Northern Cheyenne Tribe

Indians of Montana &gt; Northern Cheyenne Indians

History
The Northern Cheyenne and the Southern Cheyenne share their early history as the Cheyenne Tribe. The Cheyenne Tribe divided into the Northern and Southern Cheyenne in 1825.

For the Cheyenne, the Indian Wars of the west involved ongoing conflict with the U.S. Military for nearly twenty years 1857-1879. The Sand Creek massacre, occurring in 1854 when 400-500 Cheyenne under the leadership of Black Kettle were attacked. Black Kettle had a large American Flag flying over his camp and had been promised as long as it flew over his camp it would be protected. During 1866-1868 the Cheyenne and many of their Indian neighbors opposed the Bozeman Trail.

Among the many tribes involved in the Battle of the Little Big Horn, the Northern Cheyenne helped defeat General Custer's army.

The Northern Cheyenne divided into four groups. Two Moon going to Fort Keogh, Second Group joining other Cheyenne bands in Nebraska, Third Group joined the Southern Cheyenne in Oklahoma, the fourth group joining the Northern Arapaho at the Wind River Agency in Wyoming

The Tongue River Reservation became home to the Northern Cheyenne in 1884. The name of the Reservation was later changed to the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.

Brief Timeline

 * 1700: living in Minnesota River valley
 * 1700's: during 1700s migrated to the Cheyenne River valley in North Dakota
 * 1800's: pressures forced them to the Missouri River, North and South Dakota.
 * 1820's: formed an alliance with the Oglala Sioux and fought the Crow Indians
 * 1825: "Friendhip Treaty of 1825" -- fifteen Cheyenne leaders received a medal which bore the design of clasped hands.
 * 1825: tribe division of the Cheyenne into northern and southern bands.
 * 1830: Bent's Fort established
 * 1850: had migrated to North Platte River in eastern Wyoming.
 * 1851: Treaty at Fort Laramie gave the Cheyenne and other tribes land between the Platte and Arkansas Rivers, in what became Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, and western Kansas.
 * 1857-1879: the Cheyenne fought an ongoing war with the U.S. Army
 * 1864: Sand Creek Massacre 400-500 Southern Cheyenne under leadership of Black Kettle and Arapaho killed by U.S. Soldiers
 * 1864-65: Southern Cheyenne, and allies Arapaho and Sioux angered by the Sand Creek Massacre raided the South Platte area, and wagon trains
 * 1866-1868: Northern Cheyenne, Sioux (Miniconjous, Oglala, Sans Arcs, Brules), and Northern Arapaho were opposed to the construction of the Bozeman Trail. At the battle of Massacre Ridge (December 1866) 2,000 warrors killed eighty-one soldiers under the command of Captain William J. Fetterman. Three forts were built to protect the developing trail and workers -- Fort Reno, Fort Phil Kearny and Fort C.F. Smith. The Bozeman Trail was abandoned as the Union Pacific Railroad would make the trail obsolete.
 * 1868: May 10 -- Treaty at Fort Laramie with the Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho.
 * 1875: Indian Homestead Act, precluded the need for a reservation. By this land law, Indians were free to file claims of 160 acres.
 * 1875-76: there were approximately 15,000 gold seekers in the Black Hills
 * 1876: Battle of Powder River -- U.S. Army under command of Colonel Mackenzie -- 1,100 soldiers attacked and burned the Northern Cheyenne village on Powder River.
 * 1876: the Northern Cheyenne participated in the Battle of the Little Big Horn
 * 1876: Battle of Wolf Mountain
 * 1877: In April the Northern Cheyenne divided into four groups: Two Moon group went to Fort Keogh where they surrendered to Colonel Miles, and the warriors became scouts, later fighting against Sioux and Nez Perce Indians. Second group - largest group- moved east and joined other Cheyenne bands, who surrendered at Red Cloud Agency in Nebraska. Third group- went to Oklahoma and joined the Southern Cheyenne. Fourth group- joined the Northern Arapaho at Wind River Agency in Wyoming.
 * 1877 May 28: Northern Cheyenne tribe left Red Cloud Agency for the Cheyenne-Arapaho Agency at Darlington, Oklahoma. The Fourth Cavalry under Lieutenant Henry W. Lawton escorted them and two days later they arrived at the Cheyenne-Arapho Agency. Some of the Northern tribesmen not welcomed.
 * 1877: Cheyenne surrendered and were removed to the Southern Cheyenne Reservation in Indian Territory
 * 1878: part of the Northern Cheyenne were allowed to go back north.
 * 1880-1891: the tribe gathered to southeastern Montana
 * 1884: Tongue River Reservation was established for the Northern Cheyenne on 16 November by executive order of President Chester A. Arthur.
 * 1884: Northern Cheyenne Reservation is established
 * 1884: St. Labre Catholic Indian Boarding School was established at site of Ashland, Montana
 * 1900: The Tongue River Reservation was enlarged by executive order on 19 March 1900 to include from the west bank of the Tongue River to the eastern boundary of the Crow Reservation
 * 1935: Constitution and bylaws of the Northern Cheyenne was approved on 23 November 1935, under the Indian Reorganization Act.

Tribal Headquarters
Northern Cheyenne Tribe P.O. Box 128 Lame Deer, MT 59043 Phone: 406.477.6284 Fax: 406.477.6210

Agencies
Tongue River Agency, 1884- Northern Cheyenne Agency, -present

Important Web Sites

 * Constitutions and By-Laws of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Tongue River Reservation, Approved November 23, 1935
 * Northern Cheyenne Tribe Official Website
 * Cheyenne Tribe Wikipedia
 * Wikipedia article on Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation