Cheyenne Autumn Trail facts for kids

Cheyenne Autumn Trail is a short American film made in 1964. It tells the story of the incredible journey of the Northern Cheyenne Exodus from 1878 to 1879. This film was created to go along with a bigger movie called Cheyenne Autumn.

The film mixes clips from the big movie with new information. It shows how the Cheyenne people lived in 1964. A tribal chief, a beauty queen, and a young boy take a drive. They follow the same path as the historic 19th-century trek. The famous actor James Stewart narrates the film.

Making the Film

Who Made Cheyenne Autumn Trail?

The film Cheyenne Autumn Trail was a short documentary. It was asked for by John Ford and his producer Bernard Smith. Their company was called Ford - Smith Productions.

Ronald Saland of Professional Film Services produced and directed the film. Burt Sloane created and wrote the story. Ross Lowell was in charge of the camera work.

What the Film is About

The Journey Begins

The film starts with Native American chanting. Then, James Stewart's voice begins to speak. He talks about how some parts of the past are forgotten, but some are remembered. He mentions Chiefs Dull Knife and Little Wolf. They were the last Cheyenne warrior chiefs. They led their people's fight for freedom. They wanted to return to their homeland in Montana.

Stewart explains that today, the land of the Cheyenne is peaceful. But the trail that brought them there almost a century ago was very hard.

The Historic Route

The opening credits appear on a wooden plank. The title, Cheyenne Autumn Trail, is hand-printed. Below it are the names of the states the Cheyenne crossed. These include Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana.

Meeting the Modern Cheyenne

The film introduces Chief John Woodenlegs. He is the president of the Northern Cheyenne Council. He works at his desk in Lame Deer, Montana. Stewart describes him as an "executive" who looks after his people's needs.

Next, we meet Williamette Youpee. She is college-trained and was Miss Indian America in 1963. Stewart says she "has her pretty eyes on the future." Then, we see twelve-year-old Richard Roundstone. He is an honor student at the reservation school. He is shown riding his horse.

Retracing the Trail

Stewart explains that Chief Woodenlegs wants Willi and Richard to know the proud story of the Cheyenne struggle. He wants them to pass it on to future generations. So, he takes them from the Montana reservation. They will retrace the historic Cheyenne Autumn trail.

At dawn, the three of them leave in a small recreational vehicle. Along the way, Chief Woodenlegs shows them maps. He explains that the Cheyenne people were taken to Oklahoma. They were getting sick there, and many young people were dying. They wanted to go back north, fifteen hundred miles, to Montana. There, they could live and hunt.

Scenes from the Past and Present

The film shows its first clip from Cheyenne Autumn. It depicts the start of the journey on September 9, 1878. Chief Woodenlegs, Willi, and Richard visit an old army fort. Stewart names some of these forts, like Scott and Robinson. He explains that soldiers from these forts were called out to stop the Cheyenne. The second film clip shows army wagons moving across the plains.

As the vehicle continues, more parts of the route are explored. A third film clip shows cavalry soldiers chasing the Cheyenne. The Cheyenne group included women, children, and old people. They are seen crossing a wide river.

In the present day, Chief Woodenlegs and Richard go fishing in the North Platte River. This is where Chiefs Little Wolf and Dull Knife outsmarted a large ambush. They also found food for their people there. Back in the recreational vehicle, Willi prepares the fish for their meal.

Challenges and Sacred Places

The fourth film clip shows parts of a funny "Battle of Dodge City." Townspeople, along with Wyatt Earp (played by James Stewart) and Doc Holliday, try to hunt Indians. They are not very good at it.

In the present, Chief Woodenlegs sits under the moon. He chants the sounds of his ancestors. As their modern drive continues, modern trains are seen. The fifth film clip shows the Cheyenne tribe crossing under a high railroad bridge at night.

The 1964 travelers stop at Bear Butte. This is a very special and sacred place for the Cheyenne people. Chief Woodenlegs explains that medicine men of the tribe would go up the mountain. They would offer prayers to the spirits before war. They would fast and ask for blessings from the good spirits.

The Hard Winter and Victory

The sixth film clip shows the tribe's journey through the snow towards Fort Robinson. Stewart describes the hardships they faced that winter. Willi talks about the buffalo migration. She says that for days, you could feel them coming. The earth would tremble. Then, the buffalo would appear like a "black rippling carpet." The sky would be heavy with dust from their hooves. It would take about three days for them to pass. This was the end of the buffalo herds they hunted.

The seventh clip shows Little Wolf, Dull Knife, and their hungry tribe. They find only bones left from a huge buffalo slaughter. As Chief Woodenlegs, Willi, and Richard watch buffalo playing, the eighth clip shows a fierce battle in the Badlands.

Finally, Stewart declares that the Cheyenne Autumn struggle lasted 197 days. In the end, the people of Little Wolf and Dull Knife won their homeland. They could not be defeated. Stewart says there is no better story of the human spirit than the will to be free.

The Celebration

The final stop for the modern travelers is the annual All-American Indian Day Celebration. This event takes place in Sheridan, Wyoming. This is where Miss Indian America is chosen.

Scenes from the festival are shown. Stewart concludes the film by saying that Williamette Youpee, John Woodenlegs, and Richard Roundstone are Americans of today. They are connected by the memory of the old ways and the old courage. This memory will help them continue the great traditions forged along the Cheyenne Autumn Trail.

Film Credits

The film was made with help from:

• United States Department of the Interior
• Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Custer State Park, South Dakota
• Chevrolet Camper, courtesy of Chevrolet Motor Car Division, General Motors

It also included scenes from the Warner Bros. movie:

• John Ford's "CHEYENNE AUTUMN"
• Starring James Stewart, Richard Widmark, Carroll Baker, Karl Malden, Sal Mineo, and Edward G. Robinson

The film was copyrighted in 1964 by Ford - Smith Productions and Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.. All rights reserved.

Where to Watch It

Cheyenne Autumn Trail is available as an extra feature. You can find it on the Cheyenne Autumn DVD. This DVD was released in 2006.