Little Shield facts for kids

Little Shield (Cheyenne language: A-che-kan-koo-eni) was an important leader of the Northern Cheyenne people. He was a chief from 1865 to 1879. He is remembered for his special drawings called ledger art, which showed scenes from the Indian wars near the North Platte River. Little Shield also fought bravely in the famous Battle of Little Bighorn, where he led a group of warriors known as the Dog Soldiers.

After the Battle of Little Bighorn

After the Battle of Little Bighorn, the US Army worked harder to capture the Cheyenne people. In 1877, after a fight known as the Dull Knife Fight, many Cheyenne leaders and their people surrendered. This happened when Crazy Horse gave up at Fort Robinson.

Several Cheyenne chiefs surrendered at Fort Robinson. These included Dull Knife, Little Wolf, Standing Elk, and Wild Hog. Nearly 1,000 Cheyenne people surrendered with them. Later that year, Two Moon surrendered at Fort Keogh with 300 Cheyenne.

The Cheyenne people hoped to live on a reservation with the Sioux people. This was part of a treaty signed on April 29, 1868, at Fort Laramie. Chiefs like Dull Knife, Little Wolf, and Little Shield had all signed this important agreement.

A Difficult Decision

In the fall of 1878, the Cheyenne were traveling beyond the North Platte River into Nebraska. They held a meeting and realized that 34 of their original 297 people were missing. Most had been killed, but a few had chosen different paths to the north.

At this point, the Cheyenne split into two groups. One group wanted to stop running. This group included Little Shield, Wild Hog, and Left Hand. They planned to go with Dull Knife to the Red Cloud Agency. The other group decided to keep heading towards the Power River country. They followed Little Wolf. Little Shield led the remaining Dog Soldiers who stayed with Dull Knife.

Life at Fort Robinson

On October 23, 1878, Dull Knife's group of Cheyenne found themselves surrounded by the army. This happened during a blinding snowstorm. Neither side had seen the other because of the heavy snow. Dull Knife convinced his people not to attack the soldiers.

The army offered the Cheyenne some food and blankets. They suggested moving to a better camp nearby at Fort Robinson in northwestern Nebraska. Once at the fort, the army took the Cheyenne's ponies. However, they gave them more food, including sugar and coffee.

The next morning, after a two-hour meeting, the Cheyenne agreed to give up their weapons. But they only turned over their older guns. They secretly hid many of their best weapons. Dull Knife decided to stay at Fort Robinson because of the bad weather and his people's poor condition. He had heard that Red Cloud and Spotted Tail had been moved to Pine Ridge.

That night, the Cheyenne decided to take apart their best guns. The women hid the gun barrels under their clothes. Smaller pieces were attached to cloths and moccasins as decorations. Without telling the Cheyenne, the US government decided on November 22 that the Cheyenne would be sent back south. This decision was made by Carl Schurz, who was the Secretary of the Interior. General Phillip Sheridan, a military commander, also recommended this plan.

The Escape Attempt

The Cheyenne refused to go back to the reservation in the south. Because of this, bars were put on their windows at the fort. They were also not given any food or wood for heat. On January 9, 1879, Dull Knife still refused to go south. Wild Hog and Left Hand had agreed to talk, but they said their people would not move.

When the army heard this, Wild Hog was taken prisoner and put in chains. That night, the Cheyenne tried a daring escape. They used the guns they had secretly hidden when they arrived at the fort. The army immediately followed them. Many Cheyenne were killed during the escape, and Little Shield was among them.