Award-winning author & historian Janelle Molony presents on nine previously overlooked military actions in Wyoming (Idaho Territory, ca. 1864), including one event that elicited the largest marshaling of Union forces against Plains Indians up to that date, and a series of departmental failures that resulted in Fort Laramie’s post commander Lt. Col. William O. Collins being immediately demoted.
It’s True
There are nine events that demanded the attention of the 11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and 7th Iowa Volunteer Cavalry during the summer of 1864, specifically from July 12-August 11. And there could be even more! Here’s the list of what Molony has clearly defined so far using primary source documents:
- July 12-14 Platte River Raids
- July 13 Skirmish with the Dutch
- July 19-24 Wind River Expedition
- July 19-24 Powder River Expedition (NOT the same as 1865)
- July 20 Skirmish at Dry Fork Creek (Brown’s Spring Creek)
- July 25 Battle at Red Buttes (NOT the same as 1865)
- July 26 Incident at Platte Bridge Station (NOT the same as 1865)
- July 28 Rawhide Creek Expedition
- Aug. 5 Attack on Fort Laramie
- Plus, a Confederate-Led Crime Ring Conspiracy
Source records supporting these events include accounts from soldiers in both regiments, emigrants on the trail, Plains Indian informants, oral histories of tribe members who witnessed or participated, Indian agents and frontiersmen who were caught having to choose sides.
Yet, these events are not detailed in the Official Roster of the Soldiers, not detailed in Fold3/NARA records, not detailed by U.S. Indian Agent John Loree, and not found in any official communications from Lt. Col. Collins (Post Commander, Fort Laramie) or Gen. Robert B. Mitchell (District Commander). To date, ehe National Park Service currently recognizes a nondescript “action” on the North Platte River on July 19 and 26.
All that to say… this is a special opportunity to hear what happened and consider what factors may have kept these events off the record for so long.
Much of this history has been told from the emigrant perspective in the 2023 nonfiction Emigrant Tales of the Platte River Raids. That 11-time national-literary-award-winning book has been called a breakthrough in scholarship and a first-rate work of history by professional reviewers. Now, the lens has been shifted to examine the military’s role in and responsibility for maintaining peace on the Plains. Frontiersman John Bozeman stands out as a primary instigator by trailblazing through treaty-protected lands without regard to the severity of consequences that would follow.
The spotlight also falls on Sihasapa Blackfoot-Lakota Chief “Charging Bear” (Wacanka yapi or Uses Him As A Shield, not to be mistaken as his son with the same warrior name, who was known as John Grass). Members of the 11th O.V.C. knew this leader very well and referred to him as “Old Grass.” Scout reports, emigrant diaries, and soldiers at military posts record his travels during the summer of 1864, heading west past Fort Laramie and the Upper Platte Bridge Station (Fort Caspar) to go to war with the Eastern Shoshone. Emigrant diarists record seeing Chief Grass return with numerous scalps and even meeting Shoshone who were forced into hiding. Upon his return to the area, Chief Grass was suspected of having been responsible for (or somehow involved in) the murders of at least eight emigrants, four kidnappings, and for coordinating the robbery of over 2,000 horses across a 100-mile stretch of trails he hadn’t visited in over a month. His band instantly became the military’s scapegoat in a tragic event that might qualify today as a massacre.
Why don’t people know about these things? That’s an excellent question. We should talk about it.
Book Molony for Your Next Event or Group Meeting
Speaker fees apply. Travel stipends may also apply.
About
Janelle Molony is a prolific nonfiction writer on topics of Women, Wars & the West. She is a former K-12 classroom educator, homeschool parent, and creator of vibrant, educational YouTube content. Molony holds a Masters in Science from Grand Canyon University and a Bachelors in Art from Arizona State University. Molony’s presentations are thoroughly researched, thought provoking, and usually produce laughter or other strong emotional connections. She can entertain a living room or amphitheater, and is always good for “one more story.”
Length
1 hr. presentation + 10-min. Q&A. Total time on site is approx. 2 ½ hours with 30min. setup & tech check, book sales & signing (if permitted) and up to 30min. tear down.
Other Topics
Feel free to request a current brochure of topics available to book. Special requests or adaptations can be made with increased prep time. See a list of her previous national and international engagements here (JanelleMolony.com/Publications).
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