Dog Soldiers of the Cheyenne

The Cheyenne Dog Soldiers, as they were called by the U.S. Military, were created by a prophet of the Cheyenne Indians named 'Sweet Medicine.' These ferocious warriors were the leading military elit of the Cheyenne.They maintained law and order within the Cheyenne tribes.

Each year four of the bravest Dog Men were chosen to be honored and took suicide vows promising to defend their people to their death from the enemy raids.

Four is a number that is honored and seen in the medicine wheel and in the elements and in the four directions, north-south-east-and west.

Each Dog Soldier wore a sash of tanned skin that was about 8-10 feet long. These were called dog ropes and were used whenever a battle was going badly for the Cheyenne. The chosen Dog Men would drive a red wooden stake into the ground and tie the dog rope to the stake.

The Dog Men would then stand and fight to their death for retreat was not an option for these chosen warriors. It was expected that they fight and die rather than pull up the stake and retreat and many faught to their death to protect the Cheyenne people.

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