Wooden Leg: A Warrior Who Fought Custer facts for kids
Wooden Leg: A Warrior Who Fought Custer is a book from 1931 by Thomas Bailey Marquis. It tells the life story of a Northern Cheyenne man named Wooden Leg. He was a warrior who fought in important battles between the United States Army and Plains Indians. One of these was the famous Battle of the Little Bighorn, where he faced soldiers led by George Armstrong Custer.
This book is very important for people who study history. It gives a firsthand look at these battles. It also shares many details about how the Plains Indians lived in the 1800s.
Wooden Leg told his stories to Marquis using Plains Indian Sign Language, as it was the only way they could easily talk. Marquis started collecting these stories in 1922 when he worked as a doctor on the reservation in Montana. At first, the Cheyenne people were careful about sharing their stories. But over time, Marquis earned their trust.
Wooden Leg lived through some very challenging times for the Cheyenne people. The book starts with his childhood and describes Cheyenne customs. These include how their tribe was organized, their warrior groups, sports, and their beliefs. It also talks about their friendship with the Sioux and other interesting parts of their culture. Wooden Leg began fighting at a young age in conflicts with the Crow tribe. He joined the Elk warrior society when he was 14.
The book shares Wooden Leg's experiences in the war of 1876–1877. In this war, the Cheyenne, Sioux, and other tribes fought against the United States. He was part of the Battle of the Rosebud, the Little Bighorn, and the Dull Knife Fight. After the Cheyenne surrendered, they were moved to Oklahoma. But Wooden Leg was later allowed to return home. He worked as a scout for the army at Fort Keogh and later became a judge on the Tongue River Indian Reservation. Wooden Leg also describes how he became friends with the old chief Little Wolf later in his life.
When the book was first published, Wooden Leg's description of the Battle of the Little Bighorn caused some debate.
Contents
About the Book's History
The book was first published in 1931 with the title A Warrior Who Fought Custer. Later, the University of Nebraska Press reprinted it with its current name. Thomas Bailey Marquis wrote the book as if Wooden Leg himself was telling the story. Marquis translated and organized Wooden Leg's accounts in the correct time order. In the 2003 edition, Marquis is called the "interpreter." However, in the original book's introduction, he called himself the "author." Marquis also wrote other books about the people and events of that time.
How the Book Was Researched
Marquis wrote the book in 1930 when he was 61 years old, but he started his research much earlier, in 1922. That year, Marquis, who was a doctor, began working with the Northern Cheyenne as a physician on their reservation in Montana. His main goal was to gather firsthand stories about the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Since no white soldiers survived that part of the battle, getting the Native American accounts was very important for a complete history.
However, it took many years for Marquis to fully earn the trust of the Cheyenne people. He didn't finish the book until 1930. During that time, the project grew. Marquis added details about Wooden Leg's life before and after the events at the Little Bighorn. What started as a historical account of the battle became a full biography of Wooden Leg, who was Marquis's main source of information.
Building trust was a big challenge. Wooden Leg himself talked about how the Cheyenne felt at a peace gathering in 1906, which marked 30 years since the Battle of the Little Bighorn. With many US soldiers present, the Cheyenne were asked about the battle. They answered very carefully. Many facts, especially about how US soldiers died, were not shared. Even after so many years, they worried they might get into trouble. They also didn't say that they believed some soldiers had died by accident from their own side, because they knew this had made soldiers angry before. They let one boastful man, Two Moons, do most of the talking. He gave a colorful but not entirely accurate story. The others chose not to correct him, which allowed them to stay quiet. Marquis slowly broke down these barriers and eventually convinced all the Cheyenne survivors he met, not just Wooden Leg, to share their true stories with him.
About 1,600 Northern Cheyenne people were at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. For more than 50 years after the battle and before Marquis's interviews, the Cheyenne lived in Montana in places where they could see the battlegrounds. Marquis believed this made them very reliable witnesses. They kept telling their stories, and the real locations were always right there in front of them.
Wooden Leg spoke little English, and Marquis didn't speak Cheyenne. They mostly talked using Plains Indian Sign Language. Sometimes, they used an interpreter. Wooden Leg also provided maps and drawings to help explain his stories. The book combines Wooden Leg's stories with information and confirmation from many other people. This included most of the 17 Northern Cheyenne who were still alive and had been at the Battle of the Little Bighorn when Marquis did his interviews. Marquis specifically thanked Limpy, Pine, Bobtail Horse, Sun Bear, Black Horse, Two Feathers, Wolf Chief, Little Sun, Blackbird, Big Beaver, White Moon, White Wolf, Big Crow, Medicine Bull, and the younger Little Wolf. This younger Little Wolf is different from the famous Chief Little Wolf who led the Northern Cheyenne Exodus from Oklahoma.
