SITTING BULL, THE BED RECORD OF THE SIOUX. LIFE OF SITTING BULL AND HISTORY OF THE INDIAN WAR . OR 1890- 91 A GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OP THE LIFE OF THE GREAT MEDICINE MAN AND CHIEF SITTING BULI ; HIS TRAGIC DEATH: STORY OF THK SIOUX NATION; THEIR MANNERS AND CUSTOMS, GHOST DANCES AND MESSIAH CRAZE; ALSO, A VERY COMPLETE HISTOKV OF THF SANGUINARY INDIAN WAR OF BY W. FLETCHER JOHNSON, \N Author of "The Johnstown Flood," "Stanley in Africa," etc., etc. PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED. RDGEWOOD PUBLISHIMQ COIVIF ANY, COPYRIGHTKD. 1891. BY H. W. STR1NOEK, PREFACE. There is in all the checkered history of America no chapter of more general interest than that which tells of the Aborigines and our dealings with them. It narrates a story often shameful, often noble, sometimes pusillani mous, sometimes heroic, now causing us to blush with shame for fallen human nature, now kindling us with enthusi astic admiration for humanity that seems almost divine; but always full of power to thrill the heart, of romance to captivate the fancy, and of rich food to nourish earnest thought. To the man of war and to the man of peace, to the statesman and to the Christian teacher, to the sci entist, and to the romanticist, it makes with equal direct ness its irresistible appeal. It is the object of the present volume to relate the story of the Sioux, more properly the Dakota Indians, and our relations with them. Of all the aboriginal people, they were the greatest, the bravest in war, the wisest in peace, the most powerful in body, the most advanced in mind. As possessors of the famed Red Pipe Stone Quarry, the Indian Mecca, where Gitche Manito the Mighty, revealed himself to man, they have cherished and PR&FAC&. developed more than any others the myths and legends of the Indian race. The foremost leaders of aboriginal civilization, they have longest resisted the inflowing tide of alien civilization brought hither by the Puritan and the Cavalier. And to-day, he who would study the red race in its noblest remnant and in its best estate, must do so among the scattered lodges of the Sioux. The name of Sitting Bull must be as famous as that of Tecumseh, of Red Cloud, as that of Black Hawk or Massasoit. The Sioux massacres of 1862, make Wyom ing seem commonplace, and the last rally of Custer at the Little Big Horn fight has no parallel in all the annals of our Indian wars. Nor is the long drama drawn to an unworthy close by the weird Ghost Dances, the death of Sitting Bull and the mad slaughtering at Wounded Knee. It is the present purpose to record this history before the blood of the last grim chapter shall have grown dry. The tale is told chiefly in the words of those who could truly say, magna pars quorum fuimus. The views of both friends and foes of the Indian are given a fair hearing, nothing extenuated, nothing set down in malice. In years to come, when some metempsychosis shall have translated passion into philosophy, a more discerning judgment may record in other terms these same events. For this day and this generation we can only tell the story as it comes to us in the echoes of war, in the prayer for relief, in the cry of despair. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. AUTOBIOGRAPHY. A Unique History in Pictures The Chiefs Own Story of His Bloody and Lawless Career Killing Enemies and Stealing Mules Many Different Stories of His Life Was He a West Point Graduate ? Startling Theory of an Army Officer 19 CHAPTER II. MEDICINE MAN AND WARRIOR. The True Story of Sitting Bull s Life Son of a Rich Chief A Buffalo Hunter at Ten Years Old His Three Wives and Nine Children, Includ ing Twins How He Gained Supreme Sway Among the Sioux What it is to be a Medicine Man 39 CHAPTER III. THE SAVAGE IN SOCIETY. His Visit to a Camp at Fargo Ashamed of His Primitive Garb His First Suit of White Man s Clothes A Discomfited Young Clergyman The Indian at Dinner His First Look in a Mirror Autograph Selling 49 CHAPTER IV. THE FOE OF THE WHITE MAN. Fort Buford s Ghastly Tragedy An Accomplished Cattle Thief Con- tempt for Pale Faces Opposing Invasion of His Territory The Fort Ellis Episode A Pen-and-ink Sketch of the Savage Chief. 60 CHAPTER V. THE LITTLE BIG HORN. Sitting Bull at the Height of His Power The Rush for the Black Hffls Ineffectual Negotiations Sitting Bull s Defiant Answer to a Summons Preparations for a Grat Struggle How the Three Divisions of the Army Marched into the Indians Country 66 CONTENTS CHAPTER VI. OUSTER S LAST RALLY. Departure of the Cavalry March of the Infantry First News of the Disaster The Rescue Story of the Battle Reno s Force Rescued Twice How Custer Fought to the End 84 CHAPTER VII. THE DEATH OF CUSTER. Two Stories of the Grim Tragedy General Terry s Official Report The Desperate March to the Relief of Reno Narrative of Old Nick Genneiss A Picture Record by Little Big Man 103 CHAPTER VIII. CUSTER. The Beau Sabreur of the Army Brilliant Services as a Cavalry Officer in Many Battles During the Rebellion The Comrade of Phil. Kearney and Phil. Sheridan His Work as an Indian Fighter A Soldier Who Never Knew What Fear Was, and Who Never Lost a Gun or a Color Until His Last Battle 116 CHAPTER IX. IN EXILE. Unfounded Rumors of Sitting Bull s Death His Retreat into Canada Visited There by a Government Commission His Defiant Refusal to Return Home Speeches by the Chiefs Sitting Bull s Own Words 137 CHAPTER X. THE MIGHTY FALLEN. Sitting Bull Ruined by His Flight to Canada His Followers Starved into Mutiny Against Him The Return to Dakota The Fate of His Daughter, Sleeping Water A Vain Appeal Taken to Fort Randall as a Prisoner of War 156 CHAPTER XL THE LAST CAMPAIGN. Sitting Bull Involved in the Messiah Craze His Hope of Regaining His Old Position Plots and Disaffection Visited by a Young Lady Mis sionary Agent McLaughlin s Visit The Ghost Dances Sitting Bull s Remarkable Proposition 168 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XII. DEATH OF THE GREAT CHIEF. General Miles Gave the Word for His Arrest Was it Intended to Kill Him, Rather than Take Him Alive ? Indian Police Led the Way The Arrest and Attempted Rescue The Fatal Shot Another Account of the Tragedy Disposition of His Remains 178 CHAPTER XIII. TRIBUTES TO HIS MEMORY. His Neice s Indignation and Grief A Senator s Attempt to be Funny over a Tragedy Buffalo Bill s" Tribute General Schofield s Views "Adirondack" Murray s Eloquent Protest and Rebuke Sitting Bull Compared with Webster and with Gladstone , 189 CHAPTER XIV. THE SIOUX NATION. Mightiest of all the Native Tribes Longfellow s "Minnehaha" Sub divisions of the Tribe Catlin s Account of Them Half a Century Ago Not Drunken, nor Naked, nor Poor A More Recent and Less Friendly View 204 CHAPTER XV. LEGENDS AND CREEDS. The Indian Holy Land, the Mountains of the Prairies The Sioux Story of the Flood Origin of the Red Pipe Stone Indian Love of the Myste riousTheir Ideas of the Future Life Their Code of Worldly Ethics Vindicated ,.... 213 CHAPTER XVI. IN PEACE AND WAR. The Sioux Language An Indian s Sense of Humor " Old Hundred," "Come to Jesus," and the Lord s Prayer in Sioux War Paint on the Braves A Battle with the Pawnees The Value of a Scalp A Leisure ly Intenriew with a Busy Secretary 226 CHAPTER XVII. FEASTING AND DANCING. Conspicuous Features of Indian Public Life A Grand Festival in the Olden Time The Speech of Welcome Stewed Dog the Leading Dish The Grass Dance of the Two Kettles and its Accompanying Feast of Dog Dancing Extraordinary The Bear Dance, Beggar s Dance, Scalp Dance and Sun Dance 23 CONTENTS, CHAPTER XVIII. THE GHOST DANCES. A Memorable Season in Indian History Prophecies of the Coining of the Messiah The Ghost Dances Intended to Prepare for His Advent, and to Bring the People into Communication with Him Porcupine s Story of the Messiah and His Command for the Dance 257 CHAPTER XIX. THE INDIAN MESSIAH. Sincerity of the Belief in Him When and Where He was First Heard of Porcupine s Visit to Him What He Said to the Indians Bad Record of the " Messiah "His Complicity in the White River Massacre Another Account of Him 267 CHAPTER XX. INDIAN WARS. A Shameful Record A Thousand Dollars Spent for Every Indian in the Country The Long Catalogue of Conflicts and Expenses P earful Cost in Life and Limb as Well as Money and National Honor 282 CHAPTER XXI. THE FIRST SIOUX WAR. Provoked by White Men Narrative of One Who Was There Indescrib able Outrages Perpetrated By the Savages Upon Women and Children A City of Death General Sibley s Campaign Sentences of the Ringleaders 295 CHAPTER XXII. CAUSES OF THE LAST WAR. What tho Indians Say Father Jule s Interview with the Chiefs The Census Broken Faith and Diminished Supplies Letter from American Horse The Indians Stories Coafirmed by Government Reports 30^ CHAPTER XXIII. EFFORTS FOR PEACE. Mrs. Weldon s Remarkable Mission to the Camp of Sitting Bull Her Desire to Confront the Prophet of the Messiah Forced to Flee for Safety Her Views of the Situation Her Life in Dakota 318 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXIV. THE SEAT OF WAR. Pine Ridge Reservation and Agency The Gardens and the Buildings Dr. McGillicudy s Administration The Catholic Mission School Some Account of the Bad Lands A Truly Horrible Region 337 CHAPTER XXV. LIFE AT PINE RIDGE. Experience of the War Correspondents Trying to Take a Picture The Squaw Dances" Have You Got Christ in the Guard House ?" Fire- Water with a Vengeance The Indian Boys Married Life 34 CHAPTER XXVI. INDIANS AND SETTLERS. Mixed Civilization at Rushville The Cowboy at Home Indian Loafers The Cigarette Habit " Themdaminjuns " Stories of a Veteran Fron tiersman Unappreciated Architecture White Ghost Badly Scared.... 353 CHAPTER XXVII. RED CLOUD A Leader of the Hostile Indians His Treacherous Nature Romantic Story of His Early Years A Mission Teacher s Account of Him His Deceitful Words to a Visitor a-nd His Letter to a Friend 367 CHAPTER XXVIII. THE LEADERS OF THE SIOUX. Little Wound and His Lieutenants Yellow Bear Young- Man- Afraid- of- His Horses Otti, the Shoshone High Bear American Horse John Grass, the Indian Judge Gall, the Greatest f the Sioux Warriors and Generals Spotted Tail s Eloquent Speech 376 CHAPTER XXIX. THE BEGINNING OF WAR. Dakota Settlers Panic-Stricken General Miles on the Situation Pine Ridge Regarded as the Fatal Point Rosebud Indians Break Loose Troops Hurried to the Scene A Coal Mine for a Fort A Night s Alarm A Much-Scared Saddler Governor Mellette s Letter 386 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXX. FROM BAD TO WORSE. An Ominous Thanksgiving Scenes at an Issuing of Beef" Buffalo Bill " Plenty Bear s Report Medicine That Was Not Bullet Proof An Era of Uncertainty and Lies Two Deeds Determined Upon 401 CHAPTER XXXI. DELAY AND DISASTER. Waiting for Something to Turn Up Increased Rations Come Too Late- Depredations by the Hostiles A Fruitless Pow-Wow at Pine Ridge The Indians Fighting Among Themselves Troops Hurrying on to the Bad Lands 4 , o CHAPTER XXXII. CATASTROPHE. The Killing of Sitting Bull and the Results Thereof Numerous Affrays A Council at Pine Ridge Sitting Bull s Ghost Big Foot and His Men Come In Arrest of a Pretended Messiah Hemming in the Hos tiles The Whole Band Captured 42, CHAPTER XXXIII. RED WAR. Colonel Forsythe Takes Command at Wounded KneeThe Indians Sus picious and Uneasy Preparations to Disarm Them A Desperate Out break The Indians Outnumbered and Slaughtered Without Mercy Incidents of the Battle Death of Captain Wallace List of the Killed and Wounded Elaine Goodale s Report 43,- CHAPTER XXXIV. FATHER CRAFT AND HIS WORK. A Devoted Priest Descendant of a Seneca Chief and Successor of Spot ted Tail as Chief of the Brules His Interview With Red Cloud- Arraignment of the Government ^g CHAPTER XXXV. AFTER THE BATTLE. A. Profound Sensation Caused Varying Comments and Prophecies Alarm at Pine Ridge List of the Troops in Service Murder of Lieut. Casey Agent Royer Removed Red Cloud s Flight The Case of Col. CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXXVI. DOUBT AND FEAR. Losing Faith in Indian Promises Strange Scenes in Church A Wagon Train Attacked A Midnight Pow-wow Two Dare-devil Brules The Fortifications An Unexpected Advance Much Talk But Little Action 479 CHAPTER XXXVII. IN AT LAST. The Hostiles Come to Pine Ridge A Motley Procession Their Weapons Left Behind, Hidden Away What the Chiefs Said General Miles s Generous Conduct Troops Returning Home A Delegation of Indians on Their Way to Washington Letter from " Buffalo Bill." 494 CHAPTER XXXVIII. WHO SHALL BE THE VICTIM ? Discussion of the Indian Question by the Rev. W. H. Hare, Missionary Bishop How the Trouble Was Brought About, and Who Should Be leld Responsible For It Reflections Inspired by the Conflict at Wounded Knee 507 CHAPTER XXXIX. THE INDIAN IN CONGRESS. Starved Into Hostilities Crime Toward the Indians Difficulty With the Indian Service Went to His Grave Through Grief The Bane and Curse of the Indians They Have Nothing to Eat Go Upon the War Path Lack of Proper Provisions Accept any Proposition The Sioux are Starving Solving the Indian Question Most Pious Hypocrite Propose an Investigation Greatest Indian That Has Lived 519 CHAPTER XL. THE INDIAN BUREAU. Shall It Be Under Civil or Military Control ? Record of the Army ? General Grant s Experiment Improvements in Administration Census of the Indians Many Indians Civilized and Prosperous 537 CHAPTER XLI. DOCUMENTS IN THE CASE. General Miles Address to His Soldiers on the Close t)f the War An CONTENTS. Official Outline of the Campaign Regret for Fallen Comrades Thanks for Efficient Service Letters from a Missionary and from a Bishop 546 CHAPTER XLII. INDIAN EDUCATION . Views of Captain R. H. Pratt of the Carlisle Indian School Young Indians educated there do not return to barbarism Very few cases where training has not had permanently good results Growth of civilization among the Indians Urgent need that the Tribal system be abolished 559 CHAPTER XLIII. WHAT OF THE FUTURE. The Causes of Indian Discontent and the Remedies that should be Ap plied Views of the Indian Rights Association An Object Lesson from the San Carlos Reservation The Chiricahua Tribes Swindling the Indians Character of the Frontiersman Family Affection Among the dians Lack of Appreciation of the Power of the Whites 568 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. SITTING BULL, Frontispiece MAP OF THE BAD LANDS AND SCENE OF INDIAN WAR, 15 HORSE RACING, . . , T 20 CROW FOOT, SON OF SITTING BULL, 37 AT His INCANTATIONS, 56 A GROUP OF Sioux CHIEFS, 73 HOSTILES ATTACKING FRIENDLIES, 92 MAJOR-GENERAL SCHOFIELD, U. S. A, 109 INDIAN PICTURE OF THE CUSTER FIGHT THE CAV ALRYMEN, 114 SAME THE INDIANS, 115 CUSTER S LAST BATTLE, 128 TEPEE OF SITTING BULL, 145 THE GHOST DANCE 164 GENERAL NELSON A. MILES, 181 DEATH OF SITTING BULL, 200 STANDING HOLLY, 217 WILD GRASS DANCE, 236 STANDING BUFFALO, ....*.... 253 JOHNSON THE ALLEGED MESSIAH, 274 THE INDIAN MESSIAH CRAZE, 289 CHIEF BIG JOSEPH, 3 8 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. TEPEE OF HEAD Sioux WARRIOR AT PINE RIDGE AGENCY, 325 THE PINE RIDGE AGENCY, 333 OFFICERS IN THE FIELD AT FORT KEOGH, 344 RATIONS ISSUED AT PINE RIDGE AGENCY, 347 RED CLOUD, 361 INTERIOR OF RED CLOUD S HOUSE, 370 CHIEF JOHN GRASS, 380 YOUNG-MAN-AFRAID-OF-HIS-HORSES 397 WHITE BEAVER AND BUFFALO BILL, 416 INTERIOR OF TENT OF LIEUT. BROWN AT PINE RIDGE AGENCY, 433 THE HANGING OF MOUNTAIN MIKE, 452 BUFFALO BILL 469 WHITE THUNDER, 487 WHITE EAGLE, 504 STANDING BEAR, 524 WHITE GHOST 541 DOG DANCE OF THE Sioux, 545 CHAPTER I. AUTOBIOGRAPHY. A UNIQUE HISTORY IN PICTURES THE CHIEF *. , Qvyft t BLOODY AND LAWLESS CAREER KILLING ENEMIES AND STEALING MULES MANY DIFFERENT STORIES OF HIS LIFE WAS HE A WEST POINT GRADUATE ? STARTLING THEORY OF AN ARMY OFFICER. Among the countless relics and records in the Army Medical Museum at Washington, most of them ghastly and tragic in their nature, is conspicu ous the Autobiography of Ta-tan-kah-yo-tan-kah, the Sioux chieftain best known to fame as Sitting Bull. The work is unique, and it has itself a curious history. In the fall of 1870, a Yankton Sioux brought to the army officers at Fort Buford an old roll-book of the Thirty-first Regiment of Infantry, U. S. A., which bore, on the backs of the leaves, originally blank, a remarkable series of por- .traitures, representing the doings of a mighty Indian warrior. The pictures were outlined in ink, and shaded with colored chalks and pencils, brown, blue, and red. In the corner of each picture was a " totem/* or Indian signature, just like the " re- marque " on an etching. This totem was a buffalo I? 1 8 LIFE OF SITTING BULL bull on its haunches, and it revealed at once the authorship of the work. The Yankton Indian wanted to sell it, and finally did so, for one dollar and a half, confessing, frankly, that he had stolen it from Sitting Bull himself, whose autobiography it was, down to date. This literary and artistic work, which is now likely to be famous, fell into the hands of Assistant Surgeon James C. Kimball, of the army, who was tlie-i stationed at Fort Buford, Dakota. He had the pictures translated and sent them, with the transla tion and an index, to the curator of the Army Medi cal Museum, Washington, Surgeon George A. Otis, United States Army, who filed them, in book shape, among the archives of the museum. The introduc tion, written by Dr. Kimball, says that the auto biography contains a description of the principal adventures in the life of Sitting Bull, an Unk-pa pa chief. It was sketched by himself in the picture language in common use with the Indians. The index, explanatory of the drawings, was pre pared through the assistance of Indians and inter preters. The word " coup," which occurs frequently in the index, has been appropriated by the Sioux from the French. "Counting coup" signifies the striking of an enemy, either dead or alive, with a stick, bow, lance, or other weapon. The number of "coups" counted are enumerated along with the number of horses stolen and scalps taken in sum ming up the brave deeds of a warrior. Sitting LIFE OF SITTING BULL. 21 Bull was not at all modest in recounting his deeds for the edification of posterity. The scalping of a soldier and the theft of a mule are pictured with equal pride and with an equally artistic display of pigments. The plates are enumerated and de scribed in the index as follows : No. i. Sitting Ball, a young man without repu tation and therefore wearing no feather, engages in his first battle and charges his enemy, a Crow Indian, who is in the act of drawing his bow, rides him down and strikes him with a " coup " stick. Sitting Bull s autograph, a buffalo bull sitting on his haunches, is inscribed over him. His shield sus pended in front has on it the figure of an eagle, which he considers his medicine, in the Indian sense of the term. No. 2. Sitting Bull, wearing a war bonnet, is leader of a war party who take a party of Crows, consisting of three women and a man, so completely by surprise that the man has not time to draw his arrows from the quiver. Sitting Bull kills one wo man with his lance and captures another, the man meanwhile endeavoring to dra^ him from the horse, o o from which it is supposed he is forced to destroy others of the war party. The fate of Sitting Bull and his victims is given in this history. No. 3. Sitting Bull pursuing his enemy, a Crow Indian, whom he strikes with his lance. No. 4. Lances a Crow woman. 22 LIFE OF SITTING BULL. No. 5. Lances a Crow Indian. No. 6. Sitting Bull twice wounded and unhorsed ; his enemy, a Crow, at length killed by a shot in the abdomen and his scalp taken and hung to Sitting Bull s saddle. No. 7. In an engagement with the Crows, Sitting Bull mortally wounds one of the enemy, and, drop ping his lance, rides up and strikes him with his whip. The lines and dashes in the picture repre sent the arrows and bullets that were flying in the air during the combat. o No. 8. Counts "coup" on a Gros Ventre de Prairie by striking him with his lance. Gros Ventre distinguished from Crow by manner of wearing his hair. No. 9. Lances a Crow Indian. No. 10. A Crow Indian attempts to seize Sitting Bull s horse by the bridle; Sitting Bull knocks him down with a " coup " stick, takes his scalp and hangs it to his bridle. No. IT. Sitting Bull, with his brother mounted o behind him, kills a white man, a soldier. No. 12. Counts "coup " on a white man by hit ting him with a " coup " stick. No. 13. In a warm engagement with the whites, as shown by the bullets flying about, Sitting Bull shoots an arrow through the body of a soldier, who turns and fires, wounding Sitting Bull in the hip. No. 14. Sitting Bull counts "coup" on a white man by striking him with his bow. Sitting Bull LIFE OF SITTING BULL. 23 wears a red jacket and bandanna handkerchief taken from some of his victims. Nos. 15 to 22 are repetitions of No. 14, Sitting Bull in each counting "coup " on a white man. No. 23. Sitting Bull shoots a frontiersman wear ing a buckskin shirt, takes his scalp, which he hangs to his own bridle, and captures his horse. Sitting Bull wears a blanket. No. 24. Sitting Bull strikes a white soldier with his " coup " stick, takes his scalp and mule. No. 25 counts "coup" on a soldier mounted, with overcoat on, gun slung across his back, by riding up and striking him with his riding-whip. No. 26. Kills a white man and takes his scalp. No. 27. Captures a mule and a scalp. No. 28. In a warm engagement captures a horse and a scalp. No. 29. Steals a mule. No. 30. Captures two horses in action. No. 31. Steals a horse. No. 32. Steals and runs off a drove of horses from the Crows. No. 33. In an engagement captures a govern ment horse and mule and a scalp. No. 34. Steals a horse. No. 35. "Captures diree horses and a scalp. No. 36. Steals a drove of horses from the Crows. No. 37. Steals a government horse. No. 38. Steals a drove of horses. from the Crows. 24 Z/tf OF SITTING BULL. No. 39. In an engagement captures a mule. Sitting Bull first appears here as chief of the band of Strong Hearts, to which dignity his prowess had raised him. The insignia of his rank, a bow having on end a lance head, he carries in his hand. No. 40. Sitting Bull, chief of the band of Strong Hearts, captures two horses in an engagement, in which his horse is wounded in the shoulder. No. 41. Captures a horse in a fight. No. 42. Steals a mule. No. 43. Captures two horses in a fight, in which his horse is wounded in the leg. No. 44. Mounted on a government horse cap tures a white man. No. 45. Steals two horses. No. 46. Captures four mules in a fight, in which his horse is wounded in the hip. Nos. 47 and 48. Counts "coup " on white men. No. 49. Steals a government horse. No. 50. Fastens his horse to his lance, driven into the earth, and in a hand-to-hand fight kills a white man with his own gun. The black marks show the ground fought and trampled over. No. 51. A fort into which his enemies, the Crows, have retreated, and from which they maintain a hot fire, through which Sitting Bull charges the fort. No. 52. In a fight with Crows, Sitting Bull kills and scalps one Indian and counts " coup " on an other, and fires at him, barely missing him. No. 53. Steals a drove of mules. LIFE OF SITTING BULL. 25 No. 54. Sitting Bull, at the head of his band, charges into a camp of Crows and kills thirty of them. This happened in the winter of 1869-70. No. 55. Kills one Crow and counts " coup "on two others, who run from him disgracefully. Such was the self-told story of this red desperado s career down to the summer of 1870, and in it he doubtless did himself no injustice. Rather was his life more venturesome and lawless than even that criminal calendar would indicate. Since the establishment of Fort Buford, in 1866, Sitting Bull, at the head of from sixty to seventy warriors, had been the terror of mail-carriers, wood-choppers and small parties in the vicinity of the post, and from 100 to 200 miles from it either way, up and down the Missouri River. During the time from 1866 to 1870, when the biography was written, this band had several times captured and destroyed the mail, and had stolen and run off over 200 head of cattle and killed near a score of white men in the immedi ate vicinity of the fort. Despite this autobiography, however, the origin and early life of Sitting Bull are involved in much of mystery. Many different stories have been told concerning him, and he has himself told the story of his early years on various occasions in various ver sions. Once he said : " I was born near old Fort George, on Willow Creek, below the mouth of the Cheyenne River. Cannot tell exactly how old I am. We count our 26 LIFE OF SITTING BULL. years from the moons between great events. The event from which I date my birth is the year in which Thunder Hawk was born. I have always been running around. Indians that remain on the same hunting grounds all the time can remember years better. ( I have nine children and two living wives and one wife that has gone to the Great Spirit. I have two pairs of twins. \ I think as much of one as the other. If I did not I would not keep them. I believe if I had a white wife I would think more of her than the other two. (My father s name was The Jumping Bull, and he was a chief. At the age of fourteen I killed an enemy and began to make myself great in battle and became a chief. I Again, in 1877, a ^" ter tn ^ Custer massacre, and while he was in the British territory for safety, a correspondent wrote as follows concerning the famous chief: "The mystery that has hitherto shrouded the per son of the great Sioux warrior has been removed. In conversation after dinner with one of the police officers, the other day he said that he was a native of Fort Garry, and an alumnus of St. John s College there statements which he himself afterward con firmed. ( Several old traders who have had a look at him declare that they remember him well as Charlie Jacobs, a half-breed, who attended the college in its infancy thirty years ago. This young Jacobs was of Ojibway birth, and was a remark- ibly intelligent lad, with ambition to become a big AND THE INDIAN WAR. 2 7 r -v Injun/ He disappeared from Fort Garry about 1853.) " When asked by the police officer if he recol lected anything about Fort Garry, Sitting Bull laughed heartily and said he knew the principal people there, among others Donald A. Smith, the Hudson Bay factor; James Sutherland, and Father Vary, now a missionary at the Sault. He was also well acquainted with the late James Ross, Chief Justice of the Riel-Lepine Government in 1869-70; indeed, he says, they were boys together. Ross was a half-breed, who, after graduating at St. John s College, w;ent to Toronto University, where he was a gold medalist. Sitting Bull says his father, Henry Jacobs, was at one time employed as interpreter by Father Proulx on Manitoulin Island, but whether the old gentleman is dead or not he does not know. (Sitting Bull is thoroughly familiar with French and English and several Indian languages. He is about forty-two or forty- three years of age, a medium- sized, athletic-built man, of no distinguishing traits beyond those always found in the half-breed) He is an excellent conversationalist, and will- talk on every subject but his plans for the future. ^) Captain McGarry, of an Upper Missouri steam boat, knew Sitting Bull well for many years, and in August, 1876, gave this account of him: (Sitting Bull is a Teton-Sioux, and is thirty- A ROMAN CATHOLIC. five years oldJ^ He is a Ropifin Catholic cojavert^and said to be a firm believer in all the tenets of that 28 LIFE OF SITTING BULL church. He was convertd by Father de Snret. By this priest he was taught French, and he is able to read and speak that tongue with fluency. He has always doggedly refused to learn English. He is well versed in the Delaware language also, and is pronounced by the native tribes a greater orator than Little Pheasant, chief of the Yanktonnais. Sitting Bull has read French history carefully, and APEING NAPOLEON. he is especially enamored of the career of Napo leon, and endeavors to model his campaigns after those of the "Man of Destiny." In 1868 Sitting Bull became a chief. Previously he had been re pudiated by the other chiefs, and had been for several years a malcontent and at variance with the other chiefs of the Sioux nation, often coming into open conflict with them. After he contemplated his present war with the whites his ranks were filled by hundreds of young braves, who were seduced into revolt by his persuasive eloquence. At length the other chiefs deemed it policy to recognize him, and from that moment his supremacy was insured. Every summer, for years, he has been North into the country of the Assiniboins and Crees, and the acquaintance and friendship which he cultivated there are ripening into a harvest." (About the same time a well-known resident of Manitoba, made another contribution to the history of Sitting Bull. He described him as a Sac or Fox, and not a Sioux at all. He attended, says this his- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 2 g torian, the school at Fort GarnX when a young man, having moved thither from Prairie du Chien. He acquired a good education, especially in French, and was noted as a superb marksman with pistol or rifle. While in Manitoba, his great object in life seemed to be the establishment of a great Indian commonwealth, governed exclusively by abori gines or half-breeds. In the summer of 1869, he made a proposition to Louis Riel, looking to the establishment of an independent province either on British or Canadian soil, stating at the same time that he could obtain money from London and through the Hudson Bay company, in support of such a governmental enterprise. He INTRIGUING WITH REIL. told Reil that he would stand at his back with 5,000 Sioux warriors, if he would only enter into an agreement providing that none but Indian and half- breed officers should be chosen to govern his pro posed independent province. This proposition was declined by Reil on the ground that the church authorities of Manitoba would refuse any sanc tion to the programme, being opposed to an independent principality in Northern America. Nor does this conclude the catalogue of conflicting records. An army officer, in the summer of 1876, propounded the startling inquiry, "Is Sitting Bull a West Point graduate?" "This question," he continued, "is asked in sober earnest, with the view of eliciting information, there being reasons 30 LIFE OF SITTING BULL for believing that this formidable warrior and so- called savage, now occupying so much of public attention, from the unquestioned skill and extra ordinary courage with which he has met our sol- GRADUATE OF WEST POINT. diers, is really a graduate of the Military Academy. There may be some foundation for the reports as to his reading French and being familiar with the campaigns of the great Napoleon. Graduates of West Point, between 1846 and 1850, will remember the new cadet of both singular and remarkable ap pearance, hailing from the western borders of Mis souri, who reported for duty in 1845, 1846 or 1847. Above medium height, apparently between eigh teen and twenty years old, heavy set frame,, long, bushy hair, growing close to his brow and over hanging his neck and shoulders, his face covered with thin patches of fuzzy beard, the general get-up of this plebe was such as to cause the old cadets to hesitate in the heretical jokes usually played off on new cadets. Nicknames are often applied to- cadets that they carry with them among their friends into the army, and even to their graves. The thick neck, broad shoulders, and long, bushy hair, caused NICKNAMED "BISON." the name of " Bison " to be applied to this new comer, and it adhered to him ever afterward. The West Point course he learned with ease, graduating in the upper third of his class. He had no disposi tion to be social, kept to himself, talked but little AND THE INDIAN WAR. 3! and was never known to either smile or laugh. During hours of recreation he did not mingle with his classmates, but was often seen in solitary walks around the plain or scaling the neighboring moun tains, even to their very summits. He was often out of his quarters after night, eluding successfully the vigilance of sentinels and officers, visiting the neighboring villages in quest of strong drink, but never seen under its influence until he had graduated. "This remarkable character passed his graduat ing examination creditably, received his diploma, but before doffing the cadet gray, visited the village of Buttermilk Falls, below West Point a short dis tance, got intoxicated and became involved in a broil, in which stones and sticks were used freely. IN A DRUNKEN BROIL. Several of the participants were badly hurt, and the Bison himself much bruised. This conduct was re garded as so unbecoming and discreditable that on the recommendation of the academic board he was refused a commission in the army. He was heard of three times after leaving the academy, once at Galveston, Texas. There he had a terrible fight with some desperadoes, and was forced to leave. He was next seen on one of the California steamers, and going upon the western coast he got into an altercation with the officers of the steamer, and was placed under guard down in the hold, and made to work. The third and last time, as far as we know, he was seen and recognized under the following 32 LIFE OF SITTING BULL circumstances; In 1858, about ten years after the Bison had graduated, Lieutenant Ives, of the Topo graphical Engineer Corps, was engaged in making an exploration and survey of the Colorado River, emptying into the Gulf of California. While engaged in this work he would quite often leave his boat in the afternoon and go on shore and bivouac till morn ing. On one of these occasions a party of Mohave Indians came into his camp, and after talking some time in Spanish, the chief says, in English, "Ives, do you know me?" The Lieutenant was startled at hearing his name called so distinctly in English by this naked and painted-face chief; he replied that he did not, and asked the chief where he had learned to speak English so well. The chief replied : "Never mind that, -but do you- know me, Ives?" The Lieutenant scanned closely the huge painted chief, with feathers in head, rings through his nose and ears, and again answered he did not, and again asked the chief where he had learned English, and o how did it happen that he knew him. The chief re plied that he did not wonder at his not knowing him, as his change of nationality had brought with it a great change in habits, dress and appearance, and then added : "lam the Bison; we were together at West Point. I have with this little party been watching you for several days. My band wanted to WANTED TO KILL HIM. kill you and your little party, but I told them we had better wait and see, and try and talk , that we might AND THE INDIAN WAR. 33 do better than kill you. I have made them under stand that after you have left and gone back trade will spring up, and we can then do better by trading or robbing the boats loaded with goods and supplies of all kinds." The Indians retired and were seen no more, nor did I bivouac on land any more. A year or two before this, Gaptain Lyon (killed in the late war) of the army, had a desperate fight with the Indians on an island in the Colorado River, the Indi ans supposed to have been commanded by the Bison. He was successful for years in raiding on the settle ments and extending as far off as Arizona. It may be, and we think it probable, with the settlements extending from the West to the East, and from East to West, and the Indian area diminishing con stantly, that this Indian chief may have gone as far North as the Black Hills, and may be even the veri table Sitting Bull, for to the close observer, Sitting Bull has shown as much skill and judgment as any educated civilized soldier could have done. It would not be strange if Sitting Bull proves to have been educated at West Point, and it seems to us probable that such is the case." To this remarkable story the following was added by another West Pointer: " Bison " McLean was a cadet at West Point from Missouri from 1844 to 1848, and stood well intellect ually in a large and bright class. His diploma was refused him when his class graduated in 1 848, he, having been convicted before a court-martial of dis- 34 LIFE OF SITTING BULL honorable conduct. During the Summer of 1852 I JOINING THE INDIANS. met him in New Mexico. He had joined the Gila Apache Indians, had been adopted into the tribe, and had with him a wife or two from among the squaws. At this meeting he declared to me that he would never forget nor forgive the injustice and in juries he conceived he had received from his class mates and the academic authorities at West Point. If " Bison" McLean is living he is forty-nine or fifty years old. In character he is strong and rugged. His nature is untamed and licentious, his courage superb, and his physical qualities almost herculean, except in size. He is fair-complexioned, light color ed hair, very full-bearded and hairy-bodied man, with a large head, and bold, irregular, full face. His height is five feet ten or eleven inches, and twenty- four years ago he would have weighed about 175 or I So pounds. "When a cadet there was no disguise he would HAZARDOUS NATURE. not assume and no hazard he would not venture for the gratification of his appetites. He never used strong drink when I knew him, and notwithstanding the great circumspection and vigilance of West Point authority, he thwarted it until the very end of his career at that institution, and was then brought to grief by the testimony of his own classmates, against whose watchfulness he had perhaps taken no precaution. Such a man, after near thirty years AND THE JXDIAX WAR 35 or experience among the savages, might well nil the position of Sitting Bull. While he was a cadet, under the cloak of a false marriage, he ruined a pretty girl, Effie Conklin, who lived at Buttermilk Falls, a mile or two below West Point." This startling theory, however, was generally dis credited. A correspondent writing from Huntsville, Mo., to The St. Louis Republican, thus inveighed against it : " Bison, as he was known at West Point, was born and raised in this (Randolph) county. He was of highly respectable parentage. A nephew of John McLean, once a U. S. senator from Illinois, and brother of Finis M. McLean, a prominent citi zen of this county. He entered West Point about the year 1 846, and, I think, graduated in the class of which Stonewall Jackson was a member. He (Bison) was killed by Indians near Tubac, Arizona, about the year 1870. A gentleman then living in Tucson, Arizona, who had formerly lived here, and who knew Bison here and there, informed his relatives of his death, and sent them what money he left. Lieut. Hall of the Fifth cavalry, who was with Crook in Arizona, and now with him, and who is well ac quainted with Bison s relatives here, confirms the statements received by his relatives of his death and the manner of his death. Of Bison I suppose it may be said that his greatest fault was that of hav- VIOEENT TEMPER. ing an ungovernable temper, which he knew, and 36 LIFE OF SITTING B I LL which no doubt led him to pass his life beyond the confines of civilization. It was through the influ ence of Senator Benton that he received the appoint ment as a cadet to West Point, though his father, Charles McLean, was a zealous Whig. As to who Sitting Bull is, the writer of this does not know. Put certain it is that he is not Bison. 1 CROWjKUOT. Son of Mining Hull. CHAPTER II. MEDICINE MAN AND WARRIOR. THE TRUE STORY OF SITTING BULL S LIFE SON OF A RICK CHIEF A BUFFALO HUNTER AT TEN YEARS OLD His THREE WIVES AND NINE CHILDREN, INCLUDING TWINS How HE GAINED SUPREME SWAY AMONG THE Sioux WHAT IT is TO BE A MEDICINE MAN. The fragmentary and often contradictory narra tives rehearsed in the foregoing chapter contain much fiction and some fact. The general concen sus of opinion now is that Sitting Bull was born at a camp on Willow Creek, near the mouth of the Cheyenne River, and near old Fort George, abour 1830. I He was the son of Jumping Bull, a Sioux chief, and a nephew of Four Horns and Hunting His Lodge, who were also chiefs. His father was, for an Indian, a wealthy man, and was " the owner of a great many ponies in four colors." Although not destined to be a warrior, Sitting Bull, who was at first called Sacred Standshot, soon became a famous hunter. *At ten years old he was famous all through the tribe as a killer of buffalo calves. As his father was rich and did not need the meat, the boy gave away all the game he killed to the 39 4<3 LIFE OF SITTING BULL poorer merhbers of the tribe, and thus gained great A HUNTER AT THIRTEEN. popularity. When he was thirteen years old his father died, and he thereupon " killed buffaloes and fed his people." I The next year he fought \vith and killed a young Indian a few years older than him self, and his name was then changed to Lame Bull or Sitting Bull, on account of a wound Xvhich he then received, which made him permanently lame. Before he reached his fifteenth year Sitting Bull began to develop those traits which afterward made him a terror to the white settlers of the frontier. He is described by an old Western scout as a boy of rather stocky appearance, not " straight as an arrow" like the traditional Indian, and not given to any of those boyish sports which Fennimore Coop er has set up as a standard. He was lazy and vic ious, and never told the truth when a lie would serve better. But with all these traits he was fear less under all circumstances, a magnificent rider, an accurate shot, and capable of enduring an extraor dinary amount of fatigue. As he approached 2 1 A CRUEL NATURE. the cruelty of his nature became more marked, but he did nothing to indicate that he had in him th e making of one of the representative men of his race. He was three times married, one of his wives dy ing soon after the wedding. The other two wives were named She That Was Seen by the Nation, and AND THE INDIAN WAR. 41 She That Had Four Robes. They bore in all nine children, including a pair of iwins a most unusual thing among Indians. When, after the Custer mas sacre, Sitting Bull at last surrendered at Fort Bu- ford, one of his sons, a young man of 18, was at school in Chicago. Another, a boy of six years, was with the chief, and at the formal pow-wow the chief put his heavy rifle in the little fellow s hands and or dered him to give it to Major Brotherton, saying : SURRENDERING HIS RIFLE. " I surrender this rifle to you through my young son, whom I now desire to teach in this way that he has become a friend of the whites. I wish him to live as the whites do and be taught ill their schools. I wish to be remembered as the last man of my tribe who gave up his rifle. This boy has now given it to you, and he wants to know how he is going to make a living." Sitting Bull is commonly thought of as a warrior. In point of fact he was not. He was a " medicine man ;" which means that he included within himself the three professions of the priesthood, medicine and law. * He inherited from his father the chieftanship of a rjart of the Sioux tribe. But his remarkable ascendancy over the whole tribe or nation was due A MIRACLE WORKER. to his miracle-working and to his talents as a politic ian. He played upon the credulity of the Sioux with his "medicine" or pretended miracles, until they believed him to possess supernatural powers, 4 2 LIFE OF S1TTIXG BULL and were ready to follow his lead in everything. Some other chiefs inherited wider authority, such as Red Cloud and Crazy Horse, and some minor chiefs were inclined now and then to dispute his sway, such as Gall, Rain-in-the-face, and Broad Trail. But when Sitting Bull made an appeal to the religious fanaticism of the people, there was no withstanding him. To the day of his death he was the principal chief of all the Sioux and leader of 6,000 braves, who at all times were ready at his command to com mit any crime from murder up or down. As a med- CONTROL OF THE SQUAWS. icine man he had the squaws of his tribe abjectly subservient, and through them was assisted in main taining control of the bucks. " Just what sort of a man a " medicine man " is, not many people are prepared to say. Even those who have traveled in the Indian country have not the most definite ideas. As explained by a well- versed writer in The New York Sun, every tribe has many of these personages, some of them chiefs, and all important men. They may be either young or old ; and they are the leaders in all religious and social functions. No one can visit any Indians at any festival time, or time of general excitement from any cause, without seeing the medicine men figuring very conspicuously in whatever is going on. Some times they are merely beating drums, or perhaps they are only crooning, while a dance or feast is in progress. At other times they appear in the most AND THE LVDLLV WAR. 43 grotesque costumes, painted all over, hung with feathers and tails and claws, and carrying some/ wand or staff, gorgeous with color, and smothered with Indian finery. The term medicine is a white man s expression which the Indians have adopted. It was applied to the priests of the tribes for that is what they really are because the first white men often fobnd them making their incantations at the side of the siek, the wounded, or the dying. In reality they were exor- EXORCISING EVIL SPIRITS. cising the evil spirits of disease or death, but the white travelers, seeing them in the presence of the sick, put two and two together and called them medicine men. /The term is two centuries old, and the Indians have so fully adopted it that when one of these officials is at his offices they say he is " mak ing medicine." The medicine-man is a conjurer, a magician, a dealer in magic, and an intermediary between the men of this world and the spirits of the other. He may know something of the rude pharmacopoeia of his fellows, and may prescribe certain leaves or roots to allay fever, to arrest a cold, or to heal a wound. That is not his business, however, and such prescriptions are more apt to be offered by the squaws or by any member of the patient s family. FEELING FOR THE DYING. The medicine-man s work comes in when medicine fails, and it is pursued until death is seen to be cer- 44 LIFE OF SITTING BULL tain, when among most of the tribes the sick or wounded man is abandoned to meet his fate. Far from thinking the only good Indian is a dead one, the Indians themselves have little regard for one who is half dead or seems certain to die. In the Spring of 1890 as many medicine men as could crowd into a tepee of the largest size, beat their tomtoms and rattled their gourds all day and night for nearly a week to save the life of a dying plain chieftain, and then, as he seemed to get worse, deliberately withdrew from the tepee and turned the chief over to the ministrations of a Roman Catholic priest, whom they had excluded while they thought the man might live. They secured the best horse the old man had, and, leading it to the side of the tent, shot it through the head, that its carcass might be buried with him. Then they engaged in the pol itics of the situation and made themselves warmly friendly in the eyes of the heir apparent to the lead ership. The old chief lived two or three days and was dosed with jhe physics of both the whites and red men. He begged for more "medicine," but the conjurors had diagnosed his case and decided it to be a waste of time to bother the spirits any long er in his behalf. A WEIRD SIGHT. No more weird sight is to be seen on the face of this continent than a view of such a group of medi cine men at work to save a life. Seen at night the effect is awesome. They sit in a circle, broken only AND 7HE INDIAN WAR. 45 by the body of the invalid stretched on a blanket, at the head of the tent opposite the door or tent open ing. The wavering light is from a candle stuck in geniously in a loop of birch bark, fastened tight in a slit in the end of a stick that has been thrust in the earth. The medicine men are painted in their own colors, green and yellow predominating. They are in full regalia, but their hair falls over their hideous faces as they bend forward to swing to and fro or to HIDEOUS ORGIES. beat their drums. All are singing. Often they sing only the tunes of ancient songs, the words being forgotten or having grown tiresome. Now and then one leaps to his feet, waving his befeathered rattle and yelling louder than the others. He sings the words that occur to him as suiting the case. He has on no clothing but moccasins and a breech-clout, or "gee-string," as they call that garment on the plains. His thin, bony, bare red legs have the effect of their nakedness increased by the jumping, dangling tail of feathers that flutters down from his head and mixed its colors with the paint stripes on his flesh. His dancing is rather more like pounding something beneath him than like what we call dancing. He lifts his feet by bending his knees ; lifts them and thumps them down monotonously, though he turns his body first to one side and then to the other. When the dancer tired and fell back in his place in the circle the spirit moved another to take his place. 4-6 LIFE OF SITTING BULL The queer resemblances between the Indians and those Hebrew bands of whose history the Old Tes tament is a record have often been pointed out, but the writer has never seen attention called to the similiarity of certain of the Hebrew incidents to the common practices of Indian medicine men. In their HEBREWS LIKE INDIANS. early history the Hebrew leaders were continually holding converse with the Almighty. They went apart from their followers, up in mountains or in secret places and talked with Jehovah. That is pre cisely what the medicine men do to-day, or pretend to do. Every man who knows the Indians know s that during all this Messiah craze the medicine men of the various tribes have with great formality pre pared to talk with Gitchie-Manitou or whatever they happen to call the Good Spirit. In some tribes they have built little wickiups of saplings and leaves and have gone into them and held conversations that were audible, though not intelligible, to the red men listening outside. The savages have heard the medi cine man s voice and then have heard the voice of some other person replying to him in a jargon they could not unravel. In other tribes the medicine men have merely reported having held such conversa tions precisely as the Israelitish leaders did. It is CONVERSE WITH JEHOVAH. not for us to say that the grounds for sirch reports of the words of the Almighty were as slight in one case as the other, but it is true that the Indians have AND THE INDIAN WAR. ^ believed that their priests have really believed such conversations took place. Those that have followed Sitting Bull s history know that his tribe has long been divided as to his power. One contingent has held that his " medi cine " is no good, by which they mean that if he ever had genuine power to converse with spirits that power has left him. This often happens. Medicine men have their day and their decline, and he is a very sagacious Indian who can keep up faith in his ministrations jbr many years at a time or until he dies* IN TERROR OF HIM. The following authentic story illustrates how much Sitting Bull was feared in his tribe. In January, 1876, when Major Alderson was Indian agent at Fort Peck, he received from the government a letter which he was ordered to convey to Sitting Bull, commanding that worthy to come into the reserva tion or consider himself an outlaw. Alderson was in a quandary. His instructions were clear and per emptory. He sent for Sitting Bull, but Sitting Bull was just then too busy to visit Fort Peck ; so the letter had, if possible, to be sent to him. A gentle man of unquestioned bravery, who could speak the Indian language fluently, was sent for and offered $500. and an escort if he would take the letter to the Indian camp. After consideration, however, the offer was declined. "For," said he, " if I could see Sitting Bull myself, I believe my life would be safe, but he would cut my ears off, sure." Finally, 48 LIFE OF SITTING BULL a party of Indians were dispatched with the missive after it had been very carefully explained and inter preted. After an absence of five days they returned and confessed that their hearts " were not big- enough " to carry such a message to Sitting Bull. Consequently the benevolent intentions of the gov ernment were never conveyed to the contumacious chief. And yet he was often magnanimous, from an Indian s point of view. For example, it is told that in 1873 he was coming with a small band to Fort Peck, and he found a short distance from the fort, SAVED THEIR LIVES. three white men lying asleep under a tree. His followers wanted to kill and scalp them on the spot, and secure their arms and horses. This the chief would not allow, and stood over them till all his band had passed. Next day in the fort, Sitting Bull walked up to the leader, Mr. Campbell, and shook hands. Campbell said he did not know him. " I am Sitting Bull," was the reply, " and I gave you your life yesterday." " How was that? " said Campbell. The chief proceeded to explain in a manner that satisfied Campbell that what he said was true, and, in gratitude, offered rewards, but Sitting Bull de clined all such proffers, and after another hand shaking, strode away. CHAPTER III. THE SAVAGE IN SOCIETY. His VISIT TO A CAMP AT FARGO ASHAMED OF His PRIMITIVE GARB His FIRST SUIT OF WHITE MAN S CLOTHES A DISCOMFITED YOUNG CLERGYMAN THE INDIAN AT DINNER His FIRST LOOK IN A MIR ROR AUTOGRAPH SELLING. Away back in the 70*5, what is now the city of Fargo, North Dakota, was a mere camp of civil en gineers. Among its occupants was one who had his wife and daughter with him. And that wife has related in the Denver Republican some interesting reminiscences of frontier life at that time, and es pecially of Sitting Bull s visit to their camp. " Our camp," she says, "had many visitors that year. It chanced that two well-known French gentlemen, heavy bondholders in the Northern Pacific, were making the tour to judge of the wisdom of their in vestments. Two or three New York stockholders were spending a few days in camp, also, and a couple of St. Paul wholesale merchants, on the look out for possible contracts for supplies. " I heard an unusual commotion outside the tent before rising in the morning, and, peeping out, saw a party of eight or ten Indians, full-blooded Sioux, 49 50 LIFE OF SITTING BULL from the Missouri Valley, on their way to pay a visit to the Great Father in Washington. Among them was the wily, keen-witted, merciless savage who afterward became so famous Sitting Bull. They had left their native hatints clad only in their native garb, but at Bismarck two or three of them had succeeded the evening before they left in in ducting themselves into some of the cast-off clothes GORGEOUS APPAREL. of Fort Lincoln soldiers. Over these they had thrown their own blankets, so Sitting Bull had not discovered the change until the next morning. While openly scoffing at such degeneracy, the in terpreter accompanying them told us the chief was secretly chagrined at not having procured such gorgeous raiment for himself, and upon his arrival at Fargo he declined to be presented to the poten tates of the Northern Pacific Railroad until properly attired. " As he was resolute in his desire to have white man s clothes, a contribution was levied on different members of the encampment, the. result of which, although satisfactory to him, struck the rest of us as inexpressibly ludicrous. The only pair of trous ers whose waist-band was suited to his girth be longed to a very short man, and gave to their pres ent wearer that laughable appearance inseparable A QUEER OUTFIT. from abbreviated nether garments. As no ordinary masculine sock was long enough to fill the gap be- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 5} tween shoes and trousers, Aunt Venny, the huge old negro cook, was called to the rescue, and a pair of snow white stockings were given to him. There was, of course, some difficulty in giving these the smooth, un wrinkled appearance desirable, but the ebony aunty (whom I have always suspected of pie- siding over that extraordinary toilet) got round the difficulty by fastening hose and trousers together with those useful little articles known as safety pins. "One of our brawny teamsters contributed a shirt. Flannel shirts were in general wear among our engineers, and a white one (commonly known as a boiled shirt) was an almost unknown luxury. However, one of the men resurrected one long buried in a hidden trunk, and, to Sitting Bull s great satisfaction, he was* instructed as to the approved manner of entrance and exit. A waistcoat was not to be found, and it seemed for a time that civiliza tion, as represented by a coat, was for him still in the dim future. But here again his good genius in the shape of the fat old negress intervened. A coat having been found whose only objection was its extreme narrowness across the back, this ingeni ous woman energetically ripped the centre seam A LUCKY EXPEDIENT. and inserted a broad stripe of vivid red, cut from a heavy blanket. A stove-pipe hat polished to the last degree was found, and thus equipped the famous chief tain made his debut before the presiding officials of the encampment. 52 LIFE OF SITTING RULL " The wives of several of the officers had been at various times resident in the camp, but just then I chanced to be left alone with my little girl to repre sent our sex. I had been warned of the impending- call, but had been told nothing of the change of raiment, and when this astounding toilet appeared before me, the keeping of the muscles of my face under control, and maintaining a gravity befitting the occasion was the great triumph of my life. My little daughter was not so fortunate, and at once gave utterance to an uproarious burst of mirth, caus ing her father to instantly seize and bear her igno- miniously from the tent. SITTING BULL S LANGUAGE. "Sitting Bull s language was a compound of pure Sioux, mongrel English, bespattered here and there with a word or two of French, picked up in his in tercourse with post traders. As these traders gen erally use language adapted to the strength of their emotions whe their stores are pillaged by the half- breeds, the ejaculations picked up and embalmed by Sitting Bull were occasionally startling to ladies. But women on the frontier learn to exhibit oreat o fortitude in matters of this sort. So I proudly felt that I was acquitting myself very creditably during the interview, and as I had been instructed to invite the chieftain to dine with us in due form and state, I did so. He evidently viewed the idea of sitting down to a meal at the same time with a woman with AND THE INDIAN WAR. S3 HIS IDEA OF WOMEN. much disfavor. His creed taught him that I should stand meekly behind his chair, bringing to him his nectar and ambrosia as represented by bean soup and venison, myself thankfully swallowing at inter vals such morsels as he might see fit to toss me. "Among our guests that day was a young Eastern clergyman, making his first trip over the prairies. He was a very zealous youth, strongly imbued with the missionary spirit, albeit sadly lacking in expe rience. I soon saw he looked upon the meeting with these Indians as a special providence, and burned with a desire to turn it to account in their behalf spiritually. Still no opportunity seemed to offer, and we took our places at the table. Now, clergymen were rare visitors in those regions at that date, and we had become lamentably thoughtless as regarded many of the religious observances of civ- A SERIOUS DILEMMA. ilization. No sooner had we seated ourselves than the dreadful consciousness came over me that my husband was entirely oblivious of the fact that when a minister of the gospel was present grace was a customary preliminary to a meal. He prepared to carve the substantial roast of venison, and there was no lull in the conversation of the gentlemen. In vain I fixed my gaze upon his face and strove to send him a mental telegram. In desperation I thrust my foot across, seeking his beneath the table, 4 54 /// OF SITTING BULL hoping in this way to give him an intimation of what should be done. But, alas ! when I did succeed in touching him, he, with that depraved obtuseness seen only in man, looked up with a cheerful pardon me/ as though he had trespassed beyond his bound aries beneath the table. "The poor young clergyman had given one or two loud ahems in vain, and now in despair rose from his seat, and, with arms extended over the SAYING GRACE. table, loudly invoked a blessing upon our feast. Despairing of any other chance, I suppose, he dex terously interwove a petition for the conversion of the grim old savage before him, making in all a rather lengthy preamble. Sitting Bull s eyes had been fixed eagerly on the venison, wandering only to the motions of the carving knife in the hands of my husband, who, finding his hospitable efforts sud denly suspended by the unexpected prayer, sat with the carving implements in his hands, gazing help lessly at me with an air of mild reproach as if to say, Why didn t you warn me? "The old warrior evidently regarded this devout exercise as some sort of incantation by a medicine man of the pale-faces, designed to affect food, for as SUSPICIOUS OF EVIL. our minister, in his eagerness to offer a suitable pe tition, wildly waved his hands over the various dishes, Sitting Bull glanced suspiciously from one AT HIS INCANTATIONS. AND THE INDIAN WAR. t^y article of food to another, then to the faces of the white men, and finally sank sullenly back in the un accustomed chair. "When at length his plate was filled and sent round to him, he glowered over it, muttered and grunted, but made no attempt to eat. In distress I beckoned to the half-breed, who served as inter preter, and who hung about the tent awaiting his turn to eat. After a series of grunts exchanged with the savage, the half-breed informed us: Great chief say white medicine man put bad spirit in meat and potatoes. If chief eat, maybe he be weak and never travel to see the Great Father. "A long explanation ensued, and at last our grim guest fell upon his long-delayed dinner with fierce appetite. I regret to say, however, that in the train ing of his childhood table manners must have been sadly neglected. The only possible use he could see for a fork was to reach forth with his grimy hands and spear various articles of food which ap peared to him desirable. " At the close of the meal the persevering little minister was on the watch for his opportunity, and, as we were now better prepared, a decent silence ensued, and we bowed our heads with due rever ence for the return of thanks. The poor man opened his mouth and had. uttered but a worn or SITTING BULL OBJECTS. two of adjuration when Sitting Bull arose and with one stride reached him, placed his hand over the 58 LIFE OF SITTING BULL parson s mouth, and with an emphatic, No. no ; once enough ; no more call down the Great Spirit to crush the chief/ he marched out. " For the remainder of the day he strutted about the camp with the most absolute self-satisfaction, his confidence and pleasure in the loveliness of his new attire being unbounded. Furthermore, upon stroll ing into my tent and peering about at the various unknown articles, he espied a small hand-mirror. Now, Sitting Bull, equipped as he was that day, squatted on the floor surveying himself in the little mirror 1 is about as different an object from the Sit ting Bull of the Record of the War Department as it is possible to conceive, but the one is as much of a reality as the other. " Nothing could induce him to return the glass. He deposited it somewhere beneath his vestments and went out, but justice compels me to state that A FEATHER FOR A MIRROR. he returned to the tent with the tall war plume worn when arrayed for battle, and, plucking one heavy quill from it, bestowed it as a great treasure upon my little girl. It was white, apparently from the wing of some huge white bird, but its tip was stained with crimson, and he haughtily explained it was the blood of * Wah-ton-set, chief of the Arickarees/ " I saw him at Bismarck long after this episode, the centre of a group of Eastern curiosity hunters, where he was driving a thriving business disposing of his autographs at twenty-five cents apiece. Re- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 59 gard for my sex should, I suppose, induce me to re frain from recording the fact, but it is true that I saw a New York belle in the crowd around him, who, not content with the autograph, aspired to bear away some more novel memento, and mincing up to him whispered something in his ear. The old chief grinned and shook his head, then something heavy passed from her hand to his, and with another grin to the crowd the grimy, dirty, smoke-scented old heathen bent his head down and kissed her." Such, then, was the formidable personage around whom the disaffected Sioux rallied, in hope of win ning by force redress for their many grievances. CHAPTER IV. THE FOE OF THE WHITE MAN. FORT BUFORD S GHASTLY TRAGEDY AN ACCOMPLISHED CATTLE THIEF CONTEMPT FOR PALE FACES OPPOSING INVASION OF His TERRI TORY THE FORT ELLIS EPISODE A PEN-AND-INK SKETCH OF THE SAVAGE CHIEF. Sitting Bull first became widely known to the white people of America in 1866. In that year he led a terrible raid against the settlers and military post at Fort Buford. His path was marked with blood and made memorable by ruthless savagery. As the marauders approached the fort, the com mandant of the post shot and killed his own wife, at her earnest request, to save her from the more cruel fate of falling into the hands of the Sioux. After that awful introduction to public notice, the chief kept himself conspicuous by his daring, his cunning, and his implacable hostility to the whites. He seldom went further than to steal horses and cattle, but in that he was very successful, and no man was ever more agile in eluding pursuit. His influence throughout the whole tribe was bad, and he was gathering about him constantly in creasing numbers of young men, whose morals were 60 AND THE INDIAN WAR. fo corrupted and who were " spoiling for a fight." His attitude toward white men was impudent and de fiant ; even toward the military authorities. To emphasize his contempt for the "pale-faces," he would never speak a word of English, or admit for a moment that he understood it. He even objected to having it spoken in his presence. General Mor row was in command of Fort Buford in 1869, and when numerous depredations were committed and stock stolen, Sitting Bull was accused because of his general character, although he was then a chief. He denied the charge with great vigor, and not long afterward one of his men was killed. He charged DEMANDING SATISFACTION. that the killing was unprovoked and had been done by a soldier. He made a demand for some sort of a settlement, and displayed such powers of argu ment that General Morrow piled up blankets on the dead Indian until the chief declared himself satisfied. His success ia obtaining such a concession drew around him some of the bolder members of the tribe who had before held aloof, although they did not dare to dispute his authority. From that day for ward Sitting Bull became a great chief among his people. It was conjectured by some of the white scouts at the time that the wily young buck had been playing a part, and that his laziness was only Assumed. At all events, the chief began at once to 62 LIFE OF SITTING BULL display a deliberative turn of mind altogether at variance with his previous character. In a very few RECOGNIZED LEADER. months his perspicacious view of events became so well known that he had every buck in the tribe un der his thumb, and those who had been bold enough to consider themselves possible rivals were heard of no more. He was of more than an ordinarily restless nature, even from an Indian standpoint, and as soon as he felt that his power was absolute he gave orders to strike camp and go to the Yellow stone River. There the tepees were put up, the stock tethered, and orders issued that no white man SITTING BULL S CLAIM. should be permitted to enter the camp. Sitting Bull set up a claim to all the land for forty rods n both sides of the Yellowstone and all its tributaries. Notwithstanding this embargo, several white men did get into the camp and get out again with whole skins and proper quota of scalps. The big chief was crafty enough to impress upon these men the ADMIRATION FOR THE CHIEF. strength of his mental make-up. He gave them exhibitions of his judicial wisdom in determining disputes, of the fairness of his decisions, of the re gard in which he was held by his people, of his skill as a hunter and a rider. When these men returned to civilization their praise for Sitting Bull was ex- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 63 travagant. One of them went back and spent sev eral days more in the Indian camp, and when the butchery of Custer and his command took place some years later wrote an extensive and impas sioned defense of Sitting Bull s work on that bloody field. Another white man who formed an intense admiration for the chief was John Nelson, a scout, who afterward became connected with Buffalo Bill s Wild West show as an interpreter. In the latter part of 1875 a party of fifty white men from Montana invaded Sitting Bull s territory and built a fort. The chief ordered them to leave, and some accounts are to the effect that he enforced the demand by killing one of the party. The his torians favorable to the Indian side, however, assert that an Indian was killed first, and that two white men were killed in retaliation. It is certain, how ever, that there were two deaths in the fort from BESIEGING THE PALE-FACES. bullets fired by the Indians. Sitting Bull imme diately put the fort under fire, and there were des ultory attacks daily, lasting through the months of December and January. Six white men were killed and eight wounded. Five hundred warriors sur rounded the fort, and their persistent patience soon convinced the besieged that the intention was to starve them to death. Two of the imprisoned men volunteered to attempt to reach the nearest point where help could be obtained. They got out safely 64 LIFE OF SITTING BULL at midnight, and after great hardship and suffering reached Fort Ellis in the latter part of February, after having traveled afoot for seventeen days, half starved and badly frozen. Four companies of United States cavalry, three companies of Montana militia, and about seventy-five friendly Indians were put under marching orders at once. The chief heard of their coming through his outposts, and sent word that he was glad that the white men were to be taken away. Knowing he could not hope to compete with the reinforcement, he withdrew his force to a safe distance and was not attacked. The wretched survivors were rescued, and after the evacuation Sitting Bull fired the fort, and had the bodies of the six dead men dug from their shallow graves and scalped. HIS INVETERATE HATRED. This hatred for the whites distinguished Sitting Bull above all other Sioux. When he was engaged in hostilities he was as ferocious and bloodthirsty as a beast of prey, and his atrocities, or those directed by him, have earned him death a thousand times. In peace he was a smooth liar, and, professing the utmost friendship, never failed to be insolent and insulting when the opportunity offered. His per sonal appearance is described by John Finerty, who paid the chief a visit at his camp on Mushroom Creek, Woody Mountains, Northwest Territory. The noted chief had taken a trip into the British AND THE INDIAN WAR. 65 possessions to remain until he could arrange for amnesty for his connection with the uprising of which the Little Big Horn or Custer massacre was A VIVID PICTURE. one of the sanguinary incidents. Mr. Finerty thus paints the picture : " Soon afterward an Indian mounted on a cream- colored pony and holding in his hand an eagle s wing which did duty as a fan, spurred in back of the chiefs, and stared stolidly for a minute or two at me. His hair, parted in the ordinary Sioux fashion, was without a plume. His broad face with a promi nent hooked nose and wide jaws was destitute of paint. His fierce, half-bloodshot eyes gleamed from under brows which displayed large perceptive organs, and as he sat there on his horse regarding me with a look which seemed blended of curiosity and insolence, I did not need to be told that he was Sitting Bull. . . . After a little the noted sav age dismounted and led his horse partly into the shade. I noticed that he was an inch or two over the medium height, broadly built, rather bow-legged, and limped slightly, as though from an old wound. He sat upon the ground, and was soon engirdled by a crowd of young warriors with whom he was an especial favorite as representing the unquencha ble hostility of the aboriginal savage to the hated pale-faces," CHAPTER V. THE LITTLE BIG HORN. SITTING BULL AT THE HEIGHT OF His POWER THE RUSH FOR THE BLACK HILLS INEFFECTUAL NEGOTIATIONS SITTING BULL S DEFIANT ANS WER TO A SUMMONS PREPARATIONS FOR A GREAT STRUGGLE How THE THREE DIVISIONS OF THE ARMY MARCHED INTO THE INDIANS COUNTRY. Sitting Bull reached the zenith of his fame and power in the Sioux war of 1876. That conflict be gan more like a civil war than any other of our In fightings. There were diplomatic hagglings, breaches of faith on both sides, deliberate preparations for a long campaign, an finally an ultimatum. The in spiring cause of the trouble was the discovery of gold and silver in the Black Hills. This was then an almost unknown region, girt by the famous Bad Lands. Even the Indians went there seldom, re- CUSTER EXPEDITION. garding it as a " medicine country," or haunted region. But when it became known that precious metals were to be found there, pressure was brought to bear upon the Government, and an expedition was sent. Ostensibly it was a military reconnais- 66 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 6j sance. In reality, it was a prospecting party. It was led by General George A. Custer, and consisted of more than 1200 men, with sixty Indian guides. The expedition found the hills rich with precious metals, and forthwith there was a great rush of miners and other settlers. This greatly annoyed the Indians, to whom all that region belonged. Red Cloud, Spotted Tail, and other chiefs visited Washington to protest against the invasion, which was a clear violation of existing treaties. The Government agreed to keep the pros pectors out, but failed to do so, and by the fall of 1875 there were a thousand miners at work in the Black Hills. Then the Indians demanded payment for the land of which they were being robbed, and a Government Commission visited them to agree on terms. But the Commission returned with its work undone, and reported that it would be impossible to settle the matter without force. The Indians, too, came to the conclusion that they would have to fight for their rights. Accordingly they began to desert FLOCKING TO SITTING BULL. Red Cloud and the other more conservative chiefs, and to flock about Sittiag Bull, who had all along been truculent and had opposed parting with the land at any price. For many years a number of hostile Sioux had been roaming through the northern portion of Da kota under the leadership of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and a few other chiefs. In 1874 their num- 68 LIFE OF SITTING BVLL her was estimated at 7,000, but subsequently about 4,000 of these Indians went into the agencies at Standing Rock, Spotted Tail, and Cheyenne River reducing the number who might be properly called hostile to about 3,000. The War Department esti mated Sitting Bull s band at about 3,500 Indians. The number of warriors in these bands could not originally have exceeded between 400 and 500. All attempts to induce these Indians to go upon reser vations had thus far failed. In 1875, Gen. Crook visited Washington for the purpose of consulting the Administration in regard to its future treatment of them. With the Secretary of War and Gen. Cowen, acting Secretary of the Interior, Gen. Crook PLANNING AN EXPEDITION. visited the President and proposed that an expedi tion be sent against these Indians during the Win ter, when they would be less prepared than at any other time to resist. His recommendation was fav orably considered. A message was sent to Sitting Bull and the chiefs who were operating with him, ordering them to report at their reservations before the ist of January, 1876, the alternative being that if they did not the United States would make war against them. The hostile Sioux paid no attention whatever to the orders directing them to report at reservations, and preparations were made to send an expedition against them. The first engagement occurred in January, 1876, but resulted in no advantage to AND THE INDIAN WAR. 69 either side. A vigorous compaign was accordingly organized in the Spring of 1876, against the hostile WAR AGAINST THE SIOUX. tribes of the Sioux, who under the leadership of Sitting Bull refused to leave their camps on the Big Horn and Tongue Rivers, in the Valley of the Yel lowstone, and enter upon the reservations which the Government had set apart for them. The Govern ment dispatched scouts into the Big Horn country with a peremptory notice of ejection, and the threat that if they should not heed the summons, troops would be sent into the valley to drive them out. Sitting Bull received the message with contempt, * AN OMINOUS REPLY. saying: "When you come for me you need bring no guides. You will easily find me. I shall be right here. I shall not run away." This answer was omin ous, and the military authorities at once prepared for serious action. All available troops were or dered into active service. Three columns under the command of Gen. Gibbon, Gen. Terry, and Gen Crook, were equipped and placed under march ing orders. The objective point was Sitting Bull s camp, in the Big Horn country. The three columns were to meet on the Powder or Tongue River, and combine their forces in the heart of the enemy s country. Gen. Crook at Fort Reno, was to strike north ; Gen. Terry, with Gen. Custer s cavalry, at Fort Lincoln, was to march west ; and Gen. Gibbon, yO LIFE OF SITTING BULL at Fort Buford, was to descend the Yellowstone Valley and join Gen. Terry. General Terry s command followed the propsed line of the Northern Pacific Railroad, from Fort Lin coln on the Missouri River to the Yellowstone, at th mouth of the Powder River. The total fighting strength was 1,007 men, including the 7th Cavalry, two companies (C and G) of the i/th Infantry, Com pany B of the 6th Infantry, a battery of Gatling guns, commanded by Lieutenant W. H. Low, Jr., and a detachment of Indian scouts. The strength of the cavalry was 28 commissioned officers and 747 men; of the infantry, 8 officers and 135 men, and of the battery, 2 officers and 32 men. The train was a large and expensive one, giving employment to 179 men in various capacities, and including 114 six-team mules, 35 pack mules, and 37 two-horse STARTING OUT. teams. The expedition set out on May i7th, Gen eral Custer commanding the cavalry and General Terry being in advance with the infantry and train. The line of march from Fort Lincoln led almost di rectly west to the Little Missouri. The Mauvaises Terres were reached in ten days, and twelve bridges were built over Davis Creek, which the column was compelled to cross fourteen times. On May 29th, camp was pitched on the Little Missouri, and Gen eral Custer after an extended reconnaissance report ed that there were no signs of Indians, and that it would be safe to resume the march on the morrow. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 71 On June ist, there was a hard snow storm and the expedition halted. Two days afterward three scouts entered the camp on Big Beaver Creek and brought word that General Gibbon s column was on the north bank of the Yellowstone, opposite Rosebud River; and that steamers loaded with supplies had arrived at the stockade below Powder River. The original plan had been to march directly to the CHANGE OF PLAN. stockade, but inasmuch as this would involve a cir cuitous route, and as there was high water in the Yellowstone, General Terry ordered Colonel Moore to send the supplies to Powder River, and then led his own column to the valley of that stream by a shorter detour. Scouts were also sent to General Gibbon with instructions for him to remain where he was until General Terry s command should join him. General Custer, after a ride of fifty miles, marked out a road for the wagons, and conducted the col umn to the banks of Powder River, about 25 miles from its mouth. General Terry with a cavalry es cort pushed down stream and found the steamers with the supplies moored to the bank. Learning that General Gibbon s force was encamped 35 miles up the nver, and that the country was swarming with Indians, General Terry embarked on one of the steamboats and steamed up the river to hold a conference with him. General Gibbon s INDIAN CAMP DISCOVERED. scouts reported that there was a large Indian 5 72 LIFE OF SITTING BULL camp strongly posted in the valley of Rosebud River. After a brief conference the two command ers agreed upon a plan of operations, and General Terry returned to the Powder River. The main column reached the Yellowstone on June nth, and went into camp. General Terry sent Colonel Reno with six companies of cavalry and a Gatling gun to ascend Powder River Valley, and striking across to Tongue River, descend to the Yellowstone, where, according to the plan, the rest of the command would be encamped. The scout ing party was detained by rain until June loth, when it started in a north-westerly direction along the north bank of the Powder River. At that time no tidings had been received from General Crook s force, but the columns of General Terry and Gen eral Gibbon were within 35 miles of each other on opposite sides of the Yellowstone. The Generals PLAN OF CAPTURE. had arranged that the northern column should re turn to its former camp opposite the mouth of the Rosebud River and prevent the escape of Sitting Bull s Indians across the river if they should be routed or hard pressed by the cavalry. General Terry s force was to ascend the Yellowstone as far as the Tongue River, and there await the return of Colonel Reno s scouting party. General Custer was then to take nine companies of cavalry and a de tachment of Indian scouts, and with a large train of pack mules, loaded with supplies for fifteen days, AMD THE INDIAN WAR. 75 Was to pass up the valley of the Tongue River, make a forced march across the country to Rosebud River, where the Indians were reported to be in strong force, and to rejoin the main column at the mouth of the river. Meanwhile, four companies of General Gibbon s cavalry were to be ferried across the Yellowstone, and with the three companies of the yth, that were left with General Terry, were to march up the river to the mouth of the Rosebud River and up the valley in the direction of General Custer s force. This was the plan of operations on June 1 2th. On July 3, advices were received at Bismarck, on the Missouri, from Gen. Terry s command. They COLONEL RENO CENSURED. were to the following effect : " Col. Reno with his cavalry command had returned from the work as signed him, and was censured for not fully obeying instructions. Gen. Custer with twelve companies of cavalry, took the trail of the 1,500 Indians where Col. Reno had abandoned it, and pushed into Rose bud Valley, where the Indians had been congregated RUMORS OF BATTLE. for some time. Rumors prevail that Gen. Custer had since had a battle with the Indians. Gen. Cus ter, on the 2 ist, was at the mouth of the Rosebud and a fight with the Indians was expected about the 24th. Gen. Custer carried ten days rations. Gen. Terry was to supply Gen. Custer from the mouth of the Big Horn, should his pursuit of Indians lead >jb LIFE OF SITTING BULL him that way. Otherwise, Gen. Custer may go to Fort Fetterman for supplies. Gen. Terry retains two steamboats, carrying troops and supplies. The Yellowstone being high, boats have no difficulty in ROUGH COUNTRY. running to Big Horn. The country is so rough that even Gatling guns cannot be easily moved by land. Col. Reno, on the 2Oth, was near the mouth of Tongue River. Moore, with six companies of in fantry, was at the mouth of the Powder River, Gen. Gibbon s command was at the mouth of the Big Horn. Two hunters were killed by the Indians near Powder River. No other casualties had occurred. The health of the command was good. Gen. Terry had mounted 200 infantry on the mules of the wagon train. He had not heard from Gen. Crook." General Gibbon s force was concentrated at Fort Buford, at the junction of the Yellowstone and the Missouri, and was under marching orders about the middle of May. The line of March extended up the right or north bank of the Yellowstone, and the force comprised six companies of the 7th Infantry INDIANS HOVERING AROUT. and four companies of cavalry. Indians were fre quently seen hovering about the camp, and three soldiers who had strayed from the main force were shot. The column advanced as far as the Rosebud River and \vent into camp. Learning from scouts that General Terry s force was approaching, General AND THE INDIAN WAR. JJ Gibbon resolved to descend the Yellowstone in order to form a junction with the main command. After consulting with General Terry 35 miles west of Powder River and receiving supplies, General Gibbon retraced his steps to his former camp, and subsequently pressed on to the Big Horn, where he was stationed when the Custer massacre occurred. Brigadier-General Crook had led soldiers in an at tack upon the hostile Sioux Indians twice during the Centennial year. Leaving Fort Fetterman in Wyo ming Territory early in March, he succeeded, after a fortnight s march in very inclement weather, in surprising the village of Crazy Horse on the Pow- SCATTERING THE SAVAGES. der River. The soldiers entered the Indian camp early in the morning of March I7th, quickly scat tered the savages, killed many, and destroyed a large amount of ammunition stored in the tents. Owing to a lack of sufficient supplies and the ex haustion of the troops, General Crook was then compelled to return to Fort Fetterman. This return march the Sioux Nation interpreted as a retreat caused by fear, and many Indians at the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Agencies have since left the agen cies and joined their kindred in the revolt. General Crook was occupied during May in gath ering a large force of soldiers at Fort Fetterman, and in organizing a pack train of sufficient size to carry supplies to feed the little army for two months, it being his intention to make another and more de- 78 LIFE OF SITTING BULL termined attack upon the Indians. Toward the end of May the preparations for the expedition were completed. The force numbered in all about noo men. The expedition marched from Fort Fetterman on May 2 Qth. For a week the march was continued in a north-westerly direction. The ruins of two forts, now known as Old Fort Reno and Old Fort Kear ney, were reached and passed, but no Indians were encountered. Occasionally columns of smoke were seen rising in the distance, indicating the presence of an Indian camp, but no enemy was seen. The Tongue River, over 190 miles from Fort Fetterman was crossed on the morning of June 7th, and a camp COUNCIL OF WAR. was established. At midnight an Indian speaking the Sioux language was heard shouting from the summit of a high bluff near the camp. Other Indi ans soon joined him, and apparently there was a war council. They warned the members of the ex pedition to return to Fort Fetterman if they valued their lives, as before two suns rolled round the camp would be attacked by a multitude of the Sioux. A day and a night passed, however, before the threat ened attack was made. It was late on the afternoon of June 9th when an infantry picket saw a band of Indians creeping to good positions behind rocks on a bluff near the camp. The infantry were immedi- diately formed into order of battle, and the cavalry men mounted their horses. The infantry soldiers AND THE INDIAN WAR. 79 fired several volleys and the Indians returned the fire. Four companies of cavalry then ascending the bluff, routed the Indians. On the following day, it being thought that the camp was in an unsafe position, the troops marched sixteen miles to the junction of Goose Creek with the Tongue River, where a favorable position was found. Here, on June i 4th. the band of Crow and RESOLVED TO FIGHT. Snake scouts joined the expedition. General Crook now resolved to seek and attack the Sioux. The five companies of infantry were mounted on mules belonging to the pack train, and four days rations and one blanket were allowed to every man. No means of transportation were taken except riding horses and mules. The Snakes and Crows, 250 in number, were provided with Government arms and ammunition. The march was resumed on the morn ing of June 1 6th. A distance of 35 miles was made and the force encamped at the headwaters of the Rosebud River, between high bluffs. A hollow square was formed in anticipation of a night attack, the Crows reporting that there were signs of the presence of the Sionx. The camp was astir at five o clock the following morning, and the march was QUIETLY ADVANCING. continued down the valley of the Rosebud. The advance was mc^de as quietly as possible, and the column was divided so as to avoid raising dust, and 80 LIFE OF SITTING BULL thus give warning to the enemy. The Crows marched in front and on the flanks of the column of soldiers, but they had forgotten to send forward their scouts during the night before, and this omis sion was to cost the army many lives that day. The expedition had marched ten miles, when at 7.30 A. M., the Crow scouts suddenly came running in from the front and declared that the Sioux were about to make an attack, A halt was made and an order was given to unsaddle the animals, it being supposed that the scouts had merely seen some of the scouts near their village on the hills engaged in herding their ponies. Yells were soon heard, how ever, beyond a low hill to the north, and a Crow CROW SIGNAL HEARD. chief soon appeared over the hill and gave a signal to the Crows that meant to them that the Sioux were near at hand. The Crows instantly dashed forward and disappeared over the hill. At this mo ment the .two battalions of the 3d Cavalry were resting on the south side of Rosebud Creek, and the battalion of the 2d Cavalry on the north side, The cavalry made ready to mount, scouts came gal loping back and said that the Sioux were about to charge, and shots began to be heard. The valley in which the troops were stationed is surrounded by hills, rising ridge above ridge on every side, and these ridges are frequently cut through with deep ravines. If the expedition had continued its march AND THE INDIAN WAR. 8 1 a mile further in the same track it would have en tered one of the deepest of these ravines, and here probably the Sioux had intended to make their at- DANGER SHUNNED. tack. If it had happened as they wished, the troops would have had great difficulty in forming any line of defense, and doubtless hundreds of them would have perished. Gen. Crook on receiving the news of the advance of the Sioux, rode to a small hill at the front and saw that the hostile Indians were in deed coming forward with the evident intention of attacking the troops clustered in the valley below. Gen. Crook immediately formed his plan of battle. He ordered Col. Royall on the left with the 3d Cav alry to advance and occupy the hills in his front and Capt. Mills, with another portion of the 3d Cavalry with two infantry companies, to advance on the right DRIVING THE SAVAGES. The columns drove the Indians from hill to hill, but in the advance the left, under Col. Royall became separated from the infantry. The Indians from the higher ridges discovered the unfortunate position of the left wing, and entering the gap between it and the center attacked the cavalrymen not only on that flank, but also in the rear. Col. Royall was com pelled to retreat, and in the endeavor to consolidate his line with the center his troops were forced to de scend into a deep ravine. The Indians immediately took possession of the abandoned hill, and poured 82 LIFE OF SITTING BULL a galli-ng fire into the ranks of the soldiers as they retreated, while Indians at either end of the hollow HAND TO HAND CONFLICT. boldly attacked the soldiers. A hand to hand con flict followed between many of the soldiers and the Indians^ Several of the soldiers in the hurried re treat down the hill and across the hollow were cut off from their comrades, were surrounded by the Sioux, and after a desperate resistance were killed and scalped. One of the soldiers who surrendered his musket to a Sioux Indian was instantly brained with the weapon by the Indian. The main body of Col. Royall s force regained the main body of the expedition, however, and the troops were reformed and again pushed forward to the line of battle. The troops now advanced three miles, clearing the hills on either side of the Rosebud. At i P. M., Gen. Crook decided to halt, the Crow scouts not knowing in which direction the great Sioux village could be found. RESULTS OF THE BATTLE. In the battle 10 soldiers had been killed and i9 wounded, and one Snake Indian killed and several Crow Indians wounded. Gen. Crook resolved to continue his pursuit the following day, but learned with dismay from his Indian allies that they intended to go home. The Crows said that they had captured a pony, which they had left in their native village, and feared that^ the Sioux had attacked the village. