Hodges Soileau (American, B. 1943) "Lone Wolf" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Canvas laid on foam board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting appeared on the Fleetwood Lone Wolf Commemorative Cover postmarked February 26, 1982. Guipago, or Lone Wolf, was one of the signers of the Medicine Lodge Treaty which placed the Kiowas on a reservation in Indian Territory, but he found it difficult to abandon buffalo hunting for farming. After the Army imprisoned Satanta in 1871 for raiding in Texas, Lone Wolf became the leading Kiowa chief. Lone Wolf informed the U.S. commissioners that Satanta's presence on the reservation was necessary to keep the peace, and in this way he obtained Satanta's release from prison. Lone Wolf's inclination toward peace ended in 1873 when his son was killed by Texans while returning from a traditional horse-stealing expedition into Mexico. Swearing to avenge the young man's death, Lone Wolf rode in search of his body, and thereafter initiated many of the raids that brought on the Red River War of 1874-75. He joined Quanah Parker in attacking buffalo hunters at Adobe Walls, June 27, 1874, and then joined the Comanches in the Palo Duro Canyon stronghold. On September 26, 1874, Ronald Mackenzie drove the Indians out of the Palo Duro, destroying their winter supplies and 1,400 of their horses. On February 25, 1875, Lone Wolf brought the remnants of his starving followers into Fort Sill and surrendered. With 25 other Kiowas he was sent on May 1 to Fort Marion, Florida. Three years later, ill with malaria, he was allowed to return to the Kiowa reservation. There he died in 1879. Image Size: 15 x 11.75 in. Overall Size: 19.5 x 17.5 in. Unframed. (B06231)