Post by ephriam on Sept 2, 2014 6:06:26 GMT -5
Three of the officers with the Dodge Expedition across the central plains mention the killing of the Cheyenne leader High Backed Wolf, a signer of the 1825 treaty:
2nd Lieut. Gaines P. Kingsbury (1810-1839), adjutant for Gen. Dodge and author of the official journal of the 1835 expedition:
“The Cheyennes are a bold and warlike band of Indians, and at the time of our arrival were in a state of great disorganization. They had just killed their principal chief, and had separated into three villages, and were wandering about the prairie without any leader. They were at war with the Comanches, Kiowas, Panwees, and Arickaras; a large war party had gone out against the Comanches, and had not returned at the time of our arrival… The Cheyennes formerly lived on the Missouri river, where they were visited by General Atkinson in 1825. They left that country shortly after and came to the south fork of the Platte, and have since been living with the Arepahas with whom they have entered into the strictest terms of alliance, both offensive and defensive, and will doubtless in a few years become incorporated with that nation. There is now about two hundred and twenty lodges, six hundred and sixty men, or two thousand six hundred and forty souls in all. They range between the Platte and the Arkansas near the mountain, and subsist entirely upon buffalo and the wild fruit they gather along the mountains…
"After they were collected together and arranged in due council form, Colonel Dodge addressed them as follows: '…The Cheyennes having killed their principal chief, the High-backed Wolf, and as they have no chiefs, I would recommend to them that they would choose from among their principal braves a chief for each band…'
"The colonel requested the Cheyennes to select a chief for each of the three bands that were at the council. But, after waiting for a considerable length of time, and finding no one willing to step forward, he told Little Moon to select three chiefs, (one for each band,) and, if they pleased the nation, they might be appointed. He accordingly took three of them by the hand and led them forward to Colonel Dodge, and seated them near him. The colonel then asked them if they had any objections to these men; no objections were made. They were not only the choice of the Cheyenne nation, but the very men that the traders who were acquainted with them would have selected. The colonel then put around their necks the representation of a medal, and told them they were chiefs, and would be regarded as such by the whites. He also told the Cheyennes that they must consider these men as their chiefs, and respect them accordingly. Their names were, the White Crow, the Flying Arrow, and the Walking Whirlwind; all of them distinguished warriors, friendly with the whites, and popular with the nation…
"Arrived at another Cheyenne village on the evening of the 14th, having marched about fifty miles since leaving Messrs. Bent and St. Vrain’s fort. This was the band of Cheyennes that were absent at the council. There were about fifty lodges of them. They had large quantities of buffalo meat hanging up to dry all around their village, and their encampment was surrounded by a large number of horses, many of which they had just stolen from the Comanches. Soon after we had encamped the principal men and warriors of the village came down to visit us. Colonel Dodge held a talk with them, in which he told them that he… had made a chief for each of the three bands that were there, and that if they would select one of their principal men he would make him a chief, and he would be regarded as such by the whites; that Mr. St. Vrain would give them presents equal in amount to the presents received by the other bands. They pointed to five men sitting together, saying they were the principal men; they appeared reluctant to make the selection from among these five. The colonel then told them they must select some one to receive the presents and have them distributed. One of the braves was finally led forth to whom the medal was given, together with the presents, and a letter from Colonel Dodge stating that he had been made a chief. His name was White Man’s Chief. They appeared well pleased with their reception, and went away highly gratified…
"The Arickaras were formerly on very friendly terms with the Cheyennes, and lived with them for some time; many of them still speak the Cheyenne language well. After the Cheyennes had concluded an alliance with the Arepahas, the Arickaras commenced stealing their horses. Still they would not go to war; they said they did not care for a few horses. The Arickaras soon after killed several whites who were trading with the Arepahas. They then deteremined to declare war against them; and soon after the Arepahas meeting a war party of twenty or thirty Arickaras, who were coming to steal their horeses, they attacked them and killed them all – not one escaping. The Cheyennes soon after met a war party of Arickaras and killed them all, except one: him they told to go home and tell his people that it was the Cheyennes who had killed the party. Since that period they have carried on a predatory warfare until the present time…
Capt. Lemuel Ford (1788-1850), commanding Co. G 1st Dragoons: During the council on Aug 11 “Some presents were made & the Col installed three chiefs which were selected in the Schian nation. They had murdered their only Chief about one year ago.”
Capt. Matthew Duncan (1790-1844), commanding Co. C 1st Dragoons: “We found the Schyans in a most deplorable state of anarchy and confusion. They had lately killed the High Backed Wolf, their only chief, and Buffalo Head, the second man of the nation had fled to the Arorpahoes [Arapahoes], and the nation divided into four bands.”
