The First Photograph of Sitting Bull, and His Age.
While the writer is making every effort to procure facts and such matter as will be of interest to his readers, he is just at this time in doubts about perfecting his plans to have Sitting Bull sit for his photograph. Never up to this time has he been situated so that one could be taken. It is expected that he will come down from Fort Buford on the steamer " General Sherman," en route to the Standing Rock Agency, where he and most of his tribes will remain for a time. I have arranged with a photographer, at quite a large expense, to go down on the steamer and secure the first photo that has ever been taken of our surrendered red brother.
A river pilot just down from Fort Buford states that the old chief is quite reticent and sullen. He recognized him, however, saying he always had a good and warm heart for river men, and finally wanted a dollar in the way of heap-good-friendship. Soon after this interview, a party of citizens, ladies and gentlemen, called upon the sullen chief at his camp, and he refused to come out for the purpose of making an exhibition of himself, and after exhausting their patience and persuasion and a-heap-o'-good-honey-tongued-coaxing, as the cunning warrior would phrase it, they offered him one dollar apiece if he would come out and talk a few moments, but he stubbornly and very sullenly refused.
Should he continue to be stubborn after arriving at Standing Bock, we of course will fail to get his photo, but we intend to have it, that is if it can be had by any reasonable amount of moral persuasion, as he would say himself, " this side of the happy hunting grounds." We have known war-chiefs to act stubbornly for many months after they had surrendered, and for no other reason only it was, to use their own phrase, " bad medicine, heap bad; no good." They would often say it was " the Great Spirit going to strike them," and there is no doubt as to their entertaining such superstition in real earnestness.
The writer at one time knew of a photographer who went quietly to the camp of a once leading war chief, who had already surrendered, and covering himself and his apparatus with a blanket, set himself to work trying to get his camera in range, when all at once he heard a clicking outside, that, to say the least, sounded not at all agreeable, and at once uncovering, found himself modestly arrayed within short range of the stalwart chief, with a Spencer carbine in hand, cocked and ready for instant action. The cool-headed and persuasive photographer succeeded in becoming master of the situation, by gently persuading the war chief that he meant nothing wrong, and had already taken a score or more of the leading war chiefs, all of whom were well pleased, also, that all of the big officers in the army had their pictures taken, so their wives and children and the great father at Washington, could see them. Upon this statement the old chief walked down to the rooms of the photographer, and sat for his photo, with all his head-gear, galligaskins And other toggery that helped to make up his regalia, in order that his shapely figure might take a position alongside of that of a major-general, saying he wanted the white folks to hang his pictures on the wall in their houses, and that he would take two to Washington, one for the great father, and one for the big white chief; not the big soldier chiefs, meaning Generals Sherman and Sheridan, but the red man's friends, President Hayes and Secretary Shurtz.
The question of securing photos of warriors just after they have surrendered may be quite well explained in the Indian's own language : " May-be-so-a-heap-bad-medicine. May-be-so-white-man's-heart – a – heap – bad. Great – Spirit-strike-red-man-too-quick." As the Indians are at times allowed to go about officers' quarters at the military posts, and visit among their families more or less, this prejudice and superstition has gradually worn away, so that in most cases the photographer in time has but little trouble in securing their photos, even from those most stubborn at first.
If we secure this photo, the readers of this book will have the honor and pleasure, if such it is, of seeing the first and only one that has ever been taken. We will not cease our efforts in trying to procure it, and, if necessary, will wait several days before passing this MSS. into the hands of the publisher.
Of our military officers that have seen Sitting Bull and conversed with him, all agree in saying that he is an artful and brave warrior, and an Indian of very superior ability, and possesses unusual powers of endurance. His indomitable energy and bull-dog tenacity has drawn toward him the utmost respect of all his subordinate chiefs and warriors, and it is not probable a surrender would have been effected for some time to come, had it not been for the nearly naked and half-starved condition of his old men, women and children.
The steamer " General Sherman " has just landed with Sitting Bull and about one hundred and fifty old men, women and children, including about thirty warriors. His father, and White Bear, a handsome-looking and good-natured chief, accompany him as close attendants, apparently as staff officers. The writer, by special permission, boarded the steamer, and upon entering the cabin found " standing room only," men, women and children of all ages, sizes and nationalities, had gathered from the rural districts and adjacent towns in the surrounding country, composed the audience, all of whom were anxiously waiting their turn to " shake and how " with the famous old war-horse. The writer considered his mission and interview with the chief too important to " get left," and at once mounted a chair in the front end of the cabin, and looking over the surging crowd, at last caught a glimpse of a row of six Indians, all sitting at the left side of the cabin, with scout Allison standing beside Sitting Bull. I succeeded in getting through the crowd and reaching the point where Allison stood, who at once gave me a formal introduction to "Chief Sitting Bull," who sat in a chair at the head of the row. Mr. Allison,, knowing that I was concluding my last chapter of this book, was, in his always courteous manner, very obliging to me,, and took special pains to tell the chief that I was the "white chief of a book," and an old Indian trader. The chief looked up rather smilingly, and at the same time extending his right hand and drawing his blanket, that covered a once white shirt, more closely around his broad shoulders with the other, said, " How." I at once returned the " how," and then made some signs known in the Southern Indian language as "friendship," which he seemed to recognize at once and rather good-naturedly. Preparatory to going on the steamer, and bent upon getting his photograph, if possibly within the reach of human ingenuity, I put in my pocket a photo of my own (like the one on this frontispiece), with the view of giving it to him, provided, however, I found him in the right kind of humor, knowing very well the prejudices that had been inculcated from the aboriginal pre-instruction of many of his race.
Upon giving him the photo, " White Bear," who sat at the= foot of the semi-circle row, looked up in a wishful and pleasing manner, and extending his hand to shake said, " How, how," evidently much pleased to meet a pale-faced stranger who could talk the language of the red man by signs.
After extending the usual " shake and how " with him, I turned to Sitting Bull's father, whose Indian name is " Four Horns," who was very reticent, although quite good-natured. He is an Indian quite under medium stature, with shoulders somewhat bent to the front, and, to try a guess on his age,
would say quite close to seventy. He seemed to accept Lis situation quite willingly, at the same time showed a rather tiresome air, which led me to believe that he was actually tired of being on the war-path, and only too glad to be at peace, and no doubt thinks it better for him, as well as others of his age, to be settled upon reservations, where they can freely partake of government rations and draw their annuity goods semi-annually, even if " the bad young braves " do go out in raiding parties occasionally. As to the latter, ho probably cares but very little, and will never give himself any uneasiness, even if all the young braves on the Missouri River should turn loose upon the frontier; but as far as he is personally concerned, there is no question t›ut that he intends to live quietly upon a reservation and Abide by such rules and laws as will be made to govern it.
In turning to Sitting Bull, I asked Allison if he, " Bull," would take good care of my photograph, whose reply was, "Yes, he is glad to get it and will take good care of it." This was encouraging to the writer, thinking it might stimulate him to have his own taken to give in return, as is characteristic with leading chiefs to make a return present, and more so when his heart is good toward the donor. We bade him good-by, and after the regular " shake and how," left the steamer in order to make room for others who were anxious to shake with the chief, and we must say he would shake hands very cordially with all who came along, paying especial attention to the ladies. He has, it is said, heretofore and since his surrender been quite indisposed to talk, and rather sullen, saying he did not want to be talked to death and gloated at. He wore a pair of green wire goggles, so we could not see his naked eyes, but it is said that he has a pair of as keen eagle eyes as ever was set between two high cheek bones on any red man in the aboriginal tribes. Up to this time we have hopes of getting him to sit for his photo. We now witness the Professor going on board the steamer with his camera and other paraphernalia, getting ready to make the first attempt, after arriving at Standing Rock, that was ever made to secure the photograph of Sitting Bull, but still entertaining some doubts as to his success,
– that is to say, until after lie becomes more settled and reconciled to his new home. The chief will feel quite different after arriving at the agency and getting rested, as well as getting out of the way of the hundreds of anxious lookers on, and besides, he will meet his old and trusted friends, " Gaul and Crow King," and other warriors and the families he has so often inquired after since he surrendered.
