Northern Cheyenne youth participate in the Fort Robinson Outbreak Spiritual Run. Photo frm Indiegogo
Fort Robinson Breakout, recalling the days of horror
By Clara Caufield The January weather across the Great Plains including Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska has been bitterly cold. Here at Northern Cheyenne, schools, the Tribal offices and small businesses have been closed due to extremely dangerous road conditions, winter weather advisories, wind chill factors down to -25 below and the snow is piling up. Local radio announcers advise people to don gloves, heavy coats, boots and winter gear when venturing outside. Contemporary Northern Cheyenne are fortunate to be able to heed that warning: our ancestors who perished at Fort Robinson in 1878, 137 years ago, did not have those luxuries, clad only in thin moccasins with a few threadbare blankets for warmth. Leroy Pine, a traditional Cheyenne chief recently spoke about that. “Hypothermia sets in very easily, the human body can only take so much,” he said. “The old time Cheyenne coming back from Oklahoma had strong medicine to survive.” This second week in January is when the Northern Cheyenne remember the Fort Robinson Breakout and Massacre, often simply called “The Breakout” needing no further explanation to us. After eluding thousands of military troops on their determined trek to return to their beloved North Country, the Cheyenne under the leadership of Chiefs Little Wolf and Dull Knife reached a critical juncture in Nebraska due to arctic winter conditions. The two Chiefs disagreed. Little Wolf urging that the people continue on to the North Country in Montana while Dull Knife counseled heading toward South Dakota, hoping for sanctuary with long-time allies, the Sioux. Barbara One Bear Spang, great-granddaughter of Chief Dull Knife recently remembered “Dull Knife was trying to save the children, elders and families. The stronger ones went with Little Wolf but Dull Knife was trying to save the weakest ones.” According to oral accounts, this was a harrowing choice for the Cheyenne people and families even split over the decision. Yet, many elected to follow Dull Knife, while others stayed the course with Little Wolf, families crying and bidding each other farewell, knowing they might never again see each until re-joined in the afterlife, the “Last Camp.” Those who followed Little Wolf later reached Montana and eventually securing the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, but that is another aspect to the saga. Fleeing to the Sioux, Dull Knife and his followers were captured by the U.S. Military and threatened with return to Oklahoma. When those Cheyenne refused, they were locked up in old army barracks deprived of food, water and even rudimentary fires to keep warm. Finally in despair and significantly unarmed, they decided to “break-out” of that prison in the early morning hours of a freezing winter day, January 9, an infamous date in Cheyenne history. While Dull Knife survived eventually secreted away by Sioux friends, a great number of his followers were massacred during the Breakout; others tracked down and returned to captivity within a short time. While this ghastly event occurred almost 14 decades ago, it is still vivid in the minds of Northern Cheyenne people, many of whom can still name the ancestors who perished there. How can a Tribe cope with such unspeakable tragedy? For many years, it was a source of deep unremitting sorrow to the Northern Cheyenne people. I often wonder that this event, in conjunction with the Sand Creek Massacre, the destruction of villages, incredible loss of life etc. during the wars with the U.S. Military did not totally destroy the Northern Cheyenne psyche (the human soul or mind, governing the total entity and it interactions with the environment). We have to wonder how those Cheyenne went on despite of such horrific experiences. Somehow, they did; the will to survive unquenchable. Yet, I can only speculate about the sorrow and resentment which must have filled the hearts and nightmares of the survivors, such atrocity beyond contemporary comprehension. Indeed, as a legacy many Cheyenne still often held the white people at bay, taking much time to develop confidence. The wonder is that Cheyenne are able to trust the non-Indian at all because even after all this time, the physic scars run deep. In recent years, efforts at understanding, forgiveness and healing have been underway by the descendants of both the Cheyenne victims and the perpetrators. As our good friend, Tim Giago says when remembering Wounded Knee, similar tragedy, we must never forget these dark episodes in our history. And we must learn from them. The challenge is to forgive, not allowing bitterness to consume us. As part of that effort, each year, Northern Cheyenne youth, their families and chaperones participate in a Fort Robinson healing run, re-tracing the route from Fort Robinson, Nebraska to the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana. Conducted in relays, the run provides each youth the opportunity to participate, experiencing the bitter cold which must re-enforce an appreciation for what our ancestors experienced. People of good will on both sides support this effort including a celebratory feast upon completion. There are also other Fort Robinson observances on the Reservation for the larger tribal community. Students from Northern Cheyenne Tribal and Lame Deer Schools also run a course on the Reservation and participate in other learning activities. This year speakers such as Jenny Parker and Eugene Little Coyote, direct descendants share their thoughts and observances. Traditional and ceremonial leaders place a wreath at the Busby cemetery, where some of the Fort Robinson remains have been repatriated and returned. Various communities hold feasts where people gather. At these solemn occasions our elders remind us that we are only here today because of the heroism of our ancestors. We must always be mindful of that. Hena’haanehe (There it is. That’s the way it is.) (Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com) Copyright permission Native Sun News
Join the Conversation