News – Sheridan Media
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On December 21, at 12:30 p.m. Lakota historian Donovin Sprague spoke on the Fetterman Fight from the Native American perspective at Kearny Hall near Story.
Although historian Sonny Reisch was to talk on the Army’s involvement in the Fetterman Fight, he had an emergency and could not attend.
Fort Phil Kearny/Bozeman Trail Association President Dave McKee welcomed the crowd of around 60 people.
He introduced Donovin Sprague who teaches Wyoming Tribal History, American Indian History & Culture at Sheridan College, his ancestor, Hump, who was one of the principal fighters of the Sioux – Cheyenne warriors.
Sprague said he planned to give the talk up by the monument, but since Reisch was not speaking he talked to the crowd at Kearny Hall.
He talked about his family, and the Cheyenne people, he said the Cheyenne at the time were in the Birney, Montana area, but he said most of his people, the Lakota and Cheyenne, (Sprague is part Cheyenne) hunted and camped near here.
The Cheyenne and the Sioux followed the buffalo, so there was no one place to call home. During the 1800s, the main homeland for his family was along the Tongue River, from Miles City Montana, to Dayton, Wyoming.
He added that the Sand Creek Massacre of Black Kettle’s band in Colorado, was one of the pre-cursors to the Fetterman Fight, as well as several of the other fights that preceded it.
He talked about the winter count and the Fetterman fight, which is pictured as a soldier with a saber. The winter count also portrayed the Wagon Box Fight, or They Surrounded the White Tents, which happened the next August.
His family remained free, but now they were called ‘hostiles’
After his talk, the group caravaned to the Fetterman Battlefield site to await the arrival of the Youth Riders. They will be featured in another story tomorrow.
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Last modified: December 23, 2025