Battle of Punished Woman's Fork facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Punished Woman's Fork
Little Wolf
Date 27 September 1878 Location Near Scott City, Kansas, United States Result Cheyenne escape
Belligerents
U.S. Army	Cheyenne Indians
Commanders and leaders
Col. William H. Lewis	Little Wolf, Dull Knife
Strength
200 soldiers	92 warriors
Casualties and losses
1 killed, several wounded	several wounded

The battle site and monument. The Cheyenne dug rifle pits overlooking the canyon, but the soldiers advanced on higher ground.

The Battle of Punished Woman's Fork (September 27, 1878) was the last big fight between Native Americans and the United States Army in Kansas. It's also known as Battle Canyon. This battle happened during the Northern Cheyenne Exodus. About 350 Cheyenne people were trying to go back to their homeland in the northern Great Plains. They had left their reservation in Oklahoma. During the fight at Punished Woman's Fork (now called Ladder Creek), the Cheyenne fought against U.S. Army soldiers. The army commander was killed. After the battle, the Cheyenne kept moving north. Some of them successfully reached their relatives in Montana. Others were captured or killed near Camp Robinson, Nebraska.

Why the Battle Happened

In the 1830s, the Cheyenne tribe divided into two main groups: the Northern Cheyenne and the Southern Cheyenne. In November 1876, the U.S. Cavalry defeated the Northern Cheyenne groups led by Chiefs Dull Knife and Little Wolf in a fight. After this, Dull Knife, Little Wolf, and their followers surrendered to the U.S. Army at Camp Robinson, Nebraska.

From May to August 1877, soldiers made the Northern Cheyenne travel about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) south. They were moved to the Southern Cheyenne reservation in Oklahoma. About 937 Cheyenne people arrived at this reservation. It was located near Fort Reno, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of what is now Oklahoma City.

Life on the reservation was very hard. There wasn't enough food, and many people got sick with measles and malaria. Chiefs Dull Knife and Little Wolf asked if their people could return to their northern homelands, but their request was denied.

In September 1878, the two chiefs and 351 of their followers decided to leave the reservation. They planned to travel north to join other Northern Cheyenne groups, mostly in Montana. Out of the 351 people, 92 were warriors. The rest were women, children, and elderly people.

After leaving the reservation on the night of September 9/10, the Cheyenne traveled north on horseback. They covered about 500 kilometers (300 miles). Along the way, they had three successful small fights with the army and local volunteers, including the Battle of Turkey Springs. In northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas, they took horses and cattle for food. During these actions, nine ranchers were killed.

The Battle Itself

On September 25, Colonel William H. Lewis took command of about 200 soldiers, mostly cavalry. Their mission was to chase the Cheyenne in northern Kansas. On September 27, Colonel Lewis found the Cheyenne's trail in a hilly area north of what is now Scott City.

The Cheyenne seemed to plan a trap for the soldiers. They took defensive positions in a narrow valley. Their women, children, and horses were hidden in other nearby valleys. The soldiers moved forward carefully. A Cheyenne warrior fired too early, which warned the soldiers that the Cheyenne were there.

A gunfight started. The soldiers continued to advance on higher ground instead of going into the valley. They found and scattered the Cheyenne's horse herd. Colonel Lewis led the attack and was wounded. He died the next day from losing too much blood. After Lewis was shot, the soldiers left the battlefield. They said they had killed one Cheyenne and wounded others. Losing many of their horses and much of their food was a big problem for the Cheyenne.

What Happened Next

After Colonel Lewis died, Captain Clarence Mauck led the soldiers. He followed the Cheyenne for three days, but they managed to get away. The army next saw them about 200 kilometers (120 miles) north, crossing the Republican River in southern Nebraska, but there was no more fighting.

The Cheyenne needed horses and food after the battle. North of Punished Woman's Fork, they entered an area mostly settled by farmers for the first time. From September 29 to October 3, they got new supplies by raiding farms, mostly near the town of Oberlin in the Sappa Creek valley. More than 30 civilians were killed during these raids. This violence happened even though their leaders had told them to avoid harming civilians. Some people believe these actions were revenge for a past defeat of Cheyenne near Sappa Creek by soldiers three years earlier. Others think it was the Cheyenne's anger that this area, once a great hunting ground for bison, was now farmland.

Later, seven Cheyenne warriors were arrested. They were accused of killing civilians in Kansas. In their trial, the seven were found not guilty because there wasn't enough evidence.

It wasn't only the Cheyenne who caused harm to non-combatants. Several Cheyenne people who got lost or couldn't keep up with the fast-moving group were killed by white soldiers and civilians.

In Nebraska, the Cheyenne split into two groups. Little Wolf took the stronger people with him and successfully joined the Northern Cheyenne in Montana. Dull Knife, with a smaller group, was captured and held at Camp Robinson. In January 1879, this group tried to escape, but almost all of them were either killed or recaptured. The few survivors of the Northern Cheyenne Exodus were eventually allowed to stay in their homeland on the northern plains.

A monument at the battle site, overlooking the canyon, remembers the battle. In Oberlin, the Decatur County Last Indian Raid Museum tells the story of the Cheyenne raids in that area.