After burying the dead at White Bird, General Howard's troops took up the chase and arrived on the east side of Horseshoe Bend on June 29.

We have been two days in making a difficult crossing of the Salmon River. Joseph was on the opposite bank when the troops reached the stream and paraded his warriors to our view with much pomp. He disappeared as we prepared to cross....

While the troops had struggled to get across the Salmon, the Nez Perce were delighted to have them there on the southwest side of the river.

Next morning scouts brought word the soldiers were on our side of the Salmon. This was good. We immediately crossed back to the north side.

It rained all day and all night. Several pack-mules were lost — overboard! — in the steep climb, the animals would slip and flounder in the mud, under heavy loads, and in the struggle to get foothold in some particularly steep places several lost their balance and went rolling down the mountain side, nearly two thousand feet, with frightful velocity. Of course, there was not much pack and very little serviceable mule left when the bottom was reached...