Dull Knife – Northern Cheyenne Chief
By Charles A. Eastman (Ohiyesa) in 1918
The saga of Dull Knife, a revered leader of the Northern Cheyenne people, resonates with the timeless qualities of a true hero. His life, marked by simplicity, courage, and a profound lack of self-interest, serves as a model for heroism that transcends racial boundaries.
Dull Knife embodied the virtues of a chieftain from a bygone era. Within the complex social structures of the Plains Indians, respect and leadership were earned through demonstrable qualities. A man’s worth was measured by his bravery, his selfless dedication to the tribe, and his intellectual acumen. Historical accounts, particularly those pertaining to Native American cultures, often blur the line between documented fact and embellished fiction. However, within the oral traditions of the Plains Indians, key events were consistently witnessed and recounted by women, elders, and even children. Devoid of the distractions of modern media, these narratives were meticulously preserved and passed down through generations, maintaining remarkable accuracy. Yet, the reticence of the tribes to share this invaluable knowledge with outsiders, especially for monetary gain, has often hindered a comprehensive understanding of their history.
Racial bias frequently taints historical portrayals, with enemy writers often presenting a skewed perspective while proponents may idealize their own. While mindful of this potential for subjectivity, I recognize the risk of being perceived as idealizing the Indian.
It is imperative to acknowledge the existence of individuals within our communities who fall short of our ideals. In chronicling the lives of Indian heroes, I do not overlook the morally ambiguous figures who betray the values of their people. Our inherent trust, a defining characteristic, has at times proven to be our vulnerability. The introduction of societal vices further compounded our challenges, leading to significant setbacks.
Early accounts portray Dull Knife as a resourceful and self-reliant youth. At the tender age of nine, while on a buffalo hunt, his family became separated from the main group. As a vast herd of buffalo stampeded toward a water source, his mother sought refuge in a tree. Young Dull Knife, however, demonstrated remarkable presence of mind, guiding his younger sister into an abandoned beaver lodge. There, within the protective confines of the submerged entrance, they remained safe until the thundering herd had passed and their frantic parents were able to locate them.
As a young man, Dull Knife further distinguished himself during a particularly harsh winter when his tribe faced the imminent threat of starvation due to scarce game. Undeterred by the severity of the weather, he spearheaded a relief effort, leading a party of packhorses laden with dried buffalo meat over a distance of one hundred and fifty miles, thus averting a potential disaster for his people.
Another act of valor cemented his place in the hearts of his tribe. During a fierce battle, his brother-in-law sustained grievous wounds and lay stranded in a perilous no-man’s-land, inaccessible to both sides due to the intensity of the fighting. Upon learning of his plight, Dull Knife immediately mounted a fresh horse and launched a daring solo charge. His audacious act inspired others to follow, and under the cover of their combined fire, he successfully rescued his brother-in-law, sustaining two wounds in the process.
The Sioux people, neighboring allies and occasional adversaries, regarded him as a man of exceptional character. While perhaps not as flamboyant as Roman Nose or Two Moon, Dull Knife surpassed both in his unwavering honesty and personal integrity, qualities that complemented his impressive war record. (Two Moon, it should be noted, never held a leadership position within his tribe and only rose to prominence during the conflicts with the white settlers.) A historical anecdote involving an ancestor of the same name aptly illustrates the spirit of the age.
In those days, it was customary for the senior men of the tribe to precede the moving caravan, responsible for selecting suitable halting points and campsites. On one particular day, the councilors came across a grove of wild cherry trees laden with ripe fruit and promptly decided to stop. However, their peaceful interlude was abruptly shattered when a grizzly bear emerged from the dense thicket. The men shouted and yelled, attempting to intimidate the beast, but the bear remained undeterred. It swiftly attacked the first warrior who dared to confront it, dragging its unfortunate victim into the depths of the undergrowth.
The entire caravan was thrown into a state of chaos. Several of the fleetest warriors charged towards the thicket, attempting to lure the bear into the open, while the women and dogs created a deafening cacophony of noise. The bear accepted their challenge, and as it did so, the man who had been presumed dead emerged from the opposite side of the grove.
The Indians erupted in joyous cheers, especially when the warrior, instead of continuing his flight, halted and began to sing a Brave Heart song as he approached the grove, signaling his willingness to once again confront his fearsome adversary.
The grizzly charged at him with immense force, and the two combatants went down in a tangle of limbs. Almost immediately, the bear began to emit cries of distress. Simultaneously, a flash of steel caught the light, and the bear rolled over, lifeless. The warrior had proven too quick for the animal. He had first bitten the bear’s sensitive nose to distract its attention and then plunged his butcher knife into its heart.
