The New York herald., 1876-07-20
SITTING BULLS HISTORY,

AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF THE LITERARY
SAVAGE BY COLONEL NUaENr-A WHITE
MANS INsoLENcE MADE HIM A GREAT WAR
SINGULAR STORY.
From the Little Rock tArk) Evening Star. July 161
LITTLE Rock BARRACKS, Ark, July 1o, 1876.
The New YORK HERALD lately had a notice OF
"Au!obiographca Sketch OF the Indian Sitting Bull"
who has recently into such prominence by the
death Of General Custer and his companions. This
book is great curiosity. 1t purports, by means OF
pictures drawn by himself to illustrate some OF the
most distinguished feats of valor In the life of Of
the most remarkable Indians which tho country has
produced II the life of Sitting Bull Is dspassionatey
considered he must take high rank among the unet
tered savage military chicttans OF history HIS recent
BATTLE with General Crook lifts him away Of the
list OF vulgar savages, and gives him claim TO be
sldered skilfu general. The manner in which he dis
posed his forces taking advantage OF the topography
OF the battle field wherever II presented ITSELF and his
skul maneuvring to divide Crooks forccs and the
desperate manner in which he fought prevent the
Of the forces after he had divided them show
this unletcred Indian TO be a natural born general
His tactics to pierco the enemy's centrc and
he did in very mastery manner His treatment OF
Custer shows him 10 be cunning his strategy as
SITTING BrLL's cour p'rrAr.
He decoyed the brave cavalry officer INTO dcfle OF
the mountain, where he fell prey to the Indians who
doubtless surrounded him. From my knowledge OF
Indian character and tactics, think very doubtful
whether Custer able nict any very injury
on his foes word more to the tactics OF Sitting Bull
and then shall have come to the true history Of
book referred in the beginning Of this commun,ca.
ton. Tho plan of the federal leaders-or perhaps it
wo1ld be more proper TO say leader Tor General Sher
dan has doubt planned the campaign which Crook
Terry and Gbbon are cxecutng-contemplate the
combined movement OF three separate invading col
umns. Crook leads one from the neghborhood Of old
Fort C. F. Smith on the south; Terry's forces
OF the Missouri and Yellowstone, and Glib.
bon's forces come ON the northwest Tho forces OF
Terry and Gbbon were mako a junction some where
near the mouth of the Big Little Horn and then move
against the Indians. Crooks command was To come
in from the south, driving the Indians back upon
Terry and Gibbon, and thus forcing them cu
The tactics Of Sitting Bull seem have bceu
those pursued by tho great Napoleon in his famous
General Lee at Richmond in lss4-65, when the arm,cs
Grant and Butler III, from the Rapidan and the
Confederate capita In milt.rv nas,n no 'S
moving on interior lines, which, being shorter
than those operated on by his enemies, enable
him to strike them with great rapidly in places re-
mote from each other This he seems to have done
after bis battle with Crook he Immediately planted
himself across the path Of Terry and with what effect
tbs melancholy fate OF Custer and his command too
painfully tell Acting on these interior lines, which
he seems to know so we'll how to do he has his enc
mics at immense and before he can be ma
nGuvrcd or fought out OF his position there must be a
great sacrifice Of life That he will be driven by
ono or the other OF these means, or both there
be no doubt
THE TRUE HISTORY
of the ''Pictoria Life OF Sitting Bull " drawn by him.
seli In 1S6970 was stationed at Fort Buford at tho
mouth OF the Yellowstone. as part of a garrison un-
der the command OF Lieutenant Colonel Morrow, Thr-
racks Colonel Morrow had been successful in not
only fighting the hostile tribes that infested the
try around the fort and sonnet lines attacked detach.
mens OF troops, but also in winning The confidence OF
the friendly Indians. lie was anxious TO meet Sitting
Bull who had sent more than war party to the
nelqhUOrhOOd fOr n
from the Indian chief ne sent several Indians a
pc a should como 2. Fo
Buiord with not moro than warriors,
under pledge for his personal safety
The spring was approaching. when the would
all be swollen by the fresncts. and Sitting Bull do
clincd to come at that time but made indefinite
promise oil u visit in the future BY OF showing
his regard Tor Colonel Morrow of whom be had heard
so mucb he sent him a volume OF his autobiography,
saying there was another volume which would be sent
at another time The Indian by whom tho message
and book were sent proved untrue TO his trust and
sold tho book TO one Edward Lambert Tor few
pounds OF sugar Lambert gave " 10 Dr. Kimbail
Tho facts all leaked out, and Colonel Morrow per-
mittcd the surgeon to retsn the book for the purpose
offscnding IL TO the Army Museum at Was hinrton but
directed that two iacsimics OF be made by Corporal
.. 5. Msrston, company, Thirteenth infantry. THIS
was donc and Colonel Morrow has one oil thcn In his
possession and have the other
The book is curious, not only illustrative Of the
lifc OF a famous Indian but Is valuable also
exponent OF indian pictorial art and the true story
to how 1t came INTO the possession OF the white
is worth preserving
SITTING BULL EARLY
This article IS already long, but viii add line about
the early history OF Sitting Bull He Is Sioux Da
kota Indian. For several years he lived Fort Rcc
on the Missouri River, and known as BLANKET
Indian. This s term oil derision amoDg the
Indians and Is applied TO Indians who shang aroupd
the military posts and the white mans blanket
instead OF the Indians buffalo robe for you must know
that the robe is The Indians badge OF manhood One
day, for what reason is not known a soldier struck
sitting Bull blow That tho blow whose train
has followed long list OF heroic deeds and which has
shaped The Indian policy OF the United States and
which the death OF Custer aud his command may be i'm
mcdiately traced That blow the spirit OF great
soul which until then had lain dormant He ut once
flew 10 the desert where he organized band from the
disanccted Of all tribes and made unrclentng war
the whites; and from that period, about len years
ago, TO this he has been the terror OF the country
from the tails Of the Missouri to Fort Randall and
from the borders OF Montana TO Devils Lake. On the
18th OF Nay 1865 Sitting Bull attacked the village Gf
Musscl She'll one OF the tributaries of the upper Mis-
souri, was at the time cncampcd with a detachment
OF troops near the town. and but for the aid offered
hc would have taken tho place. He renewed his attack
on the 24h and captured nineteen head Of cattle after
killing two OF my men, who the time guard ding
tho herd rceaptured tho herd. All accounts agree
that be Is n brave man and entcrprising WARRIOR
and recent events Indicate that he possessed OF some
at least, OF Tho higher qualities of gencraiship.
ROBERT NtGENT, Major Twenty fourth infantry.
Dv my