upon which they hunt buflfalo and pack their baggage. The women do all the
work, and wait upon the men. who do nothing but kill the game."
Colonel Dodge held a council at Fort Bent, on August 11th, with
representatives of these several tribes. All the Cheyenne leaders who were
on the ground attended; the Arapahoes were represented by their principal
chief and several other warriors; the Gros Ventres by some of their promi-
nent braves ; and the Blackfeet also had a deputy. After these Indians had
arranged themselves in the conventional council-form, the Colonel addressed
them as follows:
"Chiefs and Warriors of the Cheyetmes, Arepaluis, Gros-ventres, and Blackfeet,
present :
"Friends, I am happy to meet you ; your great American father is desirous
to be at peace with all his remote red children; he wishes you to smoke the pipe
of peace with your enemies, and bury the hatchet of war; your old enemies, the
Pawnees, wish to make peace with the Arepahas and Cheyennes; the brother of
the principal chief of the Pawnee Loups has traveled on foot many hundred miles
to see you, and to smoke the pipe of peace with you. By making peace with the
Pawnees and Arickaras, you will be able to meet on the Platte as friends, where
there is buffalo in abundance ; you will then have no dread on your minds of danger
from each other, and you often want something for your children to eat on that
account. The Cheyennes are now at war with the Camanehes; I would earnestly
recommend to them to make peace with this nation, and I wish the Arepaha
chiefs who are friendly both with the Cheyennes and Camanehes to interpose their
kind offices to effect an object so desirable for the mutual benefit and advantage of
both nations.
"I was much pleased to hear that the Arepahas and Osages have made peace,
and that the Osages had gone with the Arepahas to visit the Camanehes; I hope
the peace they have made will be lasting, and that they will hold each other
strong by the hand. The Cheyennes have killed their principal chief, the High-
backed Wolf, and as they have no chiefs, X would recommend to them that they
would choose from among their principal braves a chief for each band; the pres-
ent distracted state of their nation requires this course; after they have selected
their chiefs, it is their duty to obey them in peace and in war. No nation of
people can exist without rulers ; Indians who trespass on the rights of others should
be punished, and good men should be rewarded; I recommend to you to be just to
your traders; it is for the mutual advantage of you all to be so; any attempts on
your part to injure your traders would deprive you of them ; they are here by
permission of your great father; the Arepahas have never made a treaty with
their great American father; the friendly manner they treat their traders, and the
peaceable and friendly disposition they have evinced towards me, shall be made
known to him. I present you in the name of your great father, some valuable
presents, which are given as a proof of his great regard for his remote red chil-
dren ; it is his wish you meet all the Americans in friendship, and that the pipe
of peace may be smoked between you, and the war hatchet never be raised."
Little Moon, one of the principal men of the Cheyennes, and formerly
their chief, thus replied to the Colonel :
"My father, I believe it was my great father, the President, who sent you
here to talk to us to-day, and we are glad to see you; we saw troops once before,
on the Missouri, and took them by the hand; you have been telling us to hold the
148 HISTOKY OF COLOEADO
whites by the hand; we listen to what you say; you wish us to be at peace with
all nations; the Crows have been killing our people; I know but little; what you
say is very good; your heart is open; one of our war parties is gone to the
Camanches, another against the Pawnees and Arickaras; my heart is with them;
we have not heard from them; what you say is very good; the whites are all
good; there is nothing bad about them; wait until our war parties return, perhaps
some of them are killed; winter before last this Pawnee [alluding to the Pawnee
who had accompanied Colonel Dodge from the Pawnee country] came to our vil-
lage; we took him by the hand, and smoked with him; you have taken this Pawnee
by the hand, and have brought him to our village; our hearts are very glad; as
soon as we saw him, we got off our horses, ran to meet him, and took him by the
hand; I know but little; what I do know I have told you; wait until our war
parties return, I shall then know what to say; I am glad to see you, my father,
and have listened well to what you have said; I am glad you have brought this
Pawnee with you, I hope he will give each band a medicine arrow [it is customary
among these wild Indians to exchange arrows in making peace; these are medi-
cine arrows.— Kingsbury], and each band will give him one in return; I wish you
to tell the Pawnee to send each of us a medicine arrow; when we meet the wliites
in the prairie, we will take them by the hand and hold them fast ; this is the second
time I have seen troops, and my heart is glad to see you; I have nothing more to
say; I know but little; what I do know I have told you."
The Pawnee now addressed the council :
"Cheyennes and Arepahas: I am glad to meet you to-day; you have spoken
truth about medicine arrows; Cheyennes and Arepahas, this is the third or fourth
time we have made peace; but it will not hold; you have never been to see us;
we have always been the ones to come and see you; my brothers, I have come to
see you to-day ; you sent a young man to our village, we gave him arrows, but have
never received an answer; you have only stolen our horses and killed our people;
it is true last year when I left my village, I had my bag full of news ; but before
I got to where you were, I stumbled and lost it all. My brothers, the Cheyennes,
you see me here to-day; my father [Colonel Dodge] brought me here to make peace
with you; although you see me here as nothing; when I am in my village I am
not afraid of you; everything I say to you is true, I hide nothing from you; I
have come to see you, my brothers, and I hope you will come to see us; it appears
that you have been afraid to come and see us, but come there now, and we will
not kill you, we will receive you well; my brothers, the road is now good, it has
been made good by our father ; I hope you will go and come without fear ; may it
always remain good."
Lieutenant Kingsbury goes on to relate:
•■The Colonel requested the Cheyennes to select a chief for each of the three
bands that were at the council. But, after waiting for a considerable length of
time, and finding no one willing to step forward, he told Little Moon to select
three chiefs (one for each band), and, if they pleased the nation, they might be
appointed. He accordingly took three of them by the hand, and led them forward
to Colonel Dodge, and seated them near him. Tlie Colonel then asked them if they
had any objections to these men: no objections were made. They were not only
the choice of the Cheyenne nation, but the very men that the traders who were
acquainted with them would have selected. The Colonel then put around their
necks the representation of a medal, and told them they were chiefs, and would be
regarded as such by the whites. He also told the Cheyennes that they must consider
these men as their chiefs, and respect them accordingly. Their names were, the
White Cow, the Flying Arrow, and the Walking Whirlwind; all of them distin-
guished warriors, friendly with the whites, and popular with the nation. The
presents were then distributed, consisting of blankets, tobacco, knives, &c., accord-
ing to the number in each nation. They appeared much pleased, and went away
delighted with the goodness and generosity of the whites. They gave the Pawnee
twelve horses, and seemed desirous of establishing a permanent peace with that
nation. They had sent out war parties against the other nations with whom they
HISTORY OF COLORADO 149
were at war, and wished to wait until their return, but before they could agree to
make peace.
"If an agency were established at this place, in a few years peace might
be restored among all the different tribes in this portion of the country. This
appears to be a favorable position for establishing an agency, as it is a central
point, where the Indians near the mountains all collect. The Kiowas, Camanches
(upper bands), Cheyennes, Arepahas, Gros-ventres, and Blackfcet. all frequent this
section of the country, and come to this trading establishment for the purpose of
exchanging their buffalo robes for goods. Another advantage it possesses is, that,
being close to the boundary line, the movements of the Mexicans could be watched;
and in ease any encroachments were committed, the earliest intelligence might be
received. The Indians have the highest opinion of the Americans, think them the
nrst people in the world; and would pay the greatest regard to what they were
advised by the whites."
Leaving Fort Bent on August 12th, the expedition resumed the march
down the Arkansas, with not a man on the sick-list, and with the horses
in condition nearly as good as when they left Fort Leavenworth.
"The Colonel had seen all the Indians he expected to see, and had established
friendly relations with them all: had marched one thousand miles over a beautiful
and interesting country, and we started for home with that joyous and self-satisfied
feeling which resulted from a consciousness of having accomplished the full object
of the expedition. Just before our departure, the Arepaha chief and the Gros-
ventre came down to our camp to bid us farewell. They said their hearts were
very glad. Tliat the Americans were very good. Tliat they would go home and tell
their people how well the whites had treated them, and they thought their people
would cry because they did not come with them."
Lieutenant Kingsbury noted that during the first two days of the
march below Fort Bent tlie Arkansas valley retained the same general
appearance as above, but, while timber was less abundant, the soil was more
fertile. No buffalos were seen, though recently-made traces of them were
present. At a distance of some forty miles from Fort Bent, a good position
for a nailitary post was passed, "should it ever be the policy of the Govern-
ment to establish one in this portion of their territories." The site was
upon a high bluff bank, with extensive flats on each side, covered with
timber. The position being on a point near a bend of the river, such a
post could command the stream above and below for a considerable distance,
and would be difficult of approach on either side. There was an abundance
of stone for building immediately on the ground, and timber close at hand.
"Arrived at another Cheyenne village on the evening of the 14th [evidently
at the upper end of the "Big Timber"], having marched about fifty miles since
leaving Messrs. Bent and St. Vrain's fort. This was the band of Cheyennes that
were absent at the council. There were about fifty lodges of them. They had
large quantities of buffalo meat hanging up to dry all around their village, and
their encampment was surrounded by a large number of horses, many of which they
had just stolen from the Camanches. Soon aft«r we had encamped, the principal
men and warriors of the village came down to visit us. Colonel Dodge held a talk
with them, in which he told them he was happy to meet them; that he had come
a long way to see them and the other tribes ; that he had been sent by their great
father, the President; that he had met the Arepahas, Gros-ventres, and other tribes
of the Cheyennes, in council; had made a chief for each of the three bands that
were there! and that if they would select one of their principal men he would
make him a chief, and that he would be regarded as such by the whites: that Mr.
St. Vrain would give them presents equal in amount to the presents received by
the other bands. They pointed to five men sitting together, saying they were the
principal men. They appeared reluctant to make the selection from among these
150 HISTOKY OF COLOEADO
five. The Colonel then told them they must select some one to receive the presents
and have them distributed. One of the braves was finally led forth, to whom the
medal was given, together with the presents, and a letter from Colonel Dodge,
stating that he had been made a chief. His name was Wiite-man's Chief. They
appeared well pleased with their reception, and went away highly gratified.
"August 15th. — This morning, while a large number of the Cheyennes were
collected at our camp, and the Colonel talking to the new-made chief, we heard the
report of several guns immediately over the ridge, about a mile distant ; soon after,
a large volley, and then another. The Cheyennes, who were in camp, mounted
their horses immediately, and rode oft" in the direction of the firing, at full speed.
Not knowing who it was, the Colonel ordered the command under arms. Soon
after, some of the Indians returned, and give us to understand, by signs, that it
was a party of Pawnee Loups and Arickaras, who had come over to make peace
with the Cheyennes. They came to the top of a hill, in sight of the village, fired
their guns in the air, and raised their flag, as a sign they wished to make peace.
The Cheyennes ran out to meet them, took them by the hand, and conducted them
to their village, where they commenced by smoking the pipe of peace, and giving
them horses. After they had given them about one hundred horses, they invited
them into their lodges, and commenced giving them feasts. In return for which
the Pawnees and Arickaras gave them a number of guns. They spent the whole
day in this manner, feasting and making presents.
"16th. — Colonel Dodge held a council with the Cheyennes, Pawnees, and the
Arickaras. He went to the lodge of the new-made chief, and requested him to
collect his principal men together. Sent also for the chiefs of the Pawnees and
Arickaras. After they were collected together, the Colonel addressed them as
follows :
" 'To the Chiefs and Principal Men of the Pawnees, Arickaras, and Cheyennes :
" 'Friends, I am happy to meet you. My advise given to the Pawnees and
Arickaras, on my march to the Rocky mountains, has been followed. The Chey-
ennes, your former enemies, have met you as friends ; you have smoked the pipe
of peace together, and, I hope, for ever buried the hatchet of war. Tlie road is
now open for the Cheyennes to go and see the Pawnees and Arickaras. I am
assured, by their chief, that the Cheyennes will be treated with the same friend-
ship and kindness that they have extended to the Pawnees and Arickaras. Your
great American father will be pleased to hear that his remote red children are
making peace with each other; it is his wish that you should all live in the same
country. The Pawnees, Arickaras, and Cheyennes, . making peace, can hunt the
buffalo without the dread of being killed. A friendly intercourse between you will
make your children friends. They will, when grown, take each other by the hand,
and a state of war will give way to good feeling with you all. You have never
profited by killing each other; it will always terminate to the injury of you all.
