Yellow Wolf (Cheyenne)

Yellow Wolf or Ho'néoxheóvaestse (died 1864)[1] was a Cheyenne Chief who led the Rope Hair group of the Southern Cheyenne.[2] He lived to be 85 years old, and died in 1864 at the Sand Creek Massacre at Sand Creek, Colorado, along with his brother.[1][3] The massacre took place when two militia units, the 1st and 3rd Colorado Regiments, attacked the tribe when they were camping.[4] More than 150 died in the attack; women and children and the elderly were not spared.[4]

Yellow Wolf (O-Cum-Who-Wast) of the Cheyenne, from an 1848 engraving of a painting by James W. Albert.
O-Cum-Who-Wust, from an August 1845 painting by James W. Albert.

Yellow Wolf was held up by George Grinnell, in 1915, as a leader who worked for peace.[1] He said that he was a "constant worker" on behalf of peace. He said it was patriotic work, done out of love for the tribe and its future that he worked in this direction.[1]

Yellow Wolf had a son, Red Moon, who lived through the battle and went on to become another prominent chief.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d National Park Service. "Yellow Wolf Panel". Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  2. ^ "RED MOON, Chief of the Cheyenne Indians". Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  3. ^ a b National Park Service. "Sand Creek Massacre: Places". Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  4. ^ a b National Park Service. "Sand Creek Massacre: Stories". Retrieved 2011-12-30.