Looking Glass (''Allalimya Takanin'' c. 1832–1877) was a principal
Nez Perce architect of many of the military strategies employed by the Nez Perce during the
Nez Perce War of 1877. He, along with
Chief Joseph, directed the 1877 retreat from eastern
Oregon
Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idah ...
into
Montana
Montana () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West List of regions of the United States#Census Bureau-designated regions and divisions, division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North ...
and onward toward the
Canada–US border during the
Nez Perce War. He led the Alpowai band of the Nez Perce, which included the communities of Asotin, Alpowa, and Sapachesap along the
Clearwater River in Idaho. He inherited his name from his father, the prominent Nez Percé chief ''Apash Wyakaikt'' ("Flint Necklace") or ''Ippakness Wayhayken'' ("Looking Glass Around Neck") and was therefore called by the whites ''Looking Glass''.
The Nez Perce War
Although he disliked white encroachments on his ancestral lands, Looking Glass opposed going to war with the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
over its plans to force all the Nez Perce onto the reduced
Indian reservation assigned to them at
Lapwai, Idaho. His village of about 140 people was already within the bounds of the reservation on the site of the present-day
Kooskia National Fish Hatchery in Idaho. However, General
Oliver Otis Howard
Oliver Otis Howard (November 8, 1830 – October 26, 1909) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the Civil War. As a brigade commander in the Army of the Potomac, Howard lost his right arm while leading his men agains ...
believed reports that Looking Glass planned to join the Nez Perce led by
Chief Joseph, who resisted moving to the reservation, and sent a military force of 66 men under Captain
Stephen Whipple to arrest Looking Glass. Whipple and his men arrived at the village on July 1. After a random shot was fired by an unknown party, the soldiers opened fire on the village with
Gatling guns
The Gatling gun is a rapid-firing multiple-barrel firearm invented in 1861 by Richard Jordan Gatling. It is an early machine gun and a forerunner of the modern electric motor-driven rotary cannon.
The Gatling gun's operation centered on a ...
. Looking Glass and most of his band escaped, but the village and property was destroyed by the soldiers.
After the attack, Looking Glass and his followers joined Joseph's band, raising the total number of the group to about 800 men, women, and children. Looking Glass persuaded the others to flee eastwards across the
Bitterroot Mountains
The Northern and Central Bitterroot Range, collectively the Bitterroot Mountains ( Salish: čkʷlkʷqin), is the largest portion of the Bitterroot Range, part of the Rocky Mountains and Idaho Batholith, located in the panhandle of Idaho and ...
, thus beginning a three-month, fighting retreat. Because of his experience, Looking Glass became perhaps the most important battle leader of the Nez Perce. His prestige, however, was diminished when he allowed the Nez Perce to be surprised by the U.S. army at the
Battle of the Big Hole
The Battle of the Big Hole was fought in Montana Territory, August 9–10, 1877, between the United States Army and the Nez Perce tribe of Native Americans during the Nez Perce War. Both sides suffered heavy casualties. The Nez Perce withd ...
.
[Looking Glass]
, accessed 8 Jan 2012
Looking Glass encouraged the Nez Perce to travel east and seek sanctuary with the
Crow nation
The Crow, whose autonym is Apsáalooke (), also spelled Absaroka, are Native Americans living primarily in southern Montana. Today, the Crow people have a federally recognized tribe, the Crow Tribe of Montana, with an Indian reservation loc ...
in Montana.
[ He had helped the Crow defeat the ]Dakota Sioux
The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided into ...
in a battle in 1874 and considered them friends. However, the Crow, fearing retaliation by the U.S. military, refused to grant the Nez Perce sanctuary. The Nez Perce, pursued by the army, then turned north to attempt reaching safety in Canada. However, on September 29, 1877, they were surrounded short of Canada in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana. After the five-day siege and the Battle of Bear Paw Chief Joseph proposed surrender. White Bird and Looking Glass opposed the surrender and they and their bands attempted to break through the siege and continue on to Canada and join the Lakota leader Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull ( lkt, Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake ; December 15, 1890) was a Hunkpapa Lakota leader who led his people during years of resistance against United States government policies. He was killed by Indian agency police on the Standing Roc ...
. White Bird and 150 Nez Perce succeeded but Looking Glass was killed by a Cheyenne
The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian languages, Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized tribe, federally recognize ...
scout employed by the Army. Joseph's famous surrender speech later that same day, October 5, mentioned that Looking Glass was dead.
Legacy
On July 1, 2000, 123 years after the attack on Looking Glass's village, the Nez Perce dedicated a nature trail on the site, and three years later put up a commemorative marker. A fishing area three miles north of Florence, Montana, was dedicated to him also, in 1971.[Looking Glass Village Site]
, accessed 9 Jan 2012
References
Bibliography
* Lafarge, Oliver. (MCMLVI). Crown Publishers Inc. Page 192.
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Looking Glass (Native American leader)
Nez Perce people
People from Lewiston, Idaho
Nez Perce War
Native American leaders
Military personnel killed in action
Native American people of the Indian Wars
1830s births
1877 deaths