Tlie Pawnees have been stopped, by the advice of their agent, from going to war
with the Cheyennes, and other nations. I gave them the same advice when at their
village. I was pleased, yesterday, to find that my words had been listened to.
I told the Cheyennes what they find to-day is true. The Great Spirit has. provi-
dentially, brought us all together at the same time; and has proved to the Chey-
ennes the truth of my words. Your great American father is desirous a lasting
peace should be made with all the red-skins, with a view of helping their condition.
You are poor; j-ou have no country that your great father wants. The dragoons
you see here were sent for the purpose of ascertaining your true condition. Should
you have bad men among you. who will not listen to good advice, and who will
kill and steal, you must punish them. The chiefs and braves are pledged for the
strict observance of treaties of peace when made between you, and you should not
permit the evil-disposed to destroy all the good that has been done. Bad men
among all people must be made examples of. I am going to part with you. I hope
to hear the good counsel I have given you will be remembered by you all when I
am far from you. You will be convinced that your true interest is to hold each
other strong by the hand as brothers and friends, and never again to stain your
hands by the blood of each other.'
"The Cheyennes not yet having learned tlie practice of speech-making, did
HISTOEY OF COLORADO 151
not reply directly to Colonel Dodge; they said, however, they were very glad to
Bee the whites, and wished the Colonel to remain several days, that they might
hunt buffalo, and bring in meat for him. They appear desirous of making a
permanent peace with the Pawnees and Arickaras. A large party accompanied a
party of Arickaras and Pawnees, who were going to visit the Aropahas, for the
purpose of making peace with them. The Cheyennes and Arepahas are to meet
the Pawnees and Arickaras on the Platte, next winter, and hunt buffalo with them.
The Pawnees are to bring along with them a large quantity of corn, to give feasts,
and trade with the Arepahas and Cheyennes.
"The Arickaras were formerly on very friendly terms with the Cheyennes, and
lived with them for some time ; many of them still speak the Cheyenne language
well. After the Cheyennes had concluded an alliance with the Arepahas, the
Arieki^ras commenced stealing their horses. Still they would not go to war ; they
said they did not care for a few horses. The Arickaras soon after killed several
whites, who were trading with the Arepahas. Tliey then determined to declare
war against them; and soon after, the Arepahas, meeting a war party of twenty
or thirty Arickaras, who were coming to steal their horses, they attacked them, and
killed them all, not one escaping. The Cheyennes soon after met a war party of
Arickaras, and killed them all, except one ; him they told to go home, and tell
his people that it was the Cheyennes who had killed the party. Since that period
they have carried on a predatory warfare, until the present time. This peace is,
no doubt, the result of the advice given them by Colonel Dodge. At the council
with the Pawnees and Arickaras [on the Platte], he advised them strongly to make
peace with their enemies, especially the Cheyennes and Arepahas. He represented
to the Arickaras their deplorable condition ; if they still persisted in war, that they
must inevitably lose their name as a nation. This advice had a great effect upon
them, as they had already commenced to experience the truth of it.
"The Star (one of their chiefs), afterwards [after the council on the Platte]
told Colonel Dodge that he would go out to meet the Cheyennes with a peace party,
and would get there as soon as he did. He proved the truth of this remark by
his arrival. The Star has always been more friendly to the whites than the other
chiefs. And he informed the Colonel since he has been here that the Arickaras
had listened well to his advice; that it had sunk deep into their hearts; that he,
the Star, had acquired a great influence among them, and was now one of their prin-
cipal chiefs; and that he was constantly impressing upon their minds the necessity
of listening to the advice their father had given them, and of making peace with
their enemies.
