Browse: Fort Reno Ledger Drawings, 1879 and 1887
In the collection of the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art are two ledger books of drawings produced by Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors who were employed as U.S. Army Scouts at Fort Reno, Indian Territory. One of the books was produced in 1879—before the formal organization of the Indian Scout unit—and the second in 1887. The books’ drawings document a crucial period in the complex history of Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho people as they transitioned from the freedom of living as Great Plains buffalo hunters to the confinement and unfamiliar surroundings of the reservation. In the books, the men recount their war records through drawings of encounters with Pawnee, Crow, Shoshone and other enemies and scenes of domestic life and courtship, and new experiences engendered by their military service.[1]
There are few records in the Gilcrease Museum Archives concerning the provenance of the two ledger books and how they came into Thomas Gilcrease’s collection. An inscription in the 1879 book states that the book was created with an “intent to illustrate the Cheyenne method of recording history.” It is signed by H.M. Creel, 7th U.S. Cavalry/detached/service with Cheyenne Indians, Fort Reno, Indian Territory in September-October, 1879. While leading the Cheyenne Scouts in 1879, he worked to develop a Cheyenne dictionary and grammar. In the book are 118 drawings (measuring 12 ½ by 7 ½ inches) drawn in ink and colored pencil and varying greatly in level of completion and details. None of the artist’s names are written in the book, and, like other Plains ledger books, the ledger book represents a communal production with several men recording their and other experiences.[2]
Consisting of 139 drawings (with dimensions of 12 ½ by 7 ½ inches) in ink, graphite and colored pencil, and watercolors, the subjects of the 1887 ledger book re primarily warfare and courtship. The drawings are more detailed and finely executed than those of the 1879 book, and the war images include exciting details of actions against Pawnee, Crow, Shoshone, and other enemies identified by their clothing, regalia, and hair styles. The Cheyenne or Arapaho warriors are identified by their shield designs, clothing, accouterments, weapons, and regalia. Some of the drawings show Crow enemies wearing capotes—long hooded coats made from woolen blankets—indicating that the fight took place in cold weather.[3]
With the inclusion of individual names, the 1887 ledger book presents tremendous potential for research… In 1891, Standing Bull and Red Wolf, whose names appear on the drawings, were part of a Cheyenne and Arapaho delegation who visited Wovoka to learn more about the Ghost Dance. Washee—also named in the book—traveled with an Arapaho delegation to visit Wovoka and investigate the Ghost Dance in 1889 and 1892.[4]
Other names, both artist and subjects, inscribed on the drawings in the 1887 book include Red Wolf, Bird Chief, Big Horn, Tall Red Bird, Yellow Eyes, Heap of Birds, and Elk Woman among others. Additional research potentially could expand the interpretation of the drawings through determining tribal identities and as much as can be learned about the lives of these Cheyenne and Arapaho men and women. Resources for this research include ethnographies, census and muster rolls, allotment records, agency and tribal files, oral histories, and family remembrances. The vibrant and detailed drawings in both the 1879 and 1887 Fort Reno ledger books stand alone as exquisite examples of late nineteenth century Plain Indian artistry. As testaments of conflict, struggle, cultural changes, and personal experiences, the drawings also provide significant insights for later generations about Cheyenne and Arapaho people at a crucial time in their histories—the end of the buffalo-hunting era and the transition to settle reservation life.[5]
Excerpt from Chapter: Hansen, Emma I. "Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno," in Plains Indian Art. Tulsa: Helmerich Center for American Research at Gilcrease Museum, 2017.
See all of the Fort Reno Ledger Drawings.
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[1] Emma I. Hansen, “Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings From Fort Reno,” (Tulsa: Helmerich Center for American Research at Gilcrease Museum, 2017): 33.
[2] Emma I. Hansen, “Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings From Fort Reno,” (Tulsa: Helmerich Center for American Research at Gilcrease Museum, 2017): 45.
[3] Emma I. Hansen, “Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings From Fort Reno,” (Tulsa: Helmerich Center for American Research at Gilcrease Museum, 2017): 49.
[4] Emma I. Hansen, “Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings From Fort Reno,” (Tulsa: Helmerich Center for American Research at Gilcrease Museum, 2017): 50.
[5] Emma I. Hansen, “Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings From Fort Reno,” (Tulsa: Helmerich Center for American Research at Gilcrease Museum, 2017): 53.
Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
This courtship drawing shows a meeting of a finely-dressed couple. The woman wears a blue wool elk tooth dress with a shawl wrapped around her waist, a hair pipe choker and hair ornament, a German silver concho belt with a drop, and traditional beaded moccasins with attached leggings. The man is wrapped in a blanket with a beaded strip and wears painted and fringed leggings, beaded moccasins, and a red wool breechcloth. His hair ornament consists of a roach, eagle feather, and German silver hair plates. His beautiful spotted horse bearing the man's feathered saber and military style saddle stands by. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
Red Eagle depicts a courtship scene with both parties on horseback. The woman, in an elk tooth dress, rides a horse with a high cantle saddle, beaded saddle bags, and a martingale. The man in a cloth shirt, hair pipe breastplate, and painted hide leggings rides his paint horse carrying an eagle feather fan and bow case and quiver. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
A Cheyenne man wearing a war shirt decorated in beadwork strips and eagle feathers and an eagle feather bonnet with ermine skins, counts coup on his opponent as he fires his weapon. His horse has been readied for battle with paintings on his rear, flank, and chest, a scalp and eagle feather hanging from his chin, and his tail tied with a red wool cloth strip. The horse carries a painted and feathered warrior's society sash. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
A warrior leans to the side of his horse to strike a Pawnee with his saber. The Pawnee, identified through his distinctive hair style, wears a cotton shirt, a breech cloth, blue wool leggings, and garters. A mirror board and powder horn are tied to his belt and he carries a rifle. The Cheyenne carries a distinctive shield painted with images of the full and crescent moons and dragonflies. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno," Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
A Cheyenne, wearing an eagle feather bonnet with a long trailer, cuts the head of his Shoshone opponent. The horse, decorated for battle, has been trained to stand by. Both men's rifles lie on the ground. In this drawing, possibly drawn by Red Eagle, the pursuit of the Shoshone who is on foot is shown by the hoof prints and dashes leading to him. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
With his feathered lance, a Cheyenne counts coup on two Crow opponents hiding behind a bluff. The Cheyenne is a distinguished warrior shown through his eagle feather bonnet with long trailer. His horse's tail is tied with trade cloth and eagle feathers, indicating his readiness for battle. The horse's ears have been split – an indication of his training and value in buffalo hunting and battle. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
A Cheyenne's horse is shot out from under him, his rifle still in hand, as his adversary dressed in a capote fires one shot. For the Cheyenne, recovery from such an event was considered a coup. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
Wearing his painted and beaded war shirt, a man counts coup on a fallen enemy with his quirt. The Crow adversary carries a knife and shield decorated with red cloth and eagle feathers and wears beaded wool leggings and a wool breechcloth. The horse is decorated for battle with a bandana and eagle feather tied at his chin and his tail tied in red wool and eagle feathers. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
Bird Chief on horseback and carrying a feather fan, talks with two women. One of the women carries an axe indicating that the two have been out collecting firewood. She wears a cloth dress with a shawl around her waist and a concho belt. The other woman has a plaid shawl wrapped around her waist. In courtship, men often tried to meet women who were away from the camp doing chores such as getting water or collecting firewood for moments of privacy. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
Star (identified by the small star dawn above his head), shoots a standing bear from horseback. The danger and power of the bear are depicted through his long extended claws and strong jaws. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
A warrior on horseback wearing an eagle feather bonnet with trailer uses his lance to count coup on a Crow. The Crow carries a rifle and mirror board and wears wool leggings and a capote indicating that the fight took place in cold weather. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
A Bowstring Society member wearing a flared eagle feather bonnet with ermine skins uses his lance to wound an enemy. His society membership is shown through his distinctive feathered lance wrapped in red trade cloth. His rifle lies on the ground and he carries a blue painted shield with many eagle feathers. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
Standing Bull depicts a couple wrapped in a blanket for courtship in the Plains tradition. The woman wears a cotton print dress and moccasins with cloth leggings, and the man is clad in a calico shirt and blue wool leggings. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
While his horse stands by, Big Horse – wearing an otter skin turban, German silver hair plates, painted and beaded and painted hide leggings and wrapped in a red and blue blanket with a beaded or quillwork strip – courts a woman. The woman is beautifully attired in an elk tooth dress, concho belt with a drop, a printed cloth shawl, and yellow painted moccasins with attached leggings. The yellow and green pigments on the moccasins and leggings were used extensively in the Southern Plains. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
Stump Horn and another man meet with three women who are all dressed in reservation-era cotton dresses shawls, hair pipe chokers, and beaded moccasins and leggings. Stump Horn is riding on a paint horse and, like the other man, carries an umbrella. The horse wears a leather bridle with German silver medallions. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
A couple finds privacy wrapped in a blanket decorated with a beadwork strip and covered by an umbrella. The man's beautiful spotted horse waits nearby. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
Tall Red Bird and a woman dance near a tipi decorated in beaded or quill work medallions and other decorations. The man, with his forehead painted, wears a roach with an eagle feather, cloth shirt and pants with garters, and beaded moccasins. The woman is wrapped in a striped blanket or shawl. Both wear hair pipe chokers. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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Fort Reno Ledger Drawing
Two couples dance – each with the other's partner – perhaps, at a social occasion at the fort. The Scout wears his uniform and leather boots while the Cheyenne or Arapaho woman wears a mixture of traditional and reservation clothing and boots. From the article: Preserving History in the Southern Plains: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Drawings from Fort Reno, Plains Indian Art, Created in Community. Emma I. Hansen, Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 2016.
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