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Post by ephriam on Feb 27, 2014 20:44:02 GMT -5
Here is a 1907 interview with Red War Bonnet, one of the signers of the 1868 Treaty at Fort Laramie:
Wounded Knee, S.D. 18 July 1907 John Monroe, Interpreter
Poor Bull or Red War Bonnet Ta-wa-Pa-sha
98 years old Ogalala Sioux lives at Wounded [Knee]
The first white man he saw was Choteau and the other was "Red Head," at the fork of Bad River which flows into the Missouri River, probably near Pierre. Choteau distributed swords among certain Indians who were to be Indian soldiers. His father was one who got a sword but he gave it to another warrior and he kept the American [flag?]. Red War Bonnet was 8 years [old] when the white man appeared.
His father lived at that time where they met the white man. His father's name was Shoulder. Shoulder's father lived across the Missouri river at a place called Holy Hill. He does not know his grandfather's name. Shoulder was chief and also One Horn. He does not know who was chief before them.
His brother Whirlwind Track -- Wa-mini-yo-mini-o-ye succeeded his father Shoulder as chief. Red War Bonnet succeeded his brother Standing Bear as chief.
When 8 years old he started with the first war party. For leggings he had smoky tipi hide of buffalo, moccasins of buffalo hide, no shirt, only breech clout, bow and three arrows sharpened with a knife no other points.
They started in the morning, travelled all day all night and at day light they had a fight. There were about 500 Sioux warriors. There were about 300 Ge-wa-to-kta (Note in margin: Ge-wa-to-kte was looked up by Joe Pourier in Williamson's Dictionary and found to be Gros Ventre.)
One Ree came out. They charged on him and killed him. Those Indians lived in mound houses [and] planted corn and Red War Bonnet stole six ears of corn. He saw 8 Rees killed, and others told him three others were thrown into the Missouri River. It was above the Cheyenne River Reservation.
He does not remember who was chief of the Sioux at that battle but Black War Bonnet and Whirlwind Track got great honors by striking the enemy at the same time. Each of the eleven Rees was scalped.
Black War Bonnet was killed and the Rees were dragging him away but Points Himself Yellow rescued the body. Many Sioux were wounded but they were doctored by the Bear Medicine Man and only three died.
He was 19 or 20 when he started on his second battle, this time against the Utes; the next battle against the Shoshones at about 21 years of age; then against the Pawnees; then against the Kootenai; then against the Rees; then Kootenai; and again against the Kootenai; then against the Rees; then against the Pawnees; then against the Rees; then the Pawnees; then the Pawnees; then the Utes; then the Utes; then the Shoshones, and again a fight with the Shoshones and twice again with the Shoshones one in a snow storm; then he moved toward the north and fought against Ge-wa-to-kta (mountains); the Rees; then the Omahas; then Omahas again; then the Pawnees; then the Rees; then against the Crows; again the Crows when he shot a Crow with an arrow clear through; the Crows again when he shot a Crow clear through with a gun; the Crows again when he stole some horses; the Nez Perces; the last fight was a big one against the Omahas but he did not kill any. In all he was in 36 battles.
In a fight with the Utes he struck a man and got the old shirt he now wears. It was painted red. The wearer was shot many times. The Ute was a brave man.
He says he did not fight the white people and he appealed to Bat [Pourier] for confirmation and Bat said yes he was always a good Indian so long as he knows.
When a boy he fought with arrows headed with flint. They had no iron then. Buck's horn arrow points were also used.
The first knives he saw had blue handles. They got them at the Missouri River. He was a young man then.
When he was a boy he saw his people bring in scalps he does not know why or when they began to do that.
There was a fellow who came from the north with Bear Medicine and whenever the Bear Medicine man doctored tushes[?] came from his mouth. He himself used root medicine obtained from Thunder. He dreamed of the root and got his medicine that way. It was before he was married. On the foot hills near Rapid Creek.
In the hills there was a female elk which moved and turned into red leaves and said: "You must take these leaves and make a bonnet." In this way he got his name of Red War Bonnet.
The greatest chief of the Sioux in his estimation was White Hawk who died only five years ago. They used to call him "Trunk."
