| R.H. Pratt, St. Augustine, Sept. 19, 1876, to Agent Miles.----Dr. Friend,
I send here in money as follows-Long Back to his wife, $4.00; From Medicine
Water to his mother, $1.00, Sister, $1.00, and three children $1.00 each-
$5.00; From White man to his baby, $1.00; From Bear Shield to Jno F. Williams
to be expended for Bear Shields wife, $2.00; From Making Medicine to his
mother, $2.00. Total $14.00. I send by Str. to N. Y. and fast freight to
Wichita a box of things to you for the families of the prisoners. A few
send nothing. Have taken steps to hurry it through and anticipate it will
get to Wichita in about three weeks. The enormous Ex. charges forbid it
going that way. I leave the charges to be paid at your end. If you do not
find a way to stand the whole or even a half notify me and I will make
it some way and assist. Weight about 175#. Minimic says to tell his wife
they are all out of kinnekenic.
Sipes/2003 |
| Received at Ft. Marion, this 30th day of September, 1876, from 1st.
Lt. R.H. Pratt, 10th Cavalry, in charge of Indian Prisoners, U.S. Army,
the following articles:
4 Axes, Fair Condition; 80 Bedsacks, Double, Fair Condition; 66 Bedsacks, Single, Fair Condition; 7 Camp Hassels, Fair Condition; 6 Mosquito Bars, Fair Condition; 1 Pick Axe, Fair Condition; 1 Pick Helve, Fair Condition; 3 Spades, Fair Condition; 6 (?) Benches, Fair Condition; 2 Trumpets, Fair Condition. /S/ R.H. Pratt, 10th U.S. Cavalry, in charge of Indian Prisoners, Actg. Indian Agent. (Official Copy, J.D. Bingham, General, U.S.A.) Received at Ft. Marion, this 30th day of December, 1876, from 1st. Lt.
R.H. Pratt, 10th Cavalry, in charge of Indian Prisoners , U.S. Army, the
following articles:
This could mean that it is likely that over a year went by after the incarceration of the POWs Pratt finally ordered uniforms and some garden tools and brooms for the prisoners. (Sipes Field Notes- Ft. Marion POW Files) |
| Letters Received, Central Superintendency, 1877. R. H. Pratt to Adjt.
General of the Army, Washington, D.C. Fort Marion, St. Augustine, Fla.,
Feb.,20, 1877.
I have the honor to report that the Indian Prisoners confined here have been counselling together for more than two weeks with a view of sending a talk to Washington in reference to their condition. A few evenings ago they notified me of their desires to make a talk and all gathered in one of the casemates when they put forward Making Medicine to speak of the young men first, and Minimic to follow in behalf of the old men. Mr. Fox, interperter, and I wrote down what they had to say which is here given in their own words. Making Medicine said- "I have learned to sing the saviors hymns and have given myself to him. Heretofore I have led a bad life on the plains, wandering around living in a house made of skins. I have now learned something of the Great Spirits road and want to learn more. We have lived in this old place for two years. It is old and we are young. we are tired to it. We want to go away from it, anywhere. We want Washington to give us our wives and children, our fathers and mothers and sent us somewhere, where we can settle down and live like white men. Washington has lots of good ground laying around loose, give us some of it and let us learn to make things grow. We want to farm the ground. We want a house and pigs and chickens and cows. We feel happy that we have learned so much, that we can teach our children. I speak for the young men. We want to work. We young men all belong to you. You have put a great deal into our hearts that was never there before. Our hearts are getting bigger every day. We are thankful for what we have learned. This is the feeling of all the young men that are here. We are willing to learn and want to work." Minimic talk for the Old Men- "It has been a long time since we came here. We came here with lying, and stealing, and killing in our hearts, but we have long ago thrown all that away. Today our hearts are glad. Our hearts are bigger and we are all glad for what we have learned. Two years have passed since we came here. We are tired of this old place. Altho our hearts are all glad, we want to go away from here. We want you to ask our Father in Washington to have mercy on us, and give us our wives and children and sent us some place where we can learn to live in peace and by our own labor. Ask Washington to give us some land. he has a great deal of it and might give us some to raise things on. Tell Washington to let us go back and get our wives and children and send us to a new country where we can learn to work and support ourselves. We can handle the ax and shovel if we are old. Ask Washington to let us go at it now and take it up right and learn at once. We want you to say a few good words and sent it to Washington too. This is what all the Kiowas, Comanches, and Cheyennes wanted me to say." All indications favor, that the best results will follow clemency and practical assistance to these people. Their conduct here is deserving of the highest meed of praise, and should be rewarded with a change of condition. A few of the old men would be an element of great good sent back to their tribes. The younger men can so easily be carried forward to industrious civilization that it would seem a sin to deny them the facilities but their women and children should be included, else, much labor is lost. (Donald J.Berthrong Coll.- Cheyenne Prisoners Files, 2003) |
|
