Manuscripts

Letter describing American Indians and Chief Iron Whip

Image not available

Description: A graphic, racist letter describing American Indians in the Dakota Territory, including the Ponca people and their leader, Chief Iron Whip. This letter was written by a United States Army Officer, "Will," from "Mouth Niobrara River, DT" (Dakota Territory). It was written to "Jack." Will was charged with protecting forts and settlements in Dakota Territory from returning prisoners. The prisoners were, he mentions, 300 American Indians who were either murderers or participators in the Minnesota Massacre of 1862. While traveling, Will described to his friend about prairies dogs, the landscape, and the people in the region. Near the conclusion of the letter he writes of a possible return to Fort Randall, where he will take command of his company.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Production date: 1866, June 15.
Call number: mssHM 83421
Provenance

John B. Wilson letter to Emma Moore Wilson

Manuscripts

Letter from John Bordeaux Wilson to his mother Emma Moore Wilson, written shortly after Wilson had joined the engineering corps of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1868. In the letter, written at Fort Sanders, Dakota Territory, Wilson writes of his dissatisfaction with being removed from Colonel Joseph Opdyke Hudnutt's company and placed instead with a Mr. Lawrence's party, which he writes will "operate much further west" than the other and work east for 250 or 300 miles from the Green River until they meet the other parties. He notes that Colonel Hudnutt's party was headed for the North Platte while John O'Neill's party would work at Medicine Bow, and gives a description of the various supplies carried by each party. The remainder of the letter describes Wilson's attempts to stay warm in his tent and the meals that he has been given. With envelope, marked "Union Pacific Railway Company, Engineer's Office, Fort Sanders - Dakota."

mssHM 74318

Image not available

Medorem Crawford letter to Samuel G. Crawford

Manuscripts

In this letter to his father, Medorem Crawford laments the war with the Cayuse Indians, which he describes as "truly a death blow to Oregon for several years unless the U.S. Govt. comes this summer & pays the expenses of the war." He does not think the provisional government of the territory will be able to continue much longer, and describes the effects on the people settled there. He also relates news of his own business and family.

mssHM 31272

Image not available

Official petition of Shawanoe and Delaware Indian Chiefs to the President of the United States

Manuscripts

Official petition by the Shawnee and Delaware Indians to President James Monroe regarding their land and rights. It is signed by several native indivduals. There is also a letter by Pierre Menard, President of the Illinois Territorial Council, to William Clark, American explorer and Governor of Missouri Territory, dated 1818, January 6, about the petition. The volume includes typed transcriptions of the letter and petition.

mssHM 570-571

Image not available

Henry T. Huggins letter to Mrs. Henry T. Huggins

Manuscripts

In his letter to his wife, Huggins describes an excursion in Iowa Territory he and some companions take to accompany the Fox and Sauk Indians on a buffalo hunt. He also discusses the town of Burlington, Iowa, and his legal dealings there.

mssHM 60699

Image not available

Letter addressed to "My Dear Mother," signed "Earl,"

Manuscripts

This letter was written while Earl was staying at the Redondo Hotel in Redondo Beach, California. In the letter he states that he will be returning to Los Angeles soon. Included with the letter is an advertisement card for the California Alligator Farm in Los Angeles.

mssHM 68327

Image not available

"'Red Cloud' Chief of the Sioux Indians"

Manuscripts

HM 81548: The first volume, written in ink, consists of miscellaneous reports prepared by Frank West. The volume begins with a report about a transportation march from Camp Supply, Indian Territory to Fort Clark, Texas in 1873. West meticulously details the journey of the cavalry including length of travel, rivers crossed, and personal remarks. "Our wagon was [?] in the quick sand at the crossing of the Red River men were disseminated and applied to ropes attached to the wagon and it was drawn out" (p. 2). The total distance of their march was 1,371 miles, which took 74 days. The next two reports are about the murder of Jacob Dilsey in 1873. Other reports include number of utility poles erected in Arizona and confidential statements and endorsements about various Army personnel. Also included are briefs from Fort Niobrara, Nebraska and Fort Myer, Virginia. The last portion of the volume appears to be excerpts from a history book concerning Europe, Asia, and the Middle East during the 19th century. The endpapers have miscellaneous notes and account information written on them.

mssHM 81548-81554

Letter describing American Indians and Chief Iron Whip

Opening Hours

Admission Info and Tickets

You might also be interested in

John B. Wilson letter to Emma Moore Wilson

Medorem Crawford letter to Samuel G. Crawford

Official petition of Shawanoe and Delaware Indian Chiefs to the President of the United States

Henry T. Huggins letter to Mrs. Henry T. Huggins

Letter addressed to "My Dear Mother," signed "Earl,"

"'Red Cloud' Chief of the Sioux Indians"