Battle of Warbonnet Creek
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Warbonnet Creek was a skirmish characterized by a duel between "Buffalo Bill" Cody and a Cheyenne
young warrior named Heova'ehe or Yellow Hair (often incorrectly translated as 'Yellow Hand'). The engagement is often referred to as the First Scalp for Custer because of this incident. It occurred July 17, 1876, in Sioux County
in northwestern Nebraska
.
After the defeat of George A. Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn, many Native Americans
joined with Sitting Bull
and Crazy Horse
, encouraged by the Indians' success. About 200-300 Cheyenne
warriors with their families of Morning Star's band also known as Dull Knife, set out from the Spotted Tail
and Red Cloud
agencies
in Nebraska.
The United States Army
had brought the U.S. 5th Cavalry Regiment
, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
Eugene Asa Carr
, from Oklahoma to a position on the Cheyenne River
in South Dakota
to guard against such an occurrence. Carr was replaced in command on July 1 by Colonel
Wesley Merritt
, and when news of the Battle of the Little Big Horn reached General George Crook
on July 5, the 5th Cavalry was ordered to reinforce Crook on Goose Creek in Montana
. However word of the breakout of the Cheyenne also reached Merritt, and guided by "Buffalo Bill" Cody
, Merritt was able to intercept the Cheyenne warriors.
Merritt planned an ambush. The veteran cavalry
officer hid most of his 350 troopers inside covered wagons and posted sharpshooters nearby but out of sight. Spotting Merritt's seemingly unescorted wagon train along Warbonnet Creek, a small war party of 6 Cheyenne warriors charged directly into the trap to divert attention from the main body of Cheyenne. A few warriors were wounded by the troopers, but the only real action of the engagement was a "duel" between "Buffalo Bill" and a Cheyenne warrior named Heova'ehe (translated as Yellow Hair). Cody pulled his Winchester carbine
and killed the Indian, then pulled out a Bowie knife
and scalped him. The rest of the warriors after an attempt to rescue the small war party, fled seeing the main body of soldiers revealed, so quickly that not a single trooper was killed or injured. Merritt then complied with his orders to join Crook, whose expedition then linked up with that of General Alfred H. Terry
, bringing a combined strength of the U.S. force to about 4,000.
Ever the showman, Buffalo Bill returned to the stage in October, his show highlighted by a melodramatic reenactment of his duel with Yellow Hair. He displayed the fallen warrior's scalp, feather war bonnet, knife, saddle and other personal effects.
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
young warrior named Heova'ehe or Yellow Hair (often incorrectly translated as 'Yellow Hand'). The engagement is often referred to as the First Scalp for Custer because of this incident. It occurred July 17, 1876, in Sioux County
Sioux County, Nebraska
-National protected areas:* Agate Fossil Beds National Monument* Nebraska National Forest * Oglala National Grassland -Demographics:...
in northwestern Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
.
After the defeat of George A. Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn, many Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
joined with Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull Sitting Bull Sitting Bull (Lakota: Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake (in Standard Lakota Orthography), also nicknamed Slon-he or "Slow"; (c. 1831 – December 15, 1890) was a Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux holy man who led his people as a tribal chief during years of resistance to United States government policies...
and Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. He took up arms against the U.S...
, encouraged by the Indians' success. About 200-300 Cheyenne
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
warriors with their families of Morning Star's band also known as Dull Knife, set out from the Spotted Tail
Spotted Tail
Siŋté Glešká was a Brulé Lakota tribal chief. Although a great warrior in his youth, and having taken part in the Grattan massacre, he declined to participate in Red Cloud's War, having become convinced of the pointlessness of opposing the white incursions into his homeland; he became a...
and Red Cloud
Red Cloud
Red Cloud , was a war leader and the head Chief of the Oglala Lakota . His reign was from 1868 to 1909...
agencies
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
in Nebraska.
The United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
had brought the U.S. 5th Cavalry Regiment
U.S. 5th Cavalry Regiment
The 5th Cavalry Regiment is a historical unit of the United States Army that began its service in the decade prior to the American Civil War and continues in modified organizational format in the U.S. Army.-Nineteenth century:...
, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Eugene Asa Carr
Eugene Asa Carr
Eugene Asa Carr was a soldier in the United States Army and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
, from Oklahoma to a position on the Cheyenne River
Cheyenne River
The Cheyenne River is a tributary of the Missouri River in the U.S. states of Wyoming and South Dakota. It is approximately 295 mi long and drains an area of...
in South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
to guard against such an occurrence. Carr was replaced in command on July 1 by Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Wesley Merritt
Wesley Merritt
Wesley Merritt was a general in the United States Army during the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War. He is noted for distinguished service in the cavalry.-Early life:...
, and when news of the Battle of the Little Big Horn reached General George Crook
George Crook
George R. Crook was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
on July 5, the 5th Cavalry was ordered to reinforce Crook on Goose Creek in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. However word of the breakout of the Cheyenne also reached Merritt, and guided by "Buffalo Bill" Cody
Buffalo Bill
William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a United States soldier, bison hunter and showman. He was born in the Iowa Territory , in LeClaire but lived several years in Canada before his family moved to the Kansas Territory. Buffalo Bill received the Medal of Honor in 1872 for service to the US...
, Merritt was able to intercept the Cheyenne warriors.
Merritt planned an ambush. The veteran cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
officer hid most of his 350 troopers inside covered wagons and posted sharpshooters nearby but out of sight. Spotting Merritt's seemingly unescorted wagon train along Warbonnet Creek, a small war party of 6 Cheyenne warriors charged directly into the trap to divert attention from the main body of Cheyenne. A few warriors were wounded by the troopers, but the only real action of the engagement was a "duel" between "Buffalo Bill" and a Cheyenne warrior named Heova'ehe (translated as Yellow Hair). Cody pulled his Winchester carbine
Winchester rifle
In common usage, Winchester rifle usually means any of the lever-action rifles manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, though the company has also manufactured many rifles of other action types...
and killed the Indian, then pulled out a Bowie knife
Bowie knife
A Bowie knife is a pattern of fixed-blade fighting knife first popularized by Colonel James "Jim" Bowie in the early 19th Century. Since the first incarnation was created by James Black, the Bowie knife has come to incorporate several recognizable and characteristic design features, although its...
and scalped him. The rest of the warriors after an attempt to rescue the small war party, fled seeing the main body of soldiers revealed, so quickly that not a single trooper was killed or injured. Merritt then complied with his orders to join Crook, whose expedition then linked up with that of General Alfred H. Terry
Alfred Terry
Alfred Howe Terry was a Union general in the American Civil War and the military commander of the Dakota Territory from 1866 to 1869 and again from 1872 to 1886.-Early life and career:...
, bringing a combined strength of the U.S. force to about 4,000.
Ever the showman, Buffalo Bill returned to the stage in October, his show highlighted by a melodramatic reenactment of his duel with Yellow Hair. He displayed the fallen warrior's scalp, feather war bonnet, knife, saddle and other personal effects.