Battle of Turkey Springs
| Battle of Turkey Springs | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Little Wolf | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| United States | Cheyenne | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Capt. Joseph Rendlebrock | Dull Knife, Little Wolf | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 86 soldiers; two Arapaho scouts | 92 warriors | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 3 killed, 3 wounded | 5 wounded | ||||||
Location within Oklahoma | |||||||
Turkey Springs Battlefield | |
| Location | Freedom, Oklahoma |
|---|---|
| Area | 145 acres (59 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 100011885 |
| Added to NRHP | June 5, 2025 |
The Battle of Turkey Springs (13–14 September 1878) was the last battle between Native Americans (Indians) and the United States Army in the state of Oklahoma. In the Northern Cheyenne Exodus, 353 Cheyenne Indians, fleeing their reservation in Oklahoma in an attempt to return to their homeland in the northern Great Plains, fought a unit of the United States Army, killing three soldiers. After the battle the Cheyenne continued northward skirmishing with the army along the way. Some were successful in reaching their relatives in Montana. Others were captured or killed near Camp Robinson, Nebraska.