Wooden Leg's Life Story
Early Years and Adventures
Wooden Leg was born in 1858 in the Black Hills. His father was known as Many Bullet Wounds. Wooden Leg got his own name from an uncle he admired who was a tireless walker. Wooden Leg also shared this ability. The name means his legs must be made of wood because they don't feel pain no matter how much he walks. Fighting was common, and the story soon describes a conflict with the Crow tribe.
Wooden Leg started fighting at a very young age. The Cheyenne were often in conflicts with other Native American tribes, especially the nearby Crows and also the Shoshone. They also fought US soldiers. His older brother was killed in a fight at Fort Phil Kearny during Red Cloud's efforts to clear the Bozeman Trail of US forts.
The book describes the difficulties of hunting in the snow as a boy with very little clothing. It also explains the unique ways Native Americans moved their camps. In his early life, Wooden Leg traveled all around the Black Hills area and along the Tongue and Powder Rivers.
Cheyenne Ways of Life
Wooden Leg explained that the Cheyenne tribal organization had four "old men" tribal chiefs at the top. Below them were forty "big chiefs." The Northern Cheyenne, like other Plains Indian tribes, had several warrior societies. Each of these was led by a warrior chief, helped by nine smaller warrior chiefs. In Wooden Leg's time, there were three Northern Cheyenne warrior societies: the Elk, the Crazy Dog, and the Fox. The tribal chiefs gave power to one of the warrior societies for specific tasks. These societies would carry out plans for war, hunting trips, and moving camp, as decided by the tribal chiefs. The warrior society currently "on duty" also acted like police.
When he was 14, Wooden Leg joined the Elk society, which was a big moment for him. By Cheyenne rules, the warrior society currently "on duty" had full control over the task at hand. Members of other societies were not allowed to go ahead of their scouts during a camp move or get too close to the buffalo during a hunt. Of course, teenage boys sometimes like to test the rules, and Wooden Leg was no different. The book tells several stories where he and his friends were scolded and almost got into serious trouble.
Sports events and betting were common among the warrior societies. Many different kinds of contests took place. If the Cheyenne were traveling with the Sioux, their warrior societies also joined in. Chief Little Wolf, who was a great long-distance runner when he was young, was once jokingly challenged by an Ogallala Sioux man when Little Wolf was in his fifties. Little Wolf accepted the challenge and won. Even though he was behind for most of the race, he won by running smartly.
The book includes many stories about myths and magic. One story tells a Cheyenne version of the tale of the great bear that supposedly left its claw marks on the side of Devils Tower. This feature was later seen in the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Much more about Cheyenne life is recorded, including a guide to recognizing arrows, information on marriage customs, and who was allowed to wear warbonnets. Wooden Leg compares these customs with other Plains tribes, so readers also learn a lot about tribes like the Sioux.
The Cheyenne's main spiritual being is called the Great Medicine by Wooden Leg. A special tepee in the camp holds the tribe's sacred object, which for the Northern Cheyenne is a Buffalo Head. Because of this, buffalo heads often appear in Cheyenne myths and ceremonies. Wooden Leg first "made medicine," an important event for him, at age 17. He did this under the guidance of an experienced old medicine man. Making medicine is a form of spiritual practice that involves fasting, prayer, and sometimes causing pain (like in the Sun Dance). This takes place in a specially built medicine lodge.
The War of 1876–1877
After Native Americans were forced out of the Black Hills, Wooden Leg's family chose not to live on a reservation. Instead, they used a part of the Fort Laramie treaty that allowed for Indian hunting grounds between the Black Hills and the Bighorn River. They decided to live permanently in these hunting grounds, staying away from white people as much as possible. Other Cheyenne and Sioux also chose this, but most spent at least the winter on their reservations. When reservation Indians arrived in camp with rare goods like tobacco and sugar, it was a reason for celebration.
In February 1876, they heard that the US planned to make war on all Native Americans who did not return to their reservations. At first, they didn't believe this report. They weren't fighting white people and were following the treaty. However, after respected chiefs brought similar news, the Cheyenne started setting up good lookouts. Soon, Wooden Leg and his friends had a small fight with a group of soldiers. In the ongoing fighting of the Great Sioux War of 1876–77, Wooden Leg took part in almost every major battle.
