‘Indian Chief Not Afraid of Death’

From the May 21, 1875, Nashville Union and American

At six o’clock yesterday evening Ouachita, the wounded Cheyenne Chief [imprisoned] at the [Ash] Barracks, seemed to be in a sinking condition. He was drowsy during the day and ate but one meal. He is as anxious as ever to put an end to his life. Yesterday one of the officers determined to have a thorough test of the brave’s desire to die. Taking a musket and standing a few paces off he took aim at the warrior. “Good,” said Ouachita, as he folded his arms and closed his eyes to await the result. After waiting a few moments, he opened his eyes and seemed very much disappointed when he found the officer would not shoot him. Corporal Allen, who was stabbed by Ouachita as Madison Station, was much improved yesterday, and still stronger hopes are entertained of his recover.

(Newspapers .com)

Editor’s note: A few days after the above incident, Ouachita reportedly failed in an attempt to commit suicide “by stuffing rags down his throat.” He was one of 75 “full-blooded Indian captives” who had arrived in Nashville by train under the guard of 20 United States soldiers. According to a May 20 article in the same newspaper:

“The party was made up of about thirty Cheyennes, twenty-five Kiowas, a few Caddos, and the rest Comanches. Among the number were several distinguished chiefs, a squaw and a pappoose. Many of them were dressed in the regular Indian fashion, and some wore suits of old soldier clothes, but all had on their shoulders the traditional blanket. … They were transported in two cars and their ankles were heavily shackled. All were captured within the last eight months, and some of them were concerned in the murder of the [German] family last summer [in Kansas]. Among this number is the squaw, Mochi, who chopped off the heads of two of the girls with an axe. … 

“Since leaving Fort Leavenworth the braves have been quietly disposed and had given no trouble until yesterday morning, when a Cheyenne chief named Ouachita created a stir among the redskins and the passengers aboard the train. At Madison Station, seven miles from the city, while Corporal Allen, of the fifth infantry, was bending over a box getting out meat for distribution among the prisoners, the chief jumped to his feet, jerked out a butcher knife and stabbed the corporal twice in the back, inflicting dangerous wounds on the left side of the spine in the lower part of the ribs. A private named Hennessey now took a hand in the fray, and running up to Ouachita stabbed him three times in the neck with a knife. Other soldiers came to Hennessey’s assistance, and the chief seeing he would be overpowered, stabbed himself in the left breast before the knife could be gotten out of his hands. The soldiers soon got the upper hand, and the infuriated savage quieted down.…

“Ouachita is a well built fellow, apparently about 40 years of age. There is nothing particularly striking about his appearance, save his very long black hair, bony hands, and the dogged expression on his face. …”