Dull Knife and his band of Northern Cheyenne had participated in the Battle of the Greasy Grass (Little Big Horn), but they did not go on the run after the defeat of Custer. Big mistake. That winter of 1876, his village was surprised by vengeance-minded soldiers and badly beaten. They lost all their lodges and 700 horses. Later, Dull Knife and his starving, freezing people came in to Fort Robinson. Although he begged to be put close to their traditional hunting grounds, they were instead relocated to Indian Territory (Oklahoma). After a depressing year away from buffalo and marked by lack of food and diseases like measles and malaria, Dull Knife and Little Wolf led their people off the reservation to return to Wyoming. 353 Northern Cheyenne started the Northern Cheyenne Exodus in Sept., 1878. They were chased by and had engagements with soldiers and citizens. Along the way, they raided for supplies and horses. They killed at least 40 settlers. The fugitives broke into two groups with Little Wolf leading his band to Wyoming to join other Northern Cheyenne there. This worked and his people were allowed to stay there. Looking back on it, Dull Knife’s decision to go to the Red Cloud Agency was a poor one. Especially since that reservation had been moved. The Army finally captured them and brought them to Fort Robinson, Nebraska. They had traveled 620 miles in 44 days. The 149 Indians (including 46 warriors) were disarmed and placed in a barracks. At first, they were treated well, but when they refused to be sent back to Oklahoma, their food, water, and wood for heat was cut off. On Jan. 9, 1878, the Indians broke out using a few guns they had hidden. A five warrior rear guard gave the others time to get away. They paid with their lives. The escape occurred in conditions were incredibly harsh, especially when you consider the women and children. Plus, they were being chased by an enemy that would not give up. 70 were recaptured and 60 were killed. Most of the killing occurred when Dull Knife and the group with him were run to ground in a buffalo wallow. When the white commander demanded they surrender, the Indians opened fire killing three soldiers. The gloves were off now (not literally because it was extremely cold) and the troopers assaulted. They reached the lip of the wallow and poured fire into the Indians huddled there. 28 were killed with only 9 surviving. Dull Knife got away, but when he reached the Pine River Agency, he was arrested. Most of his people ended up in Oklahoma. A good movie about this is John Ford’s “Cheyenne Autumn”. It is based on the novel by Mari Sandoz. It was Ford’s last western and it reflected the more sympathetic treatment of Native Americans that began in the 1960s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Robinson_breakout
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/chief-dull-knife-makes-last-fight-for-freedom
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