During the White Bird battle, the bands of Joseph, White Bird, and Toohoolhoolzote were camped along White Bird Creek, in the home territory of Chief White Bird's band.

Part of the reason so few warriors met the attackers was that kegs of whisky had been discovered in the stores farther down White Bird Creek.

I was drunk the night and morning of the battle as were a great many of the young men and even the older men.

We moved over to White Bird Creek, sixteen miles away, and there encamped, intending to collect our stock before leaving" but the soldiers attacked us and the first battle was fought. We numbered in that battle sixty men, and the soldiers a hundred. The fight lasted but a few minutes, when the soldiers retreated before us for twelve miles.