indian heroes & great chieftains-第13章

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To　the　soldiers　it　must　have　seemed　as　if　the　Indians　rose　up　from

the　earth　to　overwhelm　them。　　They　closed　in　from　three　sides　and

fought　until　not　a　white　man　was　left　alive。　　Then　they　went　down

to　Reno's　stand　and　found　him　so　well　intrenched　in　a　deep　gully

that　it　was　impossible　to　dislodge　him。　　Gall　and　his　men　held　him

there　until　the　approach　of　General　Terry　compelled　the　Sioux　to

break　camp　and　scatter　in　different　directions。



While　Sitting　Bull　was　pursued　into　Canada；　Crazy　Horse　and

the　Cheyennes　wandered　about；　comparatively　undisturbed；　during　the

rest　of　that　year；　until　in　the　winter　the　army　surprised　the

Cheyennes；　but　did　not　do　them　much　harm；　possibly　because　they

knew　that　Crazy　Horse　was　not　far　off。　　His　name　was　held　in

wholesome　respect。　　From　time　to　time；　delegations　of　friendly

Indians　were　sent　to　him；　to　urge　him　to　come　in　to　the

reservation；　promising　a　full　hearing　and　fair　treatment。



For　some　time　he　held　out；　but　the　rapid　disappearance　of　the

buffalo；　their　only　means　of　support；　probably　weighed　with　him

more　than　any　other　influence。　　In　July；　1877；　he　was　finally

prevailed　upon　to　come　in　to　Fort　Robinson；　Nebraska；　with　several

thousand　Indians；　most　of　them　Ogallala　and　Minneconwoju　Sioux；　on

the　distinct　understanding　that　the　government　would　hear　and

adjust　their　grievances。



At　this　juncture　General　Crook　proclaimed　Spotted　Tail；　who

had　rendered　much　valuable　service　to　the　army；　head　chief　of　the

Sioux；　which　was　resented　by　many。　　The　attention　paid　Crazy　Horse

was　offensive　to　Spotted　Tail　and　the　Indian　scouts；　who　planned　a

conspiracy　against　him。　　They　reported　to　General　Crook　that　the

young　chief　would　murder　him　at　the　next　council；　and　stampede　the

Sioux　into　another　war。　　He　was　urged　not　to　attend　the　council　and

did　not；　but　sent　another　officer　to　represent　him。　　Meanwhile　the

friends　of　Crazy　Horse　discovered　the　plot　and　told　him　of　it。　　His

reply　was；　〃Only　cowards　are　murderers。〃



His　wife　was　critically　ill　at　the　time；　and　he　decided　to

take　her　to　her　parents　at　Spotted　Tail　agency；　whereupon　his

enemies　circulated　the　story　that　he　had　fled；　and　a　party　of

scouts　was　sent　after　him。　　They　overtook　him　riding　with　his　wife

and　one　other　but　did　not　undertake　to　arrest　him；　and　after　he　had

left　the　sick　woman　with　her　people　he　went　to　call　on　Captain　Lea；

the　agent　for　the　Brules；　accompanied　by　all　the　warriors　of　the

Minneconwoju　band。　　This　volunteer　escort　made　an　imposing

appearance　on　horseback；　shouting　and　singing；　and　in　the　words　of

Captain　Lea　himself　and　the　missionary；　the　Reverend　Mr。　Cleveland；

the　situation　was　extremely　critical。　　Indeed；　the　scouts　who　had

followed　Crazy　Horse　from　Red　Cloud　agency　were　advised　not　to　show

themselves；　as　some　of　the　warriors　had　urged　that　they　be　taken

out　and　horsewhipped　publicly。



Under　these　circumstances　Crazy　Horse　again　showed　his

masterful　spirit　by　holding　these　young　men　in　check。　　He　said　to

them　in　his　quiet　way：　〃It　is　well　to　be　brave　in　the　field　of

battle；　it　is　cowardly　to　display　bravery　against　one's　own

tribesmen。　　These　scouts　have　been　compelled　to　do　what　they　did；

they　are　no　better　than　servants　of　the　white　officers。　　I　came

here　on　a　peaceful　errand。〃



The　captain　urged　him　to　report　at　army　headquarters　to

explain　himself　and　correct　false　rumors；　and　on　his　giving

consent；　furnished　him　with　a　wagon　and　escort。　　It　has　been　said

that　he　went　back　under　arrest；　but　this　is　untrue。　　Indians　have

boasted　that　they　had　a　hand　in　bringing　him　in；　but　their　stories

are　without　foundation。　　He　went　of　his　own　accord；　either

suspecting　no　treachery　or　determined　to　defy　it。



When　he　reached　the　military　camp；　Little　Big　Man　walked

arm…in…arm　with　him；　and　his　cousin　and　friend；　Touch…the…Cloud；

was　just　in　advance。　　After　they　passed　the　sentinel；　an　officer

approached　them　and　walked　on　his　other　side。　　He　was　unarmed　but

for　the　knife　which　is　carried　for　ordinary　uses　by　women　as　well

as　men。　　Unsuspectingly　he　walked　toward　the　guardhouse；　when

Touch…the…Cloud　suddenly　turned　back　exclaiming：　〃Cousin；　they　will

put　you　in　prison！〃



〃Another　white　man's　trick！　　Let　me　go！　　Let　me　die　fighting！〃

cried　Crazy　Horse。　　He　stopped　and　tried　to　free　himself　and　draw

his　knife；　but　both　arms　were　held　fast　by　Little　Big　Man　and　the

officer。　　While　he　struggled　thus；　a　soldier　thrust　him　through

with　his　bayonet　from　behind。　　The　wound　was　mortal；　and　he　died　in

the　course　of　that　night；　his　old　father　singing　the　death　song

over　him　and　afterward　carrying　away　the　body；　which　they　said

must　not　be　further　polluted　by　the　touch　of　a　white　man。　　They　hid

it　somewhere　in　the　Bad　Lands；　his　resting　place　to　this　day。



Thus　died　one　of　the　ablest　and　truest　American　Indians。　　His

life　was　ideal；　his　record　clean。　　He　was　never　involved　in　any　of

the　numerous　massacres　on　the　trail；　but　was　a　leader　in

practically　every　open　fight。　　Such　characters　as　those　of　Crazy

Horse　and　Chief　Joseph　are　not　easily　found　among　so…called

civilized　people。　　The　reputation　of　great　men　is　apt　to　be

shadowed　by　questionable　motives　and　policies；　but　here　are　two

pure　patriots；　as　worthy　of　honor　as　any　who　ever　breathed　God's

air　in　the　wide　spaces　of　a　new　world。









SITTING　BULL





IT　is　not　easy　to　characterize　Sitting　Bull；　of　all　Sioux　chiefs

most　generally　known　to　the　American　people。　　There　are　few　to　whom

his　name　is　not　familiar；　and　still　fewer　who　have　learned　to

connect　it　with　anything　more　than　the　conventional　notion　of　a

bloodthirsty　savage。　　The　man　was　an　enigma　at　best。　　He　was　not

impulsive；　nor　was　he　phlegmatic。　　He　was　most　serious　when　he

seemed　to　be　jocose。　　He　was　gifted　with　the　power　of　sarcasm；　and

few　have　used　it　more　artfully　than　he。



His　father　was　one　of　the　best…known　members　of　the　Unkpapa

band　of　Sioux。　　The　manner　of　this　man's　death　was　characteristic。　

One　day；　when　the　Unkpapas　were　attacked　by　a　large　war　party　of

Crows；　he　fell　upon　the　enemy's　war　leader　with　his　knife。　　In　a

hand…to…hand　combat　of　this　sort；　we　count　the　victor　as　entitled

to　a　war　bonnet　of　trailing　plumes。　　It　means　certain　death　to　one

or　both。　　In　this　case；　both　men　dealt　a　mortal　stroke；　and　Jumping

Buffalo；　the　father　of　Sitting　Bull；　fell　from　his　saddle　and　died

in　a　few　minutes。　　The　other　died　later　from　the　effects　of　the

wound。



Sitting　Bull's　boyhood　must　have　been　a　happy　one。　　It　was

long　after　the　day　of　the　dog…travaux；　and　his　father　owned　many

ponies　of　variegated　colors。　　It　was　said　of　him　in　a　joking　way

that　his　legs　were　bowed　like　the　ribs　of　the　ponies　that　he　rode

constantly　from　childhood。　　He　had　also　a　common　nickname　that　was

much　to　the　point。　　It　was　〃Hunkeshnee〃；　which　means　〃Slow〃；

referring　to　his　inability　to　run　fast；　or　more　probably　to　the

fact　that　he　seldom　appeared　on　foot。　　In　their　boyish　games　he　was

wont　to　take　the　part　of　the　〃old　man〃；　but　this　does　not　mean　that

he　was　not　active　and　brave。　　It　is　told　that　after　a　buffalo　hunt

the　boys　were　enjoying　a　mimic　hunt　with　the　calves　that　had　been

left　behind。　　A　large　calf　turned　viciously　on　Sitting　Bull；　whose

pony　had　thrown　him；　but　the　alert　youth　got　hold　of　both　ears　and

struggled　until　the　calf　was　pushed　back　into　a　buffalo　wallow　in

a　sitting　posture。　　The　boys　shouted：　〃He　has　subdued　the　buffalo

calf！　　He　made　it　sit　down！〃　　And　from　this　incident　was　derived

his　familiar　name　of　Sitting　Bull。



It　is　a　mistake　to　suppose　that　Sitting　Bull；　or　any　other

Indian　warrior；　was　of　a　murderous　disposition。　　It　is　true　that

savage　warfare　had　grown　more　and　more　harsh　and　cruel　since　the

coming　of　white　traders　among　them；　bringing　guns；　knives；　and

whisky。　　Yet　it　was　still　regarded　largely　as　a　　sort　of　game；

undertaken　in　order　to　develop　the　manly　qualities　of　their　yo