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September 30, 1877 – October 5, 1877 · Indian Campaigns

Battle of Bear Paw

3 Medals of Honor were earned in the Battle of Bear Paw (September 30, 1877 – October 5, 1877). Result: United States decisive victory.

3Medals of Honor
0posthumous
United States decisive victoryresult
Date
September 30, 1877 – October 5, 1877
Location
Blaine County, Montana Territory, U.S.
Result
United States decisive victory
Part of
Nez Perce War

About the battle

The Battle of Bear Paw (also sometimes called Battle of the Bears Paw or Battle of the Bears Paw Mountains) was the final engagement of the Nez Perce War of 1877. Following a 1,200-mile (1,900 km) running fight from north central Idaho Territory over the previous four months, the U.S. Army managed to corner most of the Nez Perce led by Chief Joseph in early October 1877 in northern Montana Territory, just 42 miles (68 km) south of the border with Canada, where the Nez Perce intended to seek refuge from persecution by the U.S. government. Although some of the Nez Perce were able to escape to Canada, Chief Joseph was forced to surrender the majority of his followers to Brigadier General Oliver Howard and Colonel Nelson A. Miles on October 5. Today, the battlefield is part of the Nez Perce National Historical Park and the Nez Perce National Historic Trail.

From the Wikipedia article “Battle of Bear Paw”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Result, date and location from the article’s infobox and Wikidata.

Medal of Honor recipients (3)

Where it happened

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.