Battle of Camas Creek - Race To Camas Meadows

Race To Camas Meadows

From Birch Creek the Nez Perce turned eastward and headed toward Henrys Lake. Howard’s route paralleled them to the north in Montana on the other side of the Continental Divide. Howard’s plan was to cross into Idaho via the Monida Pass (the present route of Interstate Highway 15) and intercept the Nez Perce at Camas Creek near Dubois, Idaho. On August 17, Howard was overtaken by 39 Virginia City volunteers under the command of James E. Callaway, who joined Howard's cavalry. That same day, Captain Randolph Norwood and fifty fresh cavalry men, designated as Company 4 of the Second Infantry, also overtook Howard's command. Howard expended all energy to intercept the Nez Perce near Camas Creek. He was a day late. Bannock Indian scouts, ahead of Howard's cavalry, observed the Nez Perce rear guard cross the road toward Camas Meadows. Chief Buffalo Horn, one of Howard's scouts, obtained a view of their camp. On August 18, the Nez Perce camped at Camas Meadows 15 miles to Howard's east in a meadow bisected by Spring and Camas creeks. The Nez Perce name for their camp was Kamisnim Takin, meaning "camas meadows". Howard marched to Camas Meadows on August 19. The Nez Perce had departed earlier that day, continuing eastwear. Howard set up camp there that night, calling it Camp Callaway, and took “great pains” to “cover the camp with pickets in every direction.”