TRIBES COMPOSING THE DAKOTA

CHAPTER XIV.

THE SIOUX WAR.

NATIONS-CAUSES LEADING TO THE WAR OF 1876-77SITTING BULL-HE COQUETTES WITH A POST TRADER AND TRIFLES WITH A SAW MILLMARAUDING EXPEDITIONS- EXPEDITION OF GENERAL CROOK-CROOK'S DEFEAT GENERAL TERRY'S EXPEDITION - JUNCDEFEAT AND TRAGIC DEATH OF

-GENERAL GIBBON'S EXPEDITION

TION OF TERRY AND GIBBON

CUSTER, AND ANNIHILATION OF HIS IMMEDIATE COMMAND.

IOUX Indians have already been referred to in connection with the Minnesota war of 1862, and the causes leading thereto. These Indians were formerly known as the Dakota Nation, and the name "Sioux" is alleged to have been given them in derision, and to mean "cut-throat" or "the enemy." It was perhaps the strongest body of Indians that had existed on the continent. Like the Six Nations they were to some extent a confederation. Parkman speaks of them in recounting the campaigns of two hundred years ago along the western portion of the Great Lakes, conducted by Lord Halifax, and says that as civilization pushed them west they in turn subjugated and adopted into their family other smaller bands of Indians, or confederated with them, until the affiliation practically embraced ten different tribes, all known as the Sioux Nation, or, as the Indians called themselves, the Dakota Nation. These tribes were the Uncpapas, Ogalallas, Minneconjoux, Sans Arcs, Yanctonnais, Santees, Northern Cheyennes, Tetons, Assinneboins and Brules.

Some of the Dakotas were located west of the Missouri, before the Minnesota massacre; others went there after the campaigns of Generals Sibley and Sully on the upper Missouri, occupying a region extending from the Platte River on the south to the Canadian border on the north. As they moved westward they gradually drove before them the Crow Indians, formerly a very powerful tribe who claimed all the country as far as the Black Hills on the east, and to the mountains on the upper Yellowstone and Big Horn. So strong were the Dakotas that many expeditions had been unavailingly made against them. One was made by General Harney. Later Generals Sibley, Sully, Dodge, Stanley, and others in turn penetrated

their country. Yet so powerful and independent were they that long after the line of communication had been established from the upper Platte River to the Big Horn they made their protests against them in a very vigorous way, especially on the occasion of the Fort Fetterman massacre, in which they killed eighty-two officers and men. In accordance with their demand, that route was eventually given up, and the Forts Phil Kearney and C. F. Smith were abandoned at their dictation. The sending out of commissioners representing the government to make peace with them resulted in the treaty of 1869, in which the government granted to the Indians various reservations known as the Red Cloud, Spotted Tail and others in the country west of the Missouri River. addition to these reservations they were also allowed a large range of country as hunting grounds, where they were to be permitted to rove at will in pursuit of game.

In

This treaty was partially observed by the government for several years but it cannot be claimed that it was very rigidly adhered to. This resulted from the fact that during the years 1873, '74 and '75 great excitement prevailed throughout the country owing to the discovery of gold in the mineral fields of what is now known as South Dakota, and there was great clamor on the part of prospecting parties to be allowed to enter that region. In fact surveys were being pushed through that territory for the different lines of railroad, the principal one being the Northern Pacific, and people were eagerly seeking opportunities to establish colonies, take up lands, open mines and establish other interests in that country. As a matter of fact some military expeditions were sent into the territory to explore and reconnoitre with a view of discovering its natural resources. This was especially the case in '74 and '75. The country was at that time practically overrun by prospectors and mine-hunters through the region of what is now South Dakota, and particularly in that district known as the Black Hills.

While the Indians claimed that the treaty of '68 was not adhered to by the government, neither was it observed by all the tribes of Indians. While the great chiefs, Spotted Tail, Red Cloud and others, kept most of their people on the reservations and carried out the terms of the treaty, yet many of their young men would quietly steal away on raiding parties and go on long expeditions against the Crow Indians and the Mandans, or against the white settlers wherever they could find them.

These were animated and encouraged by the example and influence of an Indian called Crazy Horse, who was the personification of savage ferocity.

