Mochi (Cheyenne) facts for kids
Mochi (whose name means "Buffalo Calf") was a brave Southern Cheyenne woman. She was born around 1841 and passed away in 1881. Mochi belonged to the Tse Tse Stus band and was married to Chief Medicine Water.
When she was about 24 years old, Mochi was part of Black Kettle's camp. On November 29, 1864, she was there when soldiers attacked their winter camp at Sand Creek in Colorado Territory. This event is known as the Sand Creek massacre. During this sudden attack, Mochi saw her mother killed by a soldier. She then escaped with other survivors, trying to get away from the soldiers. After this terrible event, Mochi became a warrior. For the next 11 years, she took part in raids and battles.
Mochi fought alongside her husband in many conflicts. She was the only Native American woman ever held as a prisoner of war by the United States Army.
Mochi: A Cheyenne Warrior
Mochi was known for her courage and strength. She joined her husband, Medicine Water, in many important events for her people. Her experiences shaped her into a fierce protector of her family and community.
Events on the Plains
On August 24, 1874, Mochi and Medicine Water's group were involved in an event in what is now Meade County, Kansas. A group of surveyors, led by Captain Oliver Francis Short, was attacked. Captain Short, his 14-year-old son Truman, and four other people were killed.
Later, on September 11, 1874, in Kansas, Chief Medicine Water's group, including Mochi, encountered the German family. The family was camping along the Smoky Hill River on their way to Fort Wallace. John German, his wife, and two of their children were killed. The group then took the German family's four youngest daughters captive. These girls were Catherine Elizabeth (age 17), Sophia Louisa (age 12), Julia Arminda (age 7), and Nancy Addie (age 5).
Julia and Nancy were later traded to another group. They were freed on November 8, 1874, after an attack on that group's camp. Catherine and Sophia were released in March when Chief Stone Calf and many Southern Cheyenne surrendered at Fort Leavenworth, in Kansas.
Life at Fort Marion
Mochi and her husband, Medicine Water, were among 35 Cheyenne people chosen to be sent to a prison far away. They were part of a larger group of Native Americans from the Plains tribes sent east. This group also included 27 Kiowa people, 11 Comanche people, and 1 Caddo person. Sadly, two of the Cheyenne, including Grey Beard, died on the journey.
First, Mochi and the others were held at Fort Sill in Indian Territory. Then, they were taken in wagons to Fort Leavenworth. From there, they traveled by a special train to St. Augustine, Florida. In St. Augustine, Mochi and the others were held in an old fort made of coquina stone. This fort was built by the Spanish in the 1600s and was originally called the Castillo de San Marcos. The Americans later renamed it Fort Marion.
Mochi and the other prisoners stayed at Fort Marion under the care of Captain Richard Pratt until 1878. After her release, Mochi returned to Oklahoma. She passed away in 1881 in what is now Clinton, Oklahoma.
