Pursuing a policy of peace with whites and believed his village to be under US Army protection
Why was the Federal peace commission 1867 created?
To make peace with the raiding native
Treaty of Medicine Lodge of October 1867
Cheyenne, Arapaho, and other tribes agreed to stop their raiding and settle on reservations in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma)
The treaties did not bring peace
Many tribal officials refused to sign
Some who did sign had no authority to compel their people to comply with such agreements
Congress was slow to ratify the treaties and annuities often failed to arrive
Warrior societies
Mostly young men violently opposed to reservation life, continued hostilities
The attack started
1. Within 10 minutes, the entire village had been overrun
2. 53 women and children were captured
3. Custer reported 103 Cheyenne men killed but Black Kettle only reported 11
51 lodges were burnt
800 horses killed
Custer did not check which group of Cheyenne were in the village- had he done so, he would have discovered they were peaceful people and the village was on reservation soil, where they were guaranteed safety, and there was even a white flag guaranteeing them safety