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Post by carlo on Mar 1, 2014 2:44:27 GMT -5
Great information Ephriam, thanks for sharing.
I admit I didn't know much about Poor Bull/Red War Bonnet. He signed the 1868 Treaty as Poor Bull ("Tah-ton-kah-ta-miech", actually Tatanka Tamaheca).
[Btw, I have als seen his birthdate listed as ca. 1840, but this must be another man as he would have been quite young to have been counted among the Oglala headmen at age 28 in 1868. There is also a Heyn photo from 1900 of Poor Bull, but again doesn't seem to be a man in his nineties, so is probably the one born in 1840 and is not 'our' Red War Bonnet. Also, a Lakota man named Red War Bonnet was one of Lt. Clark's scouts chasing after Little Wolf's Cheyennes in 1879. Again this is not the same man, as the name seems to be common enough (I'm sure I've seen the name previously with other tribes) and 'our man' would have been around 70 years old by then.]
Would you be able to tell a bit about the circumstances of the interview?
Carlo
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Post by ephriam on Mar 1, 2014 8:12:04 GMT -5
Hi Carlo: Red War Bonnet or Wapaha Luta was born about 1820-21 (some census records put his birth even earlier). He married Red Cane about 1847 who had eight children, two of whom were still living in 1900. One of his sons was later known as Charles Kills Enemy, born about 1867. Charles' son, Frank Kills Enemy (1894-1984), was a prominent "treaty man" on the Pine Ridge Reservation during the late 20th century. He sometimes mentioned that his grandfather had signed the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty. There is also a younger man named Poor Bull (born c1852) who is frequently listed in the census records close to Red War Bonnet. I suspect he is another son, who has taken on his father's name. This interview is part of a series of interviews I recently ordered copies of from the University of Washington. In 1907, Edmond S. Meany traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation to do interviews for photographer Edward Curtis. It is largely Meany's work that appears in the biographical sketches in Vol. 3 of The North American Indian. The list of interviews can be seen here: Meany PapersI am transcribing all of the interviews and will post them here from time to time for everyone's enjoyment.
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Post by carlo on Mar 1, 2014 11:06:17 GMT -5
Thanks Ephriam, looking forward to the next installment!
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Post by kingsleybray on Mar 19, 2014 4:00:06 GMT -5
Many thanks, Ephriam, for the astonishing interview material from Edmond Meany. I look forward to seeing more. This material certainly helps focus thinking about the leading families within the Oyuhpe band in the 19th century. I will be adding some thoughts.
Red Warbonnet's father Shoulder, I presume is the second Oglala chief signatory to the Atkinson Treaty of 1825. It was George Hyde's conclusion that Shoulder and the second warrior signatory to the treaty, Lone Bull, represented the Shiyo band. I used to think this was an example of Hyde's guesswork, often inspired, sometimes not so. The more I learn about his correspondence, for instance, with Mekeel, the more I think there may be something more concrete behind the guess.
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Post by kingsleybray on Mar 19, 2014 5:05:26 GMT -5
In the 1890 Pine Ridge census Red Warbonnet is listed in the Oyuhpe community, aged 73 (born c. 1816-17), living with his wife Red Cane (age 63, born c. 1827), and their grandson Red Weasel (age 7). In the next household lives Poor Bull (age 38, born c. 1852) and his daughter Girl (age 6).
Alex White Plume in 2005 told me that Poor Buffalo was the son of Red Warbonnet and Red Cane. He married a woman called Holy Track. Perhaps she died or they were divorced before 1890?
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Post by kingsleybray on Mar 19, 2014 5:16:02 GMT -5
"The first white man he saw was Choteau and the other was "Red Head," at the fork of Bad River which flows into the Missouri River, probably near Pierre. Choteau distributed swords among certain Indians who were to be Indian soldiers. His father was one who got a sword but he gave it to another warrior and he kept the American [flag?]. Red War Bonnet was 8 years [old] when the white man appeared.
His father lived at that time where they met the white man. His father's name was Shoulder. Shoulder's father lived across the Missouri river at a place called Holy Hill. He does not know his grandfather's name. Shoulder was chief and also One Horn. He does not know who was chief before them.
