Post by Dietmar on Aug 13, 2008 18:37:40 GMT -5
Big Spotted Horse, Kitkehahki Pawnee
A-Sa-Wa-Ka-Red-I-Hewl (Big Spotted Horse) photo taken by J.K. Hillers near Okmulgee, 10 MAY 1875
Big Spotted Horse, a Kitkehahki Pawnee, was a young boy about fifteen or sixteen years old, when Cheyenne warriors engaged his tribe while hunting buffalo in 1852. One of the enemies, the famous Cheyenne Alights-on-a-Cloud, went after him on a horse to count a coup. Luckily the Pawnee boy on foot managed to shoot his bow and killed the Cheyenne.
After Big Spotted Horse had grown up he became an expert in stealing horses from camps of enemy tribes. So he went for example in 1867 to the Osages and 1868 to the Wichitas to get some horses. That often got him in trouble with the Quaker agents, who disliked this deeds. Once they even jailed him with other horse thieves in the guardhouse at Fort Omaha.
After being released he went to live with the Wichitas in Indian Territory. He came home in 1872 and then tried with his friend Lone Chief to convince the Pawnees to move south to the Indian Territory, too, which they did in 1875.
The situation for the Pawnees were soon as bad as for many Indian Nations who settled there. Many died because of sickness and hunger and according to George Hyde (in: The Pawnee Indians) Big Spotted Horse became the most unpopular man in the tribe. He ran away alone and was shot later by Texas cowboys for trying to steal their horses.
I found this a sad story for someone who was brave enough to kill a great warrior like Alights-on-a-Cloud.
Dietmar
A-Sa-Wa-Ka-Red-I-Hewl (Big Spotted Horse) photo taken by J.K. Hillers near Okmulgee, 10 MAY 1875
Big Spotted Horse, a Kitkehahki Pawnee, was a young boy about fifteen or sixteen years old, when Cheyenne warriors engaged his tribe while hunting buffalo in 1852. One of the enemies, the famous Cheyenne Alights-on-a-Cloud, went after him on a horse to count a coup. Luckily the Pawnee boy on foot managed to shoot his bow and killed the Cheyenne.
After Big Spotted Horse had grown up he became an expert in stealing horses from camps of enemy tribes. So he went for example in 1867 to the Osages and 1868 to the Wichitas to get some horses. That often got him in trouble with the Quaker agents, who disliked this deeds. Once they even jailed him with other horse thieves in the guardhouse at Fort Omaha.
After being released he went to live with the Wichitas in Indian Territory. He came home in 1872 and then tried with his friend Lone Chief to convince the Pawnees to move south to the Indian Territory, too, which they did in 1875.
The situation for the Pawnees were soon as bad as for many Indian Nations who settled there. Many died because of sickness and hunger and according to George Hyde (in: The Pawnee Indians) Big Spotted Horse became the most unpopular man in the tribe. He ran away alone and was shot later by Texas cowboys for trying to steal their horses.
I found this a sad story for someone who was brave enough to kill a great warrior like Alights-on-a-Cloud.
Dietmar