ORDER OF BATTLE // July 3, 1877
Battle of Cottonwood
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
2 sides catalogued · combined 270 estimated
États-Unis
120
Medium-confidence figure
Nez-Percés
150
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The Battle of Cottonwood, fought as a series of engagements from July 3–5, 1877, near Cottonwood, Idaho Territory, was part of the broader Nez Perce fighting retreat that would ultimately span 1,170 miles. Facing U.S. Army soldiers and civilian volunteers under Stephen Whipple, the Nez Perce force led by Chief Joseph, Ollokot, and White Bird brushed aside the opposing force and continued their movement toward the Rocky Mountains. The engagement demonstrated the Nez Perce ability to maintain momentum against organized military opposition, keeping open their route toward Canada and sustaining the long retreat that defined the 1877 war.
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