As cannon scattered shot from bursting shells, people held buffalo hides over themselves, as wewetatomay, wife of 'álok'at, recalled. When the initial attack became a six-day siege, the army bombarded the Nez Perce camp with artillery on open plains that offered little natural protection. In this coulee, women and children used knives, pots, pans, and digging sticks to try to dig shallow caves in the hillside. Rain turned to snow, and the ground froze. Alone, Nez Perce warriors might have fought their way out, but with families to protect they were forced to make other decisions. The battlefield became a cemetery for the men, women, and children killed there and is due the respect of a sacred burial ground.