The Battle of the Big Hole: The Story of the Landmark Battle of the 1877 Nez Perce War [Paperback]

Aubrey L. Haines (Author), Calvin L. Haines (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

In Battle of the Big Hole, noted historian Aubrey Haines has compiled the many written and first-person accounts of this historic moment in the Indian Wars into a complete and exhaustive history of the 1877 battle. Ultimately, neither the U.S. forces or their adversaries could claim victory in the two-day struggle in this idyllic setting in southwest Montana, and the Nez Perce continued their dramatic flight for freedom after heavy losses on both sides. This fine volume reveals the story of the landmark battle of the Nez Perce War with reproductions of first-person accounts of the battle, photographs, maps, and drawings.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

In the quiet predawn of August 9, 1877, along the tranquil banks of the North Fork of the Big Hole River, Chief Joseph and his refugee band of more than seven hundred Nez occurred warriors, women, and children were startled awake by four gunshots. Advancing stealthily toward the camp, Colonel John G. Gibbon and his Seventh U.S. Infantry had stumbled upon a solitary Indian rider and shot him from his horse. Less than thirty-six hours later, between sixty and ninety Nez Perce would be dead, as well as twenty-two soldiers, a civilian guide, and five civilian volunteers.

Describing events that occured six weeks into the famous, five-month running battle now known as the Nez Perce War of 1877, The Battle of the Big Hole is a study of the heartbreaking futility of the Indian wars as well as a look at the cultural misunderstandings that helped give rise to those wars. From an array of original documents and first-person accounts, noted author Aubrey L. Haines presents the only exhaustive retelling of one of the landmark conflicts in the history of the American West.

About the Author

The late Aubrey Haines served as management assistant in charge of the Big Hole National Battlefield in 1964-65. He is also the author of The Yellowstone Story; Yellowstone, Its Exploration and Establishment; and Valley of the Upper Yellowstone.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: TwoDot; 1st edition (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762741481
• ISBN-13: 978-0762741489
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,084,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Recognizing the Nez Perce Story, August 2, 2011

By 

Doctor at Arms "doctor at arms" (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Battle of the Big Hole: The Story of the Landmark Battle of the 1877 Nez Perce War (Paperback)

The battle of the Big Hole in western Montana, the bloodiest action of the flight of several Nez Perce bands from an Idaho reservation, was fought in August, 1877. One of the few Amerindian actions to be declared a National Battlefield Park, the battle sheds little credit upon frontier army forces that killed mostly women and children, fled an embattled Indian camp under fire, and suffered the ignominious loss of the their artillery piece to the tribal fighters. But the battle, as Haines demonstrates, also illustrates deep problems of leadership and diplomatic skills among the Indians who misunderstood the strengths and determination of white civilians and of the army officers charged with their distasteful duties. First issued as An Elusive Victory in 1991, this reprint edition is an excellent example of the "new" military history. Reports of commanding officers (including a heroic poem) are balanced against oral histories of the New Perce survivors, diaries and letters of other participants, newspaper accounts, and subsequent archaeological studies of the battlefield. The contemporary military park, which recognizes tribal as well as army perceptions, owes much to such research and analysis.