Chief Black Coal

Serving as an intermediary between the Northern Arapaho and the United States, he helped lead the transition from free-roaming life and armed resistance to American expansion, to alliance and eventual settlement alongside the Eastern Shoshone at today's Wind River Indian Reservation.

Black Coal fought in engagements like the July 1865 Battle of Platte Bridge in which Caspar Collins was killed, and the attack on Fort Phil Kearney in December 1866.

[3] In 1865 at the Battle of the Tongue River soldiers attacked Northern Arapaho leader Black Bear's camp of 500 people and killed 35 warriors.

Black Coal would come to serve as a major intermediary role in carrying out the conciliatory strategy, keeping Arapahos out of conflict with the United States and the Shoshones as much as he was able.

In this case, from 1871 Black Coal was considered the head Northern Arapaho chief by government officials, when in fact he had only the authority to speak the consensus of the tribe.

For the next few years, Black Coal alternately stayed near Red Cloud Agency, Fort Fetterman, and other posts to receive rations, and led his band on hunting expeditions.

Captain Bates wrote that the battle would have been more successful had the Shoshones not commenced yelling their war whoops before the attack and spoiling the element of surprise.

[10][11] When the U.S. Army went into the field in 1876 to attack the Cheyenne at the beginning of the Great Sioux War, Black Coal's band was headed south to Fort Fetterman on March 1, signaling their peaceful intent.

The goal of the delegation was to secure a permanent home for the Arapaho that would not be along the Missouri River or in Oklahoma Territory, a land Black Coal described as "sickly."

For the rest of his life, Black Coal worked to solidify this informal arrangement and codify Arapaho rights to live on Wind River.

[15] Smith's great-grandfather was a dentist in Buffalo, Wyoming who had traveled to the Wind River country in the 1870s or 1880s, where he had done dental work on Black Coal's teeth.

Wo’óoseinee’, known as Chief Black Coal and incorrectly identified as Niawasis in this photo, [ 1 ] was among the most influential Arapaho chiefs of his time. Chief Black Coal was able to largely keep the Arapaho at peace with the United States during the Great Sioux war of 1876. He served as a U.S. Army scout and helped the tribe find a home on Wind River.
Arapahoes in Washington D.C. as part of the Sioux Delegation of 1877. Top Row, left to right: Antoine Janis , Young Spotted Tail, Joe Merrivale,; seated: Touch-the-Clouds (Minnicouju Lakota), and Northern Arapaho leaders Sharp Nose , Black Coal, Friday . [ 6 ]