Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-01-16

gave the history Of his daughters death
and said her last request was to be
buried in sight of her best friends, the
pale faces. During the recital Of his
daughters sufferings and the eventful
journey offifteen 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 General Maynadier
arose and made one of the.nosi .approi-
ate addresses l ever heard. He assured
the chief of our deep sympathy, ,v'elcOm-
ed him to our fires, and proffer ed bis
services. The chief and his warriors
were visibly affected, and when the
General proposed to bury Monica in the
post cemetery and have the Christian
burial services performed over her
corpse. the chief was very much grati6ed
and his followers expressed their ap-
probation by frequent and deep gutteral
expressions of"Ugh," Ugh"
The body of the girl was wrapped in
buffalo robes, and bound about with
cords. Gen. Maynadier ordered the
carpenters to prepare q scahold and
coffin. and when all was in readiness an
ambulance was sent for, and just be-
fore sunset, On a clear and bright but
bitter cold day, the body OfMonlca was
brought out. and Indians, officers and
soldiers, forming procession marched
to the grave. At the scafold the
coffin was opened, and the officers filled
it with gauntlets, gloves, moccasins,
red flannel, and clothes to keep the
dead maiden comfortable ON her jour
ney to the spirit land. 1 improvised a
burial service, accommodating my re.
marks to the Indian superstition. l
said Monica would look down and take
care of her father, mother. and friends,
and that they would soon meet her
where there was plenty Of game and NO
more dying, snow-storm, or tears. The
mothe, OF the girl STOOD by my side and
wept bitterly, while the father chief often
wiped his eyes, and at the close OF each
sentence l uttered, the dusky crowd
gave a loud Ugh" The coffin which,
had been neatly covered with red cloth
by Col. Bullock, the post trader, was
raised upon the scaffold and placed
with the head toward the east. The
two white ponies Of the deceased girl
had been killed as soon as she died, and
their heads and tails. which had been
brought with her, where now nailed to
the post Of the scaffold aud barrel Of
water placed under each pony's bead.
The ponies were to convey her to the
happy hunting grounds, and the water
was for them to drink on the way.
The grave of Monica is among the first
objects ofinterests that strikes the eye
of traveller as he approaches Fort
Laramie on the Cheyenne road. The
love affair of this beautiful Indian girl
happened before l was stationed at the
fort but l often heard the story from
Gen. Mayandier, Col. Bullock and
others. Spotted Tail, when l knew
HIM, had three wives, the mother o.
his unfortunate daughter Monica being
the FIRST and favorite. She was small
woman, and ofrather delicate frame
Spotted Tail, as you know, is tall, we'll
. formed, and natural orator. He is, l
think, the only really good speaker !
have ever known ia the Sioux tribe.
A. WRIGHT,
Chaplain United States Army.
After her death Spotted Tail often
spoke Of his daughter Monica, and still