quiet, according to the terms of the treaty, but it was otherwise with
the more northern Indians, who found themselves subjected to constant
aggressions in spite of all agreements. In July, 1866, a war broke out
with the Sioux, and in April, 1867, it spread to the Cheyenne and
Arapaho. Leading incidents of these campaigns were the massacre of
Lieutenant-Colonel Fetterman's whole command at Fort Phil. Kearney,
December 21, 1866, and the burning of a large Cheyenne village on the
Pawnee fork, by General Hancock, in April, 1867 (_Report, 23_).
At this stage of affairs Congress appointed a commission to establish
peace with the hostile tribes, by first ascertaining their grievances
and then making such treaties as would remove the causes of
dissatisfaction and afford protection to the frontier settlements,
emigrant roads, and railroads by assigning to the tribes reservations
where they could remain undisturbed in the future. This commission
consisted of N. G. Taylor, president, John B. Sanborn, Samuel F. Tappan,
J. B. Henderson, and Generals William S. Harney, Alfred H. Terry, and C.
C. Augur. Notwithstanding open war was in progress, they found no
difficulty in effecting friendly meetings with the various tribes. In
September and October, 1867, the commission held councils with the Sioux
and Crows and made treaties with the Cheyenne and Arapaho, and with the
Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache, these being the treaties under which the
latter tribes hold their present or recent reservations and draw their
annuities.
In regard to the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache, the commissioners state
that from the testimony they were satisfied that these tribes had
substantially complied with the terms of their treaty made two years
before on the Little Arkansas, the only serious violation being the
killing of James Box and the capture of his family in western Texas in
August, 1866. This is the Set-t'aiñte raid already noted. As excuse for
this, the commissioners state, the Indians urged that they supposed an
attack on Texas people would be no violation of a treaty with the United
States--that as we ourselves had been at war with the people of Texas,
an act of hostility on their part would not be disagreeable to us. In
regard to numerous other misdeeds credited to these tribes, they state
that the evidence pretty clearly demonstrates that the charges were
almost entirely without foundation (_Report, 24_).
After visiting some of the northern bands, the commissioners went to
Fort Larned, Kansas, whence they sent messengers to the Cheyenne and
Arapaho, Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache, notifying them of their arrival
and purpose. They then proceeded to the general tribal rendezvous on
Medicine-lodge creek, about the present site of Medicine Lodge, Barber
county, Kansas, where they met the Indians, and the treaties were made
(see the calendar).
A treaty was first made with the Kiowa and Comanche on October 21, 1867,
and by a supplementary treaty made immediately afterward on the same
day, the Apache, at their own request, were formally confederated and
incorporated with them instead of with the Cheyenne and Arapaho, with
whom they had been united by the treaty of the Little Arkansas two years
before. The Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache together signed the treaty of
confederation, which was proclaimed August 25, 1868. At the same council
meeting was made the similar treaty with the Cheyenne and Arapaho, by
which those tribes held their late reservation and became entitled to
their current annuities. These treaties superseded all previous
agreements (_Treaties_).
The Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache treaty provides for peace and mutual
good will, and stipulates that the Indians shall refrain from further
attacks on the whites, and withdraw all opposition to the construction
of railroads and other roads and the building of military posts in the
western country, then or afterward to be authorized by the government.
The usual provision is made for an agency, schools, farmers, doctor,
blacksmith, etc. Article 6 provides for the selection of farming tracts
within the proposed reservation, to be recorded and held as the
individual property of such Indians as may desire to become farmers.
Article 2 sets apart for the use of the three confederated tribes their
present reservation, bounded on the east by the ninety-eighth meridian,
on the south and west by Red river and its North-fork, and on the north
by the Washita from the ninety-eighth meridian up to a point 30 miles by
river from Fort Cobb, and thence by a line due west to the North fork.
All within these bounds is solemnly "set apart for the undisturbed use
and occupation of the tribes herein named, and for such other friendly
tribes or individual Indians as from time to time they may be willing,
with the consent of the United States, to admit among them; and the
United States now solemnly agrees that no persons except those herein
authorized so to do, and except such officers, agents, and employés of
the government as may be authorized to enter upon [the] Indian
reservation in discharge of duties enjoined by law, shall ever be
permitted to pass over, settle upon, or reside in the territory
described in this article, or in such territory as may be added to this
reservation, for the use of said Indians."
