Chief Joseph

Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, popularly known as Chief Joseph (March 3, 1840 – September 21, 1904), was a leader of the Wal-lam-wat-kain (Wallowa) band of Nez Perce, a Native American tribe of the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States, in the latter half of the 19th century.

When his father died in 1871, Joseph was elected to succeed him. He inherited not only a name but a situation made increasingly volatile as white settlers continued to arrive in the Wallowa Valley. Joseph staunchly resisted all efforts to force his band onto the small Idaho reservation, and in 1873 a federal order to remove white settlers and let his people remain in the Wallowa Valley made it appear that he might be successful. But the federal government soon reversed itself, and in 1877 General Oliver Otis Howard threatened a cavalry attack to force Joseph's band and other hold-outs onto the reservation. Believing military resistance futile, Joseph reluctantly led his people toward Idaho.

Unfortunately, they never got there. About twenty young Nez Percé warriors, enraged at the loss of their homeland, staged a raid on nearby settlements and killed several whites. Immediately, the army began to pursue Joseph's band and the others who had not moved onto the reservation. Although he had opposed war, Joseph cast his lot with the war leaders.

What followed was one of the most brilliant military retreats in American history. Even the unsympathetic General William Tecumseh Sherman could not help but be impressed with the 1,400 mile march, stating that "the Indians throughout displayed a courage and skill that elicited universal praise... [they] fought with almost scientific skill, using advance and rear guards, skirmish lines, and field fortifications." In over three months, the band of about 700, fewer than 200 of whom were warriors, fought 2,000 U.S. soldiers and Indian auxiliaries in four major battles and numerous skirmishes.

By the time he formally surrendered on October 5, 1877, Joseph was widely referred to in the American press as "the Red Napoleon." It is unlikely, however, that he played as critical a role in the Nez Percé's military feat as his legend suggests. Nevertheless, Joseph's widely reprinted surrender speech has immortalized him as a military leader in American popular culture.

He was transported between various forts and reservations on the southern Great Plains before being moved to the Colville Indian Reservation in the state of Washington, where he died in 1904.

Battle vs. Clay Allison (by Killermoves)
Clay Allison:

Chief Joseph:

The American-Mexican Border Frontier, late 1870s

It was a hot dusty afternoon in the badlands of the Old West. The sun was in its highest peak, the hot winds were blowing from the East, and the large red mountain range towered above the desert landscape. Large rock formations also dotted the sands, and together with the mountains, they formed this large, long and lonely maze-like canyon. Within this maze were hidden oasis, animal bones and dried vegetation that laid in the shade. But besides these, an old steel track that lead to a hole in the mountain ran along the canyon. The tracks and the hole formed an abandoned mining camp, with many digging paraphernalia scattered and buried in the sand.

But it wasn’t long before this abandoned mining post wasn’t abandoned no more.

Five cowboys came riding into the camp, leaving a huge trail of dust and sand. One of the cowboys was the infamous gunfighter Clay Allison, who actually led the group into this canyon. He dismounted from his horse and stood in awe at the rock formation; looking, listening and soaking carefully his new environment.

“Come on boss,” one his cowboys said. “You’ve been tracking them injuns for over two days and now were stuck here in this godforsaken canyon.”

Clay Allison only looked at him and smiled a deranged grin. It was true, that these ragtag group of gunmen have taken the job to locate a group of Nez Perce Indians, who were spotted by some settlers from the North. It was a small band who separated from the main tribe when the latter finally gave itself up to the US government. Clay Allison thought it would be a good idea to track those Indians themselves so they can get a reward from the military.

And now it seems that they got themselves lost and trapped. But little did they knew that Clay Allison was right.

As Clay looked and scanned his surroundings, he puts his hand near his holster and yelled, “I know ya’ll are in here you red-skinned sons of bitches! Grow some tejones and face us like men or I’ll be coming back with the whole US Army!”

Suddenly a shot from a rifle rang out from one of the cliffs, hitting one of the cowboys straight in the chest. Then a voice spoke to them, “You should have leaved the place white man. Now you all will be buried here in the sand.” It was Chief Joseph who spoked to them, as he and his men hid themselves in the cliffs. They have been running away from the army for several months now, and they were tired, exhausted and starved in their retreat. And Chief Joseph wasn’t going to let all of these sacrifices they have done go to waste.

