When I create my “This Day in History” posts, one of the web sites I use is This Day in US Military History (https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/). R. W. White does a great job highlighting interesting events that occurred on every day of the year. He also includes a section that covers Medals of Honor that were earned on each day. This includes the medal citations. I always look at the names to see if I recognize any from my readings on American military history. Occasionally I notice that quite a few Medals of Honor were given for a particular battle. Sometimes these citations are brief and simply say, for instance, “gallantry in action”. That’s a red flag to me. It always is a battle from the 19th Century and often from the Civil War or the Indian Wars. On July 12, 1870, 13 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor for participating in the Battle of the Little Wichita River. I have read a lot on the Indian Wars, but I had never heard of this one. And yet, 13 Medals of Honor! I had to find out more about this battle. I immediately realized it was obscure because it has no Wikipedia page.
It turns out the battle is instructive on the Indian Wars. The Kiowa Indians had a reservation in what is today Oklahoma. They were mistreated and miserable. Chief Kicking Bird believed in trying to get along with the whites, but that was an increasingly unpopular with the young men. Some of them began to leave the reservation to cross the Red River to raid white settlements in Texas. They would return to acclaim by their tribesmen. Kicking Bird was accused of cowardice for not participating. He finally had enough and led a large war party. One day, some of the braves disobeyed his orders to avoid confrontation with whites. They attacked a mail stage coach. When word of this arrived at Fort Richardson, Capt. Curwen McLellan of the 6th Cavalry led 55 troopers, 2 officers, a surgeon, and a civilian scout to chastise the Indians. On July 12, 1870, he found their camp. Upon attacking it, McLellan realized he was greatly outnumbered. The attack quickly became a retreat. Kicking Bird led the warriors who soon surrounded the whites. Their Spencer rifles gave them a firepower advantage and the whites were in big trouble. Kicking Bird himself killed Corporal John Given (who was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor) with a lance. Two other troopers were killed and 11 were wounded before the Indians lost interest and left. McLellan abandoned the bodies and most of their gear in his haste to get back to the fort.
I have three takeaways from this battle. First, Indian battles often came about because of actions by young warriors. The chiefs were then forced to go to war. Second, Indians did not have a killer instinct when it came to white soldiers that were put in a very difficult situation. Third, some of the 19th Century Medals of Honor were given to undeserving men. Don’t get me wrong, McLellan’s men certainly were brave, but it is highly unlikely their actions would warrant a Medal of Honor today. And it highlights the racism of the award with regard to the two world wars. It is inconceivable that Henry Johnson and Dorie Miller did not get one, when 13 whites received it for defending themselves while surrounded.
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/little-wichita-river-battle-of-the
https://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/Details/5009000334
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