By article 10 all obligations incurred by the United States under
previous treaties are canceled, and instead the government agrees to
deliver at the agency, "on the 15th day of October of each year, for
thirty years," the equivalent of a full suit of clothing for each Indian
man, woman, and child, for which purpose the agent is to make an annual
census of the tribes; "and in addition to the clothing herein named, the
sum of twenty-five thousand dollars shall be annually appropriated for a
period of thirty years" for the judicious purchase of such articles as
may seem proper to the condition and necessities of the Indians.
Provision is made for the expenditure of a portion of the clothing fund
in other ways for the benefit of the Indians, whenever, within the
period of thirty years, it might seem advisable, "but in no event shall
the amount of this appropriation be withdrawn or discontinued for the
period named." All annuity issues were to be made in the presence of an
army officer detailed for the purpose, who should inspect and report on
the quantity and quality of the goods and the manner of their delivery.
Provision is also made for establishing a sufficient number of schools
to continue for a period of not less than twenty years. The Indians
agree to surrender all claims to lands outside the reservation as
established in article 2, retaining, however, some temporary hunting
privileges south of the Arkansas. Several minor details are specified,
and by article 12 it is stipulated that no treaty for the sale of any
portion of the reservation thus agreed upon shall have force or validity
"unless executed and signed by at least three-fourths of all the adult
male Indians occupying the same."
The Kiowa signers were ten in number, of whom only Set-ĭmkía was still
alive in 1896. Their names were:
_Set-ä´ngya_, "Sitting-bear" (Satank).
_Set-t'aiñte_, "White-bear" (Sa-tan-ta).
_Gúato-kóñgya_, "Black-bird" (Wa-toh-konk, or Black Eagle).
_T'ene´-angópte_, "Kicking-bird" (Ton-a-en-ko, or Kicking Eagle).
_Taká-i-bodal_, "Spoiled-saddle-blanket" (Fish-e-more, or
Stinking Saddle).
_Mäñyí-tén_, "Woman-heart" (Ma-ye-tin).
_Set-ĭmkía_, "Pushing-bear" (Sa-tim-gear, or Stumbling Bear).
_Set-pä´go_, "Lone-bear" (Sit-par-ga, or Sa-pa-ga, or One Bear).
_Gaá-bohón_, "Crow-bonnet" (Corbeau, or The Crow).
_Set-emâ´-i_, "Bear-lying-down" (Sa-ta-more).
The Apache signers were:
_Babípa_ (Mah-vip-pah, Wolf's Sleeve).
_Gúañtekána_ (Kon-zhon-ta-co, Poor Bear).
_Chónshitá_ (Cho-se-ta, or Bad Back).
-------- (Nah-tan, or Brave Man).
-------- (Ba-zhe-ech, Iron Shirt).
_Tĭ´l-'lakaí_ (Til-la-ka, or White Horn).
The Comanche signers, of whom only Howia was alive in 1896, were:
_Päriăséaman_, "Ten-elks" (Parry-wah-say-men, or Ten Bears).
_Tĭ´pinävón_ (Tep-pe-navon, or Painted Lips).
_Tä´sawi_ (To-sa-in, To-she-wi, or Silver Brooch).
_Síacĭ´nika_, "Standing-head-feather" (Cear-chi-neka).
_Howía_, (Ho-we-are, or Gap in the Woods).
_Täyăkwoip_, "Sore-backed-horse" (Tir-ha-yah-guahip, or Horse's
Back).
_Ĭsanä´naka_, "Wolf-noise" (Es-a-nanaca, or Wolf's Name).
_Ätéstisti_, "Little-horn" (Ah-te-es-ta).
_Púiwi-tóyäbi_ "Iron-mountain" (Pooh-yah-to-yeh-be).
_Sä´riyo_, "Dog-fat" (Sad-dy-yo).
In addition to the signatures of the commissioners the treaty bears the
names of a number of witnesses, some of them noted in the pioneer
history of the southwest, including Thomas Murphy, superintendent of
Indian affairs, J. H. Leavenworth, agent for the three tribes, and
Philip McCusker, the interpreter, well known in connection with these
tribes until his death in 1885.
