The first photo of the famed Hunkpapa war chief, taken at Fort Buford, D.T. shortly after his surrender to major Guido Ilges, Fifth Infantry, following a short fight near the Poplar Camp Post, January 2, 1881. Four years earlier, in the valley of Little Bighorn, it was Gall, Sitting Bull's lieutenant and war chief, who rallied to meet Reno's initial charge and quickly turned it into a devastating retreat. Gall later crossed the Little Bighorn River and led the Sioux to triumph over Custer's contingent of the Seventh Cavalry. (Harbaugh, P., 1982)
Low Dog 'Xunka Kuciyedon' (b.1846) This respected warrior became a war chief at age 14. In January of 1876, Low Dog and his band joined a party of Northern Cheyenne at the Red Cloud Agency and planned to hunt in the Powder River County. In March of that year, Low Dog's people set up camp with a large non-agency band of Northern Cheyenne and a few Oglala Sioux near the union of the Little Powder and Powder River. On Saint Patrick's day this sleeping village was attacked and destroyed by Colonel J.J. Reynolds. During the night of March 17th the Indians managed to recapture their horses. Without provisions the mixed band traveled northward to join Crazy Horse and later Sitting Bull on the Little Bighorn, where Low Dog led his people against Custer and the 7th Cavalry. Low Dog's account of the battle was published many times. (Harbaugh, P., 1982)
Red Cloud 'Makpiya-luta'. As a non-hereditary chief, Red Cloud became the most successful war leader of the Cheyenne and Sioux during the 1860's and the Indians' campaign to close the Bozeman Trail and keep the Powder River inviolate. The Sioux were victorious and with the signing of the Fort Laramic treaty in 1868 the army abandoned her forts within the Dakota's hunting grounds. Thus Red Cloud became one of the few Indians ever to win an armed conflict against the U.S. Army. (Harbaugh, P., 1982)
Red Horse 'Xunktanka Stanewe'. During the spring of 1876, Red Horse moved his band from the region of the Cheyenne River traveling through the Rosebud Valley and met with a large contingent of Sioux assembling on the west bank of the Little Bighorn river. As a head chief within the council lodge of the largest recorded Sioux camp, Red Horse fought both Custer and Reno. In 1881 at the Cheyenne River Agency, S.D., Red Horse created 41 ledger drawings illustrating his part in the famed battle. His story was published by the Bureau of American Ethnology in their Tenth Annual Report. (Harbaugh, P., 1982)
Crow King 'Kangi Yatapi'. As a prisoner of war, Crow King posed for this picture in Barry's studio at Fort Buford, D.T., in the winter of 1881. During the battle of Little Bighorn, Crow King and his band of 80 warriors attacked Custer from the south, allowing Crazy Horse and Gall to encircle the doomed 7th Cavalry. (Harbaugh, P., 1982)
Sitting Bull 'Tatanka Iyotanka' (1834-1890). The spiritual leader and head of the Hunkpapa warrior societies, Sitting Bull poses in Barry's studio wearing a crucifix of brass and wood. It was presented to him in June of 1868 by 'Black Robe', Father Pierre Jean De Smet, who had been sent by General Sherman to bring Sitting Bull and his hostiles to council. Without Sitting Bull the 'Laramic Treaty' council took place at Fort Rice, D.T., July 2, 1868. (Harbaugh, P., 1982)
