Natives versus Army: the Arikara War of 1823
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 allies and trappers from the rival Missouri Fur Company under the command of Lt. Col. Henry Leavenworth. The Arikara and Sioux had a rivalry with each other, based in part on each tribe's need and desire to be the middleman in the fur trade.
Leavenworth's men attacked an Arikara village on August 9, 1823, but the Arikara held off the attack. By August 11, both sides had decided to negotiate a peace treaty. The talks were hampered by representatives of the Missouri Fur Company, who did not want the Arikara trading with any other fur companies if at all. After Leavenworth left with what he thought was a workable treaty, trappers working for the Missouri Fur Company burned the Arikara village. Resentment continued, as the Arikara realized that they had been cut out of the fur trade, with the Sioux being the beneficiaries of Leavenworth's negotiations. The dominance of the Sioux made the situation untenable for the Arikara, who eventually sought refuge with the Mandan on the Fort Berthold Reservation. Many Arikara served as scouts during Army campaigns against the Sioux in later decades.
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 allies and trappers from the rival Missouri Fur Company under the command of Lt. Col. Henry Leavenworth. The Arikara and Sioux had a rivalry with each other, based in part on each tribe's need and desire to be the middleman in the fur trade.
Leavenworth's men attacked an Arikara village on August 9, 1823, but the Arikara held off the attack. By August 11, both sides had decided to negotiate a peace treaty. The talks were hampered by representatives of the Missouri Fur Company, who did not want the Arikara trading with any other fur companies if at all. After Leavenworth left with what he thought was a workable treaty, trappers working for the Missouri Fur Company burned the Arikara village. Resentment continued, as the Arikara realized that they had been cut out of the fur trade, with the Sioux being the beneficiaries of Leavenworth's negotiations. The dominance of the Sioux made the situation untenable for the Arikara, who eventually sought refuge with the Mandan on the Fort Berthold Reservation. Many Arikara served as scouts during Army campaigns against the Sioux in later decades.
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