Southern Plains delegation 1863

[Dietmar]

Southern Plains Delegation 1863

This first group photo of the Southern Plains delegation to Washington in 1863 is well known and shows the Cheyenne and Kiowa delegates.


front row, left to right: Lean Bear, War Bonnet, Standing-in-the-Water (all three Cheyennes variously identified), Yellow Wolf (Kiowa)
second row: Coy (White Bear´s wife), White Bear, Lone Wolf, Etla (Lone Wolf´s wife) (all Kiowa)
standing far left: President Andrew Johnson, far right: Mary Todd Lincoln)

I only recently discovered at an auction site that there is a second photo with other Indians included. The same photo is now uploaded at the Smithsonian SIRIS site:


I can discern in the back from left to right:
Andrew Johnson, Prick-in-the-Forehead (Comanche), Ten Bears (Comanche), Jacob (Caddo), Yellow Buffalo (Kiowa),… Who else can you identify?
Front row: Lean Bear, War Bonnet, Standing-in-the-Water, Yellow Wolf (Kiowa)
Second row: Coy, White Bear, , Lone Wolf

Thanks for helping

Dietmar

[Dietmar]

Here´s another group photo of the 1863 delegation. I think we discussed it before, especially regarding the identity of White Bear/Satanta:

[jeroen]

This one of Lone Wolf and his wife Etla was taken during the same trip...

[Dietmar]

Our member Charlie has some more questions regarding the photo of the 1863 Kiowa delegation:



I think that the first represented the famous Southern Cheyenne head chief YELLOW WOLF - Hisiometanio (Ridge Men) band – who died in 1864 Sand Creek massacre. In march 1863 it’s sure that he travelled to Washington to meet President Lincoln together a Kiowa peace delegation. In the second photo is the whole delegation. In the wonderful site of British Museum, in this photo he is labelled as “Yellow Wolf” – Cheyenne. I never seen before images of him. And still, the first man at far left in the delegation photo is not the famous Kiowa chief Satanta (so labelled in many site) but a sub-chief called Yellow Bison Bull. What is your opinion? (Charlie)

[jeroen]

I agree with you Charlie, regarding your statement about Yellow Wolf and the mistaken identification of the Kiowa man left as being Satanta. In 1863 Satanta was a leading warrior but not yet regarded as a spokesman for the Kiowa people. In his well researched biography on Satanta historian Charles Robinson III does not mention a Washington trip. In addition, the warrior does not look like Satanta at all. I think your identification as Yellow Bison Bull makes sense, he and Lone Wolf both being of the Kogui division and closely associated with Little Mountain, still the paramount Kiowa chief in 1863.

[Dietmar]

Sorry friends,
I´m not convinced. I have seen no reference in books or historical documents that Yellow Wolf the Cheyenne was part of the 1863 delegation. That never is a 100 percent proof, because documents can fail, too.
If you take a look at the group photographs there is another hint. The Cheyenne War Bonnet, Standing-in-the-Water and Lean Bear were photographed together several times. So were the Kiowas in the picture above.
Moreover, author Herman Viola in his delegation book points out that delegation member Yellow Wolf, a Kiowa, died soon after visiting the White House in Washington of pneunomia, only a week after he shaked hands with President Abraham Lincoln. His last words on the death bed were recorded.
The Cheyenne Yellow Wolf died at Sand Creek in 1864.

Yellow Bull (Buffalo) was part of the delegation, but I think he sits next to Lone Wolf, second from right.

The question is if the man who is named White Bull in some records, and who sits far left is more likely White Bear, as Viola stated.

