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Battles of Mullan Road War Battle of Toppenish Creek Battle of Union Gap Cascades Massacre Battle of Pine Creek Battle of Four Lakes Battle of Spokane Plains Steamboat Chippewa Fiasco Battle of Lower Sioux Agency Battle of Redwood Ferry Battle of New Ulm Battle of Fort Ridgely Battle of Birch Coulee Siege of Fort Abercrombie Battle of Wood Lake Surrender at Camp Release Battle of Big Mound Battle of Dead Buffalo Lake Battle of Stoney Lake Battle of White Stone Hill Battle of Killdeer Mountain Fisk's Expedition Battle of Red Buttes Battle of Deer Creek Station Battle of Dry Creek Custard Wagon Train Fight Platte Bridge Battle Battle of Platte Bridge Station Battle of Bone Pile Creek Battle of Fort Rice Battle of Tongue River 1865 Powder River Expedition Sun River Stampede Battle of Crazy Woman Creek Battle of Peno Creek Fetterman Massacre Fort Buford Massacre Haystack Battle Battle of Fort Kearny Battle Near Fort Ellis Battle of Popo Aguie Marias River Massacre Battle of Miner's Delight Pryor's Fork Battle Second Battle of Tongue River Battle of Bighorn Battle of Powder River Battle of the Rosebud Custers Last Stand Battle of Snake Mountain Battle of Slim Buttes Battle of Cedar Creek Battle of Bates Creek Battle of Ash Creek Battle of Wolf Mountain Battle of Little Muddy Creek Battle of White Bird Canyon Battle of the Cottonwoods Battle of the Clearwater Battle of Weippe Prairie Battle of Big Hole Battle of Horse Prairie Battle of Birch Creek, Idaho Battle of Camas Creek Battle of Canyon Creek Battle of Cow Island Battle of Cow Creek Battle of Bear Paw Battle of South Mountain Battle of Silver River Battle of Birch Creek Battle of Clearwater River Battle of Clark's Fork Battle of Heart Mountain Massacre Near Yellowstone Lake Battle of Jackson Hole Battle of Careless Creek Battle of Milk River Battle of Big Creek Battle of Pumpkin Creek Battle of Poplar River

July 11, 1877 Battle of the Clearwater

This battle occurred up in northern Idaho near present day Grangeville, Idaho, between Ojibway soldiers and American Soldiers. After American Soldiers brought most of Montana under their control in early 1877, Anishinabe ogimak knew from prophecy that they had to flee from whites. They organized an exodus and commenced it in spring of 1877. Battle of the Clearwater was a part of Mullan Road War. A list of Mullan Road War battles is above. At first, a few groups of Anishinabek left Montana's plains and joined with many Anishinabek living in Montana's mountain valleys of southwestern Montana. Most probably followed an ancient Anishinabe road (it is known as Mullan Road) to near Missoula, Montana, then crossed Lolo Pass into Idaho, then Washington. Others, however, kept their exodus heading towards Dillon, Montana and crossed over to Idaho. From there, they either followed Snake River or Salmon River. Although Salmon River was extremely dangerous to march up, many an Anishinabe chose to flee up that river to reach northern Idaho, then Washington. On Wednesday July 11, 1877, nearly a month after a June 17, 1877 Battle at White Bird Canyon, a force of American Soldiers numbering around 350, learned about an approach of a large group of fleeing Anishinabek near Grangeville, Idaho. Either that or they had intentions on attacking an Ojibway village in that location. White historians may be correct about Ojibway's being forced off their original Nez Perce Reservation to relocate to a much smaller Nez Perce Reservation. Grangeville is less than 7 miles from Nez Perce Reservation. Battle of the Clearwater commenced soon after American Soldiers prepared to fight Ojibway Soldiers who chose to fight rather than die. Ojibway Soldiers routed American Soldiers in this battle. They inflicted 44 casualties on American soldiers including 17 killed. More than 10% of their total number. It weakended that small American military force and allowed Anishinabek to continue their westward exodus to Washington or prevented American Soldiers from destroying their village. Anishinabe casualties were either 4 killed and 6 wounded, or 23 killed and 46 wounded. There are more than one estimate for Anishinabe casualties. Only an arrival of white reinforcements prevented Anishinabe Soldiers from inflicting more casulaties on their white enemies.