Lay the Mountains Low Read online

  HIGH PRAISE

  FOR THE WORK OF

  TERRY C. JOHNSTON

  “The author’s attention to detail and authenticity, coupled with his ability to spin a darned good yarn, makes it easy to see why Johnston is today’s best-selling frontier novelist. He’s one of a handful that truly knows the territory.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  “Rich in historical lore and dramatic description, this is a first-rate addition to a solid series, a rousing tale of one man’s search for independence in the unspoiled beauty of the Old West.”

  —Publishers Weekly on Buffalo Palace

  “A first-class novel by a talented author.”

  —Tulsa World on Dream Catcher

  “With meticulous research, vivid dialogue, memorable characters, and a voice uniquely his own, Johnston has once again written the finest of historical fiction, seamlessly blending together both time and place to bring to life a world as real as our own.”

  —Roundup Magazine on Dance on the Wind

  Praise for LAY THE MOUNTAINS LOW

  “Among novelists, Terry Johnston knows more about America’s Indian wars than any other writer. From his first novel, Carry the Wind, in 1982, no writer has worked harder than Johnston to make a name for himself in the difficult and much-besieged field of Western fiction, and no other writer since Louis U Amour has come close to Johnston’s success. Read Lay the Mountains Low to see why.”

  —Dale Walker, Rocky Mountain News

  “You are there, you are really there in Johnston’s largest, most complex work: an apt hardcover debut in the series.”

  —Booklist

  “Johnston is a skilled storyteller whose words ring with the desperation, confusion and utter horror of a fight to the death between mortal enemies. This is uncomfortable history, and it hits home like a blunt instrument.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Compelling … Johnston offers memorable characters, a great deal of history and lore about the Indians and pioneers of the period, and a deep insight into human nature, Indian and white.”

  —Booklist

  “A remarkably fine blend of arduous historical research and proficient use of language.”

  —Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph

  “Terry C. Johnston pierces the heart and soul of the 19th century men and women he writes about so well, capturing in unforgettable and gracious stories the joys and agonies of the great westward expansion of a young America … he will make your heart sing.”

  —Richard S. Wheeler, Spur Award-winning author of Sierra

  “Excellent … very forceful and moving.”

  —Turner Kirkland, Dixie Gun Works

  THE PLAINSMEN SERIES BY TERRY C. JOHNSTON

  Book I: Sioux Dawn

  Book II: Red Cloud’s Revenge

  Book III: The Stalkers

  Book IV: Black Sun

  Book V: Devil’s Backbone

  Book VI: Shadow Riders

  Book VII: Dying Thunder

  Book VIII: Blood Song

  Book IX: Reap the Whirlwind

  Book X: Trumpet on the Land

  Book XI: A Cold Day in Hell

  Book XII: Wolf Mountain Moon

  Book XIII: Ashes of Heaven

  Book XIV: Cries from the Earth

  Book XV: Lay the Mountains Low

  Book XIV: Turn the Stars Upside Down

  LAY THE

  MOUNTAINS

  LOW

  THE FLIGHT OF THE NEZ PERCE FROM

  IDAHO AND THE BATTLE OF THE BIG HOLE,

  AUGUST 9–10, 1877

  TERRY C.

  JOHNSTON

  St. Martin’s Paperbacks

  LAY THE MOUNTAIN LOW

  Copyright © 2000 by Terry C. Johnston.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

  ISBN: 0-312-97310-1

  EAN: 80312-97310-0

  Printed in the United States of America

  St. Martin’s Press hardcover edition / June 2000

  St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / February 2001

  St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

  10 9 8 7 6 5

  Across the last fourteen years as we collaborated on one

  historically authentic and accurate

  book cover after another,

  we have forged a timeless and unbreakable bond

  of friendship and camaraderie …

  yet while I have been blessed to share his artwork

  with my readers around the world,

  I am even more honored this man

  calls me friend—

  I lovingly dedicate this heart-wrenching novel

  of the turning point in the Nez Perce War to

  that good ol’ Virginia boy who is without peer:

  my cover artist,

  Lou Glanzman.

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  CIVILIANS

  Emily F. FitzGerald

  Elizabeth FitzGerald

  Bert FitzGerald

  Jennie Norton

  Elizabeth Osborn

  Norman Gould

  John B. Monteith

  Erwin C. Watkins

  “Captian” Tom Page

  Benjamin F. Potts

  Washington “Dutch” Holmes

  Dave Ousternolt

  Luther P. “Lew” Wilmot

  “Captain” Benjamin F. Morris

  Eugene Tallmadge Wilson

  “Captain” James L. Cearly

  P. C. Malin

  Benjamin Penny

  William Foster

  Frank Parker

  Jack Carleton

  Chauncey Barbour

  “Captain” John Humble

  “Sergeant” Joseph Baker

  Peter H. Ready

  Frank A. Fenn

  Henry C. Johnson

  Cassius M. “Cash” Day

  D. H. Howser

  Alonzo B. Leland

  F. Joseph “Joe” Moore

  Charles Johnson

  Henry W. Croasdaile

  Williams George

  George M. Shearer

  Loyal P. (L.P.) Brown

  H. C. “Hurdy Gurdy” Brown

  John J. Manuel

  Peter Matte

  Thomas A. Sutherland

  Benjamin Norton

  Hill Norton

  Lynn Bowers

  Helen Walsh

  George Greer

  Peter Ronan

  “Captain” William Hunter

  “Captain” J. W. Elliott

  William Watson

  J. A. Miller

  “Colonel” Edward McConville

  John Atkinson

  George Hunter

  John McPherson

  George Riggins

  Elias Darr

  “Laughing” Williams

  James T. Silverwood

  E. A. Kenney

  W J. Stephens

  “Captain” Darius B. (D. B.)

  Randall

  Frank D. Vansise

  Ephraim J. Bunker

  Pete Bremen

  James Buchanan

  Charley Case

  Benjamin F. Evans

  Mrs. Chamberlin

  Peter Minturn

  Paul Guiterman

  Sarah Brown

  Maggie Manuel

  Albeit Benson

  John W Crooks

  “Captain” Orlando “Rube”

  Robbins

  John Crooks, Jr.


  William Silverthorne

  Alexander Matte

  Dr. John Morris

  Charley Crooks

  Dan Crooks

  Arthur “Ad”/“Admiral”

  Chapman

  Henry Buck

  Fred Buck

  Joe Pardee

  “Captain” John B. Catlin

  Wesley Little

  H. S. Bostwick

  Campbell Mitchell

  William H. Edwards

  Jerry Wallace

  “Captain” John L. Humble

  John Buckhouse

  Reverend W. T. Flowers

  Amos Buck

  Jerry Fahy

  Myron Lockwood

  Father Anthony Ravalli

  Joe Blodgett

  Hugh Kirkendall

  “Captain” William R. Logan

  William Woodcock

  Nelse McGilliam

  John Miller

  Alfred Cave

  Wilson B. Harlan

  Luther Johnson

  Tom Sherrill

  “Bunch” Sherrill

  Mr. Bonny

  MILITARY

  Major General Irwin McDowell

  Captain Birney Keeler Brigadier General Oliver Otis Howard / “Cut-Off Arm” / “Never Going to Fight Until Tomorrow“

