Great Leader: Black Kettle of the Southern Cheyenne, 1803-1868
Some people's lives are one tragedy after another. Black Kettle of the Southern Cheyenne was a capable leader and warrior who tried his best to deal with the realities of White incursion into his people's home and hunting range. And he would face two of the most horrific incidents to happen in the west, the Sand Creek Massacre and the Battle of the Washita.
Black Kettle was born in the Black Hills of South Dakota. By birth, he was a member of a band of Northern Cheyenne, but he would marry into the Southern Cheyenne and achieve leadership among them. He eventually became the leader of the Council of Forty Four, the governing body of the entire Cheyenne tribe, a testament to his skills as a leader and warrior. In 1851, the Cheyenne had signed the Treaty of Fort Laramie, which set the boundaries for their land and guaranteed that the U.S. would prevent trespassers. The Settlers kept coming and conflicts between Cheyenne war and hunting parties and Settlers happened. Black Kettle was aware that the Army had little interest in policing the Americans and that his warriors couldn't drive them all away. This was particularly true after the Pike's Peak Gold Rush sent prospectors flocking into what is now Colorado. In 1861, Black Kettle signed the Treaty of Fort Wise, which severely limited the Cheyenne homeland. Many other Cheyenne leaders and bands disavowed this treaty and continued to use their accustomed hunting range.
By 1864, relations between the Settlers and the Cheyenne had reached a boiling point. In July, 1864, a band of Natives, otherwise unknown, killed a Settler family and Colorado authorities blamed the Cheyenne and Arapaho. The territorial governor of Colorado issued a proclamation ordering all "friendly Indians of the Plains" to report to the nearest military installation or be deemed hostile and open to attack. Black Kettle took his people, mostly Cheyenne but with some Arapaho, to the renamed Fort Lyon, formerly Fort Wise. In November, 1864, Col. John M. Chivington of the 3rd Colorado Cavalry showed up at Fort Wise, determined on a final solution to Black Kettle and his people. At dawn on November 29, 1864, Chivington's men swept down on Black Kettle's village at Sand Creek, killing dozens of elderly, women, children and other non-combatants. Only a handful of warriors were killed, despite Chivington's later claims. Black Kettle escaped, but returned for his wife, who had over 9 bullet wounds in her body. She would later recover. Black Kettle later said that, "since they have come and cleaned out our lodges, horses and everything else, It is hard for me to believe the White Men anymore."
Still, he kept trying, opening talks with Colorado authorities while trying to relocated his people. He negotiated the Treaty of the Little Arkansas River in October, 1865, which promised justice and compensation for the Sand Creek Massacre. Neither was forthcoming. The U.S. Government decided to rework all the treaties with the major Plains Tribes in 1867, resulting in the series of treaties known as the Medicine Lodge Treaties. Again, most of the Cheyenne bands disavowed this agreement and continued to use their old hunting range. Clashes with Settlers continued. Black Kettle, old and considered by some to be too friendly with the Whites, retained his position but his influence over the younger warriors and particularly the Dog Soldiers, was wearing thin. Like any Native leader, he didn't possess absolute authority, but could only try to persuade his people to remain peaceful in hopes of creating as little conflict as possible.
In 1868, General Phillip Sheridan decided on a series of punitive strikes at Plains tribes' winter encampments in hopes of decreasing the raiding and forcing the Natives to go to the agreed-on reservations. On November 27, almost four years to the day of Sand Creek, a force under Col. George Armstrong Custer of the 7th Cavalry swept down on Black Kettle's village on the Washita River in what is now Oklahoma. More than 100 Southern Cheyenne and others, again mostly non-combatants were killed. Both Black Kettle and his wife, trying to cross the river to safety, were killed. The remaining Cheyenne would have no choice but to remove to a reservation and Karma caught up with Custer, eventually.
The Black Kettle National Grassland on the Oklahoma/Texas border is named for Black Kettle, and a museum in his honor in Cheyenne Oklahoma, commemorates him. He was a character in Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman, being the one to give Dr. Quinn her name for saving his life.
Black Kettle was born in the Black Hills of South Dakota. By birth, he was a member of a band of Northern Cheyenne, but he would marry into the Southern Cheyenne and achieve leadership among them. He eventually became the leader of the Council of Forty Four, the governing body of the entire Cheyenne tribe, a testament to his skills as a leader and warrior. In 1851, the Cheyenne had signed the Treaty of Fort Laramie, which set the boundaries for their land and guaranteed that the U.S. would prevent trespassers. The Settlers kept coming and conflicts between Cheyenne war and hunting parties and Settlers happened. Black Kettle was aware that the Army had little interest in policing the Americans and that his warriors couldn't drive them all away. This was particularly true after the Pike's Peak Gold Rush sent prospectors flocking into what is now Colorado. In 1861, Black Kettle signed the Treaty of Fort Wise, which severely limited the Cheyenne homeland. Many other Cheyenne leaders and bands disavowed this treaty and continued to use their accustomed hunting range. By 1864, relations between the Settlers and the Cheyenne had reached a boiling point. In July, 1864, a band of Natives, otherwise unknown, killed a Settler family and Colorado authorities blamed the Cheyenne and Arapaho. The territorial governor of Colorado issued a proclamation ordering all "friendly Indians of the Plains" to report to the nearest military installation or be deemed hostile and open to attack. Black Kettle took his people, mostly Cheyenne but with some Arapaho, to the renamed Fort Lyon, formerly Fort Wise. In November, 1864, Col. John M. Chivington of the 3rd Colorado Cavalry showed up at Fort Wise, determined on a final solution to Black Kettle and his people. At dawn on November 29, 1864, Chivington's men swept down on Black Kettle's village at Sand Creek, killing dozens of elderly, women, children and other non-combatants. Only a handful of warriors were killed, despite Chivington's later claims. Black Kettle escaped, but returned for his wife, who had over 9 bullet wounds in her body. She would later recover. Black Kettle later said that, "since they have come and cleaned out our lodges, horses and everything else, It is hard for me to believe the White Men anymore."
Still, he kept trying, opening talks with Colorado authorities while trying to relocated his people. He negotiated the Treaty of the Little Arkansas River in October, 1865, which promised justice and compensation for the Sand Creek Massacre. Neither was forthcoming. The U.S. Government decided to rework all the treaties with the major Plains Tribes in 1867, resulting in the series of treaties known as the Medicine Lodge Treaties. Again, most of the Cheyenne bands disavowed this agreement and continued to use their old hunting range. Clashes with Settlers continued. Black Kettle, old and considered by some to be too friendly with the Whites, retained his position but his influence over the younger warriors and particularly the Dog Soldiers, was wearing thin. Like any Native leader, he didn't possess absolute authority, but could only try to persuade his people to remain peaceful in hopes of creating as little conflict as possible.
In 1868, General Phillip Sheridan decided on a series of punitive strikes at Plains tribes' winter encampments in hopes of decreasing the raiding and forcing the Natives to go to the agreed-on reservations. On November 27, almost four years to the day of Sand Creek, a force under Col. George Armstrong Custer of the 7th Cavalry swept down on Black Kettle's village on the Washita River in what is now Oklahoma. More than 100 Southern Cheyenne and others, again mostly non-combatants were killed. Both Black Kettle and his wife, trying to cross the river to safety, were killed. The remaining Cheyenne would have no choice but to remove to a reservation and Karma caught up with Custer, eventually.
The Black Kettle National Grassland on the Oklahoma/Texas border is named for Black Kettle, and a museum in his honor in Cheyenne Oklahoma, commemorates him. He was a character in Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman, being the one to give Dr. Quinn her name for saving his life.
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