The Fort Robinson tragedy (winter 1878-1879) refers to a series of events which occur during the winter of 1878-1879 at Fort Robinson in northwestern Nebraska.
After having been forced to relocate south to the Darlington Agency in the Southern Cheyenne Reservation, a band of Northern Cheyenne flees back north in September 1878 because of the terrible conditions.
The US Army interceptspart of the Northern Cheyenne Exodus and takes a band of nearly 150 Cheyenne to Fort Robinson in Nebraska.
In January, after the Cheyenne refuse an order in early January to return to the south, the soldiers begin to treat them more harshly to try to force them south: they are confined to a barracks without rations or wood for heat.
Most of the band escapes on January 9, but the US Army hunts them down.
They quickly return 65 to the fort, and by January 22 corner and kill most of the last 32 escapees, as they are poorly armed and greatly outnumbered by 150 soldiers.
