Manville & Schroder (Greenbay, Wisconsin)
1864 (ca)
Portrait of a Native American Woman

Carte de visite, painted
National Gallery of Art
2023.108.1
 
The image depicts Tall Bull (also known as Hotóa'ôxháa'êstaestse), a prominent Southern Cheyenne leader and war chief, particularly known for his leadership of the Dog Soldiers, a fierce Cheyenne warrior society.
 
Role and Influence:
Tall Bull led approximately 500 people in the eastern Colorado and western Kansas and Nebraska areas during the mid-19th century.
 
Key Engagements:
He participated in significant conflicts like the 1864-65 Arapaho-Cheyenne War and the Battle of Beecher Island in 1868.
 
Advocate for Peace:
At the 1867 Medicine Lodge Treaty Council, Tall Bull advocated for peace and urged an end to hostilities against the Cheyenne people, even preventing Roman Nose from attacking General Winfield Hancock during peace talks.
 
Death:
Tall Bull was killed during an ambush at the Battle of Summit Springs in 1869, marking a decline in the power of the Dog Soldiers.
 
LL/130896