Article by Michael King
Michael Grauer, the McCaslin Chair of Cowboy Culture and curator at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, is scheduled to present at the 150th-anniversary Western Cattle conference at Boot Hill Museum in Dodge City, Kansas, on November 1st and 2nd, 2024.
During the conference, Michael will deliver two presentations. His first presentation will begin with an engaging exploration of the vibrant history and cultural significance of the King Ranch, focusing on its pivotal role in the Western Cattle Trail. One aspect of "Trailing Cattle from the King Ranch in South Texas" will feature a recording of Bob Kennan, a renowned King Ranch resident historian.
Michael will examine the utmost importance of Bob's dedicated career, which has been crucial in unveiling the King Ranch's rich history. Michael adds, "Bob Kennan has played a vital role in uncovering the rich tapestry of the ranch's past. His work dates back to the ranch's establishment in 1853 when Captain Richard King purchased a creek-fed oasis in the Wild Horse Desert of South Texas."
Michael's second presentation will be on The Art of the Cattle Trail, a collection of Western Art. For those attending this presentation, it will be a unique and privileged opportunity to learn from his extensive research into this collection, which he has dedicated several years. His discussion will focus on this unique and extensive exploration, providing an exciting opportunity for the audience to delve into the depth of Western art.
One of his notable publications delves into the life and work of the Texas artist Frank Ray. Titled 'Rounded Up at Glory,' this biography is significant as Ray was the sole artist to witness the cattle drives in their raw, unromanticized form. As Michael puts it, 'Frank Ray's pioneering role in bringing realism to Western art is enlightening. Most depictions we see of these drives were nostalgic or romanticized by artists such as Frederick Remington and Charlie Russell, who were contemporaries of Mr. Ray. Initially, the phenomenon of moving cattle from one part of the US and northern Mexico to another was utterly unfamiliar to the general public in the United States and the world.’
During his presentation in Dodge City on November 2nd, Michael Grauer will describe an illustration that vividly captures the intense chaos of cattle stampeding down Front Street. In this illustration, he will humorously debunk the popular culture portrayal of moving cattle through downtown Dodge City. Michael will underscore that this false portrayal, despite its widespread acceptance, is far from the truth and has, unfortunately, shaped what most people think they know about the American West. However, Michael's rigorous research has successfully corrected these misconceptions, providing a more accurate understanding of the American West and the cattle trail phenomenon and enlightening the audience.
Those interested in attending the conference should note that the registration fee is $75.00 per person, and registration can be completed via the organization's website or mail. Active participation from attendees is not just encouraged; it's essential to ensure the success of this significant event. To learn more about how to register to attend this conference, go to www.westerncattletrailassoc.com/conference-info and reserve a seat at this two-day event on November 1st and 2nd.
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Second Battle of Adobe Walls by Michael King
Under the terms of the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867, the federal government fixed the Arkansas River as the northern boundary of the Indian country for the tribes of the Southwestern plains. It guaranteed that white hunters should not cross that stream. But they did. In 1872, the mushroom town of Dodge City, Kansas, sprang into existence and became the outfitting point and center of activity of the hide hunters who, with their big Sharps buffalo guns, were constantly invading the Red Man's country.
The hides of the buffalo could be sold for $3 apiece. Since the buffalo were plentiful then, a man could kill as many as fifty per day. The buffalo hunters would take their hides with large team-pulled wagons to Dodge City, Kansas, the nearest railroad point at the time. Supplies also had to be purchased at Dodge City. Provisions and ammunition for hunters would be freighted back to them by the wagons that took their buffalo hides to market.
By the spring of 1874, the slaughter had been so great that the buffalo had been virtually wiped out near Dodge City. The future economy of Dodge City came into question as the hide trade became less profitable, for there were no buffalo to be found. Although no accurate sources are available, Colonel Richard Irving Dodge of Fort Dodge estimated the buffalo kill in Kansas to be close to 3.5 million over the 1872-1874 period. An estimated 850,000 buffalo hides were shipped from Dodge City in 1872-1874.