  First U.S. Cavalry

  Major George B. Sanford

  Captain David Perry—F Troop

  Captain Joel G. Trimble—H Troop

  Captain Henry E. Winters—H Troop

  Captain Stephen Gerard Whipple—L Troop

  Captain James B. Jackson—B Troop

  First Lieutenant Edwin H. Shelton—L Troop

  First Lieutenant Albert G. Forse—E Troop

  First Lieutenant George R. Bacon—K Troop

  Second Lieutenant William Russell Parnell—H Troop

  Second Lieutenant Sevier McClellan Rains—L Troop

  Second Lieutenant William H. Miller—E Troop

  Major John Wesley Green

  First Sergeant Oliver Sutherland (Sean Dennis Geoghegan)—B Troop

  Sergeant Bernard Simpson—L Troop

  Sergeant Isidor Schneider—H Troop

  Sergeant Charles Lampman—E Troop

  Trumpeter Frank A. Marshall—H Troop

  Farrier John Drugan—H Troop

  Private David Carroll—L Troop

  Private George H. Dinteman—L Troop

  Private Otto H. Richter—L Troop

  Private William Roche—E Troop

  Private Franklin Moody—L Troop

  Second Lieutenant Thomas T. Knox—H Troop

  First Sergeant Michael McCarthy—H Troop

  Private Patrick Quinn—E Troop

  Private John Burk—E Troop

  Private Charles E. Fowler—H Troop

  Private Frederick Meyer—L Troop

  Private Daniel Ryan—E Troop

  Second U. S. Cavalry

  Sergeant Edward Page—L Troop

  Fourth U. S. Artillery

  Captain Marcus P. Miller—commanding artillery battalion

  Captain Eugene A. Bancroft—M Battery

  Captain Charles B. Throckmorton—M Battery

  Captain Harry C. Cushing—C Battery

  Captian George B. Rodney—D Battery

  Second Lieutenant Harrison G. Otis—E Battery

  Seventh U. S. Infantry

  Colonel John Gibbon—regiment commander

  Captain Charles C. Rawn—I Company

  Captain William Logan—A Company

  Captain James M. W. Sanno—G Company

  Captain Richard Comba—D Company

  Captain George L. Browning—G Company

  First Lieutenant Joshua W. Jacobs—regimental quartermaster

  First Lieutenant William L. English—I Company

  First Lieutenant Charles A. Coolidge—A Company

  First Lieutenant James H. Bradley—B Company

  First Lieutenant Charles A. Woodruff—K Company (aide-de-camp to Colonel Gibbon)

  Second Lieutenant Francis Woodbridge—A Company

  Lieutenant Tom Andrews—A Company

  Lieutenant Levi F. Burnett—Gibbon’s aide at Fort Shaw

  First Sergeant Patrick Rogan—A Company

  Sergeant John Raferty—A Company

  Sergeant Michael Hogan—I Company

  Sergeant John W. H. Frederick—G Company

  Sergeant Patrick C Daly—D Company

  Sergeant Mildon H. Wilson—Company

  Corporal Charles N. Loynes—I Company

  Corporal Robert E. Sale—G Company

  Corporal Socrates Drummond

  Private Charles Alberts—A Company

  Private George Leher—A Company

  Private Homer Coon—G Company

  Private John O. Bennett—B Company

  Private Malcolm McGregor—G Company

  Private John H. Goale—G Company

  Twenty-first Infantry

  Major Edwin C. Mason—Department Inspector General, Howard’s Chief of Staff

  Captain Evan Miles—infantry battalion commander

  Captain William F. Spurgin—commander, pioneer/engineer company

  Captain William H. Boyle—G Company

  Captain Robert Pollock—D Company

  First Lieutenant Robert H. Fletcher—acting assistant adjutant general

  First Lieutenant Fred H. E. Ebstein—regimental and column quartermaster

  Lieutenant James A. Haughey—H Company

  Lieutenant Harry Bailey—B Company

  Private Francis Winters—B Company

  Howard’s Staff

  Captain Lawrence S. Babbitt

  First Lieutenant Melville C. Wilkinson

  Second Lieutenant Guy Howard

  Second Lieutenant Charles Erskine Scott Wood

  Colonel John Gibbon—commanding, Seventh U. S. Infantry

  Surgeon Jenkins A. (“John”) FitzGerald—Fort Lapwai

  Surgeon George M. Sternberg—Fort Walla Walla

  Assistant Surgeon William R. Hall

  TREATY NEZ PERCE

  John Hill

  Tom Hill

  James Lawyer

  Archie Lawyer

  James Reuben

  Luke Billy

  Robinson Minthon

  Yuwishakaikit

  Joe Albert / Elaskolatat

  John Levi / “Captain John” / Sheared Wolf

  Abraham Brooks

  Delaware Jim / Jim Simonds

  NON-TREATY BANDS Nee-Me-Poo

  Yellow Wolf / Hemene Moxmox

  Old Yellow Wolf

  Wemastahtus

  Teminisiki

  Horse Blanket / Seekumses Kunnin

  Elm Limb / Alahmoot

  Paktilek

  Yiyik Wasumwah

  Tomyunmene

  Tommino

  Going Across / Wayakat

  Over the Point / Teeweeyownah

  Three Feathers

  Hair Combed Over Eyes / Wottolen

  Weesculatat (Wounded Mouth / Mimpow Owyeeri)

