The Way West

Standing above the world on July 28, 1835, “about a mile above the level of the plain” on a Rocky Mountain peak, Lt. Gaines P. Kingsbury paused in wonder, overwhelmed at the panorama before him. As Adjutant for Col. Henry Dodge, Kingsbury recorded, “Nature appears here to have thrown aside her wild and sportive mood and to have given to the whole scene the deepest impress of grandeur and sublimity.”

The 1835 Dodge expedition had been 61 days in the field, having left Fort Leavenworth on May 29, 1835. With 125 First United States Dragoons at his disposal, Dodge was charged with bringing peace talks to the Plains tribes along the Platte River all the way to the Rocky Mountains. In negotiations, Dodge had proven to be a resourceful ambassador of peace. Chiefs of the Otto, Omaha, the confederated bands of the Pawnee and even the wild Arikara were eager “to throw their weapons behind them.” They expressed a desire for peace with the United States, and although somewhat reluctantly, they also hoped for peace among themselves. The Pawnee even offered to bury the hatchet with their hereditary enemies, the Cheyenne and Arapaho.

With those successes behind them, the Dodge expedition stood on the mountain top with one challenge yet before them. The Cheyennes and Arapahos, who lived in the shadow of the Rockies, were known to gather regularly at a trading post to the south on the Arkansas River.

They reached the Arkansas River on July 30. Shortly after going into camp, three Arapaho visited them. A village of 50 lodges was just across the river. The rest of the nation was two days’ ride, hunting buffalo with the Cheyenne between the Platte and Arkansas (almost certainly on the headwaters of the Smoky Hill River).

The next day the village moved across the river to be near the Dodge expedition. Kingsbury wrote that the Arapaho had “long been friendly with the whites. They have a large number of horses, having lately stolen about 170 from the Eutau (Utes), with which they are at war. They subsist upon buffalo meat, and when out of the range, live upon dogs, of which they have a great number and of a large size.”

Interpreter and guide, Capt. John Gantt, left camp the morning of Aug. 1 to bring other Arapaho leaders to meet with Col. Dodge.

As the command resumed its march, they were met by a Cheyenne war party going out against the Comanches.

They appeared elated to see the troops, but could not be induced to turn away from their mission of war.

Fort William (Bent’s Fort) was reached later that day. The trading establishment was operated by William and Charles Bent and Ceran St. Vrain. Upon their arrival, they found many Cheyenne men intoxicated, having recently traded with a party of Spaniards from Taos. Kingsbury found that the Cheyenne, “are very fond of whiskey, and will sell their horses, blankets and everything else they possess for a drink of it.”

Unfortunately, the Dodge interpreter, Capt. John Gantt, has been historically credited with introducing liquor to the Cheyenne years before.

The Cheyenne were in a state of disorganization, having lost their charismatic leader, High Back Wolf. He was murdered in a family dispute in 1833. It was said that “the stars fell” the night of the Nov. 13, 1833, as a consequence of his tragic death. The historic meteor shower was seen across North America.

On the evening of Aug. 10, Capt. Gantt returned with additional leading chiefs of the Arapaho, as well as some Gros Ventres and Blackfeet men who were living with the Arapaho.

Col. Dodge held council with all of these tribal leaders on Aug. 11. Dodge skillfully impressed upon the council the desire of the “great American father” for peace among his “red children,” noting that the Pawnee had expressed a desire to “bury the hatchet of war” with the Cheyenne and Arapaho. Of the Cheyenne war with the Comanches, Dodge stressed a desire that the Cheyennes follow the path of the Arapahos who were at peace with the Comanches.

Chief Little Moon was willing to make peace, if only the Pawnee would return the sacred arrows that had been stolen from the Cheyenne in 1830. A Pawnee spokesman who had traveled with Dodge insisted the arrows had been returned. The Pawnees had not heard back from the Cheyennes, except when they were stealing horses. The Pawnees wanted peace. “The road is now good ... I hope you will go and come without fear; may it always remain good.”

Once again, Col. Dodge had opened wide the doors of peace to the Plains people.

Fifty miles east of Fort William, Col. Dodge held council with another large band of Cheyenne. While there, a party of Pawnees and Arikaras arrived from the Platte River to make peace. How gratifying it was to see them take each other’s hands, smoke the pipe of peace and exchange gifts.

The Dodge expedition turned homeward along the valley of the Arkansas River on Aug. 17. They reached Fort Leavenworth on Sept. 16, 1835, having traveled 111 days and more than 1,600 miles in the service of peace on The Way West.

“The Cowboy” Jim Gray can be reached at 220 21st Rd., Geneseo, KS 67444, (785) 531-2058 or kansascowboy@kans.com.