Montana Indian Trails: Nez Perce Fight for Freedom and Sitting Bull's Mystical Deer Medicine Rocks

Coming up on Today's Wild West, following the 1877 trail of the Nez Perce Indians. I know exactly where my great-grandfather, Watoman, fought. On beautiful Appaloosa horses. Beautiful. In spectacular Montana, we'll take you on the Chief Joseph Trail Ride, plus mystical Deer Medicine Rocks. You can see Sitting Bull's vision here. It's all next on Today's Wild West. The Wild West, it's still out there. Right there. We'll show you how to find it. This is today's Wild West. The Bear Paw Battlefield. It was here in October of 1877 that the Nez Perce Indians made their last stand. That summer, the tribe had led the U.S. Army on a 1,300 mile pursuit across four states, Attempting to flee to freedom in Canada and escape the war that exploded when their Pacific Northwest homeland was stolen by encroaching settlers. Led by Chief Joseph, some 800 Nez Perce men, women, and children had fought a series of running bloody battles with the army before the cavalry finally caught up with them in Montana, just 40 miles from the Canadian border. After one last final desperate five-day battle, the Nez Perce surrendered, Chief Joseph declaring Where the sun now stands, I will fight no more, forever. Although I didn't have direct descendants, I'm Nez Perce and I feel. Bonnie Ewing is among the people who come from all over the country and around the world to follow the tracks of the Nez Perce during the annual Chief Joseph Trail Ride. For one week every summer, the Appaloosa Horse Club retraces 100 miles of the route, completing the entire 1,300-mile journey once every 13 years. It really means a lot just to know Like, kind of get a feel of what my people went through. About a dozen Nez Perce participate in the ride, whose ancestors are credited with developing the beautiful spotted Appaloosa breed. Bonnie's been part of the ride for 24 years. Oh, it's hard to talk about. It's a, what I said years and years ago, I guess it's kind of a healing process. The healing comes from deep and lasting friendships, forged over miles in the saddle along this historic trail. I love the people here. These are my fans. These are my extended family. This is my first year. I still have the robe. Your first year, so what do you think so far? Yes, I plugged it in and did something, deleted it. I like it. That extended family includes the young Nez Perce along on the ride. The Chief Joseph Foundation raises money and provides horses to make it possible for young tribal members to come like Bonnie's grandchildren Riley Layton and Catherine Samuels who've both ridden the Chief Joe for eight years. The history the people you know everybody just makes it a great experience to be on the ride you know also we get to do it with our grandparents both of us do oh yeah so it's that makes it that much better. I try to always instill in the kids. That I bring always, always have respect for the trail. Never. Joke about it. You're on a trail ride, you can enjoy it, but always respect the trail. There is a great appreciation on this trail for the history of this ride, sympathy for what the Nez Perce went through in 1877, and gratitude for their participation today. They've become very much a part of the fabric of what we do during the week and we certainly appreciate the fact that they participate in the storytelling and sharing their... Stories that have been passed down to them by their direct ancestors, and to have relatives of the folks who were a part of that first trek or flight to freedom, it's not only humbling, but it's sobering, and it's... It really puts a perspective on the ride that we probably didn't have before. If you look today, if you look today, you've got our boys and girls over in Afghanistan. You think they want to be there? You think they want to fight those people? No. And those people, those soldiers that were following the Nez Perce, they didn't want to kill those people, and the Indians didn't want to kill them, but they were there, and they had their orders to do what they did. Mike Howard believes it's important to remember the all-but-forgotten perspective of the soldier. He's a descendant of General Oliver Howard, known in his day as the Christian General, who led the military campaign against the Nez Perce on orders from the White House. I've got his manuscript in my car, and he did not want it. He didn't want this for us. He cried, and he prayed about it. In his book here, he said, I prayed. I said, Lord, help me to do the right thing. And he'd go out, and he'd say, let's back off today. Let's back off today. And somehow the word got back to General... Grant, Ulysses Grant, and he said, you do it or I'll get me a young man to do it. Hey, it's me, Wasp Mew. On a reunion night at camp, Angel Zoboda and other Nez Perce here sang hymns that were sung along that first trail in 1877, as they remember what happened so many years ago. A traditional empty saddle ceremony pays tribute to their ancestors. But the Lord's Prayer are a reminder that many of the Nez Perce in the 1800s were Christians. And to lead us not into temptation. I'm starting to speak now. But while the history here is sad and tragic, among these descendants, there is no trace of bitterness. For us, for our people to be here, I think it's a real joy for our ancestors that we're here. Because what they did was... They fought for our freedom so that we can enjoy life. That's what they wanted to do is they wanted to live a great life. And so for us to be here to enjoy ourselves, that's really paying respect and honor in what they fought for. It's a blessing to do it. Along with that history and heritage, the Chief Joe is simply one great trail ride. Yeah, beautiful. We'll saddle up when today's Wild West continues. This thing here is still a little bit of a... I don't get tired, but 25 miles a day is a pleasure. Bob Peterson is better known as Pancho on the Chief Joseph Trail Ride, here from Arizona for the 11th year in a row. 135 people have saddled up for this leg of the trek through central Montana, and almost all of them have been on this ride before. This is Jeannie Hendrick's 13th time on the Chief Joe. I'm a history buff. I enjoy history a lot, but I would say the main thing is the wonderful riding experiences, but maybe even more all the great friends. Talking to the riders, you hear over and over again how this annual expedition is like one big family reunion In a very beautiful setting. The Magnificent American West. Oh, the scenery is just spectacular. You know, this is just an awesome part of the United States. And then the people, and then the history of the ride, the history of the horses, and the history of the Nez Perce War, all that is very addicting. Thank you. And, yeah, I remember the very first year we came on the ride, we just thought, well, hell, we've just got to come back. And we've been on it ever since. That was 17 years ago. Today, Dr. David Hill is the trail ride's official physician. A pack mule carries his supplies to handle virtually any medical emergency, and a satellite phone is kept handy to call in a medical helicopter just in case. Serious injuries are rare, but sunburn, backaches, or dehydration are not. You know, it's just fun to take care of people. And the people out here are very appreciative of my help, and that's just very rewarding. Farrier Kirk Knowlton handles the horseshoeing duties. All right, George, mostly just throwing shoes and everything, about what you expect. And veterinarian Dr. David Rustabaky made sure the horses stayed in good health. My role here is to take care of any medical issues that the horses have, and it's kind of a draw for the riders to know that there is medical help for their horses. These horses are like family to them in most cases. And to have Some medical backup for issues that come up is a huge draw for this ride. Okay, you guys get up ahead in there and see what you can find. Along the trail, retired Army Colonel Ron Fowler leads a small group of scouts, easy to spot in their green vests, who serve as wranglers on the ride, ready to assist anyone who needs a hand and help avoid problems. The reason I'm always looking down is because I'm looking at the trail for holes and rocks and stuff that the riders might have trouble with. The week-long journey takes place through a variety of beautiful country. Wide open prairie, river canyons, mountains and meadows. Back in 1877 this land was untamed wilderness. Today it's mostly private property and the ride wouldn't happen without permission from the landowners like rancher Bill Steele. Go on, I think it's I think it's kind of a neat deal. How many riders you got today? Some ranches we just rode through. Others allowed us to camp overnight. We're just Montana people. That's how we do it. It's an impressive sight coming over the hill and seeing a little village set up in your hayfield. There's a lot involved. This is my 20th year doing this picket line. Like the giant picket line for the horses set up, torn down, and moved every day from camp to camp. Oh, it's a blast. It's a blast? Oh, always. Good workout. The great people, kind of like a family, and you get to see them every year. This really is a family reunion for Camp Chef Norman Shaw, here with his brother Carl, father Andy, and longtime family friend Irvin Gross. Andy's in charge of the camp crew. He first brought his boys along when he signed up as a mechanic and a driver for the ride 22 years ago. Norman's career as a professional chef was inspired by cold mornings here as a teenager. Best place to be when it's cold in the morning is on the grills because it's warm so I learned real quick to get in there and I did everything I could to get on those grills. Steak on the grill and fresh mashed potatoes were just one of the delicious dinners served here during the week, along with hot breakfasts. Lunch is a sandwich and snacks tossed into a saddle bag and eaten at a stop along the trail. The snack, some string cheese, a piece of fruit, we always get an apple so my horse can have that for lunch, and then your choice of sandwich. Sounds good. Tons of hay is trucked in for the horses, along with up to 4,000 gallons of water every day. You have a little