So A. C. Myers, who was in the Dodge general merchandise business, organized an expedition to establish a trading post farther south where the hunters could get their supplies and to which they would bring their buffalo hides, which Myers would freight back to the Kansas "hide capital." Forming a partnership with Fred Leonard and accompanied by a party of 20-odd frontiersmen, Myers set out for the forbidden Indian country.
Among the party members were Jim Hanrahan, an old buffalo hunter who was going along to open a saloon at the new trading post; Thomas O'Keefe, a blacksmith; and two young buffalo hunters destined for future fame—Billy Dixon and Bat Masterson. After a Journey of 160 miles, the expedition reached a spot on the south fork of the Canadian where stood the ruins of an old trading post, Walls, which had been known as Adobe, built by William Bent and Ceran St. Vrain sometime before 1840. A mile or so farther on, in a broad valley with a pretty stream called East Adobe Walls Creek, Myers and his companions unloaded their wagons and set about establishing the second Adobe Walls, which was to become even more famous than the first. Myers and Leonard built a picket house, 20 by 60 feet In size; Lianruhan put up a sod house. 25 by 60, and O'Keefe opened his blacksmith shop in a picket structure, 15 feet square. My-ers and Leonard also built a stockade corral by setting big cottonwood logs on end in the ground. A short time later, Rath and Wright, leading merchants of Dodge City, decided to establish a branch store at Adobe Walls and built a sod house, 16 by 20 feet, leaving James Langton In charge of the new business there. Willam Olds and his wife also came to Adobe Walls to open a restaurant.
For several years, the Indians had been watching with increasing alarm the wasteful slaughter of the buffalo by the white hunters. So when, in the spring of 1874, a Comanche medicine man named Isatal announced that he had a new medicine that would enable them to wipe out the white men who were exterminating the buffalo, he found the tribesmen ripe for such a crusade.
The first Indian leader to agree to help in this laudable enterprise was a chief of the Comanches, Quanah, the half-breed son of Cynthia Ann Parker, who, as a little girl, had been stolen from her home in Texas and had become the wife of the great Chief Peta Nocona. Then, the medicine man "carried the pipe" to the Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Kiowas, and Kiowa Apaches, and they readily agreed to accompany their Comanche brethren.
So, a great war party of between 600 and 700 mounted warriors set out for the buffalo hunters camp, and on the night of June 26, they camped about five or six miles from Adobe Walls, began painting themselves and their horses, and preparing themselves for the charge against the hated white men. "Those men shall not fire a shot; we shall kill them all," was the promise of Isatai.
Before going to sleep, Dixon and Hanrahan prepared themselves for an early start in the morning for the buffalo hunting grounds to the northwest. When the repairs to the saloon's roof were completed, the sky was growing red in the east. So Hanrahan proposed to Dixon that instead of going back to bed, they get ready to start out as soon as it was light. Dixon agreed, and as he started to get his horse, he looked down the valley. There, through the dim light of the morning, he saw a sight that almost paralyzed him for a moment.
A dark mass of horsemen was moving swiftly up the valley, and the next moment, it had spread out like a fan, and a mighty war-whoop shattered the stillness. Isatai was coming with his host of wild tribesmen to make good his promise to wipe out the buffalo hunters at Adobe Walls. Throwing his rifle to his shoulder, Dixon fired one shot, then turned and sped toward the Hanrahan saloon as the wild charge of the Indians swept down upon him. But this hasty warning was enough to bring the occupants of the saloon, who were already awake and dressed, to the windows with their big buffalo guns in their hands.
"We were scarcely inside before the Indians surrounded all the buildings and shot out every window pane." Billy Dixon says. "For the first hour, the Indians were reckless and daring enough to ride up and strike the doors with the butts of their guns." Andrew Johnson recorded how the savages backed their horses up against the doors of the buildings and tried to push them in, showing a willingness to fight at close quarters almost unparalleled in Indian warfare.
But the steady fire of the buffalo hunters soon discouraged this, and after beating off several attacks, the white men had a chance to take stock of their losses. Strange to say, there were only three. The two Shadler boys, asleep in their wagon outside the stockade, had been killed and scalped. Their big Newfoundland dog had evidently put up a fight, for he was also killed and scalped - a piece of hide having been cut from his side. Billy Tyler, one of the defenders of the Leonard and Myers store, was killed early in the fighting, and except for some minor wounds, these were the only casualties. Time after time, the Indians charged, but as their ponies were knocked down by the heavy slugs of lead from the buffalo guns and more and more of their warriors were killed or wounded, it began to dawn upon them that Issatai had been a false prophet. So, the charges ceased. During one of these lulls, a young Comanche, gorgeously appareled in a war bonnet and scalp shirt and mounted on a fine pony, made a lone charge toward the buildings in the face of hot fire from the hunters. Ridding up close to one of the buildings, he leaped from his pony, thrust a six-shooter through a port hole, and emptied it. He then attempted to retreat but was shot down. This daring warrior who had hoped to make a name for himself by his lone charge was Pe-ah-rite, the son of Horseback, one of the leading chiefs of the Comanches.
By late afternoon on the first day, the Indians had given up hope of wiping out the defenders of Adobe Walls and began to withdraw. After an anxious night of watchfulness, the buffalo hunters discovered the next morning that only a few Indians were lingering around the place, and some long-distance shots soon drove them off. During the second day, hunters from some of the outlying camps made their way unmolested into Adobe Walls, and that night, one of them, Henry Lease, was sent to Dodge City for help. Mike King, the author of Buffalo Days, gives Billy Dixon's account of a scratch shot he made on the afternoon of the third day.
In the afternoon, a party of about fifteen Indians appeared on the side of the bluff, east of Adobe Walls Creek, and some of the boys suggested that I try my big "50" on them. The distance was close to three-fourths of a mile. Billy Dixon gives an account of how he made the shot. I took careful aim and pulled the trigger. We saw an Indian fall from his horse. The others dashed out of sight behind a clump of timber. A few moments later, two Indians sprinted on foot to where the dead Indian lay, seized his body, and scurried to cover. They had risked their lives, as we had frequently observed, to rescue a comrade who might be not only wounded but dead. I was admittedly an excellent marksman, yet this was what might be called a "scratch" shot. ![]()
The Comanche attack at Adobe Walls caught its resident buffalo hunters literally sleeping. Dixon had left the ammunition for his own rifle locked in the settlement store. So, borrowing a Sharps.50-90 buffalo gun like that above from a bartender, he aimed at a horseback warrior on a distant ridge, killing him on the third shot. (Rock Island Auction)
More hunters came in on the third day, and by the seventh day, fully a hundred men were gathered there. Among these latecomers, so many of the "survivors" of later years were numbered. But by this time, the danger from the Indians had passed. The Red Men had departed for a series of raids in Kansas and Texas, which soon brought the military into the field and resulted in their eventual defeat. But before the attack at Adobe Walls ended, there was one more tragedy, one which darkened the life of the brave woman defender, Mrs Olds. On the fifth day, her husband was coming down a ladder with a gun in his hand when it went off accidentally, and she rushed from an adjoining room in time to see his body roll from the ladder and crumple at her feet.
As the sun descended, casting a warm golden glow over the rugged landscape, the small town of Dodge City buzzed with anticipation. A cloud of dust on the horizon heralded the long-awaited return of the hunters, the brave men who had ventured out to find economic relief but ended in a battle confronting the Indians who tried to protect their way of living. The townspeople lined the dusty streets, young and old alike, their eager faces lit with excitement and anticipation. Banners and streamers adorned the buildings, fluttering in the gentle breeze, and the sound of joyful chatter filled the air. As the riders drew nearer, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. The returning hunters rode at the head of the procession, their faces weathered and stern but with a glint of pride in their eyes. Behind them trailed a line of packhorses laden with the spoils of their hard-won victory. The news of their return and the fight at Adobe Walls made each man a hero. The returning hunters became legends, recognized for their sacrifice to torch the spirit of bravery that will be passed on from generation to generation. The return of the great hunters gave each citizen of Dodge City a spark, setting a fire in hearts that had become tinder dry with economic disparity, which would soon turn to another economic boom, the Western Trail, and becoming a Cow Town.
