Little Wolf and Morning Star

Northern Cheyenne Chief

Little Wolf’s Americanized name is probably a mistranslation. His name in Cheyenne: Ó’kôhómôxháahketa, sometimes transcribed Ohcumgache or Ohkomhakit is probably more accurately translated to Little Coyote.

He was born c. 1820 and died in 1904. He was best known as a military tactician with a well-respected set of skills and knowledge.

He is best known for an 1878 escape from a reservation in Oklahoma’s Indian Territory, where he was forced to live after a defeat against the American Army. There he and fellow Cheyenne Dull Knife (Morning Star) planned and executed an escape of over 300 Native Americans who made their way back to the Northern Cheyenne territory. The escape was known as the Northern Cheyenne Exodus.

Once the group made their way past Nebraska they split up. Dull Knife and his party headed toward the Northwest counties of Nebraska where they were forced to surrender at Fort Robinson. Continue reading →