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Chief Petalesharo
Warriors Citation
Petalesharo seems to have functioned as a title as well as a personal name during the early 18th century among the Pawnee.
Several outstanding warriors used the name, and it is sometimes difficult to attribute biographical details to one individual.
The best-known person to claim the title not only distinguished himself as a warrior but also as a humanitarian. He aggressively
curtailed the Pawnee use of human sacrifice in certain rituals. Until his time, the Pawnees had raided other tribes for girls
of about thirteen years of age, who would be treated well until their sacrifice in the Morning Star Ceremony, which had some
parallels to Aztec rites. During one such ceremony, which occurred in the late 1820s, Petalesharo is said to have protested
by rescuing a young woman from the sacrifice.
Petalesharo cut the bonds that held the woman to a sacrifice cross, carried her to a horse to escape, then fed and protected
the woman before sending her home. During the fall and winter of 1821, Petalesharo toured the urban areas of the Northeast,
including Washington, D.C., where he spoke at a conference attended by President James Monroe and secretary of war John Calhoun.
He also attended a New Year's reception at the White House. From: historical accounts & records
LINK TO BRAVEHORSE WARRIORS VOLUME TWO
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