Ollokot (Ollikut álok'at) (born 1840s – died 30 September 1877), was a war leader of the Wallowa band of Nez Perce Indians and a leader of the young warriors in the Nez Perce War in 1877.

Early life

Ollokot was the son of Tuekakas or Old Joseph and the younger brother of Chief Joseph. His father and brother were advocates of peace and passive resistance to encroachments by White settlers and miners on the land of the Nez Perce. Ollokot, described as tall, graceful, intelligent, fun-loving and daring, was a hunter and warrior but also experienced in diplomacy, accompanying his father and older brother to treaty negotiations between the U.S. and Nez Perce in 1855 and 1863. In early 1877, Ollokot participated with Chief Joseph in negotiations with General O. O. Howard. Howard demanded that Joseph's and Ollokot's people move from their traditional lands in the Wallowa Valley of

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

to a reservation established for them in

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Monta ...

. Although Ollokot supported the peace initiatives of his brother in council, Howard believed that behind the scenes Ollokot was on the side of the "reckless young men, who would rather than not have a fight with the white men." Ollokot was married to Tamalwinonmi (Cloudburst) and the couple had one child who later became known as Sarah Connor.

War

Although Joseph and Ollokot acceded to Howard's demand that the Nez Perce relocate to the reservation, a handful of Nez Perce warriors, outraged by abuses they had suffered and the Murder of a Nez Pierce man falsely accused of stealing a horse, precipitated the war by attacking and killing 18 White settlers in June 1877. General Howard sent out two companies of cavalry to punish the Nez Perce, but at the

Battle of White Bird Canyon The Battle of White Bird Canyon was fought on June 17, 1877, in Idaho Territory. White Bird Canyon was the opening battle of the Nez Perce War between the Nez Perce Indians and the United States. The battle was a significant defeat of the U.S. ...

on 17 June, 70 Nez Perce, led by Ollokot, decisively defeated a larger force of soldiers and civilian volunteers. The Nez Perce, numbering only about 800 with less than 200 fighting men, then undertook a remarkable 1,400 mile (2,300 km) retreat across Idaho,

Wyoming Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to t ...

, and

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...

. Although Chief Joseph is usually considered the leader of the Nez Perce, the war chiefs such as Ollokot, Looking Glass, White Bird, and Toohoolhoolzote probably determined the strategy and tactics of the Indians. The Nez Perce won victories, or escaped from larger U.S. army forces, in battles at Cottonwood, Clearwater,

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, and Canyon Creek. Ollokot and 60 young men surrounded and pinned down a larger number of soldiers at the Battle of the Big Hole, permitting the Nez Perce to escape. Later, he and others immobilized General Howard by stealing his pack mules at the

Battle of Canyon Creek The Battle of Canyon Creek was a military engagement in Montana Territory between the Nez Perce Indians and the United States Army's 7th Cavalry. The battle was part of the larger Indian Wars of the latter 19th century and the immediate Nez Perc ...

. However, the Nez Perce were surrounded in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana by hundreds of U.S. soldiers, only 40 miles (65 km) from their objective, a safehaven in Canada. After the five-day

Battle of Bear Paw 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 running fight from north central Idaho Territory over the previous f ...

, Chief Joseph surrendered on October 5, 1877. Ollokot had been killed on the first day of the battle, September 30, 1877. In his famous surrender speech Joseph acknowledged Ollokot: "He who led the young men is dead.""Chief Joseph" https://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/chiefjoseph.htm, accessed 3 Jan 2012

References

{{reflist 1840s births 1877 deaths Native American leaders Nez Perce War Nez Perce people Native American people of the Indian Wars