Even though one of his men was dead and the rest was panicking like little girls, Clay was just smiling as this was the opportunity he’s been waiting for. He then drew his revolver with blinding speed and fired a bullet to where the voice came from. That single bullet hit the cliffs, and the cowboys saw one Indian yell in pain and fell off the canyon and died.

The rest of the Indians fled their cover, and as they ran in the open, it gave the cowboys the chance to make a shooting gallery out of them. Another Nez Perce Indian was hit in the knee cap with a rifle shot from a cowboy, and as he stumbled he lost his footing and crashed into the rocks below. (0) Knowing that the Indians had the high ground, Clay Allison told his cowboys to take the best cover they can find.

Chief Joseph found another ledge and they laid themselves down. Seeing that the cowboys were have positioned themselves really well and was difficult to shoot from their cover, Joseph signaled to his troops. He told them to lay on their backs and use their bows to start raining arrows on the cowboys. Loads and loads of arrows fell unto the cowboys as they desperately try to dodge them. One of the cowboys was hit in the shoulder, and as he cried in anguish, Chief Joseph saw him and finished him off with a rifle shot to the head.

Pissed off, Clay Allison told his men to lay suppressing fire as he crazily started to climb the mountain with his hands. One of the cowboys saw one Indian standing in the open to accurately fire his bow, and this gave him the chance to shoot him straight in the jaw. His body landed on the cliff, with his dead arms flailing over the ledge and blood dripping like a fountain into the sands below. Chief Joseph later scolded the others to be more careful, and they dragged their the dead comrade’s body and laid it on top of their cover, to act as another layer of defense.

As the cowboys continued firing to no avail, the Indians were getting momentum as they let out several accurate shots. Another cowboy was killed when he was shot several times in the torso. When the last of Clay Allison’s cowboys saw this, he went mad and made a run for it; desperately trying to escape this valley of death. But the Nez Perce Indians completely riddled him with arrows and rifle shots, and as he fell dead, he looked like a hedgehog with all the arrows sticking him.

With the cowboys seemingly dead, the Nez Perce celebrated and let out a war cry. But then two shots were heard from out of nowhere. Chief Joseph noticed his remaining Indians became silent and slowly dropped their weapons. Soon their bodies fell into the ground with all of them having each a bullet hole to chest.

Clay Allison came out from the shadows, with his revolver in his hand. He aimed it at Chief Joseph and smiled, before saying, “Any last words, Chief?”

“Yes,” Joseph said. “I am tired of running…”

In a fast blur, Chief Joseph came towards Allison with a tomahawk drawn. He slashed at Allison’s arm, making him drop his pistol. But instead of yelling in pain like the others, Clay Allison just laughed at his injury. He retaliated by punching Chief Joseph in the jaw, dropping him like a sack of potatoes, before unsheathing his knife and jumping on top of Joseph. With the cowboy on the top and the Indian below, the two struggled as the former tried to stab the latter with his knife. Chief Joseph held unto Clay Allison’s arm for dear life, trying to prevent the madman from pushing his knife unto his chest. During the fight Clay Allison continued laughing as the knife slowly inches towards Chief Joseph’s chest, and actually managed to draw blood as the tip successfully penetrated Joseph. The Chief made one final shout as he used all of his strength to throw Allison off of him before the knife can go deeper.

The cowboy was thrown straight out of the cliff, and as he fell, he just continued laughing before finally shutting up when he landed on the rocks below. The once legendary Clay Allison was now slumped on the ground in a pool of his own blood and with his skull completely smashed open.

Chief Joseph left no war cry that day. He just laid down in the rocks and gave himself a rest. Deadliest Warrior: Clay Allison

Expert’s Opinion
Based on the votes below, this was a clear-cut victory for Chief Joseph. While the two are basically tied when it comes to weapons (with the voters having a mixed opinion to mid and long range), what really sealed the deal was Joseph’s better tactics and mental health. Easy to say, Clay Allison was just too crazy to handle Chief Joseph’s more calm approach to combat.

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.