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 83 The snakes complained that they had not been well supported by the soldiers in their attack upon the Sioux. It being impossible to pursue the Sioux without scouts, Gen. Crook reluctantly retreated to the Goose Creek camp. CHAPTER VI. OUSTER S LAST RALLY. DEPARTURE OF THE CAVALRY MARCH OF THE INFANTRY FIRST NEWS OF THE DISASTERTHE RESCUE STORY OF THE BATTLE RENO S FORCE RESCUED TWICE How CUSTER FOUGHT TO THE END. It was the Year of a Hundred Years. The American people had just celebrated the National Anniversary with unparalleled pomp and enthusiasm. The International Exposition at Philadelphia was open and thronged with myriads of visitors from all parts of the world. Suddenly, upon the scene of universal festivity and rejoicing, fell a shadow of a great tragedy. The first news of disaster was received with incredulity. But fuller tidings " fol lowed fast and followed faster," until there was no doubting them. Here is the story, as written to The New York Tribune from the camp at the mouth of the Big Horn River, Montana, on July 3d, 1876: " It is the eve of Independence Day the Cen tennial Fourth and all the land is ablaze with en thusiasm. Alas ! if the tidings of General Custer s A GREAT SHADOW. terrible disaster could be borne on the wings of the four winds, dirges and not anthems would be heard AND THE INDIAN WAR. 85 in the streets of Philadelphia, New York, and San Francisco to-morrow ! A great shadow has fallen upon the valley of the Big Horn. The youngest of our generals, the beau sabreur of the Army of the Potomac, the golden-haired chief whom the Sioux had learned to dread, has fought his last fight. Surrounded by over two hundred and fifty brothers- FOUGHT HIS LAST BATTLE. in-arms, Custer lies buried on the field where he fought and fought and fought until he could fight no longer. " Let me make the story of his death as simple as I can. You already know that before Gen. Terry reached the mouth of Powder River he had sent Ma jor Reno with six companies of the Seventh Cavalry to scout along the headwaters of the stream and to join the main column at the mouth of Tongue River. Major Reno went as far as the Rosebud, and on his arrival at the mouth of Tongue River brought word that he had discovered a heavy Indian trail. The command at once set out for the Rosebud. Gen. Gibbon s column was met on the left bank, and was soon on the march in the same direction. On June 22d, after a full consultation between Gens. Terry, Gibbon, and Custer, a plan of operations was ar ranged, and Gen. Custer started on his fatal errand. It was high noon when his regiment set out. Never were troops in better spirits than those bold riders ! VALLEY OF DEATH. As they disappeared from our view, half of them forever, an old soldier remarked : There goes a 86 LIFE OF SITTING BULL command of which even a corps commander might have been proud during the Civil War! Poor fel lows ! They little thought, as they spurred their horses out of camp, that the valley beyond was the Valley of Death! " Gen. Terry had assured Gen. Custer that he would be at the forks of the Big Horn and the Lit tle Big Horn by the evening of June 26th, and that Gen. Gibbon s column would be with him. Gen. Terry and his staff, with Gen. Gibbon, steamed up the Yellowstone, and on Saturday, June 24th, ar rived at the mouth of the Big Horn. Freeman s, Sanno s, Clifford s, Logan s, and English s companies of the Seventh Infantry were ferried across the Yel lowstone. Major Brisbin, with Ball s, Thompson s, Whelan s, and Roe s companies of the Second Cav alry, and Lowe s Gatling Battery, which had been added to Gen. Gibbon s column at the Rosebud, OFF FOR THE FRAY. were soon under marching orders. The whole command, with five day s rations, marched that evening to Tullock s Creek. o " On the next day we made an early start and marched with the infantry 23^ miles to the Big Horn. It was an exceedingly hot day, and there were no streams on the way, so that all the men suf fered terribly from thirst. Many of the soldiers fell by the way. Our Indian scouts had reported that smoke was visible in the distance, and hence this forced march was necessary. We left the infantry AND THE INDIAN WAR. 8? at the river, with orders to follow in the morning, and pushed on with the cavalry and battery until we reached the Little Big Horn at midnight, thus being about 24 hours in advance of the time set. by DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED. Gen. Terry. It was a night of toil and suffering. Up and down bluffs, amid drenching showers and abyssmal darkness, we pressed on ; yet all were in hopeful mood, for we expected to strike the hostile Sioux. We little knew what a day of wrath it had been for our brave companions ! "We finally bivouacked, after having marched over 12 miles. On Monday, June 26th, our scouts were sent in advance, and soon after we had re sumed our march a report was brought in that a A TRAIL STRUCK. small trail had been struck. Subsequently Lieut. Bradley, Chief of Scouts, reported that he had fol lowed the trail, and had met two Crows who had joined Custer s command at the Rosebud, and who now reported that he had been cut to pieces on the Little Big Horn. The story was incredible. We could not believe it we would not believe it. We admitted that Custer might have struck an Indian village and have had a fight, but we would not listen to tidings of his defeat. We pressed on with eager enthusiasm. The infantry marched 29 miles that day indeed, until they were ready to drop. As the twilight faded away we saw heavy columns of smoke in the distance and felt sure that Custer was ravag- 88 - LIFE OF SITTING BULL ing the valley. During the night we encamped by our arms, and it was apparent to those who knew him that a shade of anxiety hovered over the face of our commander. Night had come, and the promised ANXIOUS FOREBODINGS. scout from Custer had not reported, although we were far in advance of our promised position. We had crossed the Little Big Horn almost a day s march from its mouth. " On Tuesday, June 27th, clouds of smoke hung in front of us. The command hastened on and soon entered a beautiful plain over three miles long. On the east was a line of bluffs, on the west was the Little Big Horn with bluffs beyond it. Two tepees were still standing, and in them lay nine Indian chiefs with their dead horses close by. As we ad vanced hundreds and hundreds of tepee poles could be counted. Buffalo robes, cooking utensils, cloth ing, and tools of all kinds had been abandoned in hot haste. There was no time to peer about and take notes. There might be serious work for us to do. The shadow of a great calamity had al ready fallen upon us. As we drew rein for a mo ment we noticed some United States regulation sad dles of the new pattern. Some one picked up a blood-stained glove it had been worn by Yates. And close by were the riddled clothes of Porter and A TERRIBLE REALITY. Sturgis. A moment more and we were aghast with horror. Two hundred of our cavalrymen lay dead AND THE INDIAN WAR. 89 in the ravines and on the bluffs on the right bank of the river. Bradley had gone to the front and counted them, and now brought us the news. The Crow scouts had not lied to us. It was the awful truth. Faces paled, eyes moistened, teeth were set. "An advance was now ordered. At every step we found tokens of the dreadful carnage. Here was brave Mclntosh ; here lay Isaiah, our negro scout ; close by, Charley Reynolds, the chief scout, had bravely met his fate ; and here, close together, were the bedies of our cavalrymen and their horses. As we were supping on these horrors and asking ourselves whether any one had been left to describe the fate of the regiment, Lieutenants Wallace and Hall drew near and informed us that the survivors of seven companies under Reno and Benteen were intrenched on the east bluff of the ridge at the end of the plain, on the right bank of the river. " Where is Custer ? cried a dozen voices. " He left us Sunday morning with five companies, and we have heard nothing from him since. " Our commander with a small escort forded the stream, and scaling the almost perpendicular bluffs joined Reno s foree. He was greeted with cheer upon cheer. Stout-hearted soldiers who had not flinched in the hour of peril now wept like children, and smiles returned to the wan faces of the wounded men. The Indians had retreated when they saw our line of infantry approaching. We had rescued these despairing soldiers. go LIFE OF SITTING BULL " Now we had time to hear the story of the THE AWFUL STORY. battle. General Custer s regiment had marched seventy-eight miles without leaving the saddle. Suddenly the Indian village was discovered on a plain three miles long. It was on Sunday morning ; Custer could not wait, although the odds were five to one. He ordered Benteen to make a detour to the left with three companies, and instructed him to go as far as he could into the Indian camp. He left one company, McDougall s, to protect the packs. With the other eight companies he pressed on. As he approached the high bluffs surrounding the plain where the village was situated, he divided his force. Reno, with three companies French s, Moyland s, and Mclntosh s was directed to advance, ford the Little Big Horn, and enter the southern end of the village. Custer himself, with five companies Yates s, Keogh s, Tom Custer s, Smith s, and Cal- houn s marched around the bluffs facing the village on the right bank of the stream. His plan of battle was very simple. While Reno was attacking the village from the south, his own force would assault the Indians on the flank and in the rear. It was a THE PLAN OF BATTLE. shrewd plan, but he overrated the endurance of his soldiers ; they were faint and weary ; they had been in the saddle twenty- four hours. " Reno advanced along the plain, meeting with no opposition until he reached a little grove. Here his AND THE INDIAN WAR. 93 line was attacked. He immediately deployed his skirmishers and dismounted. The horses were led into the wood, and the cavalrymen engaged the enemy. The Indians appeared in immense num bers. They attacked him fiercely in front, and at the same time turned his left flank and compelled his force to retreat into the woods. The Indians followed in hordes and drove the force before them to the river. The bluffs on the opposite side were steep and high, but the water in the river was low. HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING. The Indians, flushed with success, rushed upon our men, and a hand-to-hand conflict ensued. Here Mclntosh was shot. Hodgson was shot midway in the stream, and fell before he could reach the oppo site bank. Dr. DeWolf crossed in safety, but was killed on the bluffs. The rest of the command fought their way up the heights, with the Indians in hot pursuit. Death seemed to stare every man in the face, when suddenly Benteen came to the rescue. " Benteen, with his three companies, had gone to the left, according to Ouster s instructions. He soon became convinced that further progress in that direction was impossible, and he turned back to join the main body. As he neared the plain he received Custer s last order to hurry up the packs. Satis fying himself that they were approaching safely un der McDongal, he resumed his march. Suddenly he caught sight of Reno s men rushing up the bluffs 94 LIFE OF SITTING BULL with the Indians on all sides of them. He dashed to the right, charged up the bluffs, drove back the THE RESCUE. Indians, and saved his despairing comrades from death. The Indians were kept at bay until night fell, and then the command began to intrench itself on the top of the bluff. " Meanwhile where was Custer? He had gone around the bluffs and had attempted to ford the river at the northern end of the village. The In dians were massed in his front and on his flanks. The whole command dismounted and made a deter mined resistance, which checked momentarily the onset of the Indians. Then Custer ordered a re treat, his force dividing in order to take advantage of two ravines on the left flank. The enemy had already appeared in large force on the right and closed the door of escape in that direction. At the head of the upper ravine Calhoun s company was apparently thrown out as skirmishers to defend the entrance. Here their bodies were found after the battle ; the skirmish lines were clearly marked by DISCOVERY OF THE SLAIN. the rows of the slain ; with heaps of empty cartridge shells ; Calhoun and Crittenden were in their places in advance of the files. The Indians, baffled for a moment, immediately flanked the force on the left, rushed up another ravine which led into the main one, and attacked Keogh s. company. That gallant Irish officer fell surrounded by his solders. Retreat AND THE INDIAN WAR. 95 was cut off from this ravine, and the soldiers were then killed off one by one. Meanwhile, the soldiers in the other ravine had been subjected to a severe fire. The line of retreat led through a deep gully, at the mouth of which 28 men were killed. They fought desperately, but the Indians had surrounded A DEATH TRAP. them and there was no escape. Capt, Smith fought his way to a peak, where a last stand was made. They must have known that their hour had come. Here were Custer and hfs brother, Adjutant Cook, Capt. Yates, Lieut. Riley, Capt. Smith, and a few soldiers. Making ramparts of their fallen horses, they fought to the end. Here their bodies were found. Custer himself seemed to be sleeping; his attitude was natural, his expression sweet and serene. "There was only one survivor a Crow scout. He crossed the river, dashed into the village, seized a horse, covered himself with a Sioux blanket, and escaped. From his account, it is safe to estimate 3,000 WARRIORS. the force of Indians at 3,000 warriors and their loss in battle at many hundreds. " Benteen and Reno strengthened their position during the night and awaited the attack of the In dians. It was made at daybreak, and was resumed at intervals during the day. In the evening Gib bon s column appeared in the distance, and the In dians retreated in great haste, abandoning the vil- 96 LIFE OF SITTING BULL lage and a large quantity of provisions and ammu nition. Two days were spent by the troops on the battle-field. The dead were buried, and horse litters were constructed for the transportation of the wounded to the supply steamer. The troops were in no condition to follow the Indians, and a retreat was ordered to the mouth of the Big Horn, after the ammunition and stores in the village had been de stroyed." A few days later another correspondent wrote as ANOTHER ACCOUNT. follows, giving further details of the awful tragedy : "At noon on the 22d day of June, Gen. Custer, at the head of his fine regiment of twelve veteran companies, left camp at the mouth of the Rosebud to follow the trail of a very large band of hostile Sioux, leading up the river and westward in the di rection of the Big Horn. The signs indicated that the Indians were making for the eastern branch of the last-named river, marked on the map as the Little Big Horn. At the same time Gen. Terry, with Col. Gibbon s command of five companies of infantry, four of cavalry, and the Gatlin battery, started to ascend the Big Horn, aiming to assail the enemy in the rear. The march of the two columns was so planned as to bring Col. Gibbon s forces within co-operating distance of the anticipated scene PLAN OF ACTION. of action by the evening of the 26th. In this way only could the infantry be made available, as it would AND THE INDIAN WAR. gj not do to encumber Gen. Custer s march with foot soldiers. On the evening of the 24th, Col. Gibbon s command was landed on the south bank of the Yellowstone near the mouth of the Big Horn, and on the 25th was pushed twenty-three miles over a country so rugged that the endurance of the men was tasked to the uttermost. The infantry then halted for the night, but the department commander with the cavalry advanced twelve miles farther to the mouth of the Little Big Horn, marching until midnight in the hope of opening communication with Gen. Custer. "The morning of the 26th brought the intelli gence, communicated by three badly frightened Crow scouts, of the battle of the previous day and STARTLING REPORT. its results. The story was not credited, because it was not expected that an attack would be made earlier than the 27th, and chiefly because no one could believe that a force such as Gen. Custer commanded could have met with disaster. Still thc- report was in no way disregarded. All day long the toilsome march was plied, and every eye bent upon a cloud of smoke resting over the southern horizon, which was hailed as a sign that Gen. Custer was successful, and had fired the village. It was only when night was falling that the weary troops lay down upon their arms. The infantry had marched twenty-nine miles. The march of the next morning revealed at every step some evidence 98 LIFE OF SITTING BULL of the conflict which had taken place two days be fore. "At an early hour the head of the column entered a plain half a mile wide, bordering the left bank of the Little Big Horn, where had recently been an im mense Indian village extending three miles along EVIDENCE OF SLAUGHTER. the stream, and where were still standing funeral lodges with horses slaughtered around them, and containing the bodies of nine chiefs. The ground was strewn everywhere with bodies of horses, cav alry equipments, buffalo robes, packages of dried meat, and weapons and utensils belonging to the Indians. On this part of the field was found the clothing of Lieuts. Sturges and Porter pierced with bullets, and a blood-stained gauntlet belonging to Col. Yates. Farther on were found bodies of men, among whom were recognized Lieut Mclntosh, the interpreter, from Fort Rice, and Rey nolds, the guide. Just then a breathless scout ar rived with the intelligence that Col. Reno, with a remnant of the 7th Cavalry, was entrenched on a RESCUING COMRADES. bluff near by waiting for relief. The command pushed rapidly on, and soon came in sight of a group surrounding a cavalry guard upon a lofty eminence on the right bank of the river. Gen. Terry forded the stream, accompanied by a small party, and rode to the spot. All the way the slopes were e}otted with the bodies of men and horses, AND THE INDIAN WAR. 99 The General approached and the men swarmed out of the works and greeted him with hearty and re peated cheers. Within was found Major Reno with the remains of seven companies of the regiment, with the following named officers, all of whom are unhurt: Cols. Benteen and Wier, Capts. Fe lix, Moylan, and McDougal, Lieuts. Godfrey, Mathey, Gibson, Dernded, Edgerly, Wallace, Var- num, and Hare. In the centre of the inclosure was a depression in the surface in which the wounded were sheltered, covered with canvas. Major Reno s command had been fighting from Sunday noon, the 25th, until the night of the 26th, when Terry s ar rival caused the Indians to retire. Up to this time Major Reno and those with him were in complete ignorance of the fate of the other five companies, which had been separated from them on the 25th to make an attack under Gen. Custer on the village at another point. " While preparations were being made for the re moval of the wounded, a party was sent on Gen. Ouster s trail to look for traces of his command. HEART-RENDING SIGHT. They found awaiting them a sight fit to appal the stoutest heart. At a point about three miles down the right bank of the stream Custer had evidently attempted to ford and attack the villages from the ford. The trail was found to lead back up to the bluffs and to the northward, as if the troops had been repulsed and compelled to retreat, and at the 100 LIFE OF SITTING BULL same time had been cut off from regaining the forces under Major Reno. The bluffs along the right bank come sharply down to the water and are inter spersed by numerous ravines. All along the slopes and ridges and in the ravines, lying as they had fought, line behind line, showing where defensive positions had been successively taken up and held till none were left to fight, lay the bodies of the fallen soldiers ; then huddled in a narrow compass horses and men were piled promiscuously. "At the highest point of the ridge lay Gen. Custer, surrounded by a chosen band. Here were his two brothers and his nephew, Mr. Reed, Col. Yates and Col. Cooke, and Capt. Smith, all lying in a circle of a few yards, their horses beside them. Here, behind Col. Yates s company, the last stand had been made, and here, one after another, these last survivors of Gen. Custer s five companies had met their death. The companies had successively thrown themselves across the path of the advancing enemy and had been annihilated. FEARFUL SLAUGHTER. Not a man has escaped to tell the tale, but the story was inscribed on the surface of the barren hills in a language more eloquent than words. Two hundred and sixty-one bodies have been buried from Gen. Custer s and Major Reno s commands. The last one found was that of Mr. Kellogg, correspondent of The Bismarck Tribune and also, I believe, of The New York Herald. AND THE INDIAN WAR. TOI "The following are the names of the officers whose remains are recognized : Gen. Custer, Col. Keogh, Col. Yates, Col. Custer, Col. Cooke, Capt. Smith, Lieut. Mclntosh, Lieut. Calhoun, Lieut Hodgeson, and Lieut. Reilly. All of these belonged to the 7th Cavalry. Lieut. Crittenden, of the 2Oth Infantry, was serving temporarily with the regiment. Lieuts. Porter, Sturges, and Harrington, and Assistant Surgeon Lord are reporting missing, as their remains were not recognized ; but there is small ground to hope that any of them survived, as it is obvious that the troops were completely surrounded by a force of ten times their number. "The history of Major Reno s operations com prises all that is now known of this sanguinary affair. It seems that Custer with eight companies reached the river in the forenoon of the 25th, having marched continuously all the previous day and night. Seeing the upper or southern extremity of the village, and probably under-estimating its extent, he ordered Major Reno to ford the river and charge the village with three companies, while he, with five companies, moved down the right bank and behind the bluff to make a similar attack at the other end. Major GREATLY OUTNUMBERED. Reno made his charge, but finding that he was deal ing with a force many times his own in number, he dismounted his men and sought shelter in the timber which fringed the river bank. The position appearing to him untenable, he remounted and cut 102 LIFE OF SITTING BULL his way to the river, forded under a murderous fire, and gained the bluff where he was subsequently found. " Here he was afterward joined by Col. Benteen with three companies which had just reached the field, and by Capt. McDougal with his company and the pack mules. The position was immediately after completely invested by the Indians, who for more than 24 hours allowed the garrison no rest TIMELY RELIEF. and inflicted severe loss. Except for the timely arrival of relief, the command would have been cut off to a man. The number saved with Major Reno was 329, including 51 wounded. The loss among * the Indians was probably considerable, as bodies have been found in every direction, and they left behind only a small portion of their dead. " He remained nearly two days on the scene of the disaster to bury the dead and prepare for trans porting the wounded to a place of safety. The neighboring country was still full of scattering bands of Indians watching our movements, and doubtless prepared to take advantage of any want of vigilance to add to the number of their victims. A species of rude horse-litter was constructed of poles and strips of hide, and on these the disabled were carried twenty miles to the forks of the Big Horn, where they were placed on board the steamer." CHAPTER VII. THE DEATH OF CUSTER. Two STORIES OF THE GRIM TRAGEDY GENERAL TERRY S OFFICIAL REPORT THE DESPERATE MARCH TO THE RELIEF OF RENO- NARRATIVE OF OLD NICK GENNEISS A PICTURE RECORD BY LITTLE BIG MAN. Two accounts of the Little Big Horn Massacre are worthy of rehearsal here, for sake of contrast. One is the official report, made by Brigadier-Gen. Alfred H. Terry, on June 27th, 1876, which was as follows : " It is my painful duty to report that day before yesterday, the 25th inst., a great disaster overtook Gen. Custer and " the troops under his command. At 12 o clock on the 22d he started with his whole regiment and a strong detachment of scouts and guards from the mouth of the Rosebud. Proceed ing up that river about twenty miles he struck a very heavy Indian trail which had previously been discovered, and pursuing found that it led as was supposed to the Little Big Horn River. Here he found a village of almost unexampled extent, and at once attacked it with that portion of his force which 103 104 LIFE OF SfTTING BULL was immediately at hand. Major Reno, with three companies, A, G, and M, of the regiment, was sent into the valley of the stream at the point where the trail struck it. Gen. Custer, with five companies, C, E, F, and L, attempted to enter it about three miles lower down. Reno forded the river, charged down its left bank, and dismounted and fought on foot until finally, completely overwhelmed by num bers, he was compelled to mount, recross the river, and seek a refuge on the high bluffs which over looked its right bank. Just as he recrossed, Capt. Benteen who, with three companies, D, H, and K, was some two miles to the left of Reno when the action commenced, but who had been ordered by Gen. Custer to return came to the river, and rightly concluding that it would be useless for his force to attempt to renew the fight in the valley, he joined Reno on the Bluffs. Capt. McDougal, with his company (B) was at first at some distance in the rear with a train of pack-mules. He also came to SURROUNDED BY INDIANS. Reno soon. This united force was nearly sur rounded by Indians, many of whom, armed wit; rifles, occupied positions which commanded the ground held by the cavalry ground from which there was no escape. Rifle-pits were dug and the fight was maintained, though with heavy loss, from about half-past 2 o clock of the 25th till 6 o clock of the 26th, when the Indians withdrew from the valley, taking with them their village. AND THE INDIAN WAR. " Of the movements of Gen. Custer and the five companies under his immediate command scarcely anything is known from those who witnessed them. NONE FOUND ALIVE. for no soldier or officer who accompanied him has yet been found alive. His trail from the point where Reno crossed the stream passes along and in the rear of the crest of the bluffs on the right bank for nearly or quite three miles ; then it comes down to the bank of the river, but at once diverges from it, as if he had unsuccessfully attempted to cross ; then turns upon itself, almost completes a circle, and closes. It is marked by the remains of his offi cers and men, the bodies of his horses, some of them dropped along the path, others heaped where halts appear to have been made. There is abundant evi dence that a gallant resistance was offered by the troops, but they were beset on all sides by overpow ering numbers. KNOWN TO HAVE FALLEN. " The officers known to be killed are : Gen. Custer, Capts. Keogh, Yates, and Custer; Lieuts. Cooke, Smith, Mclntosh, Calhoun, Porter, Hodgson, Stur- gis, and Reilley, of the cavalry ; Lieut. Crittenden, of the 20th Infantry, and Acting Assistant Surgeon DeWolf. Lieut. Harrington, of the cavalry, and Assistant Surgeon Lord are missing. Capt. Ben- teen and Lieut. Varnum, of the cavalry, are slightly wounded. Mr. Boston Custer, a brother, and Mr. Reed, a nephew of Gen. Custer were with him and P SITTING J3ULL were killed. No other officers than those whom I have named are among the killed, wounded, and missing. It is impossible yet to obtain a reliable list of the enlisted men who were killed and wounded, but the number of killed, including officers must reach 250. The number of wounded is 51. "At the mouth of the Rosebud I informed Gen. Custer that I should take supply steamer "Far West" up the Yellowstone to ferry Gen. Gibbon s column over the river ; that I should personally accompany that column, and that I would in all probability reach the mouth of the Little Big Horn on the 26th inst. The steamer reached Gen. Gibbon s troops near the mouth of the Big Horn early in the morn ing of the 24th, and at 4 o clock in the afternoon all his men and animals were across the Yellowstone. PUSHING FORWARD. At 5 o clock the column, consisting of five companies of the 7th Infantry, four companies of the 2d Cav alry, and a battery of Gatling guns, marched out to and across Tullock s Creek, starting soon after 5 o clock on the morning of the 25th. The infantry made a march of 22 miles over the most difficult country which I have ever seen, in order that scouts might be sent into the valley of jie Little Big Horn. The cavalry with the battery was then pushed on 13 or 14 miles further, reaching camp at midnight. The scouts were sent out at 4.30 on the morning of INDIANS DISCOVERED. the 26th. The scouts discovered the Indians, who AND THE INDIAN WAR. were at first supposed to be Sioux, but whenever taken they proved to be Crows, who had been with Gen. Custer. They brought the first intelligence of the battle. Their story was not credited. It was supposed that some fighting, perhaps severe fight ing, had taken place, but it was not believed that disaster could have overtaken so large a force as 1 2 companies of cavalry. The infantry, which had broken camp very early, soon came up, and the whole column entered and moved up the valley of the Little Big Horn. During the afternoon efforts were made to send scouts through to what was sup posed to be Gen. Custer s position, and to obtain information of the condition of affairs, but those who were sent out were driven back by parties of Indians who* in increasing numbers, were seen hovering in Gen. Gibbon s front. "At twenty minutes before nine o clock in the evening- the infantry had marched between twenty- nine and thirty miles. The men were very weary, and daylight was fading. The column was, there fore, halted for the night at a point about eleven miles in a straight line above the stream. This o morning the movement was resumed, and, after a march of nine miles, Major Reno s intrenched posi tion was reached. The withdrawal of the Indians from around Reno s command and from the valley was undoubtedly caused by the appearance of Gen. Gibbon s troops. Major Reno and Capt. Benteen, both of whom are officers of great expe- 7 IO8 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Hence, accustomed to see large masses of mounted THE INDIAN FORCES. * men, estimate the number of Indians engaged at not less than two thousand five hundred. Other officers think that the number was greater than this. The village in the valley was about three miles in length and about a mile in width. Beside the lodges proper, a great number of temporary brush wood shelters were found in it, indicating that many men beside its proper inhabitants had gathered to gether there. Major Reno is very confident that there were a number of white men fighting with the Indians. It is believed that the loss of the Indians was large." A second version of the story, brief, epigrammatic, and thoroughly Indian-like, was given many years afterward by Old Nick Genneiss, of the Pine Ridge OLD NICK S STORY. Reservation. He related it to Miss Sickels, an ac complished teacher, who spent much time among the Sioux, as they rode through the Black Hills country along the edge of the Bad Lands, among the wash-outs and buttes, " like the lay of the land where the Custer fight was," he said. " Folks blame me for putting Red Cloud up to things. I ve been with him so much. He talks to me, and many times has told me what he aims to do, and many times I ve helped him, but he is a very set kind of man. He don t stand out for nobody, cept, perhaps, his squaw. She makes it lively for MAJOR-GENERAL SCHOFIELD, U. S. A. AND THE INDIAN WAR. Ill him sometimes. She won t low no other squaw to his house. One come once, but she didn t stay. I ve been with him off-and-on most of the time for twenty years, when the tribe has been movin from place to place, first on the Platte River, then over to the Missouri, then back again to the White, near the Bad Lands, where we be now. I was with them up in Montana, where Custer got killed. It was in a place something like that." He pointed to a kind of ravine that had been the bed of a creek. The country is full of abrupt gulches or " wash-outs," some overgrown with grass, others immense masses of alkali clay, deeply seamed by the inroads of wind and water. Frequently the road follows the bed of the " dry creek," winding for miles between banks so high that they shut out the prospect of the coun try on both sides, and vividly suggest the stories of ambush and the possibilities of invisible foes lurking on either hand or concealed among the many ragged recesses that lie along the way. POSITION OF THE SIOUX. " The Sioux was camped in one of the loops of the creek where there was grass and trees and water. It was in so deep you couldn t see em til you got there. The creek turned so sudden and the banks was so high you had to go along the creek if you started that way. Custer s scouts hadn t seen nor known of our bein there. He come along down the path of the creek, slap onto em, before he knew anythin bout it. They seen him 1 1 2 LIfM Of SITTING BULL comin and closed together cross the openin of the loop, so he couldn t get back. He couldn t get out, cause the wash-outs was too high. It was all done so quick the soldiers didn t have time to shoot. Nobody got away. No white man, cept us as be longs to the tribe, went into that country for over a year. There was lots o arrows lyin round and only few bullets. When everything was all over I went to Washington with the chief, actin as inter preter." Nick Genneiss now lives with his Indian wife and children on his ranch, a prosperous cattle dealer, sharing the rations. He has invested them quite successfully. There are also good indications of thrift among the full-blooded Indians, who raise stock and till the land so far as it is possible to raise anything in that arid country. A number have devoted the same energy to a life of peace and in dustry which made them famous on the war-path. One of these was Little Big Man, one of the most active participants in the terrible massacre. He was a frequent visitor at Miss Sickels s school, hav ing been one of the first to bring children. His daughter Oohoola was a very attractive child of sweet disposition, pretty and plump, notwithstand ing the significance of her name, " Bones." She said plaintively, " Me not Oohoola ; me Maud." The teachers had at first spoken of changing her name to Maud, but thinking Oohoola musical, re tained it until her sensitiveness at the boys teasing AND TffE INDIAN WAR. MAUD LITTLE BIG MAN. prompted her request. Maud Little Big Man be came one of the brightest pupils. Her father was very proud of her progress. " Our mutual interest in her," says Miss Sickels, " was the foundation of quite a friendship. He always took great satisfac tion in showing his silver-headed cane given him by the Great Father, and in displaying his silver medal, on which was inscribed, Given to Little Big Man for valiant services at the death of Crazy Horse. He very readily conversed about his trip to Wash ington and of school or agency matters, but he was reticent about any allusions to former escapades on the war-path. Any question or reference to that was met by that impenetrable, uncomprehending look by which the Indian can so perfectly conceal his thoughts. I do not know whether it was a wish to bury the past or reluctance to commit himself to any confidences. He had promised to be a good citizen and fulfilled his promise so long as he lived, although it may be a matter of doubt what side he would have taken in an outbreak. Personal spites slumber until a general insurrection with its attend ing lawlessness gives an opportunity to wreak the delayed vengeance. "Tanka Cical Wacasa (Little Big Man) was LITTLE BIG MAN. called Little on account of his size he measured five feet four. The appellation Big was given on account of his valor. Whenever he made his ap- 114 LIFE OF SITTING BULL pearance among a group of young bucks they im mediately recognized his authority by rising and standing until he was seated. One day he showed me a document that was given him by the President, setting forth his good qualities and allowing him especial privileges. I asked him to tell me about INDIAN PICTURE OF THE OUSTER FIGHT THE CAVALRYMEN. Crazy Horse and the * time the great white chief was killed. He did not seem to understand me, so I said, If you cannot tell me anything about it, will you make a picture showing your idea of it ? He promised to do so. I provided him with pencils and paper. A few weeks after he brought me two AND THE INDIAN WAR. 1 15 sketches, one representing the Custer fight, the other a personal encounter he had had with the he reditary enemies of his tribe the Crows. I asked him where he was ; he pointed to the solitary brave wearing two horns. " Where are the other Indians ? SAME THE INDIANS. " Back there. Then arrows come. " Making due allowance for their inordinate love of praise that prompts them to draw on their imag ination to supply what deficiency opportunity has failed to provide it is probable that the idea of the sketch is not exaggerated and that he rushed into the fight wherever the fray was thickest," CHAPTER VIII. CUSTER. THE BEAU SABREUR OF THE ARMY BRILLIANT SE -.VICES AS A CAVALRY OFFICER IN MANY BATTLES DURING THE REBELLION THE COMRADE OF PHIL. KEARNEY AND PHIL. SHERIDAN His WORK AS AN INDIAN FIGHTER A SOLDIER WHO NEVER KNEW WHAT FEAR WAS, AND WHO NEVER LOST A GUN OR A COLOR UNTIL His LAST BATTLE. George A. Custer, the hero and the victim of the Little Big Horn, was a native of Ohio, and seemed born to be a soldier. He was barely of age when he began active service in the conflict which was destined to bring him so much honor, and was but 36 years of age when he fell at the head of his col umn, after a short life crowded with brilliant deeds. His birth-place was New-Rumley, Harrison County, Ohio; the date, December 5th, 1839. Before en tering West Point he had received an ordinary Eng lish education and had taught in schools. The his tory of his life at the Military Academy he has told himself in one of the most recent of his many con tributions to periodical literature. His appointment was obtained through the Hon. John S, Bingham, 116 AND THE INDIAN WAR. the Representative of his district, and the official notification of his appointment was signed by Jeffer son Davis, President Buchanan s Secretary of War. He entered the Academy in 1857, when Colonel Richard Delafield was Superintendent, and Lieuten ant-Colonel Wm. J. Hardee, who afterward became Lieutenant-General of the Confederate Army, com manded the corps of cadets. A large number of those who were in the institution during the period DESTINY. of his continuance there was destined, like himself, to take a prominent part in the approaching strug gle. Thirteen of his instructors during that time afterward reached the rank of Major-General in the Union Army, and five others attained high rank in the Confederate forces. Among the former were " Lieutenant William B. Hazen, instructor of infan try tactics;" " Lieutenant John M. Schofield, in structor of natural philosophy ;" Lieutenants George L. Hartsuff, O. O. Howard, Alexander Webb, and Godfrey Weitzel. Fitzhugh Lee was best known of the Confederates. Of Custer s fellow cadets, a num ber arrived at early distinction on both sides. Among those who choose to serve the Union cause were Hardin, Kilpatrick and Upton. Rosser and Young were among the Confederates. Seven, including Custer, won the rank of brigadier on the Union side within three years after graduation, and five became general officers in the Confederate army. Of these twelve, nine attained rapid promotion in the cav- IX 8 LIFE OF SITTING BULL airy service. Cadet Custer did not make a brilliant record either for scholarship or discipline. He grad- NOT BRILLIANT. uated at the foot of a class of 34, and spent 66 Sat urdays during the four years of his academic term in doing extra guard duty in penance for various offenses. His stay terminated with an incident char acteristic of the man. It was when most of the Southern cadets had withdrawn from the Academy, and Custer own class were waiting for the order from Washington announcing their admission to the roll of officers of the army. Custer was officer of the guard, and came upon a group of disputants who were just resorting to blows. Instead of putting the brawlers under arrest, he even restrained those who were attempting to restrain them, and called FAIR PLAY. out, " Stand back, boys; let s have a fair fight." His appeal was heard by Lieutenants Hazen and Merrell ; he was placed under arrest and kept be hind to be court-martialed, while the rest of his class went on to Washington to enter active service. The. court-martial was as slow and formal as a trial of impeachment, and it was only through the exertions of his fellow cadets in Washington that the proceed ing was cut short by a telegraphic order summoning him there. Presenting himself at the War Depart ment, he had the good fortune to obtain a personal interview with General Scott, whom he asked to send him to the front at once for active duty, and AND THE INDIAN WAR, 1ICj by whom he was intrusted with dispatches for Gen- FIRST EXPERIENCE. eral McDowell. The all-night ride which bore these dispatches was his first work as an officer. This was the 2Oth of July, 1861, the day before the battle of Bull Run. Custer was just of age, and was now second lieutenant, Company G, of the 2d United States Cavalry, once commanded by Robert E. Lee. His first day s service was a memorable one. It was 3 o clock in the morning on the day of the bat tle of Bull Run when he reached General McDow ell s headquarters, and after delivering his dispatches and eating a hasty breakfast the last thing he was to eat for thirty hours he joined his com pany while it was still dark. It was not long before he was stationed in the line oi battle. It is not necessary to rehearse the incidents of this well- remembered engagement, though General Custer himself has given a graphic description of it. The sudden change in the fortunes of the day brought about by the unlocked for arrival of rebel re-enforce ments, came just when Custer and a companion so says General Custer in his account were con gratulating themselves upon the glorious victory which already seemed to have been won." They were at that moment on a high ridge near the ad vancing line. Suddenly " our attention was attracted by a long line of troops appeariug behind us on the edge of the timber already mentioned. Before doubts could arise we saw the Confederate flag I2O LIFE OF SITTING BULL floating over a portion of the line just emerging from the timber ; the next moment the entire line x leveled their muskets and poured a volley into the backs of our advancing regiments." In the frantic retreat that followed, Custer s company came among the last, in good order, and bringing with it General Heintzelman, who had been wounded. After the appointment of McClellan to the com mand of the army who Custer always insisted, would have suppressed the Rebellion, if he had pro per help from Washington Lieutenant Custer was PROMOTED. chosen as a staff officer by Phil. Kearney, who had just been commissioned a Brigadier-General, and placed at the head of the Jersey Brigade. He was the first staff officer detailed by Kearney, and was first made aid-de-camp, and afterward assistant adjutant- general. This position he continued to hold until deprived of it by a general order prohibiting ser vice on the staffs of volunteer officers by officers of the regular army, but Kearney did not allow him to leave his staff without a handsome acknowledg ment of his services. When Manassas was evac uated by the Rebels his company formed part of that detachment of the Army of the Potomac which marched to Manassas. The cavalry was under the command of General Stoneman, in whose hands the work of organizing and drilling the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac had been placed, but who "proved himself deficient," in Custer s opinion, "in AND THE INDIAN WAR. I2 j almost every necessary quality requisite to the suc cess of a calvary leader." It was of the branch of the service with which he CRITICISM OF STONEMAN. was immediately connected that General Custer said, in one of his articles : " The record of the cavalry while operating under Stoneman, contains nothing to its credit as a separate organization, and worse than nothing if successes are looked for upon which to base its leader s claim to the title of chief of cavalry." On the march just referred to, the cavalry met the enemy s cavalry near Catlett s Station, and when volunteers were called for to lead the charge, Lieutenant Custer came to the front. Here he made the first of that series of brilliant charges, the last of which carried him to a bloody grave. He drove the Rebels across Muddy Creek, and they had the honor of " drawing the first blood" in McClellan s campaign. He seems to have been first pretty much everywhere, Before Yorktown he planned and threw up the earthwork which was nearest to the enemy s lines; he was in the advance of the pursuit of the Confederate forces fromYorktown. and at the battle of Williamsburg, where he was aid- de-camp to General Hancock, he effected the first THE FIRST BATTLE-FLAG CAPTURE. capture of a battle-flag made by the Army of the Potomac; and he was the first man to cross the Chickahominy, "wading up to his armpits," under the fire of the enemy, and being rewarded for 122 LIFE OF SITTING BULL this act of bravery by General McClellan with a pro motion to the rank of captain, and an appointment as personal aid to that general. He was an active participant in the whole of the Peninsular campaign, and was in every battle, and was also in the cam paign which closed with the battles of South Moun tain and Antietam. He followed General McClel lan into retirement, and did not re-enter active ser vice until the battle of Chancellorsville. His gallantry in this battle procured him an ap pointment from General Pleasanton as a personal aid, under whom he fought on many fields, notably at Beverly Fords, Upperville, and Harbour s Cross A GREAT PROMOTION. Roads. Custer now received his great promotion, going at one bound to a brigadier-generalship. His appointment was made through General Pleasanton, who had been made a Major-GeneraL and placed in command of a cavalry corps, and wished to have Custer as one of his four brigadiers. It was Cus ter s brigade that routed Hampton s cavalry at Get tysburg and protected the Union train. It was Cus ter s brigade, too, that pursued the Confederate train when in retreat after Gettysburg, destroyed more than 400 wagons and captured more than 1,800 pris oners. It was Custer s brigade, too, that attacked the rear guard while it was crossing the Potomac, routing it with a loss of 1,300 prisoners, to say nothing of battle-flags and cannon. He was en gaged in the opening battle of the Wilderness in AND THE INDIAN WAR. the Spring of 1864, and accompanied General Sheri dan in the raid toward Richmond, on which they set out on May Qth. Naturally his brigade led the col umn, and capturing Beaver Dam set free 400 Union prisoners. Coming back to Grant s army he fought DESPERATE BATTLES. in several battles. One was a most desperate con flict, in which this brave General showed all his in domitable bravery and pluck. It was at the battle of Trevillian Station, where he surprised the ene my s rear, but the attack that was to have been made at the same time in front was delayed, and the enemy closed in on Custer. There were five brig ades against one, but the fierce fight lasted three hours. Guns were captured only to be recaptured, and Custer, when his standard-bearer had been killed, only saved his flag from capture by tearing it from the staff and wrapping it around his own body. Help finally came, and he was able to withdraw in good order. He marked the closing months of the war by a succession of brilliant achievements. At Winches ter his brigade fought from dawn until after dark, and was first through the lines of the enemy. Nine battle-flags and more than one prisoner to every man in the brigade were the trophies of the day. LARGER COMMAND. He was then put in command of the second and then the third division of cavalry of the Army of the Shenandoah. When Sheridan reached the field of 124 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Cedar Creek, after the ride which has become fa mous, Custer s division was alone ready for action, and Sheridan s order was "Go in, Custer !" Custer hardly needed the order. He drove the enemy off the field, captured 45 out of their 48 cannon and several hundred prisoners. For this achievement he was brevetted major-general. On the Qth of October he encountered one of his former fellow cadets, General Rosser, and routed him, taking many prisoners and trophies, and for this the War Department thanked him in a special order. At Waynesboro, in February, 1865, Custer, with about 1,000 men, routed Jubal Early with 2,000, and cap tured i, 800 prisoners and 200 wagons, besides flags and cannon. All this at an expense of one man killed and four wounded. In the final cam paign before Richmond, Custer converted the battle of Dinwiddie C. H. from an impending rout into actual victory. At Five Forks his division was first in crossing the works of the enemy, At Sailor s Creek, when two unsuccessful attempts had been made to delay the enemy s retreat, Sheridan cried SHERIDAN S COMPLIMENT. out, " I wish to God old Custer was here ; he would have been into the enemy s train before this time." (Custer was 25 ; Sheridan ten years his senior.) What followed is thus described in " Ohio in the War:" Accordingly, " Old Custer s" was ordered in- to the fight. The men charged gallantly, and actu AND THE INDIAN WAR. ally leaped their horses over the breastworks. Lieutenant T. W. Custer, the General s brother and aid (also killed at the Little Horn), was among the first to enter the works, which he did in the manner described: He snatched a rebel standard from its SHOT IN THE NECK. bearer, and received a Minnie ball through his cheek and neck. He, however, retained his trophy, and shot down his opponent with a pistol. The di vision destroyed a large number of wagons, cap tured 1 6 pieces of artillery. 31 battle-flags, and 5,000 prisoners, including seven general officers, among them Custis Lee, a son of Robert E. Lee ; Semmes, brother of pirate Semmes, and Ewell. After the battle Custer was riding up to General Sheridan, who was surrounded by his staff and oth er officers of rank, when the latter and all the staff with caps waving, proposed three cheers for Custer, which were given with a will." At Appomattox Court House, Custer was in the advance and was the first to receive General Lee s white flag, which he retained. The table upon which the terms of surrender were signed was pre sented to Mrs. Custer by General Sheridan, with a letter in which he said to her, that he knew u of no person more instrumental in bringing about. this most desirable event than her own most gallant hus band." For these last exploits he was madeb jyiajor- General of Volunteers, and was given an important command in Texas, from which he was relieved Feb- 126 LIFE OF SITTING BULL ruary I5th, 1866. In the reorganization of the army he was made Lieutenant-Colonel of the 7th Cavalry, with the brevet rank of Major-General in the regular service. After the war, General Custer was engaged in a number of expeditions against the Indians. The FIRST EXPEDITION. first of those was organized and led by General Hancock in the opening of 1867. Its object was, in General Hancock s own words, "to convince the Indians that we were able to punish any of them who may molest travelers across the plains, or who may commit other hostilities against the whites." There was considerable fighting, but the losses of the Indians were comparatively slight. Another was sent out in October, 1868, south of the Arkansas, toward the Wichita Mountains. On this expedition the battle of the Washita was fought in which General Custer destroyed a Cheyenne village and took a number of prisoners, the Indians having 103 warriors killed. Others followed without special incident. In 1873 he commanded the Yellowstone Expedition, sent out as an escort to a surveying party, which was to mark out the uncompleted por tions of the road. This expedition did some fighting TONGUE RIVER BATTLE. wi|;h t)ie, Sioux. One battle was on the Tongue River/ a branch of the Yellowstone, flowing into it from t;:e south in a direction parallel with the Big Horn, of which the Little Horn is a branch, having AND THE INDIAN WAR. its source in the country between the parallel streams and flowing northerly. The engagement on the Tongue River took place on AiSgust 4th, 1873. General Custer had proceeded up the Yellowstone as far as the mouth of the Tongue River, with a squadron of 90 men, to explore a route over which the main column of his forces could pass. When waiting at that point for the arrival of the forces of the expedition, and his men being dismounted, six Sioux Indians on horseback dashed before them and attempted to stampede their horses. Failing in this, they retired as though tempting pursuit, and on seeing that the squadron did not fall into the net they had prepared, with ATTACK OF 300. characteristic yells over 300 mounted warriors dashed in line from trie woods and attacked the Government soldiers. With the river on one side, they were able to entirely encompass the squadron by forming a semi-circle on the other. But after a fight of three and one-half hours, the Indians were compelled to take flight, carrying their dead with them, but leaving five ponies on the field, besides throwing away in their flight breech-loading arms, saddle equipments, clothing and other articles belong ing to an Indian s outfit. Another battle was fought one week later near the mouth of the Big Horn River. The Indians had been followed in their fight down the Yellowstone and, on receiving additions to their number until 1 30 LIFE OF SITTING BULL their force amounted to between 800 and 1,000 men, halted on the banks of the river as though ready for an attack, Sitting Bull was in command and upon the mounds and high bluffs, along the river were gathered large numbers of squaws, old men, and children, who had assembled to witness what they evidently believed would result in the de struction of General Custer s force of 450 men. After some skirmishing, General Custer gave the order for an attack, and the assurance soon gained by the savages that the charge was made in earnest FLIGHT OF THE SAVAGES. led them to a speedy and complete flight. The loss of the Indians in these engagements was upward of 40 warriors, together with a large number of ponies, while the loss of General Custer was only four men killed, one wounded, and one officer seriously wounded. Four horses were killed and four wounded, one of the killed being General Custer s, which was shot from under him. General Custer was brave, even to recklessness, as the manner of his death showed. He was a bold, dashing officer, who did not know what fear, and not always what discretion, was. His success was a rule without exceptions, and his progress an advance almost without pauses. He was the youngest Brig adier and the youngest Major-General in the army, " He never lost a gun or a color," and " captured more guns, flags, and prisoners than any other gen eral not an army commander," and these guns and AND THE INDIAN WAR. flags "were all taken in action and field service/ His personal appearance was singular. Col. New- hall, who wrote " With Sheridan in Lee s Last Cam- NEVER LOST A GUN OR A COLOR. paign," describes him thus : " Custer of the golden locks, his broad sombrero turned up from his hard- bronzed face, the ends of his crimson cravat floating over his shoulders, gold galore spangling his jacket sleeves, a pistol in his boot, jangling spurs on his heels, and a ponderous, claymore swinging at his side, a wild dare-devil of a general, and a prince of advance guards, quick to see and act." While he fought brilliantly and bravely, he does not seem to have been a soldier capable of real generalship. As a subordinate working under sympathetic direction ne did his best. He died as he lived fighting his hardest and at the head of his men. One of his comrades, at the time of his death, paid this tribute to his memory : I accompanied General Custer on the Yellowstone and Black Hills expedi tion. He was a born cavalryman. He was never more in his element than when mounted on Dandy, his favorite horse, and riding at the head of his reg iment. He once said to me. " I would rather be a private in the cavalry than a line officer in the infan try." He was the personification of bravery and dash. His most bitter enemies never accused him of cowardice. If he had only added discretion to his valor he would have been a perfect soldier. His impetuosity very often ran away with his judgment. 132 LIFE OF SITTING BULL He was impatient of control. He liked to act inde pendently of others and take ?!1 the risk and all the glory to himself. He freque itly got himself into trouble by assuming more aut ority than really be longed to his rank. It was so on the Yellowstone expedition, where he came into collision with Gene ral Stanley, his superior officer, and was placed under arrest and compelled to ride at the rear of his col umn for two or three days, until General Rosser,. who fought against Custer. in the Shenandoah Val ley during the war, but was then acting as engineer of the Northern Pacific Railroad, succeeded in effect ing a reconciliation. Custer and Stanley aft< rward got on very well, and perhaps the quarrel tfould never have occurred if the two generals had been left alone to themselves without the intervention of camp gossips, who sought to foster the traditional jealousy between infantry and cavalry. For Stanley was the soul of generosity, and Custer did not really mean to be arrogant ; but from the time when he entered West Point to the day when he fell on the Big Horn, he was accustomed to take just as much liberty as he was entitled to. For this reason, Custer worked most easily and ef fectively when under general orders, when not ham pered by special restrictions, or his success made de pendent on anybody else. General Terry under- UNBOUNDED CONFIDENCE. stood his man when, in the order directing him to march up the Rosebud, he very liberally said : "The AND THE INDIAN WAR. Department Commander places too much confi dence in your zeal, energy, and ability to wish to im pose upon you precise orders which might hamper your action when nearly in contact with the enemy." But General Terry did not understand Custer if he thought he would wait for Gibbon s support before attacking an Indian camp. Undoubtedly he ought to have done this ; but with his native impetuosity, his reckless daring, his confidence in his own regi ment, which had never failed him, and his love of public approval, Custer could no more help charg ing this Indian camp than he could help charging just so many buffaloes. He had never learned to spell the word " defeat ;" he knew nothing but suc cess, and if he had met the Indians on the open plain, success would undoubtedly have been his ; for no body of Indians could stand the charge of the 7th Cavalry when it swept over the plains like a whirlwind. But in the Mauvaises Terres and the Narrow Valley of the Big Horn he did it at a fear ful risk. With all his bravery and self-reliance, his love of independent action, Custer was more dependent than most men on the kind approval of his fellows. LOVED DISPLAY. He was even vain ; he loved display in dress and in action. He would pay $40 for a pair of troop boots to wear on parade, and have everything else in keeping. On the Yellowstone expedition he wore a bright red shirt, which made him the best mark L * FE OF BITTING BULL for a rifle of any man in the regiment. I remon strated with him for this reckless exposure, but found an appeal to his wife more effectual, and on the next campaign he wore a buckskin suit. He formerly wore his hair very long, letting it fall in a heavy mass upon his shoulders, but cut it oft before going out on the Black Hills, producing quite a change in his appearance. But if vain and ambi tious, Custer had none of those great vices which are so common and so distressing in the army. He never touched liquor in any form ; he did not smoke or chew or gamble. In early life he had been addicted to some of these habits, but was entirely won from them by the loving, purifying influence of his devoted wife. He was a man of great energy and remarkable endurance. He could outride almost any man in his regiment, I believe, if it were put to a test. His men had many nicknames for him, which celebrated this hardihood. When he sat out to reach a certain point at a certain time, you could be sure that he would be there if he killed every horse in the command. He was sometimes too severe in forcing marches, but he never seemed to get tired himself, and he never expected his men to be so. In cutting our way through the forests of the Black Hills, I have often seen him take an axe and work as hard as any of the pioneers. He was NEVER IDLE. never idle when he had a pretext for doing any thing. Whatever he did he did thoroughly. He AND THE INDIAN WAR. would overshoot the mark, but never fall short. He fretted in garrison sometimes, because it was too in active ; but he found an outlet here for his energies in writing articles for the press. He made some enemies in the army by the freedom with which he wrote and criticised. I think it was not Ouster s habit to add to his fame by disparaging the reputa tion of others. As he loved praise himself, so he liked to award it to others whenever it was due. He had a remarkable memory. He could recall in its proper order every detail of any action, no matter how remote, of which he was a participant. He was rather verbose in writing, and had no gifts as a speaker; but his writings* interested the masses from their close attention to details, and from his facility with the pen as with the sword in bringing a thing to a climax. As he was apt to overdo in ac tion, so he was apt to exaggerate in statement, not from any willful disregard of the truth, but because he saw things bigger than they really were. He did not distort the truth ; he magnified it. He was a ROSE-COLORED VIEWS. natural optimist. He took rose-colored views of everything, even of the miserable lands of the North ern Pacific Railroad. He had a historical memory, but not a historical mind. He was no philosopher; he could reel off facts from his mind better than he could analyze or mass them. He was not a student nor a deep thinker. He loved to take part in events rather than to brood over them. He was fond of 136 LIFE OF SITTING BULL fun, genial and pleasant in his manner; a loving and devoted husband. It was my privilege to spend two weeks in his family at one time, and I know how happy he was in his social relations. His loss will be felt by those who had learned to know him through the productions of his pen ; by the remnant of the famous Seventh he had so often led to victory; but by none more than by those who had won a place in his affections. CHAPTER IX. IN EXILE. UNFOUNDED RUMORS OF SITTING BULL S DEATH His RETREAT INTO CANADA VISITED THERE BY A GOVERNMENT COMMISSION 1 1 is DEFI ANT REFUSAL TO RETURN HOME SPEECHES BY THE CHIEFS SIT TING BULL S OWN WORDS. It was at first reported and widely believed that Sitting Bull himself had been killed in that last des perate fight with Custer. While Gen. Terry was going over the battle-field, an old sergeant, for many years in the service on the frontier, rode up to the General and said that, although he had never seen Sitting Bull, from the description he had heard given of him he believed that he had found his body, and took from his saddle a sort of wrapper, made of three large elk skins sewed together, beautifully tanned and elegantly ornamented, in which he had found a body wrapped lying in a ravine near the village. A large number of ponies had been led up to the body and their throats cut, a custom observed by the Sioux when chiefs die. Gen. Terry sent a number of men with the sergeant to look at the body, and among them Fred Girard, the interpreter 137 I 38 LIFE OF SITTING BULL at Fort Lincoln, who said that he had, on one occa- DISAPPOINTMENT. sion, seen Sitting Bull. Girard said that it was not the body of the chief, as one of his legs was shorter than the other, and consequently he stepped on the ball of the other foot, and the body found did not indicate any such deformity. However, there were others who insisted that the body was that of Sitting Bull. These parties gave as their reason for sup posing it to be his body, that Sitting Bull had lost two fingers on his left hand, which had been the case with the chief whose body lay before them, so that at the time that Col. E. W. Smith, Gen. Terry s Adjutant, left for Bismarck, it was still a question whether Sitting Bull had been killed or not. Upon Col. Smith s arrival at Bismarck, he learned that there was a gentleman there who had lived on the Upper Missouri for the past fifteen years, and who had seen Sitting Bill frequently. Col. Smith at once sent for this gentleman, a Mr. Courtney, and asked him what he knew about the Indian chief. "I have seen him," replied Mr. Courtney, "five or six times, and have talked with him throuo-h an o interpreter repeatedly. The last time I saw him was in 1870, at Fort Peck. We were aroused early one morning by firing outside the stockade, Sitting Bull having attacked the agency. The agent by evening succeeded in communicating with that per sonage, and ascertained that he wanted ammunition. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 139 The agent asked him to come inside the stockade. This he refused to do until the next day, when he, with a few of his men, visited the agency. The agent told him that the Great Father loved him, and that he did not want to fight with his children ; that if he would giake peace with the whites they would treat SITTING BULL S REPLY. him kindly. Pointing his finger at the agent, Sitting Bull said : You are the chief of liars, and you know there does not live a white man but hates the Indian, nor an Indian who does not hate the white man, and it will always be so as long as the grass grows and the water runs. I did not come here to make peace, but for ammunition, and I am going to have it. I and my men will fight the white men wherever and whenever we can find them. The agent gave Sitting Bull what ammunition he wanted and a new rifle, with other articles, which he took to his men." Mr. Courtney further described Sitting Bull s per sonal appearance with much minuteness, so that Col. Smith was fully convinced that it was that chieftain s corpse that had been found on the Little Big Horn battle-field. Such, however, was not the case. It soon became known that Sitting Bull and WENT NORTH. many of his comrades and followers had made their way northward across the border in the British Northwest Territory, and were at Fort Walsh. Thither, accordingly, in the fall of 1876, a commis- I4O LIFE OF SITTING BULL sion was sent to negotiate for the return of the In dians to Dakota. The commissioners arrived at the Canadian border on October I5th, and were there met and cordially received by the Dominion mounted police. The next day they arrived at Fort Walsh, where Major Walsh had succeeded in inducing Sit ting Bull to wait for them. The journey of the commission was accomplished through numerous delays and no small amount of" actual suffering. The result of the mission undertaken is thus briefly summed up in the opening paragraph of the de spatch sent by a correspondent who accompanied the commissioners: RESULTS OF THE MISSION. "The United States Commission sent out by the Government to find and treat for peace and good will with the Sioux chief Sitting Bull, has at length succeeded in coming face to face with the redoubt able Indian chieftain and have failed to bring him to any terms. In short, the commission has met Sit ting Bull and Sitting Bull has dismissed it abruptly and disdainfully. The expedition has failed in its purpose and the Sioux question is as far from a satisfactory solution as when Gen. Terry and his brother commissioners first set out on their lonof o and tedious journey to the Northwest. It is sad to be compelled to thus preface my despatch, but truth compels the admission." The correspondent, after describing the march of AND THE INDIAN WAR. the commission, the arrival at Fort Walsh, and the reception, says : TALK WITH THE INDIANS. " When, on the next afternoon, the arrangements for the talk between the commission and the Indians were completed, it was found that they were as sim ple as the most carping critic could desire. The largest room at the post was selected, and tables were placed for the members of the commission and the two press correspondents who accompanied it. On the opposite side of the room buffalo robes were laid for the accommodation of the Indians, The apartment was just large enough for the commis sion, its guests, and the chiefs. At 9 o clock Sitting Bull entered, followed by Spotted Eagle and the rest of his train. Now for the first time was visible to white men since the beginning of the late Indian wars the most noted Indian of the period, and now was made real Cooper s often-derided vision of an SITTING BULL S APPEARANCE. Indian s face. Neither ignorance nor cruelty nor savagery as barbarous as any displayed in savage history has detracted in the least from the expres sion of manhood and womanliness combined in Sit ting Bull s physiognomy. Less rude than Satanta s, less sharp than Spotted Tail s, more intelligent than Red Cloud s, his features, like Goethe s, made music to the senses. He wore a quiet, ironical smile. His black hair streamed down along his beardless and swarthy cheeks, over clean-cut ears, not burdened 142 LIFE OF SITTING BULL with ornaments. His red mourning handkerchief was replaced by a wolf-skin cap. His shirt was a black calico, specked with white dots. His blankets wrapped negligently around him revealed below its edge a pair of rich beaded moccasins, the only fin ery he wore. Silent, stately, and impassive, this model aboriginal leader, this scoundrelly * medicine man, this rascally foe and treacherous friend, this model, in sooth, of Machiavelli s own sort, squatted himself on a buffalo robe next the wall and took out his pipe and smoked it, and expressed, with his in solent manner, the following sentiment: * This com mission which has come to interview me can go to the devil/ SPOTTED EAGLE. "The war chief, Spotted Eagle, who sat next to the old chief, Sitting Bull, was a far more engaging and brilliant figure to the eye. He was naked to the waist, a belt full of Winchester rifle cartridges was slung over his bronze shoulders, his muscular breast and arms were daubed with white paint, his hair was knotted in front the knot thrust through with an eagle s feather he wore a charm around his neck adorned with pendant plumes, he carried a lance with three projecting knife-blades attached to the staff near the top, forming a lance and toma hawk in one. His waist and legs were swathed in a superb buffalo robe of almost silken texture. He fondled his knife. Hi-s every movement was grace ful, defiant lofty. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 143 " The commissioners, who had taken their seats behind the table which intervened between them and the Indians, presented a very dignified appear- GEN. TERRY S APPEARANCE. ance. Gen. Terry is one of the noblest looking officers in the service, as he is one of the bravest and most scholarly. There is nothing peculiar, but everything right and manly in his aspect. If any man in United States uniform could have impressed, persuaded, or cajojed his visitors on that occasion, Gen. Terry must have done so. Gen. Lawrence, the civic commissioner, would certainly have seized upon any point of vantage during the dialogue which, at last, was held, if it had been expedient to indulge in dialogue at all. " Both commissioners entered without ado upon the performance of a task in which they were given no discretion whatever. They were simply to state the case of the United States Government, await Sitting Bull s reply, decide whether to expostulate with him or not, and retire. An excellent stenog rapher, Mr. Jay Stone, was present. The interpre ters, one employed by the commissioners and two by Sitting Bull, sat near. The utmost pains had been taken by the commissioners to secure accuracy by coaching the interpreters before the conference. The address was, therefore, literally transcribed to Sitting Bull. It was read, sentence by sentence, by General Terry, and translated in due order by Bap- tiste, his interpreter." 9 144 LIFE OF BITTING BULL Gen. Terry told the savage chief that his was the only Indian band which had not surrendered to the United States. He proposed that the band should return and settle at the agency, giving up their horses and arms, which would be sold and the money invested in cattle for them. Sitting Bull replied : " For sixty-four years you have kept me and my people and treated us bad. What have we done that you should want us to stop? We have done nothing. It is all the people on your side that have started us to do all these depredations. We could not go anywhere else, and so we took refuge in this country. It was on this side of the country we learned to shoot, and that is the reason why I came back to it again. I would like to know why you came here. In the first place, I dkl not give you the country, but you followed me from one place to another, so I had to leave and come over to this country. I was born and raised in this country with the Red River half-breeds, and I intend to stop with them. I was raised hand in hand with the Red River half-breeds, and we are going over to that part of the country, and that is the reason why I have come over here. [Shaking hands with the British officers.] That is the way I was raised, in the hands of these people here, and that is the way I intend to be with them. You have got ears, and you have got eyes to see with them, and you see how I live with these people. You see me ? Here AND THE INDIAN WAR. 14 J I am ! If you think I am a fool, you are a bigger fool than I am. This house is a medicine house. You come here to tell us lies, but we don t want to hear them. I don t wish any such language used to me; that is, to tell me such lies, in my Great Mother s house. Don t you say two more words. Go back home, where you came from. This country THIS IS MY COUNTRY. is mine, and I intend to stay here, and to raise this country full of grown people. See these people here ? We were raised with them. [Again shak ing hands with the British officers.] That is enough ; so no more. You see me shaking hands with these people. The part of the country you gave me you ran me out of. I have now come here to stay with these people, and I intend to stay here. I wish to go back, and to * take it easy going back. [Taking a Santee Indian by the hand.] These Santees I was born and raised with them. He is going to tell you something about them." "The-one-that-runs-the-Ree," a Santee Indian, said: "Look at me. I was born and raised in this country. These people, away north here, I was raised with my hands in their own. I have lived in peace with them. For the last sixty-four years we were over in your country, and you treated us badly. We have come over here now, and you want to try and get us back there again. You YOU TREAT US BADLY. didn t treat us well, and I don t like you at all. 148 LIFE OF SITTING BULL [Shaking hands with the English officers.] I have been up and down there as often as these people have. I will be at peace with these people as long as I live. You come over here to tell us lies. I will shake hands with men here, and I have been in peace with them. I have come thus far into this country. These are the people that learned me how to shoot the first time. This country is ours. We did not give it to you. You stole it away from us. You have come over here to our country to tell us lies, and I don t propose to talk much, and that is all I have to say. I want you to take it easy going back home. Don t go in a rush." * Nine," a Yankton Indian, who joined the Santee band that left Minnesota many years ago during the massacre, said, after shaking hands all round: "I have shaken hands with everybody in the house. I don t wear the same clothes that these YOU TELL US LIES. people do. You come over here to tell lies on one another. I want to tell you a few, but you have got more lies than I can say. Sixty-four years ago you got our country, and you promised to take good care of us and keep us. You ran from one place to another, killing us and fighting us, and I was born and raised with these people over here. I have come here to see the council and shake hands with you all. I wanted to tell you what I think of this. There are seven different tribes of us. They live all over the country. You did not treat us right AND THE INDIAN MAR. over there, and part of us you kept on this side. You did not treat us right over there, so we came back over here. These people sitting around here, you promised to take good care of them when you had them over there, but you did not fulfill your promises. They have come over here to this side again, and here we are together. I come in to these people here, and they give me permission to trade with the traders ; that is the way I make my living. Everything I get I buy from the traders. I don t steal anything. For fourteen years I have not fought with your people, and that is what I have lost by waiting in this country. I have come over here to these people, and these people, if they had a piece of tobacco, they gave me half; and that is why I I HAVE POWDER. live over here. I have a little powder in my pow der-horn, and I gave you a little fourteen years ago. Since then I have been over in this country. [Shak ing hands all around and continuing.] We came over to this country, and I am going to live with these people here. This country over here is mine. The bullets I have over here I intend to kill some thing to eat with ; not to kill anybody with them. That is what these people told me to kill nothing but what I wanted to eat with the ammunition they gave me. I will do so." A squaw named "The-one-that-speaks-once," wife of "That-man-that-scatters-the-bear," said: " I was over in your country ; I wanted to raise my 150 LIFE OF SITTING BULL children over there, but you did not give me any time. I came over to this country to raise my children and have a little peace. [Shaking hands with the Eng lish officers.] That is all I have to say to you. I want you to go back where you came from. These are the people I am going to stay with, and raise my children with." The Flying Bird then made a speecn and said : " These people here, God Almighty raised us to- WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER. gather. We have a little sense and we ought to love one another. Sitting Bull here says that when ever you found us out, wherever his country was, why, you wanted to have it. It is Sitting Bull s country, this is. These people sitting all around me : what they committed I had nothing to do with. I was not in it. The soldiers find out where we live, and they never think of anything good ; it is always something bad." [Again shaking hands with the British officers.] The Indians having risen, being apparently about to leave the room, the interpreter was then directed to ask the following questions: * Shall I say to the President that you refuse the offers that he has made to you ? Are we to under stand from what you have said that you refuse those offers?" Sitting Bull. "I could tell you more, but that is all I have to tell you. If we told you more why you would not pay any attention to it. That is all I AND THE INDIAN WAR. have to say. This part of the country does not be long to your people. You belong to the other side; this side belongs to us." The Crow [shaking hands and embracing Colonel McLeod, and shaking hands with the other British officers]. " This is the way I will live in this part of the county. That is the way I like them. [Making a gesture of embrace.] When we came back from the other side you wanted to do something to lie. You want us to go back to the other side ; that is the reason why you stay here. What do you mean by coming over here and talking that way to us ? All this country around here, I know, belongs to these people, and that is the reason why I came over here when I was driven out of the other coun- AFRAID OF GOD ALMIGHTY. try. I am afraid of God Almighty, that is the reason why I don t want to do anything bad. When I came over here, I came to live with these people. My children, myself, and my women, they all live to gether. These people that don t hide anything, they are all the people I like, I suppose you wanted to hear something; that is the reason you came over here. The people standing around here want to hear it also. That is the reason they stand around here. Sixty-four years ago we shook hands with the soldiers, and ever since that I have had hardships. I made peace with them, and ever since that I have had hardships. I made peace with them, and ever since that I have 152 LIFE OF SITTING BULL been running from one place to another to keep out of their way. I was over across the line and stayed over there, and I thought you people would take good care of me. You did not do so, and these people over here gave me good care. I have waited here three days, and I have got plenty to eat, and everybody respects me t I came from the other side of the line, and I expect to stay here. GO WHERE YOU WERE BORN. Going back, you can take it easy. Go to where you were born, and stay there. I came over to this country, and my Great Mother knows all about it. She knows I came back over here, and she don t wish anything of me. We think, and all the women in camp think, we are going to have the country full of people. When I shook hands before, there were lots of people here then. Now I have come back in this part of the country again to have plenty more people ; to live in peace and raise children." The Indians then inquired whether the commission had anything more to say; and which the commission answered that they had nothing more, and the con ference here closed. This commission had to return without accomplishing anything, and so did others that were sent. In May, 1877, the Rev. Abbott Martin went to see the exile chief. Mr. Martin was accompanied by six Sioux Indians and an inter preter, and was joined, while there, by Major Walsh and other Canadian officers from Fort Walsh, some sixty miles away. Sitting Bull was courteous, very AND THE INDIAN WAR. hospitable and attentive. He told the same old story of his wrongs in an eloquent and fiery speech. WOULD NOT RETURN. The conclusion reached was that Sitting Bull would not return to the United States, but would remain in the British possessions. He could not bear the idea of surrendering his possessions, ponies, arms, etc., besides fear for his personal safety. He ap peared thoroughly subdued. The Indians had lost all their lodges, many arms and supplies, while cross ing the river that spring, and were in a bad condi tion to continue the war. There were three hun dred and twenty lodges, or about one thousand warriors. The British officers sympathized with them and assured them of protection during good behavior. Sitting Bull said " he was not raised to be an en emy of the whites. The pale-faces had things that we needed in order to hunt. We needed ammuni- NEVER SOLD THE LAND. tion. Our interests were in peace. I never sold that much land. [Here Sitting Bull picked up with his thumb and forefinger a little of the pulverized dirt in the tent, and holding it up let it fall and blow away.] I never made or sold a treaty with the United States. I came in to claim my rights and the rights of my people. I was driven in force from my land and I now come back to claim it for my people. I never made war on the United States Government. I never stood in the white man s 154 LIFE OF SITTING BULL country. I never committed any depredations in the white man s country. I never made the white man s heart bleed. 