Eventually I have found a better scan of the 1863 delegation group photo we discussed before. I have put my identifications on it, but of course they need to be discussed.
I´m not sure about the man sitting behind White Bull and Lone Wolf. I think he´s not one of the Arapahos, who are not in the picture at all. If he´s Indian, the only one left is Poor Bear.
I know the Cheyennes are variously identified, but I follow Peter J. Powell´s IDs.
Here are a couple of newspaper accounts of the 1863 trip:
DAILY TIMES [LEAVENWORTH, KS], March 14, 1863, p. 3, c. 3Departed.—Our aborigine brethren of the West and South-West have departed.—Little Bear, Spotted Wolf and the other braves left last evening on the Majors, the first "fire ship" that these sons and daughters of the wilderness have ever seen. They will excite considerable attention on the route to Washington, as very few of the eastern people have ever seen genuine Comanches, or veritable yellow Kiowas. The "Poor Bear" of the Apaches will be a "lion" in the saloons of the Capital, and the Spotted Wolf of the Arapahoes, as much of a curiosity as Barnum's "What is It?"
DAILY TIMES [LEAVENWORTH, KS], March 14, 1863, p. 3, c. 4Aboriginal Art.—Addis & Noell's art gallery was yesterday the scene of an incident of unusual interest even for the West. The Indian delegation, under Maj. Colley, assembled there at an early hour in the forenoon for the purpose of having their painted features transferred to paper by the magic operation of the camera and chemicals. The Indians saw much in the gallery to surprise and astonish them; but with that stoicism characteristic of the race, no trace of emotion was even for a moment visible on their stolid countenances. The reflections of the large mirror in the room seemed to puzzle the dusky warriors, perhaps more than anything else under their observation, and they stood in turn before it for some time. Little Bear of the Kiowas seemed to have an idea that the mirror was in some way connected with the process of picture making, and he stood before it for some moments, as rigid and unmoveable as a warrior cast in bronze. The reflection from the convex supporters of the mirror were also objects of special interest.
Mr. Noel succeeded in getting some admirable negatives of the entire delegation in groups, those of each tribe being taken together on a large plate. The Arapahoes and the delegates from one other tribe were taken card size and will be much easier preserved in albums, into which numerous copies will no doubt soon find their way. Nera, of the Arapohoes, was taken in a standing posture, his brawny chest and shoulders exposed, and firmly grasping his bow and arrows in his right hand. Spotted wolf is on the same plate, though setting. The Kiowa squaws are both very young, the features of one of them being regular and rather pleasing than otherwise. When told that each would be presented with a copy of the photograph on their return from Washington they appeared perfectly satisfied, and took their leave by shaking hands one by one with every person in the room, including several ladies who happened to be present. Jacob, of the Texas Caddos, seemed to be rather an Ishmaelite among his red brethren, none of the others appearing to notice him in the least; and he was never "counted in" when the pipe was passed round. One of the Kiowas has a large silver medallion head of Jefferson, which is kept in the tribe as a sort of hereditary legacy to the chief.
Addis & Noell, will have copies of the delegation for sale in a few days. They will be "speaking pictures" of the West and Southwest.
from:
Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 6.
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865.Speech to Indians
March 27, 1863
``You have all spoken of the strange sights you see here, among your pale-faced brethren; the very great number of people that you see; the big wigwams; the difference between our people and your own. But you have seen but a very small part of the palefaced people. You may wonder when I tell you that there are people here in this wigwam, now looking at you, who have come from other countries a great deal farther off than you have come.
``We pale-faced people think that this world is a great, round ball, and we have people here of the pale-faced family who have come almost from the other side of it to represent their nations here and conduct their friendly intercourse with us, as you now come from your part of the round ball.''
Here a globe was introduced, and the President, laying his hand upon it, said:
``One of our learned men will now explain to you our notions about this great ball, and show you where you live.''
Professor Henry then gave the delegation a detailed and interesting explanation of the formation of the earth, showing how much of it was water and how much was land; and pointing out the countries with which we had intercourse. He also showed them the position of Washington and that of their own country, from which they had come.
The President then said:
``We have people now present from all parts of the globe---here, and here, and here. There is a great difference between this palefaced people and their red brethren, both as to numbers and the way in which they live. We know not whether your own situation is best for your race, but this is what has made the difference in our way of living.
``The pale-faced people are numerous and prosperous because they cultivate the earth, produce bread, and depend upon the products of the earth rather than wild game for a subsistence.
``This is the chief reason of the difference; but there is another. Although we are now engaged in a great war between one another, we are not, as a race, so much disposed to fight and kill one another as our red brethren.
``You have asked for my advice. I really am not capable of advising you whether, in the providence of the Great Spirit, who is the great Father of us all, it is best for you to maintain the habits and customs of your race, or adopt a new mode of life.
``I can only say that I can see no way in which your race is to become as numerous and prosperous as the white race except by living as they do, by the cultivation of the earth.
``It is the object of this Government to be on terms of peace with you, and with all our red brethren. We constantly endeavor to be so. We make treaties with you, and will try to observe them; and if our children should sometimes behave badly, and violate these treaties, it is against our wish.
``You know it is not always possible for any father to have his children do precisely as he wishes them to do.
``In regard to being sent back to your own country, we have an officer, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, who will take charge of that matter, and make the necessary arrangements.''
The President's remarks were received with frequent marks of applause and approbation. ``Ugh,'' ``Aha'' sounded along the line as the interpreter proceeded, and their countenances gave evident tokens of satisfaction.
Annotation
Washington Daily Morning Chronicle, March 28, 1863. The Chronicle account of the ceremonies which preceded Lincoln's speech reads in part:
``The Executive Mansion was yesterday morning the scene of a very interesting ceremony. The Indian chiefs now in the city met the President of the United States and had a formal interview with him. The meeting took place in the East room. Quite a number of persons were present, among whom we noticed Secretaries Seward, Chase, and Welles, Daniel S. Dickinson, of New York, Professor Henry, and other celebrated personages. The Indians were all seated on the floor in a line, and around them the spectators formed a ring which, notwithstanding the assiduous yet polite efforts of Mr. Nicolay, was still too contracted to permit all to see the principal actors. The silence, which would seem to be the part of common propriety on such an occasion, was by no means observed by the restless and eager crowd of visitors. Everybody seemed to find some one's bonnet or shoulder in the way, and to think himself or herself entitled to the best and most conspicuous place. The ladies, too, could not refrain from audible comments on the speeches.
``Still everything went off very well. These Indians are fine-looking men. They have all the hard and cruel lines in their faces which we might expect in savages; but they are evidently men of intelligence and force of character. They were both dignified and cordial in their manner, and listened to everything with great interest. At half-past eleven the President entered the circle, and each one of the chiefs came forward and shook him by the hand, some of them adding a sort of salaam or salutation by spreading out the hands, and some contenting themselves with a simple shake of the hand and the inevitable `how' of the Indians of the Plains. The following is a list of the chiefs:
``Cheyennes.---Lean Bear, War Bonnet, and Standing Water.
``Kiowais.---Yellow Buffalo, Lone Wolf, Yellow Wolf, White Bull, and Little Heart.
``Arapahoes.---Spotted Wolf and Nevah.
``Comanches.---Pricked Forehead and Ten Bears.
``Apache.---Poor Bear.
``Caddo.---Jacob.
``Mr. Commissioner Dole introduced them. . . .
``The President said: `Say to them I am very glad to see them, and if they have anything to say, it will afford me great pleasure to hear them.' ''
Speeches were made by Lean Bear and Spotted Wolf, through an interpreter, and by Lincoln as reported above.
