Fort Robinson breakout facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fort Robinson outbreak
Part of the Northern Cheyenne Exodus
Date January 9,-22, 1879 Location Fort Robinson, Nebraska, United States Result United States Victory
Belligerents
Northern Cheyenne	United States
Commanders and leaders
Dull Knife Little Finger Nail † Left Hand † Tangle Hair	Andrew W. Evans Henry W. Wessells Peter D. Vroom John B. Johnson
Strength
149, including 46 warriors	~175 soldiers plus a few armed civilians
Casualties and losses
~60 killed, ~70 captured	12 Killed, 14 Wounded

The Fort Robinson breakout or Fort Robinson massacre was a brave attempt by Cheyenne people to escape from the U.S. Army. This happened during the cold winter of 1878-1879 at Fort Robinson in northwestern Nebraska. In 1877, the Cheyenne had been forced to move far from their homes on the northern Great Plains. They were sent south to a reservation in Indian Territory (which is now Oklahoma).

In September 1878, about 353 Northern Cheyenne decided to flee north. This journey is known as the Northern Cheyenne Exodus. They left because conditions on the reservation were very difficult. In Nebraska, the U.S. Army caught 149 of these Cheyenne people. This group included 46 warriors. The soldiers then took them to Fort Robinson.

In January 1879, the Cheyenne refused an order to return south. So, the soldiers began to treat them very harshly. They were kept in a barracks without food, water, or wood for heat. Most of the group managed to escape the barracks on January 9. But the U.S. Army quickly hunted them down. The Cheyenne were not well-armed and were greatly outnumbered by about 175 soldiers. On January 22, the army surrounded the last 37 escapees and killed most of them. In total, the army recaptured about 70 Cheyenne and killed about 60. A few managed to escape, including Dull Knife, a Cheyenne leader. During these events, eleven soldiers and one Indian scout were killed by the Cheyenne.

Why the Cheyenne Fled North

In 1877, two groups of Northern Cheyenne, led by Dull Knife and Little Wolf, surrendered to the U.S. Army. Nearly a thousand Cheyenne people were then escorted by soldiers far south. They were sent to the Southern Cheyenne reservation in Indian Territory, which is now Oklahoma.

Life on this reservation was very hard. There was not enough food, and many people got sick with measles and malaria. Dull Knife and Little Wolf asked many times to be allowed to return to their homes in the northern Great Plains. But their requests were always turned down.

In September 1878, the two leaders and 351 of their followers decided they had to leave. They fled the reservation, hoping to travel north and rejoin other Northern Cheyenne groups in Montana. Out of those who left, 92 were warriors. The rest were women, children, and elderly people.

During their long journey north, the Cheyenne had several fights with the U.S. Army and other armed civilians. They also raided white settlers for horses and supplies. They faced many dangers and conflicts during their journey.

The Cheyenne Split Up

In the Sand Hills of Nebraska, the Cheyenne group split into two. Little Wolf wanted to reach the Northern Cheyenne in Montana. He and his followers managed to avoid being captured. They arrived safely in Montana and were allowed to stay there.

Dull Knife wanted to join the Sioux people at the Red Cloud Agency. This agency was near Fort Robinson, Nebraska. But he did not know that the agency and the Sioux had already moved to South Dakota.

On October 23, during a heavy snowstorm, Dull Knife's group of 149 people met two companies of U.S. cavalry by chance. There were about 100 soldiers, led by Captain John B. Johnson. This was after 44 days and more than 600 miles of travel from Oklahoma.

In the very cold weather, Captain Johnson and Dull Knife met and avoided fighting. The soldiers gave food and blankets to the Cheyenne. The Cheyenne were described as "ragged and dirty" and had poor clothing. More soldiers soon arrived, and the Cheyenne were surrounded by over 300 soldiers with cannons. The soldiers also took their horses. After talking, the Cheyenne surrendered and were taken to Fort Robinson. They arrived on October 26. The Cheyenne gave up some of their guns, but they secretly took apart others and hid them in their clothes.

Life at Fort Robinson

When they arrived at Fort Robinson, the Cheyenne captives were fed and counted. Dull Knife's group included 46 men, 42 women, and 61 children. Thirty of the men were strong enough to fight. Many of the Cheyenne were sick and very hungry. An army doctor gave them medical care. The soldiers searched the Cheyenne and found about 10 more guns that had been hidden. The Cheyenne were housed in a barracks building.

At first, the Cheyenne were allowed to move freely around the camp. But they had to return to the barracks by night. Army officers even organized dances with the Cheyenne women.

Orders to Return South

During the surrender talks, Dull Knife had told the soldiers that the Cheyenne wanted to stay in the north. They wished to join the Sioux in South Dakota. Major Caleb Carlton, who was in charge of Fort Robinson, told him that a decision had not yet been made. However, the U.S. government had little thought of letting the Cheyenne stay.

General Philip Sheridan believed that the whole reservation system would be in danger if these Cheyenne were not sent back. On November 22, 1878, Carl Schurz, who managed Native American affairs for the government, agreed that the Cheyenne should be returned. In December, General Sheridan refused General George Crook's request to delay the return until spring. The army even brought the Sioux leader Red Cloud to Fort Robinson. He tried to convince the Cheyenne to go back south.

The U.S. Army began to make their imprisonment stricter. In late November, Bull Hump, Dull Knife's son, borrowed a horse and left to visit relatives with the Sioux. Because of this, the army took away the Cheyenne's privileges. From then on, they were kept inside the barracks.

