Iron Shell (

Lakota Lakota may refer to: *Lakota people, a confederation of seven related Native American tribes *Lakota language Lakota ( ), also referred to as Lakhota, Teton or Teton Sioux, is a Siouan languages, Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of ...

: Thukíha Máza; 1896) was a

Brulé The Sicangu are one of the seven ''oyates'', nations or council fires, of Lakota people, an Indigenous people of the Northern Plains. Today, many Sicangu people are enrolled citizens of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation ...

Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...

chief. He initially became prominent after an 1843 raid on the

Pawnee Pawnee initially refers to a Native American people and its language: * Pawnee people * Pawnee language Pawnee is also the name of several places in the United States: * Pawnee, Illinois * Pawnee, Kansas * Pawnee, Missouri * Pawnee City, Nebraska * ...

, and became sub-chief of the Brulé under Little Thunder. He became chief of the Brulé Orphan Band during the Powder River War of 1866-1868. After the Sioux broke the United States wagon train of gold payments for the civil war, he signed the

Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 The Treaty of Fort Laramie (also the Sioux Treaty of 1868) is an agreement between the United States and the Oglala, Miniconjou, and Brulé bands of Lakota people, Yanktonai Dakota, and Arapaho Nation, following the failure of the first For ...

, and settled within the

Great Sioux Reservation The Great Sioux Reservation was an Indian reservation created by the United States through treaty with the Sioux, principally the Lakota, who dominated the territory before its establishment. In the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, the reservation ...

. He lived the remainder of his life on what is now known as the

Rosebud Indian Reservation The Rosebud Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation in South Dakota, United States. It is the home of the federally recognized Rosebud Sioux Tribe, who are Sicangu, a band of Lakota people. The Lakota name ''Sicangu Oyate'' translates as th ...

. (The Great Sioux Reservation was broken up by the US in 1889, and divided among five smaller reservations.) Hollow Horn Bear was the son of Iron Shell.

Biography

Iron Shell was born in about 1816. He was the son of

Sicangu The Sicangu are one of the seven ''oyates'', nations or council fires, of Lakota people, an Indigenous people of the Northern Plains. Today, many Sicangu people are enrolled citizens of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation ...

Chief Bull Tail. "Sicangu" meant "burnt thighs", the name given to some of the

people who had been caught in a prairie fire that burned their legs. The French later gave them the name Brulé. During a raid on the

by the Brulé in 1843, Iron Shell received recognition for his actions. Thirteen years later, at Fort Pierre, under Little Thunder, Iron Shell was made a sub-chief of the Brulé. When General William Harney and his 600 troops made a surprise attack in 1855 in the

Battle of Ash Hollow The Battle of Ash Hollow, also known as the Battle of Blue Water Creek or the Harney Massacre,, 2004, Nebraska State Historical Society; accessed 15 August 2016Warren, G.K. (Lt.) Report of September 4, 1855, and sketch of Battle Ground at Blue W ...

against the Brulé at present-day Lewellen, Nebraska, Chief Iron Shell was there and fought against Harney's troops, who greatly outnumbered the Sioux. Two of Iron Shell's wives were captured that day, though Iron Shell escaped. A total of 86 Sioux were killed, including many women and children. That confrontation and massacre constituted the largest loss of life through death or capture and loss of property that the Sicangu had ever suffered.Sprague, Donovin Arleigh (2005)
''Rosebud Sioux''
p. 49. Arcadia Publishing. Iron Shell became chief of the Brulé's Orphan Band during the Powder River War of 1866-1868. He led many attacks against the

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

and

. On September 4, 1867, Chief Iron Shell and 180 of his followers arrived at North Platte. He eventually signed the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 and settled in the Upper Cut Meat District in the

, established under that treaty in the West River area of present-day

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

. In 1889 the reservation was broken up by the US prior to North Dakota and South Dakota being admitted to the Union; his area was made part of what is known as the

. He was buried near

St. Francis, South Dakota St. Francis, also known as Sápauŋ thí (Lakota: ''Sápauŋ thí''; "Catholic House") is a town in the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Todd County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 469 at the 2020 census. St. Francis is named af ...

Notes

References

"Iron Shell", from Axel-jacob.de
, URL accessed 04/03/06
North Dakota Human Rights Coalition
URL accessed 19/07/21 * http://www.snowwowl.com/nativeleader/hollowhornbear.htm {{DEFAULTSORT:Iron Shell 1810s births 1896 deaths Sicangu people Lakota leaders Native American people of the Indian Wars People from Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota