Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-29
OUSTER3S MISTAKE.
Bumalo Bill Tells About the Indian
Massacre-The Part That Sitting Bun
Played In 1t.
From ne Philadelphia Times.

| From the Philadelphia Times.
Buffalo Bill brushed his long hair back
out OF his face, and, fixing his big SOM
brero tightly on his head, told, as he sat
on a cot in his tent, about the death of
Gen. Custer at the hands of the Sioux.
under Sitting Bull, on the Little Big Horn
river, in 1876.
81 would like the public to know about
the 1876 fight" he began, Especially now
| that Sitting Bull is here. ] don't want to
take the Indians part; Just want to tell
! you the simple history of the whole trouble,
whlch has never been published as It
really originated, and reckon ought to
! know something about it, for killed the
! hrst Indian that was killed in the fight,
| when l had the duel with YellOwhand,
a Sioux chief, on July II, 1876. When
killed him L sang out, First scalp for
| CUSTER
''ln 1868 Gems. Harvey, Terry and
! Augur made treaty with the Sioux, Civ
ing them all the lands west Of the Mis-
souri, river, north of North Platte. east of
the grand divide of the Big Horn Noun
tains and south Of the Yellowstone river.
The treaty was TO last for thirty years,
! but in 1874 Gen. CnsUer made an exDedi-
ton into the Black Hills with the Seventh
Cavalry and discovered gold-that is, dis
covered gold in paying quantities. and so
reported in his official statement. Then
the miners commenced to flock into the
/ hills, contrary to any law or agreement
having been made with the Indians, thus
/ breaking the treaty of 1868. The govern
Inent, knowing that this was violating the
treaty, sent out troops TO arrest and drive
| out all the miners found in the Black Hills
country.
THE CAUSE OF THE MASSACRE
! "The troops arrested several parties, in
Guiding Gordon's party destroying the
miners properly and imprisOning quite
number of the invaders, but this did not
check Others from going into the Hills,
and they went in in such large numbers
! in 1S75-I6 that the government found it
! impossible to keep them out, An Indian
DOESN'T care about soldiers invading his
| country, because he knows they won't
| stay, but he knows the miners come to
stay. Consequently the miners came in
| contact with the Indians. There was a
| little skirmish between the Indians and
miners, and miner was Killed, and then
! the cry was raised: Another Indian warl
! The Sioux are on the warpath.' That's
what started the Indian war of 1876. The
! first fight that occurred was in the winter
! of 1876 with Chief Crazy Horse and his
/ band, who we're camped on the Powder
| river. This whole village was destroyed,
! and IN the following spring three eXpedi-
J tiOns were organized TO fight the Sioux.
/ Gen. Terry commanded the DAKOTA troops,
/ Gen Crook had charge Of the troops of the
! Department Of the Platte, and Gen. Glib
hons was in command of the troops of the
| Department of Montana, Gen. Custer
was under cammRnd OF Gen. Terry at the
mouth of the Powder river, where it EN-
/ pties into the Yellowstone.
CUsTER's GREAT MISTAKE.
! "Gen. Custer first struck Sitting Bulbs
trail there, and Gen. Terry ordered Custer
/ to take his regiment, the Seventh Cavalry,
and follow up the trail, and use his own
discretion in regard to his movements,
but to communicate with Terry rs often
as possible. Custer followed this trail by
forced marching up the Rosebud river and
across the Little Big Horn for three days.
Then he found Sitting Bull in camp with
5000 Sioux, OF which number 1000 were
warriors. Gen. Custer only had 300 men
with him, and he thought hewas attack
ing village, and he found be was at
lacking a big city. He was won
derfully brave man. Sitting Bull sat in
his tent and directed the fight. The Sioux
had to fight to save their women and
| children. 1t was human nature to do this,
! Custe- made great mistake in not know
! ing the size of Sitting BULBS army. That's
L Lne slm PIE blOIys anu DuHdlo DIN gu up
and paced about the tent, excited by what
he had been telling. iN fW
IN DEFENSE OF THE INDIANS
Speaking of the Indians, he said
"Gen. Sheridan gave me credit for doing
a great deal of good work in 1876, but l
! felt l was doing wrong to tight the Indians.
| Pve lived in the Indian country for thirty
| wears and PVe never known treaty to be
/ kept by the whites yet. The Indians have
/ been driven from the Atlantic to the Pa
| clhc. They are badly treated. Pve been
present at most every treaty that was
| ever made for the past five years. | was
| chief Of scouts for the United States
| Army for fifteen years, and I've been In
more Indian battles than any man living,
and l know all about the Indians. If they
were given land and allowed to keep it
! they'd be quiet and peaceable and become
! civilized. There are 10000 Sioux and I've
| always found them honorable. An Indian
J is man of tiue instinct and deep feeling.
! Ifyou make him your friend he becomes
! your slave. But if you ever make him a
| promise and don't keep it, never mind
/ how trifiIng it is, he'll never forget it and
never forgive you and he'll never trust
you again. Pm not defending tho Indians
! because PYe got Sitting Bull and lot OF
/ his chiefs with me; Pm only saying that
they have been and are badly treated by
| the whites. Why, the only treaty with
Indians that was ever kept by the whites
was the treaty mady right here in this
city by William Penn. II there was an
! other Indian war tomorrow and the gov
eminent wanted my services I'd fight the
! Indians again."
SITTING BULL A GREAT GENERAL.
When asked what he thought OF Sitting
! Bull as warrior, Mr.. Cody said:
"Sltting Bull is wonderful general
the greatest OF all Indian chiefs and COM
! paratively a greater war general than
/ any white man | know OF. His tribe OF
! 6,000 warriors and their families starved
almost for three years because he SAID,
| NO: the time has not come when we must
ask charity OF the white man. ] don't
! know OF any white general who could get
| from COCO TO 10000 people to follow him
on the verge OF starvation for three years,
/ when all ihey had 10 do WIS to cross the
/ line and agree TO the government terms.
/ lie would put them Off by saying: Wait
/ till tomorrow; we may kill q buffalo, then
| thcre'n be plenty" Sitting Bull bias
| eleven chiefs with him. He has just
| turned 30 and looks upon his engage
/ ment with Buffalo Bill "a "A great big holi-
/ day. Al the old chiefs can say In English
| is, you bet your boots, "GoOd evening"
| "Good,v and when he aces a pretty wo-
| man his way Of expressing his admiration