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Post by ephriam on Oct 5, 2017 22:05:38 GMT -5
Hi Peter:
You are right that over the last ten years, we have learned a great deal more about photographers working among the Lakota, including those who visited the Red Cloud Agency. We now know there were a number of different photographers who visited the agency in 1877.
The newspaper reporter Robert Strahorn mentions a studio in operation in January 1877, though he did not mention the artist's name. The Sidney Telegraph noted that Charles L. Hamilton operated a temporary studio in that town from Dec. 1876 to Feb. 1877 before heading north to the Black Hills. This would have taken him through the Red Cloud Agency, though no images have been positively identified to him so far. (He is best known for his work in Sioux City and on the Upper Missouri a decade earlier). During the summer of 1877, we know of at least two other photographers visiting the agency: James H. Hamilton (a brother of Charles) from Sioux City, Iowa, as well as Daniel S. Mitchell, who had closed his studio in Cheyenne before making the trip. Two additional photographers came later that fall after Crazy Horse had already died: Private Charles Howard, a soldier with an Army road mapping expedition (who photographed Crazy Horse's grave), and Mr. David Rodocker, a Kansas photographer who was on his way home from a quick trip to the Black Hills.
Both of the photographers known to have been at Red Cloud at the same time as Crazy Horse did make native portraits. D. S. Mitchell was the most focused on producing a portfolio of portraits of Oglala leaders. He brought a painted backdrop with him from Cheyenne; it appears in the background of many of his portraits and is very different from the one in the tintype in question. There is the wonderful published tintype of Big Bat and William Garnet, one of my favorite images, that shows Mitchell's painted backdrop behind them, dating this image to the summer-fall of 1877.
While most of Hamilton's photographs were outdoor views, he did also produce some portraits, particularly at the nearby Spotted Tail Agency. In each of these, he used a hanging blanket as a backdrop. I am not aware of any painted backdrops in any of Hamilton's portraits from the agencies.
Peter is correct that Hamilton listed among his numbered series of stereoviews a view labeled "Crazy Horse." Many of these stereoviews are numbered lightly within the image and can be matched to the numbered labels on the back. I am not aware that the image of Crazy Horse has yet been identified based on that number but I feel certain that one day an example will turn up. The recent Buckley collection is a great example of how more new images continue to be discovered.
While we are now well aware that there were photographers at Red Cloud in 1877, I still believe that the tintype in question is from the 1880s. That of course is a subjective opinion based on the clothing style and I am fully willing to revise my interpretation with new evidence. I agree with everyone that ultimately it will be the backdrop that will help to solve this little mystery. I am not aware that any other images with this backdrop have yet been found. Tom Buecker and I have had many conversations about images and the Red Cloud Agency; he did not show me any images with the same backdrop. No doubt we will one day find more examples with this distinct painted canvas backdrop, like a fingerprint that will help identify the photographer and better bracket the time-frame. I for one anxiously await the discovery and publication of such images!
Ephriam
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Post by ephriam on Sept 8, 2017 19:33:20 GMT -5
While at the National Archives today, I looked up the original document with the names. Here is a better transcription of the names:
Memorandum of the chiefs and head men whom “Big Ribs” is to visit and invite to come in to Fort Laramie.
