Arapaho Scout. Attached to the Fourth Cavalry stationed at Fort Reno in Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma) he was one of the army scouts that led Captain Joseph Rendlebrock’ s unit in pursuit of a band of Northern Cheyenne that fled the Cheyenne and Arapaho Agency near Fort Reno in an event later known as the Cheyenne Outbreak. On the morning of September 13, the soldiers came within sight of the Cheyenne band. Chalk was sent to present the Cheyenne with the army’s terms for returning to the reservation. It is historically accepted that Chalk told them that the troops had come to escort them back to the agency and that they would not be harmed. The Cheyenne chief Little Wolf, though he did not wish to fight, said he would before he would be taken back to the Southern agency. The army interpreted Chalk’s report to Rendlebrock as an impasse and that the Cheyenne were going to fight. Both sides deployed and a two day long running fight commenced through the hills that came to be called the Engagements at Turkey Springs and Red Hills. Chalk was badly wounded in the fighting. The Cheyenne escaped and the column withdrew to camp to supply on September 16 where the mortally wounded Chalk died.

Arapaho Scout. Attached to the Fourth Cavalry stationed at Fort Reno in Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma) he was one of the army scouts that led Captain Joseph Rendlebrock’ s unit in pursuit of a band of Northern Cheyenne that fled the Cheyenne and Arapaho Agency near Fort Reno in an event later known as the Cheyenne Outbreak. On the morning of September 13, the soldiers came within sight of the Cheyenne band. Chalk was sent to present the Cheyenne with the army’s terms for returning to the reservation. It is historically accepted that Chalk told them that the troops had come to escort them back to the agency and that they would not be harmed. The Cheyenne chief Little Wolf, though he did not wish to fight, said he would before he would be taken back to the Southern agency. The army interpreted Chalk’s report to Rendlebrock as an impasse and that the Cheyenne were going to fight. Both sides deployed and a two day long running fight commenced through the hills that came to be called the Engagements at Turkey Springs and Red Hills. Chalk was badly wounded in the fighting. The Cheyenne escaped and the column withdrew to camp to supply on September 16 where the mortally wounded Chalk died.

Bio by: Iola