What motivated the Indians?

1.
2.

3.

White settlement of the Plains.

A lack of understanding/ignorance by
the Army.
A lack of respect by the American
government with regards to treaties.

Settlement on the Plains

Not bad at first e.g. Oregon Trail for

1848.
Real problems started with the gold
rushes and the gradual settlement on
the Plains.
The fencing of the land and the
destruction of the Buffalo made this
worse.

Army Ignorance

The Army was used to protect settlers

but no real thought was made to see
Indian views.
There was a deep mistrust by both
sides and the Army was quick to react
in ways that went over the top.

Broken Treaties

The Indians were seen as a problem by

1851.
The American government made
treaties to create reservations but these
kept getting smaller and the land was
poor it often led to trouble.

The Conflicts:
1.
2.

3.
4.

1862 Little Crows War (Sioux).

1863 The Cheyenne Uprising also
Sand Creek Massacre.
1867 Red Clouds War (Sioux).
1868 The Winter Campaign also
Battle of Washita.

Little Crows war

Little Crow was Santee Sioux.

He gave his tribes homelands for
reservation life.
The life was bad harvests failed and
no compensation came from
Washington.
12,000 people faced death.

Little Crows War

In August 1862 the Santee Sioux

attacked the white traders and settlers.
20 men were killed, 10 women and
children were captured.
The Indians took food and ambushed
soldiers trying to deal with the incident.
These attacks lasted over three months.

American Reaction

307 Santee Sioux were tried for the

rebellion.
38 were hanged.
2000 were moved to a smaller
reservation. Conditions were worse and
several hundred died in the winter.

Cheyenne Uprising 1863

Black Kettle signed an agreement in

1861 (Fort Wise).
His tribe moved to Sand Creek in
Colorado.
The land was hard and infertile and had
been opened up for white settlement.
Even Buffalo could not be found. They
were starving

Cheyenne Uprising 1863

The Cheyenne ended up attacking

wagon trains and stealing food.
No-one was harmed but in 1864 there
was news they were stealing cattle.
The Army responded by attacking the
camp at Sand Creek.
Colonel Chivington commanded the
American forces.

Sand Creek Massacre

Chivington said any tribes wanting

peace had to report to the Forts.
The Cheyenne reported to Chivington
who decided to misinterpret the Indians
actions.
An American and white flag at the camp
were ignored.

Sand Creek Massacre

At least 163 Cheyenne were killed

many women and children!
It was an atrocity and Col. Chivington
left the army before he faced trial.
Those taken prisoner were shown to
American theatre audiences.
It meant more violence in the long
term.

Consequences

The Sioux, Arapaho, Kiowa,

Commanche and Cheyenne all joined
forces and fought a war lasting until
1868.
Hundred of settlers were attacked.
In 1867, the Kiowa, Arapho, Cheyenne
and Commanche made peace at
Medicine Lodge Creek but not Red
Cloud and his tribe.

Red Clouds War 1867

The creation of the Bozeman Trail was

to allow gold miners to get to the gold
in Montana. This went against the Fort
Laramie Treaty in 1851.
Red Cloud wanted this stopped and
attacked those making the journey on
the trail.

Red Clouds War

The Government tried talking to Red

Cloud but whilst doing this they built
Forts along the route.
Red Cloud was angry at this and
withdrew from the talks. He attacked
the Forts.
He was joined by other Sioux leaders
Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull.

Red Clouds War

Captain Fetterman took a party of

soldiers to guard wood cutters building
a Fort when they were ambushed.
100 soldiers died in the ambush.
In Spring 1867, the government threw
in the towel the forts were abandoned
and the army left Red Cloud won
but for how long?

Consequences

Red Cloud won but the Army was

humiliated and wanted revenge.
Red Cloud ended up loosing out in the
end with a new Fort Laramie Treaty
(1868).
A new Sioux reservation was made in
the Black Hills but not everyone agreed
Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull did not.

The Winter Campaign of 1868

By 1868 the army had grown wise to

Indian tactics they did not attack in
winter no doubt due to conditions and
their way of life.
The Americans decided to go on the
offensive.
A winter campaign was launched on the
Cheyenne for attacks on white settlers.

Winter Campaign

The Army led by Sheridan and Custer

attacked Black Kettles camp at Washita.
Black Kettle was flying a peace flag but
it did not stop the attack.
It was like Sand Creek all over again.
The dead were mainly women and the
venerable even Black Kettle died.

Consequence

Even the right to roam for Buffalo was

removed from the Medicine Creek
Treaty.
This highlights the way in which
America failed to keep the promises it
made and why the Plains Wars
continued until 1890 and the Battle of
Wounded Knee.