Medicine Arrows
Encyclopedia
Medicine Arrows (ca. 1795-1876) was a Cheyenne
chief
and Keeper of the Medicine Arrows from 1850 until his death. Rock Forehead became known to whites as Medicine Arrows after his appointment to this office. Among the Cheyenne he was also known by the nickname "Walks with His Toes Turned Out."
Rock Forehead was a cousin of Black Kettle
. His nephew Little Man who later succeeded as Arrow Keeper after Black Hairy dog. Several of his children took part in violent confrontations with whites. His youngest son, Fox Tail, was accused of killing a Mexican herder at Fort Zarah
in 1866 during a drunken brawl. His oldest son, Tall Wolf, was one of the principal men who took part in violent raids on white settlements along the Saline
and Solomon rivers in Kansas
in August 1867 and August 1868, one of the precipitating events leading ultimately to the Battle of the Saline River
and the Battle of Washita River
in 1867 and 1868 respectively. Rock Forehead's camp was one of several camps along the Washita River
downstream of Black Kettle's village at the time the battle of the Washita which took place on November 27, 1868.
Rock Forehead's daughter was married to a man in Tall Bull
's Dog Soldier
band. She and her four children survived the Battle of Summit Springs
on July 11, 1869, in which Tall Bull's village was destroyed by the Fifth U.S. Cavalry; they were taken prisoner but were later released.
Fearing military reprisals following the Red River War
, Rock Forehead fled his reservation in January 1875 to join the Northern Cheyenne in Montana
. He died there peacefully in 1876. His son Black Hairy Dog succeeded him as Keeper of the Medicine Arrows.Descendant of Rock Forehead reside in the Western Oklahoma area.
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...
chief
Council of Forty-four
The Council of Forty-four was one of the two central institutions of traditional Cheyenne Indian tribal governance, the other being the military societies such as the Dog Soldiers...
and Keeper of the Medicine Arrows from 1850 until his death. Rock Forehead became known to whites as Medicine Arrows after his appointment to this office. Among the Cheyenne he was also known by the nickname "Walks with His Toes Turned Out."
Rock Forehead was a cousin of Black Kettle
Black Kettle
Chief Black Kettle was a leader of the Southern Cheyenne after 1854, who led efforts to resist American settlement from Kansas and Colorado territories. He was a peacemaker who accepted treaties to protect his people. He survived the Third Colorado Cavalry's Sand Creek Massacre on the Cheyenne...
. His nephew Little Man who later succeeded as Arrow Keeper after Black Hairy dog. Several of his children took part in violent confrontations with whites. His youngest son, Fox Tail, was accused of killing a Mexican herder at Fort Zarah
Fort Zarah
A fort in Barton County, Kansas, just outside Great Bend, Kansas, that was used from 1864-1869.- Dates of operation :In July 1864, because of frequent Indian attacks in the area, Camp Dunlap was established 2 miles east of present day Great Bend, Kansas, where the Santa Fe Trail crossed the Walnut...
in 1866 during a drunken brawl. His oldest son, Tall Wolf, was one of the principal men who took part in violent raids on white settlements along the Saline
Saline River (Kansas)
The Saline River is a tributary of the Smoky Hill River in the central Great Plains of North America. The entire length of the river lies in the U.S. state of Kansas. The river takes its name from the French translation of its Native name Ne Miskua, referring to its salty content.-Geography:The...
and Solomon rivers in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
in August 1867 and August 1868, one of the precipitating events leading ultimately to the Battle of the Saline River
Battle of the Saline River
The Battle of the Saline River in August 1867 was one of the first recorded combats of the Buffalo Soldiers of the U.S. 10th Cavalry. This battle occurred 25 miles northwest of Fort Hays in Kansas near the end of August 1867.-Prelude:...
and the Battle of Washita River
Battle of Washita River
The Battle of Washita River occurred on November 27, 1868 when Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer’s 7th U.S...
in 1867 and 1868 respectively. Rock Forehead's camp was one of several camps along the Washita River
Washita River
The Washita River is a river in Texas and Oklahoma, United States. The river is long and terminates into Lake Texoma in Johnston County , Oklahoma and the Red River.-Geography:...
downstream of Black Kettle's village at the time the battle of the Washita which took place on November 27, 1868.
Rock Forehead's daughter was married to a man in Tall Bull
Tall Bull
Tall Bull was a chief of the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers. He was shot and killed in the Battle of Summit Springs in Colorado by Major Frank North leader of the Pawnee Scouts....
's Dog Soldier
Dog Soldiers
Dog Soldiers is a 2002 British horror film written and directed by Neil Marshall, and starring Kevin McKidd, Sean Pertwee and Liam Cunningham. It was a British production, set in the highlands of Scotland, and filmed almost entirely in Luxembourg....
band. She and her four children survived the Battle of Summit Springs
Battle of Summit Springs
The Battle of Summit Springs, on July 11, 1869, was an armed conflict between elements of the United States Army under the command of Colonel Eugene A. Carr and a group of Cheyenne Dog Soldiers led by Tall Bull, who died during the engagement...
on July 11, 1869, in which Tall Bull's village was destroyed by the Fifth U.S. Cavalry; they were taken prisoner but were later released.
Fearing military reprisals following the Red River War
Red River War
The Red River War was a military campaign launched by the United States Army in 1874, as part of the Comanche War, to remove the Comanche, Kiowa, Southern Cheyenne, and Arapaho Native American tribes from the Southern Plains and forcibly relocate them to reservations in Indian Territory...
, Rock Forehead fled his reservation in January 1875 to join the Northern Cheyenne 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,...
. He died there peacefully in 1876. His son Black Hairy Dog succeeded him as Keeper of the Medicine Arrows.Descendant of Rock Forehead reside in the Western Oklahoma area.