Little Rock, Southern Cheyenne

[John]

I would be very grateful if anyone could provide some information about Little Rock, Southern Cheyenne. Have not found any details of his life so far.

If you have, please let me know.

John Groeneveld

[Gary]

Not a lot is known about Little Rock (who was born c.1805 and killed during Custer's attack on BlackKettle's village at the Washita). What is known is summarised in Hardorff's Washita Memories. Little Rock was the chief of the Wutapiu band and the father of Monasetah. His shield was captured after the Washita attack and is now in the Detroit Institute of Arts.

[John]

Hi Gary,
thanks for sharing your information about Little Rock.

John

[Dietmar]

Yes, very few information on Little Rock (and no photograph, I´m afraid). I have taken the usual look in Powell´s work, but there isn´t much either. Father Powell assumed that Little Rock was one of the new council chiefs that succeeded those who died at Sand Creek in 1864. He only lived four years from then on.

On Wikipedia you find info that is compiled from books by Bent, Hardorff, etc.:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Rock_(Cheyenne_chief)

Little Rock (in Cheyenne, recorded by the Smithsonian as Hō-hăn-ĭ-no-o′) This name may be Ho'honánoo'o, meaning "Fry-stone," describing heated small stones used in frying, baking, boiling, etc. His Cheyenne name "Little Rock" itself is Ho'honahke. (See Cheyenne Names by Wayne Leman.) (ca. 1805-1868) was a council chief of the Wutapiu band of Southern Cheyennes.[3] He was the only council chief who remained with Black Kettle following the Sand Creek massacre of 1864.[4]
Little Rock was a signatory of the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867. In August 1868, Little Rock was interviewed at Fort Lyon by Indian agent Edward W. Wynkoop about raids by a large Cheyenne war party on white settlements along the Saline and Solomon in Kansas. Little Rock gave Wynkoop information about those responsible for the raids, which included members of several different Cheyenne bands including that of Black Kettle, and agreed to try to persuade the other Cheyenne chiefs and headmen to surrender the raids' leaders to U.S. authorities, in accordance with the terms of the Medicine Lodge Treaty. In case he was unable to persuade the chiefs and headmen to give up the responsible men, Little Rock asked if Wynkoop would take him and his family under Wynkoop's protection, which Wynkoop agreed to.[5]
With Black Kettle, Little Rock attended a conference at Fort Cobb, Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) with Maj. Gen. William B. Hazen on November 20, 1868, at which Black Kettle sought but was refused permission to come in to Fort Cobb in order to avoid war with the U.S. Army. A week later, in the Battle of Washita River of November 27, 1868, Black Kettle's and Little Rock's camp on the Washita River was attacked at dawn by the 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment under the command of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer. Little Rock, whose lodge was at the eastern edge of the village, joined with the Cheyenne warrior She Wolf and a visiting Kiowa warrior Trails the Enemy to form a rear guard to protect women and children fleeing downriver from attacking cavalrymen, believed to have been a detachment under Maj. Joel H. Elliott. Little Rock was killed in the action. He was survived by his wife Skunk Woman, his daughter Mo-nah-se-tah (or Me-o-tzi, Spring Grass), his mother, his sister White Buffalo Woman, and another sister. Of these, his mother and his daughter Mo-nah-se-tah were among the 53 women and children taken captive by the 7th Cavalry.

There´s also the interview with Agent Wynkoop in 1868 available in the net:

en.wikisource.org/wiki/Interview_between_E._W._Wynkoop_and_Little_Rock

Report of an Interview between Colonel E. W. Wynkoop, United States Indian agent, and Little Rock, a Cheyenne chief, held at Fort Larned, Kansas, August 19, 1868, in the present [sic] of Lieutenant S. M. Robbins, 7th United States cavalry, John S. Smith, United States interpreter, and James Morrison, scout for Indian agency.
by Edward W. Wynkoop
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians. Published in U.S. Senate, Letter of the Secretary of the Interior, Communicating in Compliance with the Resolution of the Senate of the 14th ultimo, Information in Relation to the Late Battle of the Washita River. 40th Cong., 3d sess., 1869. S. Exec. Doc. 40

Question by Colonel Wynkoop. Six night ago I spoke to you in regard to depredations committed on the Saline. I told you to go and find out by whom these depredations were committed, and to bring me straight news. What news do you bring?
Little Rock. I took your advice and went there. I am now here to tell you all I know. This war party of Cheyennes which left the camp of these tribes above the forks of Walnut creek about the 2nd or 3rd of August went out against the Pawnees, crossed the Smoky Hill about Fort Hayes, and thence proceeded to the Saline, where there were 10 lodges of Sioux in the Cheyenne camp when this war party left, and about 20 men of them, and 4 Arapahoes, accompanied the party. The Cheyennes numbered about 200; nearly all the young men in the village went; Little Raven's son was one of the four Arapahoes. When the party reached the Saline they turned down the stream, with the exception of about 20, who, being fearful of depredations being committed against the whites by the party going in the direction of the settlement, kept on north toward the Pawnees. The main party continued down the Saline until they came in sight of the settlement; they then camped there. A Cheyenne named Oh-e-ah-mo-he-a, a brother of White Antelope, who was killed at Sand Creek, and another named Red Nose, proceeded to the first house; they afterwards returned to the camp with a woman captive.
The main party was surprised at this action, and forcibly took possession of her, and returned her to her house. The two Indians had outraged the woman before they brought her to the camp. After the outrage had been committed, the parties left the Saline and went north, towards the settlements of the south fork of the Solomon, where they were kindly received and fed by the white people. They left the settlements on the south fork, and proceeded towards the settlements on the north forks. When in sight of these settlements they came upon a body of armed settlers, who fired upon them; they avoided the party, went round them, and approached a house some distance off. In the vicinity of the house they came upon a white man alone on the prairie; Big Head’s son rode at him and knocked him down with a club. The Indian who had committed the outrage upon the white woman, known as White Antelope's brother, then fired upon the white man without effect, while the third Indian rode up and killed him. Soon after they killed a white man, and close by, a woman—all in the same settlement. At the time these people were killed, the party was divided in feeling, the majority being opposed to any outrages being committed; but finding it useless to contend against these outrages being committed, they gave way, and all went in together. They then went to another house in the same settlement, and there killed two men, and took two little girls prisoners; this on the same day. After committing this last outrage the party turned south toward the Saline, where they came upon a a body of mounted troops; the troops immediately charged the Indians, and the pursuit was continued a long time. The Indians having the two children, their horses becoming fatigued, dropped the children without hurting them. Soon after the children were dropped the pursuit ceased; but the Indians continued on up the Saline. A portion of the Indians afterward returned to look for the children, but were unable to find them. After they had proceeded some distance up the Saline, the party divided, the majority going north, towards the settlements on the Solomon, but 30 of them started towards their village, supposed to be some distance northwest of Fort Larned. Another small party returned to Black Kettle’s village, from which party I got this information. I am fearful that before this time, the party that started north have committed a great many depredations. The other day when I talked to you, you gave me instructions what to do, with a great deal of risk and danger. I have followed out these instructions, and returned to you with what is straight, and which I have just given you. I want you, as my agent, to give me advice as to what to do. I do not wish to be at war with the whites, and there are many of my nation who feel as I do, and who are in no way guilty. We are ready and willing to abide by any advice which you may give us.
Question by Colonel Wynkoop. Before I give you any advice, I want to ask you some questions. Do you know the names of the principal men of this party that committed depredations besides White Antelope's brother?
A. By L.R. They were Medicine Arrow's oldest son, named Tall Wolf; Red Nose, who was one of the men who outraged the woman; Big Head's son, named Porcupine Bear; and Sand Hill's brother, known as Bear That Goes Ahead.
Q. By Col. W. You told me your nation wants peace; will you, in accordance with your treaty stipulations, deliver up the men whom you have named as being the leaders of the party who committed the outrages named?
A. By L.R. I think that the only men who ought to suffer and be responsible for these outrages are White Antelope's brother and Red Nose, the men who ravished the woman, and when I return to the Cheyenne camps and assemble the chiefs and headmen I think those two men will be delivered up to you.
Q. By Col. W. I consider the whole party guilty; but it being impossible to punish all of them, I hold the principal men whom you mention responsible for all. They had no right to be governed and led by two men. If no depredations had been committed after the outrage on the woman, the two men whom you have mention[ed] alone would have been guilty.
A. By L.R. After your explanation, I think your demand for the men is right. I am willing to deliver them up, and will go back to the tribe and use my best endeavors to have them surrendered. I am but one man and cannot answer for the entire nation.
Q. By Col. W. I want you to return to your tribe and tell the chiefs and headmen, when assembled, the demand I now make. Tell them that I think complying with my demand is the only thing that will save their entire nation from a long and destructive war. I want you to return as soon as possible with their answer. I will see that you are safe in going and coming, and your services in this respect will be rewarded. You will be looked upon by the whites as a good man, and one who is a friend of them as well as to his own people; and as the result of your action in this matter, you will be considered by the government as a "great Chief," one in whom in the future they can always put the utmost confidence.
Little Rock. I am here in your service; at the same time I am a Cheyenne, and want to do all I can for the welfare of my nation. If the chiefs and headmen refuse to comply with your demands, I want to know if I can come with my wife and children, (whom I love,) and place myself and them under your protection, and at the same time act as a runner between you and my people?
Colonel Wynkoop. Should my demands not be complied with, you can bring your lodge and family here, and I will protect you.