Active participation from attendees is essential in ensuring the success of this significant event. Additionally, those who register early will be guaranteed a place and receive a special commemorative gift. To learn more about how to register to attend this conference, go to www.westerncattletrailassoc.com/conference-info and reserve a seat at this November 1st and 2nd two-day event.
Article by Michael D. King
In the rugged terrain of the American West, there existed a tribe known as the Cheyenne. They were proud and resilient people deeply connected to their ancestral homeland and had long lived in harmony with the land in their northern homes. However, encroaching settlements and the shifting tides of history forced them to confront a grim reality. A series of events known as the Cheyenne Exodus forever altered their lives.
In May 1877, the renowned Oglala Sioux war leader Crazy Horse surrendered his band at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. Accompanying him were at least two bands of northern Cheyenne, united under the leadership of chiefs Dull Knife and Little Wolf. Following their victory against Custer at the Little Bighorn, the bands separated due to the US Army's winter campaigns. Many endured harsh winter conditions and finally found relative safety, only to be greeted with this news of surrender, adding to their considerable hardships. Despite much suffering among the women, children, and elders in the spring, Crazy Horse took his bands to the fort. One officer on the scene remarked that it looked more like a victory parade than a surrender.
The Cheyenne were unexpectedly ordered to move to the southern Cheyenne reservation in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). This news angered Little Wolf and Dull Knife, who had signed the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, which permanently ceded lands in Montana and South Dakota, including the Black Hills, to the Sioux and Cheyenne. The Cheyennes were hesitant to leave their homes in the north. However, leading chiefs like Standing Elk, Dulknife, Wild Hog, and Little Wolf, who held significant influence within the tribe, eventually convinced them to move to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Agency under John D. Miles. Under the leadership of these chiefs, the Cheyenne people found themselves at a crossroads.
In the summer of 1877, approximately one thousand Northern Cheyennes embarked on a journey south towards Fort Dodge en route to Indian Territory. This relocation, under government supervision, was a testament to the Cheyennes' unwavering resilience. Just a year prior, they had participated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and some of the warriors still proudly wore clothing they had taken as trophies from the men of General Custer's U.S. Seventh Cavalry. As the Cheyennes camped near Fort Dodge in late July, before their journey continued to Camp Supply, a fascinating cultural exchange took place. Many Dodge City residents seized what they believed to be one of their last opportunities to observe the Cheyennes in their natural state. In return, the Cheyennes, out of curiosity and perhaps a sense of diplomacy, spent several days in the town, engaging in door-to-door begging and periodically performing native dances for the amusement of their hosts. Unknown to the residents of Dodge City, they would later have a second opportunity to encounter many of these same Native Americans under much less friendly circumstances. Once they arrived at the reservation in Oklahoma, their hopes of a new life were dashed, and they encountered disappointment and mistreatment at the agency. Nevertheless, the Cheyennes, especially Dulknife's people, did not succumb to despair. They struggled to adapt to their new home, their resilience shining through even in the face of unheard pleas for assistance. The harsh winter brought misery as disease and starvation claimed the lives of 47 Cheyennes, casting a dark shadow over their already troubled journey. Faced with such dire circumstances, the Cheyennes longed to return to their Montana homeland. The harsh, dry, and dusty conditions, coupled with a measles outbreak, made life on the reservation unbearable. It became clear to Dull Knife that the unfamiliar territory of the southern reservation was proving to be just as grim as their previous struggles.
In the early morning of September 9, 1878, Dull Knife made a daring and fateful decision. With his heart set on returning to his homeland at any cost, he quietly led his people north, their determination palpable in the air. Despite dwindling numbers, consisting of only about 353 individuals, Dull Knife's resolve remained unwavering. They departed from Indian Territory with 92 men, 120 women, 69 boys, and 72 girls, making their way through two-thirds of western Kansas in less than three weeks. No bison could be found en route, so they survived by stealing. Dysentery, chills, and fever plagued them, but their determination to reclaim what was rightfully theirs never wavered.
