TheParticipationofChiefPlentyCoupsattheIntermentCeremonyoftheWWIUnknownSoldier
ArlingtonNationalCemeteryonNovember11,1921
ByDanielA.Stewart(Lozo),FormerSentineloftheGuardNo.214(1979-1980),TomboftheUnknownSoldier
February27,2017
ChiefPlentyCoupsChiefPlentyCoupsattheTomboftheUnknownSoldier
PublicdomainphotographNovember1921priorto50tonmarblecapstonebeingplacedoncrypt
UsedbypermissionofPuttThompson,LittleBigHornBattlefieldTradingPost
Summary:
ChiefPlentyCoups(sometimesmisspelled“Coos”)oftheCrowIndianNationofMontanawaschosenbythe
UnitedStatesgovernmenttorepresenthisandotherAmericanIndiannationsattheintermentoftheWorldWarI
unknownsoldieratArlingtonNationalCemeteryonNovember11,1921.Duringthefouryearsofsustained
combatfrom1914through1918,eightmillionsoldiersdied.In1921,theremainsof1,237Americansoldiers
buriedinFrancerestedbeneathtombstonesmarkedUnknown.ThispaperrecountsChiefPlentyCoups’
participationintheburialservicesoftheunknownsoldier,includingtheagedchief’sspontaneousprayeratthe
solemngravesideceremony.TheAmericanIndianartifactspresentedtotheunknownsoldierwillbeexamined.
Thesehighestofmilitaryhonorsarethewarbonnetandcoupsstick.Andanexaminationwillbemadeofthe
historicandpoliticalrationaleforwhythisgreatIndianleaderwaschosentorepresentallIndiannationsonthis
occasion.DuringWorldWarI,CrowandotherAmericanIndiansoldiersenlistedintheUnitedStatesArmyas
proudAmericans.ChiefPlentyCoupswasanArmyScoutwhofoughtwithGeneralCrookattheBattleofthe
RosebudinMontanaonJune17,1876onlyeightdaysandaboutsixtyfivemilessoutheastofthelocationof
GeneralGeorgeArmstrongCuster’sdefeatattheBattleoftheLittleBighorn.Adeeperunderstandingofthelifeof
ChiefPlentyCoupsandhisparticipationattheintermentoftheunknownsoldierin1921revealsanother
dimensionofthemeaningoftheTomboftheUnknownSoldier.
CrowIndiansServinginWorldWarI:
ChiefPlentyCoupsstronglyencouragedyoungCrowmentoserveintheUnitedStatesArmyduringWorldWarI:
“Thisisyourchancetoprovethatyouarewarriors,justasyourfathersandgrandfatherswereintheold
days.Thisisanewday,withnewchallengesandopportunities.YouareAmericans–thefirstAmericans!
Beproudofyournobleheritage.ProveyourpatriotismbyfightingforAmerica.”(1)
ACrowtribalreportliststhenamesofthirty-eightCrowmenwhofoughtinthewar.(2)CrowNationpopulation
was1,826in1905and1,679in1930.In1998therewere9,814enrolledmembersoftheCrowTribe.(3)
ChiefPlentyCoups’SelectiontoRepresentAmericanIndiansattheIntermentoftheUnknownSoldier:
TheprocessbywhichtheUnitedStatesgovernmentselectedChiefPlentyCoupstorepresentallIndiannationsat
thegravesideintermentoftheunknownsoldierisobscure.Writtendocumentsoftheprocesssupporting
authorizationofChiefPlentyCoups’participationintheceremonieshavenotbeenlocatedbyscholars.However,
1
givenChiefPlentyCoups’statusasChiefoftheCrowNation,hisinter-triballeadershiprole,andnational
reputationasculturalambassadorandshrewdstatesmenlikelyallcontributedtohisemergenceastheIndian
NationsrepresentativeattheTomboftheUnknownSoldierin1921.Whatevertheselectionprocesswas,
BrigadierGeneralWilliamLassiterinformedPlentyCoupsthathewastodecoratetheTomboftheUnknown
SoldieronArmisticeDay(4).ChiefPlentyCoupswasthen73yearsold.