------------------Sioux------------------------------ Man afraid of his horses ----------- Oh.ga.la.lah Bad Wound or Mischief Maker Hair Plait Swift Bear -----------------------------Corn Band Big Partizan Bear that looks back Tall Indian. Spotted Tail -----------------------------Brules Red Leaf Standing Elk Long Face Brave Bear -------------------------------Bad Faces Red Cloud Long Soldier The man that Steals the white man’s horses Sitting Bear Trunk Standing Bear ---------------------------O.yoke.hupas Single Horn Red Dog Black Fox Bad Hand (Bissonet’s brother-in-law) Roman Nose-----------------------------Minneconcanges Lone Horn Little Bull White Bull ----------------------Cheyennes----------------------- Grey Head Bull Bear Dull Knife Tall Bull Flake Foot Double Head White Clay Spotted Elk Man that Stands in the water Little Wolf Big Head Old Bear Little Bear Bear Wolf Spotted Wolf Tall White Man
District of Nebraska, Letters Sent (RG393 Part II, Entry 3187, p. 46-47)
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Post by ephriam on Jul 12, 2017 4:20:02 GMT -5
Thank you, Dietmar:
Yes, Price, in The Oglala People (p. 108) mentions Spotted Horse as a brother of No Flesh, citing an 1872 document about a council. Spotted Horse appears in the Pine Ridge Agency census records up through 1907 (he died some time between 1907 and 1910). So he is not the same individual as No Flesh No. 2 mentioned above. In the Mekeel papers, Spotted Horse is described as having been the chief of the Potato Creek Band ("Really Kiyaksa") but that after he died, White Rabbit was made chief "because Spotted Horse's son was such a liar that they couldn't have him for Chief."
Interesting to note that in the 1890 census for Pine Ridge Agency, Spotted Horse and a number of No Flesh's children were recorded in a band simply known as "Lakota". This band was led by Little Chief and his brother Thunder Bull. This is the core of the later Thunder Bull community. I suspect that No Flesh and Spotted Horse are closely related to Little Chief and Thunder Bull. Maybe all brothers?
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Post by ephriam on Jul 11, 2017 6:43:30 GMT -5
Good morning, everyone:
Great conversation about the Oglala No Flesh, however, I believe we are getting several different individuals with the same name confused.
The most famous No Flesh, who appears in all the portraits, died in 1889 (see Annual Report of Commission of Indian Affairs, 1889, p. 153). We can see him and his large family in the Pine Ridge Agency census records from 1886 to 1888 (there was no 1889 census). By the time of the 1890 census, a year after his death, his children are scattered into a couple of different families, with his wife living with one of them. (By the way, where does the Mitchell portrait of No Flesh without the rifle come from? That is the first time I have seen that one)
The second No Flesh appears in the Pine Ridge Agency census records with his wife, Shell Woman, from 1893 through 1907; he then moves to the Cheyenne River Reservation where he and his wife are recorded in the census records from 1909 until his death on June 29, 1930. He was probably Walker's informant in 1899.
Just to make it more interesting, a third man named No Flesh with 3 wives appears in the Rosebud census records for 1887, but I have not tracked him out yet.
Mari Sandoz is the only source that I am aware that mentions a No Flesh at the Little Bighorn and I do not know what her original source was. I agree that this No Flesh was probably not the prominent Oglala leader by that name.
Might the second No Flesh have been a young brother, who took on the family name after his brother's death in 1889?
Ephriam
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Post by ephriam on May 31, 2017 0:26:20 GMT -5
Absolutely. Great eye, Dietmar! I agree with you that the 1875 delegate photograph is of him. This is exciting!
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Post by ephriam on May 28, 2017 14:13:06 GMT -5
Biographical Summary:
Fast Thunder Wakinyan Luzahan (c1840-1914).
Fast Thunder was born about 1840 or 1841, probably in a camp along the Cheyenne River according to interpreter William Garnett. He appears to have been born into one of the bands of the Oyuhpe Oglala. Fast Thunder went on his first war party at age 19 against the Crow, with Black Shield serving as the war party leader. He married his first wife, Cane (later known as Wounded Horse) about March 1866.
Fast Thunder participated in a number of battles with the Oglala against U.S. troops in the Powder River region, including the Fetterman Fight in Dec. 1866 and in the Wagon Box fight in Aug. 1867. George Sword noted that he was considered the bravest in this fight "as he went nearer the wagons than any other man." He married a second wife, Louisa Eagle Feather about 1872, however, they separated about two months later.
