![LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION – CLARK, William (1770-1838) Document signed ("William Clark Bgr Genl. & Indian Agent for L[ouisiana]") to "Wart Charpa Chief of the Teton band of the Sioux Nation", St. Louis, 22 May 1807 [With:] A hand-sewn silk British treaty ensign, with a blue field and Union Jack at corner, n.p., c. 1812 [And:] MITCHELL, David Dawson (1806-1861) Document signed ("D. D. Mitchell Supt Ind Affairs") to "Wart Charpa", St. Louis, 20 August 1842 [And:] CUT-EAR. Document signed with his mark ("x"), Greenwood, S.D., 2 January 1902, "Statement of Chief Cut Ear Taken Down & Transcribed by Frank Adams".](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/NYR/2018_NYR_16392_0155_001(lewis_and_clark_expedition_clark_william_document_signed_to_wart_charp095556).jpg?w=1)
![LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION – CLARK, William (1770-1838) Document signed ("William Clark Bgr Genl. & Indian Agent for L[ouisiana]") to "Wart Charpa Chief of the Teton band of the Sioux Nation", St. Louis, 22 May 1807 [With:] A hand-sewn silk British treaty ensign, with a blue field and Union Jack at corner, n.p., c. 1812 [And:] MITCHELL, David Dawson (1806-1861) Document signed ("D. D. Mitchell Supt Ind Affairs") to "Wart Charpa", St. Louis, 20 August 1842 [And:] CUT-EAR. Document signed with his mark ("x"), Greenwood, S.D., 2 January 1902, "Statement of Chief Cut Ear Taken Down & Transcribed by Frank Adams".](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/NYR/2018_NYR_16392_0155_002(lewis_and_clark_expedition_clark_william_document_signed_to_wart_charp095609).jpg?w=1)
![LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION – CLARK, William (1770-1838) Document signed ("William Clark Bgr Genl. & Indian Agent for L[ouisiana]") to "Wart Charpa Chief of the Teton band of the Sioux Nation", St. Louis, 22 May 1807 [With:] A hand-sewn silk British treaty ensign, with a blue field and Union Jack at corner, n.p., c. 1812 [And:] MITCHELL, David Dawson (1806-1861) Document signed ("D. D. Mitchell Supt Ind Affairs") to "Wart Charpa", St. Louis, 20 August 1842 [And:] CUT-EAR. Document signed with his mark ("x"), Greenwood, S.D., 2 January 1902, "Statement of Chief Cut Ear Taken Down & Transcribed by Frank Adams".](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/NYR/2018_NYR_16392_0155_003(lewis_and_clark_expedition_clark_william_document_signed_to_wart_charp013221).jpg?w=1)
![LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION – CLARK, William (1770-1838) Document signed ("William Clark Bgr Genl. & Indian Agent for L[ouisiana]") to "Wart Charpa Chief of the Teton band of the Sioux Nation", St. Louis, 22 May 1807 [With:] A hand-sewn silk British treaty ensign, with a blue field and Union Jack at corner, n.p., c. 1812 [And:] MITCHELL, David Dawson (1806-1861) Document signed ("D. D. Mitchell Supt Ind Affairs") to "Wart Charpa", St. Louis, 20 August 1842 [And:] CUT-EAR. Document signed with his mark ("x"), Greenwood, S.D., 2 January 1902, "Statement of Chief Cut Ear Taken Down & Transcribed by Frank Adams".](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/NYR/2018_NYR_16392_0155_000(lewis_and_clark_expedition_clark_william_document_signed_to_wart_charp095547).jpg?w=1)
PROPERTY OF A LADY
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION – CLARK, William (1770-1838) Document signed ("William Clark Bgr Genl. & Indian Agent for L[ouisiana]") to "Wart Charpa Chief of the Teton band of the Sioux Nation", St. Louis, 22 May 1807 [With:] A hand-sewn silk British treaty ensign, with a blue field and Union Jack at corner, n.p., c. 1812 [And:] MITCHELL, David Dawson (1806-1861) Document signed ("D. D. Mitchell Supt Ind Affairs") to "Wart Charpa", St. Louis, 20 August 1842 [And:] CUT-EAR. Document signed with his mark ("x"), Greenwood, S.D., 2 January 1902, "Statement of Chief Cut Ear Taken Down & Transcribed by Frank Adams".