ChiefPlentyCoups’associationwiththeUnitedStatesgovernmentbeganwhenhewasaseniormilitaryscout
duringtheIndianwarsofthenorthernplainsinthelate1800sandcontinuedinhisroleasachiefhelpingoversee
thesettlementofhistribeontheCrowReservationinMontana.HisdiplomaticroletotheUnitedStates
th
governmentcontinuedintheearly20 century.A2001researchstudysponsoredbytheMontanaCommitteeFor
TheHumanitiesstates:
“ItislogicalthatgivenPlentyCoups’nationalprofileinthe1909and1913Wanamakerprojects,andhis
longassociationwithleadersoftheUnitedStates,includingPresidents,SenatorsandCongressmen,
Generals,andBureauofIndianAffairsAgents,thatthisdecisionwaseasytomake,andwashandled
informally.TheNativeAmericanleadershadacceptedhisinfluenceandleadershipatpreviousevents.”
(5)
InthedaysassociatedwiththeburialoftheunknownsoldierinearlyNovemberof1921,PresidentWarrenG.
HardingreceivedtheIndiandelegationontheWhiteHouselawn.ChiefPlentyCoups,attendedbyReverendJohn
Frost,BaptistMinister,gavethepresidentabeadedandquilledtobaccopouch.ChiefPlentyCoupsandtheCrow
andSiouxchiefspresentwerephotographedwithCharlesH.Burke,CommissionerofIndianAffairs.(6)
SolemnIntermentoftheUnknownSoldier:
TheWorldWarIunknownsoldierwasburiedatArlingtonNationalCemeteryonNovember11,1921.Nearly
100,000peoplegatheredamongtherollinghillsofthecemeterybelowtreesfestoonedwiththecoloredleavesof
fall.5,000peoplewerecrowdedintotheMemorialAmphitheaterforthefuneralservice.Allaspectsofthe
memorialceremoniesweretransmittedtothemultitudespresentbyloudspeakersandacrossthecountryby
telephonetransmission.ThefocalpointofthefuneralservicewastheMemorialAmphitheaterofwhitemarble
overlookingthePotomacRivervalleytothemonumentalskylineofWashington,D.C.beyondtheriver.Inthe
ellipticalshapedamphitheater,PresidentHardingdeliveredhisfuneraladdresshonoringtheunknownsoldier.
Duringthesolemnceremoniesattheburialoftheunknownsoldier,onlyPresidentHardingwasscheduledto
speak.Followingthefuneralserviceintheamphitheateritself,thesceneatthegravesideceremonyattheTomb
oftheUnknownSoldierontheeastsideoftheamphitheaterisdescribedbytheNewYorkTimes:
“Theburialceremonyaroundthesarcophagusfacingtheeasternentrancetotheamphitheatre(sic)was
justasimpressiveastheprograminsidethegreatellipse.Aftertheremainshadbeenbornethroughthe
apsetothesarcophagusbytheactivepallbearers,thehonorarypallbearersformedoneithersideofthe
sarcophaguswhichwasfacedbyPresidentandMrs.Harding,VicePresidentandMrs.Coolidge,thesenior
foreigndelegatestothearmsconference,MarshalFock,AdmiralBeatty,GeneralsDiazandJacques,
GeneralPershingandstaffandmembersoftheCabinet.SupremeCourtandCongress,whostoodwith
baredheadswhileChaplainBrentrecitedthecommittalceremony.
TotherightofthesarcophagusstoodMrs.R.EmmettDigney,PresidentoftheNationalAmericanWar
Mothers,andMrs.JudaMcCudden,whocametothiscountrywithafloralwreathfromtheBritishWar
Mothers.TotheleftstoodChiefPlentyCoos(sic)oftheCrowIndianNation,andfiveotherIndian
ChieftainsinwarbonnetandIndianceremonialregalia,andRepresentativeHamiltonFish,Jr.ofNew
York.Mr.FishandtheBritishandAmericanWarMothersplacedseparatefloralpiecesonthreecorners
ofthegrave,andthenChiefPlentyCoosadvanced,deliveredabrieforationinthefeeblevoiceofan
elderlymanoverflowingwithemotionandlaidhiswarbonnetandcoupsstickuponthesarcophagus.
