near Cottonwood, Idaho the Nez Perce, led by Chief Joseph, brushed aside the soldiers and continued their 1,170 miles (1,880 km) fighting retreat to cross the Rocky Mountains in an attempt to reach safety in Canada.

After their victory at the Battle of White Bird Canyon the Nez Perce crossed the Salmon River to escape General O. O. Howard, who was advancing on them with 400 soldiers. With difficulty Howard crossed the river to confront the Indians, but the outnumbered Nez Perce then recrossed the Salmon, stranding the less mobile U.S. soldiers for several days on the opposite side of the river.

The Nez Perce numbered about 600, of whom 150 were warriors. With them were more than 2,000 livestock, mostly horses. With the guns and ammunition the Nez Perce had captured at White Bird Canyon, they were fairly well-armed. Their objective in the Battle of Cottonwood was "to engage the whites only long enough allow the safe passage of their families."

After recrossing the Salmon and leaving Howard behind, the Nez Perce headed east across the Camas Prairie, having made the decision to flee into the Bitterroot Mountains. In their path, stationed at Norton's Ranch (future Cottonwood) was Captain Stephen Whipple with 65 soldiers and several civilian volunteers. On July 3, two of Whipple's civilian scouts stumbled across the Nez Perce horse herd. The Nez Perce killed one man but the other escaped and reported that the Nez Perce were nearby. Whipple sent out Lieutenant Sevier Rains with 10 soldiers and two civilians to investigate. The Nez Perce ambushed the Rains group and killed them all.

Whipple dug in around Norton's ranch with his remaining soldiers. He was reinforced on July 4 by Captain David Perry with 20 soldiers and six civilian volunteers. Perry, who had led the soldiers in the White Bird Canyon battle two weeks earlier took command of the soldiers and volunteers, now numbering about 85. For the remainder of the day the soldiers stayed in their rifle pits while the Nez Perce sniped at them from long distance.

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