of yourself here. Oh yeah, just like the horses. We have a lot in common. Beasts of burden. This morning arrives with more water in the form of rain. This is where you start finding out who has it and who don't. That doesn't dampen anybody's spirits. I love the rain. Gets everybody up and then they go hide. Good morning! Morning. How are you? Good. The weather doesn't slow anyone down. The cook truck and the rest of the camp is packed up and moving off before the departing riders are even out of sight. Almost every rider has a driver to move their pickup truck and horse trailer from camp to camp. Irvin and his crew keep the parking well organized. Parking traffic right now. Plus a whole lot of other things. Like a dance floor that gets set up, rain or shine. Of course, you can't dance pretty women if you don't have a dance floor. So when the day's ride is over, dinner finished, and the sky's clear, Let's get this clear. Marcos Dominguez can crank up the tunes for some sundown two-stepping at the end of another day that's flown by. It's Friday lunch break on the Chief Joseph Trail Ride. It's been an amazing week and there's nothing wrong with this adventure. It's going to end way too soon. In just a few hours it would all be over. Our traveling tribe which came together to follow the historic trail of the Nez Perce would scatter to the four winds. It's easy to see why so many people come back year after year. But what's so special about the Appaloosa horse? A closer look at the breed made famous by the Nez Perce just ahead. What drew me to the Appaloosa horse originally was its color because it was different than any other horse. And then I became more educated and realized that there's more to just color than what appears on the outside, it's what's on the inside. The Appaloosa horse is the only breed permitted on the Chief Joseph Trail Ride. The Nez Perce are credited with developing the breed and its unique color, which even Lewis and Clark noted in their journals when they encountered the tribe back in 1806. History tells us the spotted horses were originally known as a Palouse horse, named after the Palouse River in northern Idaho, a name that eventually evolved into Appaloosa. Today, the distinctive breed has a loyal following, one that believes the animal's heart is as important as its color. There's a saying, you can get in a car and go see what man has made, but you have to be on the back of the horse to see what God has made. And this horse has taken me through some amazing trails and mountains, and only her heart can take her there, starting. You've got to have that before you can even train a horse. They have to have heart and the desire to want to do this for man and enjoy really what is natural to them. And that's the spirit of the horse, and that's what I look for when I look for my special horses. Trainer and Appaloosa Club show judge Christy Wood owns the two registered Appies she's standing with, clear evidence that the breed's bloodline trumps its color. But among riders on the Chief Joe, there's no doubt that the Appaloosa's look is a big part of its appeal. I like their stamina, and your horse doesn't look like everybody else's horse, because the color patterns are all so different. They're a stout. Friendly horse. Not all Appaloosas are that way. You have to find the right one. But when you find a good Appaloosa, it's hard to beat. Since the Appaloosa is so connected with the Nez Perce tribe, some of the riders here believe the Chief Joseph Trail Ride is as significant for the horse as it is for the humans who ride them. There's just more to the Appaloosa with their history. It's almost as though the horse knows its own history, and Dollar does too. You can kind of sense it when we were out there two years ago, we were in Yellowstone. Dollar's never seen a bison before. And when she looked at that, you could almost kind of, I could see her mind processing. My forefathers saw those. We carried the Indians into their freedom, into their hunts. And it's almost that she sensed that. And it was a great experience. The following summer, we were back in the saddle with the Chief Joe once again, as the trail ride completed another 13-year trek at the Bear Paw Battlefield. We'll take you back on the trail later in the program. But first, we'll visit another Native American landmark. You can see Sitting Bull's vision here. Montana's mystical Deer Medicine Rocks. They are something like a Native American Stonehenge. The Deer Medicine Rocks. Sioux and Cheyenne villages led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse camped near here in June of 1876, just days before the village moved onto the banks of the Little Bighorn, where General George Custer and much of his 7th Cavalry would be wiped out. The Sundance Lodge. That's where it was out there in the flat. History tells us Sitting Bull had a vision here during a sundance of the coming battle, a vision of many soldiers falling into camp. Today, Cheyenne Phillip White Man Jr. can show you where that vision was etched into these rocks more than 140 years ago. And there's a lodge here that's erected by three