Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1877-08-02

mOurntul IN the extreme. w JCIned
the procession and marched to the
fort to what is known as "Bedlam
Quarters" where the body was
laid in state. The room had been
hastily decorated with flags, mus
kets and sabres. All the principal
men of the place were present, and
the crowd of Indians and soldiers
not only filled the space inside bet
the porch and grounds outside
Gen. Maynadier made a speech of
coincidence and welcomed Spotted
Tail to the post. The chief replied
in Sioux, and his speech was very
beautiful, even as imperfectlv inter.
preted il our language by Chas.
Garean. | remember it affected
every one present. Among other
things, Spotted Tail said 81 am
sad, but when l look around at this
beautifully decorated room and see
yoar Kind and sympathetic white
faces | feel comfortel. It seems
10 me like dream, but [ have only
to look out of that window and see
the sun shining and hear the winds
blowing, and [ know it must be a
reality" He then stated that
though he had been on the war
pa b against the whites, he desired
now to De at peace and remain
friendly with them forever. He
gave the history of his 6augh!er's
death, and said her last Request
was to be buried in sight of her
best friends, the palefaces. During
| the recital of his daughters suffer
ings and the eventful journey of Is
days with her body through snow
and storms, the old chief was very
much affected, and all eyes were
moist. At the close of Spotted
Tails remarks Gen. Maynadier
arose and made enc of the mos;
appropriate addresses | ever heard :,
He assured the chief of our deep
sympathy, welcomed him to our
fires, and preferred his services
The chief and his warriors were
I-visibly affected, and when the Cen
eral proposed to bury Monica in
The post cemetery and have the
Christian bnrial service read over
her corpse, the chief was much
gratifed, and his followers express
sed their appreciation by frequent
and deep guttnral expressions of
ugh" !" Ugh"
The body of the girl was wrap
ped in buffalo robes, and bound
about with cords. Gen. Maynadier
ordered the carpenters to prepare
IL scaffold and coffin, and when all
was in readiness an ambulance was
sent for, and just before sunset, on
a clear and bright, but bitter cold
day, the body of Monica was
brought out, and Indians, officers
and soldiers, forming in procession,
marched to the grave. At the scat
fold, the coffin was opened, and
the officers filled it with gauntlet
gloves, moccasins, red flannel, aud
clothes to keep the dead maiden
comfortable on her journey to the
spirit land. [ impr ovised IL burial
service, accommodating my re-
marks to the Indian superstition.
l said Monica would look Gown
and take care Of her father, moth
er, and friends, and that they
would soon meet her where there
was plenty of game, and no more
dying, snow storms or tears, The
mother of the dead girl stood by
nv side and wept bitterly, while
the flther chief often wiped his
eyes, and ,,t the close of each sen
tence | uttered, the dusky Grove
gave loud "Ugh." The coffin
which had been neatly covered
with red cloth, by Col. Bullock
the post trader, WAS raised upor
the scaffold and placed with the
head toward the east. The two
white ponies of the deceased gin
had been killed as soon as she died
and their heads and tails, whicl
| had been brought with her, were
now nailed to the posts OF the scat
fold, and u barrel of water placec
under each pony's head. The po-
uies were to convey her to III
happy hunting grounds, ana IN
water was for them tc dllnk on th
way
The grave OF Monica is amor.
the first objects OF interest tha
strikes the eye of the traveller a
he approach Fort Laramie O.
the Cheyenne road. The love at
fair of this beautiful Indian gin
; happened before | was stationed a
. the fort, but 1 often heayd the sto
. ry from Gen. Maynadier, Col. BuI
lock, and others. Spotted Tai
when | knew him, had three wives
the mother of his unfortunat
. : daughter, Monica, being the frs
and fayolite. She was Il sma
: woman and of rather delicat
frame. Spotted Tail, as you know
( is tall, we'll. formed, and a natur;
orator. He is, | think, the onl
really coed speaker | have eve
: known in the Sioux tribe.
!. A. WRIGHT,
Chaplain United States Arm,