The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-07-28
CAREER Of SITTING BULL.
HIS CHARACTERISTICS AND CAMPAIGNS.

d1S CHARACTERISTICS AND CAMPAIGNS
In an interview with member of Gen.
erry's staff it was learned that his earliest
collection of Sitting Bull as q leader was in
a66, when the report came from Buford that
h garrison had been surrounded and wiped
ut and the commanding officer had first shot
is wife to prevent her falling into the hands Of
-H'le savages TO suffer. indignities worse than
cath.
So slow was the means Of communication in
hose primitive days that it wan several
lonths before the truth was known, when it
ppeared that the scare was caused by q raid
some Sioux under Sitting Bull, who had
wung round tho circle of the fort on q horse
tealing expedition. From that time Sitting
Bull began to be ranked as q loader Of the
Iostile Sioux-indeed it has ever been his boast
c make peace with the whites, but the singular
act remains that no one has ever known of q
veil authenticated instance Of this chief being
the thick of a fight
WHEN HARD KNOCKS MIGHT BIB EXPECTED
His forte. has ever been to steal
md carry of such stores, public and private, as
le could conveniently lay hands on Ever hos
lie and q malcontent. he was the nucleus about
whom gathered the well-fed, fiery young buckle
rom the reservations, who as soon as grass
vas green would set forth on their annual
'ound Of plumber until at last the signs of dis
Election at the larger agencies. such as Red
loud, Spotted Tail, Standing Rock, ETC., con-
aiming then some 40, 600 Indians, became SO
marked that general outbreak was feared
Unless steps we're taken to compel these out
avs to settle down at some designated point.
accordingly the secretary Of the interior in
december, 1875, notified these hostiles that
hey must come in to the reservations on or be-
'orce. would be sent to compel them"
IN the expiration of this time the secre-
AIRY Of war was formally notified
hat these Indians were turned over to the
military authorities for such action as might
% deemed proper, and
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1875 "
was then organized by Gen. Sheridan, tho plan
being to move in three distinct columns from
Montana, Dakota and the Platte, simultaneous
y, to common center, where the hostile were
supposed to be, the two former under Gen.
Terry and the latter under Gen. Crook. On
The 9th of January, 1876, Gen. Crooks COL
umn, while descending the Rosebud was bold
ly attacked by largo force of warriors, and
of the enemy; but the general concluded to re-
tire with loss Of nine dead and twenty -one
wounded. Meantime Gen. John Gibbon, Sew
enth infantry, with a force Of $50 men. was
marching from Fort Ellis, Montana.
&c m" thS Fsy rh Of with he 6 Hs msn
then ascending the same valley, and as
soon as communication was established it
was determined, June p, to detach the
Seventh cavalry under Gen. Custer by a cir
Horn, where the entire command was to meet
on a day appointed Or the disaster that fol-
lowed this movement, when the brave but rash
Custer, disregardiDs the instructions of his
SUPERIOR. and taking the chances of battle,
rode feGrlessly into that valley OF death on tho
Little Big Horn with his 800 wearied warriors,
much has been written and with more or less
acrlmony, but of Sitting Bulls part in this
battle The best Informed are now agreed tn at II
was, for an Indian, neither conspicuous nor
, glorious -.t W. ga.
SITTING BULL WAS IN THE REAR s.
and at that part Of the village attacked by
Major Reno and Immediately after the fight
opened gave orders to the old men and squaws
to pack up and leave, and this was actually in
progress, when threatening message came by
runner from Crazy Horse, who was fighting
Custer three miles away at the other
- end Of the village to this effect: 'Don't go;
we are getting away with the soldiers" which
so inspirited the warriors that furious attack
was at once made on Reno, and he was driven
back and compelled to retreat to the bluff
across the river. On Gen. Terry's arrival the
Indians retreated, and among the spoils of the
camp was found fine elk robe, which, from
the totems or marks upon 1t, was thou ght to
belong to Sitting Bull. and the report was
started that he was among the slain. ~...-. .
- 10 determine the truth Of this rumor 4
number OF scouts and Indians were examined
whose various description of the chieftain's
personal appearance might have answered for
Brown, the most accurate and truthful how
ever, being that of Half Yellow-Face, Crow
scent, who
HAD KNOWN SITTING BULL FROM HIS YOUTH,
when he used to wander around the boundary
Of what was then the Grow reservation, looking
for stray ponies.
His description of Sitting Bulls peculiarities
was very vlgorous-the low, squattS figure
bis walking on the outer edge of one foot
, owing to wound in the sole, the dark, almost
il Ethiopian complexion, the remarkable width
between the cheek bones and the pointed chin
all conspiring to make up a personnel at
once peculiar and typical.
. THE EVENTS OF 1877
- The Nez Perces campaign of 1877 with its
opening, stirring fight at Big Hole, Howard's
long and arduous pursuit, and Miles Gcal sue
cess in capturing Joseph and his band. to-
gether with the later fight with Lame Deer's
Sioux at Bear Paw mountain, IN which troops
under the aforementioned commander were en-
gagged, claimed principally the attention of the
public in connection with Indian affairs It
will be remembered that as Chief Joseph and
his brave followers advanced eastward, grave
fears were entertained that Sitting BuN
junction with the Nez Perces, and aid
in crushing the common enemy and
many were the reports received-frst, that
such junction was about to be made and then
that 1t had actually been accomplished. But
Sitting Bull had no notion of taking up anv
quarrel not distinctively his own. He knew
full veil that Joseph. beside being as wise in
- council and az powerful as himself, was skill,
full general and q brave soldier not only
planned fight but took leading part therein,
a role to which the Sioux leader never particu-
larly aspired TO all the pleadings of the
conriers sent by Joseph to the Woody Noun
tain camp Sitting Bull made but this reply, and
this only: ''lou may smoke and eat here you
are welcome; - - - :
BUT THIS is YOUR FIGHT NOT NINE
You must not expect that any of my warriors
will go across the border to help you" These
in fact were his very words, and he consistent
ly lived up to their import. Had he Joined his
fellow redskins, it is hard to tell exactly what
the denouement might have been. In the au-
tumn of 1877 it was decided in Washington
to make all effort to effect by diplomacy what
arms had failed to bring about and to send to
Sitting Bull commission of dignity 80 unim-
peachable that lie would necessarily attach
weight to its promises and presenta-
TONS Accordingly, leave having been
obtained from the British authorities,
who were then, as they have since been, anx.
5!ons to get rid of the willy old chief and his
hungry horde Of followers, for the entrance
Of such commission, Gen. A. II. Terry, United
States army, and Hon. A q. Lawrence of Mas
sachusetts, who had been duly constituted
members of the peaceful embassy, proceeded
with an escort to the British line, and were met
by Col Mcleod of the Northwestern Mounted
IL