1 lie white man came on to my land and followed me. The white men made me fight for my hunting grounds. The white man made me kill him or he would kill my friends, my women, and my children." THE CUSTER FIGHT. Speaking of the Custer fight, Sitting Bull said : "There was a Great Spirit who guided and con trolled that battle. I could do nothing. I was sus tained by the Great Mysterious One (pointing upwards with his forefinger). I am not afraid to talk about that. It all happened it is passed and gone. I do not lie, but do not want to talk about it. Low Dog says I can t fight until some one lends me a heart. Gall says my heart is no bigger than that (placing one forefinger at the base of the nail of another finger). We have all fought hard. We did not know Custer, When we saw him we threw up our hands, and I cried, Follow me and do as I do. We whipped each other s horses, and it was all over. There was not as many Indians as the white man says. They are all warriors. There was not more than two thousand. I did not want to kill any more men. I did not like that kind SELF-DEFENSE. of work. I only defended my camp. When we had killed enough, that was all that was necessary. " If the Great Father gives me a reservation I do AND THE INDIAN WAR. 155 not want to be confined to any part of it. I want no restraint. I will keep on the reservation, but want to go where I please. I don t want a white man over me. I don t want an agent. I want to have the white man with me, but not to be my chief. I ask this because I want to do right by my people, and can t trust any one else to trade with them or talk to them. I want interpreters to talk to the white man for me and transact my business, but I want it to be seen and known that I have my rights. I want my people to have light wagons to work with. They do not know how to handle heavy wagons with cattle. We want light wagons and ponies. I don t want to give up game as long as there is any game. I will be half civilized till the game is gone. Then I will be all a white man/ CHAPTER X. THE MIGHTY FALLEN. SITTING BULL RUINED BY His FLIGHT TO CANADA His FOLLOWERS STARVED INTO MUTINY AGAINST HIM THE RETURN TO DAKOTA THE FATE OF His DAUGHTER, SLEEPING WATER A VAIN APPEAL TO FORT RANDALL AS A PRISONER OF WAR. The flight into Canada was, however, ruinous to Sitting Bull, and from it we must date his decline. The British Government gave them refuge and pro tection, but that was all. It gave them no supplies whatever, and forbade them to make raids across the United States border. Thus thrown upon their own resources, they gradually drifted toward star vation. The land around Fort Walsh was barren, and game was scarce. The locality was in no wise to be compared with their old home on the Rosebud. They gave notice once that they proposed returning to kill and eat the buffalo, but abandoned the under taking on Sitting Bull s advice as one fraught with too much danger. They entered into negotiations with the Blackfeet ; but these diplomats, finding the impoverished condition of the Sioux, proved treach erous, stole their ponies, and fled to the mountains. 156 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 157 During the three or four years that they lived north of the line they suffered terribly for food and cloth ing. Their women and children died of want, and the braves themselves hunted in vain. In the meantime Dakota was fast becoming civil ized, and the buffalo and other game were disap pearing from the old hunting ground of the Sioux. Sitting Bull kept himself fully posted as to the sit uation, and satisfied himself that he and his follow ers could not return except as prisoners. The chief could not keep this information to himself, and as a consequence dissatisfaction became wide spread. He lost his power of keeping his followers together, and sub-chiefs led hundreds of the sav- DESERTING THE OLD CPLEF. ages away in raiding bands ; some of them came over the line and others hovered near the boundary. Gall and Crow King were the leaders of those who deserted him. They returned to the United States and surrendered themselves to the authorities They were placed on the reservation, and have ever since been regarded as the foremost men of the Sioux nation. Sitting Bull, however, stubbornly held out, hoping that the Canadian authorities would make terms for him with the Government at Wash ington. In this he was disappointed, and at last he found himself deserted by all but a few dozen of his old followers. Then a great blow fell upon him, -which for the first time bowed his lofty spirit. A messeneer brought him word that his favorite 158 LIFE OF SITTING BULL A GREAT GRIEF. daughter Minnestema (Sleeping Water), a name conferred upon her by the whites, had run away with an Indian buck, who had subsequently aban doned her. These tidings well nigh broke Sitting Bull s heart. With all his faults he was an affec tionate father, as most Indians are. Minnestema, the flower of the tribe, was his idol, and his pride was stung to the quick because the Indian who had so shamelessly deserted her was a man whom he despised. Humbled, despondent, broken in spirit, Sitting Bull decided to surrender. When he got to Standing Rock Agency, under the shadow of Fort Yates, he found his great rival, Gall, had gained complete ascendancy over the Indians who had fol lowed his fortunes. He had to endure the mortifi cation, also, of seeing a number of those who had heretofore adhered to him go over to his enemy. His fortunes, indeed, were at a low ebb, and it seemed that he had lost his rank and authority for ever. It was in vain that he resorted to his old arts as a "medicine man." The people jeered at his spells and ridiculed his incantations. He tried to win them back by his oratory, which had of old been so persuasive, but they would not listen to him. CHECKING HIS INTRIGUES. Finally the other chiefs decided to stop his in- trigues, fearing that he would incur the displeasure of the authorities and bring trouble upon the tribe. So they warned the United States officials of what AND THE INDIAN WAR. Sitting Bull was trying to do, and the officials deter mined to take a step which would show the fallen chief that his power was gone forever. So they ordered that his father, Four Horns, a decrepit and imbecile old man, should have rule over the camp in place of Sitting Bull. Then the steamer "General Sherman " was sent for and Sitting Bull and one hun dred and forty-eight of his people, including his two wives and their children and his two famous fighting nephews, were placed on board as prisoners of war and taken to Fort Randall, several miles distant from the Standing Rock Agency. A DRAMATIC SCENE. But before Sitting Bull embarked a dramatic scene took place. He determined to make one more ef fort to regain the prestige he had lost. Three thou sand Indians were gathered around. It was a large audience. Sitting Bull drew his knife from its sheath and offered it, with his tomahawk, to Captain Stowe, who was in command of the transfer expedition. At the same time he made a speech, ostensibly intended for the captain, but really addressed to the assem bled Indians, with the purpose of arousing their feelings. He posed before them as a hero. After handing the captain his weapons he said that by these signs he surrendered (he was already a pris oner of war), and, throwing himself prostrate on the ground, he besought the captain to take his life, to inflict any torture he pleased upon him, but to spare his people and deal with them kindly. The LIFE OF SITTING BULL appeal did not elicit the response that Sitting Bull had hoped for. Instead of applauding-, most of the Indians laughed at him. As a hero and patriot they had no faith in him. In their eyes he had only ren dered himself ridiculous. With the butt ends of the soldiers muskets he was pushed out of camp into the steamer. At Fort Randall Sitting Bull sent a message to the government, promising that if he were allowed to go back to the place of his birth, on the Grand WHITE MEN S CLOTHES. River, he would wear white men s clothes, and en deavor to persuade his followers to do the same thing. He said that he had come to the conclusion that there could be no more fighting on the part of his people, and that the next generation of Indians would have to become like the white men around them and learn to till the earth and master the mechanical arts. After awhile Sitting Bull was permitted to return to Standing Rock, and later was allowed to go to the Grand River valley. This valley comprises the traditional sacred hunting grounds of the Sioux Indians. It is the richest of all the Indian possessions in North America. Sit ting Bull built for himself a little "shack" on the Grand River, about fifteen miles from the place where he was born. With the exception of a trip which he made to the East, accompanied by some of his people, he has lived at this place ever since. Down to this time Sitting Bull had always de- AND THE INDIAN WAR. l6l spised the white men and disbelieved in their power. When Red Cloud and other chiefs who had visited Washington told him of the greatness of the United States, he shook his head incredulously, and told them that they had been deceived by " bad medicine." But after a time he came on himself to the East and made a tour of the principal cities, and thus got his eyes opened. For the time he sunk his aversion to the white race and professed great love for all, from the Great Father at Washington down to the most recently naturalized citizen. At one time he con templated a European tour, but abandoned the pro ject. In 1884 he was placed on exhibition in the hall of the Young Men s Christian Association in PRESS ABUSE. Philadelphia. A local newspaper made an exhaus tive attack on him, telling of his atrocities, and not sparing some peculiarly horrible embellishments. The agent of the show was delighted, but when night came and the pious Philadelphians refused to look upon the moon-faced warrior, he became annoyed, and spoke to the painted attraction in severe and blasphemous language. After this tour he returned to the agency, which had been located at Standing Rock. For the four or five years pre vious to the recent ghost dances the Bull lived a retired life and did little mixing with the whites at the post. "Jim" Finley, of Kansas City, who was given the Pine Ridge tradership, said upon his first trip home after his appointment that Sitting -Bull s 10 1 62 LIFE OF SITTING BULL days of prominence were past. The Sioux had grown to pay much heed to their agent, and the young blood was coming to the front in tribal leadership. Sitting Bull was no longer potent as a leader as in former days, although as a medicine man he was still in high repute. When the census of Indian tribes was taken in 1 88 1, Sitting Bull was visited by Mr. William Sel- wyn, a full-blooded Dakota Indian, who was em ployed by the Government as a census-taker. The chief on that occasion dictated a message to the " Great Father" at Washington, which Mr. Selwyn wrote down in Sioux and afterward translated into English. Sitting Bull s address to Mr. Selwyn and his message to the President were as follows : MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT. "I am the son of the He-Topa (Four Horns, late a chief of the Unk-pa-pas), and it is said that he was one of your relatives ; so, then, you are a younger brother to me (sunkachiye). You are a full-blooded Dakota, but you adopt the ways of the whites, and I hear that you have been employed by the Great Father. "For the last few years I have been in the North, where there are plenty of buffalo, for the buffalo were my means of living. God made me to live on the flesh of the buffalo, so I thought I would stay out there as long as there were buffalo enough for us. But the Great Father sent for me several times, aad although I did not know why he wanted me to come * AND THE INDIAN WAR. 165 down, at last I consented to do so. I never, myself, made war against the children of the Great Father, and I never sought a fight with them. While I was* looking for buffalo, they would attack and shoot at me, and of course I had to defend myself or else I should die. But all the blame is put on me. I have always thought that the Dakotas were all one body, and I wanted to make an agreement with them to come and settle down. While I have been in the North, here and there, a good many little things have happened, and I have been blamed for them ; I AM INNOCENT. but I know that I am innocent.- Those men who have made the trouble ought to be blamed. Every body knows that I was not going to stay at the North any longer, but that when the buffalo disap peared I should make up my mind. to come down. "Although you are a Dakota, you are employed by the Great Father ; therefore I want you to let him hear my words. When I first came down, white men came to me almost every day to get some words out of me, but I said: No! When I settle down I shall say some words to the Great Father/ I know that some white rascals have dealt with the Dakotas, and by their foolish ways have ruined them. As for myself, I do not want any one to do mischievously or deceitfully. So I do not want to let any ordinary man hear my words. I tell the l66 /,// OF SITTING BULL whites that my words are worth something ; and even if they were willing to pay me for it, I never *nade any reply. But as soon as I saw you I was well pleased. Although you are a Dakota, you have gathered up many good words and put them into my ears. To-day I was wishing that some one would come in and advise me, and as you have done THIS PEOPLE BELONG TO ME. so, it pleases me very much. All this people here belong to m@ and I hope that the Great Father will treat them kindly. I always thought that when we came back, and any of my relatives came to me with good words, I should reply, i Yes, yes. To-day you have put good words into my ears, and I have said, Yes/ In the future I hope I shall have some good, honest, reliable man with me. Interpreters have come to me often, following me up, and I have said, No. I am not a child ; if I want to do anything, I shall take time to think it over/ It is said Spotted Tail was killed by getting mixed up with bad men. Oftentimes a man has lost his life by being mixed up with bad men. But I wish that my people may be treated well, so that they may do rightly. I am the last one that has come in from the North, and yet I want to surpass the old agency Dakotas in what is right, and I wish that the. Great Father would furnish me with farming implements, so that I can till the ground. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 167 " M y brother, I wish you would send this message to the Great Father right away, so that he will help me. Now I have confidence in you that you will be able to send off my message. I am glad that you came to see me. It is a good thing for relatives to see each other. I have no objections to your num bering the people. "SITTING BULL." CHAPTER XL THE LAST CAMPAIGN. SITTING BULL INVOLVED IN THE MESSIAH CRAZE His HOPE OF RE- GAINING His OLD POSITION PLOTS AND DISAFFECTION VISITED BY A YOUNG LADY MISSIONARY AGENT MCLAUGHLIN S YISIT THE GHOST DANCES SITTING BULL S REMARKABLE PROPOSITION. Sitting Bull s camp, in the summer and fall of 1890, was on the Grand River, about forty miles southwest from the Standing Rock Agency. The place lies away from lines of travel, and is quiet and secluded. He was glad there to be hidden from the world in which he had been such a striking figure. It was his intention to spend the rest of his days in seclusion there ; but such was not to be his fate. He came forth from his isolated camp to die. The year 1890 was a hard one for the Indians. In addition to the broken faith of the Government, the swindling practices of its agents, and the un scrupulous aggressions of the settlers, they had to bear the burden of bad weather, poor crops, and a 168 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 169 scarcity of game. Their complaints were just, and loud, and bitter ; but were little heeded. Then there MESSIAH COMING. was started, somewhere or other, a rumor that the Messiah was coming the Messiah whom immemo rial tradition had declared would one day come, fol lowed by all the great chiefs and warriors of the past, returned to life, to lead the Indians to victory over their white oppressors. This idea broke forth simultaneously in the minds of many tribes of the Sioux in Dakota, of the Cherokees in Indian Terri tory, of the Apaches in Arizona. It spread like an epidemic. It was born of the wretchedness and need of the people, and it found believers every where. The Indians began holding religious gather ings, with wild ceremonies, commonly called "ghost dances." This was to prepare for the Messiah s coming. Some great dances were held at Kicking Bear s camp, near Cheyenne, and were attended by a few of Sitting Bull s men. When these returned home they took Kicking Bear with them. He told Sitting REVELATIONS OF MESSIAH. Bull the revelations the Messiah had made to him, and stated that the spirit had deputized Bull to con duct the dances at the agency, finally presenting to him a decorated shirt or mantle of apostleship. Bull at once gathered about him all the bad elements he could to commence the dances. He stopped when ordered to, but soon recommenced with redoubled 170 LIFE OF SITTING BULL vigor. In the meanwhile, he sent agents into the hills to spread his wishes among the other elans of the Sioux nation, and to visit the Shoshones, the Blackfeet, the Araphoes, the Gros Ventrias, the EVIL INFLUENCE OF BULL. Ogalallas and other tribes. What his influence for evil would have been, his previous career gives abundant suggestion. He now saw, as he sup posed, his opportunity to regain his old standing in the Sioux nation, and he tried his best to take a.d- vantage of it. Naturally superstitious, the Indians were ready for such an outpouring of their pent-up feelings in the form of a religious dance. Bull had always gained his greatest successes from his ability as a medicine man or diplomat, and he felt that the time for him to get his revenge on the other chiefs and on the Government had arrived. He at the start joined in with the ghost dancers, not shouting and dancing so much as inciting the others to the greatest activity in that line. When the Indians would go dancing around in a circle until they fell to the ground from giddiness and exhaustion, the wily old chief would take his place alongside of the fallen one, and, after a few words with him, would SPURRING THEM ON. announce what visions of the Messiah and the coming again of the hunting grounds of the past had been witnessed, and the dance would be re sumed with renewed vigor. Soon another would fall AND THE INDIAN WAR. 171 in a faint and the same programme would be gone through with. The Government gave orders that all the ghost dances everywhere should be stopped, but espe cially those at Sitting Bull s camp. It had become evident that while he was allowed to run around corrupting the weak minds of his tribe and inciting them to outlawry, there could be no quietude. Evidence had been secured that he had arrange ments made to gather in a body all the young bucks in the spring and start out on a general raid. The ghost dances, which the young bucks rightly inter preted as war dances, he was keeping up, that their enthusiasm and hatred might not die out, and he urged the excitement on, despite the desires and orders of the authorities. As he was indifferent to advice Gen. Miles concluded it would be a good move to arrest him and isolate him for a time from the scene of his pernicious activity. Several visits were paid to Sitting Bull by various persons in the hope of -persuading him to give up the dances and stop his plotting without harsh steps being taken. One young lady, a missionary and A LADY S HEROISM. teacher, went to see him. She went alone, unarmed, and without any commission from the Government, to remonstrate with this most savage chief. With only an Indian boy to accompany her she went over to Cross Bear s village, and there came in sight of Sitting Bull s people. They had several hundred 172 LIFE OF SITTING BULL tepees, and a ghost dance was in progress. When she arrived there the men were dressed in old-time war dress, painted and feathered. The women also were painted, and, what is rather strange in Indian life, every woman had a white feather tied to her hair. The Indians regard feathers as a sign of mas culine superiority and prowess, and do not allow women to wear them. There seems to be some thing about this craze that invests the woman with greater importance, and it is supposed that in case of hostilities the women would fight as the men. The Sioux had a tall centre pole, with all sorts of flags flying on it, and around this pole they formed a ring and were chanting some religious song, all the while gazing fixedly at the sun. Near this pole, outside of the ring, was a tepee, in which old Sitting Bull sat. All who took part in the dance went to this tepee to be painted by the old medicine man. He put blue crescents on their foreheads, cheeks, and chins, and a cross on the nose between the eyes, Even the little Sioux children went into the tepee and were decorated, and coming out went off a little o> distance and set up a dance of their own. The young woman went into Sitting Bull s tepee and had an interview with him. He sat opposite the door. His hands and wrists were painted yellow and green, and his face red, green, and white. The zealous young missionary gave him a thorough lecturing in his own language. The old man replied that the other chiefs had ignored him in selling their AND THE INDIAN WAR. 17- lands and opening the reservations ; that he was determined to be chief, and his only way was by giving the people religious excitement, He did not want his people to become civilized or Christianized, LOVE OF POWER. because if they did he would lose his power. The young woman gave Sitting Bull another lecture and retired. Sitting Bull was also visited at about this time by Mr. James McLaughlin, the agent at Standing Rock, who made to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs the following report of his misison : " Having just returned from Grand River district, and referring to my former communication regard ing the ghost dance craze among the Indians, I have the honor to report that on Saturday evening last I learned that such a dance was in progress in Sitting Bull s camp, and that a large number oi Indians of the Grand River settlements were parti cipators. Sitting Bill s camp is on the Grand River, forty miles southwest from the agency, in a section of country outside of the line of travel, only visited by those connected with the Indian service, and was therefore a secluded place for these scenes. I con cluded to take them by surprise, and on Saturday morning left for that settlement accompanied by Louis Primeau, arriving there about 3 P. M., and having left the road usually traveled by men visit ing the settlement, we got upon them unexpectedly, and found a ghost dance at its height. There were 174 LIFE OF SITTING BULL about forty-five men, twenty-five women, twenty-five boys, and ten girls participating, a majority of the latter (boys and girls), until a few weeks ago, pupils of the day schools of the Grand River settlements. Approximately, 200 persons, lookers-on, had come to witness the ceremony, either from curiosity OF sympathy, most of whom had their families with them and encamped in the neighborhood. "I did not attempt to stop the dance then going CRAZED EXCITEMENT. on, as in their crazed condition under tne excite ment it would have been useless to attempt it, but after remaining some time talking with a number of the spectators, I went on to the house of Henry Bull Head, thre-e miles distant, where I remained over night, and returned to Sitting Bull s house next morning, where I had a long talk with Sitting Bull and a number of his followers. I spoke very plainly to them, pointing out what had been done by the Government for the Sioux people, and how this faction, by their present conduct, were abusing the confidence that had been reposed in them by the Government in its magnanimity in granting them full amnesty for all past offenses, when from destitu tion and imminent starvation they were compelled to surrender as prisoners of war in 1880 and 1881; and I dwelt at length upon what was being done in the way of education of their children and for their own industrial advancement, and assured them of what this absurd craze would lead to, and the chas- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 175 tisement that would certakily follow if these demor alizing dances and disregard of department orders were not soon discontinued. " I spoke with feeling and earnestness, and my talk was well received, and I am convinced that it had a good effect. Sitting Bull, while being very obstinate and at first inclined to assume the role of 1 Big Chief before his followers, finally admitted the truth of my reasoning, and said that he believed me to be a friend to the Indians as a people, but that I didn t like him personally, but that when in doubt in any matter following my advice he had always found it well, and that he had a proposition to make to me, which, if I agreed to and would carry out, would allay all further excitement among the Sioux over the ghost dance, or else convince me of the truth of the belief of the Indian s in this new doctrine. HIS PROPOSITION. " He then stated his proposition, which was that I should accompany him on a journey to trace from this agency to each of the other tribes of Indians through which the story of the Indian Messiah had been brought, and when they reached the last tribe, or where it originated, if they could not produce the man who started the story, and we -did not find the new Messiah, as described, upon the earth, together with the dead Indians returning to re-inhabit this country, he would return convinced that they (the Indians) had been too credulous and imposed upon, which report from him would satisfy the Sioux, and 176 LIFE OF SITTING BULL all practices of the ghost societies would cease, but that if found to be as professed by the Indians, they be permitted to continue their medicine prac tices, and organize as they are now endeavoring to do. " I told him that this proposition was a novel one, but that the attempt to carry it out would be similar to an attempt to catch up, the wind that blew last year, but that I wished him to come to my house, where I would give him a whole night or day and night, in which time I thought I could convince him of the absurdity of this foolish craze, and the fact of his making me -the proposition that he did was con vincing proof that he did not fully believe in what he was professing and endeavoring so hard to make others believe. He didn t, however, promise fully to come into the agency to discuss the matter, but said he would consider my talk and decide after deliberation. " Desiring to use every reasonable means to bring Sitting Bull and his followers to abandon this dance, and to look upon its practice as detrimental to their individual interests and the welfare of their children, INVESTIGATING THE CRAZE. I. made the trip, herein reported to ascertain the ex tent of the disaffection and the best means of effect ing its discontinuance. From close observation, I am convinced that the dance can be broken up, and after due reflection would respectfully suggest that in case my visit to Sitting Bull fails to bring him in AND THE INDIAN WAR. 177 to see me in regard to the matter, as invited to do, all Indians living on Grand River be notified that those wishing to be known as opposed to the ghost doctrine, friendly to the Government, and desiring the support provided in the treaty, must report to the agency for such enrollment, and be required to camp near the agency for a few weeks, and those continuing their medicine practices, in violation of department orders, to remain on Grand River, from whom subsistence will be withheld." CHAPTER XII. DEATH OF THE GREAT CHIEF. GENERAL MILES GAVE TJHE WORD FOR His ARREST. WAS IT INTENDED TO KILL HIM, RATHER THAN TAKE HIM ALIVE? INDIAN POLICE LED THE WAY. THE ARREST AND ATTEMPTED RESCUE. THE FATAL SHOT. ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE TRAGEDY. DISPOSITION OF HIS RE MAINS. Persuasion failed, and it became evident that force must be used to stop the evil influence of Sit ting Bull in the Messianic propoganda. Orders for his arrest were accordingly issued. Colonel W. F. Cody, " Buffalo Bill," was at first sent to execute the order, but was recalled. It was realized that a stronger military force would be needed. NO AGENCY INDIAN. " God Almighty made me ; God Almighty did not make me an agency Indian, and I ll fight and die fighting before any white man can make me an agency Indian/ This was the declaration made by Sitting Bull to General Miles on the occasion of their first meeting. He was now animated by this same spirit, and serious work was feared. He was known to be preparing for a rush to the Bad Lands, AND THE INDIAN WAR. I 79 where the difficulty of taking him would be vastly increased. Once in the Bad Lands it would be a long time and there would be much hard fighting before any of the hostiles could be taken or starved out. Therefore it seemed necessary to act at once, and orders were given to the police to get ready for action, and they set out during Sunday night for the scene of the next morning s encounter. A correspondent of The Chicago Tribune assarts that there was a quiet understanding between the officers of the Indian and military departments that it would be impossible to bring Sitting Bull to Stand ing Rock alive, and that if brought in nobody would know precisely what to do with him. Though under arrest he would still be a source of great annoyance, and his followers would continue their dances and threats against the neighboring white settlers. There was, therefore, a complete understanding between the commanding officers and the Indian police that the slightestattemptto rescue the oldmedicineman should be a signal to send Sitting Bull to the happy hunting ground. That the Government authorities, civil as HIS DEATH DESIRED. well as military, from President Harrison and Gen eral Miles down, preferred the death of the famous old savage to his capture whole-skinned, few per sons in Dakota, Indian or white, had a doubt. It was felt that Sitting Bull s presence anywhere be hind iron bars would be the cause of endless trou bles, while should he fall a victim to the ready Win- l8o LIFE OF SITTING BULL chester the thousands of Messiah-crazed ghost dancers would rudely realize that his " medicine," which was to make them bullet-proof and yet could not save so great an oracle, must be worthless after all, and should be forsaken for the paths of peace. It is conceded that the operation against Sitting Bull s personality was suggested by the effectual quelling produced by the removal of Medicine Ar row, the great Cheyenne leader, when the Chey- ennes threatened an unprecedented uprising. The promise to " die fighting," quoted above, had much to do also in shaping the determination for a sudden, decisive result, as well as the old chiefs oft-ex pressed wish to be remembered as the last Indian on the continent to give up his rifle. When General Miles set out for Dakota, it was the beginning of the end. With the General step ping quietly aboard the train at the big railway depot at Chicago the expedition which had been with equal quietude under preparation at Fort Yates, which forms part of the agency, was also ready to move. Almost at the same moment that General Miles s car glided out for the Northwest the members of his little command at the Fort, like so many automatons guided by his will, silently took their departure and THE STAGE SETTING. were quickly lost in the inky darkness that envel oped the wilderness stretching to the camp of Sit ting Bull on the banks of the Grand River. The death of Sitting Bull had an appropriate ,- GENERAL NELSON A. MILES. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 183 stage-setting. The preparations for the tragedy lacked no element of the picturesque and impressive The van was led by men of Sitting Bull s own blood, superbly mounted and accoutered, and every one wearing the bright brazen buttons and showy blue cloth uniforms of Uncle Sam s service. This was no mere coincidence. It was to be part of the great object lesson to the ghost dancers and a demonstra tion of the value of General Miles s new method of solving the Indian problem by turning the Indians by wholesale into soldiers. On Saturday, December 13, 1890, General Miles sent word to Major McLaughlin and Captain Fechet that the time to strike the blow had come, and on the next morning, Sunday, Troops F and G, Eighth Cavalry, and a company of infantry, preceded by about twenty of the Indian police, started to the south west to capture the chief of the recalcitrants. The dis tance was forty-three miles, and the United States troops stopped and consulted with the police about five miles from the tepees on the Grand River. It was agreed at a consultation that the troops should move up to within two or three miles of the Indian camp and station themselves where they could be easily signaled. The Indian police were then to move quietly down to the tepees and proceed imme diately to that of Sitting Bull, arriving there just at dawn. The band of well-fed, warmly clad, copper-faced athletes that led the way for the white soldiers were 184 LIFE OF SITTING BULL in striking contrast with the starving, ragged wretches that, with such a cunning leader as Sitting STEALING UPON HIM. Bull, formed a menace in the Grand River camp. Close behind the Indians hardy ponies, but taking a slower pace on the frozen trail, came Captain Fouch- et s cavalry command. The cavalry were encum bered with two pieces of modern light artillery machine guns that are similar to thosa which so speedily settled the fate of Louis Kiel s half-breed followers. To the rear of Fouchet s cavalry, and at times taking a double-quick step forward, for the night was bitterly cold, the infantry command of Col onel Drum swung along in the darkness. A weary, difficult march it was, too. The distance, and the capabilities of the troops to withstand the fatigHes of such a journey, had been figured out nicely, and when the first faint light of dawn appeared the ex pedition was within easy distance of its destination. The broken order of a triple separation of forces had been carefully preserved, and the Indian police were the first to sight the huddled cluster of ugly looking tepees on the river bank. Despite the early hour all was astir in the villago, where on every hand was evidence that a hurried exodus was contemplated. The ponies of the police were pushed for all they were worth, and before Sitting Bull s dazed adherents had half a chance to realize the situation a dozen of the police had pulled their panting animals up short on all sides of the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 185 chief s abode. Bull Head, lieutenant of police, and Shaved Head, first sergeant, were in command. No time was wasted in ceremony. The proud old medi cine man was hustled out, hoisted on a waiting horse, RAGED AND SPUTTERED. and in a trice faced toward civilization. He raged and sputtered for a moment, then straightening up shouted hoarsely, not for help, but a command to his followers. Despite the threatening of the police, Winchesters being alternately directed at his head and at those of his kinsmen, the old chief retained his presence of mind, and with a powerful voice, continued to direct his own rescue. Suddenly there was a puff of smoke beside a tepee and the sharp crack of a Winchester. The police man at Sitting Bull s right, grasping the chiefs bridle, reeled in the saddle, and, toppling over, was trampled under the hoofs of the ponies in the mad helter skelter of retreat from the village. The shot was instantly answered by a volley from the police at their blanketed tribesmen, many of whom were already mounted and in frenzied pursuit. The po lice volley told with deadly effect, and the firing in a moment was general OR both sides. Sitting Bull could be heard in the confusion still attempting, though captive, to direct the fight. Raising his gaunt form, he was beckoning his sons and warriors on, when suddenly his body straightened rigidly, tken dropped limp on the hard prairie. The police halted round the corpse, not knowing for a moment LIFE OF SITTING BULL but that it was a trick of the wily old chief. The sudden movement and the fall of Sitting Bull discon certed the pursuers, who, remaining at a distance, fired at intervals toward the police. The latter held their ground, knowing the cavalry under Captain Fouchet would be at hand. To the surprise of all, however, the hostiles, who had been consulting among themselves, began a movement to close in from all sides. The rattle of Winchesters was now redoubled by both parties, the police using their ponies as protection. It was at this critical juncture that Captain Fouchet s men dashed up, and the machine guns, which had been put in position, opened on the Indians. The latter were too dismayed at this unexpected onslaught to stand for a moment, and all bolted for the river. The cavalry followed only a short distance, deeming it better policy not to drive to desperation the now A DIFFERENT STORY. leaderless mob. Among the Sioux killed were two sons of Sitting Bull, named , Blackbird and Crow Foot, the latter being only twelve years old. A different story is told by one of the soldiers, however. According to him "Bull Head, the lieu tenant of the Indian police, went to the chiefs house with a warrant for his arrest. No one but the old chief and two sons were there. Sitting Bull opened the door, and his son seeing the house surrounded by police gave a cry of alarm. Without hesitating a moment Bull Head fired at Sitting Bull, the ball AND THE INDIAN WAR. 1 87 striking him in the breast over the left nipple, kill ing him instantly. While reeling Sitting Bull man aged to draw a revolver, which exploded just as he fell, the ball entering Bull Head s thigh. One of the Indian policemen lifted Sitting Bull s scalp. The old chiefs face was a sickening sight. An Indian bat tered his face into jelly after death with a plank. The few remaining hairs in his head were clipped off, and his mocassins and most of his clothing car ried away for relics. Among his personal effects were letters from Mrs. Weldon, of New York, warn ing him to flee from the agency, as the Government was about to have him killed." It should be added that Bull Head was among those mortally wounded in the affray, and a few days later his body was interred with military honors at Fort Yates. His widow stood with his father and brother at the head of the grave. This poor woman was at the Cannon Ball River on a visit when she learned from a runner that her husband had been kill in arresting Sitting Bull. She started at once on foot to find him, and walked eighty miles with out a rest, falling in a faint when admitted to her husband s room, which she reached before his death. Sitting Bull s wives and daughters remained in their camp, under the charge of an Indian police man, Gray Eagle. What became of his body is not yet positively known, " It is learned," said a Chi cago Tribune correspondent, " that Sitting Bull s body, when brought in from Grand River, was taken 1 88 LPF.E OF SITTING BULL to the military hospital to be dissected. The Indians at the agency, the police and friendly Indians, would have nothing to do with the remains. It is said the morning they were to be buried a couple of soldiers took the box supposed to contain the remains and dumped it in an isolated grave away from the graves of other Indians and a guard placed around it. It is an open secret that really the box did not contain the remains and that the guard was put on the grave as a blind. It is believed Sitting Bull s body is now in the dissecting-room, and that in time the skeleton will turn up either in the Government museum or some other place." CHAPTER XIII. TRIBUTES TO HIS MEMORY. Hre NIECE S INDIGNATION AND GRIEF A SENATOR S ATTEMPT TO BE FUNNY OVER A TRAGEDY " BUFFALO BILL S " TRIBUTE GENERAL SCHOFIELD S VIEWS " ADIRONDACK " MURRAY S ELOQUENT PROTEST AND REBUKE SITTING BULL COMPARED WITH WEBSTER AND WITH GLADSTONE. Thus died Sitting Bull. Thus the world was rid of a troubler. But what made him a troubler? Wrongs, injustice, outrage. There are those who declare that the only good Indian is a dead Indian. But they libel humanity, the humanity that dwells in red skins as well as in white. The real cause of Indian troubles, wars, massacres, is and has been the incredibly and inexpressibly base treatment of the Indians by the white men, in which the Government has often, if not always, been particeps criminis. There were those who raised a cry of exultation at the death of Sitting Bull. There were many who regarded it with relief. But the real mind and heart of the American people felt sad and ashamed, with SAD AND ASHAMED, a sadness and a shams too deep for words. Per- 189 196 LIFE OF SITTING BULL haps it was necessary to kill him. But the circum stances, a century old, that made it necessary to kill him, that made him a being whom it was neces sary to kill, are only to be regarded with national humiliation. It will be of interest to record here a few of the utterances which this grim tragedy evoked. In the city of Wilmington, Del., there live two nieces of the famous chief. One of them, Mrs. George Leonard, spoke thus : MRS. LEONARD S STATEMENT. " I lived in the Sioux territory during the wars in which my uncle, Sitting Bull, who was my father s younger brother, took part. I left the territory soon after my uncle s return from Canada, where he went after the Custer fight. I went to New York city and thence came here and was married five years ago. My uncle s death has made me very nervous. I understand that my uncle s body will be taken to Washington, and I have written to the Secretary of the Interior to see it. My father s name was Car- mock Bull. We can prove our identity by papers which we have in our possession. My uncle, I think, was about 53 years of age." At this point she became very much agitated, and said through her tears : "Our people have been robbed, ruined and per secuted by the white people, who have driven us from the lands which were formerly ours, and not content with this robbery they have now killed my AND THE INDIAN WAR. uncle in cold blood. This country was wned by our people before any white men came. Now they have killed the chief, and white men now come to his family to look into his history. You shall hear nothing. His history will be published, and then the world will get it. "You can understand how we feel about this mat ter. He was killed, you see, without cause or provo cation, and it is natural that we should feel strongly. I have two brothers yet living in the Sioux territory. Many others, like myself, left the territory, and are now scattered over the country. It is against the traditions of our race to permit white men to exam ine our records or pry into any of our secrets." Senator Sanders, of Montana, who was formerly one of the rough-and-ready, quick-shooting, vigilance committee men of the mining camps, may be quoted as one of those who took the worst possible view of Sitting Bull. He chose to strive to be humorous in talking of the tragedy. SENATOR SANDER S DESCRIPTION. "I am in great distress of mind," said he, "my heart is bowed down with woe, because of the death of my fellow-being, Mr. S. Bull, formerly a resident of my State, but recently a sojourner in a neighbor ing territory. He has gone the way of all flesh, and there is other copper-colored flesh that would not go far astray if it followed him. S. Bull was a man of some activity in the line of industry which he pur sued. His vocal organs were always in good re- 192 LIFE OF SITTING BULL. pair ; hts larynx never troubled him as much as it did other people. If he ever suffered from any pharyingeal difficulty I was not aware of it, and his stomach was never satisfied. " In justice to him I should say that most of the work he did was performed by somebody else. (If there s any bull in that it s all right ; we re talking Bulls just now). His fighting was universally by proxy, and the domestic labor pertaining to his home was entirely vicarious, as his squaws ean testify. He was a newspaper Indian, craving notoriety and deadhead advertising. I knew him as a warrior and can say truthfully that, when he was not taking any risks, he expressed himself fearlessly. Vale, Bull." Col. W. F. Cody, best known as " Buffalo Bill," said : " I do not know certainly whether I met Sitting BUFFALO BILLS STATEMENT. Bull or not during the campaigns of 76. He was not at that time a chief of any note ; in fact, he was Hot much of a chief, but more of a medicine man. It was General Sheridan who really made him a big Indian. They had to have some name for that war, and I was on the mission at Red Cloud Agency when they were talking about what name to give rt. They spoke of Chief Galla, Crazy Horse, and others, all bigger men than Sitting Bull, but finally decided to call it Sitting Bull s war, and that made him seem to be a great man, and his name became known all over the country. The first time I ever saw him to know him was when he joined my show at Buffalo, AND THE INDIAN WAR. 193 coming with eight or nine of his chosen people from Grand River. He appeared there before 10,000 people, and was hissed so it was some time before I could talk to the crowd and secure their patience. The same thing occurred at almost every place. He never did more than to appear on horseback at any performance and always refused to talk English, even if he could. At Philadelphia a man asked him if he had no regret at killing Custer and so many whites. He replied : I have answered to my peo ple for the Indians slain in that fight. The chief that sent Custer must answer to his people. That is the only smart thing I ever heard him say. He was a peevish Indian, always saying something bad in council. He was an inveterate beggar. He sold autographs at $i a piece and during the four months he was with the show picked up a good deal of money." GENERAL SCHOFIELD S STATEMENT. General Schofield, the head of the United States Army, said : " Sitting Bull was a conspicuous man as an Indian. He was not a warrior. He was not a great battle chief. He never in his life wore the war bonnet of the Indian. He was a medicine man/ what would be called in our civilization a preacher, a teacher. He was purely an Indian poli tician, and the effort to get him into our camp and endeavor to dissuade him from his wretched dema gogue ghost dance were what led to his death." Asked as to whether there was any scheme to lure 194 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Sitting Bull into a trap and kill him, General Schof- ield said : " Certainly not" He said that the Inter ior Department people felt that old Sitting Bull ought to be brought in and reasoned with. " I did not at all believe in the Buffalo Bill idea," said Gen eral Schofield, " and that purpose was quickly aban doned. Major McLauglin of the Standing Rock Agency insisted that old Sitting Bull ought to be ap prehended, and on authority of the Interior Depart ment the Indian police were sent on the mission. They did their work well, and that is only another proof that the North American Indian ought to be an important constituent of the United States Army." "Look at those police," exclaimed the General, " faithful, true, and victorious and glorying in their victory. I believe that the North American Indian, with authorized enlistment, good pay, and good food, would be the finest soldier the world could ever see. Wherever he has been tried he has never failed." W. H. H. MURRAY S EULOGY. An eloquent and impassioned tribute was paid to Sitting Bull in The New York World by Mr. W. H. H. Murray, formerly a popular clergyman, but best known as a writer and commonly called " Adiron dack " Murray. He spoke for the myriads who saw in Sitting Bull a sacrifice to injustice. Perhaps he was extreme in his expressions, but not more so than those who think the only good Indian the dead AND THE INDIAN WAR. 195 one. Mr. Murray said : " The land grabbers wanted the Indian lands. The lying, thieving Indian agents wanted silence touching past thefts and immunity to continue their thieving. The renegades from their people among the Indian police wanted an oppor tunity to show their power over a man who despised them as renegades, and whom, therefore, they hated. The public opinion of the frontier the outgrowth of ignorance, credulity and selfish greed more than assented to a plan to rid the country of one who while he lived, so great was he in fame and in fact, must forever stand as a reminder of wars passed and a threat of war to come. Out of all these and other causes peculiar to the condition of things there localized, some accidental and deplorable, others permanent and infamous, was born, as Milton s Death was born, from Satan and Sin, the plot to kill him. AND SO HE WAS MURDERED. "I knew this man ; knew him in relation to his high office among his people and in his elements as a man. As to his office or rank I honored him. He filled a station older than human records, as a man 1 admired him. He represented in person, in man ners, in mind and in the heroism of his spirit the highest type of a race which in many and rare vir tues stands peer among the noblest races of the world. As to his rank or official station, we whites called him Medicine Man. It is a name that does not name. It is and has been from the beginning of IQ6 LIFE OF SITTING BULL our intercourse with the red race a delusion and the source of delusions among even the scholarly. " This man Sitting Bull was a prophet, not war chief, to his people. The seer, in the line of seers of a race, beside which, as to antiquity, the Jews are but mushrooms, What was a misnomer, a joke, a term of contempt to us in our ignorance of fact and ancient things, to the red men for the term Indian as applied to them is also a misnomer and a proof of fourteenth-century ignorance was a rank above all ranks won or bestowed by the tribe ; an office above all earthly offices, connected with and sym bolic of the highest truths and deepest mysteries of their religion. " Hence, by virtue of his office oH as custom and tradition, this man, Sitting Bull, was counsellor of chiefs, the Warwick behind the throne stronger than the throne, the oracle of mysteries and of knowl edge hidden from the mass ; hidden even from chiefs, to whose words of advice and authority all listened as to the last and highest expression of wisdom. " Such was Sitting Bull as to his office, as inter preted and understood from a standpoint of knowl edge of the religion, the traditions and the supersti- FAITHFUL TO HIS OFFICE. tion of his people. That he was, faithful to his high office all knew. He was in fact, Counsellor of Chiefs, that as Joshua did to Moses, so he in hour of battle upheld their arms till the sun went AND THE INDIAN WAR. down and the battle was lost or won, let all who fought his tribe declare : that the gods of his race found in him a high priest faithful to his trust none may ever deny. He lived and he has died, a red man true to his office and his race. That leaf of laurel nome can deny to his fame not even his ren egade murderers. o " But no office, however great, is as great as the man if he fills it greatly, and this man Sitting Bull was greater as a man than he was even as a proph et. I met him often ; I studied him closely as one of intelligence studies the type of a race I may add of a departing race and I knew him well. And this I say of him : He was a Sioux of the Sioux, a red man of the red men. In him his race, in physi que, in manners, in virtues, in faults, stood incar nate. In faee he was the only man I ever saw who resembled Gladstone large featured, thoughtfully grave, reflective, reposeful when unexcited. In wrath his countenance was a collection of unex- ploded or exploding thunder the awful embodi ment of measureless passion and power. " In conversation he was deliberate, the user of few words, but suave and low voiced. In moments of social relaxation he was companionable, receptive GENTLE IN HIS HOME. of humor, a genial host, a pleasant guest. In his family gentle, affectionate and not opposed to mer riment. When sitting in council his deportment was a model ; grave, deliberate, courteous to opponents, 12 198 LIFE OF SITTING BULL patient and kindly to men of lesser mind. I sug gest that our Senators copy after him. " In pride he was equal to his rank and race, a rank to him level with a Pope s and a race the oldest and bravest in the world. Of vanity I never saw one trace in him. I would couple the word with Gladstone or Webster as quickly as with him. He was never over-dressed. He wore the insignia of his office as a king his robes or a judge his gown. In eating- he was temperate ; from spirituous drinks an abstainer. His word once given was a true bond. He was a born diplomat, No foe ever fathomed his thought I have watched him by the hour when I knew his heart was hot with wrath, but neither from eye nor lip nor cheek nor nostril nor sinewy hand might one get hint of the storm raging within. There was no surface to him. He was the embodi ment of depths. "Was he eloquent? What is eloquence? Who may say who may agree as to it ? Men tell me that Mr. Depew is eloquent, and that New Yorkers go wild with the glasses in front of them when their Mr. Choate is speaking. I have read their words. Their eloquence is not that of the great Sioux Prophet. Here are some words of his. You can compare them with your orators best: INDIAN ELOQUENCE. " You tell me of the Mohawks. My fathers knew them. They demanded tribute of them. The Sioux laughed. They went to meet them : ten thousand DFATH OF SITTING BULL AND THE INDIAN WAR. 2OI horsemen. The Mohawks saw them coming, made them a feast and returned home ! You tell me of the Abenaznis. They are our forefathers and the forefathers of all red men. They were the men of tlie Dawn. They came from the East. They were horn in the morning of the world. The traditions of my people are full of the Abenaznis. They rocked the cradles of our race/ "And again: " What treaty that the whites have kept has the red man broken ? Not one. What treaty that the whites ever made with us red men have they kept? Not one. When I was a boy the Sioux owned the world. The sun rose and set in their lands. They sent 10,000 horsemen to battle. Where are the warriors to-day ? Who slew them ? Where are our lands? Who owns them? What white man can say I ever stole his lands or a penny of his money ? Yet they say I am a thief. What white woman, however lonely, was ever when a captive insulted by me ? Yet they say I am a bad Indian. What white man has ever seen me drunk? Who has ever come to me hungry and gone unfed ? Who has ever seen me beat my wives or abuse my chil dren ? What law have I broken ? Is it wrong for me to love my own ? Is it wicked in me because my skin is red ; because I am a Sioux ; because I was born where my fathers lived ; because I would die for my people and my country ? " And again : 2O2 LIFE OF SITTING BULL "They tell you I murdered Custer. It is a lie. I am not a war chief. I was not in the battle that day. His eyes were blinded that lie could not see. He was a fool and he rode to his death. He made the fight, not I. Whoever tells you I killed the Yel low Hair is a liar. DO WE LOVE JUSTICE? " But why tell more of this man? Does this gen eration love justice enough to ask that it be shown to the red men ? Have we not as a people fixed the brutal maxim in our language, That the only good Indian is a dead Indian ? We laugh at the saying now as a good jest, but the cheeks of our descendants will redden with shame when they read the coarse brutality of our wit. I read that the great Sioux was dead, that he was set upon in the midst of his family, with his wives and children and relatives around him, that he had committed no overt act of war ; that he was simply so far as aught is known moving himself, his kith and kin from the midst of cold, hunger and peril, and that while doing this, a company of Indians yclept Indian police many of them despised renegades from his own tribe and enemies of his under cover of the United States flag and backed by a company of United States cavalry placed suspiciously handy to see that the renegades from his tribe should not fail in killing him they went to kill had killed him, and 1 said- understanding the conditions and circumstances bet ter than some I sairl : That is murder. And then AND THE INDIAN WAR. 2O3 I read in a great journal that everybody is well sat isfied with his death. And I cried out against the saying as I had against the deed. " I read that they have buried his body like a dog s without funeral rites, without tribal wail, with no solemn song or act. That is the deed of to-day. That is the best that this generation has to give to this noble historic character, this man who in his person ends the line of aboriginal sanctities older than the religion of Christian or Jew. Very well. So let it stand for the present. But there is a gen eration coming that shall reverse this judgment of RECORD OF HISTORY. ours. Our children shall build monuments to those whom we stoned, and the great aboriginals whom we killed will be counted by the future American as among the historic characters of the Continent. Moreover, I ask The World to send out through all the land this request of mine that the spot where this great character was buried buried like a dog be carefully marked marked beyond questioning or doubt, for as the Lord liveth and my soul liveth a monument shall be builded on that spot before many years if I live inscribed to the memory of the last great Prophet of the Sioux, and of the noble characteristics of the red race, whose virtues, like his own, were many, and whose fate was pathetic," CHAPTER XIV. THE SIOUX NATION. MIGHTIEST OF ALL THE NATIVE TRIBES LONGFELLOW S " MINNEHAHA* SUBDIVISIONS OF THE TRIBE CATLIN S ACCOUNT OF THEM HALF A CENTURY AGO NOT DRUNKEN, NOR NAKED, NOR POOR A MORE RECENT AND LESS FRIENDLY VIEW. The aboriginal inhabitants oi the territory now comprised within the United States were divided into various nations, which might almost be called races, so widely did they differ from each other in physical and intellectual characteristics. The early settlers from Europe came into contact with the Iroquois and Algonquins and their numerous sub- tribes in the North, and with the Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles in the South. But in later years, pushing westward, the new masters of the land be came aware of the existence of another still more numerous and powerful Indian nation, occupying the country west of the Mississippi River and north of the Arkansas. These Indians were known in their own tongue as La-ko-tas, which the whites soon transformed into Dakotas. By their tradi tional enemies, the Chippewas, greatest of the 204 AMD TH lAiDlAM WAR. 20$ Algonquin tribes and the only Indians able to contend with then in war, they were contemptu ously called Nadowessioux, which name the whites abbreviated into Sioux. Longfellow, in his immor tal "Song of Hiawatha," makes his heroine, the beauteous Minnehaha, a Sioux, whom Hiawatha found and wooed and won " In the land of the Dakotas, Where the Falls of Minnehaha Flash and gleam among the oak-trees, Leap and laugh into the valley." The Sioux also call themselves Oceti Sakowin, or the Seven Council Fires; having a tradition that they once all belonged to one council, but after ward, through intestine strife, separated into seven. These seven councils or tribes are as follows: i. The Inde-wa-kan-ton-wan, or Village of the Holy Lake ; 2, the Wah-pe-ku-te, or Leaf Shooters ; 3, the Wah- pe-ton-wan, or Village in the Leaves, commonly known as the Wahpeton Sioux ; 4, the Sis-se-ton- wan, or Village in the Marsh, called the Sisseton Sioux ; 5, the I-hank-ton-wan-na, or Upper End Vil lage, known as the Upper Yanktonnais; 6, the I hank- ton-wan, or End Village, known as the Lower Yanktonnais ; and, 7, the Te-ton-wan, or Prairie Vil lage, best known as the Teton Sioux. The first four of these tribes are called I-san-ti, or Santee. THE TETONS. At the present time we have most to do, how- 2OO LIFE OF SITTING BULL ever, with the last and greatest of the Seven Coun cils, namely, the Tetons. This tribe is subdivided into seven great families, known as (i) the Si-can^ gu, Brule, or Burnt Thighs ; (2) the I-taz-ip-co, Sans Arcs, or No Bows; (3) the Si-ha-sa-pa, or Blackfeet; (4) the Mi-ni-kan-ye, or Those Who Plant by the Water; (5) the Oo-hen-on-pa, or Two Kettles; (6) the O-gal-lal-las, or Wanderers in the Mountains; and (7) the Unk-pa-pas, or Those Who Dwell by Themselves. It was to this last that Sitting Bull belonged an Unk-pa-pa, Teton, Sioux. The origi nal home of the four Santee tribes was in Minnesota and Eastern Dakota ; that of the Yanktonnais, east of the Missouri, from Sioux City to the Northern Pacific Railroad ; and that of the Tetons, from the Missouri to the Rocky Mountains, north of the Platte River. The early history of the Sioux is little known. They were always a notably brave and warlike race, possessed of magnificent physique. They were seldom attacked by other Indians, save by the famous Chippewas, who rivalled them in strength and daring, and who for many generations were their implacable foes. Catlin, writing some fifty years ago from the mouth of the Teton River, spoke as follows of the Sioux Nation : " This tribe is one of the most numerous in North America, and also one of the most vigorous and warlike tribes to be found, numbering some forty or fifty thousand, and able undoubtedly to muster, if AND TH& INDIAN WAX. 2O/ the tribe could be moved simultaneously, at least eight or ten thousand warriors, well mounted and well armed. This tribe takes vast numbers of the wild horses on the plains toward the Rocky Moun tains, and many of them have been supplied with guns ; but the greater part of them hunt with their bows and arrows and long lances, killing their game from their horses backs while at full speed. The FINE APPEARANCE. personal appearance of these people is very fine and prepossessing, their persons tall and straight, and their movements elastic and graceful. Their stature is considerably above that of the Mandans and Riccarees, or Blackfeet ; but about equal to that of the Crows, Assinneboins, and Minatarees, fur nishing at least one-half of their warriors of six feet or more in height. The great family of Sioux, who occupy so vast a tract of country, extending from the banks of the Mississippi River to the base of the Rocky Mountains, are everywhere a migratory or roaming tribe, divided into forty-two bands or fami lies, each having a chief, who all acknowledge a su perior or head chief, to whom they all are held sub ordinate. " There is no tribe on the continent, perhaps, of HANDSOME HUNTERS. finer looking men than the Sioux ; and few tribes who are better or more comfortably clad, and sup plied with the necessaries of life. There are no parts of the great plains of America which are more 208 Lit*. Oh SITTING BULL abundantly stocked with buffaloes and wild horsee, nor any people more bold in destroying the ne for food, and appropriating the other to their use. There has gone abroad, from, the many histories which have been written of these people, an opinion which is too current in the world that the Indian is necessarily a poor, drunken, murderous wretch ; which account is certainly unjust as regards the sav age, and doing less than justice to the world for whom such histories have been prepared. I have traveled several years already amongst these people and I have not had my scalp taken, nor a blow struck at me; nor had occasion to raise my hand against an Indian ; nor has my property been stolen as yet, to my knowledge, to the value of a shilling ; and that in a country where no man is punishable by law for WHITE MEN STEAL. the crime of stealing ; still some of them steal, and murder too ; and if white men did not do the same, and that in defiance of the laws of God and man, I might take satisfaction in stigmatizing the Indian character as thievish and murderous. That the In dians in their native state are drunken is false ; for they are the only temperance people, literally speak ing, that ever I saw in my travels, or ever expect to see. If the civilized world are startled at this, it is the fact that they must battle with, not with me ; for these people manufacture no spirituous liquors them selves, and know nothing of it until it is brought into their country and tendered to them by Chris- AMD THE INDIAN WAR. tians. That the people are naked is equally untrue, and is easily disproved ; for I am sure that with the paintings I have made amongst the Mandans and Crows, and other tribes ; and with their beautiful costumes, which I have procured and shall bring home, I shall be able to establish the fact that many of these people dress, not only with clothes com fortable for any latitude, but that they also dress with some considerable taste and elegance. Nor am I quite sure that they are entitled to the name of poor, who live in a boundless country of green fields, with good horses to ride ; where they are all joint tenants of the soil, together ; where the Great Spirit has supplied them with an abundance of food to eat where they are all indulging in the pleasures and amusements of a lifetime of idleness and ease, with no business hours to attend to, or professions NO DEBTS TO PAY. to learn where they have no notes in bank or other debts to pay no taxes, no tithes, no rents, nor beg gars to touch and tax the sympathy of their souls at every step they go." Such was the account of the Sioux given by this accomplished and impartial observer, half a century ago. Let us quote by way of contrast the words ol a recent writer who was imbued with ineradicable hatred of all red men: " Of all the Indians on the continent the northern Sioux are the finest men, the best hunters, and the fiercest warriors. They have never confined them- 210 LIFE OF SITTING BULL selves to the agencies, and they hated the other In dians who did. Their principal chief, Sitting Bull, would never treat honestly with the government, and used all his ability to prevent the other tribes from doing so. From the beginning they have been CONTEMPT OF THE WHITES. hostile to the whites, and have rejected with con tempt all the overtures ot the Peace Commission to submit themselves to their policy. For fifteen years they have made constant cruel war upon the whites, murdering them by wholesale in Iowa and Minne sota, previous to crossing the Missouri. After that time, and since 1865, they have been the terror of the frontier. Under the command of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, they have been constantly em ployed attacking emigrant trains on the plains and boats on the river, fighting soldiers and harassing the forts and stations. Not content with making war on the whites, the Sioux also regarded all In dians friendly to the whites as their enemies, and attacked their villages, slew their warriors, and car ried off their women and children whenever they got a chance. With the booty obtained by killing and robbing miners and emigrants, they purchased arms and ammunition of the white and half-breed traders, until, with what they captured, they are now WELL EQUIPPED. armed with the best weapons and abundantly sup-- plied with ammunition. Their number was onori- nally about 7,000, and, although some were induced AND Ttl J.\DJAN WAR. 211 to go into the agencies, that number is probably still kept up by the additions to the band from otker tribes ; for all dissatisfied, turbulent, and unruly In dians, and all who were afraid for any cause, as the commission of crime, to remain with their own tribes, or, at the agencies, sought the band of Sitting Bull. " The Peace Commission, failing to accomplish anything with these Sioux, desired to turn over their case for management to the War Department, as it was necessary to reduce them to submission, lest their example should demoralize all the other In dians and make incalculable trouble. In 1875 the War Department assumed the control of them. A consultation was held in Washington between the President, the General of the Army, the Secretary of War and Gen. Crook in regard to what was the best course to pursue, and it was resolved to send an expedition against them. It was in pursu ance of this resolution that the Custer expedition was organized. t( The bloody career of Sitting Bull shows him to be a bold and skillful warrior, and the relentless foe INVINCIBLE. of the whites. He refuses to believe he can be beaten, and declares that if all the Indians would unite under him he would be able to drive the whites back into the sea whence they came. The result of Custer s expedition will, of course, strengthen this belief, and will also give Sitting 2J2 Lift 0* SITTING BULL Bull great prestige and influence with the Indians. He will be regarded as a great warrior, and his glory will be all the more splendid on account of the respect and dread felt by the Indians for Crook, whom he defeated, and Custer, whom he slew with all his command. " Still, it is not possible to doubt what the end will be. The war may be prolonged and many brave lives lost before Sitting Bull is slain and his tribe dispersed ; but the power of the United States cannot be resisted and will prevail. Sitting Bull will either meet the fate of Capt. Jack or die in bat tle, and the sanguinary Sioux will scatter and be lost to history. It is not likely their fate will excite much sympathy. They were the Ishmaelites of the plains, and their hands were turned against Indians and whites alike. To murder, to commit nameless crimes without pity or compunction, to burn and steal, was the habit of their lives. When they perish they will not be regretted." CHAPTER XV. LEGENDS AND CREEDS. THE INDIAN HOLY LAND, THE MOUNTAINS OF THE PRAIRIES THE Sioux STORY OF THE FLOOD ORIGIN OF THE RED PIPE STONE INDIAN LOVE or THE MYSTERIOUS THEIR IDEAS OF THE FITHJRE LIFE THEIR CODE OF WOR-LDLY ETHICS VINDICATED. The Holy Land of the Indians is the Coteau du Prairie, the Mountain of the Prairie, the Red Pipe Stone country. Longfellow pictures the Great Spirit descending and appearing to the tribes at that place : " On the Mountains of the Prairie, On the great Red Pipe Stone Quarry, Gitche Manito, the mighty, He, the Master of Life, descending. On the red crags of the quarry Stood erect, and called the nations. Called the tribes of men together." Accordingly there was a gathering of all the Indian tribes : " Down the rivers, o er the prairies, Came the warriors of the nations, Came the Delaware* and Mohawks, Came the Choctaws and Comanohes, Came the Shoshonies and Blackfe Came the Pawnees and Omahas. 213 214 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Came the Mandans and Dakotas, Came the Hurons and Ojibways, All the warriors drawn together By the signal of the peace-pipe, To the Mountains of the Prairie, To the great Red Pipe Stone Quarry." As they stand there, glaring at each other with ancestral hatred, Gitche Manito addresses them, bids them lay aside their feuds, and promises to send them Hiawatha, the Teacher. This sacred region was long recognized as common ground, be longing to all Indians, where all must meet in peace and fellowship. But it lay within the country of the Dakotas, or Sioux, and those mighty warriors eventually drove out and shut out all rival tribes, and made the Mountain of the Prairies their own exclusively. Around this legendary spot linger many traditions, and much of the religious lore of these people. Here is one legend which was told to Catlin by a Dakota chief: " In the time of the great freshet, which took place many centuries ago, and destroyed all the nations of the earth, all the tribes of the red men assembled on the Coteau du Prairie to get out of the way of the waters. After they had all gathered here from all parts, the water continued to rise, until at length it covered them all in a mass, and their flesh was converted into red pipe stone. Therefore it has always been considered neutral ground it belonged to all tribes alike, and all were allowed to get it and smoke it together. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 215 " While they were all drowning in a mass, a young woman, K-wap-tah-w (a virgin), caught hold of the foot of a very large bird that was flying over, and was carried to the top of a high cliff, not far off, that was above the water. Here she had twins, and their father was the war-eagle, and her children have since peopled the earth. "The pipe stone, which is the flesh of their ances tors, is smoked by them as the symbol of peace, and the eagle s quill decorates the head of the brave." Here is another tradition of the Sioux: ORIGIN OF MAN. " Before the creation of man the Great Spirit (whose tracks are yet to be seen on the stones, at the Red Pipe, in form of the tracks of a large bird) used to slay the buffaloes and eat them on the ledge of the Red Rocks, on the top of the Coteau des Prairies, and their blood running on to the rocks turned them red. One day when a large snake had crawled into the nest of the bird to eat his eggs, one of the eggs hatched out in a clap of thunder, and the Great Spirit, catching hold of a piece of the pipe stone to throw at the snake, molded it into a man. This man s feet grew fast in the ground where he stood for many ages like a great tree, and, therefore, he grew very old. He was older than a hundred men at the present day, and at last another tree grew \\\> by the side of him, when a large snake ate them both off at the roots, and they wandered off together. From these have sprung all the people that now inhabit the ^nrth," 21 6 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Amongst the Sioux of the Mississippi, who live in the region of the Red Pipe Stone Quarry, Catlin found the following not less strange tradition on the same subject: ANOTHER TRADITION. " Many ages after the red men were made, when all the different tribes were at war, the Great Spirit sent runners and called them all together at the Red Pipe/ He stood on the top of the rocks, and the red people were assembled in infinite numbers on the plains below. He took out of the rock a piece of the red stone and made a large pipe. He smoked it over them all ; told them that it was part of their flesh ; that, though they were at war, they must meet at this place as friends ; that it belonged to them all ; that they must make their calumets from it and smoke them to him whenever they wished to appease him or get his good will. The smoke from his big pipe rolled over them all, and he disappeared in its cloud. At the last whiff of his pipe a blaze of fire rolled over the rocks and melted their surface. At that moment two squaws went in a blaze of fire under the two medicine rocks, where they remain to this day, and must be consulted and propitiated whenever the pipe stone is to be taken away." This is the legend which forms a part of the basis of " Hiawatha." LOVE OF LEGENDS. A love of legends and of mysteries is character istic of all Indians, and particularly of the Sioux. This trait comprises equally their admiration of the STANDING HOLLY. Daughter of Sitting Bull. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 219 thunder-storm and their childish wonder and awe at petty tricks of legerdemain. Says Capt. Bourke, U. S. A., a high authority on the subject: "The Indians are very superstitions. They be lieve in the supernatural, and an adroit sleight-of- hand performer can have a great influence over them. One way to beat them is to fight them with their own fire by sending first-class American jug glers out to them. When the medicine men of their tribe do their wonders, let these jugglers per form their tricks, and the power of the medicine men will wane. This was the method I pursued in my work with them. I never discredited the power of any of the medicine men. I only told them that my medicine was better than their medicine, and that I could do a great deal more than they could. ELECTRIC PUZZLE. " I had once an old electric battery with me when I visited a big camp of these Sioux. There was some excitement at the time, and the medicine men were boasting what they could do. I arranged my battery, and took a silver dollar and placed it in a pan of water, and told their best medicine men that I would give the one who could pull it out five dol lars, provided he took hold of the brass handle of the batterv with one hand and picked the coin out with the other. "There were, perhaps, one thousand Indians look ing at us, and they conceived a deep reverence for me, as they had seen the most famous of their 22O LIFE OF SITTING BULL medicine men attempt to do this and fail, being almost thrown into convulsions in the attempt. At last one of the strongest Indians in the West came BROKE THE MACHINE. up to make the trial. He seized the battery and made a grab for the dollar. The electricity went through him like a shot, and he kicked the battery all to pieces. He wanted to try it again and we patched the battery up, and he finally succeeded in getting the dollar, owing to the weakness of the broken battery. He was twisted out of shape almost by the effort and the Indians of that camp looked upon me for the time as a great medicine man. "At another time I was at a sun-dance of one of the Sioux Indian tribes, and an American juggler, who was quite a sleight-of-hand performer, begged to be allowed to go along with me. I thought he might do some good and took him. I shall not forget how he astonished the Indians. "-He went up to one of the chiefs, and without a warning gave him a slap on the cheek, nearly knocking him over. Then with his other hand he got hold of the other cheek and apparently pulled a twenty-dollar gold piece out of it, while the rest of the Indians looked on with open-mouthed won- A CUTE TRICK. der. He went up to another chief, who rejoiced in the title of Little Big Man, and grabbing him by the nose pulled a twenty-dollar gold piece out of AND THE INDIAN WAR. 221 his nose, much to the chiefs surprise. I saw him a number of times afterward, and when he thought I was not looking would pull his blanket up over his nose and feel the end of it to see if there were not some more twenty-dollar gold pieces where the other one had come from. " I remember another medicine man, a big Apache, who called upon me in the surgeon s office of one of the stations. I was very anxious to see his medi cine charm, which he carried carefully concealed under his shirt, and which not even the other In dians ever saw. I told him I knew he was a great medicine man, but that I believed that my medicine was better than his medicine, and with that I picked up a bottle of nitric acid. It was not much bigger than your thumb ASTONISHED. " I said : * I will put a drop of this on your tongue and in one minute I will burn a hole clear through it He opened his eyes, but when I again asked him to stick out his tongue he said he believed I could do it, and that he would not test my skill. I then picked up a bottle of chloroform and said : Here is more of my medicine. If you smell this I can put you to sleep, and no one can wake you un til I want to wake you, % and with this, picking up another bottle, I can strike you dead. By this time he was thoroughly scared, and he showed the wonderful talisman by which he performed his tricks. It was a chamois bag covered with mysterious char- 222 LIFE OF SITTING BULL acters. He wore it over his chest and it never left him, night or day." The religious beliefs of the Sioux, however, are of a noble and exalted character, comparing favor ably in their sublime simplicity with the great myths A FUTURE STATE. of other races. Their ideas of a future state have been thus stated by one of their foremost prophets : " Our people all believe that the spirit lives in a future state that it has a great distance to travel after death toward the West that it has to cross a dreadful deep and rapid stream, which is hemmed in on both sides by high and rugged hills over this stream, from hill to hill, there lies a long and slippery pine-log, with the bark peeled off, over which the dead have to pass to the delightful hunting-grounds. On the other side of the stream there are six per sons of the good hunting-grounds, with rocks in their hands, which they throw at them all when they are on the middle of the loof. The eood W alk on o o safely, to the good hunting-grounds, where there is one continual day where the trees are always green where the sky has no clouds where there are continual fine and cooling breezes where there is one continual scene of feasting, dancing, and ETERNAL LIFE AND HAPPINESS. rejoicing where there is no pain or trouble, and people never grow old, but forever live young and enjoy the youthful pleasures. * The wicked see the stout- s coming, and try to AND TH INDIAN WAR. 223 dodge, by which they fall from the log, and go down thousands of feet to the water, which is dashing over the rocks, and is stinking with dead fish and animals, where they are carried around and brought continually back to the same place in whirlpools where the trees are all dead, and the waters are full of toads and lizards, and snakes where the dead are always hungry, and have nothing to eat are always sick, and never die where the sun never shines, and where the wicked are continually climb ing up by thousands on the sides of a high rock from which they can overlook the beautiful country of the good hunting-grounds, the place of the happy, but never can reach it." The worldly ethics of the Sioux were also inquired into by Catlin, who found much to admire in them, and little to condemn, in comparison with the codes of civilized people. On an occasion when he had interrogated a Sioux chief, on the Upper Missouri about their government their punishments and tortures of prisoners, for which he had freely con demned them for the cruelty of the practice, the INQUIRIES. Indian took occasion, when Catlin had got through, to ask some questions relative to modes in the civil ized world, which, with his comments upon them, were nearly as follows : "Among white people, nobody ever take your wife take your children take your mother cut oft nose cut eves out burn to death ? No ! Then 224 LIFh OF SITTIN 6 BULL you no cut off nose you no cut out eyes you no burn to death very good." Then the Indian went on to say that he had often heard that white people hung their criminals by the neck and choked them to death like dogs, and those their own people ; to which Catlin answered, " Yes." He then said he had learned that they shut each other up in prisons, where they keep them a great part of their lives because they can t pay money! Catlin replied in the affirmative to this, which occa sioned great surprise and excessive laughter, even CRUELTY AMONG PALE-FACES. amongst the women. The Indian said that he had been to the fort at Council Bluffs, where there were a great many warriors and braves, and he saw three of them taken out on the prairies and tied to a post and whipped almost to death, and he had been told that they submit to all this to get a little money. "Yes." He said he had been told that when all the white people were born, their white medicine men had to stand by and look on that in the Indian country the women would not allow that they would be ashamed ; that he had been along the Frontier, and a good deal amongst the white people, and he had seen them whip their little children a thino- that is very cruel. He had heard, also, from several white medicine men that the Great Spirit of the white people was the child of a white woman, and that he was at last put to death by the white people! This seemed to be a thing that he had not been AND THE INDIAN WAR. 22$ able to comprehend, and he concluded by say ing: GREAT SPIRIT NEVER DIE. " The -Indians Great Spirit got no mother the In dians no kill him he never die." He put to Catlin a chapter of other questions, as to the trespasses of the white people on their lands their continual corruption of the morals of their women, and dig ging open the Indians graves to get their bones, etc. to all of which the traveler was compelled to reply in the affirmative, and quite glad to close his note-book and quietly to escape from the throng that had collected around him, saying (though to himself and silently) that these and an hundred other vices belong to the civilized world, and are practiced upon (but certainly, in no instance, reciprocated by) the " cruel and relentless savage." " I fearlessly assert to the world," said Catlin, " (and I defy contradiction) that the North American Indian is everywhere, in his native state, a highly moral and religious being, endowed by his Maker with an intuitive knowledge of some great Author of his being and the universe ; in dread of whose displeasure he constantly lives, with the apprehen sion before him of a future state, where he expects to be rewarded or punished according to the merits he has gained or forfeited in this world." CHAPTER XVI. IN PEACE AND WAR. THE Sioux LANGUAGE AN INDIAN S SENSE OF HUMOR " OCD HUN DRED," " COME TO JESUS " AND THE LORD S PRAYER IN Sioux WAR PAINT OF THE BRAVES A BATTLE WITH THE PAWNEES-~THE VALUE OF A SCALP A LEISURELY INTERVIEW WITH A BUSY SEC RETARY. The languages of Indian tribes differ much from each other, and many of them have become consid erably modified by the assimilation of English, French, and Spanish words. The Sioux language is one of the most elaborate and sonorous of them all, and its grammar and rhetoric, as well as its euphony, entitle it to serious consideration among the many tongues of mankind. " In entering the Sioux coun try," says a writer in the Inter-Ocean, "one no longer hears the familiar words of the pale-face, Ah, there/ and I say, old boy ; but it is * How Rola, and Lila Washte, everywhere. To become a mas ter of the Sioux language is tne task of years. For the brightest mind to become acquainted with the peculiar construction of the Dakota sentence, the idiomatic expressions, and any proportion of their 20,000 words would require months of toil ; but for 226 AND THE INDIAN WAR, 227 the purposes of trade or social intercourse a few weeks will give one a very fair start. In fact, the whole stock in trade of many so-called interpreters consists only in knowing a score or two of words, a dozen or two verbs, a slight acquaintance with the sign language, some native wit, and the ability to lie without changing color. The great difficulty is, like the French, in placing the accent. This is gen erally on the second syllable, but, alas, where one least expects it the accent belongs on the first. " I tried to find out, the other day, how many acres one of the scamps cultivated, and asked : How many acres of field have you ? Alas for me, 1 maga with the accent strong on the first syllable, means field, but the same word with accent on the second syllable means goose. FULL OF HUMOR. "The Indian has a fine sense of humor, and he howled and yelled when I asked how many acres of goose he had. The letters of the alphabet are the same as in English, and are pronounced the same, except the following: C is like ch in chin, e as a, j as z in azure, g like an explosive k, n as oo in ooze, while g has a rough, gutteral sound unlike anything in English, and h is a laughing h not found in any other language. In constructing the sentence they state first the subject, then its qualifying words, next the object with its adjectives, and then the verb fol lowed by its qualifiers." 228 LIFE OF SITTING BULL For example : The white soldier is afraid of the aoble red man, would be " soldier white, Indian brave, afraid heap," "akicita ska ikcewicasta wako- kipa pahi." Or, for another example, dog is "sunka," a large dog is " sunka tanka," a large yellow dog would be "sunka tanka yawa," to eat is "yuta," good is " washte," very is "lila." So that if one wishes to sympathize with his dusky brother and change the conversation from the weather by ob serving that a large yellow dog is very good to eat, he should say, "Sunka tanka yawa yuta lila washte." Such a remark would place you on good terms with the family and be greeted with deep grunts of ap proval. All Indian books have been abolished in the schools, and neither teacher or pupil are allowed under strictly imposed penalties to use a word of Dakota under any circumstances. In all of the shops notices dignified with the signature of the agent are posted forbidding an Indian word to be used. In their churches and Sunday-schools, how ever, the native language is used, and one may hear all the familiar songs given in the Sioux. "Old Hundred" has a majestic sound even when pro nounced : " Wakantanka yatan miye, Cinhintku kin makata hi, Wicaceji yatanpi kte, Qa Woniya Wakan kici." And the children s voices have the fresh, sweet mel- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 229 ody of youth when they sing "Come to Jesus" in their native tongue : " Jesus en u, Jesus en u, Jesus en u wanna, U wo, Jesus en u, Jesus en u wanna." To attend their churches and to learn that they are human beings, with human hearts and souls, and in spite of all prejudice of all memory of frontier horrors, one comes back realizing that there is a meaning that cannot be ignored in the words the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, when he has seen a room-full of Indians with heads bowed repeating THE LORD S PRAYER. Ateunyanpi Mahpiya ekta nanke cin, Nicaje wankandapi kte; Nitokiconze u kte. Nitiwacin maka akan econpi nunwe ; mahpiya ekta iyececa, Anpetu kinde ampetu woyute ungu po. Qa. waunhtanipi unkicicajuju miye, tona sicaya ecaunkicoupi wicunkicicajujupi kin iyececa, Qu taku wawiyutan en unkayapi sni ye ; tuka taku sice cin etanhau eunyakn po. Wokicsnse kin he Fiye nitawa, ga Wowasake kin, ga wowitan kin, owihanke wanica. Amen. The war-customs of the Sioux have also their own peculiarities. When the braves go on the war path, they black their faces from the eyes down, the forehead being colored a bright red. When in mourning, and very eager to revenge the death of friends or relations, thev cut their hair short and 230 LIFE OF SITTING BULL daub their faces with white earth. Their feats of horsemanship are wonderful. They consider the greatest act of valor to be the striking of their enemy with some hand instrument while alive, and, whether live or dead, it is the first one that strike* the fallen foe that " counts the coup," and not the one that shoots him. They do not always scalp. Their object in scalping is to furnish a proof of their deed, and give them to their women to dance over. They always attack in a sweeping, circling line, eagle-like, give a volley, pass on, circle, and return on a different angle. When they kill one of the enemy there is always a rush to get the first crack at him, so as to " count the coup," and then some Indian who was disappointed in getting a cut at the victim while alive, scalps him. The Sioux always camp with tepes (lodges) in a circle, making, as it were, a stockade, and when on dangerous o ground they picket their ponies in the centre. A story characteristic of Indian battle superstition is related by Miss Rheta Louise Childe, who lived for some years among the Sioux and witnessed many of their doings in both peace and war. " On the fourth day s march from the Missouri River," she says, " the troops reached the Pawnee Reservation. The Pawnees and the Sioux have been at war from time immemorial, and these In dians were hourly expecting an attack from their old and inveterate foes. Within an hour of the arrival of the troops yells of alarm and firing of AND THE INDIAN WAR. 23! guns were followed by bugle-calls of boots and saddles and the assembly. The Pawnee videttes came in on a desperate run, and met the Pawnee braves going to their rescue, only to be driven back pell-mell into the village by vastly superior numbers of Sioux, who killed and scalped all who were unable to escape. Although the fight was entirely between the two tribes of Indians, the troops, as in duty bound, rushed to the defense of the Govern ment buildings, in which were quartered several teachers and missionaries. They were not a minute too soon ; for at the next instant the victorious Sioux, under the already famous Rain-in-the-Face, swept into the yard of the mission. CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENT. "And here occurred an incident characteristic of Indian superstition. A young squaw, fleeing from the advancing Sioux, reached the inclosure, pursued by half a score of painted devils, their hands already reeking with Pawnee gore. Seeing escape impos sible, she fell flat on the ground and pulled her blanket over her head to lose sight of the descend ing blow. It came from a tomahawk that glanced off her skull without penetrating it. The whites were within a few rods, firing as they ran, and one of the Sioux braves fell, shot dead, beside the pros trate woman. Another, however, jerked the blanket from her bleeding head, and, with haste born of fear, cut around and cruelly lifted her scalp, she conscious all the time, but never uttering a sound. 232 LIFE OF SITTING BULL The savage fled with his bloody trophy to rejoin his comrades. The troops came to the rescue of the sadly outnumbered Pawnees, and together they suc ceeded in putting the Sioux to rout. When the panic subsided, the wounded squaw was borne into the mission hospital and her injuries dressed. In spite of the scalping, she bade fair to recover. Strange to relate, however, her friends showed great reluctance to her receiving medical treatment, claiming that, according to all Indian precept and example, a scalped person should be dead, and her recovery would only bring bad medicine to her tribe. The woman acquiesced in this opinion, and expressed perfect willingness to be sacrificed to the ancient customs. The next morning the squaw s cot was empty, and the patient nowhere to be found. RESCUE OF THE SQUAW. "Two days later, some troopers hunting a stray horse on the river bank, miles away, were startled to hear groans coming from a neighboring thicket. Thinking that some wounded Sioux had been aban doned to die, they cautiously approached. There, buried all but her face in the drifting sand, was the scalped squaw, still alive and conscious. They dug her out and brought her back to the mission, thor oughly cured of her willingness to die. She told how she had been stolen from the hospital by her own family and buried by the river bank. She now wanted to live, and a close watch was kept to pre vent her being again offered as a victim to savage AND THE INDIAN WAR. 233 superstition. Once afterward, when walking in the yard, she was spirited away by the Pawnees and hidden in a tepee, that, when night fell, she might be buried more securely. Again she was restored to the mission, and upon strong threats of military vengeance should anything occur to her in future, the poor creature was allowed by her tribe to live out the remainder of her days." Swift as is the Indian in the hunt and on the war path, he is a lover of leisure, and he is most persist ent in that love. This trait is to be observed in his pow-wows or diplomatic interviews with Govern ment officials. He insists upon taking full time to think things over. During the administration of President Cleveland, it is told, a party of Sioux chiefs went to Washington to see Mr. Vilas, the Secretary of the Interior, who had supreme charge of the In- VILAS OUTWITTED. dian Department. When they reached Washing ton, says Mr. L. E. Quigg, who tells the story, Mr. Vilas arranged to see them. Vilas is one of those nervous, bustling men who never have the tenth part of a second to spare. The Indians are, above all things, deliberative in ceremonial matters. When they were ushered into the Secretary s room, he wheeled around in his chair and said he was the Great Father s Secretary, and would hear what they wished to say. His brusque manner greatly offen ded the Sioux. There was a long pause, broken at last by the Secretary, who urged them to go ahead, 234 L2FE OF SITTING BULL speak their speech and get done. Finally, one old fellow arose and delivered himself as follows : " We are glad to see the Great Father s chief. We are glad to hear his voice. We are his friends. We have come a long way in the Great Father s car riage that says * chu ! chu ! (imitating the puffs of a steam engine), and that rolls and bounces so ! (imitating the motion of the car). We are tired. We will see the white chief on Monday." Mr. Vilas was much disgusted. He said he didn t do business that way. If they wanted to talk they must do it now. Another long pause, and then a second chief arose. " We are glad to see the Great Father s chief," said he. " We are glad to hear his voice. We are his friends. We have come a long way in the Great Father s carriage that says chu ! chu ! and that rolls and bounces so ! We are tired. We will see the white chief on Monday." GUESSED MONDAY WOULD DO. Again the Secretary remonstrated. He said he was a busy man. He could not see them again. They must talk now or not at all. "A third pause, more prolonged than ever. Then the third chief slowjy got up and said: "\\ T Q are glad to see the Great Father s chief. We are glad to hear his voice. We are his friends. We have come a long way in the Great Father s carriage that says chul chu ! and that rolls and bounces so ! We are tired. We will see the white chief on Monday/ AND THE INDIAN WAR. 2$ ] Poor Mr. Vilas was becoming as tirecl as the weary Injun. But he tried it once more, this time appealingly. The fourth chief, after waiting- fully five minutes in silence, responded : "We are glad to see the Great Father s chief. We are glad to hear his voice. We are his friends. We have come a long way in the Great Father s carriage that says chu ! chu ! and that rolls and bounces so ! We are tired. We will see the white chief on Monday." Mr. Vilas gave it up. He meekly replied that he guessed Monday would suit him as well as any other day. XVII. FEASTING AND DANCING. CONSPICUOUS FEATURES OF INDIAN PUBLIC LIFE A GRAND FESTIVAL IN THE OLDEN TIME THE SPEECH OF WELCOME STEWED DOG THE LEADING DISH THE GRASS DANCE OF THE Two KETTLES, AND ITS ACCOMPANY ING FEAST OF DOG DANCING EXTRAORDINARY THE BEAR DANCE. BEGGAR S DANCE, SCALP DANCE AND SUN DANCE. Among the public ceremonies of the Indians feasting and dancing occupy a conspicuous place. Thus they entertain distinguished visitors. Thus they manifest their religious enthusiasm. Thus they prepare for the warpath, and thus they celebrate their triumphant return therefrom. When Catlin and his white comrades visited the Sioux, when that nation was at the zenith of its power, they were en tertained at a great festival. The chiefs and braves formed, says the artist-historian, a huge semicircle. " In the centre was erected a flag-staff, on which was waving a white flag, and to which also was tied the calumet, both expressive of their friendly feeling to ward us. Near the foot of the flag-staff were placed, in a row on the ground, six or eight kettles with iron covers on them, shutting them tight, in which were 238 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 239 prepared the viands for our voluptuous feast. Near the kettles, and on the ground also, bottomside up ward, were a number of wooden bowls in which the meat was to be served out. And in front, two or three men, who were there placed as waiters, to light the pipes for smoking and also to deal out the food. 11 In these positions things stood, arid all sat, with thousands climbing and crowding around for a peep THE ONE HORN. at the grand pageant, when at length Ha-wan-je-tah (The One Horn), head chief of the nation, rose in front of the Indian Agent in a very handsome cos tume, and addressed him thus : * My father, I am glad to see you here to-day my heart is always glad to see my father when he comes our Great Father who sends him here is very rich, and we are poor. Our friend Mr. M Kenzie, who is here, we are also glad to see ; we know him well, and we shall be sorry when he is gone. Our friend who is on your right hand we all know is very rich, and we have heard that he owns the great medicine-canoe. He is a good man, and a friend to the red men. Our friend the White Medicine, who sits with you, we did not know he came amongst us a stranger, and he has made me very well all the women know it and think it very good. He has done many curious things, and we have all been pleased with him he has made us much amusement and we know he is great medicine. 240 LIFE OF SITTING BULL " My father, I hope you will have pity on us, we are very poor. We offer you to-day not the best that we have got, for we have a plenty of good buffalo WE OFFER OUR HEARTS. hump and marrow, but we give you our hearts in this feast. We have killed our faithful dogs to feed you, and the Great Spirit will seal our friendship. I have no more to say. "After these words he took off his beautiful war- eagle head-dress, his shirt and leggings, his neck lace of grizzly bears claws and his moccasins, and tying them together laid them gracefully down at the feet of the agent as a present ; and, laying a hand some pipe on top of them, he walked around into an adjoining lodge, where he got a buffalo robe tcr cover his shoulders, and returned to the feast, taking the seat which he had before occupied. " Major Sanford then rose and made a short speech in reply, thanking him for the valuable present which he had made him, and for the very polite and impres sive manner in which it had been done ; and sent to the steamer for a quantity of tobacco and other presents, which were given to him in return. After this, and after several others of the chiefs had addressed him in a similar manner and, like the first, disrobed themselves and thrown their beautiful costumes at his feet, one of the three men in front deliberately SMOKING THE PIPE. lit a handsome pipe and brought it to Ha-wan-je-tah to smoke. He took it, and after presenting the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 24! stem to the North, to the South, to the East and the West, and then to the sun that was over his head, and pronouncing the words How-how-how ! drew a whiff or two of smoke through it ; and holding the bowl of it in one hand and its stem in the other, he then held it to each of our mouths, as we successively smoked it ; after which it was passed around through the whole group, who all smoked through it, or as far as its contents lasted, when another of the three waiters was ready with a second, and at length a third one in the same way, which lasted through the hands of the whole number of guests. This smoking was conducted with the strictest adherence to exact and established form, and the feast the whole way, to the most positive silence. After the pipe is charged and is being lit, until the time that the chief has drawn the smoke through it, it is considered an evil omen for any one to speak ; and if any one break silence in that time, even in a whisper, the pipe is in- SUPERSTITION. stantly dropped by the chief, and their superstition is such that they would not dare to use it on this occasion, but another is called for and used in its stead. If there is no accident of the kind during the smoking, the waiters then proceed to distribute the meat, which is soon devoured in the feast. " In this case the lids were raised from the kettles, which were all filled with dogs meat alone. It being well cooked and made into a sort of a stew, sent forth a very savory and pleasing smell, promising to bean 242 LIFE OF SITTING BULL DOG FEAST. acceptable and palatable food. Each of us civilized guests had a large wooden bowl placed before us, with a huge quantity of dogs flesh floating in a pro fusion of soup or rich gravy, with a large spoon rest ing in the dish, made of the buffalo shorn. In this most difficult and painful dilemma we sat, all of us know ing the solemnity and good feeling in which it was given, and the absolute necessity of falling to and de vouring a little of it. We all tasted it a few times and resigned our dishes, which were quite willingly taken and passed around with others to every part of the group, who all ate heartily of the delicious viands, which were soon dipped put of the kettles and entirely devoured ; after which each one arose as he felt disposed and walked off without uttering a word In this way the feast ended, and all retired silently and gradually until the ground was left vacant to the charge of the waiters or officers, who seemed to have charge of it during the whole occasion. " This feast was unquestionably given to us as the most undoubted evidence they could give us of their EVIDENCE OF FRIENDSHIP. friendship ; and we, who knew the spirit and feeling in which it was given, could not but treat it respect fully, and receive it as a very high and marked Com pliment. " Since I witnessed it on this occasion I have been honored with numerous enteitainments of the kind AND THE INDIAN WAR. 243 amongst the other tribes which I have visited to ward the source of the Missouri, and a41 conducted in the same solemn and impressive manner; from which I feel authorized to pronounce the dog-feast a truly religious ceremony, wherein the poor Indian sees fit to sacrifice his faithful companion to bear tes timony to the sacredness of his vows of friendship, and invite his friend to partake of its flesh to remind him forcibly of the reality of the sacrifice and the solemnity of his professions." GRASS DANCE. Resembling this is the " Grass Dance" of the Two Kettle Sioux, which is much practiced by them in their fallen estate at the present day. These Two Kettle Sioux have never attracted the attention of the military in a professional way. They are a thoroughly peaceable set of people, and even during the recent tumult of religious enthusiasm have manifested no interest in the expected advent of tha Red Man s Messiah. They inhabit the muddy gumbo hills around Fort Pierre, S. D., and have so attached themselves to that unbeautiful region that they prefer the lesser evil of civilization to the ca lamity of seeking another, and peradventure a bet ter, dwelling-place. Most of them speak English ; they till the soil and are daily seen in the markets of Fort Pierre, exchanorinof the fruits of their labor o o for such luxuries as coffee, sugar and tobacco. Their horses, cattle, clothing and farming implements are 244 LIFE OF SITING BULL furnished by the Government, according to the in dustry and worth of the individual, or, to be more literal, according to the estimation in which he is held by John Holland, head farmer and general superintendent of the tribe. For instance, il a Two Kettle wants an axe or a spade he has to apply to John Holland, who audits the claim and awards or withholds the tool as his superior judgment dictates. The " Grass Dance," says Miss Childe, is sup posed to propitiate the spirits who have charge of the growth of grass and increase of game. The visitor to the festival sees a curiously picturesque gathering. Twenty teepees, reel and yellow in the sunset light, surround a large log-house, thatched DESCRIPTION. and chinked with mud the dance-house. In the foreground two lithe Indian boys, almost naked, are racing. A mob of Two Kettles look on with noisy interest. An aged Indian crosses the middle dis tance, leading a large and very dejected dog. The animal is about one-third staghound and the rest yellow cur. The two disappear in one of the teepees, a pistol shot is heard and the poor dog has gone to the " happy land of canine." Why this sacrifice? At the risk of offending your sensibilities this is a barbecue. The dog is placed on a bed of coals and thoroughly singed. A squaw deftly runs a knife over him 3nd removes the entrails delicacies reserved for chiefs and digni- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 245 taries present. He is now cut up into small bits and flung into the pot in the presence of an enthusi astic rabble of Two Kettles, whose mouths water at the sight. There are other dogs, of course, since one would not suffice to feed such a multitude, but this big fellow is the piece de resistance. If your nostrils are delicate you will leave the kitchen and wander among the other teepees. Dirt, squaws, dogs, children and braves adorn tjie interiors. Presently a leather-lunged crier announces the beginning of the dance in vernacular Two Kettle. The summons of " John-Hunts-the-Enemy," who, as a town-crier is a glittering success, whatever he may be as a farmer, is not unheeded. The band as sembles in the large log-house, men on one side, women on the other. Dogs, fleas, children and dirt ad lib. A huge kettledrum, on which six virtuosos INDIAN CHANT. perform, occupies one corner. Then is raised that universal Indian chant, "Hi-yah, hi-yah, hi-yah, hi-yah," beginning in a low guttural key and increas ing both in volume and pitch until the participants reach a state of frenzy and breathlessness. Then, after a brief pause, some one recovers wind enough to start up a hoarse " Hi-yah, hi-yah !" and in a mo ment the whole crew are yelling for dear life. The object of the "music" is a double one. It serves to mark time and to excite the dancers. One by one they fall into the ring to dance and whoop. 246 LIFE OF SITTING BULL The costumes are many and varied. One gentle man is attired principally in a plug hat, another in a sort of a Grecian bend made of turkey feathers, another in two yards of red flannel that drags behind like the tail of the Irishman s coat at Donnybrook Fair. David Smoking Bear has arrayed his person in a generous coat of gray gumbo mud. All are more or less painted. One Indian wears a blue breech clout. His head, even before it was smashed in on the left side, was not handsome. Now he has adorned the smashed portion with red and green paint. The vicissitudes of an eventful life have cropped off both legs below the knees and crippled his left hand for him. All of which, while it is not his fault, has served to decrease his popularity among the fair sex. He is a good dancer, notwithstanding INDIAN ATTIRE. his infirmities, and is as graceful as any of his friends. His body is smeared with yellow, and his hair is stuck full of turkey feathers and porcupine quills. He dances, yells and bounces around in a frenzy which strikes you as ridiculous or sickening, accord ing to your sense of humor or lack of it. He has a wild fascination for me, either in the mazes of the dance or in the pursuit of his business, which is horse-breaking. When he wraps those stumps of his around the lean hide of a broncho, that noble animal may as well make up his mind first as last, that those stumps are there to stay. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 247 Now the dog soup is brought in to regale the nostrils of the dancers. The pungent odor fills the air and whets the appetite of the famished crowd, but the dance goes on. One huge brave plucks a bunch of grass from ,the ceiling, thrusts it into the fire and lights it. Another seizes his Grecian bend and holds it in the smoke, chanting and moaning meanwhile. In the pauses of the dance the old war riors recount thrilling tales of their prowess and dar ing in battles with the Paleface. Assent and ap- HOWLS OF APPROVAL. proval are evinced by loud and prolonged howls and beating of the kettle-drums. Finally the souls of the company are deemed sufficiently purified, and the soup is cool enough to eat. Several of the old fel lows dance around the pot and make passes at it, keeping time with the orchestra. Several rounds of this, then more dancing. One seizes a handful of tin cups and distributes them. Again the dancers circulate around the pot. The ceremonies seem endless and the waiting grows very wearisome. But at last the cups are brought forth and filled with soup, a dainty morceau of dog is placed in each, and the banquet is begun. The dog soup being disposed of, all but the odor, which "hangs round you still" for several days, the assemblage breaks up, and that Grass Dance is over. There are many other different dances among the Sioux, who are the greatest dancers of all Indians. 248 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Some of these were witnessed by Catlin, and thus described : " Instead of the giddy maze of the quadrille or the country dance, enlivened by the cheering smiles and graces of silkened beauty, the Indian performs his rounds with jumps and starts and yells, much to the satisfaction of his own exclusive self and infi nite amusement of the gentler sex, who are always lookers on, but seldom allowed so great a pleasure, BUCKS ONLY. or so signal an honor, as that of joining with their lords in this or any other entertainment. Whilst staying with these people on my way up the river, I was repeatedly honored with the dance, and I as often hired them to give them, or went to overlook where they were performing them at their own pleasure, in pursuance of their peculiar customs, or for their own amusement, that I might study and correctly herald them to future ages. I saw so many of their different varieties of dances amongst the Sioux, that I should almost be disposed to denominate them the dancing Indians. It would actually seem as if they had dances for everything. And in so large a village there was scarcely an hour in any day or night but what the beat of the drum could somewhere be heard. These dances are almost as various and different in their character as they are numerous some of them so exceedingly grotesque and laughable as to keep the bystanders AND THE INDIAN WAR. 249 in an irresistible roar ot laughter others are calcu lated to excite his pity, and forcibly appeal to his sympathies, whilst others disgust, and yet others terrify and alarm him with their frightful threats and contortions. BEAR DANCE. " All the world has heard of the Bear Dance/ though I doubt whether more than a very small pro portion has ever seen it. Here it is. The Sioux, like all the others of these Western tribes, are fond of bear s meat, and must have good stores of the bear s grease laid in, to oil their long and glossy locks as well as the surface of their bodies. And they all like the fine pleasure of a bear hunt, and also a participation in the Bear Dance, which is given several days in succession, previous to their starting out, and in which they all join in a song to the Bear Spirit, which they think holds somewhere an invisi ble existence and must be consulted and conciliated before they can enter upon their excursion with any prospect of success. For this grotesque and amus ing scene, one of the chief medicine-men placed over his body the entire skin of a bear, with a war-eagle s quill on his head, taking the lead in the dance, and MASQUE OF BEAR SKIN. looking through the skin which formed a masque that hung over his face. Many others in the dance wore masques on their faces, made of the skin from the bear s head ; and all, with the motions of their 250 fSE OF SITTING BULL hands, closely imitated the movements of that animal ; some representing its motion in running, and others the peculiar attitude and hanging of the paws when it is sitting up on its hind feet and look ing out for the "approach of an enemy. This gro tesque and amusing masquerade oftentimes is continued at intervals for several days previous to the starting of a party on the bear hunt, who would scarcely count upon a tolerable prospect of success without a strict adherence to this most important and indispensable form ! " Dancing is done here too, as it is oftentimes BEGGAR S DANCE. done in the enlightened world, to get favors to buy the world s goods and in both countries danced with about equal merit, except that the Indian has surpassed us in honesty by christening it in his own country the Beggar s Dance. This spirited dance was given, not by a set of beggars though, literally speaking, but by the first and most independent young men in the tribe, beautifully dressed (i. e., not dressed at all, except with their breech clouts or kilts, made of eagles and ravens quills), with their lances and pipes and rattles in their hands, and a medicine-man beating the drum and joining in the song at the highest key of his voice. In this dance every one sings as loud as he can halloo, uniting his voice with, the others in an appeal to the Great Spirit to open the hearts of the bystanders to give AND THE INDIAN WAR. 25! to the poor, and not to themselves ; assuring them that the Great Spirit will be kind to those who are kind to the helpless and poor. SCALP DANCE. "The Scalp Dance is given as a celebration of a victory ; and amongst this tribe, as I learned whilst residing with them, danced in the night, by the light of their torches, and just before retiring to bed. When a war party returns from a war excursion, bringing home with them the scalps of their enemies, they generally dance them for fifteen nights in suc cession, vaunting forth the most extravagant boasts of their wonderful prowess in war, whilst they brandish their war weapons in their hands. A number of young women are selected to aid (though they do not actually join in the dance), by stepping into the centre of the ring, and holding up the scalps that have been recently taken, whilst the warriors dance or rather jump, around in a circle, brand ishing their weapons and barking and yelping in the most frightful manner, all jumping on both feet at a time, with a simultaneous stamp, and blow and thrust of their weapons, with which it would seem as if they were actually cutting and carving each other to pieces. During these frantic leaps, and BATTLE YELPS. yelps, and thrusts, every man distorts his face to the utmost of his muscles, darting about his glaring eye balls and snapping his teeth, as if he were in the 252 LIFE OF SITTING BULL heat (and actually breathing through his inflated nostrils the very hissing death) of battle ! No de scription that can be written could ever convey more than a feeble outline of the frightful effects of these scenes enacted in the dead and darkness of night, under the glaring light of their blazing flambeaux ; nor could all the years allotted to mortal man in the least obliterate or deface the vivid impress that one scene of this kind would leave upon his memorv." SUN DANCE. The barbarous "Sun Dance," now happily abol ished, was witnessed by Catlin, also. On the bank of the Teton River he found a group of fifteen or twenty lodges, watching a man " looking at the sun." " We found him naked, except his breech-cloth, with splints or skewers run through the flesh on both breasts, leaning back and hanging with the weight of his body to the top of a pole which was fastened in the ground, and to the upper end of which he was fastened by a cord which was tied to the splints. In this position he was leaning back, with nearly the whole weight of his body hanging to the pole, the top of which was bent forward, allowing his body to sink about half-way to the ground. His feet were still upon the ground, supporting a small part of his weight ; and he held in his left hand his favorite bow, and in his right, with a desperate grip, his medicine- bag. In this condition, with the blood trickling down over his body, which was covered with white STANDING BUFFALO. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 255 and yellow clay, and amidst a great crowd who were looking on, sympathizing with and encouraging him, he was hanging and looking at the sun/ without paying the least attention to any one about him. MYSTERY MEN. In the group that was reclining around him were several mystery men, beating their drums and shaking their rattles, and singing as loud as they could yell, to encourage him and strengthen his heart to stand and look at the sun, from its rising in the morning till its setting at night ; at which time, if his heart and his strength have not failed him, he is cut down, receives the liberal donation of presents (which have been thrown into a pile before him during the day) and also the name and the style of a doctor, or medicine-man, which lasts him, and ensures him respect, through life. " This most ordinary and cruel custom I never heard of amongst any other tribe, and never saw an instance of it before or after the one I have just named. It is a sort of worship, or penance, of great OF RARE OCCURRENCE. cruelty, disgusting and painful to behold, with only one palliating circumstance about it, which is, that it is a voluntary torture and of very rare occurrence. The poor and ignorant, misguided and superstitious man who undertakes it puts his everlasting reputa tion at stake upon the issue ; for when he takes his stand he expects to face the sun and gradually turn 256 LIFE OF SITTING BULL his body in listless silence till he sees it go down at night ; and if he faints and falls, ot which there is imminent danger, he loses his reputation as a brave or mystery man, and suffers a signal disgrace in the estimation of the tribe, like all men who have the presumption to set themselves up for braves or mys tery men and fail justly to sustain the character." CHAPTER XVIII. THE GHOST DANCES. A MEMORABLE SEASON IN INDIAN HISTORY PROPHECIES OF THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH THE GHOST DANCES INTENDED TO PREPARE FOR HIS ADVENT, AND TO BRING THE PEOPLE INTO COMMUNICATION WITH HIM PORCUPINE S STORY OF THE MESSIAH AND HIS COMMAND FOR THE DANCE. The fall of 1890 and the winter of 1890-91 will GHOST DANCES long be remembered in Indian history for the prac tice of "Ghost Dances" and the attendant circum stances. For a long time the Sioux and other tribes had suffered much at the hand of the whites, and from natural causes. Starvation menaced them, and aid and justice seemed too far away to reach them. Under these circumstances they turned to their medicine-men for supernatural comfort. They were ready to grasp, like a drowning man, at any straw of hope that might be offered. Great, therefore, was their excitement when some of their prophets declared that their Messiah was about to appear. From time immemorial they had looked forward to the coming of a superhuman leader, sent, like Hia watha, by the Great Spirit. He was to call from 357 258 LIFE OF SITTING BULL CALL THE DEAD TO LIFE. the dead all the great warriors of the past and lead them against the palefaces, who would be scattered before his wrath like dead leaves before the north west hurricane. He would restore the Indians to their old supremacy throughout the land, bring back the countless herds of buffalo, and give the world a foretaste of the Happy Hunting Grounds of the Kingdom of Ponemah, the Hereafter. This Mes siah, too, was to come just when he was most needed, just when the Indians were most afflicted and most oppressed. It may be judged, then, with what eagerness his advent was hailed by the unhappy red men in the fall of 1890, and with what zeal they entered into the " Ghost Dances " which were to make preparation for his coming. From tribe to tribe and nation to nation the wild excitement spread. Dances were organized everywhere, until from Alaska to Mexico there was scarcely an Indian settlement that did not await with savage rites his promised coming. Among the Sioux in South Dakota the mania was strongest. Not many whites were permitted to wit ness the dances ; but some were. Among them was MRS. FINLEY S ACCOUNT. Mrs. J. A. Finley, wife of the postmaster and post- trader at the Pine Ridge Agency. She went out to see the dances, after they had been in progress for some time. One Ghost Dance that she saw was AND THE INDIAN WAR. 259 participated in by 480 Indians. " In preparing for the dance they cut the tallest tree that they can find, and having dragged it to a level piece of prairie set it up in the ground. Under this tree four of the head men stand. Others form in a circle, and begin to go around and around the tree. They begin the dance on Friday afternoon. It is kept up Saturday and Sunday until sundown. During all this time they do not eat or drink. They keep going round in one direction until they become so dizzy that they can scarcely stand, then turn and go in the other direction, and keep it up till they swoon from exhaust ion. This is what they strive to do, for while they are in swoon they think they see and talk with the Messiah. , When they regain consciousness they tell their experiences to the four wise men under the tree. All their tales end with the same story about the two mountains that are to belch forth mud and bury the white man, and the return of good Indian LOSE ALL THEIR SENSES. times. They lose all of their senses in the dance. They think they are animals. Some get down on all fours and bob about like a buffalo. When they can not lose their senses from exhaustion they BUTT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER, beat them upon the ground, and do anything to be come insensible, so that they may be ushered into the presence of the Messiah One poor Indian when he recovered his senses said that the Messiah had 260 LIFE OF SITTING BULL told him he must return to earth because he had not brought with him his wife and child. His child had died two years before, and the way the poor fellow cried was the most heart-rending thing I ever saw. At the end of the dance they have a grand feast, the revel lasting all Sunday night. They kill several steers and eat them raw, drink, and gorge them selves to make up for their fast. "At one dance one of the braves was to go into a trance and remain in this condition four days. At the close of this period he was to come to life as a buffalo he would still have the form of a man, but he would be a buffalo. They were then to kill the buffalo, and every Indian who did not eat a piece of him would become a dog. The man who was to turn into a buffalo was perfectly willing. If the Govern ment just lets them alone there will be no need of troops ; they will kill themselves dancing. Seven or eight of them died as the result of one dance near Wounded Knee." Mrs. Finley said : " Every Indian had about four war clubs made out of round stones twisted in raw hide. They threw these around during the dance, strewed the ground with them and beat their heads against them." Lieutenant Gaston, of the Eighth U. S. Cavalry, was one of the army officers who sought to check this craze and to restrain the Indians from the mad ness into which it was leading them. He held a conference with them at Tongue River, Montana, AND THE INDIAN WAR. 261 at which there were present Spotted Wolf, Old Crow, White Elk, Badger, Porcupine and a number of other Cheyenne Sioux, and Fire Crow, an Ogal- lalla Sioux. THE CONFERENCE. When the cnference came together Lieut. Gas- ton stated the precise position of affairs in their section of the country, and further said that he had learned that the Indians thought Gen. Miles was no longer their friend, and that he had gone away and forgotten them. The lieutenant assured them that this was not so, and that the General was still their friend, although he ha^d ordered into their posts a number of soldiers, with instructions to remain friends with the Indians and keep -them out of trouble, and at the same time the lieutenant told them that he had left his soldiers behind and had come to the agency unarmed to act as their friend. Porcupine then arose, and, evidently with a con ception that he was a most majestic power, said : " I will answer your question and talk a little more. To-day I have heard something good. I have been told something I wanted to hear. When Gen. Miles held his council we were downhearted for fear we would be moved, but to-day I feel better, for I see that they have sent from Washington to find out, and I have hope ; I don t think you are telling us lies. All who live along the river are cattle-men, and when they meet the Cheyennes and their children we are cursed and they wish the Cheyennes 262 LIFE OF SITTING BULL to be far away. We are afraid that those people who are living around here will fight and whip us. I heard about Gen. Miles council, but I was not here at that time. Gen. Miles, as I understood it, told the Cheyennes he would be their friend until he had white hair, white beard and was bent double with age. The Cheyennes never lost these words, and we remeiftber that he would love us and help us. We will remember this, and we don t mind the ill-treatment of the cowboys when we have Gen. Miles words to rely upon. BAD COWBOYS. " The country is overcrowded with cattle-men who love their cattle, and when these men treat us in a bad way we are not angry. If Gen. Miles would arrange it so that the cowboys would be moved, then it would be nice and there would be no trouble. The Cheyennes carry no guns, but when the white men go around they carry revolvers. We told Gen. Miles we would give up Tongue River if we got the Little Horn on the Crow reservation. The chiefs were all glad to do this. To-day I am very glad about the good news for my home for the future. To-day I am very glad because I was told that those who had houses could not have their land stolen by the whites. When we started to make fences the white people told us not to, for it is of no use, for we will be sent away, We are in a poor condition. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 263 " It is getting cold. The Indians are shivering. They would like to get their blankets now, not next summer. If I talk all I want to it will be morn ing before I stop, but I will only tell a little (referring THE NEW GOD. to the new God), and I want the soldiers and all of the people to listen well to what I have to say. I went to Washington myself some time back. I saw the Great Father and came back and told my people what I saw. When I was in Washington the Great Father told me I must not fight, but must love the people here. Now this same thing has been told me again. I did not see at first, but after being told these things I went around among the people and told them and thought then I would settle down. When Upshaw went away I asked him for a pass, and Upshaw was crazy : he would not give it to me. I was told about this new God by the Arapahoes. It was the Shoshones and Arapahoes that went over to this place and saw this God. They saw a holy man and he talked nice words. The Arapahoes told me that if we would listen to this new God he would take away all the bad things and give us the nice things. " Up to this time I did not see the new God, but now I have traveled and the snow was very deep. If this God tells the Indians not to fight with the whites they will not do so. I went on the train, traveled a long distance, and now I will tell you what 264 LIFE OF SITTING BULL the God said when we got there. I have told the soldiers many timos, and I don t see why they don t know. " I am going to tell about the dance. When this new God first saw me he called us all to come to him. GOD S SPEECH. " He said : * My children, I want you to listen well to it. The God was glad that I came to see him. When the Indians were created they were made bad, but that badness is to be thrown off and they are to be made good. If they listen to him he will change all their condition and make them good. Everything is now very old and there are now very few Indians. Our dances were bad and the God has given us a new dance. We must not get tired dancing. Every one must dance the young and the old, the men and the women, the boys and the girls. Four nights in succession we must dance, and then on the fifth day we must dance when the moon is just round. When we are through dancing we must go to our homes. If we dance this way we will never get tired. If we dance our gardens will grow nice and we will never get sick or crazy. We cannot quarrel or scold each other. We must not hate each other. We must love all the world. The new God said, My children, listen to me well. The one that does not listen to me will die. If the whites or Indians do not listen those will die. That is what he said. If any AND THE INDIAN WAR. 265 one asks me I must tell what the God said. I must not tell lies. The lies are not good. The God hears everything that is said about him. If the soldiers WE MUST DANCE. won t let us dance we must dance anyhow. We must dance even if the soldiers beat us for it. We must not let the soldiers see the dance. First God made the white man and he was nice ; after that God went to Heaven, and after awhile came down on earth and talked with the white man. The white man was afraid of him. He saw him and abused the God, and he did not do anything to the white man or get angry, and then they nailed him on a cross and cut him in his heart and abused him. Then the God said he was going up to Heaven again. All this was concerning the white man. The whites work six days, and on the seventh they must tell about this God. This God said if we live good lives we would not become poor. When this was finishedihe went up into Heaven. Before he went up into Heaven he said he would come back for the Indians. The Indians must not abuse him when he comes as the whites did. That is what he said. When I came home I was glad and called all the Indians and told them these things. I told them just what I have told here. I told all the Indians that they must listen, the young men and the old men, the young and the old women, all must listen well. Then we danced four nights and the fifth day. 266 LIFE OF SITTING BULL We must work if the whites ask us to work. We must say yes and not no. It will please the God if we say yes. He told the Indians that they must not quarrel with the whites or kill them. We must dance. If we do not dance we will get crazy and poor. * CHAPTER XIX. THE INDIAN MESSIAH. SINCERITY OF THE BELIEF IN HIM WHEN AND WHERE HE WAS FIRST HEARD OF PORCUPINE S VISIT TO HIM WHAT HE SAID TO THE INDIANS BAD RECORD OF THE " MESSIAH " His COMPLICITY IN THE WHITE RIVER MASSACRE ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF HIM. THERE is no doubt that the majority of the Indians were sincere in their belief in their Messiah. Even the well-educated Sioux believed in him. One of them, Masse Hadjo, or John Daylight, wrote thus to the editor of The Chicago Tribune in reply to some rather harsh criticisms of the mania : " You say, If the United States army would kill a thousand or so of the dancing Indians there would be no more trouble/ I judge by the above language you are a Christian/ and are disposed to do all in your power to advance the cause of Christ. You are doubtless a worshiper of the white man s Sa viour, but are unwilling that the Indians should have a Messiah of their own. The Indians have never taken kindly to the Christian religion as preached and practiced by the whites. Do you know why this 267 268 LIFE OF SITTING BULL is the case ? Because the Good Father of all has given us a better religion a religion that is all good and no bad, a religion that is adapted to our wants. You say if we are good,, obey the Ten Command ments and never sin any more, we may be permitted eventually to sit upon a white rock and sing praises to God forevermore, and look down upon our heathen fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters who are howling in hell. It won t do. The code of WHITE CODE OF MORALS. morals as practiced by the white race will not com pare with the morals of the Indians. We pay no lawyers or preachers, but we have not one-tenth part of the crime that you do. If our Messiah does corne we shall not try to force you into our belief. We will never burn innocent women at the stake or pull men to pieces with horses because they refuse to join in our ghost dances. You white people had a Messiah, and if history is to be believed nearly every nation has had one. You had twelve Apostles ; we have only eleven, and some of those are already in the military guard-house. We also had a Virgin Mary and she is in the guard-house. You are anxious to get hold of our Messiah, so you can put him in irons. This you may do in fact, you may crucify him as you did that other one, but you can not convert the Indians to the Christian religion until you contaminate them with the blood of the white man. The white man s heaven is repulsive to AND THE INDIAN WAR. 269 the Indian nature, and if the white man s hell suits you, why, you keep it. I think there will be white rogues enough to fill it." The most circumstantial account of the alleged Messiah was made by Porcupine, the chief quoted in the preceding chapter, to Lieutenant Robertson, of the First U. S. Cavalry. Lieutenant Robertson made the following report of it to General Miles : PORCUPINE S ACCOUNT. "On my arrival at the agency I put myself in immediate communication with Porcupine, the apostle of the new religion among the Cheyennes, and with Big Beaver, who accompanied him on his visit to the new Christ at Walker Lake, Nev., in 1890. Bear Ridge, the third Cheyenne who made this trip, is now a scout at Keogh. When questioned as to the identity of the * fifteen or sixteen tribes who were at the Walker Lake meeting in 1890, Porcupine said that they included Cheyennes, Sioux, Arapahoes, Gros Ventres, Utes, Navajoes, Sheep Eater Ban nocks, and some other tribes whose names he did not know. He says all of the Utah Indians had been there and had left before his arrival. He is sure there were no tribes from Indian Territory rep resented and thinks the Sioux were the most eastern Indian present. " He says that he first heard of this new Christ at the Arapahoe (Shoshone) Agency, Wyoming, where he and twelve other Cheyennes went on a visit in 270 LIFE OF SITTIN-G BULL 1890. An Arapahoe Indian named Sage, who had been to the southwestern country in 1888, told them that there was a new Christ arisen for the Indians ; told where he could be found and explained his doctrine to them. Sage s story related, Porcupine says, to the man he himself afterward saw near Walker Lake. P.orcupine goes on to say that he and the other Cheyennes were much interested and determined to see this Messiah ; but, as all couldn t TO SEE THE MESSIAH. go so far, nine of the Cheyennes were sent back to the Tongue River Reservation to tell the people what they had heard. Porcupine and the other Cheyennes went on. When they got to Utah they received large accessions to their caravan, Indians joining them in groups at different points en route, so that when the final meeting took place at Walker Lake to hear the new Christ speak, there were, as near as Porcupine could estimate, several hundred Indians present, including women and children. "The rest of the story accorded minutely with that of last summer. He especially insists that the teachings of the new Christ were in the interest of peace, good order and industry on the part of the Indians. I asked him if he could explain how it was, then, that certain Indian tribes had made this new doctrine a basis for neglecting their crops, indulging in demoralizing dances, and even in disorder, as had been the case on certain reservations. His answer AND THE INDIAN WAR. is so shrewd and touches so nearly the probable explanation of these facts that I recorded it. He said that the Indians who had gone to hear this new Christ with him had gone hoping to hear him preach some incendiary doctrine, and that they were dis appointed at hearing that the new creed required them simply to work and behave themselves ; that, being known by their people to have visited this new Messiah, they concluded on their return home not ONLY TELL PART. to relate strictly what this man had told them, but to put into his mouth doctrines more agreeable to the Indians. These men/ said Porcupine, are all liars, and they are responsible for any trouble that occurs not the new Messiah. " Porcupine says also that the Indians do not follow the new Messiah s advice, to dance only four days at the beginning of each new moon, but that, on the contrary, they dance without moderation and lose their heads with excitement. 11 From Henry Reed, the Arapahoe interpreter, information was obtained which, if true, would establish the identity of the so-called new Messiah. Reed says this new Messiah is a Pah-Ute Indian named John Johnson. He says Johnson is very intelligent, but not educated, that he dresses in white men s clothes and wears his hair somewhat short, though not nearly so short as a white man. He is quite wealthy in cattle and horses. This man L IFE OF SI TTING BULL lives on the Walker Lake (Pah-Ute) Reservation, where Reed says there ought to be no difficulty MESSIAH DESCRIBED. about finding him. Reed claims to know this man personally. He says he is elderly, and has as a distinguishing mark both wrists tattooed. There is, he says, another man named John Johnson in the same country, but this second Johnson is a half- breed, is well educated, is considerably younger, and could not be mistaken for the other one, who is a pure blood Pah-Ute. Reed seems to be posi tive as to the identity of this man with the new Christ. As a test of this I asked Porcupine after ward if the new Christ had any especial marks about him that he could recognize. He immediately answered that as the new Christ sat in the circle he noticed (pointing to both wrists) that he was tattooed on the wrists and arms." Porcupine, in his statement of his visit to the new Messiah at Walker Lake in November, 1890, says : " I and my people have been living in ignorance until I went and found out the truth. All the whites and Indians are brothers, I was told there. I never knew this before. " The fish-eaters near Pyramid Lake told me that Christ had appeared on earth again. They said Christ knew he was coming; that eleven of his chil dren were also coming from a far land. It appeared that Christ had sent for me to go there, and that AND THE INDIAN WAR. 275 was why, unconsciously, I took my journey ; it had risen fore-ordained. Christ had summoned myself and others from all heathen tribes, two, three, or four from each of fifteen or sixteen different tribes. COUNCIL CALLED. The people assembled, called a council, and the chiefs sons went to see the Great Father, who sent word to us to remain fourteen days in that camp, and that then he would come to see us. He sent us a small package of something white to eat that I didn t know the name of. There were a great many peo ple in the council, and this white food was divided among them. The food was a big white nut. Then I went to the agency at Walker Lake, and they told us Christ would be there in two days. At the end of two days, on the third morning, hundreds of peo ple gathered at this place. They cleared a place near the agency in the form of a circus ring, and we all gathered there. This space was perfectly cleared of grass, etc. We waited there till late in the even ing, anxious to see Christ. Just before sundown I saw a great many people (mostly Indians) coming, dressed in vyhite men s clothes. The Christ was with them. They all formed in this ring. They put up sheets all around the circle, as they had no tents. Just after dark some of the Indians told me that Christ had arrived. I looked around to find him, and finally saw him sitting on one side of the ring. The} all started toward him to see him ; they made a big 276 OF SITTING BULL fire to throw light on him ; I never looked around, but went forward, and when I saw him I bent my head. I had always thought the Great Father was a white man, but this man looked like an Indian. He sat there a long time and nobody went up to speak MESSIAH S TALK. to him. He sat with his head bowed all the time. After a while he arose and said he was very glad to see his children. * I have sent for you and am glad to see you. I am going to talk to you after a while about our relatives who are dead and gone. My children, I want you to listen to all I have to say. I will teach you, too, how to dance a dance, and I want you to dance it. Get ready for your dance, and then when the dance is over I will talk to you. He was dressed in a white coat with stripes ; the rest of his dress was a white man s except that he had on a pair of moccasins. "Then we commenced our dance everybody joining in the Christ singing while we danced. We danced till late in the night, when he told us we had danced enough. The next morning after breakfast was over we went into the circle and spread grass over it on the ground, the Christ standing in the midst of us. He told us he was going away that day, but would be back the next morning and talk to us. " In the night when I first saw him I thought he was an Indian, but the next day, when I could see better, he looked different. He was not so dark as AND THE INDIAN WAR. an Indian, nor so light as a white man ; he had no beard or whiskers, but very heavy eyebrows ; he was a good-looking man. We were crowded up very close. We had been told that nobody was to talk, and even if we whispered the Christ would know it. I had heard that Christ had been crucified, and I looked to see, and I saw a scar on his wrist and one on his face, and he seemed to be the man ; I could not see his feet. He would talk to us all day. That evening we all assembled again to see him depart. When we were assembled he began to sing, and he commenced to tremble all over violently for a while, and then sat down. We danced all that night, the APPARENTLY DEAD. Christ lying down beside us apparently dead. The next morning when we went to eat breakfast the Christ was with us. After breakfast four heralds went around and called out that the Christ was back with us, and wanted to talk with us. The circle was prepared again, the people assembled, and Christ came among us and sat down. He said he wanted to talk to us again and for us to listen. " He said : f I am the man who made everything you see around you. I am not lying to you, my chil dren. I made this earth and everything on it. I have been to Heaven and seen your dead friends and have seen my own father and mother. In the beginning, after God made the earth, they sent me back to teach the people, and when I came back on 278 L IF E OF SITTING BULL earth the people we.re afraid of me and treated me badly. This is what they did to me (showing his scars). I did not try to defend myself. I found my children were bad, so went back to Heaven and left them. I told them that in so many hundred years I would come back to see my children. At the end of this time I was sent back to try to teach them. My father told me the earth was getting old and worn out, and the people getting bad, and that I was to renew everything as it used to be and make it bet ter. He told us that all our dead were to be resur rected ; that they were all to corrie back to earth, and that as the earth was too small for them and us he would do away with Heaven and make the earth itself large enough to contain us all ; that we must tell all the people we met about these things. He spoke to us about fighting, and said that was bad, MUST ALL BE GOOD. and we must keep from it ; that the earth was to be all good hereafter, that we must be friends with one another! He said that in the fall of the year the youth of all the good people would be renewed, so that nobody would be more than forty years old, and that if they behaved themselves well after this the youth of every one would be renewed in the spring. He said if we were all good he would send people among us who could heal all our wounds and sickness by mere touch, and that we would live forever." AND THE INDIAN WAR. 279 This Johnson, the alleged Messiah, has been for some time a notorious character among the Indians. In 1878 the Ute tribe, of which he was a petty chief, was located at White River Agency, in Grand County, Colorado. The head chiefs were Douglas and Jack ; while the head chief of all the Ute tribes was Ouray, who lived at Los Pinas Agency, some distance from White River. There was a strong feeling in Colorado that the Utes must go. The miners and ranchmen were clamoring for the rich mineral deposits supposed to be slumbering in the mountains and the grand valleys and parks where the Indians fished, hunted, picked the luscious wild fruit and grazed their ponies. It was the same old story. The Indians are a thriftless lot anyhow; they have no use for this grand country. In May, 1878, N. C Meeker, who had founded the town of Greeley, Col., under the patronage of Horace Greeley, and was well known as a correspondent for the New York Tribune over the signature of N. C. M., was put in charge of White River Agency, MEEKER WAS HONEST. That Meeker was an honest man no one doubted who knew him, but he wholly misunderstood Indian character and had Utopian ideas of the management of Indian affairs that ended disastrously to himself. He precipitated the bloodiest massacre ever per petrated west of the Missouri, in which he lost his life and the lives of all whites connected with his 280 LIFE OF SITTING BULL agency except those of his wife, daughter and a Mrs. Price. These three ladies were made prisoners and suffered a fate of outrage and indignity to which death were preferable. The "Messiah," who in 1890 was promising a millennium to such old cut throats as Sitting Bull, Geronimo, Jack, Diah, Colo- row, Sa-rap-sah-patch, Porcupine and Big Beaver, was prominent in the White River massacre. Another account of the "Messiah" was given by Mr. J. S. Mayhugh, lately a census agent among the Nevada Indians. Writing in November, 1890, he said : "The prophet resides in Mason Valley, Esmeralda County, Nev., close to the Walker River Reserva tion. His name is Jack Wilson, known among all Indians by the Indian name of We Vo Kar and also Ko We Jo, an intelligent, fine-looking gentleman of about 35 years of age, who goes into trances, or seemingly so, for twelve to fourteen hours in the presence of large numbers of Indians upon invitation of a prophet. Upon his recovery he relates to them what he has seen. BEEN TO HEAVEN. " He tells them he has been to heaven, and that the Messiah is coming to the earth and will put the Indians in possession of this country ; that he has seen in heaven a heap of Indians, some of whom are dressed in white men s clothes. He counsels the Indians not to disturb the white folks, saying AND THE INDIAN WAR. 28 1 that the blanket or rabbit skin that was put over the moon by the Indians long ago would soon fall off, and then the moon, which is now afire, will destroy the whites. The " Messiah" is to appear on Mount Grant, which is a very large mountain and is about sixteen miles south of the White River Agency buildings and on the west side of the lake. Here is where the first Indians appeared according to their belief. 11 1 visited this mountain last September in per formance of my duty as special census agent of the Indians. This mountain is held as a sacred moun tain to the Indians, and on the top they allege they MOUNT GRANT. can see footprints of their first father, Numerna. If I may be permitted to suggest, I would recom mend that all the Indians be permitted to visit this mountain, as I am satisfied they will only send delegations from each tribe for the purpose of ascertaining the truth of the prophecy. The Indians of Nevada expect delegations from most of the tribes north and northwest, and Sitting Bull is expected. The only fear the Nevada Indians have is that the Government will interfere with troops. I think if the Indians are left alone at the various reservations the whole thing will die. All of the Indians here do not believe in the prophet, although Josephus, the chief at Walter Lake, believes it to be so." CHAPTER XX. INDIAN WARS A SHAMEFUL RECORD A THOUSAND DOLLARS SPENT FOR EVERY INDIAN IN THE COUNTRY THE LONG CATALOGUE OF CONFLICTS AND EX PENSES FEARFUL COST IN LIFE AND LIMB AS WELL AS MONEY AND NATIONAL HONOR. The story of our dealing with the Indians is a story of wars, and the story of these wars is a story of expense, of barbarity and of shame. The sum total of cost of life and treasure is appalling. Not long ago a writer in St. Louis Globe-Democrat reckoned that the Government had been put to an ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS AN INDIAN. expense of $1,000 for every Indian that was in the country when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. The statement seemed extravagant ; but was really borne out by facts. There were not, probably, more than a million Indians in the whole country in 1620; and down to 1886 very nearly a thousand million dollars had been spent on them. Mr. Donaldson, a Goverment census agent, has shown by actual records that from July 4th, 1776, to June 3<Dth, 1886, the Indians had cost the Gov- 282 AND TffE 1-NDIAN WAR. 283 ernment $929,239,284.02. It is safe to say that the four years added to the record since Mr. Donald son s researches will bring- the figures close up to one thousand millions. This enormous sum is ASTOUNDING FIGURES. about one-third of what the War of the Rebellion cost. One-third of the one thousand millions has been spent in pacifying and civilizing Indians. Two- thirds of the one thousand millions have been ab sorbed in fighting Indians. Here is the account : Total cost of the Indians to the United States : Indian Department proper, from July 7, 1776, to June 30, 1886, $232,900,006.34 Expended by War Department for Indian wars and incidental there to, from July 4. 1776, to June, 1886, 696,339,277.68 Grand Total cost of Indians, $929.239,284.02 These figures are not too large. They probably underestimate the cost to the Government of the Indian wars. In March, 1882, the. Senate called on the Secretary of War for the cost of the Indian wars for ten years. The period covered was from 1872 to 1882. The Secretary reported that it was COST OF WAR. $202,994,506. Wars come high. They come higher of late years than they did forty or fifty years ago. The United States fought England from 1812 to 1815, and spent only $66,614,912.34. The cost of the Mexican war, 1846-1849, was $73,941,735.12. 284 LI FE OF SITTING BULL These two foreign wars were carried through with an expenditure of $140,000,000. But ten years of Indian fighting, from 1872 to 1882, cost $202.994,- 506. It appears that Indian wars come highest of all. Senator Doolittle, of Wisconsin, once ventilated this Indian war business. He was in the Senate when it was proposed to negotiate a peace with the Navajoes. Several other Senators demurred to the cost of the proposed treaty. Mr. Doolittle told them something about the cost of Indian Wars. At the same time he gave some interesting facts about the origin of these Indian wars. What is known as the great Sioux war started in 1852. At that time there was perfect peace on the plains. Some Mor mons were driving their cattle toward Salt Lake. Near Fort Laramie was a gathering of Indians. The military post was there, and the Indians were camped near it. One of the Sioux killed a cow be- TWENTY SOLDIERS FOR A COW. longing to a Mormon. The emigrant complained. The officer in command at the post sent out a sub ordinate with twenty men. This little force went to the Indian camp and demanded the surrender of the Sioux who had killed the cow. The alternative was that the camp would be fired upon. The Indians replied to the demand : " We are willing to pay for this animal ; we will pay you in buffalo, robes or buffalo skins." The army officer declined. He re peated his demand for the immediate surre-nder. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 285 The Indians refused. The officer gave the order to fire. The twenty men obeyed. In twenty minutes the soldiers were killed and scalped. That was the beginning of the Sioux war of 1852. The war lasted three or four years. It cost the United States een $15,000,000 and $20,000,000. The Navajo was another which Senator Doolittle told about. For many years after this Government ac quired the territory in which the Navajoes lived there was no trouble. One day a Navajo Indian was visiting the fort where the troops were. He got into a quar- . ENTY MILLION DOLLARS FOR A NEGRO. rel with a negro boy belonging to one of the officers. The supposition was that the negro insulted the Indi an. The latter drew his bow and put an arrow into the negro, killing him. Then he fled to his tribe. The offi cer sent a demand for the surrender of the Indian. The tribe refused to give him up. Without any delay the troops were marched out and war was begui Three campaigns were made against the Navajoes on this provocation. The United States troops were beaten in each of them. This Navajo war cost the Government nearly $20,000,- ooo. One more illustration was furnished by the Sena tor. He told how the Cheyenne and Arapahoe war began. Some cattle had been stolen. It was sup posed that the Indians had taken them. A Lieuten ant was sent out with a detachment from the post. His instructions were peculiar. He was ordered to 286 LIFE OF SITTING BULL. follow the Indians and disarm them not to demand the cattle or reparation, but to take the arms of the Indians. The little command was to start without any interpreter. The Lieutenant overtook the In dians. He had no means of communication but signs. He tried to take away from them their bo v vs and arrows. What was the result? A fight, of course ; and so the bloody Cheyenne and Arapahoe war began. THE BIGGEST WAR, The biggest of all recent Indian wars was the one about which least was published. It occurred dur ing the Civil War. There was so much fighting going on between white men that the campaign against the Sioux in the Northwest was only a side show. This war began in 1862. It had its origin in a comparatively insignificant matter. A con tractor for furnishing Indian supplies sent to the Sioux agencies what was supposed to be prime mess pork. The consignment was foun# to consist largely of heads of hogs. The Indians went back on such rations and took the warpath instead of the souse. Generals Sibley and Sully conducted the campaign. They had 15,000 troops under them. It was in this Sioux war that the Galvanized Yan kees," as they were called, made their appearance. There were several regiments of these "Galvanized Yankees," and they did good service against the Sioux. It may be explained that " Galvanized Yan kees "were Confederate prisoners who took the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 287 oath of allegiance and enlisted in these regiments to fight Indians in preference to remaining in North ern prisons. Not being hampered by the humanitarians and the philanthropists, General Sibley adopted a very vig- HUNG THEM. orous Indian policy. As he made prisoners he se lected the worst and hung them. As many as thirty braves were made "good Indians" by the rope route in one day. There is " a record of engagements with hostile Indians within the military division of the Missouri from 1868 to 1882." In the recapitulation of this record it is stated that "more than 1,000 officers and soldiers were killed or wounded" in the Indian fighting of that period. Four hundred battles and skirmishes were fought with Indians in the fourteen years. In 1886 the Senate sent a resolution to the Secre tary of War, asking: "What has been the cost to the Government during the last ten years of so much of the army as has been engaged in the ob servation or control of Indians, or whose presence has been rendered necessary as a protection from danger of Indian hostilities ? COST IN TEN YEARS. The Secretary replied that the total cost of the troops in the Indian country from 1876 to 1886 has been $223,891,264,50. In 1868 and 1869 there was a lively Indkn war 288 LIFE O F SITTING BULL in what is now the Indian Territory and Oklahoma, Between 1862 and 1868 there had been murdered by the Indians 800 settlers in the Southwest. On the 2d of March, 1868, this war to punish the Chey- ennes, Arapahoes and Commanches began. It ended on the Qth of February following. Three hundred and fifty-three officers, soldiers and citizens were killed, wounded or captured in the eleven months campaign. The Indian loss was 319 killed, 289 wounded and 52 captured. The actual field opera tions during the eleven months cost 1,057,515.57. The Modoc war in the lava-beds cost the army 1 1 1 soldiers killed or wounded. The chief incident of this campaign was the assassination of General Canby. Seventeen citizens were killed or wounded. The record which was sent to the Senate by the War Department says : " No Indians reported killed." INDIAN LOSSES. So far as losses were concerned the Indians usu ally had the best of it. In the record of 1868-1882 an explanation of the comparatively small number of Indians killed was offered by the War Depart ment. This explanation was that the Indians car ried off their dead and wounded whenever that was possible, and so concealed the number. This may be so. But the conclusion of Senator Doolittle was that Indian wars were not only enormously expen sive, but also very unprofitable when the small number of dead Indians was considered. Prom Photographs tckt-u on the spot by the Philadelphia Press Artist. JOHNSON, THE ALLEGED MESSIAH. AND THE INDIAN WAR. The Apache campaign of 1873 was one in which the army made a good score. The loss of soldiers was only 4 ; 84 Indians were reported killed. In 1874 a campaign was carried on against the Kiowas, Commanches, and Cheyennes in the South west. The net results were 24 killed or wounded soldiers and 84 dead Indians. THE SIOUX WAR OF 1876. The Sioux war of 1876 cost, for the actual field expenses, $2,312.531. But the campaign was chiefly notable for the Custer massacre. The army loss was 283 killed and 125 wounded. The Indian loss was only 85. Had Sibley s policy toward the Sioux been continued Sitting Bull and other Sioux leaders would have ornamented gallow-trees and there would have been no ghost-dancing in 1890. The Custer massacre was never atoned for. The guns which the Indians took from the soldiers are still in their possession The Nez Perces war of 1877 lasted three months. It cost according to the report made by the Quarter master General, the snug sum of $931,329.52, That was a good deal more than $1,000 apiece for the Indian braves engaged in it. This was the cam paign which General Sherman described in his re port as " one of the most extraordinary Indian wars of which there is any record." The Nez Perces lived in a valley in Eastern Ore gon. They occupied land which, from its extraordi nary fertility and adaptability for irrigation, is now 2Q2 LIFE OF SITTING BULL worth from foo to $75 an acre, That ought to be HOW IT OCCURRED, a sufficient axplanation of the way hostilities came about. Two bad white men killed a good Indian. Two bad Indians killed a good white man. Troops were sent to the Nez Perces camp and were whipped with a loss of a Lieutenant and thirty-three soldiers. Then followed the Nez Perces war. Chief Joseph commanded the tribe. General Howard took the field in person with the army. The opening engagement already referred to, was fought June i;th. The Indians were encumbered with their women and children. The troops had the resources of the Gov ernment to draw upon. Yet for three months the chief baffled and outwitted the General. " The Indians throughout," said General Sherman in his report, " displayed a courage and skill that elicited universal praise. They abstained from scalping, let captive women go free, did not commit indiscriminate murder of peaceful families, which is usual, and fought with almost scientific skill, using advance and rear guards, skirmish lines, and real fortifications." The campaign began in Eastern Oregon. It moved by a zigzag across Idaho into Montana and crossed the Missouri River two or three times. The EXTENT OF THE FIELD, marching and countermarching extended from the National Park almost to the Dominion line. After Howard had been in the field for about six AND THE INDIAN WAR. 293 weeks he telegraphed Sherman that his troope were worn out. He suggested that he go back to the country from which he had started and that the Generals east of the mountains try their hands on wily Chief Joseph. General Sherman was at Hel ena. He replied : " I don t want to give orders, as that may confuse Sheridan and Terry. But that force of yours should pursue the Nez Perces to the death, lead where they may." Howard resumed active operations. He followed the Nez Perces over 1,400 miles and then failed to be in at " the death." Miles, who had been attend ing to the Sioux, fell on Chief Joseph, and his band in the vicinity of the National Park. He killed six chiefs and a lot warriors and captured all of the others. The wind-up was on the 3Oth of Septem ber. In that campaign 241 officers and soldiers were killed and wounded. Twelve citizens were killed. The Indians loss was 158. The Bannock war of 1878 was a small affair. It cost only $556,636.19, When it was ended the record showed a loss of twenty-four to the army, thirty citizens murdered, and seventy-four Indians killed. The Northern Cheyenne outbreak of 1879 en ~ tailed a loss on the army of thirty-two killed and wounded. No Indians were reported killed. Since 1882, down to 1890, the only Indian fighting LIFE OF SITTING BULL was with the little squads of Apaches in Arizona and New Mexico. For every Apache run down and killed or captured the Government is said to have spent $100,000. CHAPTER XXI. THE FIRST SIOUX WAR. PROVOKED BY WHITE MEN NARRATIVE OF ONE WHO WAS THERE INDESCRIBABLE OUTRACES PERPETRATED BY THE SAVAGES UPON WOMEN AR-D CHILDREN A CITY OF DEATH GENERAL SIBLEY S CAMPAIGN SENTENCES OF THE RINGLEADERS. It was in August, 1862, that the first great trouble with the Sioux Indians occurred, and it was one of the ghastliest episodes in the whole history of sav age warfare. A detailed narrative of it has been given by Isaac V. D. Heard, who was a member of the expedition that was sent to quell the uprising, but there is much of it that cannot be repeated here. The story is too horrible, the nameless crimes com mitted too frightful, to record in print. The outbreak was provoked, as about all others have been, by the infamous injustice of the whites The four Indians to whom the beoqnntno- o f the o o bloodshed is credited by Heard were beloncrin^ to J O C5 Shakopee s village, at the mouth of Rice Creek. They were on their way to Acton when they at tacked and killed two men named Baker and Web ster, a Mr. Jones and wife, an .l a Miss Wilson. 295 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Having accomplished these murders, they hastened to Shakopee s village and informed the rest of the tribe what they had done. A general massacre of the whites was immediately resolved upon, and messengers were sent to the bands of Wabashaw, Waconta, and Red Legs. The Shakopee band then proceeded to the agency under Little Crow, their chief. The village was entered in small parties, and the houses and stores surrounded. The discharge of a gun was to be the signal for simultaneous at tack. This given, the hideous, painted savages, with mad shouts and wild shrieks, began the slaugh ter and plunder. Age, sex, former friendships or kindnesses availed nothing. Every building but two at the agency was burned. The massacre extended down the river on both sides, below the fort, to within six miles of New Ulm, and up the river to Yellow Medicine. Large numbers perished at Beaver and Sacred Heart Creeks. Parties of men, women, and children were intercepted in their flight and mercilessly slaughtered and mutilated. SAVAGE BRUTALITY. Near New Ulm, a father and his two sons were stacking wheat, when twelve Indians approached unseen and killed the three. Then they entered the farmer s house and killed two of his young children in the presence of their mother, who was ill with consumption, and dragged the mother and a daughter, aged thirteen years, miles away to their camp. There, in the presence of her dying mother, AND THE INDIAN WAR. 297 they tortured the girl with indescribable brutalities, until death came to her relief. One Indian went into a house where a woman was making bread. Her small child was in the cradle. He split the mother s head open with his tomahawk, and placed the babe in the hot oven until it was almost dead, when he beat its brains out against the wall. Children were nailed living to tables and doors, and knives and tomahawks thrown at them until they were dead. Cut-Nose, one of the chiefs, when brought to trial, acknowledged several of his atrocities, among which was the following : A TERRIFIC BUTCHERY. party of settlers were gathered together for flight ; the helpless and defenseless women and children being huddled together in wagons. The men having been killed, Cut-Nose, while two other Indians held the horses, leaped into one of the wagons, and in cold blood tomahawked them all cleft open the head of each, while the others, stupefied with horror and powerless with fright, as they heard the heavy, dull blows crash and tear through flesh and bones, awaited their turn. Taking an infant from its o mother s arms, before her eyes, with a bolt from one of the wagons, the Indians riveted it through its writhing little body to the fence, and left it there to die in agony. The mother was kept alive and made to witness this agonizing spectacle, after which they chopped off her arms and legs, and left 298 LIFE O+ SJIYIMG BULL her to bleed to death. Thus Cut-Nose and his band ruthlessly butchered twenty-five persons within a quarter of an acre, and then kicking the bodies out of the wagons, they filled them with plunder from the burning houses and pushed on for more adventures. An old Indian, shriveled almost to a mummy, when placed on trial, was confronted by two little boys, his accusers. Looking at him a moment, one of them said, " I saw that Indian shoot a man while he was on his knees at prayer ;" and the other boy said, " I saw him shoot my mother." The hands, feet, and heads of the victims were, in many cases, cut off, their hearts ripped out, and other disgusting mutilations inflicted. Whole fami lies were burned alive in their homes. OVER 700 MURDERS IN A WEEK. The outrages for the first few days were confined to the vicinity of New Dim and Fort Ridgely, but soon the depredations extended throughout the whole Western frontier of Minnesota, and into Iowa and Dakota. Over 700 persons perished in about a week, and more than 200 were made captives, and in every case the women were brutally treated. One little girl, only ten years old, who had re ceived several wounds at the hands of the savages, was treated with the most repulsive bestiality from day to day until she was nearly lifeless. Another little girl, aged nine, was treated still more brutally, her person being shamefully mutilated by the AND ThE INDIAN WAR. 2 99 savages. Imagination cannot depict the enormities perpetrated upon these poor women. Shooting ar rows into defenseless women and children consti tuted a favorite amusement of the younger warriors. In the Norwegian Gr@ve back of Henderson, one of their grossest and most wanton outrages was committed. Stripping a captive naked, they fas tened her arms and legs to the ground by tying them to stakes. They subjected her for hours to inde- scribabk outrages, and then, when she was fainting from her exhaustion, they sharpened a rail and drove it through her body, leaving her to die in most horrible and excrutiating torments. SAVAGE FURY. The bold frontiersmen made many determined stands for their homes and lives, but with little avail. The savage fury and overwhelming numbers of the Sioux carried everything before them, and the pale-face found hope only by taking to the brush, where many of them died of starvation. White men then fought under very great disadvan tage. They were few, resolute, and bold ; but there is something so fiendish in the Indians yells and terrifying in their wild appearance in battle, that it takes a good deal of time to overcome the unpleas ant sensation it inspires. There is a snake-like stealth in all their movements that excites distrust and uncertainty, and which unsteadies the nerves at first. Finally the news of the horrible outrages reached 3OO LIFE OF SITTING BULL St. Paul, and troops were raised and sent out against the Indians, with Col. Sibley in command of the expedition. The forces under Sibley amounted to i, 400 men, and in their upward march through STREAM OF FUGITIVES. the valley they met a stream of fugitives far out numbering those who were going to their relief. Shakopee, Belle Plain, Henderson, and St. Peter s were filled with fugitives from the scenes of massa cre, and each of these villages in momentary expec tation of an attack from the savages. Oxen were killed in the streets of the latter place, and hastily prepared over fires on the ground. The grist mills were surrendered to the public use. All thought of property was abandoned, women hung upon each other s necks weeping, and the surviving terror- stricken children were crying piteously around their knees. Houses and stables alike were occupied, and hundreds were without any shelter. Belle Plain was crowded, too,, so was Mankato, so was Shako- pee. Panic existed throughout the whole valley. And the safety of those towns, with the thousands of lives within, depended upon Col. Sibley s success. SICKENING SIGHTS. Detachments of mounted and foot soldiers were dispatched to New Ulm and Fort Ridgely, the prin cipal centres of the slaughter. The New Ulm de tachment cautiously approached the town, expecting to cut their way through the beleaguering Indians, and to be received with the cheers and hospitality AND THE INDIAN WAR. 30! of the people ; but no sound greeted their ears. Soon they saw, thkkly scattered around, vast swol len carcases of cowg and oxen and horses, perfor ated with bullets. Presently they came upon the blackened remains of burnt buildings. Across the principal street lay the naked, headless body of a man, swollen like the cattle, and blackened in the sun, the head cut off and scalped, and tumbled some distance from the trunk. Off the street were new- made graves. The doors of standing houses were ajar. Every place was silence, every place the con fusion of a hasty departure. With drawn swords and pistols the soldiers rushed up and down the streets of the deserted city. Friend and foe had departed. The Lake Shelek settlement, about seventy miles west of Mankato, and numbering some forty-five persons in all, was attacked by the bands of Lean Bear, White Lodge, and Sleepy Eyes. Three women and six children were shot down by one In dian who had been the recipient of frequent chari ties from the very persons he so cruelly murdered. Only twenty persons escaped, ten or eleven being taken prisoners and the remainder killed. SURROUNDED BY INDIANS. A detachment of soldiers under Major Brown were surprised and surrounded by the Indians, and when relieved by Col. Sibley they had been thirty-one hours without food or water, and with but thirty rounds of ammunition. The camp, when rescued, 3<D2 LIFE OF SITTING BULL was surrounded by the dead bodies of the horses, over ninety in number. The tents were riddled with bullets, as many a 104 being found in a single one. Ditches were dug between the tents and the dead horses, and the dirt piled on the latter to form a breastwork. Thirteen dead and many wounded soldiers were found in the ditch. A few feet distant were found more dead bodies, twenty-three having been killed in all, and forty-five wounded. Sibley was compelled to remain inactive for many days at the fort, owing to the want of ammunition and supplies, and during this time correspondence was carried on with the Indians for the delivery of captives and a cessation of hostilities. Nothing was accomplished in either direction. At the battle of Wood Lake, on the i8th of Sep tember, Sibley lost four men, and had about fifty wounded. The Indian loss was fifteen killed, all of whom were scalped by the soldiers. CAPTJVES RELEASED. On September 26th, the Indian camp opposite the mouth of the Chippewa was taken, and the white captives released, Little Crow and some two hun dred warriors having hurriedly fled. This virtually ended the Sioux war. A military commission of inquiry was appointed to ascertain the guilty par ties, and thirty or forty arrested. Many Indians gave themselves up and others were surprised in the night. The prisoners were linked together in pairs by ohains forged to their ankles. On the 2ist AND THE INDIAN WAR. 303 of October other prisoners were brought in from Wild Goose Neck Lake, and on the 23d more were captured at the Yellow Medicine Agency. The prisoners were taken to Fort Snelling, where over four hundred of them were tried. Of these three hundred and three were sentenced to death and eighteen to imprisonment. The records of the testimony and sentences of the Indians were sent to the President, but no action was taken for several weeks. Finally, thirty- eight of them were ordered to be executed at Mankato, on Friday, the 26th day of February, 1863. The sentence was carried into effect on the appointed day, and the remainder were taken down the Mis sissippi to Davenport and confined. CHAPTER XXII. CAUSES OF THE LAST WAR. WHAT THE INDIANS SAY FATHER JULE S INTERVIEW WITH THE CHIEFS THE CENSUS BROKEN FAITH AND DIMINISHED SUPPLIES LETTER FROM AMERICAN HORSE THE INDIANS STORIES CONFIRMED BY GOVERNMENT REPORTS. The Indian war of 1890-91 had its inciting causes in a long- train of events. There has been much o discussion of it; many statements and counter- statements have been made. But from all the mass of testimony, one conclusion only can be reached, that through mismanagement by Government offi cials, and dishonesty, too, on the part of some agents, the Sioux were brought into a condition of great privation and distress. Many of them were actually starving. Under these circumstances they became desperate, and determined, since there was no help in man, to seek help from their " Messiah," and, since they must die, to die righting their p^ile- faced foes. Conspicuous among those who, after the hostili ties had begun, went with their lives in their hands FATHER JULE S EFFORT. to the Indians and tried to make peace was Father 304 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 30$ Jule, a Catholic priest. Gen. Brooke asked him, early in December, 1890, to go from the Pine Ridge Agency to the camp of the hostiles, and he unhesi tatingly did so. He was accompanied by Jack Red Cloud, the respected son of the famous chief, who went more as a guide than with the belief that he would be of any use in making the mission a suc cess. The story of the visit gives the best possible idea of the feeling of the Indians, their grievances, and the impulses that moved them to their desper ate course. There were present at the council Two Strike, the head chief; Turning Bear, Short Bull, High Hawk, Crow Dog, Kicking Bear, Eagle Pipe, Big Turkey, and High Pipe. The pipe of peace was conspicuous by its absence. Father Jule opened the council by asking the chiefs to state the particular cause of the grievance that had led them to assume their war-like attitude. The replies were substantially as follows : THE INDIANS REPLY. "We object to the recent census returns made by Mr. Lee. His enumeration, as he is now making it, would not give food sufficient for us to live on. Lee puts us down many less for each tepee than the tepee contains. We are to receive food accord ing to that enumeration. We shall starve ; we know we shall starve if the Great Father chooses to lay a trap to cheat us. We will have one big eat before the starving time comes. After that we 306 LIFE OF SITTING BULL shall fight our last fight, and the white man shall see more blood, more dead by us from our guns than ever before. Then we shall go to the last hunting-ground happy. If the white men did not mean to cheat us out of food, the Great Father would never have sent soldiers. There is no need of soldiers if the Great Father intended to be fair with us. We know he intends cheating us by the way the census man is now putting down figures that lie, and by which we are to be fed. The Great Father has done another wrong, he put a new boundary line between Rosebud and Pine Ridge Agency, that makes many of us leave our homes and give them to others. " The Great Father broke the old treaty when he did this. We can no longer believe the Great Father. He says to us: Children, you shall never be moved again unless you want to move, and then he goes right away and moves us. We are done with promises, and now we make a promise that we will fight, and the Great Father will find that we will not break our promise. We will now be very plain with you, Christian Father, and tell you another thing, something of which you may have already thought. It is this : We are not coming in now and will not lay down our rifles, because we are afraid of the consequences. We have done wrong ; we know it. If we stop now we will be punished. The Great Father will send many of us to his big iron house to stay many moons. We AND THE INDIAN WAR. 309 would die. No, we will not go and give up. We know the Great Father better than he knows us, or cares to know us." After a long pause, Crow Dog said that they might come in if the soldiers were taken away. Father Jule then urged them with much fervor to give up their designs of war and be peaceable. He explained that the soldiers were not present to harm the Indians, but to protect the agency ; that rations had been increased at the agency, and that, if they came, Gen. Brooke would telegraph to Washington and get permission for them to stay on this agency, as they desired. So far as depreda tions were concerned, the priest told them they had better stop committing them, and they would be URGING PEACE. more easily forgiven. Finally he urged the chiefs that they all come back with him. To this some of the older ones made favorable answers, but the young ones, who were heavily in the majority, said no ; but the old men finally agreed that they would come on horseback to Father Jule s house, which is about four miles northwest of the agency, this morn ing, and there meet Gen. Brooke, and tell them in person just what they had told Father Jule. This brought on a renewal of bitter opposition from the majority, which came near ending in a row. Finally the young chiefs cooled down, and Two Strike, ad dressing Father Jule, said : " Hold your hands up to the Great Spirit, and 310 LIFE OF SITTING BULL tell us, as though you were about to start on a journey to the last hunting-ground of the red man, whether what you say to us from Gen. Brooke be true, and that we will not be harmed if we come in simply to talk to Gen. Brooke." Father Jule says he complied with the request. All the chiefs then extended their hands toward the heavens, and with great solemnity promised they would come. This ended the council, and Father Jule and young Red, Cloud withdrew, the former telling the chiefs that, if they broke their word to him, he would never again believe an Indian. A petition and statement of grievances was, in November, 1890, drawn up and signed by Hollow Horn Bear and fifty-two other representative men of the different Sioux families. They wrote as fol lows to the President: LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT. " Great Father : This day we will write you a let ter with a good heart. "When we gave up the Black Hills, you told us in that treaty that a man would get three pounds of beef a day. The meaning was three pounds for one man. Beside, you said we could get food just like the soldiers. You did not give it to us at this rate. We are starving, and beg you to give to us just so as you have promised. Thirty men of us get for eighteen days only one cow to eat. That is why we mention it, and if you do not understand it send money, and Hollow Horn Bear and five ANB THE INDIAN WAR. 3 1 I men will come to you. Great Father, if you do not want to do so, then please let us have a soldier for our agent." The Sioux Indians signed the last agreement under the express understanding that rations would not be reduced. Within one month after signing the beef supply was reduced 2,000,000 pounds for the first time in years. Those signing the agree ment felt imposed upon ; those not signing, who then became the leaders in the outbreak, blamed the signers and pointed to the reduction in the beef supply as the result. American Horse, a leading chief at Pine Ridge, wrote to a friend in Cincinnati, on December 22d, 1890: "I have been hunting for my cattle, but found only thirteen ; therefore, they (the soldiers) must have killed 156, although it is barely possible that I may find one or two more. We found all my ponies except two ; that is, we found them at the hostiles camp, and it is likely that I shall get them back. The things that these white men and the Indians together have unwarrantably destroyed amounted to $196. HESITATING. "This evening a Sioux, one of the returned hos- tiles, told me that almost half the Indians in the Bad Lands would come away, but the other half threaten them so they could not come, but there is a delegation 0^167 men of the friendly Indians who 312 LIFE OF SITTING BULL have gone there to persuade them to come in. My own son and thirty of my young men are among the delegation trying to get them to come back and stand a little while longer the mean treatment with out making trouble. They are there by this after noon. I am thoroughly informed of the state of things immediately surrounding these agencies that I could not for a moment think of taking up arm. against the whites. But you must understand what we friendly Indians have to endure, losing all our cattle, and thus cutting off all subsistence outside of the poor and small rations, which I can tell you are very meagre, indeed, and thus hardly are fit for any human appetite for food. It has been getting worse and worse and less and less from ration-day to another. Among the things they have come and taken away from my house was my overcoat that you gave me. I am sorry that I did not take this coat with me when I came to the agency. Now, my dear friend, there is one thing I would like KEEP MY BOY AWAY. you very much to favor me with. I have a boy at Carlisle School, in Pennsylvania, but at present he is at Dolington, Bucks County, Pa., working. He wishes to come home, but I want him to stay there until this trouble is over, arid learn all he can. I wish you would write to him and encourage him as much as you can. Tell him my position in this trouble. You can tell it to him better than I can through my interpreter. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 313 "When this trouble is over and the people are quiet, I would like to remind the Government, or rather request it, to make good the losses of the friendly Indians. Can you use your influence, either directly or indirectly, in our behalf? I thought, perhaps, you may have some friends at Washington who may say a good word for us. This is all I have to say." To confirm these stories of bad faith, privation, and unjust dealing, it is only necessary to turn to the Government s own reports. As early as the spring of 1890 trouble was foreseen, and the causes that were inevitably leading to it were clearly set forth. Mr. F. C. Armstrong, an Indian inspector, wrote, on April 7th from Pine Ridge, to the Secre tary of th ^ Interior as follows : STERN FACTS. "In former years this agency was allowed 5,000,000 pounds of beef. This year it has been reduced to 4,000,000 pounds. These Indians were not pre pared for this change. No instructions had been given the agent that 1,000,000 pounds of beef would be cut off from the Indians this year. Consequently, issues were made from the beginning of the fiscal year July ist, 1889 until the date of the final delivery of beef, about October I5th, 1889, on the basis of 5,000,000 pounds for the year. This neces sitated a large reduction in the beef issue afterward to catch up with the amount, and came just at the worst season of the year. The Indians were kept 314 LIFE OF SITTING BULL at the agency between three and four weeks in the farming season of 1889, when they should have been at home attending to their corn. "Their enforced absence attending the Sioux Commission caused them to lose all they had planted by the stock breaking in on their farms and destroy ing everything they had. They have been compelled to kill their private stock during the winter to keep from starving, and in some cases have been depre dating upon the stock of white people living near the line of the reservation. BAD FEELING GROWING. " A bad feeling is growing among the Indians out of this, and may lead to trouble between the settlers and the Indians. The killing of a hog made the Nez Perces war, with Indians far more advanced than these people. The full allowance of beef should be given them. They complain and with good grounds, that they were told by the Sioux Commissioners that their rations, etc., should not be reduced ; that while this very talk was going on the Department in Washington was fixing to cut off one-fifth of their meat supply, but did not let them know it, nor did the agent know it/ until they had signed the Sioux Bill. They had a good start in cattle, but have had to kill over three times as many of their own cattle, old and young, as they did the year before * that they have been deceived in doing AND THE INDIAN WAR. 315 what they did by the Government, and that they don t get as much now as they did before. "I think cutting off this 1,000,000 pounds of beef and thereby forcing them to kill their own young cattle, has put them back two years or more in rais ing stock, and has created a feeling of distrust, which, unless something is done to repair it, will KILLING THEIR OWN CATTLE, lead to trouble and bad conduct. They have now killed many of their own cattle and will next com mence to kill range cattle. Already hides and other evidences of this are being found on the reser- .vation borders. " Men will take desperate remedies sooner than suffer from hunger. Not much work can be ex pected with the present feeling. The Indians who advocated signing are now laughed at and blamed for being fooled. They don t get even their former rations, and ask where are all the promises that were made. The Government must keep faith as well as the Indians, SERIOUS DISSATISFACTION. "The attention of the Department has frequently been called to the condition of the Cheyenne In dians at this agency, their dissatisfaction and deter mination to do nothing to better their condition. They now openly say they will leave there this 3 1 6 LIFE OF SITTING BULL spring, and therefore have no intention of putting in crops or doing any work . " They may be held here by force, but it is ques tionable if it is a good policy to keep them at Pine Ridge Agency any longer. The nine hundred Cheyennes at Tongue River, Montana, and these five hundred Cheyennes of the same band here, should be concentrated at one agency The Sioux don t want them here, and they don t want to stay. They should not be kept as prisoners only. The Tongue River reservation is, I know, wanted by cattlemen. They should be a secondary consider ation. These Indians should be concentrated there, and a reservation obtained for them from the Crows, and the Cheyennes should be moved to it. They will then be satisfied, settle down, and go to work. No good can ever come to the Cheyennes if the course pursued toward them during the last six years is continued, and much bad may result. " Why should Indians be forced to stay where they never located through choice ? Put them where they want to live and can make a living, and let them stay there and do it. Without some prompt action regarding this beef matter, and also in the Cheyenne matter, on this reservation, the Department may, this summer or fall, expect trouble. I have thought this of sufficient importance to lay it before the Department, and to go in person to ask that some action be taken. I have seen this Chey- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 317 enne matter brewing for two years, and I see now the Sioux put back in the principal industry on which they have to depend. With prompt action in this matter, and a proper arrangement of districts for the issuing of rations, a plan for which I will submit, these people will go ahead. If not, they will go backward, which to them is the easier road." But this warning was unheeded, and these wise recommendations were ignored. CHAPTER XXIII. EFFORTS FOR PEACE, MRS. WELDON S REMARKABLE MISSION TO THE CAMP OF SITTING BULL HER DESIRE TO CONFRONT THE PROPHET OF THE MESSIAH FORCED TO FLEE FOR SAFETY HER VIEWS OF THE SITUATION HER LIFE IN DAKOTA. Of all white people who ever had any dealings with him, the one who best knew Sitting Bull, and had most influence with him, was Mrs. Caroline Weldon, formerly of New York City. On account of some disappointments in her early life, she went to the Northwest and devoted herself for many years to work among the Indians and to study of Indian character and history. She spent much time at Sitting Bull s camp, and indeed considered it her home. And she did much to bring about a better understanding between the Indians and the whites, and exposed and corrected many of the abuses practiced by the Indian agents. Mrs. Weldon spent some time in New York in 1889, but in the spring of 1890 she settled all her affairs there, and went to Dakota to spend the rest of her life, intending, if possible, to avert the serious 318 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 319 troubles which were then already threatened. She went at once to Sitting Bull s camp, but was soon filled with dismay at the ominous symptoms she GRIEVANCES EVERYWHERE. beheld. Grievances were suffered everywhere. Dis content was everywhere. Rumors of the Messiah were extant. The ghost dances were begun. The Indians became suspicious, and regarded her as a spy. When she tried to stop the dances, they turned upon her to drive her from the camp. Sit ting Bull and his wives were her only friends. They protected her, but when she asked to be allowed to confront Mat-o-wan-a-ti-ta-ka, the prophet of the Messiah, they refused. Then she gave up all hope of maintaining peace, and went to Fort Yates to see the agent there. But her mission was unavail ing. She could not inspire the agent with that con fidence in and sympathy with the Indians which she herself felt. Then her ten-year-old boy died, and she was quite broken-hearted. On September I5th she wrote : MRS. WELDON S LETTER. " Back again at Cannon Ball. Sitting Bull and Hohesikana have gone away. I hasten away, for there appears to be trouble. They want to go hunting. An Indian rode into camp and told Sitting Bull that Major McLaughlin had forbidden them to go to a certain place to hunt, and that if they per sisted in their preparations to go, he would take away all their guns and ponies. This caused great 32O LIFE &F SITTING BULL consternation, and half the night Sitting Bull talked to them to quiet them. He says he does not want war, and will do all he can to prevent it. He does not want to fight against the whites. Sitting Bull hastened to the Major to find out if the report was true, and to remonstrate with him. Sitting Bull, who loves his people, resents injustice done to them, and yet he wants peace ^vith the white people. He said he would be glad if the soldiers would kill him so his heart would find rest. I told them what would be the result of a war, and that it would hasten their destruction." Matters went from bad to worse, and she saw that war was inevitable. On November 4th she wrote again a longer letter in which she discussed the situation in detail. "I have been to the Grand River again," she said; "this time alone. I went down to denounce and pursue Matowanatitaka, a prophet who came from Cheyenne, and is making all the Indians crazy with his teachings. I expected him to be an Indian of another tribe, but when I arrived at the camp I found that he was Sitting Bull s wife s sister s son, whose mother is dead. This made matters worse. But I could not alter my intention when I was told that Sitting Bull had not come up, but had remained at home with Matowanatitaka. If it had not been for the latter he would have come up to Cannon Ball. He had planned the trip. Hohesikana was far away, hunting, so I called for Circling Bear. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 321 When he came I asked him to call the chiefs and men together, as I had something important to tell them. I had already worked against the prophet who is a young fellow, by the way down to Can non Ball, enlightening the Indians in exposing him. I had prepared a long speech for the Indians, and when I delivered it I found that I met with opposi tion from the elder people. The young people listened with "interest and apparent belief. Circling Bear appeared the most obstinate, but never forgot his dignity, while I grew warm and used harsh lan guage. In the first place, this prophet claims to have seen and spoken to Christ, who is now again upon the world, and has come to help the Indians once more to become a powerful people, and that all the white people are to be driven out of the land or transformed into beasts. All the dead are to come to life again and never grow old. All the game is to come back, and buffaloes never to give out, for the hoofs, head, and tail are "to be saved, and when your back is turned they become new buffaloes. All the Indians, Sioux, Utes, Shoshones, and many others believe in this great Messiah who will do all this for them. He will visit their living relatives and tell them to fight and become victor ious once more. In fact, an Indian war is on the programme. "I think the Mormons are at the bottom of this, for the Indians leave by tramping, by railroad, and then go south, making the journey in thirty-five days 322 LIFE OF SITTING BULL by horseback, and pass the Sapanicaota (Utes). Here they see Christ and he speaks to them. Next spring Christ and the dead will come this way to help the Indians. To refute this and take their blindness from them and confound the medicine men and prophets, I went down. When I learned that Sitting Bull had not come up I determined to go down to Grand River and remonstrate with him. All the Indians say that he did not believe in Mato- wanatitaka, who strikes one dead by a look. They say a halo of light is seen around his head in the dark, and there is a star above his head, and that those tvho scorn him he transforms into dogs or THE FALSE CHRIST. anything else. It is my opinion that Matowanati- taka himself is the false Christ, and to confound him I desired to face him. I denounced him as a liar and a cheat at the camp, and they sent Crowfoot on horseback to announce my coming. I expected that Sitting Bull would be displeased and would treat me coldly, but when the wagon stopped he shook hands with me and told me how glad he was to see me ; but in spite of his smile he looked sad and troubled, and seemed to have aged considerably since I saw him a month before. In the house the dishes were set for dinner. My plate was, with several others, on the table, and on the floor was a white cloth with eight plates for Matowanatitaka and his followers. His followers came to eat, but Matowanatitaka and one of his disciples stayed AND THE INDIAN WAR. 323 away, and I did not see him that day. . I never got a good look at his face. He always had his blanket drawn over his head, and when he looked at me it generally was from behind a couple of chairs or some other piece of furniture. Instead of coming around and asking for an explanation he avoided me and seemed afraid. The next day the Major sent some policemen to arrest Matowanatitaka and Sitting Bull. The majority of the police stayed four miles above Sitting Bull s residence, and the chief and Catka were brave enough to come to the house and deliver their message. Of course, Matowana titaka and Sitting Bull declined to accommodate the Indian policemen. Matowanatitaka lay flat on his back kicking his feet in the air in the most ridiculous manner, while Sitting Bull was delivering a speech to the policemen and Indians. I expected a fight every minute, for every man carried a gun and looked desperate, and the room was filled with them. Catka recognized me, as he met me a year be fore. , He bent down and whispered to Matowanati taka. Sitting Bull had already left the room and Matowanatitaka followed, and then one by one every one left ; Sitting Bull s wife and myself were the only occupants in the room with the exception of the chief. Catka and I chatted pleasantly about different things, he admiring Sitting Bull s full- length portrait which I had given to him. After a while the chief men came in and shook hands with the policemen, all but Sitting Bull and Matowanatitaka. 324 LIFE OF SITTING BULL "The next day I was told that Matowanatitaka had left, but I doubted it, although his arms were not there, and subsequently I proved to be in the right. He had taken up his quarters somewhere else, for later on he was my traveling companion with Sitting Bull on my return to Yates. Circling Bear poisoned Sitting Bull s ears. He told him that the attempt to arrest was my doings ; that I was Sitting Bull s enemy ; and that I was planning the destruction of both. He also called Sitting Bull s attention to a look which passed between me and Catka. Evidence was against me, for I had said that I would pursue Matowanatitaka, and Sit ting Bull told me he knew that I was his enemy, and wanted him to be in prison. I simply laughed when he told me. There I had been working for his interest and the interest of the Indians for years ; was ready to share all the dangers, and he was foolish enough to believe me his enemy. That night they continued their wacekiyaps (dances and songs), which sounded awful in the stillness of the night, and they kept it up until I could stand it no longer, so I arose and went through the crowd. It was dark, and there was the width of a street be tween me and Sitting Bull s house. I told Sitting Bull I would go away at daylight if he did not stop it, and he did. The next morning I asked him to have no more dances, as the troops would come and there would be a battle. He said it was not his doings, but the chiefs , and he would be glad if CHIEF BIG JOSEPH. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 327 the soldiers would kill him, for he wanted to die. * If you want to die, kill yourself, and do not bring other people into trouble/ I said. He had the post removed to the foot of the hill, where it would not annoy me, but he acted as high priest, for I watched him. He expected the soldiers and battle every hour. You can imagine how pleasant it was for me. " Miss Carrigan and One Bull came to take me to Yates, but Sitting Bull made me promise to stay five days longer, as the Major had seized some messengers, and so I did not go, but sent some money I had to Major McLaughlin, begging him to keep it for me until I should reclaim it. Not that I distrusted the Indians, for not a pin was ever taken from me, but I feared the battle, and if I was killed no one would get the benefit of it. A few days later I met Gall, a chief, who was going to take me to Yates, but Sitting Bull was not on good terms with him, and I feared Sitting Bull would think I might betray some secrets of the council, for I had always been present, so I stayed until Sitting Bull took me himself. He said : " Do as your heart dictates. If you want to go with Gall, go; but if your heart says stay, remain, and I will take you to Yates myself, and perhaps to Cannon Ball. SITTING BULL S FRIENDSHIP. " Sitting Bull and family were very good to me, and always treated me well, although I did denounce Matowanatitaka and their dances. Some of the 328 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Indians felt very bitter, for they blamed me for the agent s actions. I think this was done to make a rupture between us, and to deprive Sitting Bull of. my protection, which was affecting the National Indian Defense Committee in Washington. I could write a whole book of my experience at the camp near Yates. Circling Bear, who formerly befriended me, is now my enemy. He cast the robe he gave me up to me, and I threw *it at his feet, and told him I wanted no presents from him. He did not take it back all the same. I had many unpleasant words with them because I opposed their dances which I thought destroyed their reason for days. They said I did not understand it, but that whatever disease they had was thrown off during these par oxysms. These dances occurred once a year, and lasted eight days. The hymns are nice, and I know six or seven of them/ A few days later she wrote concerning various slanders which had been circulated against her by the enemies of the Indians, some of them to the effect that she had become one of Sitting Bull s wives. i "I reached Yates Thursday. Sitting Bull went a ,few minutes ahead of the team. He dressed as if for burial, wearing the black cloth about his head, which means he is ready to die at any moment. He expected to be seized, and was determined to SITTING BULL READY FOR DEATH. defend himself and sell his life dearly. His fol- AND 1 HE INDIAN WAR. 329 lowers were at the Grand River ; he was brave to go alone. On the contrary, the officers treated him well and shook hands with him. I had the chance to go to Cannon Ball in a Government team. He thought I would remain there from Thursday until Monday. The Utes when I left felt sorry. They seemed to realize they had lost one of their best friends forever. Now I have gone, I fear that the last link between the white people and Sitting Bull is severed. The Utes, as well as other tribes, are ready to fight, and I cannot blame them. When one has seen how they are continually cheated, allowances can be made. I read an article about myself in a Washington paper which was sent me. All papers print the most dangerous lies, and I blame Major McLaughlin for allowing it. If he had not started these stories, they would not have been published, although he positively knows they are untrue, for I had sent several notes to him from the Grand River, and when I informed him of the un pleasantness between me and the Sioux on account of my opposition to their songs and dances, he knew I was trying to prevent war, and that my life had been in danger on that account, and yet he allowed these untruths to be told, and stated also the latter to the Secretary of the Interior. If you read ro mances, do not believe them. I would like to see these articles, for they interest me, and I know they are his doings." 330 LIFE OF SITTING BULL And again she wrote of her life in Dakota : " No one in the world was as happy as I, and I wish that all might have shared that happiness. A city seems a prison to me. One must work hard to get along in the city, and I enjoyed the freedom of the wilderness. I enjoyed the trees, and the hills, and the clouds. The flowers and the birds make me happy. I love the solitude, with its songs and its scenery, and I was loath to leave it. But I had to go, as my life was in danger. Those who had been my friends were now my enemies, and I left against the wishes of the Sioux. They wanted me to remain for the winter, as I knew too much. I had been at every council and was acquainted with all their plans. They needed an interpreter and a secretary, and they wanted me to so act for them. I feel that I have escaped with my life, and I laugh to think how I have outwitted that cunning Sitting Bull. After I left I was informed that Sitting Bull rode through Yates at night, singing his war songs, which were awful to listen to. If the Indians can INDIANS STARVING. gain anything, I say fight, for they are starving. As it turns out, they get only one-fifth of what the Government allows them. If I could only live, and had power enough to see the agents exposed and brought to justice, I should like it, for I know they are stealing goods intended for the Indians. I al- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 331 ways urged them not to fight, for they would get the worst of it. I feared the leaders would suffer, and all their ponies and arms be taken, and that would be awful, but it would be what I have said all the time. I often wonder if they remember my words, and things are turning out different from what they anticipated." CHAPTER XXIV. THE SEAT OF WAR. PINE RIDGE RESERVATION AND AGENCY THE GARDENS AND THE BUILDINGS DR. MCGILLICUDDY S ADMINISTRATION THE CATHO LIC MISSION SCHOOL SOME ACCOUNT OF THE BAD LANDS A TRULY HORRIBLE REGION. The Pine Ridge Agency is one of the most im portant of all the Indian posts. Under its care and control lie the bulk of the Sioux Nation all that is left of it. The agency is situated in the western part of South Dakota and occupies a tract of table land bordering on White Clay Creek, a never-fail ing stream of clear spring water. When the agency buildings were placed here in 1879 it was thought that the boundary line between Dakota and Ne braska was distant twelve miles to the south. But it was afterward found that it was only two miles away, and this circumstance gave unprincipled per sons a chance to reach and corrupt the Indians with out entering the reservation. So very soon a large free-for-all dance-house, gambling den, and grog shop was running full blast, day and night, Sundays as we 1 !, only two miles from the agency. The bad 332 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 333 effect of this made it necessary to set apart for the use of the reservation a tract of land five by ten miles in size in Nebraska immediately south of the agency, thus driving objectionable characters further away. The Pine Ridge Reservation, of which the agency is the capital, contains about 2,000,000 acres, or about 360 acres for each Indian. Strictly speaking, the land cannot be called arable, although portions THE PINE RIDGE AGENCY. of it along the streams have in favorable seasons produced pretty good crops. But the seasons are short and dry, and as yet no general system of irrigation has been found practicable. The majority SIOUX ANXIOUS TO FARM. of the Indians here are the very flower of the Sioux race and are anxious to own land in severalty and to earn their living as farmers and cattle raisers. When this agency was established in 1879 it was 334 LIFE OF SITTING BULL put in charge of the now famous Indian agent, Dr. V. T. McGillicuddy. Up to the time of his appoint ment Red Cloud had been the leader in all kinds of disturbances, and openly defied every agent. It has become well-known history to every one on the frontier how the Doctor first taught the Sioux the meaning of the words obedience and discipline. He is one of the few men who know no fear, and innumerable stories of his courage are current to day, and no one tells them with keener enjoyment than the Indians themselves. The noble red man has a child s mind in a man s body, and no class of people respect and yield to courage, firmness, and kindness than they. An Indian police numbering fifty picked men was organized, given comfortable quarters, a complete equipment, and were soon as thoroughly drilled as any body in an Eastern city. With this small force over 6 500 Indians, including i, 800 of the best fighters who have ever held our army at bay, were completely controlled. The Indians were disarmed, the famous torture or sun WONDERFUL PROSPERITY UNDER DR. M GILLICUDDY. dance was broken up never to be revived, schools, workshops, and a thorough system of farming under a boss farmer, were established. Every one visiting the agency is surprised at the substantial, neat, yet inexpensive character of the buildings, which are arranged something on the plan of the common frontier forts. The principal buildings are the agent s headquarters, the school-house, police quar- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 335 ters, supply houses where rations are issued, two post-trading establishments, Catholic and Episcopal Churches, blacksmith, harness, wagon, and carpen ter shops. Around these are clustered the houses of the various employees and assistants. The place bears more resemblance to a well-kept country village than a famous Indian agency. There are no fortifications of any kind, not even a stockade or a strong house to retreat to in case of trouble. The most formidable barriers in the way of a hos tile are the picket-fences and the wire screens over the windows. During the Cleveland Administration, Dr. Mc- Gillicuddy, being a Republican, was removed from the agency, and a Mr. Gallagher appointed in his BAD RESULTS OF CHANGING AGENTS. place. The results of the change were soon visible. The average Indian will size up a man as quickly as an unruly boy, and tries him in every way so as to find how far he can transgress the established rules. It is the same spirit that is manifested in every un ruly school-room, only these dusky pupils of the nation are full grown physically, full of superstition, with fierce, cruel, and uncontrolled tempers and appetites, and many of them have tasted of the pleasures of hunting that most fascinating of all large game that is, human beings. In a short time they began leaving the reserve in bands and family bunches to visit their friends in Wyoming and Montana without stopping to ask permission, 336 LIFE OF SITTING BULL as the regulations called for ; and many a cattle man in Wyoming still quotes freely from profane history as he recalls their manifested love for roast beef rare as they crossed his range. In a few months it was found that they were well supplied again with arms and ammunition, which they had purchased during their excursions. Mr. .Gallagher did not remain at the agency long enough to enjoy all the fruits of his work. In the summer of 1890 he was succeeded by Mr. Royer, who took hold of the tangled affairs with a firm and judicious hand. But he came too late to avert the catastrophe. The Pine Ridge Catholic Mission School, which was recently destroyed by the hostile Indians, was situated on White Clay Creek, about four miles from the agency, in one of the most picturesque spots on the whole reservation. It consisted of a substantial three-story brick building, about two hundred feet long by one hundred feet wide, in closing two courts or play-grounds for the children. Around the buildings were extensive gardens, which, being watered from the creek, were exceedingly fertile and productive. On a hill near by was a large tank and windmill, giving the whole place an excellent water supply. The school was opened in 1887, its object being to educate the Indian children in the Roman Catholic faith. The south half of the buildings was occupied by the nuns and girl stu dents, and the north half by the priests and the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 337 boys, each part being a complete institution by itself. In the centre was a handsome chapel. The head of the school was Father John Jutz, a Fran ciscan monk from Austria. He was assisted by two fathers, six lay brothers, and ten sisters, all Germans. All teaching, however, was in English, as required by the law. THE BAD LANDS. The Bad Lands, as they are fittingly called by both whites and Indians, comprise one of the most extraordinary, fantastic, repelling, and desolate re gions in the world. Riding over the plains, one comes suddenly to the edge of a precipice from 200 to 500 feet in depth. He may travel for miles along this edge before finding a break that will per mit him to descend to the region below. The re gion before him was once the bottom of a vast in land lake or sea, no miles long from northeast to southeast, and from fifteen to forty miles wide from east to west. The bottom of the lake has been the play-ground of the forces of nature for ages; rain, wind, and frost have carved the whole region into more fantastic, weird forms than human brains could conceive. Standing on the edge of the precipice, one feels that a magic pen is needed to describe the scene. Below and beyond is a chaos of hills, buttes, valleys, canons, dizzy altitudes, blackened, precipi tous cliffs, and gloomy gorges. It is a map of the mighty convulsions and pranks of nature in her most rebellious or sportive moods ; a fascinating 338 LIFE OF SITTING BULL terra-incognita whose edges only have been ex plored by a few daring white men, and whose in terior is known only to the skulking savage. One sees hills, cut in all directions by deep, twisting ra vines, displaying along their sides marvelous archi tectural forms. One sees what is apparently an old dismantled fortress, near by is the wreck of a city, on the right stands a huge castle, on the left the remnants of a village, all stone, all deception, for no human beings have ever called this region home. It is all death and desolation, there is no animal life, and vegetation shuns the ground as though it were plague-stricken. There is no crystal sheen of rivers emerging from graceful groves of richest green ; the river beds are dry, and contain only huge boul ders scattered around as though some giants had been waking the echoes pelting each other with them. WONDERS AND DESOLATION OF THE BAD LANDS. Here and there are plainly seen old high-water marks, with the washed up debris left by the floods of ages ago ; but no bubbling brooks or cool spring is left to quench the thirst of the explorer whose nostrils and eyes smart and sting from the thick alkali dust raised in clouds at every step. The ab sence of life in any form is terrible, oppressive. There "is no chirping of insects, no humming of wings to give signs of animation nothing but si lence profound and forbidding. Even the lazy wav ing of the rare tufts of prairie grass is a relief to the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 339 absolute lifelessness. It is a region of terrors, of shivers, and undefined dread. To the scientist the region is one of indescribable fascination. Accus tomed to hear the Black Hills described as the min eral wonderland of the world, he is not surprised to find in the bottom of the old sea, that once dashed its waves against the rocky shores of the island of the Hills, a perfect museum of the ancient wonders of this land. The geologist finds himself in what has been a wonderland from the first dawning of life on the gldbe. The rocky layers, now carved into mar velous imitation of the work of human hands, were once ooze at the bottom of the sea, and are now the richest treasure-houses in the whole world of the well-preserved forms of ancient animal life from which such men as Professors Cope, Marsh, and Leidy have dug out some of the most strange and wonderful freaks of animal life. To read their re ports is more romantic and weird than the Arabian Nights arid their facts seem as strange as the tales of Munchausen. In turn this region has been the WONDERLAND OF ANCIENT ANIMAL LIFE. home of such land and water animals of such gigan tic size as have never been discovered elsewhere in the deposits of any geological age. Lizard-like forms over 100 feet in length and thirty feet high crawled wearily over the plains ; reptiles more hid eous than the standard sea serpent bathed their fifty-foot bodies in this inland sea, stretching their necks twenty feet in the air ; flying reptiles, with a 34O LIFE OF SITTING BULL twenty-foot spread of leathery wings, disputed pos session of the air with gigantic birds whose vast jaws were armed with teeth ; two, three, and four- toed horses, from the size of a fox to those larger o than any of to-day, in turn sought their food in this labyrinthian wilderness. Tropical climates followed the drying up of the sea, and palms grew, and croco diles, rhinocerus, tapirs, elephants, mastodons, and even camels lived and died within these boundaries. Everywhere their fossil bones abound, mingled with petrified shells of turtles six feet long, mammoth shells of the ammonite, with the pearl as perfect as the day when it spread its fleshy sails to the creta ceous breeze ; huge masses of fossil oysters awaken longings for the comforts of the East. THE BAD LANDS THE INDIANS SECURE RETREAT. Only the Indian knows the dire and perilous trails that lead in and out of this most terrible of labry- rinths. Their light ponies can go where the heavy cavalry horse cannot follow. Hidden in the depths of this wilderness are a few oases where grass and springs are found. In these spots the Indian will hide. The largest oasis is known as Grass Basin, at the foot of Butte Cache. It contains about 2,000 acres, and is surrounded by the most formidable portion of the Bad Lands. The difficulties and hor rors of warfare in such a region may be imagined but not described. The battle-ground of the Wil derness was a parade ground compared with the Bad Lands. CHAPTER XXV. LIFE AT PINE RIDGE. EXPERIENCE OF THE WAR CORRESPONDENTS TRYING TO TAKE A PIC TURE THE SQUAW DANCES " HAVE You GOT CHRIST IN THE GUARD-HOUSE?" FIRE-WATER WITH A VENGEANCE THE INDIAN BOYS MARRIED LIFE. Among the six newspaper correspondents who remained at the Pine Ridge Agency all through the troubles was Mr. Warren K. Moorehead, who thus described in The Philadelphia Press some of his experiences and observations : "Some of the men spent many hours in the tepees by the ruddy glow of the little fires, which sent a dense smoke curling upward toward the aperture at the top. The hours thus spent were profitable ones, for with a good interpreter and plenty of cigarettes and smoking tobacco, it was not at all difficult to engage the Sioux in conversa tion. As the warrior related anecdotes of the chase, or recounted his exploits in war, his face would light up with animation, and he would pour into the ears of his listeners stories of adventure that rivalled even the dime novel hero. And when he showed 341 342 LIFE OF SITTING BULL us scars here and there upon his body, proofs of his bravery, of which, by the way, he was very proud, we believed that he spoke the truth. " One night we were in Keeps-the-Battle s lodge. There were present four women, three children, Interpreter Bartlett, and myself. The old chief, after considerable urging and the gift of two sacks of tobacco, related the following story : " When the ghost dance was at fts height there suddenly appeared a runner from the agency at our camp on White Clay Creek with the startling news that the " walk-with-guns" (infantry) were coming. We held a big council all the next day to determine what should be done, and at the conclusion of our talk a large number of the people moved into the Bad Lands. " It was during the midst of a stormy debate between Red Cloud and Little Wound that a " heap- mtich-dress-young-man," who had arrived with the soldiers a few hours before, came riding into our A CARLISLE STUDENT SPOILS A KODAK. camp alone. Few white men had seen us dance the ghost dance, and, as our hearts were bad, we were in no humor to entertain strangers. This heap- much-dress-youth came into the centre of our grave J circle, and, taking a small brown box from under his arm, pointed a little hole in the end of it toward the leading Sioux men. A slight click was heard, and the youth opened his box and started to draw out a thin board. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 345 " All of a sudden a boy who had been to Carlisle to school, sprang to his feet and cried : " Etoape wachee ! " (he takes picture). Instantly several men drew clubs, and, running toward the heap-much- dress-lad, struck the box from his trembling hands and smashed it to fragments on the ground. Mean while the white boy ran to his horse, mounted in hot haste, and rode away for dear life, his hair standing on end with fright. The Sioux forgot the council and whooped and yelled with merriment. " The white picture-taker dropped a letter from his pocket as he mounted. One of our educated boys read it to us. It said something about getting articles and pictures concerning the ghost dancers, and was signed by some New York man. Our people were very glad the young man did not se cure a picture of us. I have done. " Many of the Sioux object to being photographed, as they are convinced no good can come of having BAD MEDICINE. their likeness in a white man s possession. They say that it is bad medicine, and that the white man will work evil against the person whose picture he secures. Those of us who had kodaks resorted to strategy. We offered a sack of tobacco or cigarette to a blanketed man or woman, and as the Indian uncovered his or her face to light the cigarette we pressed the button. " One of the most interesting sights to the sol- o o diers, and those unaccustomed to Indians, is the 346 LIFE OF SITTING BULL squaw dance. In the Omaha and green corn dances none but the men participate ; but, as the women love dancing just as passionately as do the men, there has been, as long as the oldest Sioux can remember, at stated intervals, an opportunity afforded the squaws to dance. " The several squaw gatherings, as viewed by myself, were held twice a week. Fifty or a hundred women (married) form a circle and seat themselves. Eight or ten others, armed with short sticks, gather about a large bass drum, and at a given signal strike up a monotonous tune, keeping time mean while with the instrument. The dancers arise in their places and elevate themselves upon their toes, dropping back upon their heels with each stroke upon the drum (the drummers strike in unison). There is no jumping about or moving from place to place as in the Omaha dance. Of course, this rapid motion of heels and toes soon tires the women ; therefore the dance discontinues every five or ten minutes for a short space of time. " After all have satisfied themselves, the delicacy of the season is served from several large kettles. It is almost needless to add that these kettles con tain dog soup. All the Indian families keep from six to eight dogs. There is no distinction made between a fine Newfoundland or a hound, for one makes just as good soup as another. Out of each litter of pups several are selected and carefully fed for three or four weeks to fatten them well. Then AND THE INDIAN WAR. 347 the poor doggies are struck on the head and killed, and after being hastily washed in the creek and sfnged to remove the hair, are thrown in the pot. Blood, brains, and entrails, bones and meat, all com bine to make a stew, palatable alone to the Sioux, disgusting to white men. " One day the residents and visitors at Pine Ridge RATIONS ISSUED AT PINE RIDGE AGENCY. were startled by the arrival of a humbug Messiah. Many jokes were cracked at the expense of enter prising reporters, who rushed pell-mell to the agent s office to gaze on the Sioux Saviour. Promi nent among those who strained muscle and eye in the eager throng was Cressey, of the Omaha Bee. Hearing of the capture of Messiah Hopkins by the Indian police while that individual was delivering 348 LIFE OF SITTING BULL 1 his holy message to the savages, Cressey rushed with great haste to Gen. Brooke s headquarters, and bursting into the room, much to the surprise of the officers there assembled, gasped out in stutter ing accents : " Ha , he , ha , have y , y , you got Christ in the guard-house ? " Hopkins was a crank. Out of pity for him the General only confined him one day, and then sent an escort to conduct him to the railroad, from whence he was shipped back East to his people. As he left the agency a rough crowd gathered to see him off. Every one looked upon the man as a fa natic. Even the Sioux took no stock in his state ments, although it has been said in many news papers that the Indians regretted the departure of the Messiah. As the buggy sped away toward Rushviile some wag proposed a yell for the Mes siah, and willing throats of both soldiers and Indians gave vent to a mighty roar, which certainly must have been heard several miles distant. A THIRSTY INDIAN DRINKS ACID. " In spite of the laws against the sale of whisky or the bringing of it upon the reservation, there is not a little to be found in the tents of officers, so I am informed. The Sioux, sharp-witted as they are, keep an ever-watchful eye open for bottles and jugs. By way of illustration : " The photographer from Omaha, Mr. Morledge, AND THE INDIAN WAR. 349 brought a large quart flask filled with acid to de velop the negatives he took. " The fluid had a color similar to the cheap whisky sold in the West. " One day George Beef Lights (who sang ghost dance songs for me and interpreted) came into the reporter s headquarters. Spying the flask he cried, * Give me minnewahan. " No, no, I replied, * it s bad, it s poison/ I was seated in a corner far oft, reading, and before I could spring from my chair he had seized the flask and raised it to his lips. " One swallow, a strangling sound, the jingling of broken glass as he dashed the bottle on the floor, and he ran out of the door yelling and coughing. We were convulsed with laughter, for it was very amusing to see the maddest Indian in Pine Ridge running around the yard, holding his stomach and shouting. The police came up to ascertain the trouble, and they laughed, too, when we told them. George never came to see me afterward, and I sup pose he longs for my scalp, although really I had no part in the unfortunate affair. " The bravest man in the employ of the Govern ment, one whose duty as Marshal compels him to arrest desperate characters, both white and red, is George E. Bartlett. He was the first white man to visit No Water s camp on Wounded Knee Creek, and there arrest an Indian named Little, who had drawn a knife on Agent Royer. Bartlett was ac- 35O LIFE OF SITTING BULL companied by several police, and by prompt pre sentation of Winchesters secured his man without firing a shot. " The Sioux boys and girls are especially interest ing. Boys are the same the world over, and were you to approach the camps with your ears stopped so that you could not distinguish that a different language from your own .was being spoken, you would believe you were in some Eastern village watching the gambols of the town lads. Boys play ball, shinney, run foot-races, and shoot at a mark for small prizes. Many a time have I put a nickel in a crotch of a bush to see them knock it out with their spears or shoot at it with their arrows. A few of them are good marksmen, but nearly always they miss the object shot at. A favorite trick with them is to throw the spear somewhat like a boomerang. It curves far to one side of the bush, then shoots sideways against the twigs, and by violently skaking them causes the five-cent piece to drop to the ground. It seemed to me that the double curves performed by the spear required more skill upon the part of the thrower than would a fair and square centre hit. "The lads are full of fun. They appreciate kind ness more than do the men. I had given them many small coins and tobacco, and they showed their gratitude by running after me in an enormous crowd whenever I approach the camp, crying, Muzza-ska, muzza-ska (Money, money)! The missionaries and philanthropists from the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 351 East are greatly shocked upon entering a tepee to see the women and children smoking. One portly gentleman from Philadelphia said to me : " Why, even the little girls cry for cigarettes. It is dreadful to think of the money raised by holy men and women East should be squandered by these degraded people for tobacco/ And the old man was right. The children actually cry for a smoke. I have seen little boys and girls barely four years of age begging for a cigarette. When it was given them already lighted they would suck away at it with remarkable bravery. The tears would roll down their cheeks and they would begin to get sick, but they would not throw away the weed * until it was smoked down to a short stub. " The philanthropist would have been more deeply shocked could he have seen the treatment the bar rels of clothing shipped to the Sioux receive how the overcoats are sold for thirty cents or a dollar, the trousers and coat ditto. It is claimed that not one farmer or ranchman out of a hundred living within fifty miles of the agency ever buys clothes in town. He can get good ones for a mere trifle of the Indians after the quarterly missionary goods * come. " Indian women age much more rapidly than white women. They are compelled to do much hard out side work, and consequently the furrows of age creep into their cheeks at an early period in their lives. The girl before marriage has a decidedly 352 LIFE OF SITTING BULL easy time. She receives callers just as do the young ladies of civilization. The youths vie with each other in discoursing sweet strains upon the lov er s flute near her father s lodge. Admiring young men bring presents, or lie in wait near her home to speak to her words of love the moment that she ap pears. 1 When marriage binds her to her husband there comes about a complete change. She associates entirely with married women, and does not mingle with former friends. She believes that her husband should only assist her when she is unable to per form any task herself, and takes the same pride in doing all the work that she possibly can that a white woman does in keeping her home in order. She would no more think of permitting her husband to do all the hard work than would the wife of to-day expect her husband to take care of her house, or a husband request his wife to help him at his office. CHAPTER XXVI. INDIANS AND SETTLERS. MIXED CIVILIZATION AT RUSHVILLE THE COWBOY AT HOME INDIAN LOAFERS THE CIGARETTE HABIT " THEMDAMINJUNS " STORIES OF A VETERAN FRONTIERSMAN UNAPPRECIATED ARCHITECTURE WHITK GHOST BADLY SCARED. The town and railroad station nearest to Pine Ridge is Rushville, Neb.,- which is about twenty miles away; a place of a 1,000 or more inhabitants. Mr. F. H. Carruth has given a picturesque account of it as it appeared to him in 1886 and of the semi- civilized Indians and the semi-savage white settlers. "Rushville," he says, "was at this time a queer ombination of Eastern and Western civilization. The town was about a year old, having been built when the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad went through. The surrounding country had been partly settled with a few farmers longer, and the stockmen had been scattered throughout the region for a number of years. The land is compara tively level, the country between Gordon and Cha- dron being known as the Antelope Flats. Most of the town was on one street, which ran at right angles 353 354 LIFE OF SITTING BULL to the railroad track and the law office of Judge Trott, late of the Des Moines bar ; the liquor store of Jim Sandoz, late of a Denver bar; the banking house of Langham Brothers, late of Chicago ; the Niobrara Gold Mine (gambling establishment) of Breckenridge Potter, late of St. Louis, and the First Baptist Church, with the Rev. Mr. Cartright, late of Brooklyn, as pastor, stood in pleasing and cheerful proximity. The blacksmith who shod our off mule and got kicked over his anvil twice, and whose shop stood next door to Mrs. Julia Grannett s millinery store, informed me, in speaking of the gambling house, which stood between the bank and the law- * yer s office, that you could lose your money in one as readily as in the others ; indeed, he would prefer to [take his chances in the gambling house, having more confidence in the squareness of the game. It seemed that the able Judge Trott had been expelled from the Des Moines bar, and that the sagacious Langham Brothers lent money at the rate of 4 per cent, a month; so perhaps the blacksmith was right. "There was, as I said, an interesting combination of East and West in Rushville. The business men were nearly all from the East from the States/ at least, which expression was used in its territorial sense, notwithstanding that Nebraska had been a State for years but the stockmen and many of the farmers were Western men of the most pronounced type. Every man from outside the town and they made AND THE INDIAN WAR. 355 up probably three-quarters of those on the streets wore big, jingling Mexican spurs* Indeed, it is part of the religion of every man connected with a West ern stock ranch to never remove his spurs on any oc casion whatever, with the possible exception of when going to bed and there are occasions in the life of the gay and exuberant cowboy when the formality is humorously omitted even at the time of retiring, and the hotel landlord is confronted in the morning with a hopeless tangle of spurs, cowboy and bed- clothing. Besides their spurs the men also wore big felt, or buckskin hats, with the wide leather bands which are also peculiar to stockmen, and many of them leather or goatskin chaparejos, or leggings. The business men wore the ordinary attire observed in any American city ; but it was considered among them that some concession should be made to their newly-made Western friends and patrons in the matter of dress, so they hit upon the happy plan of wearing the wide, heavy leather bands on their ordi nary stiff or soft Eastern hats. To see a promising young physician start out on his professional rounds wearing a derby hat of the latest New York shape, with a thick, embossed leather band two inches wide, and fastened with a big silver buckle around it, is a sight only occasionally afforded to mortals. I did not see any one wearing a silk hat with leather band, though it was gravely stated that Judge Trott wore such an astonishing combination Sundays. So far as we could learn, the Rev. Mr. Cartright, late 356 LIFE OF SITTING BULL of Brooklyn, was the only man in town who still held out against this custom. Indeed, it was not strictly a local idea, as we found the same thing obtained at other towns especially at Chadron and Hay Springs. " Besides the business houses there were, of course, a number of residences scattered about on the prairie near at hand, though, like other Western towns, a much smaller number in proportion than will be found in an Eastern village, owing to the fact that so many of the business men are unmar ried. There was a business-like air about the place, though it was hard to tell exactly what kind of business was going on. Judging from appear ances only any one would have said that the leading industry was the buying and shipping of buffalo bones. Across the railroad track there are great heaps of buffalo, deer, elk and antelope bones, which had been gathered in the surrounding country and brought to town and sold to dealers, who ship ped them to fertilizer factories to be ground up. A half-dozen freight cars were being loaded with them. Among the piles were many magnificent elk antlers and fine specimens of great, broad buffalo skulls, some of them still retaining their black horns. The Antelope Flats were formerly favorite feeding grounds of the buffalo before they were extermina ted by butchers and other hunters. " Near the bone piles, and evidently thankful that it was not in them, was a pet antelope, a young one, AND THE INDIAN WAR, 357 and as beautiful as any gazelle ever dreamed of by poet. Indeed, it gave a poetical touch to the whole town, and toned down the incongruity of the hat bands. It was in a yard in front of a real estate office, and was as tame as possible. The town d0gs seemed to pay no attention to it, reserving their scow r ling looks and unfriendly glances for the many Sioux Indians who loafed about the streets. These Indians were from the Pine Ridge, and are the truants who are now out in the Bad Lands de fying that sanguinary institution known as the Uni ted States Government. Most of them were genuine wiM Indians, slightiy tamed by the use of cigarettes, and with the murderous eyes and cruel mouths of full-fledged cut-throats. However, they were per fectly harmless at that time, and no one aould watch their indolent motions without being impressed with the idea that so long as they were honestly treated and well fed that they would remain harmless, their very laziness under the soothing influence of a full stomach preventing their breaking out. They lounged about all over town, and lent picturesque- ness to the scene. They went a step further than the business men in their costume, and combined elements of the savage, the cowboy, the United States soldier, and the man of fashion. Some of them had succeeded in giving up everything of the savage except the Backskin moccasins, with elk-hide soles -and bright porcupine quill-work on the insteps and toes. The Sioux do not seem to rise to bead- 358 LIFE OF SITTING BULL work like many other tribes of Indians. However dirty or torn an Indian s clothes might be, or un combed his hair, or unwashed his face and hands, there was invariably one thing about his make-up in the clearest and best possible condition namely, his Winchester, fifteen-shot, forty-five calibre rifle. Why he needed a rifle at all, since there was no game to kill, I do not know, but he is certainly find ing- it very handy from his own point of view, now that he has gone out/ They were all very well provided, too, with hardy little ponies, another thing which they find convenient since they rebelled against the great white father. But what struck the observer the most forcibly about a great many of them was their smoking cigarettes. A weak and flimsy paper cigarette seemed as out of place in the mouth of a heartless old savage, who perhaps went through the Minnesota massacre of 1862, and killed his quota of women and children, as did the cowhide band on the silk hat of the brilliant Judge Trott. No one to have seen them would have be lieved that in four years they would be again on the warpath, and once more killing women and children. After observing the cigarettes I looked about expecting to see a young buck come riding in wearing a monocle screwed in one eye. But not withstanding that they were peaceable, we found f throughout the whole country a vague, undefined fear of an Indian outbreak. Little was heard of it in the towns, but among the settlers in the country AND THE INDIAN WAR. 359 it was everywhere. It is safe to say that there was scarcely a settler along the whole reservation, from Niobrara to Chadron, and beyond up into the Black Hills, who did not have at least one modern repeat ing rifle in his house as bright and well-kept as the Indians . There was an uneasy, anxious feeling everywhere. Women and children were seldom left alone in the houses while the men were away very far. The feeling seemed to be much like that which a man would have in a cage of tame lions or tigers there were grave doubts as to the thor oughness of the taming. And with it all, I regret to say, there was a decided lack of confidence in the army, whether well-founded or not I will not pre tend to say. And it seems that the settler s fears were not unreasonable after all, now that the out break has taken place." Although the moment there is a rumor of war, the white people are quick to take alarm and to cry for the army to come and protect them, in the piping times of peace they have, or profess to have, only contempt for their red neighbors. At the Brule (Sioux) Agency at South Dakota, there is a ferry across the Missouri River ; a rowboat manned by a veteran white settler. He has, relates Mr. L. E. Quigg, who "interviewed" him not long ago, one set phrase in which he speaks of the redskin. He always uses it as if it were a single word, thus: "Themdaminjuns !" And as he guides you along un der the shadow of the steep bluffs that overlook the 360 LIFE OF SITTING BULL water everywhere, he entertains you with stones of the noble savage. I use ter think they wern t no virtoo t all in them- daminjuns, an thet th on y way ter make em good CHANGED HIS OPINION, was with a gun. But I ve sorter changed my pinion. Onct in erwhile you kin ketch rale good fellers mongst em. I saved one of em from drownin a couple o weeks ergo, an he was thet grateful he offered me my choice between ten head o ponies an his wife. He said I needn t feel no constraint bout takin em, fer the Guv ment ud give him more ponies and he could make out ter find another wife. They looks at ponies an women in the same way, On y the woman lasts longer an stan s more abuse. " Then they was another good Injun I knowed onct. He was a p leece up ter Crow Creek. The agents makes all ther good Injuns p leecemen an dresses em up in blue coats, with big brass buttons like a regular p leeceman. A wild Injun up the river had murdered another an gone off in the prai ries where the agent couldn t ketch him. So he sent this good Injun fer him an tole him ter be sure an ketch him. He was gone a couple o days an nights an when he come back he had three dead In juns layin acrost his pony. Pinting at one of em, he says to the agent : * You tell me get Lone Eagle. Then he poked at one of the dead with his gun, an give a sorter cheerful grunt. The agent was all RED CLOUD. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 363 struck of a heap. I didn t say to kill nobody ! says he, GET LONE EAGLE, " * Ugh ! says the Injun. * You say get Lone Eagle. I get him. Get three, no carry more/ " More ! says the agent, turning pale. What hev you bin doin anyhow ? "The Injun his name was White Hawk give a grunt, a lurch in his saddle, and fell dead acrost his pony. He was all shot ter pieces, but they went up the valley a stretch, bout a hundred mile er so, an they foun three more Injuns layin in a gulch. He was tole ter ketch Lone Eagle, an he done it. " Thet war a downright good Injun they s no denyin it, but the most em is onery devils. I was pullin a man down here onct, a Wyoming man from ther Big Horn Mountains. He were doin some guv-ment work. S he, You got a fine lot er Injuns down this way. S l, Think so? S he, Yes. S l, Where did you come acrost em ? S he, Over yonder/ S l, thinkin he was one o them In juns Rights folks from Philadelphy, s l : , Air you stuck on Injuns ? S he, Not by a dern sight. S l, Well, wot makes you think they re fine? S he Why, they re the best I ever saw/ S he, They re angels long er the Injuns up our way/ S he, We got jist the goldarndest lot er Injuns in the Big Horn Mount ns they is on earth/ S he, I tuck a a contrac las fall from ther Guv ment ter put up $80,000 wuth of houses fer em, an* you never see 364 LIFE OF SITTING BULL. nicer little houses than the ones I put up for them- daminjuns. They was warm an tight an roofed with shingles better houses than half the white folks in the Territory s got. Well, sir, s he, wot d you s pos them Injuns went an done? They tuck an stuck their teepees longsider my houses, $80.000 wuth, min ye, an when winter sot in they tore down every single solitary house an burnt it up fer kindlin ! They wasn t one of em lef stand- in by New Years. " The ferryman dropped his oars, and laughed till he made the boat bob up and down like a float on a fishing line. "Them Injuns Rights folks," he con- THEM INDIANS RIGHTS FOLKS IN PHILADELPHY. tinued, cutting off a fresh quid of tobacco and stow ing it away in his cheek, " down there to Philadel- phy, means all right, but they don t know. They got ther noshun thet our people is alers robbin the pore Injun, an every time we suggests anything they sets up a howl, thinkin , ecause it comes from us, thet it must be bad. I jist wish they d come out here an stay awhile. They d change their idees bout how ter manage the Injun, almighty quick. I wish they could see wot you re goin ter see to-day. You ve hit on one o ther show-days. I d tell you erbout it, on y I don t wanter spile yer fun. When you come back you won t blame us fer thinkin thet the best Injuns is the dead ones. I don t objeck ter their havin their rights, but ez things is now, they ve got a blame sight more rights n white people. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 365 They s 1,200 of em at thet Agency. It costs $150,- ooo a year ter keep em in food and clothes. The Guv ment pays $4.75 apiece fer blankets ; an ez soon s they gets em they comes right straight over fter Chamberlain an sells em for a dollar. They sells everything they get ponies, clothes* hats, an then lies bout it ter the agent an begs or steals more." " Are they dangerous ? " I asked. That is, are they liable to break out ? " " They re afeared. They s the wust cowards you ever see. One night White Ghost come down ther river ter Chamberlain an went ter see a man wot was shippin cattle acrost the Reservation. The cattle had been eatin prairie grass along ther trail, an he wanted money fer it. He said ef he didn t git ther money, he d send his young men an take ther cattle. " Hev you many wagons to your camp, Injun ? "says the rancher. " Heap wagon, heap pony, heap gun/ says White Ghost. " You ll need em all, Injun, says the rancher. Ef you come around botherin my cattle, be sure ter fetch yer wagons erlong. " How ? said White Ghost, meanin * wot fer ? " Ter cart oft the bodies of yer young men, In jun/ says the rancher. " White Ghost tuck one o* them quick looks, an , s he, Who speaks?" 366 LIFE OF SITTING BULL 11 Me ! says the rancher. I m a big warrior, Injun. My name s Big Gun Thet Allers Kills, an I fit in the war of ther Rebellion. Hev you heerd bout that war, Injun ? " White Ghost grunted, an* the rancher says, s he, Well, I was there, Injun/ s he, an I killed 926 men in one day. " White Ghost humped his shoulders, drored his blanket all aroun him, and says, s he, Ugh ! s he, an he made a break fer the door. They wasn t no harm come to them cattle ! " CHAPTER XXVIL RED CLOUD, A LEADER OF THE HOSTILE INDIANS His TREACHEROUS NATURE Ro- M ANTIC STORY OF His EARLY YEARS A MISSION TEACHER S AC COUNT OF HIM His DECEITFUL WORDS TO A VISITOR, AND His LETTER TO A FRIEND, One of the most famous and most hostile of the Sioux chiefs is Red Cloud. He has for many years been among the most influential men in the whole nation, and his influence has invariably been bad. He has visited the East and talked with the Presi dent at Washington. More than most of his com rades he realizes the power of the Government and the impossibility of successfully resisting it. Yet he has been a most persistent instigator of outbreaks and massacres, and has played a leading part in the troubles of 1890-91. The insurrections of 1882 and 1884 were due entirely to him. At the same time he has managed to keep a pret ty good reputation. He is crafty, versatile, and able to assume an air of the most sanctimonious devout- ness, even while he is plotting deviltry. His bland and suave manners won him many friends at Wash- 367 368 LIFE OF SITTING BULL kigton, and he has generally been regarded as a "good" Indian, loyal and peace-loving. And whenever he has fomented an outbreak, he has taken care to keep in the background, and let some one else catch the blame. Says a young lady who was brought up at one of the Sioux agencies : " Red Cloud, Spotted Tail, Man- Afraid of His Horses and many others have held me on their knees while the great talks with my father trans pired. All would with grave silence sit and smoke, the tomahawk pipe being handed from one to the other, without the utterance of a word, for perhaps an hour. Then a short harangue, a hand-shake all around, a pat on my curly head, regards to Capin s squaw, (my mother), and they stalked solemnly away. Old Spotted Tail had named me Spuss-Kerriwe (Curly Head^), and Spusskerriwe I have remained with them to this day. I have little doubt that Red Cloud would, if occasion offered, as cheerfully take a scalp from Spusskerriwe s head as of old he pat ted it while I sat on his knees. At least, I do not feel any curiosity to prove or disprove the proposi tion." A sister of Red Cloud lives at Chattanooga, Tenn., and she tells this story of his earlier career : When but three years old he was stolen from his parents, who then resided in Wisconsin on an Indi an reservation in the northern part of the State, and all track of him was lost for eighteen years, when he was found among the red men, having been brought AND THE INDIAN WAR. 369 up by them. He had forgotten his own name, but remembered that of his father and his dogs, and his identification was complete. He remained with his family a few weeks, speaking English imperfectly, but French fluently. But all his sympathies were with his adopted tribe, and he rejoined the Sioux to the grief of his parents, and brothers and sisters, and has since then been to all intents and purposes a semi-savage. Miss Sickels, a prominent mission teacher, among the Sioux has known Red Cloud well for years, and this is her account of him : " Across from the boarding-school of the Pine Ridge Agency, on the opposite ridge, separated by the hollow of the creek, is a two-story frame house, surrounded by some desolate-looking tepees, a few log buildings and sweat-houses. Wagons and wood- RED CLOUD S HOUSE. piles complete the settlement. This is Red Cloud s camp, and the largest house is his residence the only two-story dwelling at the agency. It was built for Red Cloud to distinguish him from the others of his band. An interview with the old man would fur nish the information that he was the leader of his people and always wanted them to do good ways. He always wanted to work for the schools and for farms and for the Great father. He did not want his people to have any trouble. He had stopped the ghost-dance among the-m. They had been hungry, but he hoped everything would be all right now. He 370 LIFE OF SITTING BULL wanted his people to do good ways. He might vary it a little, but this is about what he would say to you, slowly and in a solemn and impressive manner. "For confirmation of this, see the reports in the newspapers. They are really a correct statement of the interviews. This is Red Cloud s formula for interviews. It is a good idea to believe people INTER10K 0* K.ED CLOUD S HOUSE. when you can but sometimes confidence is ex tremely hazardous, and Red Cloud s deeds and words remind one of what the man said about his new dictionary when he had tried to read it : * Very interesting, but somehow it didn t seem to hang to gether. But though the deeds and words do not seem to hang together, like the dictionary, there is a purpose running through, which may be traced by AND THE INDIAN WAR. 371 those initiated and familiar with the plan. The old man seems to have threaded himself in and out among all of the plots and disturbances of which I have been able to learn anything. I do not have to mention his name nor ask any leading questions. It is only necessary to take the part of listener to the casual conversations going on around me. I know from personal experience that the trouble of 1 88 1 and 1884 was instigated solely by him in his opposition to the efforts made for progress. The threatened outbreak of 1884 had its origin in his cry of fraud the teachers were getting the children into the school and making them work so as to get money out of them/ When he could not get the support of the Sioux, most of whom despise him, he tried to involve the Cheyennes. When the agent with drew the rations and the Cheyennes decided to give their support to the school, he wrote to his Eastern sympathizers that he was the leader of his people and the agent was defrauding them out of their rations/ "This, with little variation, is the real inside his tory of most of the trouble there has ever been at Pine Ridge Agency, and there must be some special reason why it is now, in January, 1891, the centre of hostilities. There is often a great discrepancy between the true inwardness of a thing and its outward appearance. " Having had experience and personal knowledge of Red Cloud, I watched closely to see what connec tion he may have had with this present affair. 