We expect to have to wait from three to seven days before he will consent to sit, and if we fail in that time, we will be compelled to hand our manuscript to the publisher without it, but not without promising to have it ready for our second edition. Just at this moment it is discovered that Sitting Bull has consented to come to the hotel, and take dinner by special invitation of Mr. Marsh, the popular landlord of the Merchants' Hotel. The chief, upon nearing the office desk, takes out a little old worn pencil and registers his name in full, with hand somewhat trembling, a fac-simile of which was secured by the writer, by means of a piece of tracing-paper, and we will promise that it shall appear under his photo, if we succeed in getting it. In writing Sitting Bull has received some instructions at various times from Mr. Allison, a worthy and trusted scout who has been in government employ a number of years, and having the confidence of the officers in this department. He is a man of fine education, having been raised and schooled in Central New York, near Utica, and later years has been in government employ as scout, and interpreter of the Sioux language.
In regard to the exact age of Sitting Bull we are unable to be positive, and we doubt if any one will be able to get his right number of years, and the best we have been able to learn in regard to it is as follows :
In the year 1875 the writer was informed, by an ex-Indian agent, that he was then forty-five years old, which would make him now fifty-one. Just after the Custer battle on the Little Big Horn, it was reported that he was then forty-two, which would make him now forty-seven. We are now informed that he is fifty-two, and we are inclined to believe the latter to be nearer correct, judging from his looks. That he has suffered hardships and privations we all know, and he has evidently taken remarkably good care of himself, as he shows a fine and healthy-looking countenance.
His own statement to Mrs. Captain Harmon seems to make him 48-that is as near as he and his father can guess and recollect.
Mrs. Harmon, while interviewing him on the steamer "General Sherman," asked him his age, and his reply was he thought he was 47. Mrs. Harmon, it appears, had some knowledge that led her to believe that he was older, and said, " Don't you think you are 48," and his reply was that he didn't know exactly, but he knew that he was a little older than " Eoaring Thunder," and just at this time " Four Horns," father of the Chief, said, " Eoaring Thunder is 46 and you are a little older-may-be-so-makes-you-48." Thia is probably the clearest and most reliable statement that has ever been obtained from Sitting Bull by any white person in regard to his age, and there can be no doubt as to his sincerity in all he stated to Mrs. Harmon, as he appeared very much interested, and at times made friendly gestures that evinced great earnestness and friendship.
It is almost impossible to get the exact age of any Indian, that has been roaming with the hostile bands, as they become more or less confused, and ofttimes entirely lost in keeping the count, which is usually done as follows:
When a child is born, the mother takes a stick of no great size and cuts a notch on one side of it, and from that time thereafter it is the intention to cat a notch at the end of every moon (a moon is a month), and knowing that twelve months make a year, and when twelve notches are cut in this stick they then select a tree or another stick, and cut a notch in it which denotes one year. We can now readily see that if they get confused in making the notches, they are, of course, more than likely to lose the exact age, and then they have to depend upon the memory of the older ones in the family or lodges to help them guess and remember.
Only four days after the interview with Mrs. Harmon, when interviewed by an officer at " Standing Rock," he gave his age 44, and said he was born near old Fort George, on Willow Creek, below the mouth of Cheyenne River. Next to himself, lie considers " Four Horns," who is his father, the greatest living chief. Many years ago his father was known as the famous chief, " Jumping Bull." He says he never committed any depredations in the white man's country, and that he did not surrender, but only came in to stay a few days, and how wants the government to let him go; that he never made a treaty nor sold any land, nor made war on the white man's government. He says he has been on the war-path since he was fourteen years old ; and previous to that time, and since he was old enough, he killed buffalo most of the time, giving all of his surplus meat to the old men and women that were poor and too old to hunt. It is generally admitted that he is very tender-hearted and affectionate toward the old men, women and children of all the tribes in the Sioux nation, and the real reason, together with his bravery and artfulness, of his gaining such a stronghold in the hearts of his people, has been on account of his extreme generosity and kind feelings toward them when in distress. He has always showed a disposition to share equally with them the hardships and sufferings they have had to endure ; and it is a noted fact that the great majority of the Indians throughout the Sioux country have a warm corner in their hearts for Sitting Bull.
He says he is a chief by inheritance, has two living wives and nine children, two of whom are twins. It is not only a noticeable but a very amusing fact that he makes various reports and conflicting statements to the different interviewers ; having watched his reports with great care from time to time since his surrender, and are unable to discover any two alike as regards to the same question when being asked by different parties; but as he now gets pay for his " words and big talk," perhaps he thinks he should give to each interviewer a different statement. The writer intends to see him before many weeks, and have a hearty laugh over his various and speculative interviews. We are inclined to think, however, the old chief will only laugh and say, " the white folks are all the time a-trying to fool him and his people, and I thought it just as well to have a little fun by myself and see how they would like it to be fooled." That is about as much as he or any other Indian cares about making a false statement to white people. Another statement made in regard to his family was that he had two good wives, loved one as much as the other, and by them both had seventeen children, seven of whom were by his last or second wife, and six of them, the youngest, were three pair of twins.
He seems very much attached to one of his daughters, who ran away from him last winter, eloping with a young brave who had become tired of taking his rations of buffalo meat on the open prarie in the deep snow, and wisely concluded to come in and partake of Uncle Sam's hospitality at an agency provided especially for him and his people.
It is said that he mourned very much over the elopement, and at times would writhe in anger, claiming that she and " Pretty Plume," his wife, were the two handsomest squaws among the Sioux; and in fact we may truthfully say that " Pretty Plume " is really a handsome and queenly-looking squaw, and if she were a white woman, and favored with the usual facilities for an education and moral training, eta, etc., she would be a reigning belle in society. The chief claims that white people induced his daughter to elope, and before he had surrendered, some scalawag had led him to believe (at least he so pretended) that our officers at " Fort Yates " had her confined in irons, and in one of his statements regarding his surrender, he said he did not want to come in to surrender, but came to see his girl who was in irons at " Standing Rock Agency," and now wants the government to let him go back; but as we have said before, he makes a great many statements, and as a general thing no two are alike.
All there is about it, nothing but starvation and nakedness among his people ever forced him and his remnant band of followers to come in and surrender. He made up his mind to take the step he did, not because he wanted to, but because he and his people were starved out. There was no game, no, nothing, absolutely nothing, for them to live on.
He had wandered around and over a desolate country,, where thousands of buffalo and antelope once roamed, and now not a track to be seen. Eighteen or twenty years he has waged unceasing warfare against the whites, and it is admitted, not only by his own people, but by our military authorities, and Western men generally, who have had means of knowing the facts, that he is the boldest, most malignant and artful of all the cunning war chiefs, from the Eio Grande to the Northern boundary line. But the chief has surrendered, thus relinquishing all his rights to the sturdy pioneer and ranchmen of the Western plains. In order that you may form an idea of an Indian chant, poetry and the " prayer of a squaw," we furnish the exact words, as translated by an interpreter soon after the final surrender of the chief:
"Be brave, my friends, be brave. The white men have brought us food; They will not hurt us ; Their hearts are full of pity for us, My father and my mother, be not afraid, Your hunger once more is stayed, And there is still food in abundance. My brother and my sister, comb your hair, And paint your faces with vermilion, For the Great Spirit has softened The hearts of our enemies, and they feed us with food.
