1883 Indians of the Plains

IClaytonR

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I've got a few people traveling on horseback from Wyoming to Texas, essentially along the established cattle trails. The year is 1883, after the Indian wars. Would the plains Indians be a factor at all? It seems by this time most were removed to reservations. So, would the journey likely be free of contact with native peoples? What could they expect when riding through Indian Territory? This seems like kind of a lull in western history. After the Indian wars and before the range wars. Kind of a time of railroad building and ranching. Thoughts?
 

milkweed

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I'd start with a google search of plains indians, if you haven't done so yet, you should get a good dose of information there and then do a secondary search once you have your information on the various nations that inhabited those area of the plains your story takes place. For instance googling Apache brings up a wikipedia article describing who they are where they live, where they were moved to and the time frames. Now you only have another 30 nations to research.
 

klewis

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East side of the Continental Divide? Wounded Knee was in 1890- still lots of very interesting history and sad history going one-
even though most Native American were confined to reservations- scattered from Wyoming to Texas- there were still raids, skirmishes and chances for travelers to intersect with Native, kind or not, who had left the reservation.
Most tribes - consider it a matter of pride to steal, or borrow, a white man's horse- in the night while the horse is hobbled and grazing- or his boots- stories from Wetherill's diaries- Colorado dealing with the Utes and Navajos
Also Women and Indians on the Frontier 1825-1915
Army Wives on the American Frontier are good references- I found that Woman's diaries seem to have more of an accounting of the day to day- where men's seems to be about the battles and bigger events, my POV.
it was not uncommon for a family of Natives traveling to intersect with other travelers- some to trade, some to beg and some to cause trouble.
Hope that helps
 

Maxx

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Yes, that is helpful. Thank you.

KLewis covered what I was going to say about the Wetherills. Franc Newcomb (a woman) lived a little later and knew the Navajo very well. I read her autobiography. Pretty cool.

A lot might depend on the time of the year, the nature of the travellers (experienced? foolhardy?) and what they had worth stealing, though con-artists, nervous homesteaders, plain old horse theives and practical jokers might be a lot more hazardous than the Indians.