The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-11-05
A RED NAPOLEON.
"reminiscences Of the Sitting Bull
Campaigns.
A Well-Known Warrior Tells What he
Knows Of the Great Sioux Chieftain
aud His Fighting Qualities
A Remarkable Indian.
General Brlsbin, in N. Y. SUM-


He is, l think, really remarkable man,
and 1 shall be glad to tell you something
about him.
All the land bordering on the Missouri
River from Fort Benton to Buford, at the
mouth of the Yellowstone and up that
stream for 300 miles, was Sitting Bulbs
country. 1t was here, only eight years
ago, that the Sioux chief roamed at will,
often penetrating as far east as the Blach
Hills in Dakota. The outside belt OF his
hunting lands measured over 1000 miles In
circumference, and II was fully 700 miles
across them as the bird flies. The great
chief had his principal village at the mouth
Of Tongue River, on the Yellowstone,
where Fort Keogh stands. There he dwelt
in winter with 1900 Sioux, including as
simulated tribes who acknowledged him as
their leader.
The change in this section of country
since 1876 is incredible. Then not
white man could venture down the Yel-
lowstone without incurring almost certain
destruction. Even large bodies of men
were unable to penetrate far from the Mis-
souri, River. remember very well in the
winter of 1876 of learning that Sitting Bull
had surrounded forty-seven adventurous
white men at Fort Pease, near the mouth OF
the Big Horn. l was sent by General Ter
~ with a column Of troops TO their relief.
II required force of 500 men to rescue
them. Even this force would have been
insufficient had Sitting Bull chosen to re-
.iat tho invn sion Of his country.
This march began at Fort Ellis in the
dead Of winter. The beseiged men were
not reached until March O, 1876. found
them in desperate condition, six having
been killed outright, eight wounded, and
the whole company on the point of starva-
ton. Sitting Bull then had n camp of
eighty lodges at the mouth Of Little Horn,
near where Fort Custer Is now located, but
his great camp was on tae Tongue River,
and was assured 1t contained over 1000
souls. The camp at Little Horn did not
move, although we passed within twenty
miles of It, nor did Sitting Bull bring any
force from Tongue River to oppose us. He
seemed to know as well as hc did why we
had invaded his country, and desired the
success OF our expedition-the taking away
of the white men from the Indian country.
The Fort Pease adventures had been
closely beseiged for over two months, and
at the time Of our arrival not man could
venture safely outside the gates Of the fort.
Every ten days Sitting Bull would detail
900 warriors to fight the whites. When
these were tired out, he would send 800
fresh warriors TO relieve them. II was re-
ported that he had 800 warriors at the
mouth of Little Horn, and 1900 at Tongue
River, all under his command and ready
10 obey his orders at q moments notice.
From this II will be seen how easily he
could have defeated our small force
had he been so minded; but he did
not then wish to fight any more
than he does now. When we got near
Pease's bottom on the Yellowstone, he
came over with q small body Of warriors
and quietly looked on while we took the
adventurous white men out Of their RIDE
fort and sent them up the valley to their
homes in Montana. He followed close be-
hind us TO SEQ that we were going of his
lands, and seemed perfectly satisfied to
have us 20 away In peace. That Sitting
Bull fought the whites and afterward made
much trouble was perfectly natural. In
doing so be only discharged his duty to his
people and did what any brave man would
have done In his place.
1t was In tho winter Of 1876 that the Gov
ernment determined 10 drive Sitting Bull
out Of the Yellowstone Valley and to ap'
propriate IL TO the use Of our own people
had not yet arrived at my post, when ]
heard that On expedition was TO be made
against Sitting Bull and war waged all
along the Yellowstone River. did not be.
lleve IL, but on approaching Ellis learned
that General Gibbon was already there
with column of infantry, and had
orders for me TO turn back with the cavalry
and 20 at once 10 attack Sitting Bull and
his people. After the magnanimous con.
duct Of the old chief did not, of course,
relish these orders, but had no alternative
but to obey them. joined my column, te
General Gibbons, and under his command
marched down the Yellowstone Valley
over the very route had just come, never
halting until va arrived at Fort Pease, ai
the mouth OF the Big Horn River.
Sitting Bull was astonlShed, but not sur
prised, for he was too wary q warrior To
be caught mapping. He hastily moved his
camp at the mouth Of the Little Big Horn
over TO the Rosebud, and ultimately con-
solidated with ID the great camp ON Tongue
River. He did not at first seem 10 under
stand our object In coming back so sudden.
ly into his country, and merely watched
our movements. II was not until he heard
that Custer was coming from Lincoln and
Crook from the Platte that he fully real
ked tho situation. Then he knew that an
effort was TO be made 10 deprive him and
his people Of their country, and he hastily
gathered his forces for war. With true
military skill he determined 10 crush the
converging hostile columns In detail before
they could unite and oyerwhelm him by
their numbers. Glbbop was first selected
for assault, and Sitting-Bull came TO the
mouth OF the Rosebud and waited for him.
Finding that he would mob cross the deep
river with his whole force, Sitting-Bull
crossed body Of export warriors and bo-
gan the attack on Gibbon by b.'llng three
white soldiers. His object was h-aw Gen.
eral Gibbon into general engage nent be-
fore Generals Crook and Terry cotld come
up and reinforce him. But Geneh u Glib
Jon was as wary as hs was brave, and,
Nth tho oonEunniate skin Of o gren mil,
ftarv coi,,rnander, bafiied Sitting-Bun ana
jh.,d him In his camps until Crook was mar