poles, and there's a feather on top. Phillip lives on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, which borders the private ranch of Jack Bailey, where these rocks are located. Bailey's family has been friends with the Cheyenne people since they first settled in this country back in 1883 and has forever granted access to the rocks to Native Americans and others who ask permission. I went to school with the Cheyennes. I went to church with the Cheyennes. I hired a lot of Cheyennes. It's just always part of my life. There were rotting buffalo on the ground when Jack's grandmother came here with her family as a seven-year-old girl. She learned to speak Cheyenne and interpreted for the nuns at nearby St. Labre, an Indian school that to this day provides Native Americans with a free quality K-12 education. Another thing, I have all the goodies from the Custer campsite, The Bailey Ranch House is a fascinating museum filled with Western history. It's very personal. This 1874 cavalry officer's buckle is among the artifacts Jack has picked up off the ground over the years. I found it down here by my granddad's ranch, between his house and the medicine rocks. He also owns a McClellan saddle, ridden by a soldier pursuing the Indians in the months following the Custer fight. Famed frontier photographer L.A. Huffman sold Jack's grandfather the brand his ranch still uses. In 1908, our son John still uses it. And the brand is in a history book. 8 1⁄2 is the brand. There's Black Wolf. So is a photo of Black Wolf, a grandfather of Philip Whiteman Jr. Jack has been adopted into the Black Wolf family. We've been adopted several times in the tribe. A Cheyenne tradition honoring close friends. We had that big fire three years ago and burned up all our grass. The Cheyenne tribe invited us to lease their surplus grass. A white guy couldn't do that. And on his wall hangs the skull of a buffalo he shot back in 1952 on the Crow Indian Reservation after the Crows donated three buffalo to feed the children of St. Labre. And they gave them to them in the middle of the damn winter and they wanted us guys to take our horses and go up there and kill them and get the meat out for the kids. They had a lot of kids in there, school Crow kids. So that's what we did. Jack later loaned the skull to the Cheyenne for use in a Sundance ceremony. Some of the war dancers. You could spend all day talking at Jack's house. My father's grandmother, shower dress woman. She's the one that was at the Battle of Little Bighorn. But we've come here to see the rocks. With Jack not as young as he used to be, Philip will be my guide. It's got to be handed down. You just can't learn it from a book. As we drive out on a dirt ranch road, ominous smoke from a summer wildfire appears over the horizon. Nature reconditioning itself. Philip says these rocks are not a tourist attraction. And he and many others believe they contain great spiritual significance. Yes. We'll stop several times along the way. As Philip gets out and prays in Cheyenne. We don't come here to pray to the rock. We don't come here to pray to the sun. We come here to offer prayer, meditation, to connect to the energy, the creator of the universe. Keeping an eye on that not too distant wildfire, Philip leads the way. You go from the east to the west as the sun rises to the sunsets. This is sacred ground. This rock is known as to the Cheyennes That means motion picture rock. The pictures that change and are created by this rock. Images of tipis, animals, elk and bear, other mysterious images. It's a symbol of an enemy. Jack Bailey says he's seen other things here too. We see some things over there that a lot of people would not like to believe. But you don't have to tell that because people think it's a lie. All right. But it's not. You can see the lightning bolt that Sitting Bull saw in his vision and it comes right to this deer. C.S.N. There are also the names of soldiers who rode with the 7th Cavalry who left their mark on these rocks. Jack, he has... He researched those names and he found them. Sitting Bull signed it too. Right here. Can you see that buffalo sitting down? There's its hind legs and it's sitting down. And there's its picture craft right here. That's how he drew his name before Buffalo Bill taught him how to write Sitting Bull. Now you can see Sitting Bull's vision here. And there on the rock is what Philip and Jack say is the great chief's legendary vision. Many soldiers falling into camp. A clash of cultures. And here you can see the soldier with the three sides with grasshopper legs coming down into the camp like locusts. There's the camp like locusts. Whatever you may believe about Deer Medicine Rocks, there is no debating the historic significance of this place. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2012. Legends walked these trails. Custer and his men rode by. Native Americans still make a pilgrimage here, many leaving prayer bundles tied to bushes near the rocks. And the rocks contain some fascinating shapes. Look close and you'll see a howling coyote. On top of the rocks, a buffalo sits And across the meadow, another mysterious looking structure, known as Owl Rock. The owl is not a symbol of death, merely a messenger of death. If you look, Philip finds lessons in the stone. We have to be strong like the bear and be wise like the turtle on our destiny. And the mirror reminds us to look at ourselves first. Strength, wisdom, the proper perspective, timeless and eternal values. At this place that is fascinating for so many reasons, which happily has been placed in very good hands. I just like history, and I like people, and I like to visit. That's all part of the Chief Joseph Trail Ride, too. They ain't nothing quite so fine as being on a good horse in new country. We'll take you on the final leg of that historic adventure just ahead. Final stretch. It's the last day on the last leg of the Chief Joseph Trail Ride, the final mile of 13 week-long summer trail rides that retrace the 1300 bloody miles the Nez Perce Indians rode in the summer of 1877 as they fled the pursuing U.S. Army for freedom in Canada. The army caught up with the tribe at what today is our destination, the Bear Paw Battlefield. As we rode in, the flag just happened to be at half-staff to honor police officers murdered in Dallas. But the summer memorial seemed fitting for the end of our trail as well. I know exactly where my great-grandfather Watollan fought, and it says Watollan fought here. And, you know, and it does get emotional for us. Earlier that day, Angel Sabota reflected on the personal history of her family members who rode and fought here so long ago. They fought, you know, so that we can have a good life. And so it's important for us to honor that, to have, you know, live your life in a good way because that's what our ancestors wanted for us. While it is, of course, important to remember what happened on this trail. It's a great day on the Chief Joseph Trail, right? It sure is. It's also easy to forget the worries of the world. When you're horseback for the week in this gorgeous country. It is so much fun, and I guess I've met all my best friends on this ride. Dr. Corita DuBose is here from Houston on her 23rd Chief Joe ride. I would so love to just keep doing this as long as I possibly can. Let her get her 26, 27 years old. Oh, your daughter? Yeah. This year's journey is especially sweet. Corita's daughter and fellow doctor, Ariel, is finally done with her medical training and able to come on the ride. You're a surgeon, you're telling me. I am. Thank you. You're welcome. You don't look like a typical surgeon, right? I don't know whatever that looks like. I know, it's always a question. What would that look like? I'm not in scrubs out here. That's right. This horseback group really is like one big happy family. Friends even before they meet. You know, you have everybody from nurses to horse trainers to pilots to, you know, just really interesting people. I mean, that's the best part, I think. That and the dancing. I don't think so. Everybody here is like-minded, no matter race, religion, creed. We're one unit, we're one team, we're one people on this ride. Today's adventure takes us across the private 12,000-acre ranch of Lori Faber, who with her family raises cattle, horses, and hay. While we're loving the chance to explore her backyard, she's happy to have the company. It's wonderful. I think it's good for people to get out and see what different country and ride their horses. And remember Chief Joseph and everything those people went through. Oh, I love it. I love looking at all the Appaloosas. Brittany, Lori's daughter, put on quite a show when her horse suddenly went to bucking for whatever reason. What's the secret to staying on a bucking horse? I don't know, it's just kind of in my blood. My grandfathers are bronc riders and I don't know, I come from a long line of bronc riders. I prefer the horses that don't buck. You can sit back and just soak in this place. Gosh, it's just gorgeous. It's gorgeous. As Sam Elliott said, and I think it was the Sacketts, they ain't nothing quite so fine as being on a good horse in new country. Along with the splendid western scenery are some remnants of the old west, Pioneer Cabin. And it was part of a line camp. This used to be part of the Miller Brothers, Chris Miller Place. And this was the sheep headquarters. There are also landmarks of the history that we are retracing. From there, they spotted Joseph's camp. As we approach the end of the Chief Joseph Trail Ride. Bittersweet being the last day. It's been a wonderful week. Absolutely wonderful week. Soon, our trail would come to an end. We would gather later at the Bear Paw Battlefield for ceremonies to honor those on both sides who suffered here so long ago. But as the ceremonies ended in a friendship dance, How's it going? It's going great, what a perfect day! we would always remember the new friendships made on this trail and look forward to riding together once again. That's it for now. We're back next time with more cool stuff from today's Wild West. I'm Marc Baddour, we'll see you down the trail. For more information on the people and places featured in Today's Wild West, or to order show DVDs and books, visit todayswildwest.com.