The Nez Perce, pursued by the army, then turned north to attempt reaching safety in Canada. However, on September 29, 1877, they were surrounded  short of Canada in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana. After the five-day siege and the Battle of Bear Paw Chief Joseph proposed surrender.
The Nez Perce tribe was forced to surrender after being surrounded in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana due to a five-day siege, leading to Chief Joseph's proposal for surrender.