Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-11-01

Bull in his own estimation. In the
course OF his, long career he had new
er felt the great fathers power, and
did not believe In it. In many bat
tie he had seen feeble and disjointed
bands of United States soldiers van
quished with apparent cas- by his
own people. He had never known
defeat in war, and began to consider
himself invincible. The very last
achievement of his forces before he
retired to Canada for rest and recup-
Grafton was the utter overwhelming
of Custer and the slaughter of his
troops.
EFFECT OF THE CUSTER MASSACRE.
The retreat to the Dominion may
by said to have been rather the tri-
umphant return of a conquerer than
the retreat Of defeated chief. He
retired as a victor crowned with laur-
ell and his untutored mind filled with
naughty disdain of his adversary.
So great at this time was his renown
among the whole Indian race, so mys-
terious had he become because of the
fact that no white man save a few
scouts had ever beheld his counte-
nance, that romance fairly fourished
round his name. Yet Sitting Bull S
real rank and influence liz his tribe
are all misconceived by the whites.
The idea of him as a supreme and re-
lentless warrior, exercising supreme
control over his people, must be re-
placed by definition more subtle
but in accordance with actual fact.
SITTING BULLS REvL POSITION IN HIS
| TRIBE.
He has never been either a chief
or a warrior, and yet his influence
over his tribe is stronger than that
which he would exercise in either of
these capacities. That his position
may be clearly understood you should
comprehend the real and peculiar Or
ganization of his people.
NATURE OF INDIAN GOVERNMENT.
All the Indian tribes of the plains
bear remarkably strong likeness in
their native government to the Arabs
and Tartars and other Asiatic no.
mads. Abstractly, the mode may be
termed patriarchal, but actually rs il
is practically carried out it is nearly
pure republicanism. This is strictly
true in the case of the bands Of the
Sioux now with Sitting Bull. The
several tribes represented among his
warriors are the Uncpapas. Ogallal
las, Minneconjous. Zanzacs, Black
feet. Two Kettle and Brules. The,
number in all, men, women and chill
dren included, some 1000 souls
There are out of this number 800 ant
more warriors. The camp thus mad,
up acknowledges no one Indian q.
its absolute chief or ruler. Eacl
family has its head, each band like
wise. There Is is war lodge in tn,
camp and one warrior acknowledged
as head soldier.
THE HEAD SOLDIER.
! This head soldier is not Sittin.
Bull, but Long Dog, one of the me S
| notorious of the Sioux chiefs. Les
( than two years ago this merciles
f wretch burned two American soldier
= alive at the stake. Even Long Dog
office as head soldier extends simpl
I to the policing of the camp and t
= the direction of a march in case of
: breakup of the camp. In time c
c battle there is no chief warrior VIII
S exercises the same authority as tina
: of 4 general in European army owe
: his troops. Even in the fight wit
. Custer, it is alleged by the chiefs VIII
!, participated in that memorable an
C sanguinary struggle that no on
t among them controlled the rest G
$ exercised any authority or command
a They all acted in perfect concert, 81
: in sort OF federal direction.
G FAMOUS WARRIORS.
!, Among the chiefs of bands in 81
# tine Bulls camp. some three day
l. march from here, are several who al
g famed in the stories of the recent Ii
Y dian war. Among others Black Moor
}, Four Horns, One Horn, Red Horl
n No Neck, Bears Head, Little Knif
y Flying Bird, Lame Brule and Prett
J. Bear. The latter is the man who
It said to have taken Custer's watcl
II These names are rs familiar to Wes
e ern frontiersmen as household wor,
> are in the East. Iron Dog, anoth
chief, is the oldest of the lot, but Il
r, greatest chief of all is Spotted Eagl
|, whom 1 shall presently descril
n among the leading men. Among u
d chief men who exert influence b
II cause of their talents and address, al
|, who are often chosen instead of Il
g chiefs to make speeches in council
l. in conference with the leaders of OF
O er tribes, are the Grow Medicin
{. Turns Around and Little Assiniboin
IL who is sort of sub-chief.
l. SITTING BULL AS NECRoMANcER.
n The duties of Little AssiniboiI
IS correspond with those of the beir
8 whom Maj. Walsh calls "capper
n for magician. By this expressic
II the major lets one into the ''true il
l. wardness' of Sitting Bulls relation