2
WhentheagedIndian,withfinelychiseledprofile,removedhisownfeatheredwarbonnetandplacedit
tenderlyonthemarbleedgeofthesarcophagusandthenliftedhisarmsinsupplicationtowardHeaven,it
constitutedoneoftheoutstandingfeaturesofthewholeremarkableceremony.ManyIndianservedin
theAmericanforcesintheWorldWar,andGeneralFochhaspaidthemhightribute.WhenChiefPlenty
CoosdepositedthewarbonnettodayheactedinthenameofallAmericanIndians.”(7)
Theancientwarbonnetandcoupsstickhadbeenwithhistribeforgenerations.TheNewYorkTimesprovidesthis
recordofChiefPlentyCoups’comments:
“Ifeelitisanhonortotheredmanthathetakespartinthisgreatevent,becauseitshowsthatthe
thousandsofIndianswhofoughtinthegreatwarareappreciatedbythewhiteman.Iamgladto
representalltheIndiansoftheUnitedStatesinplacingonthegraveofthisnoblewarriorthiscoupsstick
andwarbonnet,everyfeatherofwhichrepresentsadeedofvalorbymyrace.IhopethattheGreat
Spiritwillgrantthatthesenoblewarriorshavenotgivenuptheirlivesinvainandthattherewillbepeace
toallmenhereafter.ThisistheIndians’hopeandprayer.”(8)
Inbattle,thesupremeactofbraverywastodashtowardanarmedenemyandphysicallytouchhispersonwitha
coupsstickorotherwarimplementwithoutinflictingawound.Thisactof“countingcoups”demonstratedthe
braveryandskillofthefearlesswarrior.Eachactofcountingcoupsearnedthewarrioragoldeneaglefeather.
Therichlyornamentedwarbonnetwasmadeofthirty-sixgoldeneaglefeathers,elaboratebeadwork,anddressed
withfourweaselfurs.Eachfeatherrepresentsanactofvalorbythewarriorinbattle.(9)Warbonnetswere
formalbattleregalia.Mostbyfarwerefashionedfromtwenty-threetothirty-twogoldeneaglefeathersplacedin
acirclearoundtheskullcapandtrailingdownthetailwhichcouldbeuptoeightfeetlong.Duringbattle,the
streamingtailofwasheldaloftintherushingairbehindthehorsemountedwarriorracingacrossthebattlefieldin
thefaceoftheenemy.Thecoupsstickisawoodenstaffsixtoninefeetlongwrappedwithbandsofleatheror
felt.Itwasalsoadornedwithasinglerowofgoldeneaglefeathers,representingmilitaryhonorswoninbattle.
Everypartofthefeatheredheaddressandcoupsstickhadaspecialmeaningwhichwouldbeunderstoodby
membersofthetribe.(10)
ThewarbonnetandcoupsstickChiefPlentyCoupspresentedtotheunknownsoldierareonviewinthe“Trophy
Room”oftheMemorialAmphitheateratArlingtonNationalCemetery.Displaycasesinthe“TrophyRoom”also
containmedalsofthehighestmilitaryhonorsofmanynationsawardedtotheunknownsoldier,includingthe
MedalofHonoroftheUnitedStates,theVictoriaCrossoftheBritishEmpire,theCroixdeGuerreoftheRepublic
ofFrance,andtheGoldMedalofBraveryofItalytonameafew.Visitorsreverentlyfilebythesebeautifulmedals
andoftenpauseinquisitivelywhentheystandbeforethedisplaycasecontainingthewarbonnetandcoupsstick
labeledsimply,“ChiefPlentyCoos,AmericanIndians.”
ChiefPlentyCoupsinductedintotheCrowNationsuchnotablefiguresofhistime,suchasFrenchField-Marshal
Foch,commanderofAlliedforcesinWorldWarI,VicePresidentCurtis,formerGovernorFrankO.Lowdenof
Illinois,andMajorGeneralJamesG.Harbord.(11)
BiographyofChiefPlentyCoups:
ResearchersRichPittsleyandC.AdrianHeidenreichsummarizethegreatchief:
“Thisspiritualmanwasknownallovertheworld.Hewasrespectedandhonoredasawarriorchief,asa
patriotandleader,asadiplomatandstatesman,asatoughnegotiatorandsuccessfulbusinessman.He
wasknownasanambassadorforpeaceandracialharmony,andasakindandcompassionateservantto
allhischildren,ofallcultures.”(12)
Inthesummerof1848,PlentyCoupswasbornat“the-cliff-that-has-no-pass”intheYellowstoneRiverValleynear
Billings,Montanaintheshadowofthetansandstonecliffsthatdominatethelandscape.(13)Hediedathishome
ontheCrowIndianReservation,Pryor,Montana,onMarch3,1932(age84).PlentyCoups’Crowlanguagename,
3
givenbyhisgrandfather,wasAlaxchiiaahush,meaning“manyachievements”or,morecommonly,“PlentyCoups.”