On December 4, Captain Henry W. Wessells, Jr. took command of Fort Robinson. He replaced Major Carlton. About 175 soldiers were at the fort. Wessells increased the pressure on the Cheyenne. He made the women work outside in very cold weather. He also increased the number of guards around the barracks. Wessells also asked General Crook for food and winter clothes for the Cheyenne. Soldiers said the Cheyenne "were in rags." Wessells also spoke against orders to handcuff the Cheyenne men when they were moved.

The Breakout

On January 3, 1879, Captain Wessells told the Cheyenne leaders that they were ordered to return south. The chiefs refused to leave. The next day, Wessells confined all the Cheyenne to the barracks. He cut off their food and water to force them to obey. The Cheyenne survived on a little food they had saved. They drank frost they could scrape off the windows and walls.

On January 9, Wessells arrested Wild Hog and Old Crow, two Cheyenne leaders. He put them in chains. Their families were also taken out of the barracks. This left about 130 Cheyenne still inside. During their arrest, Wild Hog stabbed one of the soldiers. These two leaders and their families remained imprisoned during the breakout.

On January 9, there were six inches of snow on the ground. That evening, the Cheyenne in the barracks found 16 guns they had hidden. They sang their death songs. Around ten o'clock at night, warriors climbed out through the barracks windows. They killed two guards. The rest of the Cheyenne then fled the barracks. Five warriors fought to protect the others from the pursuing soldiers. All five of these warriors were killed.

The Cheyenne ran west, trying to reach some limestone bluffs and Soldier Creek, about four miles away. At the creek, they broke the ice to drink water. During the chase that night and the next day, about 27 Cheyenne were killed. This included one of Dull Knife's daughters. About 35 were recaptured. When they reached the bluffs, the Cheyenne split into smaller groups.

The Pursuit Continues

Over the next few days, soldiers and a few civilians continued to chase the fleeing Cheyenne. A few more were captured, and others were killed or died from the cold. The Cheyenne's only food was dead cavalry horses. But the soldiers burned the dead horses to prevent the Cheyenne from eating them.

On January 22, the soldiers found the largest group of surviving Cheyenne. There were 37 people. They were about 37 miles northwest of Fort Robinson, on Antelope Creek. This group was trying to reach the Sioux in South Dakota. Captain Wessells asked the Cheyenne to surrender. They responded by firing their guns, killing three soldiers.

Wessells then ordered a charge on the Cheyenne. The Cheyenne were in a buffalo wallow, which is a shallow dip in the ground, surrounded by a makeshift barrier. The soldiers reached the barrier and fired down into the buffalo wallow. When the firing stopped, 28 Cheyenne were dead or dying. Nine survived, all women and children. Wessells himself was wounded during this fight. The dead were buried in a mass grave called "The Pit."

Estimates vary, but about 60 Cheyenne were killed and 70 were recaptured. This includes 18 who were already imprisoned and could not escape. About 20 people are unaccounted for, meaning they either escaped or died from the cold. Dull Knife and some of his family were among those who escaped. He fled east instead of west, found safety with a white friend in South Dakota, and was hidden by the Sioux on their reservation. In total, eleven soldiers and one Indian scout were killed by the Cheyenne during the breakout.

Cheyenne and U.S. Casualties

Here are some of the people who were killed or wounded during the breakout:

• Cheyenne killed:
  • Left Hand (January 9)
  • White Antelope (January 9)
  • Sitting Man (January 9)
  • Black Bear (January 22)
  • Little Finger Nail (January 22)
• Cheyenne wounded:
  • Tangle Hair (Wounded and Captured, January 9)
• U.S. soldiers and scout killed:
  • Private Frank Schmidt (January 9)
  • Private Peter Hulse (January 9)
  • Private W. H. Good (January)
  • Private W. W. Everett (January)
  • Corporal Henry P. Orr (January)
  • Private Bernard Kelly (January)
  • Private Amos J. Barbour (January)
  • Farrier George Brown (January 22)
  • Sergeant James Taggart (January 22)
  • Private George Nelson (January 22)
  • Private Henry A. DuBlois (January 22)
  • Woman's Clothes, Indian Scout (mortally wounded, January 22)
• U.S. soldiers wounded:
  • Captain Henry W. Wessells, Jr. (January 22)
  • First Sergeant Ambrose (January 22)
  • Sergeant Read (January 22)

What Happened Next

General George Crook sent a group of officers to investigate the events at Fort Robinson. This group included Major Andrew W. Evans, Captain John M. Hamilton, and First Lieutenant Walter S. Schuyler. Major Evans arrived at Fort Robinson on January 19 and took command of the soldiers there.

Dull Knife reached the Pine Ridge Agency in Dakota Territory, where Red Cloud was staying. After many delays from Washington, the Cheyenne prisoners from Fort Robinson, including Dull Knife, were finally released. They were allowed to go to Fort Keogh, Montana Territory, to join Little Wolf. They eventually settled on a nearby reservation.

Seven of the surviving Cheyenne warriors were later put on trial for actions that happened in Kansas during their journey north. They were found not guilty. In 1901, the U.S. Supreme Court said the U.S. government was not responsible for what happened. However, they called the story "one of the most melancholy of Indian tragedies." They also noted that "up to the time these Cheyennes were fired upon...they had committed no atrocity and were in amity with the United States." This means the Cheyenne had not done anything wrong and wanted to remain peaceful with the U.S. until they were attacked.

In 1994, the Northern Cheyenne people reclaimed the remains of those killed and buried in Nebraska. They were reburied on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, on a hill overlooking Busby, Montana.