Five figures occupy a painted studio backdrop at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in this cabinet card produced by J. N. Choate at 21 W. Main Street. The reverse identifies the subjects in handwritten red ink as Black Coat (Head Chief), Sharp Nose (War Chief), Iron (Third Chief), Little Wolf (Chief Medicine Man), and White Horse, accompanied by Maj. Chas. Hatton, U.S. Indian Agent. Choate was the primary photographer at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and documented virtually every delegation, student group, and official visit connected to the institution from its founding in 1879 onward.

The four Native leaders wear beaded and fringed regalia including elaborate hairpipe breastplates, beaded vests, and moccasins, while holding rifles and a pipe. Maj. Hatton stands at center rear in a dark suit and waistcoat with a full beard, flanked by the chiefs in two rows. Red numerals hand-keyed to the reverse identify each figure. The printed reverse lists this image as number 5 in Choate's catalog of Sioux chiefs from agencies including Fort Berthold, Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, Crow Creek, Lower Brule, Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Yankton, and Santee, with five interpreters.

The reverse bears a printed Choate catalog advertisement listing series numbers for Carlisle-related subjects, handwritten subject identifications in red ink, a notation reading "Compliments of W. J. Hastings, Shoshone Seed Agency, M.T.," and a manuscript number 5 keyed to this image in the series. The cabinet card measures 8 1/2 by 5 1/4 inches.

From the collection of James Lee Soffer