Grey Beard
Encyclopedia
Grey Beard was a Southern Cheyenne medicine man
and chief
. Among the Native American leaders and civilians rounded up at the end of the Red River War
to be transported as a prisoner of war
to Fort Marion in Florida, he is one of two who died during the incarceration.
He was a leader of the Hotamitanco ("Dog soldier") society of young warriors. He was involved in a skirmish with Edwin Vose Sumner
's troops at the Kansas River
in 1857, and gained recognition among whites in 1867 for battling soldiers under Winfield Scott Hancock
and George Armstrong Custer
in an attempt to prevent the building of the Kansas Pacific Railroad across tribal lands. He refused to sign the failed Medicine Lodge Treaty
, and continued fighting until 1871, when his people settled on a reservation
in Indian Territory
. In what is known as the Red River War, he and other chiefs began raiding settlements again in 1874 out of frustration with poaching of buffaloes. After participating in the Second Battle of Adobe Walls
, Grey Beard and his followers went into hiding in what is now the Oklahoma Panhandle
.
In late 1874, Grey Beard's band, numbering approximately 500 warriors and family, received two daughters who had been abducted from a family of settlers by Chief Medicine Water, husband of Mochi
, on their way to Colorado. The girls were freed after a military surprise attack on his camp on November 8, 1874, near present-day McClellan Creek National Grassland
, after which his band scattered across the plains and was pursued for two days across 96 miles by 120 soldiers from the United States Cavalry
before escaping. Facing starvation, he surrendered to the Darlington Agency within a few months.
Because he was one of the ringleaders of the insurrection, Grey Beard was chosen to be among the Native Americans to be taken to Fort Marion
, the old Spanish fort near Saint Augustine, Florida. Convinced that he and fellow prisoners were going to be killed by the Americans, he asked his captor, Captain Richard Henry Pratt
, to write a letter conveying to his people that they should settle peacefully and cooperate with the United States government. He unsuccessfully attempted suicide by hanging himself during the train convoy. Later, he was shot and killed trying to escape.
Grey Beard was survived by at least one son, Prairie Chief, and through him, descendants presently living.
Medicine man
"Medicine man" or "Medicine woman" are English terms used to describe traditional healers and spiritual leaders among Native American and other indigenous or aboriginal peoples...
and chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
. Among the Native American leaders and civilians rounded up at the end of the Red River War
Red River War
The Red River War was a military campaign launched by the United States Army in 1874, as part of the Comanche War, to remove the Comanche, Kiowa, Southern Cheyenne, and Arapaho Native American tribes from the Southern Plains and forcibly relocate them to reservations in Indian Territory...
to be transported as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
to Fort Marion in Florida, he is one of two who died during the incarceration.
He was a leader of the Hotamitanco ("Dog soldier") society of young warriors. He was involved in a skirmish with Edwin Vose Sumner
Edwin Vose Sumner
Edwin Vose Sumner was a career United States Army officer who became a Union Army general and the oldest field commander of any Army Corps on either side during the American Civil War...
's troops at the Kansas River
Kansas River
The Kansas River is a river in northeastern Kansas in the United States. It is the southwestern-most part of the Missouri River drainage, which is in turn the northwestern-most portion of the extensive Mississippi River drainage. Its name come from the Kanza people who once inhabited the area...
in 1857, and gained recognition among whites in 1867 for battling soldiers under Winfield Scott Hancock
Winfield Scott Hancock
Winfield Scott Hancock was a career U.S. Army officer and the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 1880. He served with distinction in the Army for four decades, including service in the Mexican-American War and as a Union general in the American Civil War...
and George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
in an attempt to prevent the building of the Kansas Pacific Railroad across tribal lands. He refused to sign the failed Medicine Lodge Treaty
Medicine Lodge Treaty
The Medicine Lodge Treaty is the overall name for three treaties signed between the United States government and southern Plains Indian tribes in October 1867, intended to bring peace to the area by relocating the Native Americans to reservations in Indian Territory and away from European-American...
, and continued fighting until 1871, when his people settled on a reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
in Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
. In what is known as the Red River War, he and other chiefs began raiding settlements again in 1874 out of frustration with poaching of buffaloes. After participating in the Second Battle of Adobe Walls
Second Battle of Adobe Walls
The Second Battle of Adobe Walls was fought on June 27, 1874 between Comanche forces and a group of twenty-eight U.S. bison hunters defending the settlement of Adobe Walls, Texas in what is now Hutchinson County, Texas.-Adobe Walls Settlement:...
, Grey Beard and his followers went into hiding in what is now the Oklahoma Panhandle
Oklahoma Panhandle
The Oklahoma Panhandle is the extreme western region of the state of Oklahoma, comprising Cimarron County, Texas County, and Beaver County. Its name comes from the similarity of shape to the handle of a cooking pan....
.
In late 1874, Grey Beard's band, numbering approximately 500 warriors and family, received two daughters who had been abducted from a family of settlers by Chief Medicine Water, husband of Mochi
Mochi (Cheyenne)
Mochi was a Southern Cheyenne woman of the Tse Tse Stus band and the wife of Chief Medicine Water. Mochi, then a 24-year-old, was a member of Black Kettle's camp and was present on the morning of November 27, 1864, when John Chivington and over 650 troops of the First Colorado Cavalry, Third...
, on their way to Colorado. The girls were freed after a military surprise attack on his camp on November 8, 1874, near present-day McClellan Creek National Grassland
McClellan Creek National Grassland
McClellan Creek National Grassland is a National Grassland located in southern Gray County, Texas, USA. It was purchased with the goal of restoring badly eroded land to its natural state. It is now administered under Cibola National Forest. In February 2006, all of McClellan Creek National...
, after which his band scattered across the plains and was pursued for two days across 96 miles by 120 soldiers from the United States Cavalry
United States Cavalry
The United States Cavalry, or U.S. Cavalry, is the designation of the mounted force of the United States Army. The role of the U.S. Cavalry is reconnaissance, security and mounted assault. Cavalry has served as a part of the Army forces in every war in which the United States has participated...
before escaping. Facing starvation, he surrendered to the Darlington Agency within a few months.
Because he was one of the ringleaders of the insurrection, Grey Beard was chosen to be among the Native Americans to be taken to Fort Marion
Castillo de San Marcos
The Castillo de San Marcos site is the oldest masonry fort in the United States. It is located in the city of St. Augustine, Florida. Construction was begun in 1672 by the Spanish when Florida was a Spanish territory. During the twenty year period of British possession from 1763 until 1784, the...
, the old Spanish fort near Saint Augustine, Florida. Convinced that he and fellow prisoners were going to be killed by the Americans, he asked his captor, Captain Richard Henry Pratt
Richard Henry Pratt
Richard Henry Pratt is best known as the founder and longtime superintendent of the influential Carlisle Indian Industrial School at Carlisle, Pennsylvania.-Military career:...
, to write a letter conveying to his people that they should settle peacefully and cooperate with the United States government. He unsuccessfully attempted suicide by hanging himself during the train convoy. Later, he was shot and killed trying to escape.
Grey Beard was survived by at least one son, Prairie Chief, and through him, descendants presently living.