RENEWED HOSTILITIES
As no arrangements had yet been made for the removal of the Indians to
the south, most of them remained encamped on the Arkansas until June,
1868, when the Cheyenne became involved in difficulty with the military,
resulting in their flight southward to the Canadian and Washita. On the
return of the unsuccessful war party against the Ute, in which
Setdayâ´ite had been killed, as narrated in the calendar for that year
(see the calendar), the Kiowa also left the Arkansas and removed to the
south, thus anticipating measures by General Sherman to drive all these
tribes by military force upon the new reservations assigned them by the
late treaty, notwithstanding the fact that neither agency buildings nor
agents were yet established on either reservation. In pursuance of this
policy, General Sherman, in September, asked to have all issues
whatever to any of these tribes withheld until they had concentrated
near Fort Cobb on the Washita, and announced that after waiting a
sufficient time for them to reach that point he would solicit an order
declaring all Indians outside these reservations to be outlaws, "and
recommending all people, soldiers, and citizens to proceed against them
as such." He also proposed to declare forfeited the hunting privileges
outside these boundaries, guaranteed under the treaty. Despite the
agent's protest that the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache had done nothing to
deserve such treatment, and the statement of the acting commissioner
that Fort Cobb was not on the Cheyenne and Arapaho reservation at all,
military operations were begun in September, with this purpose in view,
with the result that all five tribes were again involved in war
(_Report, 25_).
However peaceable the Kiowa and Comanche may have been on the Kansas
frontier at this time, they were insolent enough in the south, for, in
addition to raids into Texas, the agent for the Wichita and associated
tribes, which had recently been removed to the vicinity of Fort Cobb,
reports that they had plundered the Wichita of nearly everything, burned
the agency, and forced the employees to leave to save their lives
(_Report, 26_).
BATTLE OF THE WASHITA--REMOVAL TO THE RESERVATION
The command of operations in Indian Territory was given to General
George A. Custer, who left Fort Dodge, Kansas, with eleven troops of the
Seventh cavalry and twelve troops of Kansas volunteers, and after
establishing Camp Supply, started on a winter campaign, intending to
strike the Indians when they would be least prepared for defense or
flight. The result was the "Battle of the Washita," on November 27,
1868, in which the Cheyenne village under Black-kettle was surprised and
totally destroyed, one hundred and three warriors, including
Black-kettle himself, being killed, a number of prisoners taken, and
nearly a thousand ponies captured and shot, thus practically rendering
the survivors helpless. The engagement occurred on the south bank of the
Washita, in Oklahoma, just above Sergeant-major creek. Most of the
Arapaho, Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache were camped below along the river
for a distance of several miles; the whole forming the winter camp of
the allied tribes. The Kiowa, who were nearest, prepared to attack, but,
being taken at a disadvantage, agreed to go with the troops to Fort
Cobb, the proposed agency. Instead of doing this, however, the warriors
sent their families with their movables in a contrary direction and
attempted to slip away themselves in small parties until Custer seized
Lone-wolf, the head chief, and Set-t'aiñte, next in authority, and
threatened to hang them both unless the absentees delivered themselves
at Fort Cobb within two days. This brought matters to a head, and the
whole tribe, excepting a band which fled under Woman-heart (_Mäñyí-tén_)
toward the Staked plain, came in and surrendered at Fort Cobb within
the time specified, about the end of December, 1868. The two chiefs were
thereupon set at liberty. Most of the Comanche and Apache had already
come in immediately after the Washita fight. The Cheyenne and Arapaho
fled to the head of Red river, where they were followed by Custer, and
were brought in later to their own reservation (_Custer, 1_; _Record,
1_). As an effective means of holding these tribes in check for the
future, Fort Sill was established in the spring of 1869, nearly in the
center of the reservation, with the agency for the Kiowa, Comanche, and
Apache adjoining.
FURTHER INSOLENCE OF THE KIOWA--RAIDS INTO TEXAS
Although they had been compelled to settle on a reservation, the Kiowa
continued their raids into Texas, destroying property, killing white
people, and carrying away captives. On one occasion they even attacked
the agency at Fort Sill, killed and wounded several men, stampeded the
agency cattle and the quartermaster's mules, and defiantly challenged
the soldiers to come out and fight. Civil and military officials alike
agree that there was not the slightest excuse for these outrages, to
which they were encouraged by the Kwáhadi Comanche, who had never yet
come in from the Staked plain and who never ceased to ridicule those
Indians who had submitted. To put an end to this state of affairs, the
Commissioner in 1870 recommended the establishment of a line of posts
along the southern boundary of the reservation, and that the Kiowa and
Comanche should all be placed under military control until they had
learned to behave properly (_Report, 27_).