  White Cloud / Sewattis Hihhih

  Five Wounds / Pahkatos Owyeen

  Rainbow / Wahchumyus

  Kulkulsuitim

  Poker Joe / Lean Elk / Wa-wook-ke-ya Was Sauw / Joe Hale

  Joseph / Heinmot (White Thunder)

  Ta-ma-al-we-non-my / Driven Before a Cold Storm

  Sun Necklace (“Yellow Bull” / Chuslum Moxmox)

  Wounded Head / Husis Owyeen

  No Feet / Seeskoomkee

  Black Raven / Nennin Chekoostin

  Strong Eagle / Tipyahlahnah Kapskaps

  Shot Leg / Tahkoopen

  Eagle Robe / Tipyahlanah Siskon

  Shore Crossing / Wahlitits

  Smoker / Dookiyoon

  Red Moccasin Tops / Sarpsis Ilppil

  Burning Coals / Semu

  Eagle-from-the-Light

  Black Foot

  Mean Man / Howwallits

  White Bull

  (Josiah) Red Wolf


  Rattle on Blanket / Lakochets Kunnin

  Red Heart / Temme Ilppilp Chee-Nah

  Dropping from a Cliff / Tenahtahkal Weyun

  Stripes Turned Down / Ketalkpoosmin

  Log / Weweetsa

  Bighorn Bow / Tahwis Takaitat

  No Heart / Zya Timenna

  Grizzly Bear Youth / Hohots Elotoht

  Ollokot / the Frog

  Arrowhead / Etemiere Aihits Palojami / Fair Land

  Red Elk

  Toohoolhoolzote

  Helping Another / Penahwenonmi

  Pile of Clouds

  Fire Body / Otstotpoo

  Looking Glass / Alalmiatakanin

  Bird Alighting / Peopeo Tholekt

  White Bird

  Red Spy / Seeyakoon Ilppilp / wife of Wahlitits—no recorded name

  Swan Necklace / Wetyetmas Wahyakt

  Grizzly Bear Blanket / Yoomstis Kunnin

  Lone Bird / Peopeo Ipsewahk

  Natalekin

  About Asleep / Eelahweeman

  Young White Bird

  Dog / Jeekunkun

  Suhm-Keen

  Wahnistas Aswetesk

  Sun Tied / Weyatnahtoo Latat

  Calf of Leg / Pitpillooheen

  Earth Blanket / Wattes Kunnin

  Light in the Mountain / Espowyes Quiloishkish

  Owhi (Yakima)

  Horn Hide Dresser / Tepsus

  Amos

  Two Moons / Lepeet Hessemdooks

  Going Out / Otskai

  Kowtoliks

  Five Fogs / Pahka Pahtahank

  PALOUSE

  Red Echo / Hahtalekin

  Bald Head / Shorn Head / Huishuishkute

  FLATHEAD

  Chariot

  Pierre

  BANNOCK

  Buffalo Horn

  I would have given my own life I could have undone the killing of white men by my people. I blame young men and I blame the white men. I blame General Howard for not giving my people time to get their stock away from Wallowa. I do not acknowledge that he had the right to order me to leave Wallowa at any time. I deny that either my father or myself ever sold that land. It may never again be our home, but my father sleeps there, and I love it as I love my mother. I left there, hoping to avoid bloodshed.

  —JOSEPH

  The Rains encounter was a small but sweeping victory for the Nez Perces. Coming on the heels of their success over the army at White Bird Canyon, it had the effect of inspiring them to continue in their course. It impacted the army negatively, not only through the loss of Rains and his men, but it prevented Howard from attaining the upper hand in the war and ending it quickly, while simultaneously contributing to the building public skepticism about army capabilities.