An incident at the Platte River Bridge (near present-day Casper, Wyoming) in April 1856 had resulted in the wounding of a Cheyenne warrior, who had returned to the Cheyenne on the plains.

During the summer of 1856, native raiders attack travelers along the Emigrant Trail near Fort Kearny.

In retaliation, the U.S. Cavalry attacks a Cheyenne camp on Grand Island in Nebraska.

They kill ten Cheyenne warriors and wound eight or more.

Cheyenne parties attack at least three emigrant settler parties before returning to the Republican River.