Fort Robinson

Fort Robinson was a base of US military forces and played a major role in the [[Sioux Wars]] from 1876 to 1890. The [[Battle of Warbonnet Creek]] took place nearby in July 1876. The great war leader [[Crazy Horse]] surrendered at the fort along with his 1,100 followers on May 6, 1877,{{cite web | title = Crazy Horse (tashunka witco) | url = https://www.nps.gov/libi/learn/historyculture/crazy-horse.htm | website = National Park Service | date = March 17, 2023 | access-date = October 6, 2023}} and on September 5 that year, he was killed there while resisting imprisonment. Upon getting outside the guardhouse door, he was bayoneted in the back by Private William Gentles. The bayonet pierced through his lung and kidney leaving behind a deadly wound. As Crazy Horse collapsed to the ground, Dr. McGillicuddy, order his body to be placed in the nearby Adjutant's Office. Near midnight on September 5th, 1877, Crazy Horse died of his wounds in the Camp Robinson Adjutant's Office. A historic plaque marks the site of his death.

Fort Robinson was a base of US military forces and played a major role in the [[Sioux Wars]] from 1876 to 1890. The [[Battle of Warbonnet Creek]] took place nearby in July 1876. The great war leader [[Crazy Horse]] surrendered at the fort along with his 1,100 followers on May 6, 1877,{{cite web | title = Crazy Horse (tashunka witco) | url = https://www.nps.gov/libi/learn/historyculture/crazy-horse.htm | website = National Park Service | date = March 17, 2023 | access-date = October 6, 2023}} and on September 5 that year, he was killed there while resisting imprisonment. Upon getting outside the guardhouse door, he was bayoneted in the back by Private William Gentles. The bayonet pierced through his lung and kidney leaving behind a deadly wound. As Crazy Horse collapsed to the ground, Dr. McGillicuddy, order his body to be placed in the nearby Adjutant's Office. Near midnight on September 5th, 1877, Crazy Horse died of his wounds in the Camp Robinson Adjutant's Office. A historic plaque marks the site of his death.

On January 9th,1879, Chief [[Morning Star (chief)|Morning Star]] (also known as Dull Knife) led the Northern [[Cheyenne]] in a breakout from one of the Fort Robinson soldiers' barracks they were being held in. The Northern Cheyenne that were following Dull Knife surrendered to US forces on the banks of Chadron Creek and were then brought into what was then Camp Robinson in mid-October of 1878. Because the Cheyenne had refused to return to [[Indian Territory]], on January 3rd, the military operating at Fort Robinson decided that they were going to withhold food, water and firewood to try to force the Cheyenne into a quicker submission. After arrests of Chiefs Wild Hog and Old Crow and the morning of January 9th, the young men took control and decided that night would be the best time to escape. At 10:00 pm, gunshots rang out from the barrack the Cheyenne were being held in. As the shots erupted the Cheyenne fled out of the barrack heading to Soldier Creek to the south of the fort grounds. Alerted by the gunshots, soldiers from the other barracks began pursuing the escaping, Cheyenne. U.S. soldiers began hunting down the escapees, killing men, women, and children in the [[Fort Robinson massacre]]. The U.S. Supreme Court described it as a "shocking story", "one of the melancholiest of Indian tragedies". The event marked the end of the Sioux and Cheyenne wars in Nebraska.

On January 9th,1879, Chief [[Morning Star (chief)|Morning Star]] (also known as Dull Knife) led the Northern [[Cheyenne]] in a breakout from one of the Fort Robinson soldiers' barracks they were being held in. The Northern Cheyenne that were following Dull Knife surrendered to US forces on the banks of Chadron Creek and were then brought into what was then Camp Robinson in mid-October of 1878. Because the Cheyenne had refused to return to [[Indian Territory]], on January 3rd, the military operating at Fort Robinson decided that they were going to withhold food, water and firewood to try to force the Cheyenne into a quicker submission. After arrests of Chiefs Wild Hog and Old Crow and the morning of January 9th, the young men took control and decided that night would be the best time to escape. At 10:00 pm, gunshots rang out from the barrack the Cheyenne were being held in. As the shots erupted the Cheyenne fled out of the barrack heading to Soldier Creek to the south of the fort grounds. Alerted by the gunshots, soldiers from the other barracks began pursuing the escaping Cheyenne. U.S. soldiers began hunting down the escapees, killing men, women, and children in the [[Fort Robinson massacre]]. The U.S. Supreme Court described it as a "shocking story", "one of the melancholiest of Indian tragedies". The event marked the end of the Sioux and Cheyenne wars in Nebraska.

In 1885, the [[9th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|9th Cavalry Regiment]], nicknamed the [[Buffalo Soldier]]s by Native Americans, was stationed at Fort Robinson. During the next several years, the fort was enlarged, and military training was a major activity. From 1889 to 1890, Second Lieutenant [[Charles Young (United States Army)|Charles Young]] served here and later was reassigned to the regiment. A black pioneer officer who had graduated from [[West Point]], he was the highest-ranking black person in the US Army throughout his career and achieved the rank of colonel. From 1887 to 1898, the fort served as regimental headquarters. The post gymnasium and theatre, built in 1904, provided entertainment for the soldiers.

In 1885, the [[9th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|9th Cavalry Regiment]], nicknamed the [[Buffalo Soldier]]s by Native Americans, was stationed at Fort Robinson. During the next several years, the fort was enlarged, and military training was a major activity. From 1889 to 1890, Second Lieutenant [[Charles Young (United States Army)|Charles Young]] served here and later was reassigned to the regiment. A black pioneer officer who had graduated from [[West Point]], he was the highest-ranking black person in the US Army throughout his career and achieved the rank of colonel. From 1887 to 1898, the fort served as regimental headquarters. The post gymnasium and theatre, built in 1904, provided entertainment for the soldiers.