More Wyoming Indian Battles
The vast landscapes of Wyoming, a state renowned for its rugged beauty and rich history, bear witness to a complex and often turbulent past. Beyond the well-known narratives of westward expansion and pioneer settlements lies a history punctuated by conflicts between Native American tribes and the encroaching United States military, settlers, and prospectors. These clashes, often small-scale skirmishes, reveal a story of resistance, survival, and the tragic displacement of indigenous populations. This article delves into several lesser-known encounters that occurred across Wyoming, shedding light on the struggles and sacrifices made during this era.
One such event, the Fort Laramie Skirmish, unfolded on June 15, 1853, near the vital trading post and military installation of Fort Laramie. At the time, a large gathering of Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne tribes had congregated near the fort, awaiting the distribution of their annual treaty-stipulated goods. Tensions simmered beneath the surface, and an argument erupted when a Sioux warrior discharged a firearm at a soldier operating a ferry on the Platte River. In response to this act of aggression, Lieutenant Richard B. Garnett, the commanding officer at Fort Laramie, dispatched a contingent of 23 men under Lieutenant Fleming with orders to apprehend the shooter.
Lieutenant Fleming’s approach was bold, bordering on reckless. Despite being significantly outnumbered by the estimated 600 Sioux and Cheyenne lodges present, housing over 1,000 warriors, he demanded the surrender of the accused warrior. As the discussion escalated, the soldiers opened fire, resulting in the deaths of three Indians, the wounding of three others, and the capture of two. Lieutenant Fleming and his men managed to retreat without suffering any casualties, a feat that was largely attributed to the restraint exercised by the Native American chiefs. Recognizing that the soldiers had initiated the violence, the chiefs intervened to prevent a massive retaliatory attack, averting what could have become a far more devastating conflict. The Fort Laramie Skirmish underscores the precariousness of the relationship between the U.S. military and Native American tribes during this period, highlighting the potential for minor incidents to quickly escalate into full-blown confrontations.
Another notable incident, the Horse Creek Skirmish, occurred on November 13, 1854, fueled by the desire for revenge following the death of Brule Sioux Chief Brave Bear. Brave Bear had succumbed to a wound sustained in the Grattan Fight, a previous encounter with the U.S. military. Seeking retribution for their fallen leader, Brave Bear’s oldest surviving brother, Red Leaf; his half-brother, Long Chin; Spotted Tail, and two younger braves embarked on a mission of vengeance along the Overland Trail. Approximately 12 miles west of Horse Creek, near present-day Torrington, Wyoming, they ambushed a mail stagecoach en route to Salt Lake City, Utah. The warriors killed three men and absconded with a metal box containing a substantial sum of $20,000 in gold. The stolen gold was never recovered, adding an element of mystery and intrigue to the event. The Horse Creek Skirmish exemplifies the cyclical nature of violence that characterized the Indian Wars, where acts of aggression often led to retaliatory actions, perpetuating a cycle of conflict and mistrust.
The Pass Creek Skirmish, which took place on February 20, 1863, demonstrates the far-reaching impact of Native American raids on civilian infrastructure. Ute Indians launched an attack on a stage station located near the junction of Pass Creek and the North Platte River, driving off the station’s livestock and destroying valuable equipment. Lieutenant Henry Brandley, stationed at Fort H.W. Halleck, responded swiftly by leading a force of 20 soldiers in pursuit of the raiders. After picking up their trail, the troops managed to overtake the Ute warriors, engaging them in a skirmish that resulted in several Native American casualties. However, Lieutenant Brandley himself was wounded during the encounter, sustaining a gunshot wound to his left arm. The site of the Pass Creek Skirmish is located near present-day Walcott, Wyoming.
The Sage Creek Station attack on June 8, 1865, highlights the vulnerability of isolated outposts and the bravery of soldiers defending them. Just days after Lieutenant James A. Brown deployed five men of the Ohio Cavalry to guard the Sage Creek Station on the Overland Road west of Fort Halleck, the small detachment found itself under attack by an overwhelming force of approximately 100 Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the soldiers bravely defended their position for about an hour. However, as their ammunition dwindled, they were forced to evacuate the station, accompanied by two civilians. The men faced a perilous eight-mile retreat westward toward Pine Grove Station, with the Native American warriors in relentless pursuit. During the running battle, two soldiers and one of the civilians were killed, two soldiers were wounded, and another wounded soldier was captured. Only two of the soldiers managed to reach the safety of Pine Grove Station. The fate of the wounded and captured soldier, as well as the second civilian, remains unknown. The battle occurred near Saratoga, Wyoming.