He has, within the writer's knowledge, given three distinct accounts, and no two of them alike, of Custer's last battle against him in the valley of the Little Big Horn,, and there can be no doubt as to his first report being in the main correct. It was about as follows :
He heard the long-haired chief and his soldiers were coming, and he sent out thirty young men on the day before the battle, and that night twenty of them returned and reported the white soldiers coming, and he then told his braves and all his old and young men to get ready for battle* On the morning of the battle seven more of the young men came in and said the soldiers were closing in upon their village, and not long afterwards the remaining three came in and reported the whole column of cavalry in sight, and he then sent the women and children away, and before they had been gone long the white soldiers made their first charge, and just at this time his wife came running back, saying she was so badly scared that she forgot her baby. He at once brought the little one from his tepee, and giving it to his wife and telling her to run, he then turned toward his braves, who were just resisting a bold and gallant charge made by Custer at the head of his men. He then raised a pole with a flag, and at the top of his voice shouted, " I am Sitting Bull, the big chief and leader of all the Sioux warriors." His men had but little trouble in driving our column back, and every charge that was made by our men after that was met and checked by his braves, and those not killed on the field were driven back into new positions; and when the cavalry was finally reduced in numbers to a handful of men, they all rallied to where Custer stood, and then the fighting was soon over, they all falling nearly at the same time.
He then gave orders to go over to the other band, meaning " Major Reno's command," leaving the squaws on the field, which was near their village.
It is supposed by those who came upon the field first after the battle, that just at this period some one of the chiefs gave orders not to mutilate Custer's body, and also made a mark across his nose and cheeks for a notice to the squaws to that effect, which was obeyed; hence we find Custer's body not mutilated.
The chief further stated in this report that Reno and his whole command would have shared the fate of Custer had it not been for the arrival of "Terry and Gibbon" with reinforcements.
Another report he gives about as follows: saying he sent his wife and child out back to hide and then started to go over where they were fighting, and just then a heavy shock of thunder and many sharp streaks of lightning struck the whole of Custer's command, and that was what killed so many men, and when the thunder was over, his warriors killed all there was left.
Another statement is, that after his braves had killed nearly all of Custer's men, he told them to cease firing, as they had killed men enough, but they still insisted upon wiping out the whole command, and then Custer's men made such fearful charges they had to kill them all in order to save their own lives and their women and children. Now, it is more than probable that his first report is the nearest correct, as it compares very favorably with the two made by " Crow King and Low Dog," at Standing Bock, only a few days after the surrender of the chief. It is doubtful if we ^ver arrive at the actual facts in relation to that battle any nearer than is embraced in those three reports, which includes the first one made by the chief, and those two by Crow King and Low Dog respectively, who were leading war chiefs in the fight.
We have never, up to this time, heard of thunder and lightning making an attack on a battalion of cavalry, nor are we willing to believe that Sitting Bull ordered his warriors to cease firing, at the same time telling them they had killed men enough, and that the soldiers were not to blame, as they were told to do so and were fighting under orders from their government, etc., etc.
Such action on his part is not one of his characteristics, nor is it consistent with his mode of warfare against either white men nor his red brethren, for only a month or six weeks before his surrender he annihilated a small band of .Nez Perces, some seventeen in number. This, however, has recently come to light. In 1877, when the Nez Perces surrendered to General Miles, a small band escaped and fled to Sitting Bull's band across the boundary line, and it appears of late they drifted away from the Sioux warriors. "We are at the present time unable to get the exact facts in regard to the trouble, but, as far as we can learn, a sudden quarrel broke out in the lodges and the Nez Perces were killed to a man.
Sitting Bull's report that he " ceased firing " is only a lame Indian plea in the shape of begging for mercy, thinking our authorities will be more lenient with him should he be fortunate enough in making them believe that he really did save the lives of some of the survivors of Custer's last battle. He has mustered his ingenuity in this plea, thinking it will be the means of drawing an additional amount of mercy to that already shown him. We will soon show how it was
that he happened to be so humane and thoughtful as to give his much talked-about order, and just at this particular time, to " cease firing."
It was the day after Custer fell that our men came on the hill and at once discovered that Custer's body was not mutilated, and a mark had been made across his cheeks and nose, just below his eyes. This was done by some one of the leading chiefs as a notice to the squaws that this body must not be mutilated on account of his bravery; and well they knew and felt it, for over one hundred empty cartridge shells were found near by where his feet had stood just before he fell, and there can be no doubt but that he brought down many a warrior before he fell. It so happened that Major Reno found that he was overpowered, and being fore-sighted enough to entrench himself, was thus enabled to hold at bay the unrelenting hordes until Generals Terry and Gibbon came to his relief, and just about this time the chief no doubt did give an order to retreat and also to cease firing. At all events he retreated to the hills in a very short space of time, which was, of course, done to save his own men instead of Reno's, who were entrenched, and were alone giving him a hot battle.
As before stated, the writer has taken no little pains in procuring facts from the most reliable sources at his command, and at the same time has been very cautious in arriving at conclusions, in order to get at actual facts and circumstances as they have transpired during this important campaign, and must say that not until the present time have we been able to get an Indian account of the Custer battle from their own lips any way satisfactory, or that looked half way reasonable.
We have quite recently noticed an account given by two leading chiefs, " Crow King and Low Dog," both subordinates under Sitting Bull, and were in the " Custer battle." It appears that Captain Howe, at Fort Yates, or more generally known as the " Standing Rock Agency," succeeded in getting a voluntary statement from these two chiefs, and it is the clearest and most satisfactory account that is known, to have been given by Indians who knew the facts. We
have known Captain Howe since 1873, and know him to be a most upright and conscientious officer and gentleman, and would not allow himself to stoop to anything that had a shadow of trickery or falsehood about it. He is highly respected by the Indians, and more particularly on account of his being at all times strict, yet just, and very obliging.
The readers can now have the latest and most authentic Indian account that ever has been procured by a white person.
Captain Howe has, during the eight years just past, been in command of several military posts on the Missouri River, and has the reputation of managing Indians with great credit to himself, and general satisfaction to them. It will be remembered that " Crow King and Low Dog " surrendered last winter, after being driven and forced by the frostbitten troops under " Major Hges," near Fort Buford, and have since had opportunities to get acquainted with the officers, and have, without doubt, made a very correct account of " Custer's last battle."
Low Dog said: " We were in camp near Little Big Horn Eiver. We had lost some horses and an Indian went back on the trail to look for them. We did not know that the white warriors were coming after us. Some scouts or men in advance of the warriors saw the Indian looking for the horses, and ran after him and tried to kill him, to keep him from bringing us word; but he ran faster than they, and came into camp and told us that the white warriors were coming. I was asleep in my lodge at the time. The sun was about noon (pointing with his finger). I heard the alarm, but I did not believe it. I thought it was a false alarm. I did not think it possible that any white men would attack us, so strong as we were. We had in our camp the Cheyennes, Arrapahoes, and seven different tribes of the Teton Sioux-a countless number. Although 1 did not believe it was a true alarm, I lost no time getting ready. When I got my gun and came out of my lodge, the attack had begun at the part of the camp where Sitting Bull and the Un-capapas were. The Indians held their ground to give the women and children time to get out of the way. By this time the herders were driving in the horses, and as I was nearly at the further end of the camp I ordered my men to catch their horses and mount. But there was much confusion. The women and children were trying to catch their horses and get out of the way, and my men were hurrying to go and help those that were fighting. When the fighters saw that the women and children were safe, they fell back By this time my people went to help them, and the less able warriors and the women caught horses and got them ready, and we drove the first attacking party back, and that party retreated to a high hill. Then I told my people not to venture too far in pursuit, for fear of falling into an ambush.
By this time all the warriors in our camp were mounted and ready for fight, and then we were attacked on the other side by another party. They came on us like a thunderbolt. I never before nor since saw men so brave and fearless as those white warriors. We retreated until our men got all together, and then we charged upon them. I called to my men, 'This is a good day to die; follow me.' We massed our men, and, that no man should fall back, every man whipped another man's horse, and we rushed right upon them. As we rushed upon them the white warriors dismounted to fire, but they did very poor shooting. They held their horses' reins on one arm while they were shooting, but their horses were so frightened that they pulled the men all around, and a great many of their shots went up in the air and did us no harm. The white warriors stood their ground bravely, and none of them made any attempt to escape or get away. After all, but a few of them were killed ; I captured two of their horses. Then the wise men and chiefs of our nation gave out to our people not to mutilate the dead white chief, for he was a brave warrior and died a brave man, and his remains should be respected. Then I turned round and went to help fight the other white warriors, who had retreated to a high hill on the east side of the river. (This was Bono's command.) I don't know whether any white men of Custer's force were taken prisoners. When I got back to our camp they were all dead. Everything was in confusion all the time of the fight. I did not see General Custer. I do not know who killed him. We did not know till the fight was over that he was the white chief. We had no idea that the white warriors were coming until the runner came in and told us. I do not say that Reno was a coward. He fought well, but our men were fighting to save their women and children, and drove them back. No white man or Indian ever fought as bravely as Custer and his men. The next day we fought Eeno and his forces again, and killed many of them. Then the chiefs said these men had been punished enough, and that we ought to be merciful, and we let them go. Then we heard that another force was coming up the river to fight us (Gen. Terry's command), and we started to fight them, but the chiefs and wise men counseled that we had fought enough, and that we should not fight unless attacked, and we went back and took our women and children and went away."
Having heard Low Dog's story of the fight, I concluded I would try to get an account from other chiefs, and going with an interpreter to the Indian camp, approached Chief Gaul first. He said if he knew anything he would tell it, but he denied that he was in the fight. He said he was helping the women catch the horses, and took no other part. If he thought I believed that, he mistook his man, and I shall try him again. Eain-in-the-Face refused to talk. I then called on Crow King, a chief of the Uncapapas, Sitting Bull's tribe, and a noted warrior. He has a good face, and wields great influence over the Indians. He is one of the few chiefs who speak well of Sitting Bull. After some little talk, he came up to the fort and gave me his story:
" We were in camp, not thinking there was any danger of a battle, although we had heard that the long-haired chief had been sent after us. Some of our runners went back on our trail, for what purpose I do not know. One came back and reported that an army of white soldiers was coming, and he had no more than reported when another runner came in with the same story, and also told us that the command had divided, and that one party was going round to attack us on the opposite side. The first attack was at the camp of the Uncapapas tribe. The shots neither raised nor fell. (Here he indicated that the whites commenced firing at about 400
yards distance.) The Indians retreated-at first slowly, to give the women and children time to go to a place of safety Other Indians got our horses. By that time we had warriors enough to turn upon the whites, and we drove them to a hill and started back to camp. Then the second band of white warriors came. We did not know who was their chief, but we supposed it was Custer's command. This party commenced firing at long range (indicating nearly a mile). We had then all our warriors and horses. There were 80 warriors in mv band. All the Sioux were there from every tribe. We had warriors plenty as the leaves on the trees.
" Our camp was as long as from the fort to the lower end of our camp here (more than two and a half miles). Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse were the great chiefs of the fight. Sitting Bull did not himself fight, but he gave orders. We turned against this second party. The great body of our warriors came together in their front, and we rushed our horses on them. At the same time warriors rode out on each side of them and circled round them till they were surrounded. When they saw that they were surrounded they dismounted. They tried to hold on to their horses, but as we pressed closer they let go their horses. We crowded them towards our main camp and killed all. They kept in order and fought like brave warriors as long as they had a man left. Our camp was on Greasy Grass Biver (Little Big Horn). When we charged, every chief gave the cry, 1 Hi-yi-yi.' (Here Crow Chief gave us the cry in a high prolonged tone. When this cry is given it is a command to all the warriors to watch the chief and follow his actions.) Then every chief rushed his horse on the white soldiers, and all our warriors did the same, every one whipping another's horse. There was great hurry and confusion in the fight. No one chief was above another in that fight. It was not more than half an hour after the long-haired chief attacked us before he and all his men were dead. Then we went back for the first party. We fired at them until the sun went down. We surrounded them and watched them all night, and at daylight we fought them again. We killed many of them. Then a chief from the Uncapapas called our men off. He told them those men had been punished enough, that they were fighting under orders, that we had killed the great leader and his men in the fight the day before, and we should let the rest go home. Sitting Bull gave this order. He said: * This is not my doings nor these men's. They are fighting because they were commanded to fight. We have killed their leader, let them go.' I call on the Great Spirit to witness what I say. We did not want to fight. Long Hair sent us word that he was coming to fight us, and we had to defend ourselves and our wives and children. If this command had not been given we could have cut Reno's command to pieces, as we did Custer's. No warrior knew Custer in the fight. We did not know him, dead or alive. When the fight was over the chiefs gave orders-to look for the long-haired chief among the dead, but no chief with long hair could be found.'' (Custer had his hair cut short before starting on this march.)
Crow King said that if Reno had held out until Terry and Gibbon came and then fought as Custer did, they would have whipped the Indians. The Indians would then have T›een compelled to divide to protect their women and children, and the whites would have had the advantage. He expressed great admiration for the bravery of Custer and his men, and said that that fight impressed the Indians that the whites were their superiors, and it would be their destruction to keep on fighting them. Both he and Low Dog said they did not feel that they would be blamed for the Custer fight or its results. It was war ; they were attacked; Custer tried to kill them ; they killed him. Crow King said he had two brothers killed in the fight; from 30 to 50 Indians were killed, and a much larger number who were wounded died afterward.
Upon the opposite page appears a life likeness of " Louis,'* a son of Chief Sitting Bull, about twenty-three years of age, and through the kindness of young C. K. Peck, Jr., whose father was an old Indian trader, we are permitted to take a "fac simile " of his signature, which was secured from Louis while he was en route from Fort Buford to Standing Rock, early last spring, on the steamer "General Terry." He also wrote his wife's name, Zuzela, as will also be noticed.
After Louis was surrendered to Major Ilges last winter, he rendered almost invaluable service to that officer in" the way of giving information and acting as a mounted scout, and it is possible he may remain quiet and continue his good services to the government; and it is just as possible he may skip out with a marauding band of discontented braves and join a small war-party. He will, however, be influenced in a great measure by the leading chiefs, also by Sitting Bull himself.
The writer places these autographs before the reading public merely to show that the average class of Indians of both sexes, below fhe age of say twenty-five, are, in a great measure to be considered yet in the hands of the military, the philanthropists and teachers.
It will readily be seen that the untutored children of the forest will no doubt make very marked progress in our elementary branches of study, with proper encouragement and good moral training. The younger class, say below the age above mentioned, are generally quite ingenious and apt in learning, and those that have not been wholly demoralized by the older warriors and leading chiefs, there are strong hopes of fair to good results in trying to educate them. We are frank to state that, from our own personal knowledge, we are able to say that there is a very general and marked improvement, which already shows the
results of the so very persistent, but generous philanthropists and teachers, who have so bravely stemmed the tide of opposition all along the frontier. As is already shown at the various Indian agencies, there are numerous classes of half and full grown Indians of both sexes, who are quite well advanced in reading and writing, and as they grow older they seem to take quite an interest in farming and stock raising, and we must say with considerable less reluctance than many of our white brothers, after taking the-advice of the veteran Horace Greeley to " go West, young^ man, go West."
While writing this article, we beg to state that in turning our eyes to the left, and looking out of a certain window in Printing House Square, we gaze upon the scene of the life labors of Horace Greeley, (the Tribune building), the moral adviser to the young men of the country, as well as the old, and just now imagine if his voice could be heard from beneath the sepulchre, he would speak in louder tones than ever, " Young man, go West," but don't forget what to do when you get there.
As to the philanthropists and teachers who have paved the way into the Indian country, and have made such commendable strides toward educating the red men of the plains, we can only say that they are, to say the least, entitled to a-vote of thanks from the country at large, and should be not only encouraged by the Government, but well paid for their services. There is no longer any doubt as to the final success of their workings and teaching, both morally and physically.