"The good efi'ects of the expedition are thus already becoming apparent, and it
will probably have the effect to establish peace among all the different tribes
between the Arkansas and the Platte. This will be of immense advantage to these
Indians, as they will thereby have an extensive country opened to them, covered
with innumerable bufi'alo, where they can hunt in safety, without the fear of being
attacked by their enemies."
The coimnand again took up its march on August lith, and appears
to have encamped in the evening of that day upon or near what is now the
eastern boundary of Colorado. During the next few days, timber was found
less abundant, and in many places there was none at all, driftwood left
upon the river's bank by receding waters having to be gathered for camp-
fire fuel. Only a small number of buffalos was seen. The eastward march
was continued 'along the northward banlc of the Arkansas to the Santa Fe
Trail and onward by that highway nearly to the western border of Missouri,
and thence north to Fort Leavenworth, which was reached on September
16th. The death of the dragoon, mentioned by Colonel Dodge, in his
report, but whose name is not given either by him or Lieutenant Kings-
bury, occurred on September 11th, the command then being in eastern
Kansas. Kingsbury says "the Colonel directed him to be buried on a high
153 HISTOEY OF COLORADO
prairie ridge, and a stone placed at the head of tlae grave, with his name
and regiment engraved thereon".
The results of this remarkable exp'^dition, which had crossed and re-
crossed the entire country of the plains Indians, not onh' without having
fired a hostile shot, but leaving among the red jjeople peace, friendship
and good will in every stage of the journey, caused Major Greneral Edmund
P. Gaines, then in command of the Western Department, in his letter to
General Eoger Jones, Adjutant-General of the Army, at Washington, with
which he transmitted General Dodge's report and Lieutenant Kingsl)ury's
journal, to say :
"I have the honor to transmit, for the information of the proper authorities,
the letter and journal of Colonel Henry Dodge, commanding the United States
light dragoons, reporting the details of his late tour of service, the results of
which are not only altogether deeply interesting, but are, in part, extraordinary,
and, I may add, unprecedented. For example, the expedition embracing [embraced]
a traverse of sixteen hundred miles of continuous wilderness, alternate prairie and
woodland, in which many nations of Indians were conferred with, and most iudi-
ciously impressed with the justice, magnaitimiti/, humanily and poicer of our Gov-
ernment and country, and then passed by without sustaining any injury or loss by
any casualty, excepting only the short illness and death of one of the brave dragoons,
and without loss or any material injury done to the horses of the battalion.
"If we are to regard as worthy our constant attention, the maxim 'In peace
prepare for war,' and in our efforts to conform strictly to this maxim, should avail
ourselves of fit and striking occasions to notice, with marked approbation, par-
ticular officers or corps who may be so fortunate as to discharge very difficult
or delicate duties, in a manner so worthy of imitation, I know of no officer or
corps of mj' command to whom such a mark of distinction is more justty due than
to Colonel Dodge and his officers and soldiers engaged in this expedition. For it is
not probable, if it is possible, that such an expedition could have been crowned
with so many favorable results to the service, to the Indians, as well as to the
frontier inhabitants, without very great vigilance, care and prudence, on the part
of the Colonel and his officers, and constant attention, obedience, and fidelity on
the part of the non-commissioned officers and soldiers.
"That it requires at least as high a degree of moral courage, that description
of moral courage which, on all occasions, marked the character of our beloved Wash-
ington, to perform such a tour of service in the manner this has been accomplished,
as to fight battles and win victories, there can be little doubt among men of experi-
ence. Indeed, it is not uncommon for idlers, and tipplers, and others, destitute of
the moral courage to do their ordinary duty even tolerably, who, on the spur of
occasion, have turned out and made a respectable fight.
"I am decidedly of the opinion that a sword given to Colonel Dodge, a brace
of pistols to each of his commissioned officers, and a month's pay extra to each one
of the non-commissioned officers and soldiers who accompanied him, would con-
tribute much to the good of the service, by inspiring all officers and men with that
spirit of increased vigilance and emulation so necessary to the preservation of
health and life, and public property, and which is essential to success of all wilder-
ness movements.
"The approaching disturbances in Texas would seem strongly to admonish us