blankets and food, and would be taken back to the Lapwai reservation in Idaho. With these assurances, Joseph advocated surrender and White Bird concurred. The two Nez Perce returned to the army lines with an oral message from Joseph which was translated as follows: Joseph's message is frequently cited as one of the greatest American speeches. Coincidentally, Arthur "Ad" Chapman, the translator of Joseph's message, was also the man who had fired at a Nez Perce truce party before the Battle of White Bird Canyon nearly four months earlier, thus setting off a war which might have been avoidable. Chief Joseph, Tom Hill, and several other Nez Perce then met with Howard, Miles, and Chapman between the lines. Joseph indicated that he surrendered only his own band and that others would make their own decisions. He later said that "General Miles said to me in plain words, 'If you come out and give up your arms, I will spare your lives and send you to your reservation." At ll:00 AM, the surrender negotiations were completed and Joseph returned to his lines. In mid to late afternoon, Joseph appeared for the formal surrender, mounted on a black pony with a Mexican saddle and flanked by five warriors on foot. According to Lieutenant Charles Erskine Scott Wood, who left an account of the surrender, Joseph's gray woolen shawl showed the marks of four or five bullets and his forehead and wrist had been scratched by bullets. Joseph dismounted and offered General Howard, whom he knew personally, his Winchester rifle. Howard motioned for him to give the rifle to Miles. The soldiers then escorted Joseph to the rear. Lt. Wood said Joseph was "in great distress" over the fate of his daughter who had become separated from him early in the battle. With Joseph's surrender, Nez Perce began to come up out of the rifle pits and surrender their arms to the soldiers. White Bird and about 50 followers, however, slipped through the army lines and continued on to Canada, joining other Nez Perce who had escaped earlier during the battle and siege. General Howard considered White Bird's escape a violation of the surrender agreement. Yellow Wolf, a Nez Perce warrior, later responded, "The surrender was just for those who did no longer want to fight. Joseph spoke only for his own band." The total number of Nez Perce who surrendered or were