The Cheyenne chief who survived Sand Creek only to die at Custer’s hands

Black Kettle’s Fatal Pursuit of Peace at Washita

Black Kettle chose peace when others wanted war. Born in 1803, this Cheyenne chief signed treaty after treaty to save his people as settlers poured onto tribal lands.

He even met President Lincoln, who gave him an American flag as a sign of friendship. Yet in 1864, that same flag flew over his camp when Colonel Chivington’s troops killed 163 Cheyenne at Sand Creek.

Black Kettle survived and still sought peace. Four years later, he asked the army for protection.

Instead, Custer’s troops attacked at dawn on November 27, 1868. Black Kettle died trying to cross the Washita River.

Today, the Washita Battlefield in Oklahoma tells this tragic story of broken promises.

A Cheyenne Chief Rises to Leadership

Black Kettle was born around 1803 in South Dakota’s Black Hills.

His Northern Cheyenne parents Swift Hawk Lying Down and Sparrow Hawk Woman raised him in tribal ways. In 1854, his people picked him for the Council of Forty-four, the main Cheyenne government.

He became chief of the Wotapio band after marrying Medicine-Woman-Hereafter.

Before joining the council, Black Kettle earned respect as a warrior who carried the Sacred Four Arrows in battle. He built good ties with white fur traders at Bent’s Fort since the 1830s.

The Shrinking Homeland Deal

On February 18, 1861, Black Kettle signed the Treaty of Fort Wise with five other Cheyenne chiefs and four Arapaho leaders.

This deal forced his people to move to land less than one-thirteenth the size of their original territory. Black Kettle thought this tough agreement would at least give his people U.S. government protection, though the Dog Soldiers strongly opposed it.

The new land between Arkansas River and Sand Creek had poor soil and kept the Cheyenne far from buffalo herds.

Lincoln Gave Him a Flag That Proved Worthless

Black Kettle traveled to Washington D.C. to meet President Abraham Lincoln. During this visit, Lincoln gave him a large American flag as a peace symbol.

The president’s Indian commissioner promised soldiers would never fire on Black Kettle while he flew this flag. The chief took the Stars and Stripes as a sacred promise of protection from the U.S. government.

He returned to Colorado believing peaceful living with white settlers could work for everyone.

Gold Fever Pushed Peace to the Breaking Point

The Pike’s Peak Gold Rush of 1859 sent thousands of settlers onto Cheyenne lands, breaking earlier treaties.

Many young Cheyenne warriors, especially Dog Soldiers, refused reservation life and started raiding white settlements. Black Kettle tried to control these angry young men while keeping his peace policy.

By summer 1864, attacks on settlers grew more common, making Colorado’s territorial government angry. The situation grew tense as both sides prepared for conflict.

The False Promise at Camp Weld

Black Kettle met with Colorado Governor John Evans and Colonel John Chivington at Camp Weld on September 28, 1864. Evans ordered all “friendly Indians” to report to military posts or be treated as enemies.

Black Kettle agreed to move his people to the Sand Creek reservation as the military directed. He left the meeting thinking he had secured safety for his band by following the government’s rules.

This trust would soon prove deadly wrong.

Blood-Soaked Morning Under the American Flag

Colonel Chivington led 675 troops in a surprise attack on Black Kettle’s sleeping village at dawn on November 29, 1864. Black Kettle quickly raised both Lincoln’s American flag and a white surrender flag above his tipi.

Chiefs White Antelope and others walked toward the soldiers making peace signs but soldiers shot them down. The killing lasted eight hours despite the clear peace symbols flying over the camp.

Soldiers showed no mercy to the unarmed villagers.

He Saved His Wife Despite Nine Bullet Wounds

Black Kettle survived the Sand Creek Massacre by hiding in sand pits along the creek. After the first attack, he bravely returned to the ruined village to find his wife Medicine-Woman-Hereafter.

She had nine bullet wounds but still lived. Black Kettle saw 163 Cheyenne people killed, mostly women, children, and elderly.

Soldiers cut up many bodies.

Yet even after this terrible betrayal, Black Kettle still pushed for peace, believing fighting would only bring more suffering to his people.

Another Treaty, Another Broken Promise

Black Kettle signed the Treaty of Little Arkansas River on October 14, 1865, hoping for justice after Sand Creek. The U.S. government promised “forever peace” and new lands if the Cheyenne moved to Indian Territory in today’s Oklahoma.

Most Southern Cheyenne chiefs rejected Black Kettle’s peace efforts and joined war parties instead. His power among his people weakened as more warriors chose to follow war chiefs like Roman Nose and Tall Bull.

His Last Diplomatic Effort Failed

On October 28, 1867, Black Kettle signed the Medicine Lodge Treaty, his final try for peace. This treaty promised yearly food and supplies on a new Oklahoma reservation.

The promised supplies never came, forcing young warriors to leave Black Kettle’s band to join groups that raided for food. By 1868, his once-large peaceful band had shrunk to about 250 loyal followers.

His path of peace grew lonelier as hunger and broken promises pushed more Cheyenne toward war.

The Army Turned Away His Final Plea

Black Kettle and fellow peace chiefs met with General William B. Hazen at Fort Cobb on November 20, 1868.

They asked to move their people near the fort for protection from General Sheridan’s winter campaign against hostile tribes. Hazen refused, saying only General Sheridan or Colonel Custer could grant them safety.

Black Kettle returned to his Washita River camp on November 26, still hoping for a peaceful solution. He had no idea death was just hours away.

Custer’s Dawn Attack Ended the Peace Chief’s Life

At dawn on November 27, 1868, Custer’s 7th Cavalry attacked Black Kettle’s village while the regimental band played “Garry Owen.”

Black Kettle and Medicine-Woman-Hereafter tried to escape on horseback across the Washita River. Soldiers shot them both in the back, killing them instantly.

Their deaths ended Black Kettle’s 17-year quest for peace through diplomatic treaties. The attack left over 100 Cheyenne dead, with the entire village destroyed and their pony herd slaughtered.

The peace chief who survived one massacre couldn’t survive a second.

Visiting Washita Battlefield, Oklahoma

The Washita Battlefield at 18555 Highway 47A in Cheyenne tells Black Kettle’s tragic story through free exhibits and trails.

Watch the 27-minute “Destiny at Dawn” film in the visitor center, open daily 8am to 4:30pm.

Walk the 1.5-mile battlefield trail with 15 audio stops that explain how the peaceful Southern Cheyenne chief died despite seeking U. S. protection.

Summer visitors can join ranger talks and walking tours from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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