Very attractive Plains Indian ledger drawing depicting a battle between U.S. Army Cavalry troopers and Native American warriors. Executed in pencil, colored pencil, and ink on ruled ledger paper, numbered at the top left, the composition captures the two opposing forces in a mirrored, multi-directional battle scene characteristic of Southern and Northern Cheyenne or Kiowa ledger artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In the upper register, U.S. Cavalry soldiers are rendered in their standard dark blue uniforms, campaign hats, and boots, mounted on yellow-toned horses. One trooper carries an American flag while another appears to fall or dismount mid-combat. In the lower register, Native warriors are depicted with traditional regalia, including elaborate feather war bonnets, long lance banners, circular shields, face paint, and traditional leggings. The central narrative focuses on horse-mounted combat and counting coup or striking down enemies, with horses shown in full stride facing opposite directions to depict movement and cross-field engagements.

Originating as a visual record-keeping medium among Great Plains tribes, as traditional buffalo hides became scarce, ledger art served to record personal deeds of valor, military exploits, and historical encounters. Drawings like this provided an authentic Indigenous perspective on the late-19th-century Indian Wars.

$500-$1000 [?]