CoupistheFrenchwordfor“stroke”or“blow.”“PlentyCoos”isanalternatespellingencounteredinthe
literature.ThetraditionalterritoryoftheCrowNationincludedmostofMontanaandnorthcentralWyoming–
theheartofthenorthernrangeofvastherdsofbuffaloherdsandalsohometoanabundanceofotherwildgame.
InthisIndianGardenofEden,PlentyCoupsexperiencedanidyllicIndianboyhoodinwhichhehonedbothhunting
andleadershipskills.
PlentyCoupstoldhisbiographer,FrankB.Linderman(“PlentyCoups:ChiefoftheCrows”):
“’Wemovedcampveryoften,andthistome,andtheotherboysofmyage,wasgreatfun,’thechiefsaid.
‘Assoonasthecrierrodethroughthevillagetellingthepeopletogetreadytotravel,Iwouldfindmy
youngfriendsandwewouldcatchupourhorsesasfastastheherdersbroughtthemin.Lodgeswould
comedownquickly,horseswouldbepacked,travoisloaded,andthenawaywewouldgotosomenew
placeweboyshadneverseenbefore.Thelonglineofpackhorsesandtravoisreachedfartherthanwe
couldsee,thedogsandbandsofloosehorses,allsweepingacrosstherollingplainsorupamountaintrail
tosomemysteriousdestination,madeourheartssingwithjoy.’”(14)
WhenPlentyCoupswasayoungman,andthetribalvillagewascampednearmodernBillings,Montana,his
motherdiedinasmallpoxoutbreakthatdecimatedtheCrowtribe.Inanactofreligiousappeasement,twoyoung
warriorstogetherracedtheirwhitewarponiesoffthehightancliffs,hopingthattheirsacrificewouldassuagethe
waveofsmallpoxdeaths.PlentyCoups’fatherlaterdiedinbattleagainsttheSiouxwhowereencroachingon
Crowlands.Anolderbrotherlaterdiedininter-tribalbattlenearwheretheRosebudRiveremptiesinthe
YellowstoneRiverinsoutheasternMontana.Inspiteoftheselosses,PlentyCoupsdidnotbecomediscouragedor
embittered.PlentyCoupsgrewintoatall,handsomeyoungwarriorrecognizedforhisbravery,coolnessinbattle,
spiritualinsight,politicalequanimity,andfidelitytoprinciplesoffairnessandgenerosity.Hispleasantdisposition,
giftedstorytellingskills,andabilitytoprovidegamemadehimawelcomefriendamongtheCrowlodgesofhis
village.
Asaboyofnineyearsold,PlentyCoups,likeallAmericanIndianmen,receivedspiritualguidanceinthevision
questreligiousrite.ManyIndianmenexperiencedadditionvisionsthroughouttheirlives.PlentyCoups’key
visionsincludedseeingthebuffaloallfallingintoaholeintheground.Oneday,allofthebuffalowouldbegone.
Andintheirplaceemergedspeckledbuffalothatwouldlaterbeidentifiedwithdomesticcattle.Healsosawallof
thetreesofaforestfallingdownbeforeastrongwind,saveonetreewithachickadeebirdinit.Spiritualelders
interpretedthatalloftheAmericanIndiantribeswouldpassawayexcepttheCrowNation,iftheyallied
themselveswiththewhitepeople.Placingthesespiritualinsightsintothecontextoftheeventsofhistime,Chief
PlentyCoupsmadeithismissiontocontinuetoallytheCrowtribewiththeUnitedStateswhichhebelievedwould
becomethedominantsociety.Hedeterminedtobeatoughnegotiatorandadvocateforhispeople,while
supportingthewhitepeople.
Inhisearlyadultyears,PlentyCoupsdistinguishedhimselfininter-tribalwarfarethroughhisweaponsskill,
bravery,andcomposureunderfire.Heearnedmilitaryhonorsbycountingcoupsonhisenemies.Countingcoups
roughlyisequivalenttoAmericanmilitarypersonnelbeingawardedmedalsfordistinguishedactsofbraveryin
battle.ThefirsttimePlentyCoupscountedcoupswasduringaboyhoodhuntingexpeditioninanencounterwitha
ragingbullbuffalo.