Affairs went on from bad to worse. In 1871 a large raiding party killed
seven men in Texas, torturing one over a fire, and capturing a number of
mules. The leaders had the hardihood to boast of their deed in the
presence of the agent and General Sherman, who promptly arrested the
three most prominent, Set-t'aiñte, Setängya, and Ä´do-eétte or
"Big-tree." Setängya (Satank) resisted and was killed. The other two
were sent to Texas for trial and punishment (see the calendar).
In 1872 another Commissioner declared that the point had been reached
where forbearance had ceased to be a virtue, and again recommended that
the three tribes be turned over to the military for punishment. He
states that a wholesome example is absolutely necessary to command
obedience, asserting that "so long as four-fifths of these tribes take
turns at raiding into Texas, openly and boastfully bringing back scalps
and spoils to their reservation, efforts to inspire very high ideas of
social and industrial life among the communities of which the raiders
form so large a part will presumably result in failure." At the same
time their agent reports that, although they had come regularly for
their rations during the preceding winter and spring, giving repeated
assurance of amity and peace, yet so soon as their horses were in
condition in summer the Kiowa had gone on the warpath, taking with them
a large number of the Comanche and Apache, and within a few months
had stolen hundreds of horses and mules, carried off several captive
women and children, and killed over twenty persons in Texas, besides
others in New Mexico and elsewhere. By withholding rations for three
months, he had compelled them to bring in two captives without ransom,
and states that he would continue to withhold supplies from them until
the other was surrendered. He declared, finally, that the Kiowa and some
bands of the Comanche were beyond control by him (_Report, 28_). The
calendar for this year (q. v.) also takes note of these raids.
[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. LVIII
PHOTOS BY JACKSON, 1872
GUI-PÄGO OR LONE-WOLF, PRINCIPAL CHIEF, 1866--1874]
[Illustration: Photo by Soule, about 1870
FIG. 46--Set-ängya(Satank) or Sitting-bear]
INTERTRIBAL PEACE COUNCIL, 1872
In the summer of 1872 the general council of the civilized tribes of
Indian Territory sent a commission to the wild tribes in the western
part of the territory to urge them to a permanent peace among themselves
and with the United States. This Indian commission met the chiefs and
headmen of the Caddo, Wichita, and affiliated tribes, the Cheyenne and
Arapaho, and the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache, together with their
agents, near Fort Cobb, in July and August, and had several talks with
them, resulting in a general friendly feeling among the tribes, but
without any very substantial outcome in regard to the Kiowa, who
demanded the release of Set-t'aiñte and Big-tree as a preliminary to
negotiations. They did surrender two white captives, as already stated,
but this appears to have been due to the stoppage of rations by the
agent rather than to the efforts of the peacemakers. Notwithstanding the
rose-colored report of the commission, we learn from the agent that
while Kicking-bird, as always, was on the side of peace, White-horse
(_Tseñ-t'aiñte_), the notorious raider, declared that the old chiefs
might make peace, but he and the young men would raid when they chose,
while Lone-wolf, the head chief, declared that they would not make peace
or return their captives until Set-t'aiñte and Big-tree were released
and the Kiowa reservation extended from the Rio Grande to the Missouri.
He modified his terms, however, when he found that all rations and
annuities were to be cut off until the captives were unconditionally
released (_Report, 29_). About the same time the Kiowa invited the
Cheyenne to join them in forming a combination of the southwestern
tribes to make war on the whites and effect the release of the
imprisoned chiefs, but the Cheyenne refused the proposition (_Report,
30_).
Soon after, in the same year, another commission was sent out from
Washington to the same tribes to discuss with them the subject of their
own and the government's treaty obligations, and to warn them in plain
terms that unless they ceased their raids outside their reservations the
military would be directed to begin active operations against them, and
that all parties hereafter leaving the reservation to go into Texas
would be considered as hostiles to be attacked without inquiry and to be
followed into their camps, if necessary, for punishment.