Towards the end of winter, the Cheyenne camp on Powder River was attacked and destroyed. However, most of the Native Americans escaped. Because they had lost all their belongings in winter, the Cheyenne moved to join their allies, the Ogallala Sioux, led by Crazy Horse. Together, they moved northeast to Chalk Butte to join the Uncpapa Sioux, led by Sitting Bull. At some point, the Minneconjoux Sioux under Lame Deer also joined the group. The Native Americans had to keep moving their camp to find enough game and grazing for their many people and horses. The Arrows all Gone Sioux then joined, followed by the Blackfeet Sioux. Small groups from other tribes, like the Waist and Skirt Indians, the Assiniboines, and Burned Thigh Sioux, also joined. Even Chief Lame White Man was there with a small group of Southern Cheyenne.
Wooden Leg believed the chiefs had gathered the tribes in one place for defense, not to prepare for war against the white people. However, many young men were eager to fight. On the other hand, they made no attempt to hide. Wooden Leg said "our trail...could have been followed by a blind person" because it was between a quarter and half a mile wide. While on a scouting mission, Wooden Leg and his group saw soldiers coming from the south towards their camp on the Rosebud River. Wooden Leg took part in the Battle of the Rosebud that followed, where the soldiers were driven away.
The Little Bighorn Battle
The Native Americans set up their camp circles with the openings facing east in the valley of the Little Bighorn river. The camps covered a large area, and their total size was hard to tell. The river was northeast of the camp, and beyond that was a high ridge of hills.
The Native Americans were not expecting more trouble from the soldiers; they were relaxing and recovering. Wooden Leg attended a social dance the night before the battle. On the day of the battle, Wooden Leg had bathed and was woken from a nap to find the camp in a panic. The commotion was caused by US soldiers under Major Marcus Reno attacking from the southeast, following orders from Lieutenant Colonel George Custer. Wooden Leg felt torn between wanting to join the battle quickly and needing to put on his best clothes and paint his face. It was a Native American custom to always look their best if there was any chance of dying. He was only stopped from oiling and braiding his hair when his father urged him to hurry.
The Native Americans pushed back Reno's soldiers and trapped them. But then they saw more troops moving along the hills to the east of the camp. This force was led by Custer himself, though Wooden Leg and the other Cheyenne wouldn't have known his name at the time. Most of the Native Americans stopped fighting Reno to engage Custer and his soldiers. Wooden Leg went back through the camp in the river valley instead of going directly uphill towards the soldiers. While he was there, his father tried to convince him not to fight anymore, saying he had already done enough. But Wooden Leg refused and even convinced others to rejoin the fight. They took part in completely defeating Custer's command.
After the Custer fight, Wooden Leg helped save Little Wolf's life. A group of Sioux were angry that Little Wolf had arrived after the fight. They accused him of helping the soldiers and threatened to kill him. Wooden Leg, who had been with the Sioux and knew Little Wolf, spoke the Sioux language well. So, he explained Little Wolf's situation for him, as Little Wolf couldn't speak Sioux. The Native Americans didn't realize it at the time, but it was Little Wolf's small group that had caused Custer to attack too early. Custer wrongly believed his presence had been discovered by the main group of Native Americans.
Custer's command had been wiped out, but Reno and his soldiers were still there. Wooden Leg returned to fight them that night and again the next morning with a few friends. At first, he fired from high ground without success. Wooden Leg then went down into a gulch to wait for soldiers coming to get water. He succeeded in killing a man (Private J. J. Tanner).
Wooden Leg describes finding many objects from the dead soldiers. Some of these things the Native Americans didn't understand, like a compass and a pocketwatch. He threw away paper money he found, not knowing its value. He gave away coins even though he knew what they were worth, because he didn't want to trade with white men. When a new group of soldiers was seen approaching (the main army force under Brigadier General Alfred Terry), the chiefs decided not to continue the fight. At this point, the Native Americans left the battle, and the entire camp packed up and moved.
Tribes Go Their Separate Ways
The tribes traveled together for several weeks, camping in different places in the Bighorn Valley and along the Rosebud and Tongue Rivers. After returning to the Cheyenne's starting point on Powder River, the tribes decided to separate. It was becoming too hard to hunt enough food for everyone, and the danger seemed to be over.
As winter got closer, Wooden Leg joined a small group on a raid into Crow territory. On their way back, they visited the Little Bighorn battle site. They were looking for rifle cartridges and anything else they could find. Wooden Leg noted that there were many soldier boot bottoms. The Native Americans didn't use whole boots, so they cut off the tops to use the leather for other items.