Though comparatively a young man he was of a most restless and adventurous disposition, and had arrived at great renown among the warriors even before he was twenty-six years of age. In fact he had become the war-chief of the southern Sioux and the recognized leader of the hostile Ogalallas. Those Indians occupying the country still farther to the north never made any pretence of being agency Indians. Sitting Bull was the exponent of that element. From his youth he had been a wild and restless warrior, constantly getting up horse-stealing expeditions and campaigns against the friendly Crow and Mandan Indians and against the whites both east and west. The latter, whose sparse settlements skirted the western part of Montana on the west, and to the east extended along the extreme western borders of Minnesota and eastern Dakota, felt the effect of his enterprise and never-ending hatred. He would rarely come in to the agencies or trading posts; and when he did would remain only the short time necessary to trade his furs for rifles, ammunition and whatever he required. He would occasionally attack even his favorite trading places, namely,

the trader's store near Fort Buford at the mouth of the Yellowstone, and the one at Poplar Creek on the Missouri. He would send occasional assurances of good behavior, and then he would come in and after remaining several hours to dispose of his furs and robes, would go away, and perhaps as he went turn and stampede the herd or fire a volley into the post. On one occasion he came into the trader's post near Fort Buford, Dakota, and was given a red shirt with the suggestion or request that when he came for war he would wear that shirt in order that the trader, who desired to be considered his friend, might know what his purpose was. Sitting Bull accepted it with the remark that "right now would be a good time to put it on." He did so, and as the band went out after completing their trading, they turned and fired a volley into the post. They occasionally came down to the fort and drove off everything in the way of stock that was not gathered betimes within the protection of the post corral.

The sawmill established there was seized by them, and they beat the circular saws with great glee, thereby making what they considered music

like that of tom-toms. They felt very secure here, because they thought that by being in possession of such a place they would not be fired upon. But in this they were mistaken, on one occasion at least, for a piece of artillery was trained upon them in the sawmill, and a shot sent through it killed two of their men.

On another occasion when he came in to Poplar Creek store with quite a band of warriors to trade, he took occasion to complain to the trader, Mr. Tabor, that he was not getting enough in the barter. He then jumped

over the counter and immediately took charge of the establishment himself in the most threatening manner, and to the great delight of the stalwart warriors that at that time filled the store. He then proceeded to hand down clothing, ammunition and all kinds of goods and receive upon the counter buffalo robes and fine furs. Then the Indians had to barter, and in mimicry and derisión he would imitate the trader in minutely examining the furs and finding fault with their quality, complaining that they were not so good as he wanted, putting down the valuation and saying that his goods were so choice and expensive that he could not afford to trade on any other terms. After going through the whole ceremony of

trading, however, the final result was that each Indian received a much larger amount for his pelts and furs than he was in the habit of doing when the proprietor was occupying the same position. This mimicry was carried on to the extreme delectation of his followers and amid their jokes and grunts, but the trader was in such terror and hot rage that at length he resorted to a rather novel means of defense. Anticipating that on their departure they would either slay him or destroy his store, and possibly both, he determined that if extreme measures were resorted to he would blow up the entire establishment. He had at one end of the counter a large open keg of powder, from which he was accustomed to supply the wants of his customers. He coolly and quietly filled a large pipe with tobacco and lighted it, and stepped over and took his position by this keg of powder. Then he told the interpreter to inform the Indians that if any shooting was begun or any violence commenced, he would empty the lighted pipe of tobacco into the powder, and blow the store, and all the people in it, into the air. The determination depicted on his face and the seriousness of what might result to them was a sufficient warning to the Indians to continue their revelry in a cautious manner, though it did not immediately end the humorous phase of the situation.

Many of the raids and marauding expeditions were not of such a humorous character as this, but were attended with the terrible atrocities

that have marked the history of that frontier. Travelers, settlers, wood-choppers and others along the Missouri River were killed in considerable numbers and frequently without warning. Men were often tortured while women and children were carried into captivity. In the summer of 1875 General Custer conducted an exploring expedition into the Black Hills. It was followed by an expedition under General Crook against the hostile element of the Sioux Nation in the winter of 1875. Starting from Fort Laramie and going north from Fort Fetterman, his command encountered the hostile Indians under Crazy Horse near the head waters of the Tongue River. A portion of his command under the gallant General Reynolds surprised Crazy Horse and captured a herd of horses, but, in taking them south they were overtaken by a terrific snowstorm, during which the Indians followed them