Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-11

they say they saw another force not far OH
presumably Ren6s commsnd); but they
az it took no part il the action, and never
aade a movement toward the support Of
Long.Hair." Then they criticise severely
he conduct Of the Seventh cavalry. Little
Knife tells me that, as soon as the soldiers
truck the camp and the battle opened, the
indians saw they had an inferior force to
,ontend with. The men were poor riders,
md we're easily shaken fromstheir horses.
n firing they were Wild I; md in retreating
hey fired over their shoulders, killing their
as they vent. Their horses and
themselves appeared to be unmanageable
fom-the onset; and they fell aprey to the
steady fire of the Indians, and careless and
shooting among themselves. Some,
Who we're thrown from their horses, APP
preached the Indians with the hands up;
but they were shot down remorselessly.
The only prisoner taken vas captured BY
Rain.in the-Face, who says he had stripes
on his arm. This was probably, Corporal
Ryan. He was bound hand and foot with
a "sha.a-nappee" stripped b~ufalo-hids),
and left in q lodge. There was a wild
dance that night, and a few young men
drunk with the excitement of the 'shin.dig
sought the lodge and killed the poor fellow
with a knife.
Last Sunday I paid the lodge Of Little:
Knife a visit, and doctored the sprained
foot of that gentleman and, while l was
there, a woman belonging to his family told
me that she witnessed Ryan's death.
"He cried hard and begged for his life"
said abe .'but in their fury they killed
him." !.
There has been q tradition in the Seventh
cavalry ever aimee that fight, to the effect
that Ryan is still held captive in the camp
of the Uncapapas but the old woman
seems to play the bitter i~conoclast in her
weird description of the corporal's death.
The dame lost her husband and a few 9th.
err superduous members of her family in
the battle; but, when l saw her, tht
seemedEt to think that Ryan's murder hat
amply compensated for The loss she sus
tanned. Little-Knife has befriended he
since her widowhood, and has taken he
into his family and cared for her, and fet
her and her child.
By.the-by, this Little Knife is consider
able of a savage. In his younger days h
was one of the most villainous Indians OF
the plains, but he has braced mp Of late
and is now spoken 1f as one of the best oil
men around Wood Mountain.
Sitting Bull had very little to do wit
the big battle" said he to me, Sunday. III
was on a butte (hill) on the flank of tn
Indian camp. Towards the close of thu
fight be was in the camp, keeping it in Or
der and looking after the women and chill
dren."
"Who was the chief in command, Little
Knife?
"There was none. The head-men com
manded the men under them, but there wa
no general chief"
"How, many men did the Indians lose!'
L The old man named each one and count
led them on bis fngers. IA l cant epel
1.-the names I won't try to give them.
There were twenty-five Indians actusil
killed ,"she replied.
"How many soldiers?"
Il can't say. A great many"
did your people get many trophies"
I'VE got 700 guns and pistols. We ais
got two horns Ibugles1 anda flag"
Almost every Unca-pa-pa l have seen
armed with q breech-losding needle.carbiu
captured at the fight. I cant get any trse
Of the bngles; but the standard was mad
|up intoa shirt for . young buck,cthe re
and white stripes running perpendicular
and the blue field hanging ' the taffrai
"Were there many scalps taken, Littl
Knife!" r.;
"No, not one. We scalped nobody; "
came away as fast as We could"
How many soldiers did you kill!"
"None. I never killed white man 4
my life" lied the old reprobate. II hav
only killed Crow Indians"
Are you on the war.path now with th
Americans"
mo. lam q warrior +; my heart is strong
am brave; but I don't want war. r Of
tired Of fighting. I am not willing to e
back 10 my country, even If the American
will let me. I don't want to give, up M
guns and horses. I want to hunt;i but
will hurt no man unless he hurtsrmae.".
j, ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE MASSACRE.
), New York Telegram.-Father Genin,
priest who has labored among the vario,
. tribes composing the great Sioux nation, i
3 the northwest, ia nov in this city. He pu1
fishes . manifesto from Sitting Bull to q
just and sensible citizens in vindication
the Sioux Indiana. Father Genin gives Il
. following account of the battle Of the Ros
4 bud, 1t which Custer fell. It was given
. him by Sitting Bulls,
The Custer command was part Of a for
that had been. sent out to exterminste b
Q people. For eight days he had retreat,
from the advancing white men, and tn,
being wearied, he set up mock villas
e left his fires lighted, and arranged a numb
a of ef6gy Indians 70 a. to deceive the whit
\ He then gathered his braves, and, under t
cover Of the hills to the south Of the RoI
/ bud, he marched;to intercept Clusters 9
vance. He did not wish to fight, 20 se
out messenger with 4 flag Of truce, y
. was shot down. After seeing this man i
: from his horse, he called for the blood Il
was to be shed.
f.,,.ta. ..uooad an &ov.rd %h> .~o- q.