Fast Thunder's name first appears in the Red Cloud Agency records in 1874 when he is recorded in the census/issue list. He is the first name under a band labeled "Stabber No. 1". During this period, Stabber was a member of the Wajaje, suggesting that Fast Thunder had moved from the Oyuhpe to the Wajaje by this time. Not having apparently come from a well connected ("honored") family, Fast Thunder had earned his reputation through his akicita connections. Kingsley has suggested that he was among the warrior society Wichiska (White Packstrap) that supported Indian Agent J. J. Saville during the 1874-75 period; this seems likely though I have not found any documents that specifically mentions his name. He was selected to travel to Washington, D.C. in 1875 to discuss the Black Hills issue.
During the Sioux War of 1876-77, Fast Thunder remained at the Red Cloud Agency. He is listed in Col. Merrit's March 1876 list of families at the agency. A recently published book states that he was present at the Little Bighorn, however, this was a misunderstanding of the secondary sources. Fast Thunder himself stated that "he was not in the Custer Battle."
In October 1876, Fast Thunder and his band of 40 people transferred to the Spotted Tail Agency together with the other Wajaje bands, including Old Stabber. Several weeks later, he enlisted in the Indian Scouts and accompanied the Army on the expedition that struck Dull Knife's village on the Powder River in Nov. 1876. Two of Fast Thunder's speeches have survived from the expedition. He reenlisted in March 1877 and again in July and October of that year.
Fast Thunder's "father," Lance Owner, surrendered at the Red Cloud Agency in March 1877 as part of No Water's band; they then joined the family at Spotted Tail Agency.
According to a grandson, Fast Thunder was part of "the third group" of peace delegates (probably referring to the Spotted Tail delegation) that traveled out to visit the northern bands in the spring of 1877 in an effort to persuade them to surrender. In September 1877, Fast Thunder was among those who accompanied Crazy Horse back to Camp Robinson where he was fatally bayoneted that evening.
Fast Thunder reenlisted in the Indian Scouts at Camp Sheridan/Spotted Tail Agency in October 1877 just as they agencies were being moved, however, he does not appear in the Dec. 1877 Spotted Tail Agency census, suggesting that he had returned to the Oglala/Red Cloud Agency during this period of the move. He appears in several Pine Ridge Agency census and issue records for the 1878, 1879 and 1880 period, all listed in Daylight's band of Wajaje.
By the time we glimpse Fast Thunder again in the 1886 census, he appears to be living among the Oyuhpe, judging from the names of other families around him in the document. This suggests that some time between 1880 and 1886, Fast Thunder had returned to his original or home tiyospaye. He is listed in the Makaha or Skunk Hide Band in the 1890 census; I suspect that this is his original parent band into which he had been born.
Fast Thunder married another wife, a cousin of his first, about 1888. He made the trip to Washington D.C. again in 1888 and he participated in the 1889 Crook land negotiations. He was apparently instrumental in settling the boundary between the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations. Fast Thunder was among the progressive band leaders who attempted to tap down the excitement during the Ghost Dance period and was part of the 1891 delegation to D.C. to discuss conditions on the reservation.
In 1895, Fast Thunder's son, Luke Plenty Birds, killed an Oglala tribal policeman named John Red Hose near Rushville in which Fast Thunder apparently had some role. Both Plenty Birds and Fast Thunder were arrested and then released on bail pending the trial. Ultimately, Fast Thunder was cleared but his son was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in the Nebraska Penitentiary.
By 1904, Fast Thunder had been selected as a tribal judge. That year, he accompanied a small delegation to Washington D.C. for the fourth time.
Fast Thunder died at Manderson, SD, on March 4, 1914.
