The Murder of Crazy Horse

One of the greatest warriors of the northern plains, Crazy Horse, was still unaccounted for after the Battle at Cedar Creek.  Sitting Bull had fled with some of his warriors into Canada, but Crazy Horse was not with them.  The ambitious Col.  Miles, with 350 infantrymen, decided to go after Crazy Horse.  On January 8, 1877,  he found the Sioux war leader and some 500 Cheyenne and Sioux followers on the snowy cliffs of Wolf Mountain in Montana.  The Indians were caught between a blizzard and the artillery fire of Miles' troops.  They had no chance.

The defeat at Wolf Mountain disheartened the Indian warriors and in the spring, more than 1.000 Sioux and Cheyenne came into the Indian agencies to surrender.  In May, Crazy Horse himself surrendered at the Red Cloud Agency, but even then he was seen as a potential threat by the Army and the Indian peace faction.  Crazy Horse was ordered arrested and disarmed, and on September 7 he was killed (murdered) in a scuffle with his captors.  Thus, a little more than a year after Custer's defeat, the Indians' power in the northern plains was effectively broken. That was the point, wasn't it?


Although the epic struggle had captured the attention of the public, two other campaigns of that time were equally dramatic.  One was the retreat of the Nez Perces (Pierced Noses) under their legendary leader Joseph, the other the last ditch effort  of the Modocs in the Northwest. 

Next time...The Fighting Retreat of the Nez Perces

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Today in Pioneer History: "On February 1,  1884, the first portion, or fascicle, of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), considered the most comprehensive and accurate dictionary of the English language, is published.

Dignity Not Included

It was America's 100 year anniversary but the nation was in a sober mood.  The defeat and death of Custer at Little Bighorn put a damper on the celebrations.  To the public, Custer had been the dashing Indian-fighting hero of the West.  The victorious Indians found their victory celebrations brief as well as nearly 1000 northern Cheyenne on their way to join Sioux chief Crazy Horse, were beaten back in July 1876 by Col. Wesley Merritt and the 5th Cavalry at a place called War Bonner Creek.  The defeated Cheyenne turned back to the Red Cloud Agency and ended their campaign.

The Army was too large now and cumbersome to chase the scattered tribes so they took measures to control the Indians instead.  On October 23, Red Cloud and his warriors were forced to disarm their camp at the Red Cloud Agency.  To add to their humiliation, General Crook told Red Cloud the United States no longer recognized him as a Sioux chief.  The army seized all the Indians arms and their ponies as well.  The ponies were later sold to buy cows for the Indians instead.

Congress decided to force the Sioux to give up the Black Hills and if they refused, they would no longer get any food.  Surprisingly, a few chiefs signed the treaty, despite the terms, including giving up all hunting rights outside the new reservation area.  Many Indians remained defiant.  Crook planned a winter campaign to "finish off the Indians."  In late October 1876 Col. Nelson Miles succeeded in tracking down Sitting Bull and his Sioux warriors at Cedar Creek in Montana.  Two day later, 2000 Sioux surrendered, but Sitting Bull escaped into Canada. 



Next time...Another great warrior's end
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Today in Pioneer History:  "On January 29, 1861, Kansas, deeply divided over the issue of slavery, was granted statehood as a free state in a gesture of support for Kansas’ militant anti-slavery forces, which had been in armed conflict with pro-slavery groups since Kansas became a territory in 1854.

Broken Promises, Broken Arrows

November 1868 brought Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the 7th Calvary to a Cheyenne camp on the Washita River.  The Indians didn't take much to fighting in the winter so the village, with Black Kettle as resident didn't sight the Army until it was too late.  At dawn on November 26th, Custer  and his men attacked the camp and killed 100 Indians, including Black Kettle. 

Warriors from nearby camps heard the battle cries and forced Custer to retreat with his Indian captives, but he left 19 men under Major Joel Elliott behind.  Cut off from the main unit, the men were quickly surrounded and killed.  Custer was commended by his superiors.for his bold actions...(I am not a Custer fan btw!) and his victory seemed to have crushed the southern plains Indian rebellion.  In March 1869, Gen. Philip Sheridan reported that "the tribes were living quietly on the reservations."  Not for long...

A new threat arose from the Kiowa who were raiding the Texas Panhandle - their traditional hunting grounds..  Kiowa and Comanche had agreed to leave Texas in 1867 for reservations originally given them and resettle on barren land in Indian Territory!  (can't make this up)  In 1871, fed up with the white man's broken promises, they rebelled under Chief Satanta.  Satanta was a long-time foe of the US Army who had fought Kit Carson at Adobe Walls before.

Satanta boldy showed up at Fort Sill after a wagon train raid and boasted of having killed seven men.  Instead of rations, he was arrested, tried for murder in a Texas court and sentenced to hang until the Bureau of Indian Affairs appealed to the governor and Satanta was paroled in 1873.  Satanta then joined Comanche Quanah Parker and 700 warriors in another battle at Adobe Walls on June 27, 1874.  Against the Sharp shooting rifles of the Army, the Indians held their own for a good while.

The Kiowa and Comanche continued raids across southern plains but slowly weakened.  Satanta surrendered to prison in October 1874, where he died by suicide four years later. 

Next time...The Army's Logistics and Tactics
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Today in Pioneer History:  "On December 28, 1869,  the Knights of Labor, a labor union of tailors in Philadelphia, hold the first Labor Day ceremonies in American history. The Knights of Labor was established as a secret society of Pennsylvanian tailors earlier in the year and later grew into a national body that played an important role in the labor movement of the late 19th century.

