Conflict: | Battle of the Saline River |
Partof: | the American Indian Wars |
Date: | August 1867 |
Place: | Ellis County, Kansas |
Result: | Inconclusive |
Combatant2: | Cheyenne |
Commander1: | Captain George A. Armes William Cody, scout[1] |
Commander2: | Tall Wolf (son of Medicine Arrows) |
Strength1: | 87 cavalry |
Strength2: | About 400 warriors |
Casualties1: | 3 killed 35 wounded |
Casualties2: | 6 killed Unknown wounded |
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.[2] [''[[Talk:Battle of the Saline River#Clarify: which of two August engagements?|see discussion]]]
On August 1, 1867, Cheyenne warriors under Tall Wolf, son of Medicine Arrows, attacked and killed a party of railroad workers in Ellis County, an incident which led to a battle between the Cheyenne and Buffalo Soldiers from Fort Hays that became known as "The Battle of the Saline River."[3] [4]
Captain George Augustus Armes, Company F, 10th Cavalry, while following an active "hostile indian" trail along the Saline River was surrounded by about 400 horse mounted Cheyenne warriors. Armes formed a defensive infantry style "hollow square" with the cavalry mounts in the middle. Seeking better defensive ground, Armes walked his command toward Fort Hays while maintaining the defensive square. After 8 hours of combat, 2,000 rounds of defensive fire and 15 miles of movement, the Cheyenne disengaged and withdrew. Company F, without reinforcements, concluded 113 miles of movement during the 30-hour patrol, riding the final 10 miles back to Fort Hays with only one trooper killed in action. Captain Armes commented later, "It is the greatest wonder in the world that my command escaped being massacred." Armes credited his officers for a "... devotion to duty and coolness under fire."[2] [5] [6]
Captain Armes was earnest in locating what he thought was the main Indian village on the Solomon Folks and there recovering the large numbers of stolen horse he expected to be held there. However, his convalescence kept him unable to ride in the saddle for a couple weeks, when released from bed rest, his service was limited to riding in his personal carriage up the line to reassure the construction workers. As soon as he could ride, he led his command to the Solomon Folks in coordination with the 18th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Contact with larger numbers of Indians led to the Battle of Prairie Dog Creek and the (1st) Battle of Beaver Creek. Although casualties were light, the U.S. and Kansas forces withdrew to railroad for the fall and winter and did not discourage Cheyenne and Kiowa for the time being.
Even so, the Medicine Lodge Treaty[7] would be signed within a month, but soon broken. It was not until General Sheridan's winter campaign of 1867-68, including the Battle of Washita River, that Indian resistance within the state broken and the railroad construction secured. Other battles would continue after this such as the ones near Sterling, Colorado (the Battle of Summit Springs) and near Cheyenne, Oklahoma, but the fighting in the upper forks of the Kansas River was over.
The last Indian battle in the State of Kansas took place on September 27, 1878. It was known as "Battle of Punished Woman's Fork or "Battle of Squaw's Den Cave."[4] [8]