Details
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION – CLARK, William (1770-1838) Document signed ("William Clark Bgr Genl. & Indian Agent for L[ouisiana]") to "Wart Charpa Chief of the Teton band of the Sioux Nation", St. Louis, 22 May 1807 [With:] A hand-sewn silk British treaty ensign, with a blue field and Union Jack at corner, n.p., c. 1812 [And:] MITCHELL, David Dawson (1806-1861) Document signed ("D. D. Mitchell Supt Ind Affairs") to "Wart Charpa", St. Louis, 20 August 1842 [And:] CUT-EAR. Document signed with his mark ("x"), Greenwood, S.D., 2 January 1902, "Statement of Chief Cut Ear Taken Down & Transcribed by Frank Adams".
Three pages, ranging in size from 150 x 175mm to 245 x 190mm (visible, mat shadow at margins), framed; silk flag: 525 x 845 mm (scattered soiling, small tears at upper margin, some water spots), framed.
The United States and Great Britain vie for the friendship of a Lakota chief mentioned in the journals of Lewis and Clark. The Lakota (or Teton Sioux) figured prominently in Lewis & Clark's northward journey, nearly derailing the expedition entirely by not allowing the party to pass for several days. Their journals record the encounter with "War-cha pa", and describe him as a "Brave Man" (27 September 1804). His name, which translates to "sticker," "stabber," and "on his guard," was a member of the SichangXu band, believed by Clark to be a subdivision of the Yanktonias, which was one of the Seven Council Fires of the Sioux Nation.
Following the successful conclusion of the expedition, William Clark, now an agent for Indian Affairs at St. Louis, issued this offer of friendship affirming "the sincere attachment [to the United States] of Wart Charpa Chief of the Teton band of the Sioux Nation as also firm proofs given by him of his amicable disposition to Cultivate peace, harmony and good Neighborhood with the Citizens of the United States of America." This show of friendship went only so far: the United States was not yet all-powerful, and for this reason they chose to continue trading with the British as well as the United States.
During the War of 1812, British agents travelled amongst the Plains tribes, including the Lakota, offering treaty flags like the present example in a bid to secure their loyalty against the United States. The war with Great Britain approaching, William Clark warned that a crisis was imminent and in May of 1812 had assembled an enormous delegation of thirty-three chiefs and warriors including representatives from the Sioux to travel from St. Louis to Washington. There, Madison warned the delegation about "bad birds" from Canada bearing "bloody belts in their beaks to drop among the red people." While the chiefs spoke favorably in response, assuring Madison that they would not go to war with the United States, they cautioned that not all of their people would heed their words. The chief of the Sac and Fox observed that they had been taking presents from the English for some time, and were not in a position to cut off relations so suddenly. Many tribes did fight with the British, most famously Tecumseh, who also received a treaty ensign from the British. Even after the Treaty of Ghent, many of the Plains tribes still looked to British Canada for support for years afterward. (Viola, Diplomats in Buckskins, 22-24). War Cha Pa's grandson, Cut Ear, attested to this reality, noting that for many years, "the flag was powerful and got much respect."
The British treaty ensign is highly symbolic as it represents the Plains tribes' final opportunity had to ally themselves with another great power against the United States. The later documents in the collection attest to their new reality. In August 1842, David Dawson Mitchell sent a similar document to War Cha Pa (echoing the words of William Clark), citing "proofs given by him of his amicable disposition to cultivate peace, harmony and good neighborhood with the Citizens of the United States of America." In Cut Ear's letter of sale to Frank Adams, he observed that while the flag had garnered much respect in earlier times, and was kept hidden for that reason, by 1902, the flag was "now old and power gone."
