204 CALENDAR HISTORY OF THE KIOWA (eth. ann. 17 



iiig a courier through by night to Colonel Davidson at Fort Sill for 

 temporary aid. That officer promiitly sent a troop of cavalry, which, 

 however, was intercepted at the Wichita agency (Anadarko), then 

 threatened by the Kiowa and Comanche. In response to the appeals of 

 Agent Miles, a sufficient force of cavalry and infantry was sent from 

 Fort Leavenworth to protect the Darlington agency. As soon as it 

 had appeared that war was inevitable. Whirlwind, head chief of the 

 tribe, with his band of Cheyenne, had moved into the agency, where 

 he remained steadfastly peaceable. W^hiteshield also ranged himself 

 on the side of peace, and consented to carry a message to the hostile 

 camp, as a result of which Little-robe and a number of others broke 

 away at night and came into the agency, being compelled to abandon 

 their tipis and most of their household goods to effect their escape 

 {Report, 41). 



The Kiowa medicine dance, which was held usually in June, had 

 been postponed on account of the absence of Lone-wolf, who had gone 

 to Texas after the bodies of his son and nephew. On his return it was 

 held at a point on the North fork of lied river (see the calendar, 1874), 

 being attended in force by the Comanche and Cheyenne, who made a 

 strong effi^rt to engage the Kiowa in the war. The dance closed on 

 the 3d of July, when a small minority, led by Lone- wolf and Swan, 

 decided for war and joined the hostiles, but the majority, under Kick- 

 ing bird, declared for peace and came in to the agency at Fort Sill. 

 Here the friendly Indians of the different tribes belonging to the 

 agency — Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache — were directed to encamp 

 together on Cache creek, where they were enrolled by order of Colonel 

 Davidson, after which none were to be allowed to come in and join the 

 camp of the friendlies without surrendering their arms and obtaining 

 a guarantee from the agent that they were guiltless of hostile acts. 

 Similar orders were carried out in regard to the Indians of the Wichita 

 agency at Anadarko. The enrollment showed four-fifths of the Kiowa 

 among the friendlies, although, as the agent remarks, doubtless some of 

 them did not deserve the name. With some inconsistency. Lone-wolf 

 sent a message declaring his desire for peace and asking permission to 

 come in to the friendly camp; but, as he was considered the leader and 

 one of the most guilty of the hostiles, his request was refused. In the 

 meantime orders had been issued trom the War Department, on 'luly 

 21, authorizing the military to punish the hostiles wherever found, even 

 to pursuing them upon their reservations. General Pope, commanding 

 the department, at once set the troops in motion, and a vigorous cam- 

 paign began from the north and south of the exposed territory. 



FIGHT AT ANADARKO, THE WICHITA AGENCV 



Late in August a band of Nokoni Comanche came into the camp of 

 friendly Comanche at the Wichita agency (Anadarko), desiring to 

 remain. Colonel Davidson, commanding at Fort Sill, went over with a 



