War Eagle was born in Minnesota or Wisconsin in around 1785. His given name, Wambdi Okicize, literally means "Little Eagle", but white people always called him War Eagle. This is ironic, as Little Eagle was a man of peace. He had left his own tribe, the Santee, to avoid bloodshed in a fight as to who would be chief. As a young man, War Eagle spent considerable time working among the white Americans. During the War of 1812 he carried messages for the United States government. He worked as a river guide on the upper Mississippi and he served as a messenger for the American Fur Company. After marrying in Minnesota around 1830, he was adopted into the Yankton Sioux tribe. He and his wife had four girls and three boys. By the mid-1830s, he had been elected as a chief of the tribe, and traveled to Washington, D.C. with other tribal leaders to negotiate peace treaties. War Eagle was especially proud of a silver medal given to him by President Martin Van Buren in 1837. Two of his daughters, Dawn and Blazing Cloud, married Theophile Bruguier, a trader with the American Fur Company who had been accepted into the Yankton tribe and had traveled with them for several years. According to one tradition, Bruguier told War Eagle about a dream he had of a place where two mighty rivers joined near a high bluff. War Eagle told Bruguier he had been to that place and would show it to him. In fact, both men had likely passed by this place many times in their fur trading voyages between St. Louis, Missouri and Fort Pierre. Bruguier claimed the land near the confluence of the Big Sioux and Missouri rivers. In 1849, he built a log cabin, and with his two wives homesteaded the land and traded with the Indians. This homestead is considered the first white settlement in what would shortly become Sioux City, Iowa. In the fall of 1851 War Eagle died and was buried on top of the high bluff overlooking the meeting of the Big Sioux and Missouri. Other members of his family are also buried there, including Dawn and Blazing Cloud. Today the bluff is part of War Eagle Park in Sioux City. An impressive monument honors the great chief, and depicts him with the eagle feather bonnet and calumet/peace pipe, symbolizing his brave leadership and his love of peace. A Sioux in traditional dress including war bonnet, circa 1908. ... The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and British Empire from 1812 to 1815, on land in North America and at sea around the world. ... This article is about the river in the United States. ... The American Fur Company was founded by John Jacob Astor in 1808. ... The Sioux (also Dakota) are a Native American tribe. ... Nickname: the District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Official website: http://www. ... A peace treaty is an agreement between two hostile parties, usually countries or governments, that formally ends a war or armed conflict. ... Martin Van Buren (December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862), nicknamed Old Kinderhook, was the eighth President of the United States. ... The Gateway Arch, shown here behind the Old Courthouse, is the most recognizable part of the St. ... Fort Pierre is a city located in Stanley County, South Dakota. ... The Big Sioux River is a tributary of the Missouri River in the upper Midwest of the United States. ... The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... Details of cabin corner joint with squared off logs A log cabin is a small house built from logs. ... A homestead is: A farm with the buildings around it, see homestead (buildings) Ones legal residence, see homestead (law) An area measure of 160 acres (650,000 m²), see homestead (area) and Homestead Act To homestead is to establish ownership of previously unowned property (usually but not exclusively land... Motto: Nickname: Map Political Statistics Founded 1854 Incorporated 1857 Woodbury County Mayor Craig Berenstein Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 144. ... Blackfoot war bonnet. ... A peace pipe (also called a calumet or medicine pipe), is a ceremonial smoking pipe used by many Native American tribes. ...

External links

• Chief War Eagle history