Here is the complete list of the 1863 delegation:

Cheyenne: Lean Bear, War Bonnet, Standing in the Water
Arapaho: Spotted Wolf, Neva
Kiowa: Lone Wolf, Yellow Wolf, Little Heart, Yellow Bull, White Bull
Comanche: Ten Bears, Pricked Forehead
Kiowa Apache: Poor Bear
Caddo: Jacob

(see: The Western Odyssey of John Simpson Smith by Stan Hoig, page 126)

[Dietmar]

O-Com-O-Cost, (Yellow Wolf) – d. 5 Apr 1863

The Evening Star, April 6, 1863

Death of an Indian Chief
Yellow Wolf, chief of the Kiowa Indians, and who was sent here as
one of the delegates to see the President, died on Saturday evening at
the Washington House after a short illness, and was buried yesterday
afternoon, at the request of the surviving Indians. "as the white
brethren were." The Government furnished the coffin, which was a
very fine one. About half an hour before the breath left deceased his
companions commenced to paint his face, hands and feet with a red
paint, and then securing new clothing and new blankets, they arrayed
the dying chief in them.
A few moments before expiring Yellow Wolf sent to Major S.G.
Colley, the Indian agent for that and other tribes, and taking the
agent's hands, said to him: "We have come a great way to see our
Great Father, and make peace. I have seen the big father, and am at
peace with every one -- with the Great Spirit and with the Great
Father -- and I am now going to lay down and sleep with him here."
As soon as the chief expired, his companions took his bow and
arrows and broke them in half. They were then made up in a bundle
together with his other effects and will be buried with him, as also
will his buffalo robes and blankets, and all that he owned at the time
of his death. A large silver medal, a present from President Jefferson
to Yellow Wolf's ancestors, will be buried with him also. This
appears almost ridiculous, as it has been handed down from father to
son since the days of President Jefferson, and is a connecting link
between the present and the past which should be placed in charge of
the Government. But the Indians insist upon its interment with
Yellow Wolf, and the agents do not desire to offend them by a
refusal.

Yellow Wolf was nearly 59 years of age, and Major Colley, the agent of the tribe, and of the Indians in their section,
says he is a serious loss, as he was always disposed to peace, and ruled his people justly but firmly. Another strange
fact connected with his death is, that when the delegation was about leaving their western homes, the family of
Yellow Wolf implored him not to leave, and were so persistent in their efforts to induce him to remain, as to follow
the delegation for miles, and with tears and lamentations vainly endeavored to dissuade him from going.

[charlie]

Dietmar: I've a bio of Yellow Wolf (Cheyenne) where the Italian author (D'Aniello) stated that him travelled in March 1863 to Washington with a Kiowa delegation. In your fisrt two photos he is sitting near the other 3 Cheyenne chiefs. In the photo of Kiowa delegation, look with attention at his decorated shirt: it is a typicall Cheyenne dress, not Kiowa. And then, in the site of British Museum (very serious) he is just labelled "Cheyenne" and not "Kiowa". May be that there were a minor Kiowa chef called also him "Yellow Wolf" but that he did not appear in the photo, because already sick of pneumonia at the time.

[Dietmar]

Charlie,

although I would love to see a photo of the famous Cheyenne Yellow Wolf, I have difficulties to believe that now there were two Yellow Wolfs in Washington on that delegation trip.

However, here is a formerly unknow group photo of some of the delegates from the California State Park site:

[charlie]

Great new image, Dietmar! Have you the names of the men at far left and far right? Are there Cheyenne or Kiowa? The image seems to cut at the base...About Yellow Wolf (Cheyenne) i am not certain 100% and i have explain my reason in the preceding post.

[grahamew]

Thr man at the left is Neva the Arapaho, isn't it?

[Dietmar]

I believe it´s Neva, too.

Charlie, I would not say I´m 100 percent sure either about Yellow Wolf. What´s puzzling that on the grave stone the name is given in Cheyenne language. So it´s seems more people have been confused by these two men...

[Dietmar]

Charlie asked me to post this likeness of the Cheyenne Chief Yellow Wolf:


Yellow Wolf, 1845 by Lieutenant Abert

Thanks Charlie!

[tkavanagh]

May 13, 2009 10:00:46 GMT -5 Dietmar said:

Southern Plains Delegation 1863
standing far left: President Andrew Johnson, far right: Mary Todd Lincoln)

Um, I don't think that's Andrew Johnson, and certainly not "President": in 1863, AJ was military governor of Tennessee, and did not become president until April 1865, after Lincoln's assassination.

tk

[Dietmar]

I´m sorry, don´t know where I got that from.

Standing at far right are more likely interpreter John Simpson Smith and agent Samuel. G. Colley. (first photo in this thread)

Thanks for letting me know!

Dietmar