Hard Rope=s band remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War. He refused to sign a treaty with Albert Pike, the Confederate Commissioner.

From a history of the Osage people by Louis F. Burns, published in 1989 by Ciga Press.

AAlthough the Osages took insignificant amounts of territory from the Cheyenne or Comanche, they halted the eastward movement of these people. On November 27, 1868, the Osages brought a crushing blow to the Southern Cheyenne. Under the leadership of Tally and Hard Rope, the Osages led George A. Custer and the 7th Calvary to the camp of Black Kettle. In an unusual act, Custer heeded the advice of his Osage scouts and struck the Cheyenne at dawn. The destruction of the Black Kettle band was complete. It was at this so-called battle of the Washita that Custer acquired his reputation as an Indian fighter. Without the Osage scouts, Custer and the 7th Cavalry would not have been alive to fight at the Little Big Horn. There is a story among the Osages that a single Osage scout was with Custer on the Little Big Horn. The story claims that when Custer ignored their advice, the Osage and a Delaware scout pulled their blankets over their heads and slipped away before the Sioux struck.@

On March 29, 1869 Custer gave Hard Rope the following citation:AHard Rope, the bearer, is head war-chief of the Osages. He was with me on all my marches and campaigns since Nov. 1, 1868, participation in the battle of the Washita, and particularly distinguishing himself by his skill in discovering and following trails. He is a man of excellent judgment, and is a true friend of the white man.@

Eugene AGene@ Herald of Elgin, Kansas loved to tell this tale about Hard Rope.ASome years ago delegations of Pawnees and Osages were conferring near Elgin, Kansas, trying to adjust a claim of the Pawnees for one of their members killed by the Osages. Hard Rope appeared late, after the conference had lasted all day without results. He stood for nearly an hour without saying a word. Then he held up his hand and said to the Pawnees: >We give you fifty ponies and you go home. You can=t kill any Osages. If you don=t take horses and go home, we kill you.@

The Arkansas City Traveler of August 8, 1883, reports: AHard Rope, a prominent chief of the Osage Nation, passed to the happy hunting grounds last month, much to the sorrow of the tribe. He was at one time a scout under Gen. Custer, and is mentioned in the life of that illustrious Indian fighter.@

The Arkansas City Traveler of August 22, 1883, reported the following which was published in the Muskogee Journal. AA crazy man was roaming around on Bird Creek, in the Osage Reservation. Big Wild Cat, who saw him, declares him to be Foster, the Creek Indian, who killed John Poland last fall and a short time ago killed a deputy U. S. Marshall, who was taking him to Okmulgee. The letter states that the Osages would undoubtedly take him in, as they wanted a scalp to deck the grave of Hard Rope, who was shot by the marshal in Caldwell last spring.@

The Caldwell Journal, August 16, 1883.

A private letter to the Muskogee Journal, says that a crazy man was roaming around on Bird creek, in the Osage Reservation. Big Wild Cat, who saw him, declares him to be Foster, the Creek Indian, who killed John Poisal last fall, and a short time ago killed a deputy

U. S. Marshal, who was taking him to Okmulgee. The letter states that the Osages would undoubtedly take him in, as they wanted a scalp to deck the grave of Hard Rope, who was shot by the marshal, in this city, last spring.

In the book ABetween the Rivers, Volume 1" Patrick Endicott is quoted. AOsage Indians were camped in what used to be the riverside Park on the Walnut River bank to the south side of what is Madison Avenue....Indians stole some horses, burned some of their belongings, and begged for everything they could see in their camp.@

AChief Hardrope made threats...Norton spoke Osage and called his bluff.@