Dog Soldiers of the Cheyenne
In the movie She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, as John Wayne and his men try to figure out which tribe was behind the killing of travelers at a stage station, a scout gives his opinion that the arrow they're examining belonged to a Cheyenne Dog Soldier. Cheyenne warriors were a constant nemesis to United States troops patrolling the American west, and vice versa. The Dog Soldiers or Dog Men, one of their elite military forces, were their special ops.
Cheyenne society recognize two traditional forms of governments, the Council of Forty-Four, and the six military societies. The Council included four chiefs from each of the ten Cheyenne bands, plus four responsible elders. The heads of the military societies were responsible for leading their men in battle, maintaining order and discipline among their men and the tribe as a whole, and advising in decisions regarding war. The Dog Soldiers were known as the most aggressive and most effective of the societies, recognized by their colorful regalia, and feared by any foe, Native or White, whenever encountered on a battlefield. They refused to give up fighting or to surrender any ground, pinning a piece of leather from the back breech-cloth to the ground by an arrow and remaining there until they were killed or they could advance and take another position.
In 1840, the Southern Cheyenne and Arapahoe were allied against the Comanche, Kiowa and Apache. A Dog Soldier leader named Porcupine Bear found 48 Cheyenne Bowstring Men killed and suspected the Kiowa. He began garnering support for a war party among the various Cheyenne Bands. He came upon a camp of Northern Cheyenne and found two of his cousins. In a drunken fight that night, Porcupine Bear killed his cousin Around. Per Cheyenne custom, he and his family were ostracized from the tribe. The killing also brought dishonor upon the Dog Soldiers as a unit. Such was Porcupine Bear's acclaim as a warrior that many of his men continued to follow him nonetheless. Porcupine Bear, his family and followers formed the nucleus of a new band within the tribe. In 1849, a cholera epidemic severely diminished the population of the Masikota band of Cheyenne. They, too, joined the Dog Soldiers, as did other warriors who appreciated Porcupine Bear's leadership.
The Dog Soldiers won back their reputation in battle and became noted opponents of any attempts by Cheyenne leaders to make peace with the White men. This caused a further division within the tribe between the Dog Soldiers and other Cheyenne. Dog Soldiers became allied with the Lakota and began to intermarry within that tribe. After the Civil War, the Dog Soldiers continued to oppose White settlement. General Phillip Sheridan fought many battles against them, forcing their retreat beyond the Arkansas River. Almost the entire band of Dog Soldiers was wiped out in the Battle of Summit Springs in 1869. However, contrary to popular depictions in fiction, including the movie Last of the Dog Men (1995), there were survivors and in recent years there has been a revival of the Dog Man society. They are often seen in their characteristic headdress at pow-wows and other ceremonial events.
Cheyenne society recognize two traditional forms of governments, the Council of Forty-Four, and the six military societies. The Council included four chiefs from each of the ten Cheyenne bands, plus four responsible elders. The heads of the military societies were responsible for leading their men in battle, maintaining order and discipline among their men and the tribe as a whole, and advising in decisions regarding war. The Dog Soldiers were known as the most aggressive and most effective of the societies, recognized by their colorful regalia, and feared by any foe, Native or White, whenever encountered on a battlefield. They refused to give up fighting or to surrender any ground, pinning a piece of leather from the back breech-cloth to the ground by an arrow and remaining there until they were killed or they could advance and take another position.
In 1840, the Southern Cheyenne and Arapahoe were allied against the Comanche, Kiowa and Apache. A Dog Soldier leader named Porcupine Bear found 48 Cheyenne Bowstring Men killed and suspected the Kiowa. He began garnering support for a war party among the various Cheyenne Bands. He came upon a camp of Northern Cheyenne and found two of his cousins. In a drunken fight that night, Porcupine Bear killed his cousin Around. Per Cheyenne custom, he and his family were ostracized from the tribe. The killing also brought dishonor upon the Dog Soldiers as a unit. Such was Porcupine Bear's acclaim as a warrior that many of his men continued to follow him nonetheless. Porcupine Bear, his family and followers formed the nucleus of a new band within the tribe. In 1849, a cholera epidemic severely diminished the population of the Masikota band of Cheyenne. They, too, joined the Dog Soldiers, as did other warriors who appreciated Porcupine Bear's leadership.
The Dog Soldiers won back their reputation in battle and became noted opponents of any attempts by Cheyenne leaders to make peace with the White men. This caused a further division within the tribe between the Dog Soldiers and other Cheyenne. Dog Soldiers became allied with the Lakota and began to intermarry within that tribe. After the Civil War, the Dog Soldiers continued to oppose White settlement. General Phillip Sheridan fought many battles against them, forcing their retreat beyond the Arkansas River. Almost the entire band of Dog Soldiers was wiped out in the Battle of Summit Springs in 1869. However, contrary to popular depictions in fiction, including the movie Last of the Dog Men (1995), there were survivors and in recent years there has been a revival of the Dog Man society. They are often seen in their characteristic headdress at pow-wows and other ceremonial events.
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