Beal's detailed history of the causes, details, and aftermath of the Nez Perce war of 1877 is dragged almost to the point of immobility by scholarly detail. The reader's understanding of the events would also have been vastly enhanced by frequent use of area maps. The mastery here deals with debunking Joseph as a mighty war chief while still recognizing his devotion to his tribe, his efforts during the war to protect the women and children, and his tireless attempts to force the U.S. Army to meet the terms on which they had accepted his surrender. The book's strength may lie, however, in the extensive section that takes place after the war, as the 400-odd survivors were shuttled from prison camp to reservation, each removal taking a greater toll on the tribe.
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