6 Black Kettle's Village, Washita Battlefield NHS, Cheyenne, OK (2)
**Washita Battlefield National Historic Site** - National Register of Historic Places Ref # 66000633, date listed 10/15/1966
NW of Cheyenne on U.S. 283
Cheyenne, OK (Roger Mills County)
A National Historic Landmark (www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/list-of-nh...).
The Battle of the Washita, November 27, 1868, was the first victory in a campaign destined to bring an end to the Plains Indian barrier. By demonstrating that U. S. troops would fight in the winter when the Indians preferred to be left alone, it dealt a heavy blow to Indian morale. It also demonstrated the practicality and effectiveness of winter campaigning in the long struggle against the hostile Plains Indians. (1)
Stop 6: Black Kettle's Village: East of what is believed to be the site of Black Kettle's Village. The village may have extended 1/4 mile to the west and 75 yards to the east from this point. The village contained about 51 lodges and about 200 to 300 people. This village was to the west of the main camps of Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Comanche, and Plains Apache four to seven miles downstream. These camps contained approx 4,000 to 6,000 people. Black Kettle's wife, Medicine Woman Later, believing rumors that the U.S. Army was dangerously close to the village, pleaded with her husband to move the village downstream near the other camps the night of November 26. Due to the extreme cold and their concern for the elderly, the women, and the children in the camp, Black Kettle and his council decided to move the village the next day, November 27. Traditionally, the U.S. Army did not attack in harsh weather, leaving Black Kettle plenty of time to move. (from local trail pamphlet)
References (1) NRHP Nomination Form s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg...
6 Black Kettle's Village, Washita Battlefield NHS, Cheyenne, OK (2)
**Washita Battlefield National Historic Site** - National Register of Historic Places Ref # 66000633, date listed 10/15/1966
NW of Cheyenne on U.S. 283
Cheyenne, OK (Roger Mills County)
A National Historic Landmark (www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/list-of-nh...).
The Battle of the Washita, November 27, 1868, was the first victory in a campaign destined to bring an end to the Plains Indian barrier. By demonstrating that U. S. troops would fight in the winter when the Indians preferred to be left alone, it dealt a heavy blow to Indian morale. It also demonstrated the practicality and effectiveness of winter campaigning in the long struggle against the hostile Plains Indians. (1)
Stop 6: Black Kettle's Village: East of what is believed to be the site of Black Kettle's Village. The village may have extended 1/4 mile to the west and 75 yards to the east from this point. The village contained about 51 lodges and about 200 to 300 people. This village was to the west of the main camps of Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Comanche, and Plains Apache four to seven miles downstream. These camps contained approx 4,000 to 6,000 people. Black Kettle's wife, Medicine Woman Later, believing rumors that the U.S. Army was dangerously close to the village, pleaded with her husband to move the village downstream near the other camps the night of November 26. Due to the extreme cold and their concern for the elderly, the women, and the children in the camp, Black Kettle and his council decided to move the village the next day, November 27. Traditionally, the U.S. Army did not attack in harsh weather, leaving Black Kettle plenty of time to move. (from local trail pamphlet)
References (1) NRHP Nomination Form s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg...