Works of Art

During the time he was travelling to the West as an artist-correspondent for Harper’s, Remington’s work was noticed by Lieutenant General Nelson A. Miles, a capable and very ambitious U.S. Army commander. Miles frequently opened doors for Remington to be an “official artist” on numerous occasions, allowing him easy access to the officers and troops in the field. In return, Remington supported General Miles’ efforts to be noticed in the press and praised for his exploits, whether deserved or not. The culmination of this was the publication in 1896 of the Personal Recollections and Observations of General Nelson A. Miles, a weighty self-serving tome that was designed to help propel Miles to the presidency of the United States. The volume featured a great many illustrations by Remington, including full-page black and white reproductions taken from paintings. Fourteen of these illustrations were printed in rotogravure for a portfolio issued by the book’s publisher, the Werner Company, in 1898.

The desperate flight of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Indians and their subsequent surrender to forces under General Miles is a story that has attained mythic status. After the defeat of Sitting Bull, Miles was respected for his even-handed treatment of the Indians and was known to them as “Bear’s Coat.” Remington’s painting illustrates the climactic surprise attack on the Nez Perce camp on September 30, 1877, when units of cavalry and infantry broke the Indian resistance by capturing more than eight hundred of their horses. A small number of Indians under Chief White Bird escaped, subsequently making several counterattacks in a futile effort to recapture their animals.