Hard Rope and the Battle of Verdigris.

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Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Hard Rope was an Osage leader who was one of the principle players at the Battle of Verdigris aka the Verdigris Massacre or he Massacre on the Verdigris. Confederate Major General Theophilus H. Homes sent Colonel Charles Harrison and twenty-one other Confederate officers to the Indian Territory on a secret scouting and recruiting mission. The Confederate officers were to split up and attempt to offer weapons and supplies to Native American groups who would join the the Confederate cause by attacking Union supporters. The group led by Colonel Harrison soon ran afoul of small group of Osage hunters from Bill Hill Village and killed a member of the Osage hunting party. Hard Rope and Little Beaver led a group of approximately 200 tribesmen in pursuit of the Confederates and in the ensuing battle twenty Confederate officers were killed and two escaped. The Osages lost one additional tribesman.

After the Civil War Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer recruited Hard Rope and nine additional Osages as scouts. Hard Rope discovered Black Kettle's village for Custer at the Battle of the Washita River.

As far as battle go, the Battle of Verdigris was a small affair, however, Hard Rope and Little Beaver did possibly help to change the struggle for Indian Territory in a way that out weighted the Battle of Viedigris.
 
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