Disease spread.

People died after relocation as well as during the march.

Sources vary in the exact number or proportion of deaths, and responsible history should preserve that uncertainty rather than forcing every account into a single dramatic statistic.

What the sources agree on is the scale of the catastrophe: the Ponca suffered severe mortality during and after removal.

The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska’s historical account describes many deaths, including Standing Bear’s daughter during the journey and his son after arrival.

Some Nebraska historical accounts describe roughly one quarter to one third of the community dying within a short period around the removal and resettlement.