372 LIP F SITTING B ULL " In Washington I met a soldier from Fort Wash- akie, who told me that some half breeds of the name of Genneiss had been there among the ghost-dan cers this Summer, and that there was fear of an outbreak at that place. This was significant, for the reason that the Genneisses are among the most active of Red Cloud s missionaries. RED CLOUD A MISCHIEF-MAKER. " On the train eoming from Chicago I met Judge Morris, a former acquaintance, who told me that a year or two ago the Indians had come down to Chadron from Pine Ridge to celebrate the Fourth of July with an Omaha dance. In the procession, composed of Indians and settlers, that accompanied the performance, Red Cloud insisted upon riding in the carriage that preceded the Mayor and other dig nitaries. He was so threatening in his manner when they hesitated that they yielded to his demands, 1 fearing an outbreak. He made a speech, saying that the land belonged to him and his people, and the time would come when they would get it back. He has a secretary/ and uses his assumed power among the Indians to intimidate the whites and vice versa. "When I reached the agency they told me that Jack Red Cloud had been the leader in the ghost- dances and in the attack that led to the appeal for troops ; but that now he had reformed and was an active scout, working for the Government. I discovered that by a strange coincidence the reports AND THE INDIAN WAR. 373 that he brought were not borne out by facts. Red Cloud beeame very pious and solicitous for the wel fare of his people/ frequenting the office con-stant- ly. An officer told me that he said, Why do you discuss the plans so freely before Red Cloud? He received the answer : He doesn t know what I say: but glancing suddenly at the old rascal s face, I could see by the twinkle in his eye that he had un derstood. " On the reservation the seat of the greatest trouble proved to be at Wounded Knee. Here near ly every one was a relative of Red Cloud. Teachers told me that when they taught at that camp they felt that they were in danger most of the, and time had constant annoyances ; but when they taught at Little Wound s camp they felt the protection of Lit tle Wound s influence. When I went to see Little Wound he told me that Red Cloud had been getting the people into bad ways, and when folks found it out he did not want to be blamed for it, so he said it was Little Wound who had done it. This is prob ably the truth, and will be readily believed by all who are acquainted with the two men. " Two ladies from a neighboring settlement spent the day at the agency. I was busily writing in the room where they sat, discussing the times. As seemed to be inevitable in all of the accounts, the name of Red Cloud was brought in. One was say ing : A half-breed stopped at my house yesterday afternoon. He said something about Red Cloud 374 LIFE OF SITTING BULL that I could not make out ; but I caught the words, 1 people agency sleep then Red Cloud and he grinned and drew his fingers across his throat. Major Sword and Captain Fast Horse, the progres sive leaders of the Indian police force, came to see me. During the interview they told me that Red Cloud always tried to work against having good ways for the people, and would do different from what the other Indians wanted him to do, and he made trouble for them. At the same time this consummate red rascal would talk in the most guileless and innocent man ner. To a visitor in the latter part of November, 1890, he said that the soldiers had come again to burn his house, which is a good two-story frame building, the same as Crook did fifteen years ago at the old Red Cloud Agency ; that he did not want to fight, but would if pressed. On entering the camp the first thing noticeable was the fact that there were nearly 400 war ponies in his large corral, being fed and kept ready for instant use instead of being turned out to graze. On being asked why he did not turn the ponies out, he replied, that he was afraid the soldiers would steal them ! Then he sat down and wrote as follows to a white gentleman at Omaha, who was interested in him, and had written to him about the troubles : " My friend, your letter of November iQth, is just received, and in reply would say that the soldiers are here, but I don t know what they are here for. I have spoken to my AND THE INDIAN WAR. 375 people and told them I don t want to have any trou ble with the soldiers and white people living near here. About fifteen years ago General Crook burnt my house near where Fort Robinson now is, then I was willing to fight. It looks the same way now, but I don t want to have any trouble with the sol diers or white people, and will not fight unless I have to. I am too old now to make war against the whites, and my white friends here have advised me against war, and I shall take their advice. My mind is too weak to say a great deal. We have a great many schools out in the different camps, and if we go to war what will become of our schools and children? He also wrote to a gentleman in New York, laying the blame for all the trouble entirely upon the whites. His Indians, he said, had been engaged in the ghost-dance, but it would soon have died out but for the War Department s action. One morning the Indians awoke to find the agency sur rounded by soldiers. Many of the braves ran away but were followed by soldiers. The troops, Red Cloud, said, committed many depredations on the Indians at Rosebud Agency, and pillaged their vil lages. The braves lost their possessions and many of them the accumulations of years. "I cannot imagine what all this was done for," wrote Red Cloud, " as my people had done nothing to create any alarm among the whites. My heart is sad, but I still have a little hope for my people." CHAPTER XXVIII. THE LEADERS OF THE SIOUX, LITTLE WOUND AND His LIEUTENANTS YELLOW BEAR YOUNG-MAN* AFRAID-OF-HIS HORSES OTTI, THE SHOSHONE HIGH BEAR AMERI CAN HORSE JOHN GRASS, THE INDIAN JUDGE ^GALL, THE GREATEST OF THE Sioux WARRIORS AND GENERALS SPOTTED TAIL S ELOQUENT SPEECH. Orue of the foremost chiefs in the recent troubles was Little Wound, who had for his lieutenants Bro ken Arm, Yellow Bear, and Yellow Hair. Little Wound is about 55 years old, a fine looking man, six feet tall, straight as an arrow, a most daring warrior, brave and straight forward himself, and ap preciative of those qualities in others. He has al ways been on the side of peace and order and has been a leader of the most progressive and industri ous Indians. His children were the best scholars in the agency school and his followers dwelt in neat cabins and cultivated fine gardens. He often spoke to the school children and to other Indians, urg ing them to learn how to work and how " to make good things like what the white man has." In the threatened outbreak in 1884 he was the chief actor 376 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 377 in defending the whites and restraining the Indians from hostility. GOOD REASONS FOR THE REBELLION OF 1 890. When Little Wound joined the disaffected Indians in T 890, the event was regarded as most significant. It was known that he would not adopt such a course except under the strongest possible provocation, and it was felt that his conduct made the situation most serious. All possible efforts were made to pacify him and win him back. Foremost among those who made such an appeal to him was Miss E. C. Sickels, the teacher whose school the chief s children had attended. Moreover when the notorious Red Cloud had some years before attempted to murder Miss Sickels and her companions, Little Wound interfered and saved her life. When Miss Sickels asked him why he had rebelled, he replied that he was very sorry and reluctant to do so, for he had been a good friend to white men all his life. But now his people were hungry. They did not get more money when the land was gone. They get 1,000,000 pounds less beef and the crops had not been good. He would like to have his men have farms and have their own houses and keep them and stay in their own homes. He was a church man (Episcopalian) and tried to do good for his people. But now they were hungry and sick. Bad men were stealing his property. He had heard about the Indian Messiah and the Ghost Dance, and wanted to see if it was true and if this new religion would help the Indians. LIFE OF SITTING BULL To another visitor Little Wound said that he had given up hope of any good in this world. He did not expect that the Indian Messiah would help his people in this life but, he said, "it will be better for us when we go to the Spirit Land." " What do yen think," he was asked, "the Indian should do to bet ter his condition?" "The only way," said Little Wound, "he can get anything is by work, but he can t get any money by working because there is no one here who has money to pay for work. If things keep oh as they are now my people will all starve to death, they will all die paupers." He added that he would stop the Ghost Dances among his followers whenever General Miles or the agent said so ; and he kept his word. Yellow Bear said : "All white men think we are all bad." But he used his influence also to aid his chief, Little Wound, in restraining the Indians from hostility and in checking the Ghost Dances. Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses is one of the ablest of the Sioux chiefs, and he too has generally been friendly to the white men and progressive. His name really means not that he is afraid of his horses but that he is careful of them, afraid, that is, of their being hurt or stolen. Otti, chief of the Shoshones, is a man of great importance among the Indians. He is wise in coun cil, and his advice is always considered good by the Indians. He has always been slow to break peace with the white men, but once on the war-path has CHIEF JOHN GRASS. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 381 been one of the most dangerous of all his tribe. He is more than 70 years old, but looks and acts like a man of 50. His following, however, does not include more than 500 warriors. High Bear, chief of the Ogallallas, comes from the Wood Mountain country in the far north. He is about 50 years and is a most dangerous enemy. American Horse is a pretty mean Indian, greatly resembling his friend Red Cloud. He has been well described as a coward, a liar, a braggart, am bitious and deceitful both to the reds and the whites. His band is a small one, numbering only 15 lodges. But he has always tried to make the Indians believe that he was backed up by the agent and the troops, and he has tried to make the agent believe that he had the whole Indian race at his back. JOHN GRASS AN INTELLECTUAL GIANT, A couple of years ago the Hon. Charles Foster, chairnan of the Sioux Commission said : " At Stand ing Rock, we met a man whose strong sense would be conceded anywhere, and who struck me as an in tellectual giant in comparison with other Indians. He is known to the white men as John Grass and to the Indians as Charging Bear, and by reason of his superior mind is the most prominent on the reserva tion. He could not be the leader he is, however, were he not known also to be brave. His speech in answer to the proposition we submitted to his tribe for a possession of part of their territory was by far the ablest we heard, by any chief of any 382 LIFE OF SITTING BULL. following at all, addressed to us. His speech shows that he understood the treaties and acts of Congress with a regard to detail beyond the grasp of most In dians." This chief is the presiding judge of the Court of Indian offenses, being himself head chief of the Black Feet Sioux. There are few Indians now living who have done more than he for the best in terests of their race. CHIEF GALL, COMMANDER OF THE CUSTER MASSACRE, A friend of John Grass and associate Judge of his Court, is Chief Gall, the head of the Unk-pa-pa Sioux and leader of the progressive element in that band. Years ago he was a friend and comrade of Sitting Bull, but after the Custer massacre on the Little Big Horn, there was a bitter rivalry between them. Gall was the actual commander of the Indians in the field at that battle, Sitting Bull remaining in his tent, " making medicine," and conducting the outlandish incantations that were supposed to con trol the fortunes of the day. After the battle Gall wanted to make peace with the whites and in this desire he was supported by most of the leading war riors. Sitting Bull on the contrary was for holding out and retreating into Canada, and in this he was supported by nearly all the medicine* men. These opposing policies split the band into two factions, and the result was that Gall, with Crow King and many other of the ablest fighting men surrendered long before Sitting Bull did. Indeed it was their secession that forced Sitting Bull into subjection. LIFE OF SITTING BULL 383 Gall is an uncommonly brave man and is a General as well as a soldier. His ability to handle effectively a large force of Indians in the field is acknowledged by all military authorities who know him. He has always retained his native dignity and in all his ne gotiations, has acted with the utmost courtesy and decorum. He is a man of unquestioned honesty. His love for his people is sincere. He has never masqueraded as a patriot merely to serve selfish ends. The sentiments of the progressive element among the Indians toward the whites and toward civiliza tion was eloquently expressed by the famous Sioux chief, Spotted Tail, now dead, in his address to a Government Commission in 1877. He said : " My friends, your people have both intellect and heart ; you use these to consider in what way you can do the best to live. My people, who are here before you, are precisely the same. I see that my friends before me are men of age and dignity, and men of that kind have good judgment, and consider well what they do. I infer from that, that you are here to consider what shall be good for my people for a long time to come. I think each of you has selected somewhere a good piece of land for himself with the intention to live on it, that he may there raise his children. My people are not different. We also live upon the earth and upon things that come to them from above. We have the same thoughts and desires in that respect that the white 384 AND THE INDIAN WAR. people have. This is the country where they were born, where they have acquired all their property, their children and their horses. You have come here to buy this country of us ; and it would be well if you would come with the goods you propose to give us, and to put them out of your hand so we can see the good price you propose to pay for it Then our hearts would be glad. My friends when you go back to the Great Father, I want you to tell him to send us goods ; send us yokes and oxen, and give us wagons so we can earn money by hauling goods from the railroads. This seems to be a very hard day ; half of our country is at war, and we have come upon very difficult times. This war did not spring up here in our land. It was brought upon us by the children of the Great Father, who came to take our land from us without price, and who do a great many evil things, the Great Father and his children are to blame for this trouble. We have here a storehouse to hold our provisions, but the Great Father sends us very little provisions to put into our storehouse, and when our people be come displeased with our provisions and have gone north to hunt, the children of the Great Father are fighting them. It has been our wish to live here peaceably, but the Great Father has filled it with soldiers who think only of our death. Some of our people who have gone from here in order that they may have a change, and others who have gone north to hunt, have been attacked by the soldiers from LJFB OP SITTING BULL. 385 Other directions ; and now, when they are willing to come back, the soldiers stand between them and keep them from coming home. It seems to me there is a better way than this. When people come to trouble it is better for both parties to come to gether without arms, talk it over, and find some peaceful way to settle. 1 CHAPTER XXIX. THE BEGINNING OF WAR. DAKOTA SETTLERS PANIC STRICKEN GENERAL MILES ON THE SITUA TIONPINE RIDGE REGARDED AS THE P^ATAL POINT ROSEBUD INDIANS BREAK LOOSE TROOPS HURRIED TO THE SCENE A COAL MINE FOR A FORT A NIGHT S ALARM A MUCH-SCARED SAD DLER GOVERNOR MELLETTE S LETTER. About the middle of November, 1890, it became evident to everybody that there was serious trouble ahead. The Indians had massed themselves to gether in a menacing attitude, and threatened vio lence unless their wrongs were redressed. The au thorities did not deny the existence of the wrongs, but demanded the entire submission of the Indians as an indispensable preliminary to any discussion of the matter. As for the settlers in the Dakotas and elsewhere near the reservations, they became abjectly panic-stricken. They huddled together in mass-meetings and clamored wildly for protection, for arms, for troops, for cannon, for the whole mili tary strength of the nation. They looked for a rep etition of the horrors of the first Sioux war, and were alarmed beyond description. At Mandan, North Dakota, the panic reached its height. It was 386 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 387 rumored that the Indians were about to sack and burn the town and massacre the inhabitants. Set tlers from all about moved in to the city for shelter, and the people of the city held mass-meetings, and asked for arms and ammunition. Resolutions were adopted calling on the President and Secretary of War to protect them. All sorts of stones were afloat, and all found ready credence. One evening, it was said, two Indians at Mandan went into a hard ware store and called for ammunition, The store keeper asked what they wanted it for, and they said to shoot white men, and they drew imaginary scalp- ing-knives around their heads. A settler named Ardrom came from ten miles out of town and stated that six Indians camped near his place that morn ing. He told them to be careful of fire. They told him to mind his own business, and ominously tapped their guns, showed their ammunition, and drew their fingers about the tops of their heads. At Bismarck, too, a reign of terror prevailed, and peo ple gravely talked of the probability of that city be ing destroyed by the Sioux. MILITARY PRECAUTIONS. Gen. Ruger, at St. Paul, and Gen. Miles, at Chi cago, were watchful, but did not share in the panic of the people. Orders were issued for the troops at Fort Yates and Fort Lincoln to keep in readiness for marching at short notice. The seven companies at Cheyenne, Wyoming, received similar orders, and so did those at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. Gen, 388 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Miles regarded Pine Ridge as the most threatened point. On November i8th four companies of in fantry were started from Omaha for Pine Ridge, and troops were also ordered thither from Fort Mc- Kiriney, Fort Robinson, and Fort Niobrara. Gen. Miles now spoke out plainly and admitted that the Indians had got beyond control of the agents. " Discontent," he said, " has been growing among them for six months. The causes are numerous. First was the total failure of their crops this year. A good many of them put in crops and worked in dustriously, and were greatly discouraged when they failed, as they did utterly in some districts. Then the Government cut down their rations, and the Appropriation Bill was passed so late that what supplies they received came unusually late. A good many of them have been on the verge of starvation. They have seen the whites suffering, too, and in many cases abandoning their farms." The alarm at Mandan began, after a few days, to subside. Army officers laughed it out of existence. One of them said that the place was no more in danger than was St. Paul. " The Indians located nearest to Mandan are about thirty-five miles away on the Cannon Ball River. They are thrifty, indus trious, peaceable people who have taken up claims built huts and houses, own cattle, ponies, and wagons, and are in good circumstances. They are Christianized Indians, having no faith in aborigina superstitions and disliking this new Messiah craze AND THE INDIAN WAR. 389 for they say that it interferes with the progress of the people. I found that there was nothing having the appearance of war or indicative of war in this Messianic belief. The Indians say that the whites are to be destroyed, but by the Christ alone and without aid from the red men." At Yankton, also, people kept their confidence. At Pierre there was no panic. At Jamestown some anxiety was felt. But troops continued to press on to Pine Ridge, sure that there the trouble would be most serious. On November igth there were rumors of fighting, which were not, however, confirmed. Rushville was thronged with refugees from Pine Ridge, both whites and Indians. Gen. Brooke left Omaha for the Pine Ridge agency. Gen. Miles hoped to be able to cope with the hostile Indians. "The dis- LOCATION AND NUMBER OF HOSTILES. affected camps, scattered over several hundred miles of territory," he said, "aggregate in round numbers 6,000 warriors. The troops scattered over this extensive territory number about 6,000, and not more than 1,500 of this number are effective mounted troops." From Pine Ridge came this message on Novem ber 20th: "The dancing Indians have the agency and the surrounding country in a state of terror. The ghost dances under the lead of Little Wound, Six Feathers, and other chiefs are still going on at Wounded Knee Creek, White Clay, and Medicine Root. There are 600 of the painted redskins 390 LIFE OF SITTING BULL dancing this afternoon at White Clay, ten miles out from the agency, and they have their guns strapped to their backs as they dance. " This morning a large band of Indians left Rose bud Agency and headed this way. It is within the bounds of possibility that the dancing Indians may consolidate their forces at Wounded Knee, and in that case a fight may be expected at any moment. Medicine Root, the furthest point from the agency where the dancing is going on, is thirty miles away, Wounded Knee is fifteen, and Porcupine twenty- five. " Gen. Brooke, who is in command of the troops which arrived this morning, held a long consultation during the forenoon with Indian Agent Royer and Special Indian Agent Cooper. It is probable that with the force at hand no attempt will be made to stop the dancing at present. Both the Indian agents said at the conclusion of the interview that the situation was certainly grave. They confirmed the reports of armed Indians dancing at different points, and said that parties of them were probably moving about the reservation. Several days will be passed by the troops and agents in making a study of all the phases of the excitement, but until troops are here in greater force the reds will not be mo lested. "The Indians at all the four points mentioned are dancing and telling stories of having seen ancf talked with the Messiah. AND 7 HE INDIAN WAR. 391 "The wives and children of all the traders and other whites about the agency have left for the safer points along the railroad, and the men here are prepared for the worst. "Three companies of the Ninth Cavalry (colored) from Fort Robinson and five companies of infantry from Omaha marched in this morning and camped. Special Indian Agent Cooper, who has been among the Cheyennes pacifying them, came in yesterday and is working in co-operation with Agent Royer. The troops are under command of Gen. Brooke, who arrived with them this morning. Several more companies are expected to-night or to-morrow from Fort Niobrara, Fort Meade, and Fort McKinney. With their help it is thought that the Indians can be held in check and controlled. They have been beyond all restraint for some time since. The ghost dance craze has driven No Water, Little Wound, and Six Feathers so far that they have openly defied the agent and the Indian police. A PANIC AND ALMOST A MASSACRE. " When the Indians came in last week (Wednes day) to draw their rations of beef the agency people were thoroughly alarmed. The authority of the Indian police was entirely ignored. Little Wound used so many threats and grew so troublesome that Thunder Bear and one or two of the police took him in charge and started with him for the guard house. An uprising of the ghost-dancing Indians was narrowly avoided. Knives were drawn and the OF SITTING BULL disaffected reds began to call to each other to set fire to the building, as the whites were in their power. Little Wound was surrounded and rescued by his friends. " Within the last two weeks the agent and a posse of police were compelled to leave the vicinity of the ghost dance at the point of a lot of Winchester rifles in- the hands of No Water and Little Wound s men. What effect the arrival of the soldiers will have on the Indians cannot be told. When the news that they were coming reached the agency some one informed the boys and girls in the Indian school, and almost created a stampede. The Indian children are afraid of troops, and it was only with the greatest difficulty that many of them could be prevented from leaving the building and bolting to the various camps of their friends and relatives." Rumors went out that the Two Kettle Sioux were joining the hostiles, and Capt. Norville hurried to their settlement on Bad River to see about it. They positively denied to him that they were dis loyal. Crow Eagle and Hump Rib, the two head men of the band, told the Captain that emissaries had visited them from the Cherry Creek Indians, and one evening, while they were having a pleasant little dance, one of Big Foot s men came and ad dressed them and told them about the new Christ, and how he was going to lead the Indians to happi ness and destroy the whites. He said they knew this was going to happen, and urged them to come AND THE INDIAN WAR. 393 over to the Cheyenne River and join with them in their ghost dances, but they told him they would not not go, and neither had they been there. They told the Captain they wished he would have it said in the Pierre papers that they were not going to join the new Messiah craze. Further, they stated that within the past few days several of the hostiles had appeared among them, making threats that if they did not join them enough force would be sent against them to at once massacre the Two Kettle tribe without warning. These Indians stood in great fear of the hostiles, and said they were going into hiding immediately, until the Great Father sent his soldiers to protect them. The Captain also learned that White Buffalo, a son of Sitting Bull, who was with the Two Kettle band, had recently had his star taken from him because he would not make the arrest of an Indian Messiah agent, who was an old bosom friend of his. He sent word to his father, stating that he was under arrest because he was a son of Sitting Bull. A COAL MINE AS A FORT. A curious feature at this stage of the troubles was reported from Mandan. The people of that place were so fearful of attack that they fitted up a big coal mine as a place of retreat. They stocked it with provisions and ammunition, and for many days were ready to flee into its impregnable re cesses at the first onset of the dreaded Sioux Late in the evening of November 23^, the Pine 394 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Ridge Agency had a taste of an Indian scare. While a party of gentlemen were talking with Agent Royer, in front of his house, they were startled by a weird, unearthly howl from away across the creek, where Jack Red Cloud s men were encamped. It was a loud, piercing cry that sounded like the last long howl of a drunken cowboy. Then it was taken up and answered from two or three points along the hills to the north. That was enough. The Indian police asleep in the office were routed out in breathless haste. Hatless and bootless they darted out and hurried off into the hollow of the creek in the direction of the yelling. Every white man in the agency who was awake heard the yells with a shiver. Others who were not awake were routed from their beds and, loading themselves with pistols and shot-guns, hurried toward the agency buildings. The yelling was echoed back and forth through the Indian camp for five or ten minutes, then stopped as suddenly as it began. In a few minutes the police came in with a Sioux in white man s clothes, but whether he had been doing the howling could not be determined. The scare plainly showed the intense strain upon the people there. It was only a little scare, but it plainly showed that the slightest possible row or shooting scrape of any kind might lead to a fight. SAW THE MESSIAH. At Standing Rock Agency, Mr. Stewart, the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 395 agency saddler, while out buggy riding visited the Indian camp, four miles from town, and saw the In dians perform the Messiah dance. The Indians were all nearly naked and painted hideously. They gathered around Stewart, who was badly frightened at their threats. One Indian pointed toward the blazing sun, shaking Stewart with the other hand and saying : " See 1 See ! There he is now. The Indian Messiah is coming now. See ! See !" Stew art was compelled to look at the sun, and when he acknowledged he saw the Messiah the Indians seemed greatly pleased. Stewart was then released, and returned to the agency as fast as his horses would bring him. o Two Indian scouts were sent from Fort Yates to Sitting Bull s camp to see the state of affairs in that direction. Being known to Bull as military scouts, they were at once suspected as spies and were treated harshly by Bull and others, Bull asked them their business out there. They said they were after two deserters from the post, which, of course, Bull knew to be untrue. Bull told them he under stood there were 2,000 soldiers coming to take him and his property. "But," said he, "I have runners coming and going every day, and know everything that is going on there, and as soon as these soldiers come I will take my family and ponies and those that will follow me and leave here, and they will not get me. Continuing, he said to the scouts: 396 LIFE OF SITTING BULL " You see we have abandoned the white men s houses and are living in our native tepees, and will not return to the houses nor to the agency." The supposition was that if Bull heard of any serious trouble at the lower agency, or if the mili tary attempted to take him, he would at once break camp on the Grand River and join the hostiles at the lower agencies, thereby declaring war against the Government. BulPs son-in-law, when ques tioned as to whether or not. Bull was coming in, said : " No ; he is never coming until the military overpower htm and make him." The view taken of the situation at this time by Governor Mellette, of South Dakota, may be seen from the following letter which he sent on Novem ber 26th to Gen. Miles: " Scotty Phillips, who has a thousand head of cattle and lives at the mouth of the Grand Stone Butte Creek, eighty miles up Bad River, with an Indian family, and Waldron, the cattleman, seven miles this side of Phillips, left their places at 2 r. M. yesterday to bring me intelligence. Phillips is a very cool, courageous man, was a good scout through the Sioux trouble of 1875-76, and Cheyenne troubles of 1879. He is a reliable man of nerve, good judgment, and good character. He reports that he was never afraid of Indians before, and thinks there will be an uprising very soon, and bases his belief as follows : Eight days ago five lodges, containing twelve bucks, armed with Winchesters and laden YOUNG-M AN-AFR AID-OF- HIS-HORSES. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 399 with ammunition, camped at his house going from Rosebud to a large camp which is formed on White River, at the mouth of Pass Creek. He talked with them an hour. They were surly and defiant in manner ; one said he had seen the time when he used to beat out the brains of children and drink women s blood, and that the time was coming when they would do it again. He said Phillips was raising horses for Indians to ride ; that the country was just as good now as in buffalo time, as there were plenty of cattle in it. Phillips knew these Indians well, Yellow Thigh being their leader. "White Field, a settler at Mouth Pass Creek on White River, had his house broken open by the Indians and all his horses and goods stolen about ten days ago. Phillips in the last few days has had twenty cattle killed by the Indians and Waldron seven that they know of. Three half-breeds from White River stopped at Phillips house night before last and said they expected to find the settlements destroyed when they got home. The threats are against the half-breeds and all Indians who won t join the ghost dance. Phillips says everybody who has been among the Indians any length of time, without exception, says that there is going to be an uprising, and that very quick. The Pass Creek dance has been running for a month. Phillips and Waldron say it is Short Bull s headquarters, and they think it is a point fixed for concentration for all the bands. They think there are now 1,000 lodges 400 LIFE OF SITTING BULL and 1,500 warriors there. Indians claim they won t give up Short Bull and will fight when the soldiers try to arrest them. They say as soon as the fight begins a hailstorm will kill the white soldiers. The Indians say they have shirts that are bullet proof. " I know Phillips well, and would take his judg ment on the situation in preference to anybody I know. If you deem this information of any impor tance I can send a messenger to further investigate. I urgently request, however, that you establish a post at Chamberlain and at Forest City. Both points are reached by rail. I have requested the Secretary of War, and again make the application through you, for 1,000 guns and ammunition to be shipped to me at Huron." CHAPTER XXX. FROM BAD TO WORSE. AN OMINOUS THANKSGIVING SCENES AT AN ISSUING OF BEEF "BUF FALO BILL" PLENTY BEAR S REPORT MEDICINE THAT WAS NOT BULLET PROOF AN ERA OF UNCERTAINTY AND LIES Two DEEDS DETERMINED UPON. HUNTING DOWN GAME. Thanksgiving Day at Pine Ridge was celebrated by an issue of beef to about 2,600 of the Indians assembled there. It was little more than the abo riginal idea of hunting down game and slaughtering it, with the single exception that the game came out of a corral and was furnished by the Govern ment. Ninety-three scrawny steers had been gath ered at the beef corral about two miles out in an open prairie to the east of the agency building. About the little office and gate at 9 o clock there assembled a motley crowd of interested Indians and half-breeds, and a smaller crowd of white men who came to see the sights. About one in every three Indians carried a rifle of some kind. At the call of a dilapidated redskin, who holds the exalted position of royal haranguer for the Pine 401 402 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Ridge Agency, they fell into lines stretching away from the gate of the cattle-pen. The Indians were arranged in bands of thirty, represented by the name of the head man on the books of the agency clerks. One clerk called this head man s name, the haranguer shouted it out to the crowd, and a weaz ened steer was allowed to pass the gate. All the men who belonged to that particular band put spurs, whip, and lariat to their ponies and started them out upon the open prairie. They were all lean enough to run well, and for an hour the whole plain was covered with frightened steers and yelling In dians. As soon as the steers ran out of the pen they demonstrated that they were as fleet as the In dian ponies. In almost every instance it was a long chase. Attempts to lasso the cattle generally failed, and a regular fusilade followed. Several Indians have been killed heretofore by this firing, yet the only rule is that no shooting must be done within half a mile of the corral. Once outside that limit the steers were shot down as soon as the ponies placed their riders in a position to get in a shot. The clanger to the Indians and the picturesque- ness of the scene were enhanced by the squaws and wagoners. When the first steer dropped a portion of these people who had collected back of the horse men near the pen started for the carcass. Another party bolted out upon the prairie at the fall of every succeding animal. They were soon in the midst of the melee, and the maddened steers and excited AND THE INDIAN WAR. 403 horses ran about among the little knots of hungry women and children who had gathered to the bloody feast, too anxious for the tidbits to await the close of the hunt. When the last steer was down the first and many others were upon their way to ward the Indians stomachs. AN INDIAN FEAST. Men and women fell upon the jerking and quiv ering bodies of the overheated animals, and before the hide was half off the eating had begun. There was no cooking. As quick as the knife exposed the liver and the choice portions of the entrails, which are dear to the Sioux epicure, they were cut out, and the butchers and their waiting children be gan the feast. A drive across the prairie was enough to send a qualm through the stomach of the tough est white man who saw the feast for the first time. The eating of the "fifth quarter," as the Indians call the viscera, and the use of the hide of the animal to prevent the meat from getting into the prairie sand, were too disgusting to permit of a calm observation. Each one of these scrawny animals was portioned off for the heads of families who made up the band of thirty Indians to whom one steer was allotted to last them for two weeks. Even when it it is con sidered that little more than the bare horns, hide, and hoofs escape the Indian s stomach, the supply was scant, indeed. The show was, for a few mo ments, wild and exciting, and then it changed to a most disgusting spectacle. 404 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Tht only reason given for not slaughtering the steers decently and serving the meat from the block is that the Indians want the hides. One of them is worth at the traders store about $2 or $2.50. All the rest of the animal that the Indian eats could be given to him decently and in order. Serving the meat from the block was tried once. There was no appropriation to pay for butchering. The hides were used for that purpose, and then a howl went up. Instead of paying the butcher, the Department of Indian Affairs ruled that the hides belonged to the red man, and the old system was resumed. At the same time four cannons were planted in a commanding position, and 1,200 soldiers were en camped close by the agency. The agent declared that 4,000 hostile Indians from the Rosebud Agency were approaching. BUFFALO BILL. On November 2;th Col. Cody, "Buffalo Bill," arrived at Bismarck from New York, accompanied by his old partner, Frank Powell, known as " White Beaver," and R. H. Haslan, known as " Pony Bob," who once rode 108 miles in eight hours and ten minutes. Special conveyances were engaged to take the party to Standing Rock Agency. Buffalo Bill had a commission from Gen. Miles to go direct to Sitting Bull s camp on Grand River to get at the bottom of the Messiah craze, with almost unlimited authority to act. This was Buffalo Bill s first visit to that section since the Custer massacre. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 405 And now matters hastened toward a crisis. The Rosebud Indians, under Chief Two Strike, united with Short Bull s band, also from Rosebud, and made all preparations for wan They made " medi cine " to render themselves bullet-proof, and put on their war-paint. Chief Little Wound went to the agency and reported that his endeavors to pacify and restrain his followers had been unavailing. Plenty Bear, an old-time friendly Indian who lived at Wounded Knee, twenty-five miles northeast, came in with an alarming report to Agent Royer. He stated there were 364 lodges, being over 2,000 In dians, at Wounded Knee, and they had resumed the ghost dance with many war-like accompaniments. He said they were formed in the regular war dance proper, and were swearing vengeance upon the whites for conspiring to stop the dances. They had taken an oath to resist interference if it cost the last drop of their hearts blood. Plenty Bear witnessed the dance in person. PREPARATIONS FOR WAR. The agency people were informed that Short Bull, one of the leading ghost dancers of the Rosebud Agency, had been in the camp about the agency attempting to induce the Pine Ridge Indians to join the Rosebud forces on Porcupine and Medicine Root Creeks. Early one morning about fifty of the Indian police began a search of the camp. It was not a fruitless errand. While Short Bull was not found, the policemen discovered that Good Thunder 406 LIFE OF SITTING BULL and one or two other ghost dancers had left the camp some time at night with Short Bull. At a war dance at Pine Ridge the bullet-proof " medicine " was used, and Chief Porcupine was se lected as the man upon whom its efficacy should be tried. He was placed in the centre of a ring and the Indians opened on him. At the first discharge he was shot through the thigh. The Indians at first declared he was not injured, and would not permit the onlookers to give him any assistance. He was put in a tepee, and finally they declared he would be all right in a little while. The uncertainty that prevailed was thus described by the correspondent of the Chicago Tribune, writ ing from the Pine Ridge Agency on November 30th : " Gen. Brooke and his 1,200 soldiers are watch ing the agency and the few friendly Indians. Three or four thousand Rosebud Indians are run ning things on the northern end of the reservation, and nothing is being done. It is likely that some thing would be clone if Gen. Brooke was not com pelled to await the orders of the Indian fighters at Washington. He could at least round up the wan dering Rosebuds and stop their depredations upon the property of the Indians who are here. "White liars, red liars, and all the intermediate tinges are busily at work. Stories of the most alarming character are told about once an hour and contradicted in less time. First, the rumor comes AXD THE INDIAN WAR. 407 that the Rosebuds are painting themselves, dancing, and preparing for a fight. Then the other side has a story ready. The Indians are only alarmed at the presence of the troops. They do not credit any messages sent them by the Indian police, and would be ready and willing to come into the agency at once if some person in whom they have confidence would go out and tell them so. For the last four days Special Agent Cooper and Mr. Royer have declared that they had sent them instructions to come in. They have not done so, and the agents say they have had no communication with either Two Strike or Crow Dog, the leaders of the band. Royer and Cooper had a long talk this morning with Red Cloud, Big Road, and one or two of the minor chiefs there. They were instructed to send for the Rosebud Indians, and it remains to be seen whether that move will have any effect. THE ROSEBUDS. "The reports made of the movements of the Rosebuds are of the most conflicting character. It appears certain, however, that the whole outfit moved about ten miles further away from the agency, going north along Wounded Knee Creek to its junction with White River. Rocky Bear, the chief of Buffalo Bill s band of show Indians, returned last night from a trip to the Rosebud camp. He said that he could see nothing warlike in their movements. They were badly frightened about the soldiers and suspicious of all movements about Pine Ridge Agency. So 408 LIFE OF SITTING BULL far as he could learn with a talk with Two Strike and Crow Dog, they could be readily persuaded to come here if they could be convinced that Agent Royer wanted them here and wanted to talk to them. He did not see any of the work of the thieves during his trip, as he only went to his own house on Wounded Knee Creek. Rocky Bear explained that he did not care to go near any other house for fear that if they had been broken open he would be ac cused of the robbery. So far as his own property was concerned, it was safe and intact. " The opposite of this report comes from a couple of Indians who were examined by Cooper late last night. One of them said that he came over from Rosebud because he had married a Sioux, and his wife was determined to come to this agency. Ac cording to his story, the Rosebuds were getting ready for a fight. Their horses were painted and their camp was constantly picketed and guarded by their young warriors, who had been selected for that duty. The squaws and young bucks were talking of war, and medicine to render the braves bullet-proof was being prepared. These two agreed with Rocky Bear in only one particular, which was that a council of the Rosebuds was to be held either last night or to-night, at which their course of con duct was to be decided upon. " Another rumor that startled a good many people was that a large force of Sioux had left the Chey enne River Agency and moved south and east, AND THE INDIAN WAR. 409 as if to join the Rosebud or the Pine Ridge malcon tents. " Late last evening the crowd about Agent Royer s office was thrown into a fever of nervous excitement by the appearance of an Indian leading a white sore- backed pony. He had streaks of red upon his flanks and quarters, and an attempt had been made to wash them out. Half-breeds and Indian police men declared that this pony had been painted for the war-path, and that he came from the Rosebud camp, but who brought him and under what circum stances could not be learned. This is a fair sample of the information that reaches the agency from the camp of the hostiles. Should the Rosebuds refuse to come in and the troops attempt to call them to an account a stampede or fight might be expected. As it is they are wandering about the northern part of the reservation at their own sweet will, and as long as the soldiers and Indians are as far apart as they are now the warfare will be confined to an exchange of lies " TWO DECISIVE PROJECTS. About this time talk began seriously to settle upon two projects : To arrest Sitting Bull, and to disarm the Indians. These acts were, indeed, soon decided upon and executed ; but with tragic and disastrous results. CHAPTER XXXI. DELAY AND DISASTER. WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO TURN UP INCREASED RATIONS COME Too LATE DEPREDATIONS BY THE HOSTILES A FRUITLESS PoW-wow AT PINE RIDGE THE INDIANS FIGHTING AMCNG THEMSELVES TROOPS HURRYING ON TO THE BAD LANDS. Before the two decisive moves were made, how ever, there was a fortnight more of delay, " waiting for something to turn up." The authorities were naturally reluctant to begin a struggle which was certain to be serious. At the same time they neglec ted to take any of those steps for the amelioration of the condition of the Indians, which justice and humanity required, and which alone could have brought about a peaceful solution of the difficulty. They simply waited, hoping that very severe weath er would set in and stop the ghost-dancing, and starve and freeze the Indians into unconditional submission. UGLY PREPARATIONS. The statesmanship of this policy was not appreci ated by the Indians who kept on with their war-like preparations. On December ist, Judge Burns, of Deadwood, came in to the Pine Ridge Agency, hav- 410 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 41 I ing passed through the hostile camp. There was, he said, no doubt that the red workers for war were preparing thoroughly for a great struggle, and that they had no thought of giving up their purpose. A member of the camp proclaimed his approach when he was a long way off, so that when he n eared the camp he found it bristling with preparation for an attack. The hostile band was made up almost ex clusively of young men, who had disregarded the advice of their old chiefs, taken the reins into their own hands, and vowed to fight until death. The ghost dance, Judge Burns said further, was being done all night long, and was varied during the day with the old-time war dance. He corroborated fully the previous reports as to the abundance of food and ammunition which they had, and said, they were making up a big supply of a new pattern of toma hawk, more ugly than the old style. INCREASE OF RATIONS. Little Wound made another desperate effort for peace, and narrowly escaped being killed by his own tribesmen for his pains. The Secretary of the Interior now ordered an in crease of rations, in the hope that such action would pacify the Indians, but it was too late. When the Indians were informed of it, they thought they were being tricked again, and they only hurried their pre parations to flee to the Bad Lands, and there sell their lives as dearly as possible. General Miles, in the meantime, sent troops forward as speedily as 412 LIFE OF SITTING BULL possible, until he had 2,000 mounted men and a large force of infantry within reach ; enough, he thought, to deal with the 4,000 Indians who were on the war path. The hostile Indians were massing their forces between Pine Jlidge and the Bad Lands, and General Miles was trying to encircle them with a cordon of troops. On December 5th a report stated: " The situation has not materially changed. The hostile Rosebud Indians sleep upon their arms, prepared constantly for an attack. They have three lines of signal couriers between the agency and their camp, and any movements of the troops would be known in a few moments. They have taken all they wish of the Government beef herd and burned the buildings and corrals. They are living high and are happy. They have moved to the edge of the Bad Lands. Military preparations proceed rapidly. Unless the Indians come in within a very few days the troops will be equipped and in position, when an advance may be ordered." DAILY OUTRAGES, At the same time, depredations and outrages were of daily occurrence. On December 5th, .Wil liam McGaa and John O Rourke, farmers, came in from the White Earth River country with a tale of woe. These men were half-breeds, with full-blooded Indian wives, as are nearly all the settlers in the valley. Both had come to the agency as requested when the troops arrived, because they had learned obedience, leaving their farms to the protection of AND THE INDIAN WAP. 413 the Great Father and the tender mercies of the fanat ical ghost dancer. Both brave, stalwart men, they stood up in the crowded, dingy little room that serves as an office, with choked voice and hardly repressed tears, and told the sad account of their distress and ruin. William McGaa lived on White River, at the mouth of Porcupine Creek, forty miles from the agency. He found his home a wreck. Twelve work horses had been stolen, the heavy work harness cut into pieces, the wagons broken to pieces, and every useful article in house and barn demolished. Win dows had been broken ; pictures, tables, chairs, cup boards and bedsteads chopped into fragments ; trunks broken open, and his wife s and children s clothes torn into shreds ; the sewing machine lay in a hundred pieces mingled with those of the crock ery. All the accumulated annuity goods of clothing, blankets, cloth of various kinds, as well as extra provisions, had been stolen. Mr. McGaa lost also one stallion which cost him $500, and 225 head of cattle. John O Rourke s ranch was at the mouth of Wounded Knee Creek, and the scene at his home was but a repetition of that at McGaa s even to the breaking of the clock, and the theft of the well rope. Here they were not content with mere destruction, but added insult to injury by arranging his choicest set of dishes in the centre of the floor and leaving them defiled beyond description. Between the honses of these two men were the homes of many friends. All was wreck and ruin. Dick Stirks lost a work 414 LIFE OF SITTING BULL horse and a lot of range horses and cattle, as well as ranch and home. William Valangry was home less, losing horses and cattle. John Steele had a handsome house, well furnished ; it was gone, and so were forty head of cattle known to be slaughter ed, and over 100 head of horses. Yellow Bird lost his shelter and over fifty horses, and a large herd of cattle. Charley Cooney was ruined, without counting seven horses and twenty cows stolen. Mrs. Cooney, a widow, lost everything. At her home the marauders left evidence that they were not suffering (or even the luxuries of life, for coffee and sugar were sprinkled all over the floors and around the yard. John Davison, one of the boss farmers in the employ of the Government, was left destitute, losing everything. Henry Kerns and Mrs. Fisher were left homeless, penniless and suffering. Baptiste Courier, better known as Big Bat, an old-timer even among the Indians, lost seventy-five horses and thirty- eight cows. The Government ranch, the head-quarters of John Dwyer, the chief herder for the agency, was burned and everything destroyed. The leaders of the war party said that they would sweep the country. A CONFERENCE WITH GENERAL BROOKE, Through the efforts of Father Jule, the Roman Catholic priest at Pine Ridge, a conference was held on December 6th between General Brooke and a number of the chiefs. The Indians came in to the camp bearing a flag of truce and armed with Win chester and Springfield rifles. The entrance of the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 4 1 7 novel procession produced much excitement at the agency. First came the chiefs, who were Turning Bear, Big Turkey, High Pine, Big Bad Horse, and Bull Dog, who was one of the leaders of the Custer massacre. Next came Two Strike, the he id chief, seated in a buggy with Father Jule. Surrounding these was a body guard of four young warriors. All the Indians were decorated with war-paint and feathers, while many wore ghost-dance leggings and the ghost-dance shirt dangling, at their saddles. Bunches of eagle feathers were tied in the manes and tails of most of the ponies, while the backs of the docile little animals were streaked with paint, The warlike cavalry proceeded at once to General Brooke s spacious headquarters in the agency resi dence. At a given signal all leaped to the ground, hitched their ponies to the trees, and guided by Father Jule they entered the General s apartments, where the council was held, lasting two hours. At the beginning of the pow-wow General Brooke explained, that the Great Father, through him, had asked them to come in and have a talk re garding the situation. A great deal of misunder standing and trouble had arisen by the reports taken to and fro between the camps by irresponsible par ties, and it was, therefore, considered very necessa ry that they have a talk face to face. Through him he said the Father wanted to tell them if they would come in and live near the agency, where he, General Brooke, could see them often, and so not be com- 41 8 LIFE OF SITTING BULL pelled to depend upon hearsay, that he would give them plenty to eat and would employ many of their young men as scouts, etc. He said he heard they were hostile Indians, but he did not believe it. The soldiers did not come there to fight, but to protect the settlers and keep the peace. He hoped they (the Indians) were all in favor of peace, as the Great Father did not want war. As to the feeling over the change in the boundary line between the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Agency, he said that and many other things would be settled after they had shown a dispo sition to come in, as asked by the Great Father. CONTRACTED BROWS AND LOW GRUNTS. Wounded Knee was suggested as a place that would prove satisfactory to the Great Father to have them live. The representatives of the hostiles list ened with contracted brows, sidelong glances at one another, and low grunts. When the General had concluded his remarks, Turning Bear came forward and spoke in reply. He is a fine specimen of the blanket-wrapped Indian. Turning Bear gave expression to the following ideas : It would be a bad thing for them to come rearer the agency because there was no water or grass for their horses here. He couldn t understand how the young men could be employed as scouts if there was no enemy to be watched. They might come in, but as the old men and old women had no horses, and as their people had nothing generally to pull their wagons, it would take them a long time to LIFE OF SITTING BULL 419 come. If they did come they should want the Great Father to sencf horses and wagons out to the Bad Lands camp and bring in the great quantities oi beef, etc., they had there and take it anywhere to a new camp that might be agreed on. In conclusion, the speakers hoped that they would be given something to eat before they started back. To this the General replied that he intended be fore the council opened that before its close he would tell them that they should be given feed or words to that effect. As for horses and wagons be ing sent after the beef (after they had been stealing and butchering in so high-handed a manner), the General said that and many other things would be considered after they had acceded to the Great Father s request to move in the agency. Any ref erence whatever to the wholesale devastation, dep redations, thieving, burning of buildings, etc., was studiously avoided on both sides. After the pow wow was over the Indians were conducted to the Quartermaster s department and there given a big fat feed. Then the squaws living at the agency came out in gala day feathers and gave a grand squaw dance. Soon after this fruitless pow-wow, the hostile In- FIGHTING AMONG THEMSELVES. . dians began fighting among themselves. The con flict was for the leadership between Two Strike and Short Bull, each wishing to control the united bands. Two Strike was supported by Turning Bear, Big 42O AND THE INDIAN WAR. Turkey, High Pipe, Big Bad Horse, and Bull Dog and their bands. The other party, with Short Bull as leader, included Chiefs Crow Dog, Kicking Bear, High Hawk, Eagle Pine, and a host of Standing Rock and Cheyenne Agency Indians. The fight was bitterly contested for several hours, and several Indians were killed. The valley in the edge of the Bad Lands was crowded with mounted Indians, clad in full war rig, feathers and rifles flashing in the air, as the two parties went dashing, wheeling, circling over the small plain, As a result of this disturbance Two Strike and his followers started in toward Pine Ridge again, while Short Bull, Kicking Bear, and a smaller fol lowing, went north, further into the Bad Lands. Then General Brooke sent out 300 friendly Indians to join Two Strike at the river and go with him back to the Bad Lands and try and bring Short Bull and his crowd in peaceably, if possible ; by force, if nec essary. The warriors were selected entirely from the friendliest, none of the police or scouts being permitted to go. If this party was successful it was to bring in Short Bull, Kicking Bear, and their chiefs, providing there \vere no scapegoats for pun ishment for the sins of the whole crowd, and reliev ing Two Strike and others from blame. At the same time Lieutenant Casey with his Cheyenne scouts and Captnin Adams troop of the First Cavalry, set out to head Short Bull and his party, and the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Cavalry hurried on to the Bad Lands. CHAPTER XXXII. CATASTROPHE. THE KILLING CF SITTING BULL AND THE RESULTS THEREOF NUMEROUS AFFRAYS A COUNCIL AT PINE RIDGE SITTING BULL S GHOST Bia FOOT AND His MEN COME IN ARREST OF A PRETENDED MESSIAH HEMMING IN THE HOSTILES THE WHOLE BAND CAPTURED. Matters reached a crisis at last, on December 1 5th, not, however, at Pine Ridge, but forty miles North of Fort Yates. It was reported that Sitting Bull and his band were about to make their way to the Bad Lands to join the hostiles there. Accord ingly a detachment of troops and Indian police were sent to arrest the turbulent chief.* A fight occurred, and Sitting Bull was killed. Of this tragedy and the events immediately surrounding it, we have already given a full account in a preceding chapter. It may well be recorded here, however, that there seemed to be ample reason for thinking that Sitting Bull was going to the Bad Lands and that his arri val there would have meant war. For on the very evening before he was killed, the Bad Lands were A GREAT LIGHT SUDDENLY BLAZE UP ablaze with signal fires. People at Pine Ridge saw, that night a great light suddenly blaze up in the 421 422 LIFE OF SITTING BULL northwest in the direction of the Bad Lands. The light faded to a sullen glow and then rapidly spread along the sky for a distance of a couple of miles. Men posted in Indian signals in the camp said that this meant that the Indians in the Bad Lands had determined to fight. The Indians in the camp of the friendlies on being asked what the sig nal meant declined at first to talk, but being pressed finally said it meant that their brothers in the Bad Lands would be on the war path within one sun, and that all Indians who did not join them would be dogs and enemies forever. The friendlies, however, disclaimed any intention of obeying the signal. The death of Sitting Bull created tremendous ex citement all through the Indian country. Instead of causing relief, it aroused the keenest apprehension. It was feared that many settle rs would fall victims to the vengeance of the Sioux, and thousands of refu gees flocked to Bismarck and Mandau for safety. General Miles now set out from St. Paul for Dead- wood, by way of Standing Rock. He telegraphed back that Chief Two Strike had come into General Brooke s camp, at Pine Ridge and surren dered, but that part of his band still remained out. There had come in with him 184 lodges, containing about 800 Indians. General Miles established his headquarters for the time at Rapid City, with 150 soldiers. General Carr was at the junction of Rapid and Cheyenne rivers, with 400 soldiers, ready to move on to Pine Ridge as soon as trouble began. AXD THE IXDIAX WAR. 423 Seven companies of the lyth Infantry were sent from Fort Russell to Pine Ridge. " My information" said General Miles, " was reliable and positive of Sitting Bull s emissaries and runners going to different tribes and inciting them to hostili ty. The order for his arrest was not given too soon, as he was about leaving with 100 fighting men. The effect has been disheartening to many others. I have TO DESTROY OR CAPTURE. directed the troops to destroy or capture the few who escaped after his death, from Standing Rock. General Brooke has more than 1,000 lodges, or over 5,000 fighting Indians, under his control at Pine Ridge, but there are still 250 lodges, or over 1,000 fighting Indians in the Bad Lands that are de fiant and hostile." A courier came to General Carr s camp, on De cember 1 8th, to report that a party of fifteen men were besieged fifty miles from there on Spring Creek at Daly s ranch. The Indians had made three attempts to fire the ranch. One was nearly successful. One of the occupants, M. H. Day, Aide- de-camp to the Governor of the State. The courier had to make a break through the Indians, firing both pistols right and left. One of their bullets penetra ted his overcoat. He rode by a circuitous route to our camp. General Carr sent Major Tupper with 100 men to the rescue. Near Smithville a large number of Indians were seen in a small creek, in the brakes, A number of shots were exchanged. 4 24 LirE OF SITING BULL While some of the Goverment wagons were crossing Spring Street Creek, they and escort were attacked by about forty Indians and over 100 shots were ex changed. One soldier was wounded, and another had a bullet through his hat. A troop of Captain Well s cavalry came to their rescue and the Indians ran away. General Carr sent a troop of cavalry up into the Bad Lands to watch any movement of the hostiles. A signal service was established between the troop and camp. The troop reported about seventy teepees in the Indian stronghold, wholly in accessible. The on 1 y known outlet for these Indians was a trail which goes up Cottonwood across the road from Rapid Creek to W T ounded Knee. This pass was closed next day by the Sixth Infantry. The military authorities at Pine Ridge, on Decem ber 1 8th, counted the returned Indians and issued rations to them. There were 1,024. A grand coun- IIIS HEART WAS BROKEN. cil was held. Red Cloud told them that his heart was broken. They had caused a deal of trouble, and their stock was there eating grass (a very ser ious thing, there being so much stock there), and they were eating his rations, but he was willing to give the grass and rations, and he grunted. He would count it all nothing if the trouble could be settled. If those who were out would not come in and die soldiers were forced to kill them, he should feel sorry, for they were his relatives, but he must say that it was just. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 425 The next day brought this news from the camp on Cheyenne river: " From twenty to thirty ranch ers rode or drove into camp to-day all heavily armed and all agree that the Indians are augmenting their forces and growing bolder hourly. It was ascer tained early this morning that the deserted ranch and outlying buildings of a man named Wilson were burned last night, having first been looted. M. H. Day, aide-de-camp to Governor Mellette, rode in with four other men from his ranch to-day. He re ports that besides the seventy tepees, which contain about 350 hostiles, between Battle and Spring Creeks, he saw another large band further down the Cheyenne River, which will number at the very least 300. " Three heliograph stations had been established one in camp, one on the top of the high bluffs, and one which had followed up as nearly as practi cable Captain Stanton s command. About 2 P. M., a soldier was seen coming down the bluff, putting his horse to a full gallop, and immediately the helio graph lines began working, The rider crossed the river and reported to General Carr that Cap tain Stan- ton was in an engagement with the Indians. General Carr gave orders for Lieutenant Scott and Troop D to go to his assistance. Within a few minutes the CHARGING UP THE BLUFF. troop was charging up the bluff to the scene of ac tion. When the soldier dismounted his hard-ridden horse dropped dead. Other troops were immedi- 426 LIFE OF SITTING BULL ately put in marching order. After some hours Captain Stanton and the troops returned. He said that after noon he had noticed a large party of In dians with a herd of ponies coming from the east and heading for the Bad Lands. He immediately gave chase and after running several miles grad ually drew up to the Indians, who began firing, but their bullets went wide of the mark. Shots were ex changed for some time, when the Indians made for a creek called Wounded Knee. They went down this creek and were lost to view in the Bad Lands. Captain Stanton followed them for some time, but fearing an ambush, withdrew his troops and re turned to camp." A ranchman named Tom Hetlund, who lived thirty-five miles up Bad River, went to Pierre on De cember 2Oth, with a strange story. " He said the peaceable, christianized, half civilized Two Kettle Sioux had been seized with a sudden frenzy, and were imitating the wildest orgies of the ghost dan ces indulged in by the hostiles. His account was as follows : " Night before last some Indians were returning from a little social gathering when a sight CHILLED THEM TO THE BONE. met their eyes that chilled them to the bone. One of their number directed attention to the top of a bluff and there stood a figure in white perfectly mo tionless. Suddenly one of them cried out in Sioux : * It s Sitting Bull ! * Then did the marrow In the bones of these Indians grow cold, and their teeth AND THE INDIAN WAR. 427 chattered like beans in a barrel. The phantom sud denly commenced waving an arm as if motioning them to follow, and with the speed of a bird glided from hill top to hill top, finally disappearing in the direction of the Bad Lands. Only one interpreta tion could be given this ghostly visitation. Sitting Bull was thus identified as really the simon-pure, long-danced for Messiah, and he was beckoning them to join his followers and avenge his spirit. A ghost dance is the consequence, and the spirit has moved down the river, and it has affected them as far down as Willow Creek." Acting under General Brooke s authority, 500 friendly Indians left Pine Ridge, on December 2Oth to attempt to bring in the hostiles. The Indians at Fort Yates were quiet, and 39 of Sitting Bull s band who had left the Agency a few days before, sent word that they would return. General Carr sent out a cavalry force to intercept the band that was reported as moving towards the Bad Lands. Big Foot and Hump surrendered and returned to the agency, Every day the cordon of troops around the Indians was drawn tighter. Big Foot brought in with him 150 of Sitting Bull s warriors, and this greatly weakened the force which the hostiles expected to gather in the Bad Lands. Had Big Foot and Hump gone into the Bad Lands, other northern tribes would have joined them and swelled the force to at least 1,000 fighting men. Had this been done, according to General 428 LIFE OF SITTING BULL. Miles, the Indians could have massacred as many settlers as the Sioux did in 1862. Stands First, a clever Indian scout, spent a day in the hostile camp. When he attempted to present the peaceful mission on which he had been sent, the Indians pointed their guns at him and drowned his voice with their war cries. One of their leaders LISTEN TO NO MORE PEACE TALK. told him that they would listen to no more peace talk and would never again allow an advocate of peace to leave their camp alive. He said that the white soldiers were cowards and afraid to fight and called Stands First a women and a slave of the white men. A genuine sensation was enjoyed at Pine Ridge on December 22d. The police arrested in Red Cloud s camp a fellow who pretended to be the In- THE INDIAN MESSIAH. dian Messiah. When they pulled the blanket off him, however, they found him to be a white man, an intelligent but harmless crank named Hopkins, who had come there from Iowa. He claimed that he was there in the interest of peace and had come there because the Indians had misinterpreted his message. He wanted to go on to the Bad Lands and preach to the Indians there, but the agent sent him instead to Chadron escorted by some policemen. Some of the Indians were indignant over his arrest while others laughed and said that he was a crazy fool. None of the chiefs believed in him, and Red Cloud AND THE I1NDAN WAR. 429 spat in his face and said: " You go home. You are no son of God." At about the same time A. I. Chapman, an In dian scout, returned from Nevada, whither he had been sent to interview the so-called Messiah at Walker s Lake. He reported his mission as follows : " The Messiah, Quoitize Ow, as he calls himself, is a full blooded Piute Indian and has always been peacefully disposed. He spoke freely of his call to EXPERIENCE WITH THE ALMIGHTY, preach. His first experience with the Almighty was one afternoon while hunting. Hearing a noise he started to learn the cause when he was suddenly thrown to the ground. He was then taken to Heaven and there saw all the whites and Indians that have ever lived in the world. He was after ward brought back to earth and returned to his sen ses on the same spot where he was stricken down. While he was in Heaven, God told him he had been looking for a man whom he could trust to reform the world, and he had picked out Quoitize Ow. So Quoitize Ow set out to perform his mission. He taught the Indians that they should work and avoid fighting except in self defense. Last summer the Indians told him that unless it rained soon the crops would fail. He told them to go home and it would be all right, and in three days there was a heavy fall of rain." Chapman thought Quoitize Ow was only indirectly to blame for the Indian uprising, his doctrine having imbued the Indians with a 430 LIFE OF S/7 TING BULL. more independent spirit to resist their wrongs. Two cow boys reported to General Miles that they had seen Two Strike and Kicking Bear leave the cabin of the latter s brother-in-law, about ten miles from Rapid City, and go toward the Bad Lands. A troop of cavalry was immediately started after them, but after chasing them 13 miles lost track of them in the Bad Lands. Another troop went out in pursuit of another party of run away Indians and exchanged some shots with them, but only succeeded in capturing two squaws and one pappoose. There were no further hostilities of importance until the day before Christmas. On that day about 80 hostile Indians made two attempts to break into a camp of Cheyenne scouts at the mouth of Battle Creek. The first attack was quickly repulsed with a loss of one scout killed and two wounded and two Indians killed and several wounded. The second attack was made after dark and was led by Kicking Bear himself. Hot firing was kept up for an hour or more and a number of the attacking Indians were killed and wounded. The next day the Indians who had come in with Hump and Big Foot broke cut again and made for the Bad Lands, and General Carr and a force of cavalry men started in pursuit. Serious depreda tions were renewed at many points. On hearing this news General Miles remarked that he was tired of fooling with the Indians, and thought that the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 43 I best thing to be done was to attack them at once. More peaceful news came soon, however. On December 28th it was announced that the /th Cav alry, under Captain Whitesicles, had captured Big Foot and his band on Porcupine Creek without a conflict, and all the other Indians in the Bad Lands DECIDED TO COME IX. had decided to come in and surrender. This news was confirmed and great was the rejoicing thereat, for it was believed that the Indian war had thus been brought to an end. It was on Sunday morning that Big Foot surren dered ; a bright warm day. An Indian scout who had been sent forward came hurrying in waving his hat with the good news that Big Foot was only eight miles away. " Boots and saddles " was sounded and the cavalry men hurried forward. Descending the slope to the Porcupine Valley they found Big Foot s band drawn up in line of battle. There were more than 150 fighting men, heavily armed. Had a shot been fired there would have been a desperate battle. But Big Foot advanced from his side alone, and Captain Whitesides went forward alone to meet him. Big Foot began a long talk, telling how tired he was of running around and how much he wanted to make peace with the white men. The Captain however, told him that there was only one SURRENDER AT ONCE. thing to be done, to surrender at once. " All right," said Big Foot, " I surrender." And in a moment 432 LIFE OF SITTIGN BULL the whole band of fighting men and 250 women and children beside had given themselves up. They were all marched over to the old camp of the 7th Cavalry on Wounded Knee. There the troops formed a cordon around them and sent for reinforce ments. Among the prisoners were all of the Sitting Bull party who fled after that chief s death. CHAPTER XXXIII. RED WAR. COLONEL FORSYTHE TAKES COMMAND AT WOUNDED KNEE THE INDI ANS SUSPICIOUS AND UNEASY PREPARATIONS TO DISARM THEM A DESPERATE OUTBREAK THE INDIANS OUTNUMBERED AND SLAUGHTERED WITHOUT MERCY INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE DEATH OF CAPTAIN WALLACE -J-isT OF THE KILLED AND WOUNDED ELAINE GOODALE S REPORT. Sitting Bull was dead, and thus the first of two decisive measures was accomplished. Now came the second, the disarming of Big Foot s band. Al though these Indians had now surrendered in entire ly good faith, they were most suspicious and uneasy, The tragic fate of Sitting Bull had alarmed them, and they only half trusted their white captors. There were those among them who belived that they were all to be put to death, and when the sur render of their weapons was talked of this belief was much intensified. They naturally supposed that their arms were to be taken from them only to render them defenseless, and therefore, easier vic tims. It was in this state of mind that they went into camp on the bank of Wounded Knee Creek, a 435 436 LIFE OF SITTING BULL place destined to become famous as the scene of one of the most bloody Indian battles of recent years. Colonel Forsythe arrived at the camp on Wound ed Knee Creek early on the morning of December 29th, with orders from General Brooke to disarm Big Foot s band. Colonel Forsythe assumed com mand of the regulars, which comprised two battal ions of 500 men, with Hotchkiss guns. It was feared that the Indians would offer resistance and EVERY PRECAUTION WAS TAKEN. every precaution was taken to prevent an escape and to render the movement successful. Colonel Forsythe threw his force around the Indian camp and mounted the Hotckiss guns so as to command the camp, and at eight o clock issued the order to disarm the redskins. The preparations were quickly made. The com mand was given to the Indians to come forward from the tents. This was done, the squaws and children remaining behind the tepees. The braves advanced a short distance from the camp to the place designa ted, and were placed in a half circle, the warriors squatting on the ground in front of the tent, where Big Foot, their chief, lay sick with pneumonia. By twenties they were ordered to give up their arms. The first twenty went to their tents and came back with only two guns. This irritated Major White- side, who was superintending this part of the work. After a hasty consultation with Colonel Forsythe he gave the order for the cavalrymen, who were all AND THE INDIAN IVAR. 437 dismounted and formed in almost a square, about twenty-five paces back, to close in. They did so, and took a stand within twenty feet of the Indians. When this had been done a detachment of cavalry TO SEARCH FOR ARMS. went through the tepees to search for arms. They found about fifty rifles. But in the meantime the Indian warriors, who were firmly and naturally con vinced that they were about to be put to death, raised their plaintive death chant. Then in the twink ling of an eye they changed it to their war-song, and before the startled soldiers fully realized what was happening, the Indians drew their rifles from be neath their blankets and opened fire. Those Indians who had no guns rushed on the soldiers with toma hawk in one hand and scalping-knife in the other. The troops outnumbered the Indians, three or four to one, and the case from the first was hope less. It was simply the last desperate death strug gle of brave men who believed they were all to be massacred and who meant to sell their lives as dearly as possible. The fight lasted for over an hour. During this time Captain Wallace and seven troopers were killed and fifteen wounded, including Garlington, of Arctic famei The slaughter among the savages was terrible, despite the fact that the soldiers had to run "REMEMBER CUSTER." them down in their ambuscades. When the fight had fully begun the troopers cheered one another LIFE OF SITTING BULL with the cry, " Remember Custer." The regiment fought as only men with a revengeful grievance can fight. There was no disorder after the first shock of surprise had passed away. On foot and mounted the troopers deployed in all directions, driving the savages from cover and sending them in disorder to the more impregnable buttes to the north. Nearly 100 Indians fell before the sheet of flame that swept down from the batteries and guns of the United States troops. The manner in which Big Foot s band turned upon their captors, stood before the terribly raking fire and shot down so many sol diers, rivals anything that has accompanied the Indi an wars of America. Though encumbered with their squaws and pappooses, they almost snatched victory from defeat, and displayed a degree of reckless dar ing and bravery that has rarely been equalled. The instant the attack began the soldiers, mad dened at the sight of their falling comrades, hardly awaited the command, and in a- moment the whole A SHEET OF FIRE, camp was a sheet of fire, above which the smoke rolled, obscuring the central scene from view. Through this horrible curtain single Indians could be seen at times flying before the fire, but after the first discharge from the carbines of the troopers there were few of them left. They fell on all sides like grain before the scythe. Indians and soldiers lay together and, wounded, fought on the ground. Off toward the bluffs the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 439 few remaining warriors fled, turning occasionally to fire, but now evidently caring more for escape than battle. Only the wounded Indians seemed possess- THE COURAGE OF DEVILS. ed of the courage of devils. From the ground where they had fallen they continued to fire until their ammunition was gone or until killed by the soldiers. Both sides forgot everything excepting only the loading and discharging of guns. It was only in the early part of the affray that hand to hand fighting was seen. The carbines were clubbed, sabres gleamed and war clubs circled in the air coming down like thunderbolts. But this was only for a short time. The Indians could not stand that storm from the soldiers. It was only a stroke of life before death. The remnant fled and the battle became a hunt. It was now that the artillery was called into requi sition. Before the fighting was so close that the guns could not be trained without danger of death to the soldiers. Now with the Indians flying where they might it was easier to reach them. The Gat- ling and Hotchkiss guns were trained, and then be gan a heavy firing, which lasted half an hour, with frequent heavy volleys of musketry and cannon. It A WAR OF EXTERMINATION. was a war of extermination now. It was difficult to restrain the troops. Tactics were almost abandoned. About the only tactics was to kill while it could be done, wherever an Indian could be seen. Down in- 44O LIFE OF SITTING BULL to the creek and up over the bare hills they were followed by artillery and musketry fire, and the en gagement went on until not a live Indian was in sight. More than ninety Indians were killed by the deadly fire from the Hotchkissguns and the unerring aim of the soldiers. But when the smoke cleared away it was found that the firing of the redskins had been only a degree less effective than that of the well trained troopers. Twenty-five brave soldiers were scattered on the field and thirty-five others were suffering from serious wounds Chief Big Foot was lying in his tepee, dying of pneumonia, when the battle began. He slowly drew himself up, but had hardly reached an erect TWENTY BULLETS STRUCK HIM. position when at least twenty bullets struck him, and he pitched forward, never to rise again. His squaw rose to her feet with a Winchester in her hand, when a bullet struck her in the heart and she sprang convulsively in the air, rolling down the hill like a ball. Colonel James Forsythe, in command of the troops, showed only the greatest personal courage and most soldierly qualities. Unarmed, in the very thickest of the fight, with bullets buzzing around him and men falling at his side, he gave his orders as quietly and coolly as if sitting in a parlor. His HIS COOLNESS, KIND-HEARTEDNESS AND JUSTICE. coolness, kind-heartedness and justice were never better illustrated than his action when he became AND THE INDIAN WAR. 441 satisfied that his men were safe from further injury. While his men were boiling with rage and fired with the almost uncontrollable fever of battle, burning to revenge comrades slaughtered in cold blood, he gave the order to cease firing, with the words : " We did not come here to butcher them." Major Whiteside was equally cool and in full pos session of his faculties as if on parade, and added fresh laurels to his long brilliant record. Lieutenant Rice, who was leading his company over a series of knolls south of the creek, had two horses shot from under him and Lieutenant Robin son, who was in his rear, also narrowly escaped death from a bullet which cut the horn of the sad dle. When the troopers got fairly at work they POURED A DEADLY FIRE. poured a deadly fire into the savages, who were hur rying with their guns to the crags and cliffs and buttes which surround the camp. Many of the hos- tiles leaped upon their ponies before the battle had fairly opened and fled toward the Ba^d Lands. The Indians formed no order of battle. Each man fought for himself, and the soldiers were at a disadvantage from the start. Captain Hayden and his artillerymen worked desperately to get their guns to perform effective service, but they were so slow at their work that most of the casualties had occur- SHELLS BEGAN TO BURST. red before the shells began to burst over the ambus cades of the hostiles. Captain Hayden had one 442 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Hotchkiss gun, which was used to some effect before the howitzers began to work. The Indians have an everlasting hatred for cannon, and the men who work them, and it was noticeable that in this battle the heaviest fire from the enemy was directed toward the artillerymen, among whom there were several casualties. The death of Captain Wallace caused universal regret. He had gone to a tepee to direct the search for arms when the firing began. At first it was sup- KILLED AT THE OPENING VOLLEY, posed that he had been killed at the opening volley from the Indians. When his body was recovered he was found lying at the entrance of a tepee with his empty revolver in his hand. Every chamber had been discharged. His head had been crushed in | front and back, by stone battle-axes. There was no braver man in the whole army than he. He was in Reno s command at the time of the Custer massa cre. When Reno was driven to cover Wallace s Adjutant fell from his horse mortally wounded. Wallace threwliimself from his horse under a ter rific fire from the savages, seized the wounded man, vaulted into his saddle, and bore the officer toward the rear. The officer knew that he was dying, and told Wallace to drop him and save himself. Wallace carried the officer over a mile, forded two streams, and was nearing a place of safety when the savages got so close that he was forced to abandon the officer in the bush, dismounting for that purpose AND THE INDIAN WAR. 443 and remounting after he had hidden him away. He was under a hot fire all the time and showed unlimi ted pluck. Captain Wallace was born in South Carolina, on June 29th, 1849. He was appointed a cadet at the Military Academy from South Carolina in 1868, and was graduated in June. 1872. He was at once assigned to the yth cavalry, with the rank of second lieutenant. He became a first lieutenant on June 25th, 1876, and from that date until June 6th, 1877, he was adjutant of the regiment. He became a captain on September 23d, 1885, and for a long time was in command of Troop L, of his regiment. Lieutenant Garlington, who was wounded in the arm in this battle, was born in South Carolina and was appointed a cadet in the United States Military Academy from Georgia in July, 1872, and was grad uated June 1 5th, 1876. He became Second Lieuten ant of the Seventh Cavalry June i5th, 1876, and First Lieutenant June 25th of the same year. He accompanied the expedition for the relief of Lieuten* ant Greely to the Arctic regions in 1883. When his ship, the Proteus, was lost in Smith s Sound, Gar lington retreated with the crew to Upper Nairk, nearly 500 miles away. Garlington was the Adju tant of the Seventh Cavalry at the time of the Cus- ter massacre, or soon after, and he was the officer who signed the order placing the only living repre sentative of civilization which escaped alive from the scene of that awful slaughter, on the pension roll. 444 LIFE OF SITING BULL It was a horse, which, scarred and maimed, came back riderless to the regiment, and was always cared for as a pensioner of the Government. The following is a complete official register of the killed and wounded in the battle of Wounded Knee, with statement of places in which the mortal injuries were received : KILLED. SEVENTH CAVALRY, COMPANY A. Kranberry, A., arm and side. Dyer, A. C., sergeant, chest. Frey, Henry, head. Johnson, George, head. Regan, Michael, head. Logan, James, head. COMPANY B. Coffey. D. C., sergeant, head. Forest, Henry A., head. Costillo, John, head. Cook, Ralph H., heart. Milzo, William S., head. Newell, Charles H., abdomen. COMPANY C. Devreede, John, chest. COMPANY D. Reinecky, Frank E., head. COMPANY E. Nettles, Robert H., head. Keedner, J., head. AND TJIE INDIAN WAR. 445 COMPANY I. Bone, Albert G., chest. Koon, Gustave, head. Kelley, James E., head. Cummings, James, abdomen. Zehnder, Bernhard, chest. COMPANY K. Wallace, George D., captain, head. Hodges, W. J., sergeant, abdomen. Adams, William, back. McCue, John M., back. Murphy, Joseph, head. McClints, William F., head. NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF. Corwin, R. W., sergeant-major, Seventh Cavalry, hospital corps. Polock, Oscar, groin. WOUNDED. Ernest A. Garlington, first lieutenant, company A, Seventh cavalry. Thomas Harran, private, company B, Second infantry. Robert Brunner, private, company B, Second infantry. John Coffey, private, light battery, First artillery. Harry L. Clifton, corporal, company K, Seventh cavalry. James Ward, sergeant, company B, Seventh cav alry. 446 LIFE OF SITTING BULL William Toohey, sergeant, company B, Seventh cavalry. John McKenzie, private, company B, Seventh cavalry. Harry H. Thomas, private, company I, Seventh cavalry. Christopher Martin, private, company A, yth cavalry. John F. Frittle, first sergeant, company E, Sev enth cavalry. Daniel McMahon, private, company A, Seventh cavalry. Adam Neter, private, company A, Seventh cav alry. Harry Stone, private, company *B. Seventh cav alry. Fred Woder, private, company K, Seventh cav alry. Hugh McGinnis, private, company K. Seventh cavalry. ^William Davis, private, company K, Seventh cavalry. Edward A. Sullivan, private, company K, Seventh cavalry. Samuel F. Smith, private, company K, Seventh cavalry. Henry Howard, private, company I, Seventh cavalry. Charles Campbell, quartermaster sergeant. Gottlieb Hipp, private, company I, Seventh cavalry. LIFE OF SITTING BULL 447 Frank Lewis, private, company B, Seventh cav alry. H. L. Hawthorn, first lieutenant, Second artillery. Alvin H. Hazelwood, private, company H, Sev enth cavalry. George York, private, company D, Seventh cav alry. James Christenson, private, company K, Seventh cavalry. Harry Lincoln, private, company A, Seventh cavalry. William H. Green, private, company G, Seventh cavalry. George Lloyd, sergeant, company I, Seventh cavalry. Herman Kranberg, private, company A, Seventh cavalry. George Elliott, private, company K, Seventh cavalry. Ervine Schrievner, private, company C, Seventh cavalry. General Miles sent the following official report of the conflict to the Secretary of War, dated at Her. mosa, S. D., December 3oth : " Colonel Forsythe says sixty-two dead Indian men were counted on the plain where the attempt was made to disarm Big Foot s band, and where the fight begun on other parts of the ground there were eighteen more. These do not include those killed in ravines where dead warriors were seen, but not counted. Six were 448 AND THE INDIAN WAR. brought in badly wounded, and six others were with a party of twenty-three men and women, which Captain Jackson had to abandon when attacked by 150 Brule Indians from the agency. This accounts NINETY-TWO MEN KILLED. for ninety-two men killed and leaves few alive and unhurt: The women and children broke for the hills when the fight began, and comparatively few of them were hurt and few brought in ; thirty-nine are here, of which number twenty-one are wounded. Had it not been for the attack by the Brules an accurate account would have been made, but the ravines were not searched afterward. I think this shows very little apprehension from Big Foot s band in the future. A party of forty is reported as held by the scouts at the head of Mexican Creek, These con sist of all sizes and the cavalry from Rosebud will bring them in if it is true. " These Indians under Big Foot were among the most desperate. There were thirty-eight of the remainder of Sitting Bull s following that joined Big Foot on the Cheyenne River and thirty that broke away from Hump s fol lowing when he took his band and Sitting Bull s In dians at Fort Bennett, making in all nearly 160 war riors. Before leaving their camps on the Fort Chey- ennne River they cut up their harness, mutilated FOR THE BAD LANDS. their wagons and started south for the Bad Lands, evidently intending not to return, but to go to war. Troops were placed between them and the Bad AND THE INDIAN WAR. 449 Lands and they never succeeded in joining the hos- tiles there. All their movements were intercepted and their severe loss at the hands of the ;th Cav alry may be a wholesome lesson to the other Sioux." Mr. Royer, the agent at Pine Ridge, made on De cember 3 ist his report of the battle to the Com missioner of Indian affairs, as follows: " From the best information I can obtain, Big Foot and his band surrendered to Major Whiteside, and while they were disarming them, an Indian known as their medicine man rose from his seat and began to cry out, Kill the soldiers, their bul lets will not have any effect upon our ghost shirts, at the same time stooping to the ground, picking up handfuls of dirt, throwing it up in the air, and, after a short performance of perhaps two minutes, he fired his gun in the direction of the military, which STARTED THE WAR. started the war that resulted in the killing of Cap tain Wallace and twenty-five soldiers, wounding thir ty-five soldiers, some fatally, and the killing of a large number of Indians known as the Big Foot band, or the hostile band of Sitting Bull Indians, who escaped from the police and military at Stand ing Rock Agency, immediately after the killing of Sitting Bull. "I am unable at this time to give the exact num ber of Indians killed, but will m a few days obtain some knowledge of the matter, and report fully to 45O LIFE OF SITTING BULL you the substance of my information. The Rev. Charles S. Cook, Episcopal minister at this agency, is kindly allowing his church to be used to shelter the wounded Indians. He has thirty-eight of the number in his church, and is doing a missionary s part to see that they are properly cared for. This battle occurred at a point about twenty miles north east from the agency, known as the Wounded Knee store, recently occupied by Prescott ai d Robertson, on the morning of the 29th, 1890. "I am informed that the millitary had every pre paration made to feed and care for the Indians, and their intention was to take them to Gordon, Neb. (the nearest railroad point), but the attack, which ended practically as I have stated, upset all plans. " Lieutenant Standing Soldier, who was for a long time lieutenant on the police force at this agency, but now employed by the United States as a scout, on the night of the 3Oth inst. arrived at the agency from Porcupine Creek with sixty-three Indians who belonged to the Big Foot band, consisting of eigh teen men and the balance women and children. The men were disarmed after their arrival at the agency by the scouts and agency police, and placed under millitary guard. I am told that this little band are some that became lost from Big Foot during the excitement following the killing of Sitting Bull at Standing Rock Agency, and were at the time of their capture hunting for the Big Foot band. They were not informed of the fight until after they were safely BUFFALO BILL. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 453 under guard, and then only in a mild way, that they might not become excited over the loss of their leader" A ghastly account of the battle-ground has been given by Dr. Charles A. Eastman, of Boston, a full blooded Sioux, who visited it after the conflict. He wrote on January 3 : * On Thursday morning I visited the field of bat tle, where all those Indians were killed, on the Wounded Knee, last Monday. I went there to get the wounded, some who were left out. The soldiers brought with them about twenty-five, and I found eleven who were still living. Among them were two babies, about three months old, and an old women who is totally blind, who was left for dead. Four of them were found out in a field in the storm, which was very severe. They were half buried in the TERRIBLE AND HORRIBLE SIGHT snow. It was a terrible and horrible sight to see women and children lying in groups, dead. I sup pose they were of one family. Some of the young girls wrapped their heads with shawls and buried their faces in their hands. I suppose they did that so that they would not see the soldiers come up to shoot them. At one place there were two little children, one about one year old, the other about three, lying on their faces, dead, and about 30 yards from them a women lay on her face, dead. These were away from the camp about an eighth of a mile. "In front of the tents, which were in a semi-circle, lay dead most of the men. This was right by one of 454 LIFE OF SITTING BULL the soldiers tents. Those who were still living told me that that was where the Indians were ordered to hold a council with the soldiers. The accounts of the battle by the Indians were simple, and confirmed one another, that the soldiers ordered them to go into camp, for they were moving them, and told them that they would give them provisions. Having TO GIVE UP THEIR ARMS, done this they (the Indians) were asked to give up their arms, which was complied with by most of them, in fact all the old men, but many of the younger men did not comply, because they either had no arms or concealed them in their blankets. Then a order was given to search their persons and their tents as well, and when a search was made of a wretch of an Indian, who was known as Good-for- Nothing, he fired the first shot, and killed one of the soldiers. They fired upon the Indians instantane ously. Shells were thrown among the women and children, so that they mutilated them most horribly. I tried to go to the field the next day, with some Indians, but I was not allowed to. I think it was a wise thing not to go so early. Even Thursday I thought I would be shot. Some of the Indians (friendly) found their relations lying dead. They waited and began to put out their guns. My friend, Louis De Coteau, was with me, but left me when they acted in this manner. Before he left me the hostiles appeared. We did not take in all the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 455 wounded. Those we could not carry away we left in a log house and. gave them food." A little Indian baby girl about three months old, one of the survivors of the battle of Wounded Knee, who lay for three days beside the dead body of its mother, was adopted by Mrs. Allison Nailor, a wealthy lady of Washington. Major John Burke, manager of Buffalo Bill s Wild West Combination, stood as god-father to the child, and had it christened Maggie C. Nailor, the first name and initial being those of the child s new found benefactress. Miss Elaine Goodale, the poet, who had devoted some years to educational work among the Indians, made this report to the Commissioner of Indian affairs, concerning the battle at Wounded Knee : 44 1 was not an eye-witness of the fight and my in formation has been obtained chiefly from Indian prisoners who engaged in it and half-breeds who were present, and from parties who visited the battlefield several days after the encounter. "The testimony of the survivors of Big Foot s band is unanimous on one important point, namely, that the Indians did not deliberately plan a resis- NOT A WAR PARTY tance. The party was not a war party, according to their statements (which I believe to be true), but a party intending to visit the agency at the invitation of Red Cloud. The Indians say that many of the men were un armed. When they met the troops they anticipated 456 I-IF& OF SITTING BUT.L no trouble. There was constant friendly intercourse between the soldiers and the Indians, even women shaking hands with the officers and men. The de mand for their arms was a surprise to the Indians, but the great majority of them chose to submit quietly. The tepees had already been searched and a large number of guns, knives and hatchets con fiscated when the searching of the persons of the men was begun. The women say that they too were searched and their knives (which they always carry for domestic purposes) taken from them. A number of the men had surrendered their rifles and cartridge-belts when one young man (who is des cribed by the Indians as a good-for-nothing young fellow) fired a single shot. This called forth a volley from the troops and the firing and confusion became general. I do not credit the statement which has been made by some that the women carried arms and participa ted actively in the fight. The weight of testimony is overwhelmingly against this supposition. There may have been one or two isolated cases of this kind, but there is no doubt that the great majority of the women and children, as well as many unarm ed men and youths, had no thought of anything but flight, They were pursued up the ravines, and shot SHOT DOWN INDISCRIMINATELY. down indiscriminately by the soldiers. It is reported that one of the officers ealled out, " Don t shoot the squaws," but the men were doubt- AND THE IN2XIAN WAR. 457 less too much excited to obey. The killing of the women and children was in part unavoidable, owing to the confusion, but I think thers is no doubt that it was in many cases deliberate and intentional. The 7th Cavalry, Custer s old command, had an old grudge to repay. The party of scouts who buried the dead, report sixty-four bodies of men and boys, forty-four of women and eighteen of young children. Some were carried off by the hostiles. A number of prisoners, chiefly women, have since died of their wounds, and more will soon follow. The party who visited the battlefield on January ist, to rescue any wounded who nvght have been abandoned, and brought in seven, report that nearly all the bodies of the men Avere lying close about Big Foot s Sibley tent while the women and children were scattered along a dis tance of two miles from the scene of the encounter. CHAPTER XXXIV. FATHER CRAFT AND HIS WORK. A DEVOTED PRIEST DESCENDANT OF A SENECA CHIEF AND SUCCESSOR OF SPOTTED TAIL AS CHIEF OF THE BRULES His INTERVIEW WITH RED CLOUD ARRAIGNMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT. Among those who were seriously wounded in the fight was the Rev. Francis J. M. Craft, a Roman Catholic clergyman. He was born in 1854, in New York City, where his father, Dr. Francis Craft, was a leading physician. Father Craft received his early education in the public schools, and then stud ied medicine at the College of Physicians and Sur geons. He was graduated with honors, but poor health prevented him from practicing. Then he turned his mind toward theology, and abandoning the Protestant Episcopal Church, in which he had been reared, he became a Catholic. He entered the Theological Seminary at Troy, and was ordained there in 1878. Father Craft is directly descended from one of the greatest Seneca Indian chiefs, and recently the Seneca Indians of New York State MADE HIM A CHIEF, and the historical badge of the tribe, made of silver, 458 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 459 and supposed to be three hundred years old, was presented to Father Craft. His natural inclination was to help the Indians, and he chose missionary work among the Western tribes as his field of labor. For eleven years the priest labored among the Sioux at Pine Ridge, Standing Rock, and Rosebud Agencies. He has been instrumental in establish ing schools for the Indian children and a house for the Sisters of Charity, of whom many are native In dian women. Father Craft also lent all his energies toward a peaceful settlement of all difficulties, and tried in every way to prevent the Indians from be coming contaminated by their association with bad white people. He was made chief of the Brule band of Sioux by the dying decree of Chief Spotted Tail, who, accord ing to the Indian custom, had the right to transfer the chieftainship to any one he might name. Spotted Tail s words were: " Let the first black robe that comes among you be my successor." Father Craft was the first to come, and he arrived in time for Spotted Tail to sign his name to the paper making Father Craft chief. This Spotted Tail did IN HIS OWN BLOOD, pricking a vein in his arm for the purpose. Father Craft then obtained a drop of his own blood in the same manner and signed his name. This made the compact sacred and sealed the Father as Spotted Tail s successor after the Indian custom. Father 460 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Craft afterward, in the presence of a large number of the tribe, consecrated it to the Sacred Heart. IL die summer of 1890, Father Craft s horse fell upon him and so disabled him that he was granted a leave of absence. He came to New York and spent his tinae mostly in the examina tion, with Gen. O Beirne, of the Indians returning from the shows in Europe. At the request of friends he proceeded to Washington to consult with Gen. Schofield, Secretary Proctor, and Gen. Miles on the occasion of Gen. Miles* visit to the capital. He intended to return to New York, but instead of doing so he set out hastily for the scene of the Indian disturbances. From Rosebud he* wrote to the War Department that EVERYTHING WAS QUIET. He then proceeded quietly to Pine Ridge, where he took part in the discussion of affairs. He it was who advised that Indians be sent out to the Bad Lands after the braves who were still out. In his work among the Indians, Father Craft had many bitter opponents, and his life was often threat ened. But he was a formidable opponent. He was one of the best shots with rifle or revolver in all the country, and on several occasions when men wanted to fight him he satisfied them amply by drawing his revolver and with unerring aim PLANTING BULLET AFTER BULLET in chips that were floating far out in the river. Just AND THE INDIAN WAR. 461 before the battle at Wounded Knee Father Craft had the following interesting interview with old Red Cloud : He asked the chi$f : " What, in your opinion, is the cause of the trouble among the Indians ?" " Everybody seems to think that the belief in the coming of the Messiah has caused all the trouble. This is a mistake. I will tell you the cause. " When we first made treaties with the Govern ment, this was our position : Our old life and our old customs were about to end ; the game upon which we lived was disappearing ; the whites were closing around us, and nothing remained for us but to adopt their ways and have the same rights with them if we wished to save ourselves. The Govern ment promised us all the means necessary to make our living out of our land, and to instruct us how to do it, and abundant food to support us until we could take care of ourselves. We looked forward with hope to the time when we could be AS INDEPENDENT AS THE WHITES, and have a voice in the Government. "The officers of the army could have helped us better than any others, but we were not left to them. An Indian Department was made, with a large num ber of agents and other officials drawing large sal aries, and these men were supposed to teach us the ways of the whites. Then came the beginning of trouble. These men took care of themselves but 462 LIFE OF SITTING BULL not of us. * It was made very hard far us to deal with the Government except through them. It seems to me that they thought they could make more by keeping us back than by helping us for ward. We did not get the means to work our land. The few things given were given in such a way as to do us little or no good. Our rations began to be reduced. Some said that we were lazy and wanted to live on rations, and not to work. That is false. How does any man of sense suppose that so great a number of people could get to work at once, unless they were at once supplied with means to work, and instructors enough to teach them how to use them? " Remember that even our little ponies were taken away under the promise that they would be replaced by oxen and large horses, and that it was long before we saw any, and then we got very few. We tried, even with the means we had, but on one pretext or another we were shifted from place to place or were told that such a transfer was coming. Great efforts were made TO BREAK UP OUR CUSTOMS, but nothing was done to introduce the customs of the whites. Everything was done to break the power of the real chiefs, who really wished their people to improve, and little men, so-called chiefs, were made to act as disturbers and agitators. Spotted Tail wanted the ways of the whites, and a cowardly assassin was found to remove him. This AND THE INDIAN WAR. 463 was charged upon the Indians, because an Indian did it, but who set on the Indian ? " I was abused and slandered, to weaken my in fluence for good and make me seem like one who did not want to advance. This was done by the men paid by the Government to teach us the ways of the whites. I have visited many other tribes, and find that the same things were done among them. All was done to discourage and nothing to encourage. I saw the men paid by the Government to help us all very busy making money for them selves, but doing nothing for us. " Now, don t you suppose we saw all this ? Of course we did, but what could we do ? We were prisoners, not in the hands of the army, but IN THE HANDS OF ROBBERS. Where was the army ? Set by the Government to watch us, but having no voice in setting things right, so that they would not need to watch us. They could not speak for us, though we wished it very much. Those who held us pretended to be very anxious about our welfare, and said our con dition was a great mystery. We tried to speak and clear up this mystery, but were laughed at and treated as children. So things went on from year to year. Other treaties were made, and it was all the same. Rations were further reduced, and we were starving, sufficient food not given us, and no means to get food from the land were provided. Rations 464 LIFE OF SITTING BULL were still further reduced. A family got for two weeks what was not enough for one week. 44 What did we eat when that was gone ? The people were desperate from starvation they had no hope. They did not think of fighting. What good would it do ? They might die like men, but what would the women and children do ? Some say they saw THE SON OF GOD. All did not see Him. I did not see Him. If He had come He would do some great thing as He did be fore. We doubted it, because we saw neither Him nor His works. Then Gen. Crook came. His words sounded well ; but how could we know that a new treaty would be kept any better than the old one ? For that reason we did not care to sign. He promised to see that his promises would be kept. He, at least, had never lied to us. His words gave the people hope. They signed. They hoped. He died. Their hope died with him. Despair came again. The people were counted, and wrongly counted. Our rations were again reduced. The white men seized on the land we sold them through Gen. Crook, but our pay was as distant as * ever. The man who counted us told all over that we were feasting and wasting food. Where did he see this ? " How can we eat or waste what we have not ? We felt that we were MOCKED IN OUR MISERY. We had no newspapers, and no one to speak for AND THE INDIAN WAR. 465 us. We had no redress. Our rations were again reduced. You who eat three times each day, and see your children well and happy around you, can t understand what starving Indians feel. We were faint with hunger and maddened by despair. We held our dying children, and felt their little bodies tremble as their souls went out and left only a dead weight in our hands. They were not very heavy, but we ourselves were very faint, and the dead weighed us down. There was no hope on earth, and God seemed to have forgotten us. Some one had again been talking of the Son of God, and said He had come. The people did not know ; they did not care. They snatched at the hope. They screamed. like crazy men to Him for mercy. They caught at the promises they heard He had made. " The white men were frightened, and called for soldiers. We had begged for life, and the white men thought we wanted theirs. We heard that sol diers were coming. We did not fear. We hoped that we could tell them our troubles and get help. A white man said the soldiers MEANT TO KILL US. We did not believe it, but some were frightened o and ran away to the Bad Lands. The soldiers came. They said: Don t be afraid; we come to make peace, and not war. It was true. They brought us food, and did not threaten us. If the Messiah has really come, it must be in this way. The people prayed for life, and the army brought it 466 LIFE OF SITTING BULL The Black Robe, Father Jule, went to the Bad Lands and brought in some Indians to talk to Gen. Brooke. The General was very kind to them, and quieted their fears, and was a real friend. He sent out Indians to call in the other Indians from the Bad Lands. I sent all my horses and all my young men to help Gen. Brooke SAVE THE INDIANS. Am I not right when I say that he will know how to settle this trouble ? He has settled it. "The Indian Department called for soldiers to shoot down the Indians whom it had starved into despair. Gen. Brooke said, No, what have they done? They are dying. They must live. He brought us food. He gave us hope. I trust to him now to see that we will be well treated. I hope that the despair that he has driven away will never return again. If the army had been with us from the first there never would have been any trouble. The army will, I hope, keep us cafe and help us to become as inde pendent as the whites." "What do you think of the killing of Sitting Bull?" " Sitting Bull was nothing but what the white men made him. He was A CONCEITED MAN who never did anything great, but wanted to get into notice, and white men who had something to make by it, encouraged him and used him. When they had made him as great as they could they killed AND THE INDIAN WAR. 467 him to get a name by it. The fight at his arrest would have been made for any one arrested in the same way. If he was a little man, he was a man, and should not have been murdered uselessly. What is worse, many good men were killed also. The soldiers came in time to prevent more murders, but too late to save all. If the army had wanted to arrest him they knew how to do it, and never would have done it in that way. You see how they are doing here. The agent does not interfere with the army, and the army saves lives and does not do anything foolish. No Indian wants to fight ; they want to eat, and work, and live ; and as the soldiers are peace-makers there will be no trouble here. "The Indian Department has almost destroyed us. Save us from it. Let the army take charge of us. We know it can help us. Let it manage our affairs in its own way. If this can be done I will think that all this late trouble has been only a storm that broke the clouds. Let the sun shine on us again. There is one man whom we named BIG-LONG-TRAVELER (Gen.O Beirne), who some years.ago helped us when we were in trouble and were about to starve. He was the first and the only one who made the whites take away the little cattle they brought to cheat us, and made them bring cattle of full weight. Ask him to tell people what we suffer and what we need. He made people treat us well once while he was 468 LIFE OF SITTING BULL with us. I wrote to him to come here again when we were in trouble, and make our case known. He understands it. Get him to help keep the army in charge of us." Father Craft also wrote a letter to the New York Freeman s Journal, in which he said that in the be ginning the Indians hoped for much aid from the Government to enable them to become like white men. They were, however, in every way abused, mocked, and discouraged. Instead of being wards, they have felt they were the victims of unscrupulous politicians, who benefited by their misery. Father Craft continued : " I know what I say, for I have SHARED THEIR SUFFERINGS for many years. In their despair Gen. Crook brought them hope. Their confidence in him led them to hope that he would be able to realize their hopes. His death was their death-blow, and they felt it. "Indians are not fools, but men of keen intelli gence. Reductions in rations increased these fears. Even Indian agents protested against such cruelty. Mr. Lee, who took the census, made grave mis takes; counted less than the real numbers, and made false reports of prosperity that did not exist. It is not to be wondered that they believed in a Messiah, whom they at first doubted, and listened to every deceiver who promised hope. " Interested whites took advantage of this state AND THE INDIAN WAR. 471 of affairs and howled for troops. The army indig nantly protested against their false statements, but had to go to the scene of the supposed danger, " Interested whites persuaded them that their en tire destruction was aimed at, and the Indians ran away in fear and despair. Father Jule calmed them, and I brought them back to the agency, and the KINDNESS OF GEN. BROOKE convinced them of their safety. The General s plan to send Indians after those still out was good, and would have succeeded if the General were left alone, "Just as the tree can be traced from its smallest branch to its root, so can the Indian troubles be traced to starvation and misery of the Indians." CHAPTER XXXV. AFTER THE BATTLE. A PROFOUND SENSATION CAUSED VARYING COMMENTS AND PROPHISCIKS ALARM AT PINE RIDGE LIST OF THE TROOPS IN SERVICE- MURDER OF LIEUT. CASEY AGENT ROYER REMOVED RED CLOUD S FLIGHT THE CASE OF COL. FORSYTHE. A profound sensation was caused throughout the whole country by the news of the Battle of Wounded Knee, and the most extreme comments were made on both sides. Some denounced it as a wicked massacre of red men. Others hailed it as a piece of righteous punishment inflicted upon incorrigible savages. Its effects were also variously estimated. It was by many thought to be the beginning of a long and bloody war of extermination, while others believed it would end all the troubles and insure immediate and lasting peace. As is usual, the truth lay in neither of these extremes. It was generally felt, however, that the military authorities now had the upper hand, and that henceforth the Indians would be kept on the defensive. Credit is to be given to the Indians who were 472 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 473 enlisted as scouts and police by the Government. They were TRUE AS STEEL and did their duty nobly. Conspicuous among them were No Neck, Yankton Charlie, Rocking Bear, Long Wolf, and Black Heart. The chief of the scouts, Frank Gruard, and Little Bat also did most valuable work. After the battle Col. Forsythe went into camp on Porcupine Creek near the scene of the fight. His position was not a safe one, and reinforcements were hurried forward to his relief. No further attack was made upon his command, however. Big Foot s band had been practically annihilated, and all other hostile Indians in that part of the country were over-awed by their fate. At Pine Ridge Agency the news of the battle created great excitement and alarm. Pandemonium broke loose among the 5,000 Indians there, and a large number of them broke away and fled toward the Bad Lands, while many others joined the troops and PREPARED FOR DEFENSE against the hostiles. Soon sounds of war were heard about the agency. A friendly Indian village near by was burned by the hostiles. The settlers from all around came flocking in. All the women and children were huddled together in one house and guarded by the infantry, and all night long every one at the agency remained awake in instant 474 LIFE OF SITTING BULL expectatien of attack. An outbuilding at the Catholic Mission School was burned by mischievous Indians, and it was rumored that the whole school had been destroyed, but the rumor happily proved unfounded. The New Year did not open peacefully. New Year s Day saw 3,000 Indians, 600 of whom were fighting men, encamped in the Bad Lands about fifteen miles from the Pine Ridge Agency. They were in a spot greatly resembling the famous lava beds of California where the Modocs under Captain Jack made their last stand. It was A STRONG SITUATION, but the troops surrounded it on all sides and Gen. Miles felt sure that he would make them surrender without a struggle. There were now on the scene of action the First, Second, Third, Seventh, Eighth, Twelfth, Seventeenth, Twenty-first, and Twenty- second Regiments of Infantry, and the First, Second, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth of Cavalry, Battery A of the First Artillery and Battery F of the Fourth Artillery. Red Cloud now sent in a letter, claiming that he was a prisoner and begging the soldiers to come and save him from the other Indians who were determined to drag him into the war. A number ol his followers voluntarily came in and surrendered themselves, and promised that they would be fol lowed by the whole band. Matters remained in about this condition for sev- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 475 eral days. Foraging parties were sent out to cap ture all the cattle and ponies that could be found, and to secure hay from the outlying ranches which had been deserted by the settlers. Hay and pro visions were very scarce, the weather was severe, and the 8,000 troops were by no means in a com fortable position. On January 25th an attempt was made by the Indians to move to the northward, and preparations were made for action, but no serious trouble ensued. Two days later ANOTHER DEPLORABLE TRAGEDY occurred. Lieut. Casey, a fine officer of the 226. Infantry, went out from Gen. Brooke s camp to visit the hostile Indians and, if possible, induce the chiefs to come in and have a conference. He passed a small band of Ogallalas, who were butchering cat tle and who appeared to be friendly. Two of them, however, set out to follow him. A little further on he met Peter Richards, a son-in-law of Red Cloud, who had been sent by the latter to warn him not to come nearer to the hostile camp, as it would be dangerous for him to do so. Lieut. Casey said that he would at least go on a little further, to the top of a small hill, whence he could get a view of the hostile camp. Richards tried to dissuade him from even this. While the two were talking there was a shot, and Casey fell from his horse dead, SHOT THROUGH THE BRAIN. The shot was fired by one of the two Ogallalas who 476 LIFE OF SITTING BULL had been following Casey. Richards would have shot the murderer, but was himself unarmed. When news of the murder was brought to the camp, Gen. Brooke sent out a detachment to recover Casey s body, which was found stripped but not mutilated. Lieut. Casey was about forty years old, and had been in command of a troop of Cheyenne scouts for about a year. He was earnestly devoted to the best interests of the Indians, and his death was greatly lamented by both Indians and his army com rades. A decided change in the situation was effected on January 8th. At this date the Secretary of the In terior dismissed Mr. Royer from the agency at Pine Ridge, and placed Capt. Pierce, of the ist Infantry, temporarily in command. At the same time, the Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, and Tongue River reservations were placed temporarily UNDER MILITARY CONTROL, with Gen. Miles in supreme command. Mr. Royer was removed because, in the opinion of the Indian Office, he was not equal to the emergency. In or dinary times he had performed his duties well, but in time of war he was lacking in nerve. The general situation was summed up by the In dian Office at this date as follows: There were in all about 20,000 Sioux Indians on the northern res ervations. Of these, 16,500 were living in peace. This left about 3,500 men, women, and children AND THE INDIAN WAR. 477 more or less hostile, and to deal with them Gen. Miles had 8,000 well-equipped soldiers. After the murder of Lieut. Casey, Red Cloud be came panic-stricken and fled to the agency for pro tection from his fellow-Indians. His escape from them, according to his own story, was a narrow one. His son Jack had to SMUGGLE HIM OUT OF CAMP, and then his daughter took him by the hand and led him through the snow and on foot across eighteen miles of wretched country to the agency. He was nearly blind, and without his daughter would cer tainly have lost his way and perished in the blizzard that was then raging. Twice during the flight they were fired upon by Indians, and had to lie down and burrow in the snow to escape the bullets. Young Red Cloud also came into the agency, bringing with him one of Lieut. Casey s revolvers which had been stolen by his murderer. Col. Forsythe was much criticised for his man agement of the battle at Wounded Knee, and was relieved from the command and an inquiry was or dered. It was said that the troops were so placed that in the firing many of the men were killed by their own comrades. The testimony of the officers and men, however, was unanimously in his favor, and he was HONORABLY ACQUITTED by the investigating committee. Gen. Schofield 478 LIFE OF SIT7ING BULL thus explained the reason for Col. Forsythe s sus pension : "It had been suggested, by a person whom I can not mention, that it would be well to look into the matter of the fight on Wounded Knee Creek the other day, inasmuch as the reports state that sev eral Indian women and children were killed. Ac cordingly, Gen. Miles, at a suggestion from here, relieved Col. Forsythe of his command, pending an investigation of the circumstances of that fight, which investigation is probably now being conducted by Gen. Miles." One officer remarked : " It is preposterous to say that it is necessary in an Indian skirmish to stop firing long enough to find out just what sort of an Indian you are shooting at. The women and the men look very much alike in their blanket costume, and the former are quite AS FIERCE FIGHTERS AS THE MEN. A Sioux squaw is as bad an enemy as a buck at times. The little boys, too, can shoot quite well as their fathers." An officer of the 7th Cavalry said : " The story that the men shot down women and children is a lie. The fact is, nothing was left undone to save them. I heard many men cry out, Don t shoot! that s a woman ! The people who killed women and chil dren were the Indians themselves." CHAPTER XXXVI. DOUBT AND FEAR. LOSING FAITH IN INDIAN PROMISES STRANGE SCENES IN CHURCH A WAGON TRAIN ATTACKED A MIDNIGHT Pow-wow Two DARE DEVIL BRULES THE FORTIFICATIONS AN UNEXPECTED ADVANCE MUCH TALK BUT LITTLE ACTION. So the campaign at Pine Ridge dragged its way along in doubt and uncertainty. Every morning brought reports that the Indians were coming in to give themselves up, but every evening saw the promise unfulfilled. They were coming. But in such matters time is an element which does not concern the Indian. So many times, indeed, did he promise to come in without keeping the promise that no man could tell when the final entry would be made. A correspondent one day had an interview with Father Jule. He is the Jesuit missionary who induced the Indians to promise to come in just before the battle of Wounded Knee. They were on the point of keeping the promise when the news of the engagement sent them flying back in fear. Said that gentleman : 479 480 L1FP- Ofi SITTING BUI.L " I have so often heard that the Indians are com- BELIEVE THEM NC MORE. ing in only to be mistaken, that I shall believe them no more until I see them. Father Jule was almost the only man at the agency who paid much attention to religious duties. Besides his church and school there were two churches The Presbyterian, the pastor of which was the Rev. Mr. Sterling, and the Church of the Holy Cross, Episcopal, the rector being the Rev. C. S. Cook. In the Government school, religious services were neld generally by the Catholics. In the first mentioned there was no service on January n, wrote a correspondent; the windows were barred and to the west was stationed a line of breast works, and adjacent were several tents- of infantry soldiers ; in the Episcopal church fifteen wounded Al THE POINT OF DEATH. women and children lay, some at the point of death and all in pain, the result of the fight on Wounded Knee. The pews had been torn from their places and on either side of what had been the main aisle were beds of loose hay on which lay the unfortu nates. The sanctuary was given up to the groaning little ones, while in the choir three hostiles moaned in misery. On the lectern were rolls of bandages, pieces of lint and cloth which had served to stanch the flow of blood from the wounded victims. This lectern was presented to the church by Calvary church of New York, and at it had officiated the . AND THE INDIAN WAR. 481 Rev. A. L. Southard, the Rev. F. L. Hawks, the Rev. Cleveland Coxe and the Rev. E. A. Washburn. Neither of these worthy men, nor those who suc ceeded them doubtless ever imagined that this would be one of the uses to which the desk should be put in this distant country. The little church was of Gothic design and was beautifully hung with ever greens, reminiscent of the Christmastide the period of peace and of good-will, which was made memor able there by the blood spilled. In the school Father Jule said mass and delivered a short sermon. One- half of the worshippers were Indians, among whom was Red Cloud. The old chief knelt and rose up, made his genuflexions and crossed himself like the others present. Throughout he held an English prayer-book, which, however, he was unable to read. He devoted his attention to the pictures of the sev eral parts of the mass, many of which he could scarcely distinguish because of his failing sight. The party sent to Wounded Knee to bury the dead Indians found and buried eighty-four bucks and sixty-three squaws and children. It was also found that five had been buried by the Indians. In addition to this total of 152, others, who had been carried away by hostile scouts, etc., were heard of, sufficient to swell the number of dead Indians, as a result of the battle of Wounded Knee, to fully 200. Another conflict occurred near Wounded Knee on January 5. As a number of wagons with supplies were known to be coming thither on the road from 482 LIFE OF SITTING BULL. Rapid City, it was thought best to send out a de tachment to protect them. So thirty men were picked, and immediately started down the road. They had not gone over ten miles when they dis covered the wagons, thirteen in number, drawn up ATTACKED BY A BAND. in the form of a square, and being attacked by a band of about fifty Indians. The detachment put their horses to a full gallop, whereupon the Indians withdrew to an adjoining hill. The detachment now joined the teamsters, who numbered only nineteen. Sacks of grain, bundles and boxes were thrown up in front of the besieged men as breastworks. The In dians noticing this immediately returned and began an attack, circling around the wagons, but keeping at a distance of 800 yards. As a result the shots from their Winchesters were not effective, often falling short of the mark. The carbines of the soldiers were used with much more effect, a number of Indi ans being seen to fall from their horses. Meantime the band was augmented unt-il it num bered some 100 warriors in all, besides some who had been posted off in the adjoining hills, One soldier at the beginning of the fight, while arranging the breastworks, was shot in the shoulder, but not seriously wounded. A soldier was detailed to re- BESIEGED BY THE INDIANS.- turn to camp and report that the detachment was besieged by the Indians. He selected a fast horse and made a break at an opportune moment, the at- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 483 tention of the Indians being attracted to movements made on the other side. As soon as the object of the ruse was seen about twenty Indians gave chase to Private Collins, and fired shot after shot at him, but as he had a fast horse he soon distanced them. They then returned with the others to the attack. Three more Indians were seen to fall from their horses, and were picked up and carried away by their companions. Four cavalry horses were shot and killed, as were a large number of Indian ponies. While the large body of Indians was being en gaged by the majority of the soldiers and citizens, a few Indians scattered about, dismounted, and, set ting as close as possible, began firing into the TRYING TO STAMPEDE THEM. horses, trying to stampede them. Had not some of the soldiers been holding and guarding the horses the Indians would undoubtedly have succeeded in obtaining their object. By this time things were getting pretty hot for the besieged party, and bul lets were flying as thick as hailstones, and it was hard to distinguish the Indians through the smoke. The citizens had been fighting them for six hours, and the soldiers about three hours. A little before 2 p. m. a commotion was seen among the Indians, and they gradually retreated, when it was seen that troops were coming in full charge to the rescue. Every one gave three resounding cheers as the troops rode up, and the Indians scattered in all di rections, Troop F, giving chase. They were pursued 484 LIFE OF SITTING BULL. until near nightfall, when the chase was abandoned, the wagon train and every one returning to camp, bringing the dead Indians and some ponies with them. There was a big pow-wow in the hostile camp on A BIG POW-WOW. January Qth. It was a starlight night, and the red skins stood or squatted in a great circle around the council fire. Many of the Ogalallas, led by Little Wound and Big Road, made speeches urging sur render, but the young dare-devils were still obstinate. After wrangling and fighting they finally agreed to move on the agency next day and to go into camp on the White Clay Creek, five miles from Pine Ridge, and near the Catholic Mission. This was the story told by Young-Man-Afraid-of-his-Horses. Next morning two young Brules dashed up to the agency buildings. They had just come from the hostile camp. One fellow had a streak of blue paint across his nose. Both were in white shirts. They leaped nimbly off their ponies and bolted through the crowd to General Miles s headquarters, dragging their rifles behind them. The leggings of the leader had the zodiac worked upon them in beads. Indian po licemen fell upon them and disarmed them. They then said they wanted to see General Miles. They MEANT. ISO HARM. were escorted to headquarters, where they were profuse in assurances that the Brules meant no harm. General Miles told them to go back to their AND THE INDIAN WAR. 485 camp and tell their people to surrender without further trouble. Then they dashed away, laughing at the Indian police. These daring fellows were not 20 years old, and doubtless came to the agency on some mysterious mission. Their boldness simply showed the craziness of the young dare-devil Brules, General Miles telegraphed on January 1 2th that the Indians were within two miles of the Pine Ridge Agency. They were of course surrounded by troops, and the closer in they came, the stronger the encircling cordon was. During that day a num ber of men and squaws from the hostile camp ar rived on horseback and in wagons, in all stages of dilapidation. The arrivals, however, were not as numerous as had been expected, the main body of Indians still remaining near the mission. As the refugees or visitors reached the outposts they were deprived of their arms by the guards. The wily ONLY A FEW WEAPONS. hostiles, however, displayed only a few weapons, and these were later returned to them when the owners went back to the hostile camp. It is not at all improbable that many of the warriors had arms concealed about their persons. The announcement that a large number of the hostiles had at length arrived within gun-shot of the pickets spread with rapidity through the camp of the Indians. Immediately hundreds of squaws and children gathered in the vicinity of headquarters, 486 LIFE OF SITTING BULL whence a view of the bluffs, beyond which the Kos- tiles were stationed, could be obtained. They waited patiently for their brothers, lovers and husbands to appear, but as evening drew on and their devotion was not rewarded they gradually retired to their tepees. Colonel Henry, who was expected with his four troops of the Qth Cavalry to reach the agency in company with Colonel Wheaton and his command, was ordered to White Clay to follow General Brooke, whose headquarters were established with Colonel Sanford s command. The latter was within a few miles of the Indians, and would press them more closely unless in the meantime they have gone into camp within the agency. Colonel Sanford s command comprised of one" troop each of the ist, 2d and 9th Cavalry, the Cheyenne Scouts, formerly commanded by the late Lieutenant Casey and now in charge of Lieutenant Getty, and Companies A, C, G and H of the 2d Infantry. Colonel Wheaton was about eight miles west of the agency with Com panies B, D, Eand F of the 2d. There was of course no certainty as to what the Indians would do. General Miles himself was in doubt as to what to expect of them. They might. he said, get to within gunshot of the agency and WITHIN GUNSHOT OF THE AGENCY. then break away to the camp which they had just abandoned. Fear of all kinds of punishment seem ed to have taken possession of them, and it was WHITE THUNDER. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 489 generally understood that one injudicious acton the part of the soldiers or the mad act of some implaca ble hostile would precipitate a fight, the consequen ces of which could scarcely be imagined. Lieuten ant Taylor, of the 9th Cavalry, went to the Indians with a couple of his scouts with the intention of leading them at the proper time to the places desig nated for their camp at the agency. Where they were resting the ground was rolling, and offered ad vantages to the cavalry which were denied to them at Wounded Knee. They were virtually surrounded by SURROUNDED BY TROOPS. troops and in a disadvantageous position, and revolt would most surely have resulted disastrously to them. Major Whiteside, in command of the 7th Cavalry, had his men ready to move at a moment s notice, and could reach any point of the agency within five minutes. The same was true of Captain Capron with his battery and Catling guns,as also of the ist Infantry under Colonel Shaftner. The latter had about 300 men, about 260 of whom were mounted, ponies for this purpose having been procured. The fortifications commanding the hostile camp were about three-fourths of a mile north of the agency. They occupied several prominent bluffs and commanded the valley, which was nearly two miles wide and about as many miles in length. They were guarded by a Hotchkiss gun, which had a range of four miles. This belonged to Captain 490 /-^ - OF BITTING BULL Capron. There were also Companies B and H, of the ist Infantry. Both batteries and Infantry were under the command of Captain Dougherty. At the nothern extremity of the valley, beyond White Clay Creek, and at the base of a semi-circular, pine-covered bluff, the hostiles had their tents. Their village comprised about 300 tepees, with about 800 Indians, who seemed to be well supplied with ponies. The view was picturesque and the site was one from which the Indians might easily retire were they not closely followed by General Brooke and his com mand. Shortly before noon of January 12, Frank Gourard, who had been to the hostile camp, arrived and an nounced that the Indians were not coming in. Up to midday the chiefs who were expected to hold a big talk with General Miles, had not made their ap pearance, and it began to look as if Gourard s report was correct, but shortly after noon it was discovered MADE A RAPID ADVANCE. that the hostiles had made a rapid advance. Major Baker, the paymaster, had visited the fortifications to pay off the company, and all of the men were in the camp a hundred yards away except one, who was left as a guard near the guns. Suddenly two Indians werje seen on the crest of a hill but a short distance beyond the other pickets ; then others ap peared on the hills to the northwest; then more than a dozen were seen on the various elevations, and then a body of more than 100 warriors rose to AND THE INDIAN WAX. 49 I the crest of the hill behind which the hostiles were. The number was steadly increased to 400 by acces sions of bands ranging in numbers from five to twenty-five. Captain Dougherty was immediately notified. He dispatched a courier to headquarters to inform General Miles of the movement. Then hurrying to the fortifications he had the gun prepared for action. The range-finder adjusted his sights, and the cave in whigh the ammunition was stored was opened. A line of skirmishers were sent out beyond the fortifications on the crests of the hills. The activity at headquarters was stirring. Orders BE IN READINESS. were sent to the cavalry to saddle and be in readi ness to move southwest of the camp. General Miles, accompanied by Buffalo Bill and his staff, rode to the fortifications and made a circuit of the camp. Extra ammunition was issued and when everything was in readiness the troops waited a movement. After two hours General Miles received word that the Indians did not mean to make any advance, but they would like to talk with him. The General sent them word to go quietly into camp and he would re ceive ten of their chief men. Then the warriors dis appeared from the hilltop and an hour later they were camped with the end of their column on the plain. The friendly Indians held a council and decided that they wanted none of the hostiles in their camp. They dug rifle pits and said that if even a solitary 492 LIFE OF SITTING BULL warrior came among them and caused trouble they would arrest him, and if he resisted they would kill him. Still, this did not give a feeling of security. If a fight took place no one would know a friendly from a hostile, and the fight would become simply a battle between all the Indians and the whites. The next day found General Miles still patiently PATIENTLY WAITING FOR THE INDIANS. waiting for the Indians to come in. The hostile In dians still remained in the camp, about two miles from the agency. They did not attempt to come nearer with the exception of those who desired to visit some of the friendlies, and who were compelled to take a circuitous route around the agency to reach them. These were generally met about half a mile beyond the breastworks by pickets, by whom they were compelled to surrender their arms until after their return from the visit. Young-Man-Afraid- of-his-Horses came in from the camp to arrange for a meeting of the hostile chiefs with General Miles. Arrangements were made, and on January 14, Little Wound, Little Hawk, Crow Dog and Old Calico came in from the hostiles to talk with General Miles, under the escort of Young-Man-Afraid-of- Horses. This council made satisfactory progress. Colonel Corbin, Assistant Adjutant-General, an nounced that the chiefs had assented to the surrender of their arms, and that the latter would probably be brought in that night or the next day. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 493 A reported uneasiness among the young men in IN FIGHTING TRIM ALL NIGHT. the hostile camp had kept the troops in fighting trim all night, but the outbreak did not occur. A Rosebud Indian explained to General Brooke that the reason he did not return to the agency after the fight on Wounded Knee was because, when he attempted to do so, the Indian police fired on him, driving him back to the hostiles. He said he could not tell whether the latter would remain out or not, because there were a number of young men among them who could not be controlled. CHAPTER XXXVII. IN AT LAST. THE HOSTILES COME TO PINE RIDGE A MOTLEY PROCESS^ THEIR WEAPONS LEFT BEHIND, HIDDEN AWAY WHAT THE CHIEFS SAID GENERAL MILES S GENEROUS CONDUCT TROOPS RETURNING HOME A DELEGATION OF INDIANS ON THEIR WAY TO WASHINGTON LET TER FROM " BUFFALO BILL." To everything there must be an x end, except to eternity. The deliberate slowness of an Indian is not quite eternal. So at last it ended, and the hostiles came in to the Pine Ridge Agency. This was on January 15. At noon they were strung along the west bank of White Clay Creek for a distance of two miles. They were mounted, walking, riding on wagons, and, in fact, were advancing in every man ner known to them. They were driving and leading immense herds of ponies Some of them entered the friendlies camp, others pitched their tepees on the west bank of the White Clay. These were the Ogalallas. The Brules, however, were camping in the bottom around Red Cloud s house and half a mile from the agency buildings. Frank Gourard, the scout, estimated the number of lodges at 742, 494 AND THE INDIAN HAR. 495 though he could not estimate the number of Indians, The latter could not, however, be fewer than 3,500. The Indian camp two miles from the agency had been broken up. General Brooke had been ordered to march in with his command from below the mis sion. The advance guard of the hostiles had scarcely reached the agency when Big Road sent word that COLLECTED THE ARMS he had collected the arms of his followers and wanted to surrender them to the agency. When the weapons came in they were found to consist of simply two short guns, a heavy rifle and a broken carbine, two Sharp s rifles and one Winchester nine guns in all. This surrender was an evidence that the Indians did not propose to give up all their guns, that they had hidden their best weapons in the hills. On this basis the entire hostile band would be expected to give up about 100 guns, when it was known that every man was the owner of a weapon. American Horse, Stand ing Bear, White Horse and Spotted Horse asked protection from the hostiles camped among them. This movement of the hostiles was the result of a visit paid to General Miles the day before by Two Strike, Kicking Bear, Lance High, Hawk and Eagle Pipe. They had a big talk with General Miles. The same subjects were considered as in the morning LEAVE THEIR CAMP. session with Little Wound, Big Road, Crow Dog and Turning Bear. It was agreed that the hostiles would 496 LIFE OF SITTING BULL leave their camp and pitch their tepees on the west side of the White Clay Creek, immediately opposite and less than half a mile from the agency. It was also decided the Indians would surrender their arms to their respective chiefs and that the arms would be taken. The latter would receipt for them, placing the name of each man upon his gun. The weapons would then be sold and the proceeds returned to the Indians. It was also decided that the chiefs would attempt to control their young men, and failing in this they would themselves arrest those who refused to act as good Indians and turn them over to the agent. General Miles was pleased with the friendly disposition manifested by the chiefs, and proposed to allow them several days in which to EVIDENCE OF HIS GOOD WILL, redeem their promise. As an evidence of good will the General sent to the hostiles several thousand pounds of flour and several hundred pounds of coffee and sugar. The General also considered with them several of the important contracts which the Indians said had been violated, and guaranteed that in future these contracts would be complied with to the letter. The chiefs were equally pleased with the kindly treatment they had received at the hands of General Miles. The General demanded the surrender of the slayer of Lieutenant Casey and the chiefs promised to accede to the demand. Short Bull, of the leading hostiles, was missed from both detachments of chiefs. His absence was AND THE INDIAN WAR. 497 explained by those who came on the ground that so many wild young men desired to accompany him to the agency that he deemed it a measure of policy to remain home. INTERVIEW WITH EAGLE PIPE. A correspondent had an interview with Eagle Pipe, in which a number of facts were ascertained regarding the big talk with the General. Among them was the novel one that the Indians demanded the abolition of the Rosebud Agency and the estab lishment of one more general agency at Pine Ridge. The reason they advanced for this radical move was the fact that the Indians were continually moving from one agency to the other, contrasting the methods of each, and longing for the comforts of Pine Ridge as compared with the many disadvan tages which they claimed to have experienced at Rosebud. This proposition Eagle Pipe, who, by the way, was one of the most influential of Rosebud or Brule chiefs, said General Miles had promised to consider. He also said that they would attempt to control all their young men, and would talk to them on the subject when he should return home. He INDULGING IN THE GHOST DANCE. said also that they had been recently indulging in the ghost dance, but that there were only a few of them, and they generally discontinued it when he advised them to do so. In anticipation of the camping of the hostiles on the west side of the agency, General Miles ordered 498 LlfE OP SITTING BULL the strengthening of the breastworks around the Ogalalla school, all of which command the proposed camping-grounds, General Colby and Buffalo Bill, of the Nebraska National Guard, had a talk with General Miles regarding the return to their homes of the militia camped along the frontier towns. They were assured that the men need no longer be retained. General Colby telegraphed his commands that they might return. General Miles telegraphed to General Schofield at Washington as follows : " In order to restore entire confidence among these Indians I have found it necessary to send a A DELEGATION TO WASHINGTON. delegation to Washington to receive assurance of the highest authority of the good intention of the Government toward them. This will answer a double purpose, namely, satisfy them, bridge over the transition period between war and peace, dispel distrust and hostility, and restore confidence. It will also be a guarantee of peace while they are ab sent. I ask that my action may receive the ap proval of the Department by telegraph. Every thing is progressing satisfactorily, and I can see no reason why perfect peace may not be estab lished." As soon as the Indians got into the agency and CALLED A COUNCIL. fairly settled, the Ogalailas called a council, which was held at " Loafer s Camp," in the vicinity of the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 499 friendlies. Six hundred Brules were present. The former had prepared a feast of hot coffee and boiled dog. The braves squatted in a circle, in the centre of which steamed the viands. The only white man present was Lieutenant Taylor, 9th Cavalry, com manding the famous Ogalalla scouts. Among the Ogalallas present were Chiefs Standing Soldier, American Horse, Standing Bear, Fast Thunder, Spotted Horse, White Bird and Bad Wound. Among the Brules were Chiefs Short Bull, Hole in His Pants, Kicking Bear, High Pipe, Iron Bull and Two Strikes. American Horse reviewed the cir cumstances which had led up to the present diffi culty and had impelled General Miles to issue the order disbanding the Indians. The order, he said, ought to be complied with, and they should return RETURN TO THEIR HOMES. to their homes and bring their young men to respect their white friends, dissuade them from violence and compel their children to return to school. Short Bull said that he had been in trouble with the whites before, but that he had signed a treaty which always prompted him to be a good friend of the white man. A great many of the Rosebud Indians wanted to come to Pine Ridge agency because they knew they would be treated better there. Rosebud was in a hole. They were starved there sometimes. They wanted to leave it and live with their brothers in one place. People carried lies about the Indians when they were separated. They wanted to live in 500 LIFE OF SITTING BULL one family, then everything would be all right. High Pine and Two Strikes also spoke. They were followed by Standing Soldier, a tine young man of the Taylor scouts. He said that some had come to the agency to make trouble and had killed friendly Indians ; that had caused the soldiers to be sent against them and made General Miles command them to lay down their arms. He hoped BRING PEACE AGAIN. all of them would comply with the order, because it would bring peace again. A short time ago, he said, he had brought to White Hat (Lieutenant Taylor) a good many of Sitting Bull s men. They were now in camp. The scouts, when they were brought in, were told they had given up their arms and reminded where they were to remain and had been well treated and their ponies had been fed with grain and hay. If Big Foot and his band had come in they would have been treated in the same manner. The trouble which killed him and his people was brought on him by his own people. If they were here now they would tell them something. Dr. McGillicuddy then gave them a talk in which he pointed out the errors which they had made in the past the leaders they had followed and the re sult which had followed. He gave them good advice and encouraged them to obey regulations in the future. Lieutenant Taylor was asked to speak, and said that he knew many Ogalallas and was satisfied that AND l^E INDIAN WAR. 50! they were friendly. He did not know the Brules so well, but felt that there were many brave men among them that would listen to reason The trouble they had experienced ha/1 been occa sioned by a variety of circumstances In the greater part of the Indian troubles he observed the Indians had always good excuse for bringing it on. They thought they had some excuse in bringing it on. He thought they had some excuse in this TROUBLE WAS NOW OVER. .$ instance ; the trouble was now over and if they wish to remain in peace all they had to do was to comply with the order of General Miles, Those who had good sense and judgment should set an example to and control the young men, of whom he knew many lived in their tribes. They had turned in very few guns and knew they had many more. It was now the middle of winter. The Great Spirit had given them extraordinarily good weather, differing from all other winters. If a blizzard should now come up their children and women would die and the soldiers would suffer. He hoped they w r ould immediately comply with General Miles order that the soldiers could soon go home and would be comfortable. If they complied with General Miles order some of them would be allowed to go to Washington to see the great father and state their grievances. He closed by stating that their rights would be recog nized by the present officers who had been placed over them. The council closed in the best possible 502 LIFE OF SITTING BULL humor, and it was noticed that some of the Brules had heard arguments and facts against their rebel lious course to which they attached considerable importance. An interesting estimate of the situation at thfs date was made by that experienced Indian manager, Col. W. F. Cody, " Buffalo Bill," in The Philadel phia Press. He said: "The situation to-day, so far BEST MARKED TRIUMPHS. as the military strategy goes, is one of the best marked triumphs known in the history of an Indian campaign. It speaks for itself, for the usual inci dents to Indian warfare, such as raids on settlers and wide devastation, have been wholly prevented. Only one white man has been killed outside the military circle. The presiding genius and his able aides have acted with all the cautious prowess of the hunter in surrounding and placing in the trap his dan gerous game, at the same time recognizing the value of uninjuring the game for future occasions. 1 speak, of course, of the campaign as originally planned to overcome and pacify the dissaffected portion of the Ogalallas, Wassachas, and Brules, the Big Foot affair being an unlooked-for accident. The situation A DESPERATE BAND CORRALED. to-day, with a desperate band corraled and the pos sibility of any individual fanatic running amuck, is most critical, but the wise measure of holding them in a military wall, allowing them to quiet down and listen to the assurances of such men as Young-Man- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 503 Afraid-of-His-Horses, Rocky Bear, No Neck, and other progressive Indians, relieves the situation so that, unless some accident happens to the military end of the active warfare, it seems a complete, final and brilliant success, as creditable to General Miles military reputation as it is to the humane and just side of his character. Neither should praise be withheld from General Brooke, Carr, Wheaton, Henry, Forsythe, and the other officers and men of the gallant little army who stood much privation, and in every instance I have SYMPATHY FOR THEIR UNHAPPY FOE. heard them speak they never expressed great sym pathy for their unhappy foe, and regrets for his im poverished and desperate condition. They, and the thoughtful people here, are now thinking about the future. In fact, the Government and nation are confronted by a problem of great importance as re gards remedying the existing results. The larger portion of the Ogalalla Sioux have acted nobly in this affair, especially up to the time of the stampede. The Wassachas and Brules have laid waste the res ervation of the Ogalallas, killed their cattle, shot their horses, pillaged their houses, burnt their ranches ; in fact, poor as the Ogalallas were before the Brules have left them nothing but the bare ground, a white sheet instead of a blanket, with Winter at hand, and the little accumulations of thirteen years swept away. This much, as well as race and tribal dissensions and 504 LIFE OF SITTING BULL personal enmity, have they incurred for stand ing by the Government. These people need as much sympathy and immediate assistance as any section of country when great calamities arouse the sympathy of the philanthropist and the Government. This is now the part of the situation that to me seems the most remarkable. What are we going to do about it ? Intelligent and quick legislation can now do more than the bullet. WHITE EAGLE. CHAPTER XXXyill. WHO SHALL BE THE VICTIM? DISCUSSION OF THE INDIAN QUESTION BY THE REV. W. H. HARE, MIS SIONARY BISHOP How THE TROUBLE WAS BROUGHT ABOUT, AND WHO SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR IT REFLECTIONS INSPIRED BY THE CONFLICT AT WOUNDED KNEE. Amid all the flood of comment and discussion that was let loose in the press and on the platform at this time, nothing was better worthy of notice than some remarks of the Rev. W. H. Hare, the Protestant Episcopal Missionary Bishop, of Nio- brara. He had spent many years among the In dians, and well understood their nature, their wrongs, and their needs. These were his comments upon the situation, immediately after the battle of Wound ed Knee : "A disaster often produces a disposition in the public mind to lay blame on some particular person, or set of persons, on the assumption that some par ticular person, or set of persons, must have been guilty of an intentional wrong. And it is probable that the present Indian trouble, especially the tragic affair on Wounded Knee Creek, will call this ten- 507 508 LIFE OF SITTING BULL dency into action, and that some official person, civil or military, or some one set of persons the Indians, the settlers, the Indian Bureau, or the military WILL BE MADE A SCAPE-GOAT. With some, the cause of all the trouble will be the untamable ferocity of the Indians ; with others, thieving or blunders in the Indian Department; with others, the heartless brutality of the soldiers and so on. Or worse, perhaps, some one repre sentative of a class, some one person, an agent, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, an officer of the army, will be singled out, and on him an incensed public will pour the vials of its wrath. This process of retribution reaches its end with neatness and dis patch, and this fact commends it to some. The as sumption on which it is based, that some person or set of persons has been guilty of an intentional wrong, is like a clasp-knife ; it occupies little room (in the mind), it is portable and quickly made ready for use, and, when used, inflicts a wound. This is just what many want. " But the important question is, Is this assumption, in the particular case under consideration, true, and is it just to make any one person, or class of persons, a scape-goat on which to lay the sins or mistakes of many, or the natural result of an IRREPRESSIBLE CONFLICT? " A careful study of the whole situation for some years past will lead, I think, to the following conclu sions. Three modes of dealing with the Indians AND THE INDIAN WAR. 509 have had their day. The first said, Fight them. The second, Feed them. The third, Lead them on to self-support. <J This last has been the controlling principle for several years past, and in carrying Jt out the design has been to bring the Indians in from a roving life and confine them to reservations ; then to settle them on individual and separate farms ; to sell their surplus land for their benefit, and to stimulate them to labor and self-help by reducing the prodigal issue of rations which marked the relinquishment of the chase, to an amount which would be sufficient, if supplemented by their own essays in stock raising and farming and other labor, to keep them from suffering. This plan of operation is a wise one, and I believe has been so esteemed, not only by judi cious friends of the Indians in the East, but by the most practical missionaries living on the reservations. Such was the plan of action. Now let us watch it in operation among the Sioux of South Dakota. " For several years it worked, on the whole, very well. The Indians were gathered on reservations, and THE BORDER WAS QUIET. Many of the Indians broke off from the camps where they had huddled, and took farms, and not infre quently a whole band under the lead of a well-dis posed chief, and prompted by the promise of a church or school, would settle on an eligible tract along a creek, and go to farming and raising stock. The 510 *?IFE OF SITTING BULL rewards of their efforts were not inconsiderable, and in some settlements the domestic cattle would average, perhaps, three or four to each man, and in the fall their stores of corn, potatoes, pumpkins, and even wheat and oats, were delightful to see. Mis sionary and educational effort was kindly received, and kept pace with all this advance, and generally went ahead of it. The counsels of the missionary and the promise of a chapel or a school-house fre quently, if not generally, preceded the determination to give up the dance and go off and begin a farm ing settlement. In a few years eight to a dozen camp-schools were built on each of the chief sub divisions of the great Sioux reserve. Lone women lived in them, or a man and his family, and taught unmolested and secure. The Episcopal Church alone counted seven or eight thousand of the people among the habitual attendants on its religious ser vices. Its communicant members numbered over 1,700 in the year 1890; the people made collections for charitable objects, such as home and foreign missions, and the women showed warm interest in forming and conducting regular branches of the Woman s Auxiliary, with native president, secretary, and treasurer. "The time seemed now to have come to take a further step and divide the great Sioux reservation up into SEPARATE RESERVES FOR EACH IMPORTANT TRIBF, and to open the surplus land to settlement The AND THE INDIAN WAR. 51 1 needs of the white population, with their business and railroads and the welfare of the Indians, seemed alike to demand this. Commissioners were, there fore, sent out to treat with the people for the accom plishment of this end, and an agreement which, after much debate had won general approval, was com mitted to them for presentation to the Indians. The objections of the Indians to the bill, however, were many, and they were ardently pressed. Some pre ferred their old life, the more earnestly because schools and churches were sapping and undermining it. Some wished delay. All complained that many of the engagements solemnly made with them in former years, when they had surrendered valued rights, had been broken, and here they were right. They suspected that present promises of pay for their lands would prove only old ones in a new shape (when milch cows were promised, cows having been promised in previous agreements, the Indians exclaimed, There s that same old cow ), and de manded that no further surrender should be expected until former promises had been fulfilled. They were assured that A NEW ERA HAD DAWNED, and that all past promises would be kept. So we all thought. The benefits of the proposed agree ment were set before them, and verbal promises, over and above the stipulations of the bill, were made that special requests of the Indians would be 512 LIFE OF SITTING BULL met. The Indians have no competent representative body. The commissioners had to treat at each agency with a crowd, a crowd composed of full- bloods, half-breeds, and squaw-men, a crowd among whom all sorts of sinister influences and brute force were at work. Commissioners with such a business in hand have the devil to fight, and can fight him, so it often seems, only with fire, and many friends of the Indians think that in this case the commission, convinced that the acceptance of the bill was essen tial, carried persuasion to the verge of intimidation. I do not blame them if they sometimes did. The wit and patience of an angel would fail often in such a task. " But the requisite number, three-fourths of the Indians, signed the bill, and expectation of rich and prompt rewards ran high. The Indians understand little of the complex forms and delays of our Gov ernment. Six months passed, and nothing came. Three months more, and nothing came.* But in the midst of the winter s pinching cold the Indians learned that the transaction had been declared com plete, and half of their land proclaimed as thrown open to the whites. Surveys were not promptly made ; perhaps they could not be, and no one knew what land was theirs and what was not. The very earth seemed * A bill was drawn up in the Senate under Gen. Crook s eye, and passed, providing for the fulfillment of the promises of the Commission, but it was pigeon-holed in the House. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 513 SLIDING FROM BENEATH THEIR FEET. Other misfortunes seemed to be crowding on them. On some reserves their rations were being reduced, and lasted, even when carefully husbanded, but one- half the period for which they were issued.* In the summer of 1889, all the people on the Pine Ridge Reserve, men, women, and children, were called in from their farms to the agency to treat with the Commissioners, and were kept there a whole month, and, on returning to their homes, found that their cattle had broken into their fields and trampled down or eaten up all their crops. This was true, in a degree, elsewhere. In 1890, the crops, which promised splendidly early in July, failed entirely later, because of a severe drought. The people were often hungry, and, the physicians in many cases said, died when taken sick not so much from disease as for want of food.f " No doubt the people could have saved them selves from suffering if industry, economy, and thrift had abounded, but these are just the virtues which a people merging from barbarism lack. The measles prevailed in 1889, and were exceedingly * The amount of beef bought for the Indians is not a fair criterion of the amount he receives. A steer will lose 200 pounds or more of its flesh during the course of the winter. f This is doubtless true of all the poor, the poor in our cities and the poor settlers in the West. The testimony regarding the existence of hunger is exceedingly conflict ing, but at Pine Ridge Agency, at least, it seemed to me conclusive that it was general and extreme. 514 LIFE OF SITTING BULL fatal. Next year the grippe swept over the people with appalling results. Whooping-cough followed among the children. Sullenness and GLOOM BEGAN TO GATHER, especially among the heathen and wilder Indians. A witness of high character told me that a marked discontent, amounting almost to despair, prevailed in many quarters. The people said their children were all dying from diseases brought by the whites, their race was perishing from the face of the earth, and they might as well be killed at once. Old chiefs and medicine men were losing their power. Withal, new ways were prevailing more and more which did not suit the older people. The old ways which they loved were passing away. In a word, all things were against them, and, to add to the calamity, many Indians, especially the wilder ele ment, had nothing to do but to brood over their misfortunesr While in this unhappy state, the story of a Messiah coming, with its ghost dance and strange hallucinations, spread among the heathen part of the people. The Christian Indians, on the whole, maintained their stand with praiseworthy pa tience and fortitude ; but the dancers were in a state of exaltation approaching frenzy. Restraint only increased their madness. The dancers were found to be well armed. Insubordination broke out on several reserves. The authority of the agent and of the native police was overthrown. The civilized Indians wer? intimidated. AMD THE INDIAN WAR. 515 ALARM SPREAD EVERYWHERE. No one knew what was coming. The military were summoned to the agencies. Their appearance did not dampen zeal, but fanned the flames. Why should they fear who wore the bullet-proof sacred shirt? When one of the women, wounded in the fight, was approached as she lay in the church and told by Miss Goodale she must let them remove her ghost dance shirt in order the better to get at her wound, she replied, * Yes, take it off. They told me a bullet would not go through. Now I don t want it any more. Hence, when Col. Forsythe s cavalry over took Big Foot s band (off their own reserve, and apparently bent on mischief) and endeavored to take from them their arms, after their surrender, the commanding officer s forbearance and coolness availed nothing. The prayers of the medicine man and his assurances that the bullets would not pene trate their ghost dance shirts prevailed, and al though two pieces of artillery were trained upon them, and the soldiers who surrounded them out numbered the Indian warriors three or four times, they fell suddenly upon the troops with savage fury, and continued fighting often even when wounded and dying. The soldiers retaliated with terrible results. Indian men, women, and boys engaged in the fight, and Indian men, women, and boys paid the penalty. What is to follow no one knows. SUCH IS THE SAD STORY. " But I do not think the reasonable conclusion is 5 I 6 LIFE OF SITTING BULL that some one person, or set of persons, should be made a scape-goat or become the victim of an in censed people s wrath. " Some say, The Commissioner of Indian Affairs gives too much attention to schools and should devote more to empty stomachs. Well, a while ago the complaint was that the Indian Department seemed to think that all the Indians needed was beef and flour, sugar and coffee. " Some say, Missionaries should preach less and teach housewifery and the arts of healthy living more. So be it, and let funds be supplied. " Some say, The military are peremptory and severe. Perhaps they are (in a fight, but not other wise); but to be a fair judge one should first take a taste of campaigning in the Indian country. " Some say, The Indians are madmen and savages. Let those who say so remember how they themselves feel when, from continued slights, or affronts, or dis appointments, they are sore all over. " No. We need no victim. We need no scape goat. " But these things we do want. A profound con viction in the mind not only of a few, but of the PEOPLE, that , THE INDIAN PROBLEM IS WORTH ATTENDING TO. Next, that officials placed in charge of the difficult Indian problem should be protected from the impor tunity of hungry politicians, and that the employees in the Indian country, agents, teachers, farmers, car- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 5 I 7 pel ters, should not be changed with every shuffling of die political cards. The abuse here has been shameful. Next, that Congress, especially the House of Representatives, shall consider itself bound in honor to make provision for the fulfillment of promises made to the Indians by Commissioners duly appointed and sent to the Indians by another branch of the Government. The evils which have arisen from a violation of this comity have been most serious. Next, that testimony regarding In dian affairs should not be swallowed until careful inquiry has been made as to the disinterestedness of the witness. An honest man out here BURNS WITH INDIGNATION when he reads in the papers that So-and-So, repre sented as being fully informed on the whole question, affirms that Indians have no grievances and ought to receive no quarter, when he knows that the lots which the witness owns in a town near the Indian country would no longer be a drug in the market if Indians could be gotten out of the way. Next, let it be remembered that this crisis has lifted evils in the Indian country up into the light, and left the good things in the shade. But the goods things are real and have shown their vigor under trial. There is no reason for losing faith or courage. Let all kind and honest men unite with the higher officials of the Government, all of whom, I believe, mean well, in a spirit of forbearance toward each other, 5 I 8 L-1FE OF SITTING BULL of willingness to learn, and of mutual helpfulness, to accomplish the results which they all desire. 44 1 believe an inspired Apostle, after studying the Indian question in South Dakota to-day, would write as one did in a time of distrust and perplexity of old, Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. CHAPTER XXXIX. THE INDIAN IN CONGRESS. STARVED INTO HOSTILITIES CRIME TOWARD THE INDIANS DIFFICULTY WITH THE INDIAN SERVICE WENT TO HIS GRAVE THROUGH GRIEF THE BANE AND CURSE OF THE INDIANS THEY HAVE NOTHING TO EAT Go UPON THE WAR-PATH LACK OF PPOPER PROVISIONS AC CEPT ANY PROPOSITION THE Sioux ARE STARVING SOLVING THE IN DIAN QUESTION MOST Pious HYPOCRITE PROPOSE AN INVESTIGA TION GREATEST INDIAN THAT HAS LIVED. Early in the history of the more serious part of the campaign, the Indian troubles attracted the at tention of Congress. For two days, December 3d and 4th, the United States Senate discussed the condition of the Sioux and the best means of re storing peace. The subject came up on the intro duction of a joint resolution by the Committee on Military Affairs, authorizing the Secretary of War to issue arms and ammunition to the people of North and South Dakota for purposes of self- defense. Mr. Voorhees, in opening the debate, said that if the proposition were one to issue a hundred thou sand rations of food to the starving Indians, it would be more consistent with Christian civilization. Maj.