Andy Wilson

History of the Native American

October 11, 2005

Thesis Statement

In September of 1868 one of the most crucial battles of the American West was

fought on the plains of Eastern Colorado. The battle was that of Beecher Island, a small

island in the Arikaree River. On that island, fifty scouts and frontiersmen, under the

leadership of then Brevet Colonel George A. Forsyth, held off a combined force of

Cheyenne, Brule, Oglala, and Arapahoe warriors, numbering approximately one

thousand. This army of plains warriors was under the leadership of a Cheyenne named

Roman Nose. Forsyth and his scouts successfully withstood multiple attacks from

Roman Nose and his men for one until they were rescued by reinforcements. The battle

of Beecher Island was vital in the conquest and subjugation of the peoples of Western

Kansas and Nebraska as well as Eastern Colorado. Yet, since there is very little

information concerning the battle from a Native Americans point of view, the best

synthesis concerning the battle can only be obtained from those whites and African-

Americans who fought in the battle or were related to it in some other way.

Outline

I. Introduction

a. Thesis Statement

II. Events Leading to Battle of Beecher Island

a. Growing tensions and raids

 b. Raids on Pawnee and Kaw horses

III. Forsyth’s scouts and tracking Roman Nose

a. Building scout force in Ellsworth

IV. Battle and Siege of Beecher Island

V. Relief force and rescue

VI. Aftermath

a. Forsyth

b. Cheyenne, Arapahoe, Brule and Oglala