Famed Cheyenne chief and leader of the Bowstring Warriors, Little Wolf (ca. 1818-1904) defied the U.S. government and led 300 Cheyenne from an Indian reservation in Oklahoma back to their homeland in southeastern Montana. In the course of this journey, the group eluded some 13,000 U.S. troops for more than half a year before finally surrendering.

In the late 1870s, Little Wolf, along with Dull Knife, led 300 Native Americans from the Cheyenne Indian Reservation near Fort Reno, Oklahoma, resulting in a lengthy chase by the U.S. Cavalry through Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and into Montana. The leadership Little Wolf demonstrated during this incident, as well as his courage and skill in battles covering a period of over 45 years prior, contributed to his reputation as a great Cheyenne warrior. Although this reputation was diminished among his people in his later years due to his murder of a fellow...