The Line Collapses
Posted by: 
Volcanoguy
N 45° 47.217 W 116° 16.520
11T E 556327 N 5070631
The Line Collapses sign on the White Bird Battlefield Trail.
Waymark Code: WMAM7Q
Location: Idaho, United States
Date Posted: 01/28/2011
Views: 4
History sign about The Line Collapses is the fourth sign on the White Bird Battlefield Trail.
Marker Name: The Line Collapses
Marker Type: Roadside
Marker Text:
“It is a bad mix-up for the soldiers. They do not stand before that sweeping charge and rifle fire of the Indians. Their horses go wild, throwing the riders.” --- weyawaci ckan (John Miles)
To the left and right along this ridge, Captain Perry established an orderly line of battle. Many of the soldiers dismounted and stood three yards apart, firing downhill.
In contrast, the Nez Perce warriors used a more mobile, flexible fighting style, with small groups attacking both sides of the army line. The warriors also proved to be more accurate marksmen. As casualties mounted, the line began to break as some soldiers fled. Captain Perry’s well-ordered plan was turning into a disaster.
Q: “How long after the first firing commenced did F Company give way?”
A: “It did not seem more than five minutes . . . I suppose some of them were panic stricken.” --- Capt. J.G. Trimble, at Court of Inquiry, 1878
County: Idaho
Group Responsible for Placement: National Park Service
Marker Number: None
Web link(s) for additional information:
http://www.nps.gov/nepe/planyourvisit/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&pageid=216011
City: Not listed
Date Dedicated: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
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If possible please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location.
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