Great Warriors II

Some Native tribes were powerful enough to stake their claims to their hunting and home range such that trespassers knew they were risking their lives to pass through it.  The Comanche protected Comancheria, in what is now Texas and New Mexico.  Likewise, the various Apache bands staked out their own territory, from north of the Arkansas River through the northern border states of Mexico, from central Texas into what is now New Mexico and Arizona. Like most tribes, the Apache were not a centralized entity, but a collection of nomadic bands who depended primarily on hunting and raiding for their subsistence.  A hunting range of adequate size to provide game was absolutely essential to their existence.  Warriors spent a great deal of time and energy patrolling their band's territory and fending off trespassers, whether from other tribes or European trappers, traders and settlers.  The most effective Apache bands were the Plains Apache or Kiowa-Apache, whose portion of Apacheria inc

Following the loss of France's territories in North America in 1763, what is now Missouri was ceded to Spain.  Spain and France remained allies after the French and Indian War, which allowed many French traders and trappers on the frontier to continue with business as usually.  Auguste Chouteau, ancestor of mixed-race Shawnee ballerina Yvonne Chouteau, and his stepson Pierre LaClade moved to what is now St. Louis and set up their trading business.  The Spanish realized the possibilities of a trade route accessing the Mississippi River and, in 1792, began tracing a route from Santa Fe, New Mexico to St. Louis, in some parts using well-worn Native trading and hunting trails.  The Santa Fe to St. Louis trail is better known to Americans as the Santa Fe Trail. In the days of the early frontier and during the settlement of the American west, St. Louis remained the staging area for immigrants heading into the unknown.  It was also a trading hub and a natural focal point for Native trad

Settlement and exploration of the west not only disrupted the home and hunting ranges of Native tribe and dismantled their society and culture, it also disrupted relations between tribes themselves, causing further damage to Native society.  The Arikara War of 1837 is a prime example.  This War serves as a backdrop to the story of trapper Hugh Glass, told in the 2015 movie The Revenant . Trappers who spent their lives in the wilderness were constantly at risk of attack from Natives.  The Natives were not only defending their home and hunting range from trespassers, but also defending their livelihoods in other ways.  Many tribes had become partially dependent on the fur trade with Europeans in North America.  A freelancing trapper, or one working for a rival company, was a threat that had to be dealt with severely.  In 1823, Arikara warriors assaulted a trapping party working for the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, killing 15.  The U.S. responded with a force composed of cavalry, Sioux a

Mixed race people in the west bridged the gap between the Native and White worlds.  Many of these people, known as Metis, were skilled interpreters and guides who provided access to trade, and served as go-betweens for both Natives and Whites.  One of these talented men was Michel "Mitch" Bouyer, a mixed=race Lakota and French Canadian.  Mitch, 1837-1876, was the son of Jean-Baptiste Bouyer, a French-Canadian who worked for Astor's American Fur Company.  He and his Santee Sioux wife had several children.  Mitch had three sisters and at least two half-brothers.  His father would be killed in 1863 while trapping in the wilderness.  By 1869, Mitch had found work as an interpreter at Fort Phil Kearney.  He married a Crow Woman named Magpie Outside, who sometimes went by the English name Mary.  Their daughter, Mary, was born in 1869.  They also had a son, Tom, who was taken in by a foster family after Mitch's death.  Mitch was later employed by the 2nd U.S. Cavalry and w

Behind or alongside every strong man is an equally strong woman.  Chipeta, or White Singing Bird, the wife of Chief Ouray of the Uncompahgre Ute was one such example. Chipeta, 1843-1924, was born a Kiowa-Apache.  Shortly after her birth, she was taken in by the Uncompahgre Ute tribe and raised as one of them.  In 1859, she married Ouray.  She quickly became his most respected confidant and advisor.  A kindly and intelligent woman who was perceptive to the people and situations around her, she often sat with her husband in tribal council meetings.  A beautiful woman who was renowned for her beadwork, she could also step in when matters threatened to get out of hand.  When her brother attempted to assassinated Ouray, he grabbed his knife to defend himself.  Chipeta seized the sheath and the knife out of her husband's hand, saving her brother's life, but also saving Ouray from any possible repercussions from her family.  Chipeta acted to prevent bloodshed between Settlers and

Despite popular legends to the contrary, when Col. George Armstrong Custer's body was found after the Battle of the Little Bighorn/Greasy Grass in June 1876, he wasn't scalped or mutilated.  However, the corpses of many of the men nearby, including George's brother Thomas, were mutilated.  Although some White commentators at the time believed the lack of mutilation might have been the Natives way of showing respect to a brave enemy anyone who had rode and fought with Custer knew this idea held no water whatsoever.  No Native respected George Custer.  He had the blood of the Washita Massacre of 1868 on his hands.  There would have been plenty of Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors on the battlefield who would have taken the chance to show their disdain for him.  Other specular insists that it was because Custer wasn't in military dress, or that he'd cut his famous long, curly yellow hair prior to battle.  Still, someone could've recognized him and pointed him out. Co