The main characters in Chief Joseph are, with few exceptions, historical and include General Oliver Otis Howard, the warrior chiefs, and Chief Joseph.

General Howard, however, appears only in the opening scene, when he orders the Nez Perce to move onto the reservation, and at the end, when he accepts Chief Joseph's surrender. As Howard and his troops doggedly pursue the Nez Perce, Howard's presence becomes more foreboding and he seems to symbolize the relentless U.S. government and army that will eventually conquer the entire Native American population.

While Howard acts as Joseph's nemesis, the warrior chiefs, though not fully developed as characters, function as family and support for Joseph. Ollicutt, Chief Joseph's younger brother and one of the Nez Perce chiefs, is referred to as the "tall chief and always fights bravely and skillfully. Chief Looking Glass, a courageous and loyal warrior...