PlentyCoupsbecameachiefin1875attheageoftwenty-eight.Fourprescribeddeedswererequiredtobecomea
chief:captureofaweaponfromanenemy,strikefirstcouponanenemy,captureahorsepicketedbeforeatepee
inanenemycamp,andleadawarpartythattakeshorsesorscalpswithoutlossoflife.(15)ChiefPlentyCoups
countedcoupnolessthaneightytimes(source:wyomingplaces.pbworks.com).
ChiefPlentyCoupsfirstpersonalservicetotheU.S.Armyoccurredin1876whenhevolunteeredasaleadingscout
toGeneralCrookintheSiouxwartakingplaceinWyomingandMontana.Atotalof260AmericanIndiansofthe
CrowandShoshonetribesfoughtalongsidetheUnitedStatesArmyofGeneralGeorgeCrookandhis1,050men.
4
OnJune171876,PlentyCoupsdistinguishedhimselfattheBattleoftheRosebudinnorthernWyomingbyfighting
bravelyandhelpingsavetwoU.S.Armyofficers,HughScottandGuyHenry,whowouldlaterbecomegenerals.
MostscholarsbelievethatPlentyCoupsandhisCrowwarriorsalongwithShoshoneChiefWashakieandhis
warriorssavedGeneralCrookandhis1,050manarmyfromannihilationbyCrazyHorse’sSiouxandtheallied
CheyenneandArapahoewarriorswho,onJune25,1876,laterwipedoutGeneralCusterandhismenattheBattle
oftheLittleBighornaboutsixtyfivemilestothenorthwest.
Afterthebuffaloweregoneinthe1880s,ChiefPlentyCoupsencouragedhispeopletosettlepermanentlyonthe
CrowReservationandadoptafarmingandranchingwayoflife.Headvocateda“bestofbothworlds”strategy
thatincludedtendingcattleandgrowingcropswhileworkingtopreserveCrowIndianculture.In1884,Chief
PlentyCoupsbecameoneofthefirstCrowIndianstogiveupnomadicways.Hesettledona320acreallotmentof
land,builtahouse,openedageneralstore,andbeganfarming.
InFebruaryof1908,ChiefPlentyCoupsandotherCrowleadersheldcounselwithBureauofIndianAffairs
InspectorJamesMcLaughlin.ChiefPlentyCoupsstated:
“Thesewhitepeoplearemypeopleandwetreatedthemniceineveryway…therearenopeopleinthe
worldmorefaithfulthantheCrowIndian…andwhentherewasafight,afterthebattlewheneveryou
foundalittlegroupofdeadsoldiers,youalwaysfoundseveraldeadCrowIndianslyingbesidethem…we
haveletlandsgothatwerevaluableandwedidnotrealizetheirvalue,andwhilewewerepaidforthem,
werealizenowthatthecompensationwasnotadequate.Wepityourselvesasapeopleyetwedonot
wishtodie…Ihaveneverhadanygrudgeagainstthewhitepeople.Ihavealwaysfollowedthepoliciesof
thewhiteman,andifapersoncomplieswiththerequestsofthewhitepeopleuncomplaininglyyouhave
noreasontotaketheirlandswithoutourconsentorbyforce.”(16)
TheChiefPlentyCoupsLegacy:
FollowingChiefPlentyCoups’deathonMarch3,1932,theHouseofRepresentativesoftheUnitedStatesCongress
honoredthegreatchiefwithamomentofsilence.HavingbeenconfirmedintheRomanCatholicChurch,his
funeralwasconductedbyTheMostReverendEdwinV.O’Hara,RomanCatholicbishopfromHelena,Montana.
(17)Muchadmiredamongwhitepeople,CrowTribemembers,andotherIndiantribes,someCrowTribal
membershavefeltChiefPlentyCoupsmayhavebeentooaccommodativetotheUnitedStatesgovernmentand
cededmoreCrowlandsthanwasnecessary.TheCrowIndianReservationwasoriginally38millionacres,butby
th
the20 centurythereservationwasdownto1.8millionacres.PlentyCoupsbelievedhedidwhatwasnecessary
forthesurvivalofhispeopleandtheirculture.
Thevisionarychiefmadeprovisioninhisestatedocumentstoprovide165acresoflandforestablishingathis
homeinPryor,MontanaontheCrowReservationforaparkthatwouldwelcomebothIndianandwhitepeople.
