by Hinmuuttu-yalatlat (1840 - 1904)

Surrender Speech
Language: English 
I am tired of fighting. The old men are all dead. 
It is cold and we have no blankets; 
the little children are freezing to death. 
My people have run away to the hills. 
No one knows where they are – freezing to death.
I want to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find. 
Maybe I shall find them among the dead.
Hear me my Chiefs! I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. 
From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.

Excerpt from speech given at the surrender of a group of Nez Perce Native Indians to General Nelson in Montana Territory on 5th October 1877, after a devastating battle.


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):


Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2026-02-27
Line count: 9
Word count: 93