His brother Whirlwind Track -- Wa-mini-yo-mini-o-ye succeeded his father Shoulder as chief. Red War Bonnet succeeded his brother Standing Bear as chief.
When 8 years old he started with the first war party. For leggings he had smoky tipi hide of buffalo, moccasins of buffalo hide, no shirt, only breech clout, bow and three arrows sharpened with a knife no other points.
They started in the morning, travelled all day all night and at day light they had a fight. There were about 500 Sioux warriors. There were about 300 Ge-wa-to-kta (Note in margin: Ge-wa-to-kte was looked up by Joe Pourier in Williamson's Dictionary and found to be Gros Ventre.)
One Ree came out. They charged on him and killed him. Those Indians lived in mound houses [and] planted corn and Red War Bonnet stole six ears of corn. He saw 8 Rees killed, and others told him three others were thrown into the Missouri River. It was above the Cheyenne River Reservation.
He does not remember who was chief of the Sioux at that battle but Black War Bonnet and Whirlwind Track got great honors by striking the enemy at the same time. Each of the eleven Rees was scalped.
Black War Bonnet was killed and the Rees were dragging him away but Points Himself Yellow rescued the body. Many Sioux were wounded but they were doctored by the Bear Medicine Man and only three died."
Read more: amertribes.proboards.com/thread/2007/red-war-bonnet-oyuhpe?page=1&scrollTo=16069#ixzz2wOz5cP4eIf the 1890 census age for Red Warbonnet is more accurate then I wonder if this story is a memory of the 1823 Leavenworth expedition against the Arikaras, which recruited about 750 Lakota warriors. Some (Brules and Yanktons) were recruited at Ft Recovery, the Oglalas at the mouth of Bad river. Some Saones were recruited higher up the Missouri.The Lakotas harvested the Arikara corn just like RW's detail - we can imagine him, an 8-year old kid picking the ears protected by his older brother Whirlwind Track and his chums. One or two other accounts confirm that swords were presented to warrior leaders by the Leavenworth command.
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Post by kingsleybray on Mar 19, 2014 9:47:09 GMT -5
To recap, my reading of the Red Warbonnet story would be that he was actually born about 1815. When he was eight years old, summer 1823, the Oglala tribe was holding its annual rendezvous at the confluence of Bad river with the Missouri (opposite modern Pierre, SD). The Atkinson report of 1825 mentions that this area was the rendezvous point for all Oglala bands, and fur trade documents bearing on the Arikara war of 1823 make clear that a large Lakota village was located at the mouth of Bad river from late June through early August.In other words, the Oglala Sun Dance village of 1823.
RW's father Shoulder was one of the Oglala tribal 'soldiers' or akichita leaders. On July 30th the Leavenworth expedition, ascending the Missouri to make reprisals against the Arikara tribe, arrives. The soldiers are accompanied by a contingent of fur trade personnel including Missouri Fur Co. chief Joshua Pilcher and his interpreter Colin Campbell. The latter was the son of a Scots trader and a Santee Dakota mother. There was also a small contingent of Brules, led by The Shawnee (Brule: Kiyuksa band), and Yanktons from the band of chief Mosquito (the Chan-kute band, perhaps), both Missouri Fur Co. patrons. Over three days, July 30 through August 1st, Campbell and the expedition leaders counsel with the Oglala leadership and try to recruit more auxiliaries.According to the official report: “During the 31st July and first of August we were detained in waiting for some Sioux Indians who had sent runners to request us to do so, and to say that they were coming to join us. We were also making arrangements to obtain some buffalo meat from the Indians. We obtained on the 1st of August about 2,000 pounds for ten gallons of whiskey.”
On August 1st the Oglala leadership agreed to aid the Americans. This could be the context for Shoulder being presented with a sword, as were other "Indians who were to be Indians soldiers." Then or later Shoulder actually presented the gift sword to another warrior (ok pushing the evidence - maybe Lone Bull, the man he brought as his head warrior to the treaty council two years later?) and retained a US flag - which we may interpret as a suitable present for a chief.
