Pelathe, "The Eagle," a Shawnee Indian, was a friend of the white man. Of the many instances of heroism recorded in Kansas history, no deed was more heroic than that of Pelathe in the summer of 1863. He arrived at Kansas City about midnight on Aug. 20, and learned that Quantrill, the guerrilla leader, had crossed the border into Kansas and was on his way to Lawrence. While a number of men felt the necessity of warning the people of Lawrence, they realized that the time was too short to convey the warning. Pelathe begged the privilege of making the effort, and about 1 o'clock a. m. of the 21st mounted on a Kentucky thoroughbred mare belonging to Theodore Bartles, set out for Lawrence. So well acquainted was he with the country that he ignored the trails and struck a bee line for the menaced city. Gradually increasing his speed, mile after mile flew by, until he noticed that his steed was failing and that a short halt was absolutely necessary. At a small stream he stopped, washed the foam from the mare's mouth, allowed her to drink a small quantity of water, rubbed her dry with the handkerchief he wore around his neck, then mounted again and rode forward at terrific speed. Again his mount showed signs of failing, when, with the resourcefulness of his race, he cut gashes in her shoulders and rubbed gunpowder in the wounds. Smarting under the treatment, the mare rushed forward at mad speed for a few miles and then dropped dead. Pelathe continued on foot with that swiftness peculiar to his tribe until he reached an encampment of the Delawares, where he appropriated an Indian pony and rode on to Lawrence, only to find that he was too late, the sound of the firing coming to his ears before he reached the city, while the ascending smoke told plainly the story of destruction.

Pelathe joined in the pursuit of Quantrill with some 5 or 20 Delaware Indians, and soon aftterward[sic] went to Fort Smith, where he was employed by the Federal government as a scout. On one of his expeditions he was attacked by some of Stand Watie's band in the hills west of Fayetteville, but he sold his life dearly, killing three Cherokees and wounding others before being killed himself.