After that fateful encounter, he engaged in numerous battles wielding knives, attributing his success to the spirit of the bear. On one occasion, however, he faced an enemy armed with a sturdy buffalo-hide shield that proved impenetrable. Despite sustaining a wound, the Cheyenne warrior managed to kill his opponent. It was from this incident that he acquired the name Dull Knife, a name that would be passed down through his lineage.
As is widely known, the Northern Cheyenne steadfastly supported the Sioux in their determined defense of the Black Hills and the Big Horn country. Their solidarity stemmed from the critical importance of the region as their last remaining buffalo hunting ground – their source of sustenance, comparable to the wheat fields that sustain a civilized nation.
Around 1875, a concerted campaign was launched to confine all Indians to reservations, effectively placing them under virtual internment, irrespective of their possessions and rights. The primary motivation behind this scheme was the acquisition of Indian lands and resources – the underlying cause of many Indian wars. From the warlike Apaches to the peaceful Nez Perce, tribes across the plains were relentlessly pursued. The government would then resort to peace negotiations, but invariably backed by the coercive power of the army. Once disarmed and rendered defenseless, the tribes were forcibly relocated under military escort to the Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma).
Some tribes resisted, vowing to fight to the death rather than submit. The Sioux were among the most prominent of these, but many smaller tribes were forcibly deported against their will. Those who hailed from mountainous and colder regions suffered particularly severely in the unfamiliar climate. The humid heat and the prevalence of malaria decimated the exiled populations. Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce and Chief Standing Bear of the Ponca appealed to the people of the United States and eventually succeeded in having their bands, or what remained of them, returned to their ancestral lands. Dull Knife, however, was unsuccessful in his pleas, and the story of his subsequent flight remains a poignant chapter in Native American history.
Considered a dangerous individual by the authorities, he and his diminished band were forcibly relocated to the Indian Territory in 1876. He was deeply affected by the high mortality rate among his people. He gathered his people, where every man and woman declared that they would rather die in their own country than stay there longer, and they resolved to flee to their northern homes.
The ingenuity and resilience of the Cheyenne people were once again on full display. The journey from the Indian Territory to Dakota was an arduous undertaking. They were acutely aware of the challenges they faced. Their route lay through settled territory, and they knew that the army would be in relentless pursuit. As soon as they began their flight, the telegraph wires buzzed with alarm: "The panther of the Cheyenne is at large. Not a child or a woman in Kansas or Nebraska is safe." Despite the immense pressure, they managed to evade the pursuing troops and reach their ancestral lands. The strain was immense, the hardships severe, and Dull Knife, like Chief Joseph before him, demonstrated remarkable restraint in refraining from violence against those who crossed their path.
However, fate conspired against him. Betrayed by those seeking blood money, he and his people were surrounded and taken to Fort Robinson, Nebraska. They were exhausted and hungry. The men were imprisoned, and the women were placed under guard in a separate camp. They were permitted to visit their husbands on designated days. Many had lost everything, and some had only a single child left. Their hearts were heavy with grief.
These desperate women implored their husbands to die fighting. They felt that their liberty was gone, their homes destroyed, and only slavery and gradual extinction awaited them. Finally, Dull Knife relented. "I have lived my life," he declared. "I am ready." The others concurred. "If our women are willing to die with us, who is there to say no? If we are to do the deeds of men, it rests with you, women, to bring us our weapons."
Exploiting the allowance to bring moccasins and other small items to the men, the women managed to smuggle in a few guns and knives. The plan was to kill the sentinels and then make a desperate dash for the nearest natural trench to make their last stand. The women and children would join them. The plan was executed. Not every warrior had a gun, but all were united in their determination to die together. They fought until their meager supply of ammunition was exhausted, then exposed their bare chests to the enemy fire, with mothers even holding up their young children to be shot. Thus died many of the fighting Cheyenne and their indomitable leader.
Editor’s Note: Dull Knife did not die in this final battle. He escaped with his wife, son, and daughter-in-law, eventually reaching the Sioux Pine Ridge Agency in South Dakota. Later, he lived on a reservation assigned to the surviving Cheyenne in the Rosebud Valley. He died in 1883 and was buried on high ground near his home.
By Charles A. Eastman, 1918. Compiled and edited by Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated January 2025.
About the Author: Excerpted from the book Indian Heroes and Great Chieftains by Charles A. Eastman, 1918. However, the text as it appears here is not verbatim, as it has been edited for clarity and ease for the modern reader. Charles A. Eastman earned a medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine in 1890 and then began working for the Office of Indian Affairs later that year. He worked at the Pine Ridge Agency, South Dakota, and was an eyewitness to both events leading up to and following the Wounded Knee Massacre of December 29, 1890. He was part Sioux and knew many of the people he wrote about.