Burning the Cache
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 45° 50.124 W 117° 15.821
11T E 479522 N 5075793
Historical marker about the actions of the U.S. Army burning a cache of camas root, a food used by the Nez Perce, in 1877.
Waymark Code: WM2CRE
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 10/13/2007
Views: 33
Burning the Cache
In the canyon wall, just out of sight to your left, is a cave where the
Wallowa band of Nez Perce stored a large cache of camas roots--food to sustain
them through hard winters. In June 1877, the U.S. Army found the cave and
set fire to the cache.
The camas root burning was more, symbolic than tactical. The Nez
Perce had already left the valley. By destroying their food supply, the
military was sending a clear message--the Wallowa band would never be allowed to
return. After the Treaty of 1863, removed them from their homeland,
tensions between the Wallowa band and settlers began to escalate. It
became government policy to confine the Nez Perce to the reduced reservation,
with little regard for their home territory or way of life. ~ text of marker
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