Rising Trouble on the Plains

Black Kettle escaped the carnage of Sand Creek and fled eastward into Kansas with a few of his braves.  The old Cheyenne Chief continued to stand for peace with the whites but few heeded his words.  A common feelings was more, "What do we live for? The white man has taken our country, killed our game, was not satisfied with that, but killed our wives and children.  Now no peace.  We have raised the battle until death," as one chief said to a white man.

The year of 1864 was not over and the Sand Creek tale had spread across the plains.  In December 2,000 Cheyenne, Sioux and Arapaho braves gathered along the banks of Cherry Creek in Colorado.
Their plan was retaliation.  Three years of warfare followed, where small Indian war parties went through the grasslands, raiding settlements and wagon trains, setting houses on fire and cutting down the pioneers as they went about their daily life.

The federal government was taken by surprise with the escalating violence.  Eastern humanitarians were outraged at the massacre of Sand Creek natives.  They called for an immediate halt to the hostilities, and in 1867 (3 years late!)  Congress authorized a peace commission to meet with the tribal representatives in order to "remove the causes of war; secure the frontier settlements and railroad constructions, and establish a system for civilizing the tribes."  This peace commission took place in the fall at Medicine Lodge Creek in Kansas with leaders of Kiowa, Arapaho, Cheyenne present.

The negotiations as usual, brushed over the fundamental misunderstandings with fine words, but this time the government was determined to find a solution.  The obvious white man's view was to resettle all the Indians permanently on fixed reservations.  There were two they had in mind - the Black Hills region for northern tribes, and the Indian Territory for the southern tribes.

The terms were similar to the 1851 Horse Creek treaty - the government would provide food and supplies in exchange for the tribes promising to permit the whites free passage through these territories, allow construction of roads and railroads, stop their raiding and remain on the assigned reservation except for hunting season.

It was not a treaty either side could uphold.  It robbed the Plains Indians of their free-roaming way of life, and imposed upon the government huge financial responsibilities.  The Indians had nothing left but to fight...in 1868 the grasslands from Kansas to Texas erupted.

Next time...Custer fights in Washita
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Today in Pioneer History: "On December  26, 1820, hoping to recover from bankruptcy with a bold scheme of colonization, Moses Austin meets with Spanish authorities in San Antonio to ask permission for 300 Anglo-American families to settle in Texas.

Sand Creek

There was one possible way to avoid an all out Indian war in Colorado.  In September 1864, a prominent Cheyenne chief named Black Kettle appeared in Denver to negotiate for peace with the territorial governor.  Black Kettle conceded that he could not control many of his young braves.  Black Kettle agreed to settle at Fort Lyon, in eastern Colorado, with those of his Cheyenne and Arapaho followers who opposed war.  The new commander at Fort Lyon insisted that Black Kettle camp on Sand Creek, some 40 miles from the fort since he had no orders from General Curtis.  Surprisingly, Black Kettle agreed.

At dawn on November 29, 1864, when Black Kettle's band of about 500, including more than 300 women and children, were settled beside the stream, a detachment of 700 of Chivington's (see previous posts) volunteers suddenly appeared.  With no warning or discussion, they went through the camp in a murderous spree.  The Indian leader tried to comprehend what was happening, raising the US flag, then a white flag of surrender. 

Chivington's orders were to "Kill and scalp all, big and little, nits and lice."  The troops killed every Indian who moved and then mutilated the bodies, saving parts as souvenirs of  their "bravery".  One group of squaws and children were cut down in the middle of surrender.  When a toddler was lost amid the chaos, he was made the object of target practice by the soldiers.  Flight was the only possible escape, and some did get away to spread the word that peace with the US was just not possible.

Denver celebrated Sand Creek as a great and noble victory until the truth slowly came out..."A cowardly and cold-blooded slaughter", said a shocked army judge.  But by then the damage was done and the West was being torn by a new and bitter round of Indian wars.

Again I ask you, who was the civilized culture?

Next time...Blood on the Grasslands
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Today in Pioneer History: "On December 18, 1843, Charles Dickens published "A Christmas Carol".
A Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Colorado Simmers

The mining towns and ranches in Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming and Montana Territories were still growing during the Civil War days, with the added influx of those dodging the army.  The whites wanted land and freedom - a piece of the western bonanza.  They didn't much care about Indian rights, or the survival of buffalo, the Indian food source.

The result of the government's inability or unwillingness to stop the whites' disrespect was predictable.  Indians, hungry and fearful of losing what little land they had left would certainly fight to retain their heritage.  The older chiefs had begun to lose the influence they had to the younger braves, and the Civil War was the beginning of the last and bloodiest Indian war in the West.  It was a war of small battles, one after the other, that didn't end until the tribes had nothing left.

The Arapaho and Cheyenne had signed over most of their hunting grounds shortly before the Civil War, something that angered the young braves.  In 1863, a band of Cheyenne warriors raided several small Colorado settlements.  In 1864 a family was murdered on their Colorado ranch, with their bodies placed on display in Denver by whites. (??)  Indian raids closed down the main road to the east, leaving Denver isolated and scared.

Rumors flew of wild attacks planned by the Indians throughout the city.  Cries of vengeance grew.  Volunteer riffraff under Col. John Chivington were just waiting for a fight.  Chivington was actually a former minister, hero of Glorieta Pass (See previous post) and had a great taste for battle - especially against the heathen Indians.  When his superior, Maj. Gen. Samuel Curtis declared, "I want no peace until the Indians suffer more," Chivington was more than happy to oblige. 

Next time...Sand Creek
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Today in Pioneer History: "On December 11, 1872, Buffalo Bill Cody, already appearing as a well-known figure of the Wild West in popular dime novels,  makes his first stage appearance in a Chicago-based production of "The Scouts of the Prairie".