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Post by ephriam on May 27, 2017 5:02:44 GMT -5
gregor: Here is the text to the letter that you mentioned: Head Quarters, Sioux Expedition Fort Pierre, N.T., May 23, 1856 Sir: I have the honor to report that in obedience to their engagements, stipulated in the Council of the 1st of March last, the following named Bands of Sioux, viz: Oncpapa, Blackfeet Sioux, Minneconjos, Sans Arcs, and Two Kettle Bands, numbering 700 Lodges, delivered up to me on the 20th instant, all the prisoners and stolen animals which had been required of them. The prisoners, twelve in number, were first, “The man who killed the Cow” the originator of the Sioux difficulties; 2nd, “The man who killed Gibson,” both Minneconjos and ten other persons of the Oncpapa and Blackfeet Sioux bands, all of them more or less implicated in the insults offered to Colonel Vaughan Indian Agent, last summer and fall. Most of the animals, forty three in number, have been returned to their proper owners, as far as could be ascertained. The good conduct of the Sioux up to this time, and the strict observance by these Bands of their pledge to appear at this place on the very day appointed (the seventy fifty), with their earnest and evidently sincere professions of good conduct in future and their entreaties for the pardon of the prisoners, induced me to return to their people the ten men from the Oncpapas and Blackfeet Sioux Bands, with strong admonitions as to their behavior hereafter; but “the man who killed the Cow” and “the man who killed Gibson” I caused to be arrested in open council and in the midst of all the bands assembled, and placed in close confinement. From the 20th instant up to this time, the five Head Chiefs of these Bands have, in the name of their people, most respectfully but earnestly, sought to excite my pity and obtain a pardon for these two persons. The Head Chief of the Minneconjos “One Horn,” pledge himself, and sub chiefs and soldiers of his band, to kill these men on the first provocation offered to the whites; the prisoners themselves too had stated, should they be permitted to live, they would prove by their conduct they were worthy of such clemency – calmly considering this state of feeling, in connexion with the fact that in both instances of these two men, there were mitigating circumstances, that the manners, customs and views of this people are so different from our own, and that these men are not imbued with a spirit of hostility towards us, and of the great suffering the Sioux had already experienced I have deemed it most conducive to our own interests and those of the Indians, and as a testimony of my appreciation of their conduct, to grant to them their request. Accordingly this morning in full council, in the presence of Chiefs, sub chiefs and soldiers of the different bands, the two prisoners were brought from the Guard house with the same formality, with which they had entered it, and after stating to them how great had been the intercession in their behalf, and how much indebted they should be to their chiefs, I have them their liberty, they appeared very grateful, and their people embraced them with joy. Several of the Head chiefs and others have informed me, that in obedience to my instructions in council on the 1st of March last, Big Head’s band of Yanctonnais had been broken up, and that Big Head himself was living with eight Lodges of his relations near Apple Creek. I have therefore sent for him to come in to see me, with his eight Lodges. I informed the Sioux I shall not hurt him that my object was to ascertain his views and feelings and at the same time inform him of the conditions which had been communicated to all of them in the council of March last. In this reporting the close of all our difficulties and grievances with the Sioux, I desire to transmit to his Excellency the President of the United States, and to yourself, an expression of my most grateful thanks, for the generous and cordial support and assistance I have at all times received in the prosecuting of the duties to which you were pleased I should be assigned. I am Sir, With great respect Your obedient servant Wm. S. Harney Bvt. Brig. General &c To the Honorable The Secretary of War, Washington City, District of Columbia
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Post by ephriam on May 25, 2017 5:11:33 GMT -5
I have not seen a list of Blue Water hostages either. However, I think the tradition from the Dezera/Dezaire family suggests that Marie/Maria was not with the hostages, rather, with the Yankton scouts at Fort Pierre. Notice that her father, David Edward Dezaire/Dezera (1829-1875), was an interpreter at Fort Pierre and later Fort Randall. According to the family, he was the interpreter for Harney. He has been discussed previously on this board as the mixed blood son of the black steamboat captain. Three of her uncles were also mentioned -- Long Nose, Left Hand, and Brave Face -- also reported as Indian scouts for Harney. There was a village of Yankton mentioned at Fort Pierre during that winter. I suggest that is the context where you will find this family.
Ephriam
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Post by ephriam on Jul 13, 2016 6:11:55 GMT -5
And according to the employee ledger for the Red Cloud Agency, Michael Dunn served as the chief herder from 20 Apr 1875 to 16 Aug 1876. Joseph Kamen as the agency farmer until 30 Sept 1876; and Martin Gibbon served as storekeeper from 10 Dec 1874 to some time in 1875.