Today,thislandisastatepark.ChiefPlentyCoupshaddecidedthatthisparkwouldbeoneofhislegaciestothe
AmericanpeoplefollowinghisvisittoGeorgeWashington’sestateatMountVernon:
“’Manyyearsago,’hetoldme,‘IstoodbesidethetombofthefirstwhiteChief,GeorgeWashington,and
feltgladtobethere.IhadheardmuchaboutthisChief,andhadnoticedthatnomanspokeharshlyofhis
lifeordeeds,andthatallheldhisnameinreverence.IwasoneamongmanyvisitorsatMountVernon
thatday,andyettherewasnotalking,nonoise,becausepeoplewerethinkingofthegreatpastandthe
unknownfuture.Whenpeoplethinkdeeplytheyarehelped,andinthesilencethereIsentmythoughtto
theGreatWhiteChiefinthatotherlife.Ispoketohim,andIbelieveheheardme.Isaid:“GreatChief,
whenyoucameintopowerthestreamsofyourcountry’saffairsweremuddy.Yourheartwasstrong,and
yourtonguespokestraight.Yourpeoplelistened,andyouledthemthroughwartothepeaceyouloved.
Theyrememberyourwordseventothisday,arehelpedandmadestrongbythem.Asyouhelpedyour
people,helpmenow,anAbsarokeechief,toleadmypeopletopeace.I,too,havealittlecountrytosave
formychildren.”Ifeltthenthatheheardme,andIhavenotchangedmymind.MountVernonisvery
beautiful.Peopletravelfartoseeit.Iplannedthentoleavemyhouseandsomelandaroundit,asapark
5
formypeople.…Thisspotwasshownmeinmygreatmedicine-dream,andIwantmypeopletopossessit
forever,justaswhitemenownandkeepthehomeoftheirgreatChief,GeorgeWashington.’”(18)
CrownIndianNation
TheCrownamefortheirtribeisapsa-ro-ke,orApsaalooke.Thewordhasnoknownetymology,butithasbeen
translatedhistoricallyasareferencetoabird,somethingthatflies,‘sparrowhawkpeople.’Otherderivations
ultimatelyresultedinthemodernEnglishnameofCrow.
SourcesindicatethattheCrowIndiansoriginatedintheirseparationfromtheHidatsatribe.Onereportfromthe
1860sstatesthattheCroworiginatedintheBearPawMountainsandattheThreeForksoftheMissouriRiverand
hadnooraltraditionofearliermigrationortheirseparationfromtheHidatsa.Othertraditionsreportadispute
betweentwochiefs.ThisresultedinaCrowmedicinemanreceivingavisionthatthegroupwastojourneywest.
WhentheyarrivedbelowCloudPeakintheBigHornMountainsofcentralWyoming,theGreatSpirittoldthe
medicinemanthatthisregionwasthenewhomeoftheCrow.TheCrowobtainedhorsesbytheearly1700sfrom
regionalIndiantribes,fosteringthetransitiontoahorseandbuffaloculture.TraderouteslinkedtheCrowtoboth
eastandwestcoastsofthecontinent.(19)
Inthefirsthalfofthe1800s,theseveraleasternIndiantribeswerepushedeverwestwardbytheexpansionofthe
UnitedStates.ThisplacedtheSioux,Cheyenne,Arapahoe,andseveralothertribesindirectcompetitionforCrow
territorialresources.TheCrowwerebravewarriors,buttheywereoutnumbered.AllyingwiththeUnitedStates
governmentwasastrategicpoliticalinitiativethatevenPlentyCoups’fatherrealizedwasnecessarywhenheand
otherCrowchiefssignedatreatyoffriendshipandrecognitionwiththeUnitedStatesin1825.Inthisway,the
CrowbecamethealliesoftheUnitedStatesandremainedsothroughoutthePlainsIndianwarsandbeyond.In
1851and1861othertreatiesweresignedwiththeUnitedStates.In1870,CrowNationreservationlifebeganand
becameapermanentnecessityinthe1880swiththedemiseofthegreatbuffaloherdsduetooverhuntingby
whitepeople.In1924AmericanIndiansgainedtherighttovoteintheIndianCitizenshipAct.
Writer’sComment:
AsaformerSentineloftheGuardattheTomboftheUnknownSoldierin1979through1980,thiswriteresteems
thegreatChiefPlentyCoupswithloveandhonorasavisionaryleaderwhoendeavoredtodohisbestfortheCrow
Tribe,allAmericanIndianNations,andindeedallAmericans.Hismeaningfulroleattheintermentoftheunknown
soldieratArlingtonNationalCemeteryonNovember11,1921wasaprayerfulactencouragingunityandpeacefor
allmankind.Andhislegacylivesontothisday.
