Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-12-23
that is the story Of the northern

-NAAAA - sAAC Hs9AN VA SIT
CheyenneS.
Today on the Tongue river reserva-
ton, the remains Of the northern
Cheyennes live today. There are about
1900 Of them calling themselves IN
their own language isis tsiS-taS
which translated into the white man S
tongue means Similarly bred" and
has reference to other tribes with
which they were associated. They be-
long to the Algonquian family, and
their name. Cheyenne, comes from the
French, "Chien" or dog.
The Dog soldiers we're a Cheyenne
society Of considerable power and in
fluence. 1t was, Of course, military in
organiZation-one of the several So
cieties of the type in vogue among
the Cheyennes.
1t is suggested. also, that the word
Cheyenne comes from a Sioux term
Shahiela, or Shahiena, meaning: "Peo-
pie speaking a language not under
stood" In the universal sign language
Of the prairie. Cheyenne is indicated
by drawing the right index finger sew
eral times across the left. This sup
posedly indicates turkey feathers.
which were striped and much used by
the Cheyennes for feathering arrows.
First mention of the Cheyennes in
history is in 1880 when a party of
them under a chief named Cnaa visited
the fort of LaSalle, Crevecour, near
the present Peoria. Ill.
Verendrye knew them and called
them Gems de parc." Lewis and Clark
met them in 1904 and 1906 on the trips
TO and return from the Pacific They
are portly Indians" the journals
of the expedition state, much Of the
compilations of the Mandans and the
Rickaras high cheeks, straight
large Their dress in summer is
simply a robe of light buffalo skin,
with or without hair, and breechclout
and moccasins.
It is noted that at this time they
were the allies of the Araphoes and
enemies to the Assinniboines and Utes.
They made frequent trips into the
southwest, as far as New Mexico and
to steal horses.
First CIashed in 1857
The first clash between whites and
occurred in the spring OF
1857 along the Platte river. The cause
of the contention was the claim Of
the whites that the Cheyennes had
stolen their horses. There was q brief
exchange Of shots, but no serious kill
ing. and the fight accomplished moth
ing save to generate a hate for the
paleface throughout the entire Chey-
enne nation.
In the years that followed tine Chey-
ennes shared, with the rest of the
white man and his lawless encroach-
ment upon their lands engendered.
They participated in the general In
dian uprisings. On July 4, 1874, the
northern Cheyennes and the Araphoes
were defeated by the Second cavalry
under the command of Captain Bates,
and it was decided to put them on
The idea did not look so
good to the northern CheyenneS nor
n fhe Araphoes and when they refused
TO reservationize themselves they had
powerful support in the Sioux bands
Of Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. They
themselves and allied with
The Sioux movement Of which the
most conspicuous incident was the Gus |
Ter battle along the Little Big Horn
On March IL, 1876, Colonel Reynolds |
With 500 men of the Second and Third
,avalries struck Crazy Horse on Powder
liver and defeated him. On Nov % OF |
he same wear Colonel Mckenzie with |
The Fourth cavalry struck the northern |
on Crazy Woman's creek /
n Wyoming and defeated them. Fol-
owing the defeat began q story OF /
yanderings as dramatic as any In the |
history of the west.
Dull Knife and Little Wolf were
he most influential leaders of the +
northern Cheyennes, and they surTen-
Tered with the rest. In the summer
Il 1877 men and women to the number I
# about 1000, including the chiefs,
we're sent by the United States gov
.rnnent to the Oklahoma Indian ter
-itory. They represented the best OF !
he tribe-the ones considered by the 4
the most dangerous, as 1t .
It was assumed that they /
you'd adjust themselves to their new
,onditions to live in peace and quiet.
But the northern Cheyennes from