The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1873-04-10
The Cheyenses asA kseWas
From the Ct. Louis Republican.

lhe telegram puOSkAucu Jay 6boIe ycSscs'
day, announcing the murder Of party o.
surveyors on the Cimarron fork BY whirl'
winds band Of Cheyennes, ia confirmed BY
an Arkansas City letter to the Leavenworth
TINES, dated March %. After detailing
the circumstances Of the murder substantial.
" in harmony with the summarized account
by telegraph, the writer proceeds to say:
The excitement is at fever heat on thu
frontier; and curses both loud and deep an
heard on all sides sgainst the policy Of send
Jag men to survey Indian lands and not fur
nishing them protection, and against tie In
dian policy generally. A common remark
ia. ooh! the Government will give them
fresh ammunition and more rifles, feed them
all winter and let them murder white men al
will"
The Cheyennes dispute with the Kiowai
the pxlm Of being the most vicious Of all the
plains Indians. Their range is more extern
sive than that of any other tribe, embracing
the whole eastern base of the Rocky noun.
tains from the southern spurs OF the
Black Hills to the Upper Rio Grands.
They are rarely on friendly terms with any
of their aboriginal neighbors except the Ara
pahoes, whose friendship they seem TO retain
more for the purpose Of levying on them for
occasional supplies Of buffalo meat and
horees than from any sentimental consider.
alton. Though ranging sometimes as far
north - the Big Horn mountains, the favor
lie stamping ground of the Cheyenpes il be-
.sveen the line Of the Union Pacific At Lara
mic plains and the northern border of the
Siaked Plain, some two hundred and hity
miles south of the Arkansas. OF this region
they and the Kiowas are conformity the
ecourEe and terror. They are the best light
ers on the plains, and are better armed and
more skilfully handled than any other tribes.
Until within few years the Indian style
of fighting on the plains has been to surround
the attacked party and keep up circular
skirmish at long range. The Sioux, the
Comnanches, and the Appaches still i'd
here to these tactics. But the Kiovas and
Cheyennes have adopted the civilized method
of forming in line and delivering regular
charges after the MANNER Of cavalry. This
innovation vas introduced BY Kicking Bird,
Who astonished the United States SIKH cav
airy few yeap ago, in eight on Los Pecos,
BY forming his hand in line, delivering VOL
lev, and then making . desperate charge in
two column. straight on The tanks Of the de-
tachment. A year or two later Whirlwind
effected similar revolution in the Cheyenne
field tactics, and BY this means these two
tribes have nov won IN undisputed supre.
macy among the tribes Of the plains. 1t II
impossible to get the exac. numerical strength
of this tribe, but it is probably NOS far from
nine hundred lodxes-that i TO say, perhaps
tselve hundred fighting men 10 all. Whirl-
wind's band compriees, perhaps. four-6fths
Of the tribe, and embraces the best Of its
fighting strength, the reckless, wandering
Young braves, while the remainder are most.
II domiciIed With the Arapahoes or living on
their resersatious.
Both these tribes are utterly insensible to
the amenities Of the Quaker policy. and omit
no opportunity Of giving voice to their con-
tempt. The Kiovs Kicking Bird, . red
skinned and red handed humorist Of the
most genial sort, babitually speaks Of ''his
great grandmother At w ashington. " formula
which he has substituted for the traditional
'ereat father, ETC." This outbreak Of the
CheyenDes may be regarded - the opening
of their spring campaign, in which they are
undoubtedly to be Joined BY the Kiowas,
and stirring news from tie southern border
may be anticipated. Meanwhile the hu.
manitarian policy Of the government will
continue 70 challenge the sdmiration Of the
Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania peace 90
ciesies, and tue scalps Of Surveyor, cattle
herders and freiehten will continue to
dansle gracefully from The belts Of the
Kiova and Cheyenne bravea