JOINT DELEGATION TO WASHINGTON, 1872
An important object of the commission was to obtain a good
representative delegation of the several tribes to visit Washington,
with the view of impressing them on the way with the strength of the
whites, in order to obtain a better understanding on their arrival.
Although the other tribes generally responded promptly and
satisfactorily, the Kiowa, as usual, were disposed to be perverse. At
last, however, a party, including Lone-wolf, Woman-heart, Red-otter
(_Ápeñ-gúadal_), Dohásän (son of the former great chief), Sun-boy
(_Paí-tälyí_), Stumbling-bear, and others, met the commission on the
Washita and consented to send delegates to Washington on the promise
that their imprisoned chiefs, Set-t'aiñte and Big-tree, should be
allowed to meet them at some point on the way, or that if five delegates
were sent, the prisoners should be allowed to accompany them. A
delegation had been selected to start for the east in September, when a
rumor came of a movement of troops in the vicinity of their remoter
camps, with the result that a number of the assembled Indians stampeded,
including several of the promised delegates. The Kiowa delegation, as it
finally left, consisted of four men--Lone-wolf, the head chief, Sun-boy,
_Gui-k`ate_ ("Wolf-lying down," improperly rendered "Sleeping-wolf") and
one other. The Apache delegates were Pacer, Daho, and Gray-eagle.
[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. LIX
PHOTO BY LANNEY, 1892
TSEÑ-T'AIÑTE OR WHITE-HORSE]
[Illustration: Photo by Soule, about 1870
FIG. 47--Tseñ-t'aiñte or White-horse]
[Illustration: Photo by Soule, about 1870
FIG. 48--Ä´do-eétte or Big-tree]
In accordance with the promise, the two imprisoned chiefs were sent on
under guard to St Louis, where they were allowed to see and talk with
their friends, after which they were returned to the custody of the
governor of Texas. The whole delegation, which was the largest and most
important that had ever visited Washington, included representatives
of all the southern plains tribes, excepting the Cheyenne and the
Kwáhadi Comanche of the Staked plain. The latter had never entered into
a treaty and refused to be settled on a reservation, although protesting
their desire to be at peace. Whatever hopes may have been built on these
negotiations, the events of the next two years would seem to prove to
have been futile.
[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. LX
PHOTO BY JACKSON, 1872
GUI-K`ÁTE OR SLEEPING-WOLF (WOLF-LYING-DOWN) AND WIFE]
THOMAS C. BATTEY, FIRST TEACHER AMONG THE KIOWA, 1872
In December, 1872, Thomas C. Battey, a Quaker, the first teacher who
made any impression on the Kiowa, came among them after a short sojourn
with the Caddo, and remained about eight months. Although he
accomplished little in the way of education, owing to the restless
nomadic habits of the tribe, his influence with Kicking-bird
(_T'enéangópte_) probably kept that chief and his band from the warpath
in the outbreak of 1874. He has left a most interesting and valuable
narrative of his experiences among the Kiowa, who still hold him in
friendly remembrance as _Támĭsi_ (see _Battey_).
REPORT OF CAPTAIN ALVORD
The report of Captain Alvord, chairman of the commission, in regard to
the Kiowa, is a good summary of the situation as concerns them up to
date. He says:
The Kiowas, from their present attitude and their conduct during
the last two or three years, demand especial consideration. The
tribe numbers about 1,200. In 1868 they barely avoided a serious
conflict with the United States troops, and, although the larger
part of them were brought to within a reasonable distance of their
agency, and suitably located in the spring of 1869, they soon
returned to their favorite range between the Wichita mountains and
the eastern slope of the Staked Plains, whence unrestrained they
have most of the time since made frequent and successful
expeditions in different directions, chiefly into Texas. To a
certain extent they are subdivided into bands, and the chiefs of
these have evinced different degrees of friendship, but it would be
impossible to deal with them otherwise than as a tribe.
As already stated, their hostilities of the past year were pursuant
to their deliberate decision, and it is safe to state that at least
one-half of the terrible scenes of blood, fire, and pillage which
they have caused have never yet been reported to the Department.
The cold-blooded murders of inoffensive persons known to have been
committed by them within two years approach a hundred, and they
have now in their herds not less than a thousand stolen horses and
mules, including over two hundred taken within a few months from
the troops and agencies in their vicinity.