CLAIMS AND CLAIMS

What a difference a claim makes.

The 17^th June 1579 is a day that, had the English been a bit clairvoyant, might have meant a very different socio-economic landscape for the United kingdom, for it was on that day that Sir Francis Drake claimed, for England, a land he called Nova Albion.

Drake's Landing in New Albion,
1579. Engraving published by Theodor de Bry, 1590.

New Albion is the name of the region of the Pacific Coast of North America corresponding with Northern California. The extent of the territory is open to debate, but had England managed to keep hold of Drake’s claim, things might be very different. There were a few local tribes to deal with, but perhaps some accommodation might have been achieved. In any event, a much nicer New England than the east coast version, which was lost to revolutionary zealots.

Over the year I have been posting this blog, we have encountered a number of phony and disgusting deals made between the local indigenous tribes and the new Americans of the 18^th and 19^th century on their way to manifest destiny.

On the 17^th June 1960, the Nez Perce tribe got a bit of its own back. On that day it was awarded $4 million for 7 million acres (28,000 km²) of land undervalued at 4 cents/acre in the 1863 treaty. The Nez Perce describe their own origins as follows:
 There was once a monster which lived in the valley of the Clearwater River near Kamiah. This beast devoured all the animals that lived in the country for miles around and became such a menace that Coyote, that clever hero of many an Indian myth, decided it must be killed. Arming himself with a flint knife, he jumped down the animal's throat and stabbed it in the heart. Then he cut the body up into pieces and from them fashioned tribes of Indians which he sent to occupy the mountains and plains round about. Finally, he discovered that he did not have a tribe for the beautiful valley in which the monster had lived, so he squeezed a few drops of blood from the heart and from this made the Nez Perce. Thus from the lifeblood of this strange animal came a tribe having many of the most admirable qualities possessed by human beings.

Map showing the flight of the Nez Perce and key battle sites

The Nez Perce split into two groups in the mid-19th century, with one side accepting coerced relocation to a reservation and the other refusing to give up their fertile land in Washington and Oregon. The flight of the non-treaty Nez Perce began on June 15, 1877 with Chief Joseph, Looking Glass, White Bird, Ollokot, Lean Elk (Poker Joe) and Toohoolhoolzote leading 800 men, women and children in an attempt to reach a peaceful sanctuary. They originally intended to seek shelter with their allies the Crow but upon the Crow's refusal to offer help they attempted to reach the camp of Lakota Chief Sitting Bull's who had fled to Canada.

The Nez Perce were pursued by over 2,000 soldiers of the United States Army on an epic flight to freedom of over 1,170 miles (1,880 km) across four states and multiple mountain ranges. 200 Nez Perce warriors defeated or held off the pursuing troops in 18 battles, skirmishes, and engagements in which more than 100 soldiers and 100 Nez Perce (including women and children) were killed.

A majority of the surviving Nez Perce were finally forced to surrender on October 5, 1877 after the Battle of the Bear Paw Mountains in Montana only 40 miles from the Canadian border. Chief Joseph surrendered to General Oliver O. Howard of the U.S. Cavalry. During the surrender negotiations, Chief Joseph sent a message, usually described as a speech, to the soldiers which is often considered one of the greatest American speeches: "...Hear me, my chiefs, I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."

The route of the Nez Perce flight is preserved by the Nez Perce National Historic Trail. The annual Cypress Hills ride in June commemorates the Nez Perce people's crossing into Canada.