As they came down the Tongue River valley, the group was surprised to see the entire Northern Cheyenne tribe on the move. They had been attacked at the Powder River camp by soldiers and Pawnee Native Americans. The camp had been destroyed, and they had lost all their belongings. They searched for the Ogallala Sioux under Crazy Horse, whom they eventually found at Beaver Creek. The Ogallala welcomed them, and together they traveled to Tongue River. Since they had now gotten enough supplies, the Cheyenne decided to separate at Hanging Woman Creek in early 1877. While they were doing this, they were attacked by soldiers. Wooden Leg's sister was captured in this fight. Wooden Leg rode to try and rescue her but was driven back by gunfire from the soldiers. Most of the Native Americans escaped down Tongue River. The soldiers did not follow, and the Cheyenne hunted peacefully for several months.
Surrendering to the Army
As spring arrived, the Cheyenne received messages from "Bear Coat," the Cheyenne name for Colonel Nelson Miles, who would later become a top general in the US Army. He invited them to surrender. They heard good reports from prisoners who had been released, saying they were being treated well. The chiefs decided to move the tribe closer to Fort Keogh, at the mouth of Tongue River, without fully committing to surrender yet. They stopped at Powder River and sent a group of chiefs to the fort to talk. While talks were happening, Wooden Leg heard that his sister, Crooked Nose, who was still a prisoner in the fort, had died.
After discussions, the tribal chiefs decided they would go to their agency, which was the same agency as their friends the Ogallalas, and surrender there instead. Most of the tribe followed the chiefs, but everyone was allowed to make their own choice. Most of Wooden Leg's family decided to surrender at the agency. However, he and his brother Yellow Hair joined one of several groups who chose not to surrender at either place. This group was led by the Fox warrior society chief Last Bull. This small group, however, couldn't hunt enough food and slowly became weaker. Eventually, they too traveled to the agency and surrendered. At first, they were happy with their situation. But then came news that they were to be moved south to Oklahoma. Like many others, Wooden Leg was shocked and angered by this news. They had expected to be able to keep living in their homeland. However, there was nothing they could do, as they had all given up their guns and horses when they entered the agency.
Life in Oklahoma
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The journey to Oklahoma started in May 1877 and took 70 days. A few Native Americans fled the agency when the news was announced, including Wooden Leg's brother Yellow Hair. While in Oklahoma, Wooden Leg heard that Yellow Hair had been killed by white men while hunting. Wooden Leg hunted on the reservation, but there was no large game, and the Native Americans were not allowed to leave. They also weren't being fed as promised, and there was much sickness. Little Wolf pushed for action, and eventually he and Dull Knife led much of the tribe off the reservation to fight their way back North.
Wooden Leg and his father stayed on the reservation, hoping that food would eventually be provided. He was often in contact with the Southern Cheyenne during this time. He learned from them who Custer was; the Southern Cheyenne knew him well from the Battle of Washita River (1868). Wooden Leg learned that the Southern Cheyenne had tried to come north to fight with them in the summer of 1876 but had faced too much opposition from US soldiers. Finally, Wooden Leg took a wife from among the Southern Cheyenne.
After six years in the south, the Northern Cheyenne were given permission to leave. They could either join Little Wolf or go to the Pine Ridge agency. Wooden Leg's father had died in the south, but he and the rest of his family left for Pine Ridge and later moved to the Tongue River country, where most of the tribe were living.
Life Changes Over Time
Many things had changed in the north. Cheyenne people were now working as scouts for the US Army, a role that had previously been done by tribes like the Pawnees, Crows, and Shoshones, whom they had disliked. Little Wolf had his chief position taken away after an incident. In 1889, at age 31, Wooden Leg himself joined the army scouts at Fort Keogh. There wasn't much to do; he spent most of his time learning about new things. The next year, the Cheyenne scouts were involved in a campaign against some Sioux who were resisting. Wooden Leg was present at the Wounded Knee Massacre. The Cheyenne scouts had prepared to fight (on the US side) but were not asked to do so.
Wooden Leg became friends with the exiled Little Wolf towards the end of that great chief's life. Wooden Leg said that no one held "bad hearts" against Little Wolf for the past incident. Even the brother of the person involved, Bald Eagle, said, "Little Wolf did not do it, it was the white man's influence that did it." Little Wolf was buried standing upright in a pile of stones overlooking the Rosebud valley.