Beyond these specific skirmishes, numerous other incidents contributed to the complex tapestry of the Indian Wars in Wyoming. In the winter of 1876, a group of five men from Lander who were engaged in hunting and trapping along the Big Wind River were ambushed and killed by Native Americans. Their bodies were not discovered until the following spring. Thomas Cook and a man named Spencer were killed near the mouth of Bridger Creek, and their camp was plundered. James Lisight, B. C. Anderson, and a man named Davis met a similar fate on Lisight Creek, a tributary located approximately two miles from Bridger Creek. Their camp was also looted. On January 13, 1877, a detachment of five men from the U.S. 3rd Cavalry was ambushed by a party of 14 hostile Indians near Elkhorn Creek in Wyoming.
From January 20-22, 1877, the 3rd U.S. Cavalry engaged in a series of clashes with hostile Native Americans in and around Bluff Station, Wyoming. Sergeant William B. Lewis distinguished himself during these skirmishes, earning the Congressional Medal of Honor for his exceptional bravery.
In the spring of 1877, a group of miners traveling from Fort McKinney was attacked on the Dry Fork of the Bad Water River. Two of the miners were killed in the attack. Barney Hill, another member of the party, sustained five gunshot wounds and was left for dead. Miraculously, he survived and managed to crawl most of the way to the Sweetwater River, where he was discovered several days later by prospectors. He was subsequently taken to J. M. Bied’s place on Willow Creek and then to the Post hospital, where he made a full recovery. Tragically, he later committed suicide in Montana.
In April 1877, a band of approximately a dozen Arapaho braves stole 13 horses and mules from Lander. A group of nine men from Lander pursued the Arapaho for approximately 70 miles to Muskrat, where they engaged in a fierce fight. John McCullom and Pap Conant were wounded during the skirmish, and several horses were killed. It was believed that two or three Native Americans were either killed or wounded. The Lander settlers initially regained possession of all the stolen horses, but during the ensuing battle, the Arapaho managed to retake them and then aggressively pursued the whites halfway back to Lander.
In the fall of 1877, a Northern Arapaho delegation traveled to Washington D.C. to petition the President of the United States to refrain from relocating them to the Indian Territory in Oklahoma. In 1878, the Arapaho were permanently settled on the Wind River Reservation. Their Southern Arapaho relatives were moved along with the Southern Cheyenne to western Oklahoma, where their descendants continue to reside.
Isolated incidents continued to occur in Wyoming between 1878 and 1882. In September 1878, Northern Cheyenne, attempting to escape their reservation in Oklahoma and return to their ancestral lands in Montana, were relentlessly pursued by U.S. troops and armed American civilians. The fleeing Cheyenne endured constant attacks during their arduous journey through Kansas, Nebraska, Dakota, and Wyoming. Tragically, very few of those who embarked on this desperate journey survived.
On September 12, 1878, a detachment of Company G, 5th Cavalry, led by Lieutenant Hoel S. Bishop, along with some Shoshone scouts, intercepted a group of fugitive Bannock Indians who had escaped from their reservation on September 4. The encounter occurred on a tributary of the Snake River near Jackson Hole. A fight ensued, resulting in the death of one Bannock Indian and the capture of the remaining seven.
On April 29, 1882, at Fort Washakie, an Indian known as "Ute Jack," a White River Ute residing at the Shoshone Agency, allegedly incited unrest. Lieutenant George H. Morgan led a contingent of six men from Company K, 3rd Cavalry, to investigate the situation. When Lieutenant Morgan attempted to arrest Ute Jack, he resisted, brandishing a knife, and attempted to flee. The soldiers shot him in the arm, but he managed to escape into a tipi, retrieve a carbine, and fatally shoot a detachment sergeant. Major Julius W. Mason of the 3rd Cavalry arrived with additional soldiers, Ute Jack was captured and killed.
In the summer of 1882, some Northern Indians raided the camps of A. S. Bruce and Andy Larson on Beaver Creek. Bruce and others pursued the raiders, overtaking them on the Big Popo Agie River below Lander. A sharp engagement followed, resulting in fatal wounds to two of the Native Americans. The same group of warriors also encountered a Mexican man named Artecinario and a white man named Lew Blanchard on the Bighorn River, killing both of them. This incident is believed to be the last known killing in this area.
These More Wyoming Indian Battles, though often overshadowed by larger conflicts, offer a glimpse into the smaller-scale struggles that shaped the history of the American West. They serve as a reminder of the human cost of westward expansion and the resilience of the Native American tribes who fought to defend their lands and way of life.