Provenance: War Cha Pa by descent to Cut Ear – Frank Adams (purchase) – Walter C. Wyman – Chicago Historical Society (donation) – deaccessioned in 1975 to Arnold Marcus Chernoff – Norm Flayderman and Company (Catalogue 101, Number 791) – Larry Lewis, Springfield, Mass. – George Teraski – to a private collector and by descent to the consignor.
[With:] ADAMS, Frank. Typed letter signed to Walter C. Wyman, Greenwood, S.D., 5 January 1902, enclosing the aforementioned flag and documents.
Three pages, ranging in size from 150 x 175mm to 245 x 190mm (visible, mat shadow at margins), framed; silk flag: 525 x 845 mm (scattered soiling, small tears at upper margin, some water spots), framed.
The United States and Great Britain vie for the friendship of a Lakota chief mentioned in the journals of Lewis and Clark. The Lakota (or Teton Sioux) figured prominently in Lewis & Clark's northward journey, nearly derailing the expedition entirely by not allowing the party to pass for several days. Their journals record the encounter with "War-cha pa", and describe him as a "Brave Man" (27 September 1804). His name, which translates to "sticker," "stabber," and "on his guard," was a member of the SichangXu band, believed by Clark to be a subdivision of the Yanktonias, which was one of the Seven Council Fires of the Sioux Nation.
Following the successful conclusion of the expedition, William Clark, now an agent for Indian Affairs at St. Louis, issued this offer of friendship affirming "the sincere attachment [to the United States] of Wart Charpa Chief of the Teton band of the Sioux Nation as also firm proofs given by him of his amicable disposition to Cultivate peace, harmony and good Neighborhood with the Citizens of the United States of America." This show of friendship went only so far: the United States was not yet all-powerful, and for this reason they chose to continue trading with the British as well as the United States.
During the War of 1812, British agents travelled amongst the Plains tribes, including the Lakota, offering treaty flags like the present example in a bid to secure their loyalty against the United States. The war with Great Britain approaching, William Clark warned that a crisis was imminent and in May of 1812 had assembled an enormous delegation of thirty-three chiefs and warriors including representatives from the Sioux to travel from St. Louis to Washington. There, Madison warned the delegation about "bad birds" from Canada bearing "bloody belts in their beaks to drop among the red people." While the chiefs spoke favorably in response, assuring Madison that they would not go to war with the United States, they cautioned that not all of their people would heed their words. The chief of the Sac and Fox observed that they had been taking presents from the English for some time, and were not in a position to cut off relations so suddenly. Many tribes did fight with the British, most famously Tecumseh, who also received a treaty ensign from the British. Even after the Treaty of Ghent, many of the Plains tribes still looked to British Canada for support for years afterward. (Viola, Diplomats in Buckskins, 22-24). War Cha Pa's grandson, Cut Ear, attested to this reality, noting that for many years, "the flag was powerful and got much respect."
The British treaty ensign is highly symbolic as it represents the Plains tribes' final opportunity had to ally themselves with another great power against the United States. The later documents in the collection attest to their new reality. In August 1842, David Dawson Mitchell sent a similar document to War Cha Pa (echoing the words of William Clark), citing "proofs given by him of his amicable disposition to cultivate peace, harmony and good neighborhood with the Citizens of the United States of America." In Cut Ear's letter of sale to Frank Adams, he observed that while the flag had garnered much respect in earlier times, and was kept hidden for that reason, by 1902, the flag was "now old and power gone."
Provenance: War Cha Pa by descent to Cut Ear – Frank Adams (purchase) – Walter C. Wyman – Chicago Historical Society (donation) – deaccessioned in 1975 to Arnold Marcus Chernoff – Norm Flayderman and Company (Catalogue 101, Number 791) – Larry Lewis, Springfield, Mass. – George Teraski – to a private collector and by descent to the consignor.
[With:] ADAMS, Frank. Typed letter signed to Walter C. Wyman, Greenwood, S.D., 5 January 1902, enclosing the aforementioned flag and documents.