The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-05-09
"RAIN-IN-rHR-FAcR." i"
From Mrs. Cu..er's Hcck-l

CuIESnCS Oy kOtuB UaC1 VO tuS SuAumex U the Yellowstone campaign. Two of tho citizens attached to the expedition, ont as the sutler, the other as the veterinary
 surgeon, were in the habit of riding hJ themselves a great deal. Not being en.
 listed men, much more liberty than soldiers have was allowed them. Many
 warnings were given, however, and an
 instance fresh in the minds of the officers of the killing by Indians of two of theii
 comrades the year before, was repeatedly
 told them. One day their hour of finger. ing came. While they stopped to water
 their horses, some Indians concealed in
 a gully shot them within sight of oui
 regiment, who were then fighting on the
 hill, and did not find the bodies for some
 time afterwards. Both of the murdered
 men wee favorites; both left families
 and regret and sympathy were general
 throughout the command.
 A year and half afterwards informa-
 ton came to our post, Fort Lincoln, tha,
 an IT. dian was then at the agency at Standing Rock, drawing his rations,
 blankets and ammunition from the gov ernment and at the same time boosting
 of the murder of these two men. This
 intelligence created intense indignation in our garrison. A detachment was quickly prepared and started out with sealed orders. No one was aware even
 what direction they were ts take. General Custer knew that it was absolutely neces- sary that caution and secrecy should be observed. At the next post, twenty miles below, there were scouts employed. They would not fail to send out runner and warn the Standing Rock Indians of the coming of the command and its object, if they could learn what it was. When the runner carries important news he starts with an even gait in the morning and keeps it up all day, hardly stopping to drink at the stream he crosses. Such a courier would outstrip a command of cavalry in the ordinary time it makes on a march.
 Accordingly Fort Rice was left behind many miles before the orders were opened. They contained directions to capture and bring back an Uncapapa In- dian called Rain-in.the-Face, the avowed murderer of the sutler and the veterinary surgeon. The command consisted Of two officers and 100 men. The general had selected his brother to assist in this delicate transaction, as he was wont to do ever since they began their life of adven- ture together during the war. They ar- rived on the day that the Indians were drawing their rations of beef. There were 500 at the agency armed with the latest long-range rifles. It was more and more clear that too much care could not be taken to prevent the object of the visit being known to the warriors. An expedi- ton had been sent down once before, but news of its intention had reached the agency in time for the culprit to escape. He could not refrain even after this warn- ing fro openly vaunting his crime.
 In order, then, to conceal the purport of their appearance at the agency, the captain in command resorted to ruse. He sent fifty men to the camp, ten miles away, to make inquiries for these Indians who had murdered citizens on the Red river the year before. Colonel Custer was ordered to take five picked men and go to the traders store, where the Indians resort constantly. This required great coelness and extreme patience, for they had to lounge about, seemingly indiffer- ent, until they could be certain the right man was discovered. The cold made the Indians draw their blankets around them and over their heads. There is never any individuality about their dress, unless when arrayed for a council or dance. It was therefore almost impossi- ble to tell one from the other.
 Colonel Tom had to wait for hours, only looking furtively when these wary creatures were off guard. At last one of them loosened his blanket, and with the meager description that had been given him Colonel Tom identified him as Rain-in-the-Face. Coming suddenly from behind he threw his arms about him, and seized the Winchester rife that the savage attempted to cock. He was taken entirely by surprise. No fear showed itself, but from the character istically stolid face hate and revenge flashed out for an instant. He drew himself up in an independent manner to show his brother warriors that he did not dread death.
 Among them he had been considered brave beyond precedent, because he had dared to enter the agency store at all, and so encounter the risk of arrest. The soldiers tied his hands and mounted guard over him. About thirty Indians surrounded them instantly, and an old orator commenced a haransue to the others, melting them to recapture their brother. Breathless excitement pre- vailed. At that moment the captain in command appeared in their midst. With the same coolness he had shown in the war and during the six years of his In dian campaign, he spoke to them through an interpreter. With prudence and tacs he explained that he intended to give the prisoner exactly the treatment a white man would receive under like circum. stances; that nothing would induce them to give him up; and the better plan to save bloodshed would be for the chiefs to withdraw and take with them their fol- lowers. Seeing that they could accom- plish nothing by intimidation, or by superior numbers, they had recourse to barley, and proposed to compromise. They offered as sacrifice two Indians of