- Gen. Miles, he said, had stated in public interviews that the Indians were driven to revolt or rebellion, 519 520 LIFE OF SITTING BULL or into savagery, by starvation ; and it was, in his judgment, an inexpiable crime on the part of the Government to stand silently by and do nothing except furnish arms to the whites. Gen. Miles had stated to the public, as he had previously stated to him, that the Indians were being STARVED INTO HOSTILITIES, and that they preferred to die fighting rather than be starved to death. Mr. Voorhees regards the policy pursued in the administration of Indian affairs as a crime revolting to man and to God. The Indians had no newspapers to make known their sufferings and privations. They had been suffering for years in silence. There was blood-guiltiness somewhere in connection with it. He had intended to introduce a resolution asking for an investigation on the subject, but he had an entire respect for the Committee on Indian Affairs, and he had no right to assume to instruct that committee. But some where there was blood-guiltiness that would have to be answered for. The hostilities into which the Indians in the Northwest were being starved would result not merely in the destruction of the lives of many Indians, but of the lives of thousands of American citizens and hundreds of American sol diers. That condition of things had been brought about by a niggardly, parsimonious, or dishonest policy he knew not which. While he was willing that the joint resolution should pass, and that the people of the Northwestern States should be armed, AND THE INDIAN WAR. 521 He could not refrain from emphasizing the occasion by those few words. When he had asked Gen, Miles whether something could not be done to pre vent hostilities, the General s answer was that he feared it was too late. Whether it was too late or not, he was glad that his skirts were clear of any of the blood that would be shed, growing out of a policy of starvation, iniquity, and CRIME TOWARD THE INDIANS. The policy had been pursued to take the lands of the Indians and not pay enough for them to keep the Indians from starving to death when dispossessed of their homes. Mr. Hawley said he did not know that he had any objection to the remarks of the Senator from Indiana, except that they were, perhaps, a little florid and exaggerated. He, too, had been think ing (as he presumed most American citizens had been) that 100,000 rations of food would be worth more than 100,000 ball cartridges, and he had been hoping that the time would arrive when an appro priation would be made for that purpose. An alle gation had been made that the Sioux Commission had made certain promises to the Indians which had been entirely disregarded by Congress, and that there had been constant irritation ever since. It had been also said in the public press that the allowance of rations had been fixed at a certain figure long ago, and had been gradually diminished on the theory that the Indians were going over to 522 LIFE OF SITTING BULL civilization or were dying out, whereas neither was the case. Mr. Dawes, chairman of the Committee on Indian Affairs, satirically expressed his delight that the Senator from Indiana had discovered the real cause of the present troubles among the Indians, because those who had lived among them and who had had much to do with them (Gen. Miles and others) were much perplexed as to what was the cause and what was the remedy. There was a great diversity of opinion on the subject. A good deal of what the Senator from Indiana had stated was undoubtedly true. There was a large body of those Indians starving, or at least short of food, and that condition aggravated the feeling prevalent among them. But he doubted that that was the origin of the evil, or that a supply of food would be the cure for it. The Indians who were starving were Indians who had been led by a religious craze to abandon their homes and follow the standard of their chiefs on the war path, leaving all their sources of supply and the means of support which tkey had hitherto enjoyed. The DIFFICULTY WITH THE INDIAN SERVICE all along in the past had been a constant change of policy. Heretofore for years it had been impressed upon Congress that the best way to treat the Indian was to starve him into self-support. " Root, hog, or die, 1 had been the phrase sjJietimes put over the door of those who administered the affairs of STANDING BEAK. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 525 the Indians, and the policy had been to cut down, year by year, the rations required by treaties, and to give notice to the Indians that next year they were to have only so much, and that the difference must be supplied by the labor of their own hands. He thought it well to hold out every inducement to the Indians to turn from dependence on Govern ment rations and to supply their own support ; and that it was well to resort to all the devices within the limits of justice and reason to induce them to do it. As to the suggestion in the public press that the Government had failed to keep the promises made to the Indians by the Sioux Commission, and that Gen. Crook (the head of that Commission) was so wounded by the lack of good faith on the part of the Government that he WENT TO HIS GRAVE THROUGH GRIEF, the truth was that the Commission had made two sorts of stipulations with the Indians. One of them had been written out in plain language and enacted into law by Congress, and that stipulation the Com mission had taken out to the Indians, asking them to accept it. The Commission had no power to alter it in one iota. The Indians had had cause of com plaint on account of the non-fulfillment of other agreements, and the Commission had told them that it had no authority as to these matters, but that it would use its influence with the Government in the case. The Commission had reported to the In- 526 LIFE OF SITTING BULL terior Department ancl to the President, just as it had told the Indians it would do. The Commission had then gone to the Indian Department with forty representative Indians. The Indian Committees of both Houses had been invited to the conference. The agreement was read over in the presence of the Indians and of the Commission, and all had as sented to it. It had then been embodied in a bill that was drawn up by Gen. Crook and his asso ciates, and was submitted to Congress by the Presi dent. The bill thus framed to the complete satis faction of the Indians had passed the Senate without the dotting of an " i" or the crossing of a " t," but where it was now he did not know. He knew, however, that the skirts of the Executive and of the Senate were clean of any attempt to depart one iota from the assurances given to the Indians by the Commission. Mr. Dawes said that he realized the danger and the necessity of some present relief to bring around composure among the Indians and to extricate them from the lead of such bad Indians as Sitting Bull and Red Cloud, who were THE BANE AND CURSE OF THE INDIANS. Mr. Voorhees said he did not know whose fault it was that the Indians were not fed. It might be the fault of Congress, or it might be the fault of dishon est men. The Indians were armed with Winchester rifles, and were in a state of starvation and desper ation. They could enter the field with 6.000 fight ing men, and with the advantage of their knowledge AND THE INDIAN WAR. 527 of the country they could fight 6,000 of the best American troops on terms of equality. He asked the Senator from Massachusetts whether those In dians had enough to eat ; whether Gen. Miles was right or wrong; and whether the Indians were be ing starved into belligerancy. Mr. Dawes said he had heard to-day, for the first time, that the Indians were on the war-path because they were starving. They had been on the war path for three or four weeks. They had been hold ing meetings, and had been giving themselves up to the delusion that the time had come to go back to barbarism and away from civilization, and they were starving in consequence of that. He was not disposed to deny that there had been distress among the Indians, as there had been among the white people in that region. Mr. Voorhees Does not Gen. Miles say that these Indians have been hungry for two years ? Mr. Dawes He may have said it to the Senator from Indiana. Mr. Voorhees He says it in his published inter view. Mr. Dawes The great difficulty in dealing with those 6000 Indians who are congregating under leaders and are on the war-path is that THEY HAVE NOTHING TO EAT. They are away from their tepees. They belong to that class of Indians who never did a day s work in their lives. 528 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Mr. Pierce said that he had sometimes wondered that the white people in that region did not themselves go on the war-path because they were hungry. The Indian seemed to get hungry, as well as noble, the further people got away from him. He lived within a few miles of the great Sioux Reservation. He had been there for the last two months, and this was the first time he had heard it asserted that the In dian was on the war-path because he was hungry. He saw Indians every day in the town where he lived, and they were sleeker and better fed, appar ently, than the Senator from Indiana. Mr. Voorhees Does the Senator suppose that Gen. Miles does not know what he is talking about, or that he does not know better about Indian affairs than a citizen of Dakota ? Mr. Pierce I am nearer to the Indians than Gen. Miles is. I have no doubt that in some of the agencies there are Indians who complain of insuffi cient food. But I do question whether Gen. Miles made the statement attributed to him in the news papers. The trouble with the Indians is that they are fed and clothed and allowed to live on the bounty of the Government, and that, therefore, as the old adage says, "the devil finds mischief still for idle hands to do." I apprehend that you might take the same number of white people and put them on a reservation, and feed and clothe and take care of them, and that in less than six months they also would AND THE INDIAN WAR. 529 GO UPON THE. WAR-PATH. Mr. Dawes having handed to Mr. Pierce a copy of the New York Tribune containing an account of the interview with Gen. Miles, Mr. Pierce read the words " insufficient food-supply and religious de lusion not a disposition on the part of the sav ages to go to war." He had no doubt that the re ligious craze was at the bottom of the whole busi ness, and that the Indians themselves did not at tribute their disposition to any lack of food. Mr Voorhees took the copy of the Tribune from which Mr. Pierce had read, and quoted from other parts of the interview statements to the effect that the Indians were starved into fighting, and would prefer to die fighting rather than to starve peace fully. He asked Mr. Pierce why he had not read that. Mr. Voorhees paid a high compliment to the soldierly and other good qualities of Gen. Miles, and said that he would take his statement far Sooner than that of a Senator who lived near the Sioux Reservation, and who, with his people, wanted to get the Indian lands as soon as possible. The one was a reliable officer ; the other was the fox lying around the pen where the geese were, waiting to get some of them. It is interesting to observe, at this point, that on the very day when this debate occurred, Col. Heyl, Inspector General of the Division of the Missouri, said : " The principal cause of the Indian troubles is 530 LIFE OF SITTING BULL LACK OF PROPER PROVISIONS in the way of rations principally meat rations. The latter was reduced 1,000,000 pounds for the Pine Ridge Reservation alone, and the authorities there have a practice of issuing a steer at the weight at which it was received. For instance, the agency might get a steer in the fall that would weigh 1,000 pounds. In the spring it would not weigh more than 800 pounds, but it would be issued as 1,000 pounds all the same. Of course, the Indians would lose the difference. This is one great source of dis satisfaction. "The Indians generally, I think, are inclined to ACCEPT ANY PROPOSITION made to them by the military authorities of a peace ful nature, but when I left there there was a big snow-storm and blizzard coming, which I think will cool <he ardor of the young bucks. While I was there Gen. Brooke enlisted ninety Sioux braves as Indian police, and armed them with Springfield rifles. They were made a guard for the Indian camp. The best evidence that these Indians were all acting in good faith was that they all cut their hair off short. When an Indian cuts off his scalp-lock and has his hair cut short you may feel sure that he has effectu ally departed from war-like customs. I do not an ticipate a winter campaign in the Indian country in that sense of the word, but troops will be kept there as against any possibility that might happen AND THE INDIAN WAR. this winter, or any attempt to go on the war-path in the spring". The Indians are not properly fed, and there will be the probability of trouble until they are." The next day the debate in the Senate was re sumed. Mr. Voorhees said that he did not want to delay the passage of the joint resolution; but after what had transpired yesterday, he thought it due not only to himself but to Gen. Miles, as well as to the country to submit some matter which had since come to his hands. That was an interview with ex- Governor Foster, of Ohio, published in The Cincin nati Enquirer. All the Senators were acquainted with Mr. Foster, who had recently served on an important Indian Commission, and his views ought to. have and doubtless would have great weight. Mr. Foster said in that interview : " In my opinion, the difficulties might be easily avoided. The whole matter has been brought about by a combination of bad policy and of the incompetency of some officials. THE SIOUX ARE STARVING. Give the Sioux plenty to eat and there will be no further trouble." Mr. Teller asked whether he understood Mr. Voorhees to say that these Indians did not have enough to eat. Mr. Voorhees You understood me to say that Governor Foster said so. Mr. Teller And the Senator accepts that as cor rect? LIFE OF SITTING BULL Mr. Voorhees I think that Governor Foster tells the truth. The great stubborn fact confronts the country that in some way or other these Indians are starved into fighting. Mr. Dawes, commenting on the interview with ex-Governor Foster, said that there was nothing in it which failed to corroborate his statement yester day as to the cause of the Indian troubles. It rather supported what he had said. It was true that there were five or six thousand Indians there in a starving condition, and the peril to the peace and to the lives of white people was just as great whether it arose from one cause or another, and it had to be met and guarded against by a supply of food. In that peril it was, perhaps, unwise to take up time in in quiry into the cause. There was a habit, Mr. Dawes said, of SOLVING THE INDIAN QUESTION every once in a fortnight by a column of a news paper, or by an interview with somebody, made up principally of charges of injustice and fraud on the part of the Government. It seemed to him that people were misled in that regard. For the last ten or fifteen years the Indians had been, in the main, treated fairly and squarely. He knew and appreciated ex-Governor Foster, but that gentleman was not quite so well acquainted with the condition of things among the Sioux Indians as were men who lived among them and had charge of them. Mr. Foster had made a mistake in saying that the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 533 lands had been taken from the Sioux first and their consent obtained afterward. No such thing had been done, and the story of the whole case showed that it was not so. Mr. Dawes went on to say that the public mind had been perverted by an army of newspaper men out in the Indian country. Mr. Blair asked Mr. Dawes whether any applica tion for food had been made to the Government by the Indians. Mr. Dawes Not by these hostile Indians. But the Government thinks that as a matter of precau tion against an outbreak, it would be better to feed them, just as sometimes in time of war an enemy has to be fed. Mr. Blair If they were hungry and wanted to be fed, would they not naturally apply for food instead of making war ? Mr. Dawes I believe that Sitting Bull and Red Cloud have availed themselves of the present con ditions to draw on these Indians, making use of the prevalent delusion as a means. This Sitting Bull is the MOST PIOUS HYPOCRITE in this country, and that is saying a good deal. Mr. Reagan assumed that, if there was any danger of an outbreak, some communication would have been made to Congress from the Executive De partment, and he said that he was not prepared to assume that the Executive was derelict in his duty. 534 LIFE Of SITTING BULL Mr. Hawley said that the Secretary of War had sent a communication asking for authority to dis tribute arms to the Governors of the States where Indian hostilities were feared. Mr. Allison spoke of a question by Mr. Reagan as a pertinent one. Why, he asked, had there Lecn no communication from the Executive Department respecting the question ? He took it that the reason was that there was no occasion for such communica tion. He took no stock whatever in the suggestion that the uprising was caused by the starvation of the Sioux. Senators who believed that there had been any dereliction on the part of agents should PROPOSE AN INVESTIGATION and have the matter probed to the bottom. He did not believe it, Mr, Voorhees interpreted Mr. Allison s remarks as a contradiction of Mr. Foster s statements, and said that Mr. Foster was the peer, in intelligence and honor, of any man in public life. Mr. Paddock remarked that Mr. Foster had not been in the Sioux country within the last two years. Mr. Voorhees replied by saying that, if the Sioux had been starved two years ago, it was all the worse for Mr. Paddock s side of the question. He accepted Governor Foster s statement in prefer ence to that of Mr. Allison, who was necessarily ig norant of the question. Mr. Allison When it comes I shall be. ready for it. AND THE INDIAN WAR. 535 Mr. Voorhees Yes. Mr. Allison What I meant to say was this : That if the statements are true that these Indians have been starving, then those who believe so should invite an inquiry. I have not been on the reservation, and know nothing respecting the truth or falsity of the statement. Mr. Voorhees But you declare with great earn estness that you do not believe a word that Gov ernor Foster has said on this subject The Com mittee on Indian Affairs can summon him by telegraph and can examine and cross-examine him. That is the way to get at the facts of the case. Governor Foster says in this interview: " Sitting Bull is only a feeble old man hardly respected in his tribe," and yet the Senator from Massachusetts seems to lay the whole blame on him. Mr. Dawes Gen. Miles told me, the last thing before he took the cars, that Sitting Bull was the GREATEST INDIAN THAT HAS LIVED in this country. Mr. Voorhees Why not send for Gen. Miles and have him before the Committee on Indian Af fairs ? Mr. Dawes Gen. Miles has no personal knowl edge on the subject of the uprising of the Sioux. He had been on the Pacific Coast for the last two or three years, and has come to his new assignment very lately. Governor Foster got all his informa tion on the subject of the Sioux a year and a half ago. 536 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Mr. Voorhees read some further extracts from the Foster interview, and then, referring to Mr. Dawes criticism of the newspapers, said : " I thank God for newspaper men, especially in dark places, and to every newspaper man who has thrown a sin gle ray of light on this miserable business I return my heart-felt and profound thanks. Newspaper men may get things wrong sometimes, but in the main, in the great volume of what they do, they con tribute to the light and knowledge of the world and to the cause of justice. That is what I have to say to the Senator from Massachusetts in reference to his criticism of newspaper men. After remarks by Messrs. Stewart, Vest, and Morgan, the joint resolution was amended so as to apply to the States of North and South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska, and was passed, CHAPTER XL. THE INDIAN BUREAU. SHALL IT BE UNDER CIVIL OR MILITARY CONTROL? RECORD OF THE ARMY GENERAL GRANT S EXPERIMENT IMPROVEMENT IN ADMINIS TRATION CENSUS OF THE INDIANS MANY INDIANS CIVILIZED AND PROSPEROUS. Another topic that was much discussed was whether the Indian Bureau should remain in the In terior Department or be transferred to the War Department. The transfer was strongly urged by the " army circle " at Washington. Years before, the Indians had been under the control of the War Department, and the army never had forgiven the transfer of it to the Interior, and had never lost a chance to urge that it be given back to them. On this occasion they argued that if the Indians were placed UNDER MILITARY CONTROL wars would be prevented, and scandals arising from dishonest administration would be known no more. In this, however, they did not argue wisely. As a matter of historical fact, the entire Indian frontier, from the Seminole country, in Florida, to the great 537 538 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Western rivers and lakes, was frequently disturbed by Indian hostilities, usually the result of the en croachment of white settlers, but sometimes of causes for which officers of the War Department were more or less directly responsible, during the entire period of military control after the last war with Great Britain ; and more than once in that period was the good fame of the military branch of the Government tarnished by bad conduct on the part of some of its officers and agents. No intelli gent man will contend that the power and the morals of the army and its agents are stronger or better now than they were in the "good old days " to which reference has been made. There were good and valid reasons for the transfer of Indian affairs from the War Department, in which the con trol had so long resided, to the civil branch of the Government reasons which are as cogent now as they were when the transfer was made. THE INDIAN TREATY SYSTEM became firmly established as a Government policy during the period of military control. It was en tered upon, it is true, when the Indian tribes of the South and what was then the great but sparsely settled West were relatively a thousand times more powerful than they now are ; when hostile foreign influences dominated most of the tribes from Ohio westward, when Pontiac and Tecumseh loomed like giants on the western horizon, and long before the battle of Tippecanoe had been fought. Nobody AND THE INDIAN WAX. 539 criticised the policy then, and the Interior Depart ment ought not to be held responsible for its exist ence now. Indeed, the civil administration deserved credit for a change of policy in 1854, which resulted in a large number of treaties in which, for the first time, provisions were incorporated for the allotment of lands in severalty and for the employment of other means and agencies designed to civilize and influence Indians to engage in peaceful pursuits. It is true that these provisions were greatly neg lected through a series of years, during four of which the energies of the nation were devoted to its preservation. It is not more deplorable that some INDIAN AGENTS AND SUPERINTENDENTS BECAME DE MORALIZED in the war period than that scores of army quar termasters, paymasters, commissioners, and officers of still higher rank were accused and found guilty of dishonesty and fraud, or that some army officers in the first few years after the war were detected in violations of the -trusts, both military and civil, which were committed to them. It may be remem bered that when Gen. Grant became President of the United States, in 1869, he determined to purify the Administration of Indian affairs. To that end he appointed as Commissioner of Indian Affairs an accomplished officer who had been a member of his personal staff during the war, who was the titu lar chief of the Six Nations, and a man in whom he reposed the most perfect confidence. At the same 540 LIFE OF SITTING BULL time he detailed for duty as Indian agents a number of officers of the regular army. It may be remem bered also that after two years trial, the experiment was abandoned. President Grant, apparently, was NOT SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS. Before that time the Indian frontier had been vir- cually destroyed and white settlers had poured into and over the immense region of which during the entire period of War Department control of Indian affairs the savage tribes had been left in unmolested occupation, with the exception of a few small and scattered trading posts ; the difficulties of Indian administration had increased tenfold, and the num. ber of Indians with whom the agents of the Govern ment had to deal directly had greatly increased also. Since 1871 there has been a steady if not rapid improvement in the management of Indian affairs, and the Indians themselves have been responsive, in a visible degree, to the efforts in behalf of their civilization. According to the returns of the eleventh census, more than 35,000 Indians in the United States to-day are taxed citizens, counted in the general population. This does not include nearly 65,000 members of the FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES in Indian Territory more than 8,000 Pueblo Indians in New Mexico, nearly 3,000 Cherokees in North Carolina, and more than 5,000 Iroquois in the State of New York. In addition to these, there are WHITE GHOST AND THE INDIAN WAR. 543 at least 45,000 Indians on the reservations who obtain a livelihood by farming, herding horses, and sheep- raising, and other civilized pursuits. These figures make an aggregate of 161,000, which is con siderably larger than the aggregate Indian popula tion with which the War Department ever had directly to deal. In the light of the figures above given, it will not do to say that the civil administration of Indian affairs has been a failure; nor will it do, in the light of history, to assert that military control is to be preferred to civil control. According to the census of 1890, the TOTAL INDIAN POPULATION of the United States is 844,704, which is made up as follows: On reservations or in schools under control of the Indian Office not taxed, 130,254; Indians incidentally under the Indian Office and self- supporting, are as follows : In Indian Territory, 2 5357 are Cherokees, 3,464 Chickasaws, 9,998 Choctaws, 9,291 Creeks, and 2,539 Seminoles. There are also about 14,247 colored people (mixed Indian blood) living with and members of the above tribes. The total population of the five civilized tribes is therefore 84,671 ; Pueblos of New Mexico, 6,270; Six Nations and St. Regis of New York, 5,304 ; Eastern Cherokees of North Carolina, 2,885. Indians (98 per cent, of whom are not on reservations), taxed and self-sustaining citizens, counted in general in Montana, 35,287 ; Apaches 544 LIFE OF SITTING BULL AND THE INDIAN WAR. at Mt. Vernon Barracks (prisoners), 37; Indians in State or Territorial prisons, 184; total, 53,373. The census further shows : Total males taxed and untaxed, 80,715. Total males untaxed and on reservations, 63,780. Total females taxed and un taxed, 62,106. Total females untaxed and on reser vations, 66,484. Ration Indians on reservations to whom rations are issued by the United States, 3^,310. SELF-SUPPORTING INDIANS on reservations by farming, herding, root-digging, horse-raising, fishing, and hunting, 96,044. Total self-supporting Indians (33,567 taxed and not in cluding the five civilized tribes), 128,611. The number of whites on the several reservations in the Indian Territory aggregates 107,987, as follows : In Cherokee Nation 27,176, in Chickasaw Nation 49,444, in Choctaw Nation 97,991, in Seminole Na tion 96, in Creek Nation 3,280. DOG DANCE OF THE SIOUX. \L a LI., . I . I J _ I . . \& & ^j fi* CHIPPEWA SCALP DANCE. L\M7" -gHr gj ^i g rHnrzz: THE notes marked thus, ^ are performed with a tremulous voico sounded: " HigU-yi-yl," &c. CHAPTER XLI. DOCUMENTS IN THE CASE. GENERAL MILES ADDRESS TO His SOLDIERS ON THE CLOSE OF THE WAR AN OFFICIAL OUTLINE OF THE CAMPAIGN REGRET FOR FALLEN COM RADES THANKS FOR EFFICIENT SERVICE LETTERS FROM A MISSIONARY AND FROM A BlSHOP. Soon after the return of the Indians to the Pine Ridge Agency, General Miles issued an address to ADDRESS TO THE TROOPS. the troops, congratulating them on the close of the war, as follows : " Headquarters Division of the Missouri, "In the field, Pine Ridge, S. D., Jan. 18, 1891, " General Orders, No. 2. "The Division Commander takes pleasure in an nouncing the satisfactory termination of hostilities in this division. The disaffection among the Indians was widespread, involving many different tribes. The purpose of the conspiracy was to produce a general uprising of all the Indians in the coming Spring. The hostile element of the Sioux Nation precipitated the movement by leaving their agencies, 546 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 547 defying the authorities of the Government, and destroying their property, that had been given them for the purpose of civilization. They assembled in large force in the almost impenetrable ground known as the Mauvais Terres of South Dakota, and from that rendezvous marauding parties robbed both white citizens and friendly Indians on their res ervation and throughout the adjacent settlements. CHECK THIS INSURRECTION. To check this insurrection, orders were given *orthe arrest of the chief conspirator, Sitting Bull, who was on the eve of leaving his reservation to join those above mentioned. This was done on the I4th of December last. After peaceably submitting to arrest by the officials of the Government, he created a revolt which brought to his assistance large num bers of his followers, who assailed the Indian police. This resulted in his death, and final arrest of 300 of his people, and removed the principal part of the disaffected element from the Standing Rock reser vation. The second arrest was that of Big Foot s party, December 21, 1890. This band was com posed of outlaws from different tribes, who had defied the Government officials, and escaped during December 22, 1890. " While these measures were being carried into execution, the troops were quickly moved between PROTECTION TO LIFE AND PROPERTY. the hostile element in the stronghold and the settle ments, in such a way as to check their depredations 548 LIFE OF SITTING BULL and give protection to life and property of the citi zens. Nearly the entire force of troops in the De partment of Dakota, under General Ruger, were judiciously placed where they would give the most protection to the settlements and enable them to intercept hostiles, should they escape. Brief delays were necessary to put the troops in proper position, as well as to give time for the work of disaffection to be carried on in the hostile camp, and strengthen the loyal element. Gradually the troops were moved to such positions as to render resistance of the hos tiles useless, and they were forced back to the agency. The escape of Big Foot made his recap ture necessary. This was successfully done by a batallion of the 7th Calvary and Lieutenant Haw thorne s detachment of artillery under Major White- side, December 28, 1890, after which they were marched seven miles to Wounded Knee, and at 9 p. m. the command was joined by Colonel Forsyth, with the 2d Battallion of his regiment, with two Hotchkissguns under Captain Capron, ist Artillery, and Lieutenant Taylor s scouts. With this band of outlaws under control of the troops, the entire hos tile camp moving in before them to surrender and within a short distance of the agency, it was hoped and expected that this serious Indian difficulty would be brought to a close without the loss of life of a single white man. While disarming Big Foot s band, on the morning of December 29th, after a por tion of their arms had been surrendered, they were AND THE INDIAN WAR. 549 incited to hostility by the harangues of one of their false prophets, and in their attack and attempt to INCITED TO HOSTILITY. escape nearly all of the men were killed or wounded, and the serious loss of life occurred to a large num ber of non-combatants. During the engagement, some 150 of the young warriors that were moving in to surrender, went to the assistance of Big Foot s band and were engaged with the troops, and retu^n- ing, made a vigorous attack upon the agency, draw- ing the fire of the Indian police and scouts. This caused a general alarm, and upwards of 3000 Indians fled from the agency to the canons and broken ground adjacent to White Clay Creek, and assumed a hostile attitude. The troops that were following, however, checked their further movements. The attempts of some of the warriors to burn buildings near the agency the following day, resulted in a skfr- mish with the 7th Calvary, under Colonel Forsyth, promptly supported by Major Henry, gth Calvary. On January i, 1891, a spirited engagement occurred on White River between a body of war riors numbering upwards of 100 and Captain Kerr s troops of the 6th Calvary, in which the Indians were repulsed with loss. Major Tupper s battallion of Colonel Carr s command of the 6th Cavalry movjng to his support. This was followed by several skir mishes between the Indians and the scouts under Lieutenant Casey. While making a reconnoissance the service sustained a serious loss in the death of 550 LIFE OF SITTING BULL that gallant officer. The troops under command of Brigadier-General Brooke gradually closed their lines of retreat and forced the hostiles by superior UNDER THE GUNS OF THE COMMAND. numbers back to the agency, where they are now under the guns of the command and the control of the military. " While the service has sustained the loss of such gallant officers and patriots as Captain Wallace, Lieutenants Casey and Mann, and the brave non commissioned officers and soldiers who have given their lives in the cause of good government, the MOST GRATIFYING RESULTS. most gratifying results have been obtained by the endurance, patience and fortitude of both officers and men. The work of disarming the hostiles has in a large measure been accomplished, but will be con tinued by a portion of the command now in the field, and by the agency officials. As soon as practicable the troops will return to their stations, and will take with them the assurance that their services have been a great value to the country in suppressing one of the most threatening Indian outbreaks, and that they have been enabled to keep back the hos tile Indians from the unprotected settlements to the extent that not a citizen s life has been lost beyond die boundries of the Indian reservations. In an nouncing this fact, the Division Commander desires to express his thanks and highest appreciation of the royal and efficient service that has been render- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 551 ed. The mention of individual names of either officers or soldiers for meritorious conduct will be deferred until sufficient time is given to ascertain each heroic act, in order that it may be properly re cognized and duly rewarded. " H. C. CORBIN, Assistant Adjutant-General. "By command of Major-General Miles. -(Official)." The following letter, "unofficial," but not there fore less interesting, was written by Mrs. Charles WIFE OF A SIOUX MINISTER. S. Cook, wife of a Sioux minister, after the Wounded Knee battle, but before the final surrender : "Pine Ridge Agency, S. D., Jah. 2, 1891. "... You know, through the papers, of course, of the two battles fought ; how the first began while the Indians were being disarmed. Our soldiers, not expecting resistance, had not separated the men from their families, and as the troops were standing on three sides of a square, the firing caused a ter rible slaughter of women and children, as well as men, and dreadful to say, the soldiers killed each other as well. This battle took place about eighteen miles from this agency, and the wounded were brought here, most of the Indians being placed in our church, where we have been caring for them, ever since Monday night. It seems months, instead of days, since they were brought in ! "The second battle was fought only a few miles away, but was not disastrous to either side, though 552 -LIFE OF SITTING BULL the Indians had such advantage that but for the ar rival of reinforcements, the Seventh Cavalry would have been annihilated. " The whole matter is heartrending" to us who are workers in the field. It is surely the result of a mis- A MISTAKEN POLICY. taken policy on the part of the Government ; the result of land-greediness, the result of unfulfilled promises, the result of supposing the Indians to be children, and treating them as such. The ghost- dance mania is only a sort of final straw, as it was really the thing that gave the Indians an outlet for all the pent-up emotions of years, and how soon they were in a state of wild frenzy, and kept them selves there by constant dancing and exhorting each other to die, that they might meet their dead rela tions, and hasten the time when this country should be their own again. All this is old to you now, for it has been told and retold in the papers. When we try to look forward to the end we are sick at heart, for no one can tell what the end will be. We only WHAT THE END WILL BE. know that the Indians must yield in time, but before that many men must die, and the Indians must begin "civilization " all over again, if there are any left to begin. "So far the Christian Indians have remained friendly, and are living in " tepees " around the agency. They are more or less alarmed, naturally, knowing the hostile Indians will be harder on them AND THE INDIAN WAR. 553 than on the whites even ; for the hostiles are their fathers, brothers, sons and other relatives, and it is really wonderful that they stand as firm as they do. All our native helpers, Mr. Ross and the catechists, have been invaluable in caring for the wounded. We CARING FOR THE WOUNDED. have fifteen women and children in the church and fourteen in a tent near the soldiers hospital tent. Miss Goodale, who most fortunately is with us, and two other ladies, are most indefatigable in their labors, cooking food and attending to the wounded. I never saw, and never dreamed of seeing, such an awful sight as these prisoners presented the night they were brought in. I know now what is meant by "gaping wounds" and "destitute condition." You know the number killed and wounded, I suppose twenty-eight soldiers killed and thirty-eight wounded ; twenty-eight Indians killed and about 1 30 men wound ed, and numbers of women and children. The wound ed Indians were all women and children except four. " Mr. Cook officiated at the burial of the soldiers BURIAL OF THE SOLDIERS. on Wednesday. They were placed in our cemetery temporarily. We expect Bishop Hare to-morrow for a few days stay. We shall be glad to have his wise help and cheerful face. We do not think we are now in personal danger. Two nights," Monday and Tuesday, the troops were somewhat scattered and we slept in our clothes (the few hours that we slept at all), expecting an attack on the agency, 554 LIFE OF SITTING BULL which would have been a very serious thing, as the agency was not well protected, especially on Monday night. Now, new troops are here for the especial purpose of protecting the agency, leaving the other forces free to meet the Indians outside. Troops are surrounding the Indians and approaching them more closely all the time. We have had no winter yet, which is favorable to the Indians. " Our Christmas Day services were attended by OUR CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICES. large congregations and the responses and singing were as inspiring as they always are. That evening and Friday and Saturday evenings, the Christmas tree was filled with gifts, and five congregations re ceived their presents. We intended to give the first three evenings of this week to the remaining eight congregations, but, of course, all our plans had to be changed. " We have been so thankful for the warm clothing, of which a great deal has been sent us, and which has been given to our own people and also to the wounded Indians, who had nothing. At present all is confusion. Our house is a centre for both white and red people, and we have no leisure moments ex cept such as are stolen from duty or sleep. Remem ber me always in your prayers." This letter from Bishop Hare, of Niobrara, is LETTER FROM BISHOP HARE. also of interest, as showing some effects of Church work among the redmen : AND THE INDIAN WAR. " Nine Sioux Indians, nobly working in the sacred ministry ! About forty Sioux Indians help ing them as licensed catechists ! Forty branches of the Women s Auxiliary among the Sioux Indian women ! Seventeen hundred Sioux Indian com municants ! Sioux Indians contributing $3,000 an nually for religious purposes ! But what impression have all these solemn but cheering facts made upon the public mind, as compared with the wild antics of WILD ANTICS OF THE HEATHEN. the heathen Sioux Indians, which have excited the attention and stirred the feelings of the country, and daily occupied column after column of the news papers for two weeks past ? Alas ! Alas ! As we have written elsewhere, wickedness presents more vivid contrasts than virture does, its history is more pictur esque, and has more of the element of the unexpected. " The final outcome is yet to appear. But two or three possible issues ought to be guarded against. " First. The ringleaders of this disturbance, which has alarmed the whole Northwest, covered the better Indians with shame, brought scorn upon their essays of civilization, robbed many of them of their hard-earned possessions and exposed them to personal peril, should not be left at liberty here- after to repeat the baneful operation. " Had several Indians whom we could name been consigned to Fort Marion or Fortress Monroe shortly after the Custer affair, we should not have the present complication to untangle. LIFE OF SITTING BULL " Not to speak of alarm and losses suffered by the whites, it is not satisfactory after years of patient labor to read, as is credibly reported from Pine Ridge Reserve : * Much destruction of prop erty and cattle has been going on for days. All the houses of the quiet Indians on the two branches of the Medicine Root, Porcupine Tail and Wounded Knee Creeks have been broken into, entered and robbed of all contents ; the school-houses the same. Everything else which was of no use to the maraud ing Indians, was destroyed and scattered in every direction. The catechists houses, those not stand ing near the chapels, have met with the same fate as the rest. Charley Turning-hawk, the catechist, had quite a store ; a small bag of salt was all that was left. The catechists, Silas Opegila, Henry Red Shirt, Thomas Tyon, for certainty, are among the sufferers ; they have nothing left. Second. In dealing with these evil-doers, let NO MERE REVENGE. there be no mere revenge, much less indiscriminate revenge. This has not been indulged in in the past, and it will be noticed that Mr. Ashley, in his graphic narrative, reports that the friendly Indians have already fear of its repetition. He writes.: They fear, however, that in the event of any trouble, their ponies will be taken from them, whether inno cent or guilty, as was done once before, and they ought to be assured of protection. "Years ago indiscriminate punishment might be AND THE INDIAN WAR. apologized for, on the ground that the Indians were not individually well enough known to make discri mination possible, and there was therefore no re course in military operations but to make a general seizure of all Indian ponies and guns, and to other wise. treat the Indians, innocent or guilty, all alike. No such pretext can have place now. The names of all Indians are down on agency lists. Indians are known individually to teachers, missionaries and agents. DISCRIMINATION. " Discrimation is therefore quite practicable. It will be an event in Indian life of vast and far- reaching influence for good if, after this outbreak, the Indians discover that the power which bears the sword will do it for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well. " Third. Let good sense and Christian charity arrest the tendency which this outbreak of wild pas sion will naturally have to dampen interest in Indian missionary and educational work, and to produce the feeling that such work has been in vain. It is surely a fact of vast import that, as is said elsewhere: " * Settlers have fled, not so much because of real dangers, as because of their fears, and while they have been fleeing, some white women in Indian camps have been pursuing their work without molestation and without alarm. 1 have visited several Indian agencies, and have late news from all the Sioux Indian country, but I have yet to learn of a 558 LIFE OF SITTING BULL single case of insult, much less of violence, offered to any teacher or missionary in any of the fifty odd stations scattered all over the disturbed districts in South Dakota. " And so far as we have information, the Indian clergy and helpers have stood the revival all about them of wild life without flinching, like an anvil when struck. LIKE AN ANVIL WHEN STRUCK. "Their terrible trials and faithfulness in them are surely a graphic argument that we should do more than ever to sustain them, and an assurance to us that, if we do our duty we can make others like them. "The testimony which comes from the Pine Ridge Reserve shows that there is something in the work of the Church which the wild Indian, even when bent on plunder, respects, * A curious and suggestive feature of this universal plundering and destruc tion; writes the Rev. C. S. Cook, is the evident intentional sparing of the chapels and the adjacent mission houses : not one of them has been touched. " CHAPTER XLII. INDIAN EDUCATION. VIEWS OF CAPTAIN R. H. PRATT OF THE CARLISLE INDIAN SCHOOL YOUNG INDIANS EDUCATED THERE DO NOT RETURN TO BARBARISM VERY FEW CASES WHERE TRAINING HAS NOT HAD PERMANENTLY GOOD RESULTS GROWTH OF CIVILIZATION AMONG THE INDIANS URGENT NEED THAT THE TRIBAL SYSTEM BE ABOLISHED. Not many men in the United States have studied the Indian question in all its phrases more carefully or more practically, than Captain R. H. Pratt, the head of the Indian school at Carlisle, Penn., and his studies have been supplemented by a personal knowl edge of Indians, that makes his opinion on all mat ters relating to the race, of great value. The Cap tain is not only a man of great executive ability, with a clear idea of what should be done for the Indian, but also courageous in expressing his views. He has not always found himself able to agree with others who have the interest of the Indian at heart ; but on all such occasions he has said so fairly and squarely. But, whatever may be thought of some of his views, there is no doubt that he has done a noble work in the education of the Indian race, and 559 560 LIFE OF SITTING BULL that he has earned the right to a respectful hearing when he has anything to say on the Indian question. When the Indian troubles were at their height, in December, 1890, Captain Pratt talked at some length with a correspondent of The New York Tribune, about the war and the Messiah craze, and about In dian education. " First of all," he said, "I want to say a word about the often-made statement, that the Indian boys educated at this school, nearly all re- RLAPSE INTO BARBARISM. lapse into barbarism. This statement is almost en tirely without truth. There are relapses, but the proportion is not great. During the last week, the Rev. Mr. Hubbard, a missionary among the Indians in the Indian Territory, for the last eighteen years, spent a day with me here. He stated that he knew upward of sixty of our returned students, and saw some of them every day, and that he knew of only one failure or relapse in the whole number. He is, however, a zealous friend of our cause, and probably would not see with as critical eyes as an enemy. We have scores of students throughout the reservations who are doing most excellent work in the face of the DOING MORE EXCELLENT WORK. greatest difficulty, teaching school, farming, working at their trades, and a large number form the best element in the force of scouts under the military and police forces for the agencies. They furnish most of the non-commissioned officers. "This morning I am in receipt of an interesting AND THE INDIAN WAR. 561 letter from Bird C. Seward, a full-blood Cheyenne, who was \vith us less than three years, and returned to his home on account of rheumatism. It is one of the letters I receive almost daily from returned students." The Captain believes strongly in the policy of not sending the Indian boys back to their tribes, but of keeping them in the East. "Just read thes,e letters, written by Richard Davis of West Grove, Penn.," he said, "and they will show you how much like our- HOW MUCH LIKE OURSELVES. selves the Indian is. He speaks of his work on the farm, his desire to put away a little money for a rainy day, tells whom he intended to vote for, and refers to his wife and children, just as any average white farmer would, only in better language, for he is well educated. Now, who is Richard Davis ? Well he is a Cheyenne boy who belonged to the hostile Cheyennes whom we fought in 1874 and 1875, an< ^ who with his father and people, I, with others, under Generals Davidson and Mackenzie, chased and fought over the western part of the Indian Territory. After eight years with us, this young man married a Pawnee girl, and went into the employ of Mr. Harvey, of West Grove, Penn., and he has his little home, his wife and two children. He takes HAS HIS LITTLE HOME. care of Mr. Harvey s dairy, supplying Mr. Wana- maker s great store in Philadelphia with about eighty quarts of cream daily. As to his care of tlv 562 LIFE OP SITTING BULL stock and his performance of the duties intrusted to him, you can see in this letter what his employer says. I have plenty of like cases I could show you among our farmers, not only Cheyennes, but Sioux, Apaches, Navajos, Comanches, Pawnees, Kiowas, and others belonging to our most backward tribes. " If you will examine carefully the results of edu cating Indian children at home, and compare them with the results in the oldest and best schools that have been established, you will greatly modify your views in regard to the possibilities of that sort of thing. To the casual observer it appears to be a good thing, but the results in no case that I know of have been at all commensurate with the outlay of time and labor. No spirit of American citizenship or SPIRIT OF AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP. individuality and independence has been generated. The results in every case have been simply to pro duce, as I said in my report, a so-called nation out of the tribe." " Do you care, Captain," asked the correspond ent, "to express any opinion as to the cause of the present dissatisfaction of the Indians? " " Certainly," he promptly replied. "The Mes siah craze is the natural result of the present reser vation and tribal surroundings. From a life of activity in the chase, and almost unlimited freedom in roaming and war, the Indians have been crowded into a condition of enforced idleness on the reserva tions. Day after day around their camp-fires they AND THE INDIAN WAR. 563 talk of their past, simply because there is little or no future for them to talk about. The frequently ENFORCED IDLENESS ON THE RESERVATIONS. changed, almost infinitesimal and ignorant, inex perienced forces which the- Government and the Church bring to bear upon them through agents and employes and missionaries, disturb little the onward flow of their superstition and savage rites. Civiliza tion, like corn and other grains, is purely a crop raised by planting and cultivation, and the quality of the planting and the thoroughness of the cultivation, determine the crop. Any farmer planting only ten grains of corn or half a pint of wheat to the acre and demanding a yield of 100 bushels of the one and forty of the other per acre would be insane. By his scant planting, he invites weeds to grow and choke what he does plant. Are we any wiser in our scant planting of industry, education and civilization among the Indians ? When I studied geography, all of Kansas and Nebraska was designated as the great American Desert. What a tremendous lie it was ! From my experience, under proper influ ences, the alleged desert character of the Indian will as significantly fade away. "The Messiah delusion flourishes only in the soil THE MESSIAH DELUSION. of superstition. The old, who have held on either openly or secretly to the past, and have longings for its return, are the principal ones affected by it. The crude notions they have received in regard to 564 LIFE OF SITTING BULL Christianity have been utilized by their superstitious tendencies, and they hope for miracles. The dis appointments they will suffer in not seeing the ful filment of their desires and promises of their prophets will work the best cure. I have been in clined to think, and still think, that designing white men have inaugurated and have added much to the spread of the craze." " Are you willing to say, Captain, in what respects, if any, you think the policy of the Government toward the Indians should be modified or changed?" " I most emphatically think that the tribal relations should be broken up," replied Captain Pratt. " So do others who candidly study the Indian problem. But what is the use of talking about breaking up BREAKING UP TRIBAL RELATIONS. tribal relations of the Indians when we are continu ally bringing to bear old systems, or organizing new systems calculated to confirm and strengthen tribal relations? 1 look upon General Morgan s public school system for the tribes as being one of the most potent instruments ever used to accomplish the building up and strengthening of the tribal relations. I have no desire to antagonize the Commissioner. I say nothing to you here, nor have I said anything in my report, which I have not said to him in a much stronger way, personally, when we have met ; and if you read the proceedings of the Lake Mohonk Conference for 1889, you will find that when he presented his public school system there, AND THE INDIAN WAR. 565 which the conference adopted, I antagonized it just as I have in my report, and as I always have antag onized that idea. With the 775 children at Carlisle, I am strong, because they speak forty-seven differ- FORTY-SEVEN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. ent languages, and there is little difficulty in getting them to unite on English. If they were all Sioux or Cheyenne, or Apaches, the progress would be far less, and the care very much greater. If half the students in this school were Anglo-Saxon and the other half Indian, the progress in the English lan guage and Anglo-Saxon ideas for the Indian portion would be advanced 100 per cent. ; and placing one young Indian in a school with whites, if the school is of the same grade, forces him without his knowing it to make still greater progress than he could in a school where half were Indian and half whites." A short time later, speaking on the same subject be fore the students of Mt. Holyoke College, Capt. Pratt said: "On New Year s Day I called to pay my re spects to the Secretary of War and met the Inspector- . General of the Army, who, in the Secretary s pres ence, spoke of Carlisle students being among the ghost-dancers ; that some of them at Pine Ridge were in a position to be shooting soldiers. I replied that across the Potomac, in sight of Washington, was Arlington, once the- home of a celebrated and highly trusted servant of the Republic, whose ancestry was most distinguished and loyal in the darkest days of our history He was educated at the public expense 566 LIFE OF SITTING BULL and for many years served the country loyally. In his maturity, when his family and section declared against the government, he was urged to remain true, but he declined, and boldly went with his family and led the forces of rebellion for four years, killing our soldiers by the thousands. Let us not find fault, then, with a few young Indian children to whom we give the merest smattering of an education, and send back to their parents and reservation, if they go with their families and parents into practices they esteem right. These young men are not savage simply because they are born of savage parents. Savagery and civilization are habits. Formation SAVAGERY AND CIVILIZATION ARE HABITS. or change of habit is brought about by environment. I urge that we environ the Indians with our civiliza tion and they will become civilized. Leave them in the environment of the tribes and their savagery, and they will remain tribal and savages. We are not born with language, or savagery, or civilization. These come as a result of environment, not as a result of birth. They are not forced upon us, only during the period of growth. A person s habits change after maturity. If we continue to carefully guard the Indians in their reservations and not allow them the freedom of association and effort among us, that other people have, we shall not lack material for Wild West shows for centuries to come. t( Over 5,000,000 immigrants came into the United States between 1880 and 1890. They and their AND THE INDIAN WAR. 567 children are with us and part of us to-day, entering the public school systems, scattering among our people, coming into the environment of our institu tions. They abandoned their language and became Americans. Two hundred and fifty thousand already in America were Indians ten years ago, and are still Indians because we will not allow them the ARE STILL INDIANS. environment of our American civilization that we allow the others. Suppose these 5,000,000 foreign ers, instead of being scattered over the country, had been sent to reservations, would they have made any progress in becoming Americans? It is only when we allow them to congregate in bodies that they give us any trouble. Scattered and in contact with our own people they become of us. The policy of the churches to create Indian communities, instead of inviting the Indian into our community, is at the bottom of most of our difficulties. Massa chusetts, in 1633, provided that Indians should own lands in the communities of the Colony and share in all social and political privileges. But the Church people favored Indian communities and they do to day. What we must do is to broaden the policy of inviting the Indians to come into our communities. It has been a great success at Carlisle. The system shows there is little more difficulty, in making English-speaking, industrious, civilized men and woman of Indians than there is in reaching the same conditions with our foreign immigrants." CHAPTER XLIII. WHAT OF THE FUTURE. THE CAUSES OF INDIAN DISCONTENT AND THE REMEDIES THAT SHOULD BE APPLIED VIEWS OF THE INDIAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION AN OBJECT LES SON FROM THE SAN CARLOS RESERVATION THE CHIRICAHUA TRIBES SWINDLING THE INDIANS CHARACTER OF THE FRONTIERSMAN FAMILY AFFECTION AMONG THE INDIANS LACK OF APPRECIATION OF THE POWER OF THE WHITES. Every Indian war calls forth much philosophizing as to its causes and the blame therefor, and much prognosticating as to the future of the red race. The present time is no exception to the rule, but there seems to be rather more than ordinary agree ment as to the wrongs suffered by the Indians, through either careless and ignorant or dishonest management. The view of the Sioux taken by the Indian Rights Association, has been set forth officially in these terms : "The Sioux Indians, among whom the dis turbance exists, number approximately 28,000 souls. They subsist mainly on rations furnished by the Government, given them in payment for land ceded by them to the United States, although many ot 568 AND THE INDIAN WAR. 569 them, under the guidance of agents and missionaries, have made laudable advances toward independance, and some of them are practically self-supporting. "There are two well-defined parties among the Sioux (a fact pertinent to a consideration of the present trouble), a progressive party, almost wholly A PROGRESSIVE PARTY. Christian, which has been created and developed under the influence of missionaries, both white and native, of various religious bodies Congregational, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and Episcopalian who for many years have labored devotedly among these Indians. This progressive party represents the new way/ new ideas and new hopes, the ideas of Christianity and of civilization. It is loyal to the Government, peacable and steadily increasing in influence, industry and vigor. A few of the native leaders of this party are educated and refined men, while its members as a whole lead exemplary moral lives. Second, a heathen, non-progressive party look ing backward to the days of the buffalo, predatory LOOKING BACKWARD. warfare, and unrestrained freedom, hostile to the advance of civilization, whether among the whites as a menacing force outside the reservation, or among the Indians themselves as a disintegrating force within. The occupation of the heathen party since reservation life began, has been the consumption of Government rations, dancing, wandering from place 570 LIFE OF SITTING BULL to place on visits to friends and relatives. This party has been represented by such men as Spotted Tail, Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, from whom nothing in the line of progress was hoped for or has been obtained- Such leaders were always openly or secretly at enmity with the Government and with the best interests of their people. They have discouraged DISCOURAGED OR TERRORIZED. or terrorized progressive Indians, have been a thorn in the side of good Indian agents, and the masters of poor ones. It is a fact that cannot be too strongly, emphasized that no dangerous and power ful heathen party could have existed, had the Gov ernment fulfilled solemn promises and its manifest duty to provide for the education of these people." The causes of the discontent which led to the war of 1890-1, were stated to be, in the belief of the Association, as follows : "First. Ignorance, through the failure of the Gov ernment to supply education, and the sway of savage SWAY OF SAVAGE IDEAS. ideas in the minds of the non-progressive Sioux, which fostered latent hostility to the Government, which made them an easy prey to religious frenzy and suggested violence as a remedy for real or fancied wrongs. " Second. Hunger and disease the grippe among the adults, and measles among the children. "Third. Distrust of the good faith of the Gov ernment, based on imperfect fulfilment of former AND THE INDIAN WAR. 571 promises and delay in the carrying out of the terms of the recent agreement. "Fourth. The spoils system as applied to the management of Indian affairs, which has supplied feeble or unwise mangement at some of the agen cies, has prevented continuity and harmony in the Government s work for the civilization of the Indians." And this is the remedy proposed : THE REMEDY PROPOSED. "The first and most important requisite is a single, responsible, competent head for the manage ment of Indian affairs, and charged with that duty only, who shall report cjirectly to the President, and who shall be looked to by the country at large for a successful Indian management. " An Indian service wholly free from the inter ference of partisan politics, which shall continue its INTERFERENCE OF PARTISAN POLITICS. policy and carry out its educational work undis turbed by changing Administrations. " While we do not advocate the complete transfer of Indian management to the War Department, we believe that all the advantages which the advocates of that plan desire could be obtained by detailing many able and experienced army officers to serve as Indian agents, without the counterbalancing disad vantages which we believe would result from so radical a change. " This suggestion has especial force from the fact 572 LIFE OF SITTING BULL that a few army officers have in the past served as Indian agents with excellent results. " The appropriation of sufficient money by Con gress to permit the education of all Indian youth and the maintenance of a thoroughly effective ser vice. Manifestly, it is the part of wisdom to give enough money to do the work in hand if there be a thoroughly efficient executive officer to expend it." A well informed writer in The New York Times has at considerable length urged the incompetence or dishonesty of agents as a prime cause of Indian INCOMPETENCE OR DISHONESTY. troubles. The agency at the San Carlos reserva tion, in Arizona, he says, is a fair sample of an agency of the first class, as they were rated a few years ago, according to the number of Indians fed. The San Carlos reserve is an almost rectangular area, cut out of the finest part of the centre of the Territory, running north and south about 130 miles and east and west about 40 miles. It is watered by the San Carlos and Gila Rivers and by many moun tain streams flowing south into them, whose courses follow the richest grazing country of the world. The mountains of the region are covered with pine forests, succeeded at lower altitudes by the cotton- wood and mesquite of the lowlands. The soil is not rich, except where it is alluvial, but growing out of plateaus covered with volcanic rocks, one can travel for days through fields of wild barley growing waist high. It is not uncommon to find corn grow- AND THE INDIAN WAR. 573 ing ten and fourteen feet high, nor to find farmers who think it nothing unusual to gather three crops of alfalfa per year from the same ground. This reservation is the home of the Apache HOME OF THE APACHE. nation proper. The name Apache is a corruption of the Zuni and Moki terms Apachu, which they applied to the Navajos, and which means a large, strong man. The Apaches are divided into tribes, and named according to the locality of their homes. The Tonto Apaches were probably the ones who were most easily capabable of being made good citizens, and inhabited the section known as Tonto Basin, surrounded by the Sierra Ancha and the Superstition Mountains. Until they leagued them selves with the hostile White Mountain Apaches they had never given any trouble, but since 1880 they have been little better than any others. Their nature is not so ferocious as that of the White Moun- NOT SO FEROCIOUS. tain Indians, and they are probably the most easily led of the nation. The White Mountain tribe has never been known to cultivate the land ; their pas times are hunting in the Autumn, war and murder in the Winter, and returning to the agency in the Spring and Summer to draw their rations. The San Carlos tribe are the politicians, and never make a move without attaching themselves to the stronger party. For many years they have been employed as Government scouts, and no case of mutiny or 574 LIFE OF SITTING BULL bad faith is known against them. Most of them live along the San Carlos River, close to the main agency buildings, and they ware the main reliance of General Crook in his campign against the other tribes. " The Chiricahua tribes, which dwelt in the moun tains of the same name to the south, have always been the bane of the Territory. Back in the days before the war they overran the southern part of Arizona from the Pacific to the Rio Grande. Under Magnus Colorado, the father of Cochise, an Indian of shrewd sense and an able warrior, they probably committed more depredations than any other aborigi- COMMITTED MORE DEPREDATIONS. nal tribe. Magnus was finally captured by the California rangers under Colonel McClave in New Mexico and confined in an adobe hut, with two trusty sentinels to guard the windows. McClave under stood his prisoner, and must have believed that he would make a better Indian under the sod than above it, for on one warm, sunny afternoon, when the chief was seated in his cell with his head bowed, probably concocting schemes of revenge, a soldier climbed upon the roof, and dropped an adobe brick down the chimney. It fell into the fireplace, close to the prisoner s feet and so startled him that he jumped to his feet and bounded to the window, when the sentinel on duty, thinking him about to make a break for liberty, shot him through the heart. None of his successors ever held the tribe so well AND THE INDIAN WAR. 575 together, but many of them were most successful raiders with smaller bands. His pupil in Indian SHOT HIM THROUGH THE HEART. warfare and protege, Victoria, kept many cavalry and infantry companies on the jump for years, while Geronimo s misdeeds are of too recent occurrence to require mention. " When General Crook went to Arizona, he found all these Apache tribes banded together against their enemy, the white man. This feeling and Indian union were helped along by a succession of dishonest agents, who openly said they had not gone to Arizona for their health, and who generally left with their pockets well lined. When the agency was started, an Indian received about a pound of beef a day, but as time went on the scales were SCALES WERE TAMPERED WITH. tampered with and the Indiam stomachs went empty. In an agency of 5,000 Indians an agent may misap propriate from $4,000 to $6,000 per month, on beef alone, by allowing Indians to hunt on the reservation, so that they may not be present at the weekly issue of rations. By an easy system, these Indians are carried on the rolls as fed, while in reality they get nothing, and the difference, including coffee, sugar, flour, salt, yeast powder, and beef, may be quietly disposed of to the storekeepers of the adjacent mining towns. The agent always puts his prices at a little lower rate than the same articles could be bought in San Francisco and shipped by rail, so the 576 LIFE CF SITTING BULL tradesmen secure a larger profit, business booms, the agent is a popular man whom all stand by, and the Indian, exasperated by ill-treatment, goes on the war-path, killing everything white. KILLING EVERYTHING WHITE. By charging up on the rolls as issued that which has not been issued, there sometimes arises a great surplus of material which it may be difficult to dispose of. In 1879 there were in the Government buildings* at San Carlos thirty-six Studebaker farm wagons which had been charged to the Indians as issued to them. At a low calculation these wagons could have been sold for $1,000 each, and would have realized a handsome steal for some body. In addition to this, there was a heavy sur plus of all other supplies, but the Indians broke out a few months too soon. The agent fled THE AGENT FLED. and was succeeded by the military, who had inven tories made and the property taken up and prop erly credited to the Government. It may safely be estimated that just about one- third of the supplies purchased for the Indians never reach them. A residence in the Indian country soon convinces one that there is in the East a great deal of maudlin sentimentality for the Indian, and on the other hand the honesty, thrift, noble character, and worth of the fontiersmen have been greatly overrated. This same frontiersman is the one who usually sells rifles and ammunition to the Indians. Why he AND THE INDIAN WAR. 577 should do so is very easily explained. Take, for example, the case of the teamster or driver of a GREATLY OVERRATED. prairie schooner." He is always supplied with a ride and cartridges. He makes his camps, when possible, in mining towns, and when his animals are unharnessed and fed for the night he goes out to "see the town." Everything is closed except the gambling saloons, and he is soon drawn in with the rest of the crowd to buck at "faro." It usually happens that he drives out of town without a cent An endless road of the plains generally induces one to reflect and think. All he has is his rifle. It is worth in the towns about $20, but an Indian will give $60 for it, because selling arms to the Indians is illegal and the heavy penalty deters many from so doing. While eating his luncheon an Indian passes by and the trade is made. Our driver goes to the next town, purchases another rifle for $20, and has $40 more with which to buck the tiger again. One by one rifles are picked up in this manner by the Indians, until they are really better armed than BETTER A^MED THAN OUR OWN SOLDIERS. our own soldiers who still carry the old Springfield rifles, while many Indians have Winchesters and other styles of magazine guns. In olden days, when any bad character disappered from the North and East with a Sheriff looking for him, it was generally said that he had "gone to Texas," and soon the initials " G. T. T." were as 578 LIFE OF SITTING BULL well understood as " F. F. V," are to-oay. The cowboy of the northern plains is a much more re spectable individual .than those who have spread west from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona. Thus, " gone to Arizona" has become a common phrase. They practice every kind of villainy EVERY KIND OF VILLAINY. against the Indians, who reciprocate whenever a fair opportunity offers itself. Indian cattle are stolen, their brands obliterated, and run in with white cattle to be driven East. White cattle are always en croaching on Indian reservations, and schemes are always being formed to cut off so much of this or that Indian reserve. All this is resented and brooded over by the wise men of the tribes, and an other Indian war is the result. Usually one finds a peculiar kind of freemasonry existing among bad characters of the same ilk, but in the case of the freebooting frontiersmen and the Indians there is no such sympathy. About four years ago, some Apaches started a farm and cattle ranch near the headwaters of Coon Creek, Arizona, making every promise of good be havior, as earnestly as only Indians can promise. Many industrious white settlers of the better class had settled in the valley, but notwithstanding their objections the Indians were allowed to move in. It was not long before young colts began to disappear, and occasionally a young and tender lamb would be missing. Many complaints were made, but the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 579 agent, for reasons of his own, pigeonholed them. Finally the Indians were caught having a barbecue & HAVING A BARBECUE. on stolen cattle, and the indignant citizens appealed to the courts and had the guilty bucks arrested. During their sojourn in jail an enterprising stock raiser living on Final Creek cast covetous eyes on the sleek, fat Indian cattle, which continued to grow fatter notwithstanding the fact of their master s absence, but there was one difficulty to be over come. The Indians had long before recognized the uselessness of any ordinary hide brand, which could be blotted out with a red-hot frying pan, and had marked their cattle by splitting the left ear length wise. Finally the Final Creek raiser decided to adopt a brand which was to cut off the left ear entirely. So, rounding up the Indian cattle he ob- OBLITERATED THEIR BRAND. literated their brand and initiated his own in one blow as it were, and incorporated them in his own herd. When the Indians were released they soon discovered the peculiar brand of their neighbor, and the troops were again called upon to settle the difficulty, and the Indian cattle were returned. Another difficulty in the management of Indians is the constant friction existing between the War and Interior Departments. Any plan or suggestion offered by a military man is sure to be opposed by the civilian and vice versa. There is a little jeal ousy in this, but oftener it is a question of dollars 580 LIFE OF SITTING BULL. and cents with the Indian agent, who can always make more when the army has no finger in the pie. One agent, rather more zealous, attempted to establish a rule that the troops could not pursue and arrest an Indian while on the reservation. Very soon the younger bucks practiced making small raids over the boundary of their haven of rest, only to return quickly with their booty and be exempt from punishment. Robberies, murders and cattle ROBBERIES, MURDERS AND CATTLE THIEVING. thieving became of such frequent occurrence that they brought down a storm of indignation on the agent s head, who reversed his decision. The ill feeling between the subordinates of the two departments works to the great disadvantage of the army in some instances, as in the Chiricahua war of 1882, when the departure of 1 10 bucks from the reservation was not reported to army head quarters by the agent. As a consequence many innocent lives were sacrificed and the Valley of the Gila ruined. In raiding the valley this war party killed about fifty people, coming upon them unex pectedly through the agent s criminal and really MALICIOUS NEGLIGENCE, malicious negligence, when there were troops in readiness close by who could have prevented the massacres. Before the Western Union Company stretched its wires through the Territory, the Government had its own telegraph lines, and had placed them so well that almost any AND THE INDIAN WAR. 581 party of hostiles could be intercepted before it could escape over the frontier into Mexico. The Indians were bright, and it was not long before they conceived the plan of cutting the wires. Had they simply cut them, it would have availed them little, because linemen would easily have found the break; but they sometimes used to cut out sections of from 50 to 100 feet in length, and, substituting therefore a piece of dark, heavy cord so closely resembling the original wire, made discovery very difficult. Among themselves i. e., between members of the same family their practices are worthy of our WORTHY OF OUR ADOPTION. adoption. Parents are generally devoted to their children and wives to their husbands. To be sure, the noble red man expects his squaw or squaws to do all the work, while he rests and smokes, but in return he is their protector and will die for them. In 1882 a party of Chiricahua Indians, after being badly whipped in Mexico by our troops, were being closely pursued. The wounded were being helped along, but many succumbed to their wounds and died on the trail. A small detachment of pursuers discovered and followed a newly-made path evi dently leading to a small grove of " mesquite " trees, and, when arriving at that point, found four ponies tied around a newly-made grave. At one end of the freshly-turned earth was some food, neatly tied up in paper, for the use of the sleeping brave when he 582 LIFE OF SITTING BULL should awake in the happy hunting grounds. As some of the party were intimately acquainted with the hostiles, the grave was opened to see who the HAPPY HUNTING GROUNDS. occupant might be. Dressed in the clothes of a murdered white, and painted ior war, there had been laid at rest the body of one of Victoria s most trusty and dangerous followers. The friendly scouts soon pulled the corpse out to search the clothes for any valuables. A small amount of money and a few trinkets were found ; the ponies were driven along by the pursuing party and the dead brave left on the ground beside the open graves. In a few days the same detachment re turned and, through curiosity, made a detour past the spot. To their astonishment they found that the body had been again interred, and the loose earth carefully smoothed over as before. His squaw, who had accompanied him in his flight, had probably re mained weeping at his grave, unable to leave her UNABLE TO LEAVE HER LOVER. lover. At the approach of the detachment she had probably concealed herself, and imagine her wound ed feelings as she saw him dragged from his resting place. As soon as the violators had gone she re turned, and with loving care again put him at rest, and was doubtless near at hand to watch the second visit. There are many similar instances of devotion familiar to all who have lived among the Indians, and many equally ferocious and cruel acts of the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 583 same devoted squaws toward the helpless prisoners who fall into their murderous clutches. It is very seldom that the Indians take prisoners, as most w r hites usually reserve one cartridge for themselves to- use, if everything is lost and capture inevitable. It is not considered dignified for the Indian braves to torture prisoners, but they stand by to enjoy the scene while the squaws perpetrate SQUAWS PERPETRATE EVERY DIABOLICAL OUTRAGE. every diabolical outrage that their fiendish imagina tion suggests. Ears are cut off, then the nose, and sharp-pointed sticks are pressed into the eyes ; where fire is used, the unhappy wretcK is pinned to the ground, after which the fire is kindled on his stom ach. Only a few years ago some American pros pectors discovered a dead Mexican a few miles below the Arizona line. He had first been buried in the hot desert up to his neck ; then his eyelids were cut off to make the exposure to the broiling sun more painful, while pieces of putrid meat were scattered on the ground around his head to attract swarms of " blowflies." The poor fellow s sufferings must have been intense, and he probably lived in that position for two whole days. The Indian is a very queer mixture, and it re- A VERY QUEER MIXTURE. quires a long residence with him thoroughly to un derstand his character. Nearly all our agents in the West owe their appointments to political preferment alone, and fitness seems to be the last thing thought 584 LIFE OF SITTING BULL of, if considered at all. A professional " wire puller 7 from Ohio, after being defeated at the polls is usually appointed over the heads of competent citizens of the Indian country. Repairing the " fences of his political superiors has not given him much insight into Indian management, but he cares little for that, because he regards his appointment as a reward for party services, and he resolves to make the most of it. He has no house rent, his food costs him noth ing, and his clothes are purchased at an almost nom inal price from Indian traders who expect return favors. The salary is very small and entirely out of proportion to the immense responsibilities of the post, and in that point Congress is culpable. What CONGRESS IS CULPABLE. man, capable of earning a decent living in a civilized section of the country, would dream of burying him self on an Indian reservation, surrounded by the refuse of the country s population, on a salary of $1.500 a year, were it not for the fact that he has hopes of making a large amount of money on the outside ? A few years ago it was a notorious fact that the San Carlos Agency was a grocery and feed store for the surrounding country that is to say, any frontiersman could purchase his supplies there, have his animals shod there, and even purchase farming- implements which had been sent for distribution among the Indians. During the administration of the Interior Department by Secretary Schurz the AND THE INDIAN WAR. 585 affairs 01 the agency were investigated and the agent indicted by the Territorial courts. An army officer was put in charge and kept there until the pressure PRESSURE BROUGHT ON THE SECRETARY. brought on the Secretary was so heavy that another civilian was sent out to relieve him. The military by careful work appeased all the disaffected Indians, and for the first time in many years San Carlos was quiet. The settlers in the Gila Valley felt secure, and did not dread finding themselves surrounded at daylight by a murderous band of Apaches. A res ervation farm was started, waterways were built for irrigation, the ground was plowed, and everything seemed to be in a fair way to make the Indians an agricultural and self-supporting community, when the army officer was regretfully relieved by Mr. Schurz. The new agent was not a dishonest man, but was lacking in almost every requirement for the success ful management of Indians. The speculators, .thieves, and general bad characters of the reserva- BAD CHARACTERS OF THE RESERVATION. tion who had been driven off during the military control now returned, and by ingenious arguments so prejudiced the new agent against anything mili tary that he became a tool in their hands. The agent was a simple-minded individual, much more competent to manage a Sunday school class of a village parish than to deal with the shrewd scoun drels who surrounded him. He was warned and 5 86 LIFE OF SITTING BULL advised to put the crowd off of the reservation ; but the merchants of the surrounding towns, fearing a diminution of profits, assured him that such action would result in an Indian outbreak. Living at the agency and among the Indians, the agent was un able to discover any signs of disaffection, until one fine morning his chief of scouts was killed and the agency buildings fired into. The outbreak would never have occurred had not the Indians been de prived of more than half of their rations by the greedy set of thieves who advised the agent. The GREEDY SET OF THIEVES. war caused by this agent s blunders lasted three years, and was only quelled when General Crook captured the marauding bands in Mexico and had them transported to St. Augustine. The Indian, as a rule, is deceitful and treacherous, but his treatment has been such as to develop those characteristics. Kindness is in a measure appre ciated by them, but they are never so respectful as when they understand that the power over them is able and willing to punish them. They are singu larly ignorant of the preponderance of whites in this country and of the immense resources of the Government, and it is this ignorance which renders their submission more difficult. The few South western Indians who have been taken East to see the sights have returned and related what they have seen, but all to no use. Sneezer, a San Carlos Apache of great influence with his tribe, was taken to Washington, Philadelphia, Boston, and New York, with the hope that on his return he would be able to give the Indians such an account of the mag nitude of our cities, the number of people, the ex tent of railways, and the power of the whites that they might be impressed, as it were, with some con ception of the hopelessness of their struggle against HOPELESSNESS OF THEIR STRUGGLE. the advance of civilization. Sneezer went back and told his tribe of the wonders he had seen. Stone houses, ten stories high ; street cars ; railroads crossing States ; the immense number of people ; the grandeur of the cities ; the immense steamers of New York Harbor, and the great lake along our coast, whose waters he said were salty. His former admirers and supporters listened, dumfounded and amazed. They wondered if their chief had become crazy. They questioned him again, and his answers only increased their astonishment, and with one accord they pronounced him bewitched and out of his mind. From a most powerful factor of the tribe he became a pitied lunatic, of less influence than a ten-year-old boy, and his tales of travel were re peated to children as we relate those of the Arabian Nights. RE I? LO RETURN TO the circulation desk of any University of California Library or to the NORTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY Bldg. 400, Richmond Field Station University of California Richmond, CA 94804-4698 2 BE RECAL LED AFTER 7 DAYS be renewed by caiiin9 reCharged books DUE AS STAMPED BELOW DEC 9 1992 APR 1 1993 VC 59373 ru te