Wooden Leg attended a "peace feast" at the Little Bighorn to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the battle. Some Cheyenne veterans would not go, fearing trouble from the soldiers present. As late as 1926, there were still Cheyenne who would not go to the 50th anniversary. Wooden Leg himself did not attend the 50th anniversary, not out of fear, but because the site was now on Crow land. He still felt much dislike towards the Crow. He had decided "never again to go to any place where I might be called upon to shake hands with a Crow." This was very different from his attitude towards other former enemies like the Shoshones, whom he visited in a friendly way. In 1913, Wooden Leg was part of a Cheyenne group that traveled to Washington. He also visited New York and Philadelphia during this trip.
Around 1908, he was baptized as a Christian. However, he still privately prayed to the Great Medicine, feeling more comfortable praying this way. From 1927, the Cheyenne were again allowed to hold their annual Great Medicine dance (the Sun Dance). Other customs were still forbidden. Wooden Leg was appointed by the US government as a judge on the agency. In this role, he had to enforce a rule that forbade having multiple wives. He found this difficult, especially since he had two wives himself. He felt he had to set an example by being the first to send away a wife. After ten years, clearly struggling with his feelings, Wooden Leg resigned the post. But he was later convinced to take it on again by a new Indian agent.
Wooden Leg hoped that his two daughters would have an easier life than his. However, the younger one died unexpectedly from an illness. Later, his other daughter also died. Wooden Leg then adopted his grandnephew, Joseph White Wolf, and raised him as his own. The story ends with Wooden Leg as an old man who is increasingly unable to farm his land. But he was comfortable compared to most Cheyenne people, as he had a pension from his scouting days and his pay as a judge. He appreciated the comfortable life he now had but thought much about the old days when "every man had to be brave."
Why This Book is Important
Wooden Leg is a very important original source of information about the Cheyenne and Plains Indians in general. It's also key for understanding the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Hundreds of books have been written about the Great Sioux War, its battles, and the people involved. Many of these books have used Marquis's work as a source. This is especially true for the Custer fight, where there are few firsthand accounts from the United States side. Books on social issues and archaeology also find useful information in Wooden Leg about the Plains Indians.
Wooden Leg is also often mentioned in academic papers. These include papers on social and educational topics, as well as historical journals.
Besides being a source for Cheyenne military and social history, the book is full of interesting stories. One tale describes how Wooden Leg and Little Bird chased a fleeing soldier from Reno's group. Neither Native American wanted to shoot a man who was running away, as it "seemed not brave" to do so. This didn't stop the soldier from shooting Little Bird, after which Wooden Leg knocked the soldier off his horse. In another story, Wooden Leg is sitting in a lodge with his friend, Noisy Walking, who is dying from battle wounds. He wants to support his friend but doesn't know what to say. There are many other examples like these.
Reviews of the Book
New York Times, 1931
The review in New York Times after the book was first published praised Marquis's writing. The reviewer noted that the details of the Cheyenne lifestyle were "deeply interesting." However, most of the review focused on questioning the accuracy of the Native American account of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
Even though the only surviving eyewitnesses to these events were from the Native American side, and many years had passed since the battle, many of the details given by the Native American participants were still debated and not believed. Custer's widow, Libbie, who had spent her life trying to make her husband a hero and attacked anyone who offered a different view, was still alive at the time.
Richard Littlebear's Thoughts
Dr. Richard Littlebear, who is Northern Cheyenne himself, wrote an introduction for the 2003 edition of the book. He is the president of Chief Dull Knife College and an educator who writes about Native American culture and language. He shared that reading an earlier edition of the book as a college student inspired his career choice.
Littlebear was most struck by how quickly a free and independent people became a society limited to reservations and dependent on the government. He expressed some sadness about the US government's actions. He also noted that Wooden Leg himself described a feeling of sadness when talking about the later part of his life.
Littlebear believes the book helps explain why the Northern Cheyenne today feel certain ways about other tribes. For example, the Crow are traditionally enemies of the Cheyenne, and the Sioux are traditionally allies. Littlebear said that even though he knew about these feelings, he didn't understand the reasons behind them until he read this book. Ted Rising Sun's funny comment that the alliance with the Sioux was only because the Cheyenne "needed someone to hold the horses" just shows how strong their friendship was. This idea, repeated by others, might have started because after the Sioux moved into the Black Hills area, they got their first horses from the Cheyenne. Ted Rising Sun is a descendant of Chief Dull Knife, an important figure in Cheyenne history and someone who lived at the same time as Wooden Leg.
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