Petalesharo facts for kids
Petalesharo (born around 1797, died around 1836) was a brave leader of the Skidi Pawnee tribe. He became famous for saving a young Comanche girl from a special ceremony around 1817. This happened in what is now Nebraska. His heroic act was written about in newspapers across the country. In 1821, he traveled to Washington, D.C. with other Great Plains tribal chiefs. They met President James Monroe as part of a group called the O'Fallon Delegation.
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A Brave Rescue
The Skidi Pawnee people had a very old tradition. They would sometimes capture an enemy girl for a ceremony. This ceremony was part of their spring equinox Morning Star ceremony. They believed that if they did not perform this ritual, their crops and hunting would suffer. The girl would be cared for well in the weeks or months before the ceremony.
Petalesharo's father, Knife Chief, did not agree with this ceremony. However, the tribe decided to continue with it. The Comanche girl was tied to a wooden structure and prepared for the ritual. Petalesharo bravely stepped forward. He told the warriors that his father, who was also a chief, did not approve of the ceremony. Then, he freed the girl and led her away. Petalesharo gave the girl a horse and food. He made sure she could return safely to her own tribe.
How the News Spread
People working as missionaries in the area heard about Petalesharo's brave act. Another story says that two men from an expedition in 1820, Edwin James and Robert R. Bell, were the ones who shared the news. They corrected an earlier newspaper story from 1818. That story had wrongly said a Comanche woman escaped on a stolen horse and left her baby to be sacrificed. James said Petalesharo's rescue happened in 1817. Bell thought it was around 1815. Some people think the event might have happened in 1816. This is because the planet Venus, known as the "Morning Star," was visible in the eastern sky that April.
The Comanche girl was not the only person Petalesharo saved. In 1818, he also stopped the sacrifice of a young boy. With help from a fur trader named Alexander Papin, the Spanish boy went to live with another fur trader, Manuel Lisa, in St. Louis.
Petalesharo's Story in Newspapers
The story of Petalesharo's rescue in 1817 became very popular across the United States. Newspapers shared a romantic version of his bravery. His story first appeared in The Washington Daily National Intelligencer on November 22, 1821. Later that winter, the New York Commercial Advertiser published a poem about him. It was called "The Pawnee Brave" and had eleven stanzas. This poem became very popular and was read in homes across New York.
Visiting Washington D.C.
In 1821, Petalesharo was part of a group of Native American chiefs who visited Washington D.C. This trip was planned by Thomas L. McKenney, who was in charge of Indian affairs, and Indian Agent Benjamin O'Fallon. The trip was sometimes called the O'Fallon Delegation. American officials wanted to show the Native leaders the power and wealth of the United States. They hoped this would convince the tribes to stop fighting American settlers.
The Native Americans in the delegation performed traditional dances. Thousands of people, possibly six to ten thousand, came to watch. Many businesses and even Congress closed for the day so people could attend the performances.
During this visit, Petalesharo's rescue story was a popular topic. Young students from Miss White's Select Female Seminary wanted to see the Native American dance. Afterward, they raised money to create a special medal for Petalesharo. This medal was made of silver. It had pictures showing his rescue and the words "bravest of the brave." McKenney went with Petalesharo to the home of one of the students' parents. There, the young women gave him the medal. Petalesharo gave a short speech. He said, "I did not know the act was so good. It came from my heart. I was ignorant of its value. I now know how good it was. You make me know by giving me this medal."
The Bureau of Indian Affairs asked Charles Bird King to paint portraits of Petalesharo and other members of the delegation. Petalesharo was also painted by John Neagle. He is also shown in an 1822 painting by Samuel F.B. Morse called The Old House of Representatives. This painting is now at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. During his trip, Petalesharo met the author James Fenimore Cooper. Many believe Cooper was inspired by Petalesharo to write his famous novel, The Prairie.
Later Life and Legacy
The last historical mention of Petalesharo is from 1825. In that year, he and his father signed a treaty at Fort Atkinson, which was on the Missouri River. He died in 1836 during a battle with the Cheyenne tribe near the Platte River in Nebraska.
The silver medal given to Petalesharo by the students was found in 1883. A young farm boy named Olando Thompson dug it up from a gravesite in Howard County, Nebraska. This was the site of an old Skidi village. By the 1920s, the American Numismatic Society in New York bought the medal for its collection.
Sometimes, Petalesharo, the Skidi Brave, has been confused with other Pawnee leaders who had the same name. There was another Petalesharo who also went to Washington in 1821, but his real name was Peskelechaco. A third important Pawnee leader was Petalesharo II. He was the head chief of the Grand Pawnees in the 1860s.
Petalesharo is honored by the United States Navy. A large harbor tugboat, Petalesharo (YTB-832), was named after him.
In Popular Culture
Petalesharo's story is told in a series of novels called Złoto Gór Czarnych (Gold of the Black Hills). This is a trilogy of books written by Polish authors Alfred Szklarski and Krystyna Szklarska. The story is told from the point of view of the Santee Dakota tribe.
