Arikara scouts
Arikara scouts were enlisted men from the Arikara Nation serving in the U.S. Army at different frontier posts in present-day North Dakota from 1868 to 1881. The enlistment period was six months with re-enlistment possible. Each scout received a uniform, firearm and drew rations. Scout duties ranged from carrying mail between commands to tracking down traditional enemies perceived as hostile by the Army in far ranging military campaigns. Detailed to secure the horses in located enemy camps, the scouts were often the first to engage in battle. The Arikara took part when the Army protected survey crews in the Yellowstone area in the early 1870s. They participated in the Great Sioux War of 1876 and developed into Colonel George Armstrong Custer's "… most loyal and permanent scouts …".: 132
| Arikara scouts | |
|---|---|
Former Arikara scouts in the U.S. Army: Red Star (left), Boy Chief (center) and Red Bear (right) | |
| Active | 1868 – 1881 |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Indian scouts |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Stevenson
Fort McKeen Fort Abraham Lincoln (former Fort McKeen) |
| Engagements | Lakota attacks near Fort McKeen
Yellowstone Expedition of 1873 |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | George A. Custer, George Crook, Charles A. Varnum, Alfred Terry |
Nearly 150 Arikara enlisted at different times from 1868 until the end of the Indian Wars in the area. They served "bravely and honorably".: 13 The experience of the scouts motivates some present-day Arikara people to carry on the tradition and enter military service.: 21