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Post by ephriam on Jul 13, 2016 5:43:13 GMT -5
Thank you, Graham, for sharing this. There are several other photographs from the same series, taken probably in the summer of 1875. These may be from the photographer who came for the Black Hills Treaty council. This is a view of the front of the Red Cloud Agency. We knew of this image before, but others in the series are new! In this next image, the photographer catches the corner of the agent's house on the right edge and looks across the agency compound toward the offices, which includes a meeting room where Saville and Oglala leaders often met. And in this image, the photographer is looking further to his left towards the warehouse where the rations and annuity goods were stored. You can barely see the top of the two story bastion on the other side. Ephriam
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Post by ephriam on Jan 4, 2016 7:06:08 GMT -5
Thank you, Dietmar: Unfortunately, only one of Mills' native photographs is known to have survived. I continue to search and while I found some new unpublished officer's portraits that he took, so far no further Ute images. Ephriam "A Group of Utah Indians, including Arrapene (Sinnearoach), the head chief of the tribe, and Luke, the interpreter, taken on the outskirts of Camp Floyd, looking north west towards the Oquirrah Mountains." By Samuel C. Mills and Edward Jagiello, January 1859.
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Post by ephriam on Jan 3, 2016 17:00:21 GMT -5
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Post by ephriam on Jan 2, 2016 8:36:16 GMT -5
Philrob: While I agree that these German silver crosses do not have any religious significance, I still think that they do communicate something beyond just simple adornment. The strongest evidence for this is the so called "Big Road Roster," a drawing of heads of family created by an unknown Oglala in 1881 as they were being counted at the Standing Rock Agency following their surrender from Canada. Notice that each drawing of a head of household includes a glyph for their name, but that the representation of the person is fairly standard, stripped of anything unimportant. Then there are objects placed next to them to indicate their role in that band, for example, a pipe ( chanupa) and forked pipe-bag ( cantouha okijata) for band leaders. (Big Road, the most influential leader shown here, is illustrated wearing a vest. Coincidence? I suspect not.) Several have war clubs indicating their role as head akichita -- suspect that this includes the distinctive three-bladed war cub ( canmilokatanpi) we see in photographs. Remember that the Lakota word for policeman ( cannakseyuha) translates literally "he who possesses a war club." Some have stripes purposely marked on their face -- as we know from Walker this communicates distinct roles in Oglala society. I think it is clear that the unknown Oglala artist was showing not only the name of each head of family that had surrendered, but what their position or leadership role was within the tiyospaye. Believing that only important information was included in the drawing, note that the roster shows four individuals wearing the German silver crosses, the same individuals who also appear in photographs with these symbols. I think that this strongly argues that they had some significance beyond wearer's taste. Exactly what that communicate has unfortunately been lost through time and difference in culture. I also look at the delegation photographs to Washington, D.C. as filled with these same symbols of authority, as Lakota leaders prepared to meet with the U.S. leader. To communicate their role, they are carrying these same types of objects all the way to the nation's capital, through their meetings with the President and stops at the photographer's studio. Did He Dog expect to be engaged in hand-to-hand combat in 1877 when he hauled his large three-bladed war club all the way to the nation's capital? No, I think it was meant to communicate his position within Oglala society and to give authority when he spoke during the councils with the President. ephriam Big Road Roster
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Post by ephriam on Dec 2, 2015 6:49:01 GMT -5
Here is a photograph of Nick Janis, from the Fort Laramie National Historic Site. I do not know the photographer or date. Ephriam
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Post by ephriam on Nov 30, 2015 14:11:55 GMT -5
Here is a comparison photograph of the unidentified individual in the delegation photograph and a later portrait of Lyman B. Sperry. I think it is clear they are the same individual. This confirms that the third person from the left standing in the back row is "Major" Sperry, the Indian Agent at Fort Berthold from 1873 to 1875.
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