On August 2 the expedition started upstream again, trailed by the Oglala contingent. Some of the war leaders armed with swords - including The Shawnee - travelled on the keelboat. Shoulder's young warrior son Whirlwind Track was among the warriors, with his kid brother proudly riding along with his bow and three arrows!
On August 8th the boats anchored below the Grand river and an overnight march was started to the Arikara villages. Action began with a Lakota charge on the villages morning of August 9th. Note how this fits RW's description - "They started in the morning, travelled all day all night and at day light they had a fight."
Disgusted with Leavenworth's indecision in following up his advantage, the Lakotas decamped into the Arikara garden plots and on August 10th began harvesting the green corn. Note RW mentioning how he "stole six ears of corn."
Casualties: RW saw eight Arikara killed, and was told three other were thrown in the river - 11 total killed. Official report says 13 Arikaras killed in day one assault. Good fit. Don't expect exact agreement!
Lakota casualties: RW says three Lakotas including Black Warbonnet were killed. Many wounded. Official report says two killed, seven wounded. Again, a good fit.
That is my working reading of the story. Any problems, or better interpretations?
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Post by kingsleybray on Mar 19, 2014 12:45:27 GMT -5
"then he moved toward the north": two-thirds of the way through his terse account of war experiences, Red Warbonnet inserts that interesting phrase! It seems to refer to more than the direction of the particular war party, I think it means he then went to live among the Oyuhpe, where he clearly spent the rest of his long and eventful life. Note how only after he moved toward the north does he engage in warfare against the Crows. Assuming a war career between about ages 15 and 40, it probably spanned roughly 1830-1855 (assuming a birth year about 1815). Two thirds through suggests somewhere in the mid-1840s+ for when "he moved toward the north".
The Oyuhpes were the northernmost Oglala band throughout the period 1830+-1870, focussed nearest the Black Hills, spending less time along the North Platte and round Ft Laramie. So I read it that our hero grew to manhood among those Oglala bands who did centre along the Platte after 1830/35. A decade or so later he went and joined the Oyuhpes, possibly because close relatives (including his elder brother Bear Comes and Stands) had already gravitated there and were forming a core of leadership. Perhaps he married an Oyuhpe woman, Red Cane, note she was a decade or so younger than him and their son was born as late as 1852 (when RW was about 37). So maybe a marriage alliance was made late in the 40s?
This all makes it possible that his father Shoulder and grandfather's band was - as Hyde surmised - the Shiyo band. This band broke up about the time the Oglalas moved down to the North Platte, retaining a preference for ranging along the Missouri (note RW indicates an attachment for his father with the Bad river confluence district - he "lived" there). The main Shiyo outfit joined the Lower Brules, but parts of it dispersed among the other Oglala bands. Maybe we are getting a reflection of that in RW's career!
The tantalizing clue that his paternal grandfather - name sadly forgotten - "lived across the Missouri river at a place called Holy Hill" may point to earlier migration trajectories. This is East Medicine Knoll, east of the bend in the Missouri near modern Lower Brule. Victor Douville told me that this was a popular Brule-Oglala campsite from about the 1770s forward. Perhaps we have a clue that the Shiyo especially favoured the location, where medicines were picked for headaches, fevers and other ailments.
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Post by carlo on Mar 19, 2014 14:48:51 GMT -5
Your ability to weave a coherent story from the fragmented and sometimes seemingly meaningless information is uncanny, Kingsley. In my opinion, your interpretation of Red War Bonnet's life and times is spot on.
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Post by grahamew on Mar 19, 2014 15:45:01 GMT -5
Now I need to read the book!
