Wednesday, July 25, 2012


This is a war shirt worn by Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce Tribe that recently sold at auction for almost $900,000. Shown below is a photo from the Smithsonian Institute of Chief Joseph wearing the shirt in 1878. At that time my grandmother Hattie A. Smith was 20 years old. Her husband fought in the Indian Wars. Chief Joseph and Crazy Horse were not happy campers to see him coming. Black Elk would welcome him as he did Custer. 


Here are three of Chief Joseph's quotes:

I am tired of fighting.......from where the sun now stands, I will fight no more.

Our fathers gave us many laws, which they had learned from their fathers. These laws were good. They told us to treat all people as they treated us; that we should never be the first to break a bargain; that it was a disgrace to tell a lie; that we should speak only the truth; that it was a shame for one man to take another's wife or his property without paying for it. 

I am tired of talk that comes to nothing.

Chief Joseph
Nez Perce (1840-1904)


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