Following their departure, approximately 240 infantry and cavalry detachments swiftly activated the pursuit of Dull Knife and his band. Yet, the group's adept use of defensible terrain and shock tactics during combat allowed them to elude their pursuers. This strategic maneuvering showcases a tightly controlled yet precarious military society in motion, with the Cheyennes' individual warfare style giving way to centralized, disciplined leadership under a master strategist. Raiding parties fanned out on a large scale to seize fresh horses and supplies; feeding more than three hundred people daily made foraging for civilian livestock essential. Warriors captured dozens of horses and killed several employees at ranches along the Cimarron River. In Ford County on September 16, a cook in a cattle camp, "a colored man" named George Simmons, lost his life during a raid. In total, Northern Cheyenne violence claimed nine lives in Indian Territory and southwest Kansas. These attacks drove Dodge City residents into a state of near trepidation. The journey north was perilous, with the threat of capture looming over them at every turn. However, Dull Knife and his people's determination was unyielding, fueled by their yearning for freedom and their ancestral lands. The pursuit was intense, but Dull Knife and his band pressed on, their spirits unbroken. Their resolute march northward carried with it the echoes of defiance, a powerful force that fueled their unwavering strength and their refusal to be confined any longer. ![]()
Images: Map of the Route: University of Kansas Cartographic and GIS Services, from The Northern Cheyenne Exodus in History and Memory by James N Leiken and Ramon Powers; Cheyenne Woman traveling with a travois, image from True West Magazine, True West Archives; Punished Woman’s Fork, from WikiCommons, Public Domain; Pioneer Family from near Oberlin, Kansas, from Pinterest (could not locate original source); Kansas Historical Marker for the Last Indian Raids in Oberlin, Kansas, Kansas State Historical Society
Their determination to reclaim what was rightfully theirs led to clashes with settlers and conflicts with the U.S. Army. The struggles, sacrifices, and losses during their attempted escape from Indian Territory to Montana left a lasting mark on American Indian history. The echoes of the Cheyenne Exodus continue to resonate through time, shaping the narratives of Native Americans and settlers. This poignant chapter, chronicled by historians, novelists, and filmmakers, ensures the memory of the Cheyennes' trials endures, underscoring the enduring impact of their struggle.
However, Leiker and Powers deconstruct and surpass these stereotypes, emphasizing that history is a complex tapestry of narratives, never simple. They point out that the Cheyennes' flight left both white and Indian bones scattered along its route from Oklahoma to Montana. According to them, the descendants of the Cheyennes and the settlers they encountered are all Westerners who require a nuanced understanding of history to make sense of the bones and arrowheads scattered across the plains.
Leiker and Powers portray a rural West where diverse peoples, both Euro-American and Native American, seek to preserve their heritage through memory and history. This book is a compelling read for anyone living in the contemporary Great Plains or seeking to understand the West. Join us on November 1st and 2nd, 2024, for the 150th Anniversary Conference of the Western Cattle Trail. James N. Leiker will share the story of the Cheyenne Exodus, shedding light on the harsh realities experienced by the Cheyennes as they were forcefully taken from their northern homes. The journey was marked by disease, despair, and death. Sign up today to reserve your seat @ https://www.westerncattletrailassoc.com/conference-info.html
References:
Leiker, James N, and Ramon Powers. The Northern Cheyenne Exodus in History and Memory. University of Oklahoma Press, 9 Nov. 2012. 52-54 “The Northern Cheyenne Exodus in History and Memory.” University of Oklahoma Press, www.oupress.com/9780806143705/the-northern-cheyenne-exodus-in-history-and-memory/. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024. https://www.oupress.com/9780806143705/the-northern-cheyenne-exodus-in-history-and-memory/ richfed. “There’s No Place like Home … the Exodus of the Northern Cheyenne.” Richard’s Meanderings, 2 Jan. 2016, richfed.com/2016/01/01/isnt-it-a-long-way-home/. Accessed 1 Aug. 2024. https://richfed.com/2016/01/01/isnt-it-a-long-way-home/ |
Author"THE MISSION OF THE WESTERN CATTLE TRAIL ASSOCIATION IS TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE WESTERN CATTLE TRAIL AND TO ACCURATELY PROMOTE AWARENESS OF IT'S HISTORICAL LEGACY." Archives
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