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Post by kingsleybray on Mar 25, 2014 10:09:03 GMT -5
Some of the data I will talk about are in my entries under the Big Road thread. We think that in the generation 1850-75 one of the most important chiefly families among the Oyuhpe band of Oglalas was focussed on the children of the chief Shoulder, who signed the Atkinson treaty of 1825 with his head warrior Lone Bull. This is how we might propose the family was related. Shoulder's sons included Whirlwind Track (or Whirlwind Chaser), who was still alive and a prominent holy man and healer in 1873; Bear Comes and Stands, who was a prominent Oyuhpe chief in the 1850s and 60s; and Red Warbonnet, who lived into the 20th century and gave the invaluable interview to Mr. Meany. There was also a daughter, Good Woman, who evidently married Surrounded Bear, member of a prominent Oyuhpe band family cored on the chief White Plume (father of Big Road). Surrounded Bear seems to have been a prominent Oyuhpe band war leader, e.g. leading a war party against the Pawnees c. 1864-65 according to the Picket Pin interview. The children of Surrounded Bear and Good Woman included Stephen Standing Bear (c. 1859-1933). There is a recurring connection to the prominent One Horn family of the Miniconjous. Stephen Standing Bear's descendants, in consultation with Brother C. M. Simon, SJ, Red Cloud Indian School, mentioned no less than three family connections with One Horn's tiyoshpaye of Miniconjou, the Wakpokiyan band. And Red Warbonnet mentions his father chief Shoulder in the same breath as One Horn I (c. 1787-1835). "Shoulder was chief and also One Horn. He does not know who was chief before them." Read more: amertribes.proboards.com/thread/2007/red-war-bonnet-oyuhpe#ixzz2wzFAHaTsWhat might be a solution is that Shoulder, also probably born in the 1780s (to be an Indian 'soldier' leader in 1823, although a 'chief' two years later) and One Horn were brothers-in-law. If Shoulder married One Horn's kinswoman, his daughter Good Woman would be identified with her mother's tiyoshpaye - i.e. she would be Wakpokiyan. That would explain some of the connections of her son Stephen Standing Bear. Also I suggest that if we follow George Hyde's supposition, Shoulder was identified with the Shiyo band of Oglalas. That band had old ties to the Cheyennes through the Masikota band, which had enjoyed dual tribal affiliation, Lakota and Cheyenne in the 18th c. In the 1820s and 30s the Shiyo band began to dissolve, dividing with the Oglalas as the latter moved emphatically southwest into the North Platte valley. It makes sense that Shoulder died about 1830 and the band and his family began to break up. Many band members went to the Brules, where the Shiyo name continued in use among the Lower Brule (see Lower Brule threads on these boards). Others joined the other Oglala bands piecemeal. I suggest that all of the children of Shoulder we have traced made connections, marriage or otherwise, with the Oyuhpe band of Oglalas, and became eminent there.
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kathy
New Member
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Post by kathy on Sept 11, 2017 12:15:42 GMT -5
I have been attempting to trace my husband's genealogy and when I saw these posts I was thrilled. I have used the book "With My Own Eyes" by Susan Bordeaux Bettleyoun for some of the information I have. She would have been an ancestor. She has stated her mother to be Huntkalutawin; her grandfather as Lone Dog; and great grandfather as Red War Bonnet. I immediately thought that this Red War Bonnet and Chief Shoulder were a perfect fit until I traced the dates. Huntkalutawin was born about 1822; Lone Dog was born ?; Red War Bonnet was born 1809-1815. This must not be our Red War Bonnet. Do you have any information to identify the Red War Bonnet in her book? Thank you, I've sure enjoyed this site. Kathy Parker, parkercasa@cox.net
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Post by Dietmar on Sept 11, 2017 13:00:41 GMT -5
Tatanka Tamaheca aka Poor Bull By Herman Heyn
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Post by kingsleybray on Sept 11, 2017 13:46:51 GMT -5
kathy, the two Red Warbonnets you mention were different men. The one who was paternal grandfather to Swift Bear (Brule chief) was probably born in the frame 1750-1775. The Red Warbonnet who is the subject of this thread was born 1815-1820 and was an Oglala. What other information do you have on your husband's ancestor, that might help to positively identify him?
Dietmar, thanks for the great Heyn photo of Red Warbonnet (aka Poor Bull). I have learned from Oglala sources that by 1865 he was a member of the White Horse Owners (Sung Ska Yuha) society, a society for younger headmen who still participated in war parties (the older chiefs usually retired from war). The society played a crucial role in organizing the defense of the Powder River Country from the US Army in 1865-68. Red Warbonnet took a lead in this, but it is interesting that he chose to sign the treaty of Ft Laramie in May 1868 (signing under the name Poor Bull). Does it feel like he had been inducted into the senior chiefs' society or naca okolakiciye as he entered the mature years of 40+?
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