Central Superintendency, Field Office Files, Letters Received. John D. Miles to Wm. Nicholson, May 12, 1877, C&A Agency. -regarding release of the prisoners at Ft. Marion, St. Augustine, Fla. -approves of Minimic, Little Medicine and Antelope also Heap of Birds, Bear Shield, and Matches. -should make the release of prisoners very gradually. Headquarters of the Army, Inspector Generals Office, June 26th, 1877. Inspector General to Sec. of War (R.B. Marcy, Inspector General) Report of the Inspector, May 8th and 9th, 1877. Inspection of Saint Francis Barracks by Inspector General, N.H. Davis. ----64 pows under 1st. Lt. R.H. Pratt, 10th Cavalry--- Number and Names of Chiefs of each tribe--- Cheyennes: 27 men and 1 woman, total 28--- Chiefs 4: Minimic, Heap of Birds, Little Medicine and Bear Shield. Kiowas: Chiefs 3: Lone Wolf, Double Vision and White Horse, total 22. Comanches: 9 men, 1 woman, and 1 child. Chiefs 1: Black Horse, total 11. Arapahoes: (no chiefs), total 2. Caddoes: (not as chief), total 1.-----Total POWs 64. Letters Received, Central Superintendency,1877. H.F. Crosby, Chief Clerk, For Sec. of War to Sec. of Int., June 26th, 1877. -refers to Interiors letter advocating the release of a selected number of prisoners to Ft. Sill...... -quotes from the opinion of the General of the Army "The release of a part of the Kiowa and Comanche prisoners at Ft. Marion, Fla., would be inconvenient, as a part would remain necessitating a guard and nearly as much expense as the whole. There are good reasons for delay till the autumn, say October, when I recommend that the whole be transported to Ft. Sill, delivered over to the Indian Agent there; and a few of the worst might be put in the guard-house there. Letters Recieved, Central Superintendency, 1877. P.H. Sheridan to W.T. Sherman. Chicago, November 15, 1877. Your telegram received. I have not the slightest objection to the return of the Kiowas and the Cheyenne prisoners now at St. Augustine to their respective Agencies in the Indian Territory. Copy of Telegram, Washington D.C., April 15, 1878 J.D. Miles," Accidental Hotel", Wichita, Kansas. Of St. Augustine Prisoners. Prisoners landed at Fortress Monroe yesterday. Fifteen (15) remained at Hampton Normal School. Three (3) go to Syracuse and 39 will be delivered to you by Col. Obrien at Wichita.--from hence you will forward them to their reservations--they will start westward this afternoon. /Sgd/ W.M. Leeds, Acting Commissioner. Wichita, Kansas, April 18th, 1878. Received from Jas. R. Obrien, forty Indians, Viz. Thirty-seven males, two women, and one female child belonging to the Cheyenne, Comanche, Arapahoe, Caddo, and Kiowa tribes who have been released from confinement at St. Augustine, Fla., and ordered to be turned over to me by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs hon. E.R. Hayt. I certify that they are in clearly and well disciplined order. /Sgd/ Jno. D. Miles, U.S. Indian Agent. U.S. Indian Agent, C&A Agency, V.I.A. of Wichita, Kansas, Darlington Ind. Terr.., Apr. 20th, 1878. U.S. Ind. Agent, Kiowa and Comanche Agency. I.T. Dear Sir: By reference to the enclosed copy of telegram you will observe that the St. Augustine prisoners are released and will be turned over to Jno D miles U S Indian Agent for this agency who is now in Wichita awaiting their arrival. In communication from Agent miles dated April 15th inst. he informs that he will make arrangements for their transpertation to Caldwell, Kansas, from which point they will be transported by their own Indians to this agency. You are requested to send such transportation as the Kiowa and Comanche portion of the party may need to convey them to their reservation. Our teams will start after tomorrow and return on or about the 1st of May. Please arrange to meet them on their arrival at this agency. Very Respectfully, B.H. Miles, Acting Agent. U.S. Indian Agent, C&A Agency, VIA Whichita, Kansas, Darlington Indian Terr. April 21st, 1878. U.S. Indian Agent, Ft. Sill. I have just rced. information that the Indian prisoners are likely to arrive at this agency about the 28th. Resp. B.H. Miles, Acting Agent. Letters Received, Central Superintendency, 1879. S.C. Armstrong, PriNcipal, Hampton Normal and Agricultural Inst. Hampton, Va., Jan. 18, 1879. I will bring the Indian into direct relations with competent mechanics and farmers, and for months, they will give their entire attention to labor in favorious forms. Meanwhile the association with well chosen men will be good for their character they will learn English and quite as rapidly as at school. The advantage of this school is that it can break them into right /?/ ideals and good dIscipline and give them a small stock of English. select the right ones and send out only those who shall have proved worthy and competent. Letters Received, Central Superintendency, 1878. G. Schurz to Comm. of the Indian Affairs. Washington, April 19, 1878. In accordance with your request as per letter of the 11th instnat the arrangement necessary for the removal of the Indian prisoners lately incarcerated at Ft. Marion, from said point to their homes in the Indian Territory have the authority of the department. Letters Received, Central Superintendency. 1878. James RE. OBeirne to E.A. hoyt, Commissioner. Washington, D.C., April 23, 1878. -report of transit of Indians from Ft. Marion to Wichita where they were receipted for by Agent John D. Miles. Pratt left St. Augustine with 59 Indians. 15 were left at Hampton Academy. 4 sent to institution in the vicinity of Syracuse, N.Y. Left 39 adults and one child back to Wichita. 37 males 2 women one female child. They arrived at wichita at 1:00 oclock sat. morning April18, 1878. Cheyenne Files - Ft. Marion POWS Text Copyright (c) 2003 John Sipes Collection. |
| Measure Woman Standing Bird (daug. of Medicine Water and Mochi, POWs),
to Cleo Sipes to John Sipes, 1983, that-- When the families gathered at
the Darlington Agency to greet the returning prisoners that the soldiers
were in battle positions and guarding the returning POWs as well as the
families that came to welcome home their loved ones. There was much celebrating
and gathering of the people to see and visit the returning Cheyenne warriors/veterans.
Pete Bird Chief to John Sipes in 1983 stated that Medicine Water had scars
on his ankles that never went away. When Pete would sit and listen to Medicine
Water tell stories of Ft. Marion when Pete was a young man Medicine Water
would point to the scars on his ankles made by the chains and say, " This
is what the government did to us to get control of our
land, buffalo, ways of life as people and took away our freedom as Cheyennes." Text Copyright (c) 2003 John Sipes Cheyenne Family Oral Histories - Standing Bird Family. |