Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-07-11
HI SIOUX SUN n
Description by Major General Curtis
-BarbarOus and Horrible Rites
SIckening Details OF SeIETOrture.

Major Gen. Curtis writes to his wife,
from Fort Sully, the following account Of
n of the horrible demonstration of the
Sioux Indians, which he witnessed re-
Gently near that Fort:
"FoRT SULLY, June 2, 1866,
1.-The whole of the three thousand Sioux
camped about u gave me early informa-
ton of their design to have their annual
sun-dance at this time and place, the sea-
son of the year, the trees in full leaf,
having now arrived and they wishme to
inform Col. Reeor, the commander of the
soldiers, that however boisterous their de-
monstraJions might be, they would all be
peaceable and OF q pious character.
"On yesterday, June l, the dancing was
delayed at intervals, to allow tortures to
be inflicted. Two or three men stood
over the deYotee with needle and knife,
very quietly performing penance accord
ing to the customs of all these sacredotal
rites as follows:
First, they cut the arms in several
places by striking an awl in the skin,
raising it and cutting out about half an
inch. This is done on both arms, and
sometimes on the breast and back. Then
wooden seatons (sticks about the thick
ness of 3 common lead pencil) are in
serted through a hole in the skin and
flesh. Then cords of ropes are attached
10 these sticks by one end, and TO the pole
at the other end, the victim pulling on
the ropes till the seaton sticks tear out
the flesh and skin. l saw one with two
seatons attached to his breast, pulling till
it seemed to draw the skin out three
inches, and finally requiring nearly his
whole might to tear out the seaton. One
painted black had four ropes attached at
oncs. The pulling out is done in the
dance, the pulling carried on in the time
of the music by jerk, jerk, jerk, and the
eye, head and front all facing the sun in
the form of s~upplication. One had four
seatons attached to four dry buffalo head
bones. These were all strung and sus-
pended to his flesh by ropes that raised
each head some three feet off the ground.
He danced hard to tear them out, but they
would not break the skin. One came off
the stick accidentally, but it was again
fastened. Finally these heavy weights
leach at least twenty-five pounds weight
not tearing out by their own weight or
motion, the devotee gave a comrade q
horse to take hold of the rope and tear
out the seatons. While these men were
being thus tortured, their female rela-
tions came in and had pieces cut out of
their arms to show their appreciation and
vslor, and devotion to their kinsman.
Still, as soon as the victim could be pre-
pared, the music was renewed and the
dismal dance went on the victims bod.
les now mingled with blood, paint and
seatons.
"There being several steamboats, and
many soldiers here, a great crowd of spec
tstors rather embarrassed the performers,
so they concluded the performance at u
o'clock, having only danced t~wenty-four
hours instead of forty-eight as they usu-
ally do. All the devotees gave way all
their ponies and other valuables to their
friends, had their wounds carefully dressed
by attendant medicine men, and sat down
to an abundant feast of dog soup and
buffalo meat.
$50 ended the most barbarous and pain
full exhibition of savage idolitry. The
picture is still deeply impressed on my
senses, but 1 can not give half the horror
of the scene, either by pen or pencil"