Sioux were at Fort Sheridan, but Sitting Bull not one of them

For years, false rumors have persisted that the American Indian Sitting Bull was imprisoned at Fort Sheridan in the late 1800s.

Sitting Bull (c. 1831 - 1890) was a Sioux holy man, notable in American history for his role in the victory at the Battle of Little Bighorn against Lt. Col. George Custer and the U.S. 7th Cavalry on June 25, 1876. He also toured briefly with "Buffalo Bill" Cody's Wild West Show in the 1880s.

The confusion over Sitting Bull's presence in Lake County is probably linked to the Sioux warriors escorted to Fort Sheridan in early 1891. After decades of conflicts between settlers and American Indians, the Indian Wars came to a tragic end on Dec. 29, 1890, at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota. Big Foot, another Sioux leader, led his people to an area he thought safe. But Federal troops caught up with him and opened fire, massacring 370 people.

Immediately after, a group of Sioux warriors were taken to Fort Sheridan under the command of General Miles. The idea was that by showing the warriors the newly constructed fort with all its buildings, soldiers and weapons, the American Indians would think twice about fighting again. Contrary to popular belief, Sitting Bull was not among the group. He had been assassinated by Indian police on Dec. 15, 1890, at Standing Rock Indian Reservation in the Dakotas.

However, like Sitting Bull, the Sioux warriors at Fort Sheridan would join the Wild West Show. Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917) was a national hero for his exploits in the American west, and his nostalgic show in which American Indians played a prominent role.

Despite Cody's history of fighting American Indians, he respected them and promoted their rights. In March 1891, Cody petitioned the federal government to allow him to employ the Sioux incarcerated at Fort Sheridan. General Miles stated that Cody's offer "would give them (Sioux) occupation for a year and a half without expense to the government; they would be away from the Sioux country during that time."

The government agreed and permitted Cody to "take a number of Sioux … provided they wanted to go … (it) will educate them as to the extent, power and number of the white race." The Sioux warriors toured Europe with Cody, and returned to Illinois to perform at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Once no longer employed by Cody, the U.S. army allowed them to return to their homes.