2nd Lieut. Gaines P. Kingsbury (1810-1839), adjutant for Gen. Dodge and author of the official journal of the 1835 expedition:
“The Cheyennes are a bold and warlike band of Indians, and at the time of our arrival were in a state of great disorganization. They had just killed their principal chief, and had separated into three villages, and were wandering about the prairie without any leader. They were at war with the Comanches, Kiowas, Panwees, and Arickaras; a large war party had gone out against the Comanches, and had not returned at the time of our arrival… The Cheyennes formerly lived on the Missouri river, where they were visited by General Atkinson in 1825. They left that country shortly after and came to the south fork of the Platte, and have since been living with the Arepahas with whom they have entered into the strictest terms of alliance, both offensive and defensive, and will doubtless in a few years become incorporated with that nation. There is now about two hundred and twenty lodges, six hundred and sixty men, or two thousand six hundred and forty souls in all. They range between the Platte and the Arkansas near the mountain, and subsist entirely upon buffalo and the wild fruit they gather along the mountains…
"After they were collected together and arranged in due council form, Colonel Dodge addressed them as follows: '…The Cheyennes having killed their principal chief, the High-backed Wolf, and as they have no chiefs, I would recommend to them that they would choose from among their principal braves a chief for each band…'
"The colonel requested the Cheyennes to select a chief for each of the three bands that were at the council. But, after waiting for a considerable length of time, and finding no one willing to step forward, he told Little Moon to select three chiefs, (one for each band,) and, if they pleased the nation, they might be appointed. He accordingly took three of them by the hand and led them forward to Colonel Dodge, and seated them near him. The colonel then asked them if they had any objections to these men; no objections were made. They were not only the choice of the Cheyenne nation, but the very men that the traders who were acquainted with them would have selected. The colonel then put around their necks the representation of a medal, and told them they were chiefs, and would be regarded as such by the whites. He also told the Cheyennes that they must consider these men as their chiefs, and respect them accordingly. Their names were, the White Crow, the Flying Arrow, and the Walking Whirlwind; all of them distinguished warriors, friendly with the whites, and popular with the nation…
"Arrived at another Cheyenne village on the evening of the 14th, having marched about fifty miles since leaving Messrs. Bent and St. Vrain’s fort. This was the band of Cheyennes that were absent at the council. There were about fifty lodges of them. They had large quantities of buffalo meat hanging up to dry all around their village, and their encampment was surrounded by a large number of horses, many of which they had just stolen from the Comanches. Soon after we had encamped the principal men and warriors of the village came down to visit us. Colonel Dodge held a talk with them, in which he told them that he… had made a chief for each of the three bands that were there, and that if they would select one of their principal men he would make him a chief, and he would be regarded as such by the whites; that Mr. St. Vrain would give them presents equal in amount to the presents received by the other bands. They pointed to five men sitting together, saying they were the principal men; they appeared reluctant to make the selection from among these five. The colonel then told them they must select some one to receive the presents and have them distributed. One of the braves was finally led forth to whom the medal was given, together with the presents, and a letter from Colonel Dodge stating that he had been made a chief. His name was White Man’s Chief. They appeared well pleased with their reception, and went away highly gratified…
"The Arickaras were formerly on very friendly terms with the Cheyennes, and lived with them for some time; many of them still speak the Cheyenne language well. After the Cheyennes had concluded an alliance with the Arepahas, the Arickaras commenced stealing their horses. Still they would not go to war; they said they did not care for a few horses. The Arickaras soon after killed several whites who were trading with the Arepahas. They then deteremined to declare war against them; and soon after the Arepahas meeting a war party of twenty or thirty Arickaras, who were coming to steal their horeses, they attacked them and killed them all – not one escaping. The Cheyennes soon after met a war party of Arickaras and killed them all, except one: him they told to go home and tell his people that it was the Cheyennes who had killed the party. Since that period they have carried on a predatory warfare until the present time…
Capt. Lemuel Ford (1788-1850), commanding Co. G 1st Dragoons: During the council on Aug 11 “Some presents were made & the Col installed three chiefs which were selected in the Schian nation. They had murdered their only Chief about one year ago.”
Capt. Matthew Duncan (1790-1844), commanding Co. C 1st Dragoons: “We found the Schyans in a most deplorable state of anarchy and confusion. They had lately killed the High Backed Wolf, their only chief, and Buffalo Head, the second man of the nation had fled to the Arorpahoes [Arapahoes], and the nation divided into four bands.”