6
Appendix1:
TheTombGuardCreed
Mydedicationtothissacredduty
Istotalandwholehearted
Intheresponsibilitybestowedonme
NeverwillIfalter
Andwithdignityandperseverance
Mystandardwillremainperfection.
Throughtheyearsofdiligenceandpraise
Andthediscomfortoftheelements
Iwillwalkmytourwithhumblereverence
Tothebestofmyability.
ItishewhocommandstherespectIprotect
Hisbraverythatmadeussoproud
Surroundedbywell-meaningcrowdsbyday
Aloneinthethoughtfulpeaceofnight
ThissoldierwillinhonoredGloryrest
Undermyeternalvigilance.(20)
7
Footnotes:
(1) RichPittsleyAndC.AdrianHeidenreich,MontanaCommitteeForTheHumanitiesResearchFellowship,March
25,2001,“TheLegacyofPlentyCoups(Alaxchiiaahush)”,pg.13
(2) UntitledReportof23pageslistingthenamesofCrowIndianmenwhohaveservedwiththeU.S.militaryfrom
themid-1800sthroughtheIraqWar.WyomingRoomoftheSheridanCountyPublicLibarary,clipfileon
“CrowIndians.”
(3) WilliamC.Sturtevant,GeneralEditor,HandbookofNorthAmericanIndians,Volume13Plains,Part2,
Publisher:Smithsonian,2001,pg.714
(4) CharlesCraneBradley,Jr.,AftertheBuffaloDays:DocumentsontheCrowIndiansFromThe1880’stothe
1920’s,MasterofEducationThesis,MontanaStateUniversity,August1970,pg.341
(5) FrederickC.Krieg,PlentyCoups,HisFinalDignity.Montana,TheMagazineoftheWesternHistory,Autumn
1966,pg.36
(6) RichPittsleyAndC.AdrianHeidenreich,MontanaCommitteeForTheHumanitiesResearchFellowship,March
25,2001,“TheLegacyofPlentyCoups(Alaxchiiaahush)”,pg.22
(7) “100,000GatheredOnArlingtonHills,”NewYorkTimes,November12,1921
(8) JohnCEwers.ACrowChief’sTributetotheUnknownSoldier.TheAmericanWest,November1971,Vol.VIII,
No.6.
(9) “PlentyCoupsguidedCrowintoFuture,”TheBillingsGazette,SundayMagazine,May1,1966.
(10) ThomasE.Mails,TheMysticWarriorsOfThePlains,Publisher:Doubleday,1972,pg.302and380
(11) “AgedChiefOfCrow’sTribeDies,”SheridanPress,Friday,March4,1932
(12) RichPittsleyAndCAdrianHeidenreich,MontanaCommitteeForTheHumanitiesResearchFellowship,March
25,2001,“TheLegacyofPlentyCoups(Alaxchiiaahush)”,pg.1
(13) FrankBirdLinderman,Plenty-Coups,ChiefoftheCrows,Publisher:JohnDay,1972reproductionoforiginal
1930edition,pg.6
(14) “PlentyCoupsguidedCrowintofuture,”TheBillingsGazette,SundayMagazine,Monday,April10,1989.
(15) WilliamC.Sturtevant,GeneralEditor,HandbookofNorthAmericanIndians,Volume13Plains,Part2,
Publisher:Smithsonian,2001,pg.704
(16) RichPittsleyAndC.AdrianHeidenreich,MontanaCommitteeForTheHumanitiesResearchFellowship,March
25,2001,“TheLegacyofPlentyCoups(Alaxchiiaahush)”,pg.11
(17) “AgedChiefOfCrow’sTribeDies,”SheridanPress,Friday,March4,1932
(18) FrankB.Linderman,Plenty-Coups,ChiefoftheCrows,Publisher:JohnDay,1972reproductionoforiginal1930
edition,pg.239–240
(19) WilliamC.Sturtevant,GeneralEditor,HandbookofNorthAmericanIndians,Volume13Plains,Part2,
Publisher:Smithsonian,2001,pg.695–696
(20) PhilipBigler,InHonoredGlory,ArlingtonNationalCemetery:TheFinalPost,Publisher:VandamerePress,
1987,pg.77-78
8