The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-01-27
YelIOw-Hand's Scalp.

OShoiO DIN ilIe WAS the Killing OF
Yellow w-Hand, a famous CheveDns
Chief, and the consequent namIng os
War Bonnet Creek in Wyoming rro,,
that circumstance. When Ger. Croo,
was serenading the Sioux tribe with
bullets in the summer Of 1876 Bufs1,
Bill was bis wagon master and cbiss
of scovts. a courier had come int
Crooks camp with the intelligence
that young Sitting Bull had broken
away from Red Cloud Agency with srq
fighting bucks and was then on tho
way 70 join old Sitting Bull up here in
Montana Territory, while Yellow-Usrd
the big Chief of the Cheyennes. had
also left his agency without permission
with 500 warriors, bound north On q
similar errand. Troops were out scour-
ing the country in every direction
Crooks particular business being n
reach Running Water, follow on n
Rawhide Creek, cross a plateau 10 In.
dian Creek, and there meet and crpzb
Yellow Hand or drive him back to fss
agency.
Arriving on the plateau mentioned
clouds of Indians could be seen far
away in the dim distance, and one of
the officers predicted that everybody in
the civilized command would ye killed
There were five companies of infantry
and one troop of cavalry, the latter
making detour and coming around
ahead of the wagoD-tIain in line of
battle, while the mule whackers were
ordered to dismount and fight bv tbair
mules. All this took time. At last
the red men drew quite near. when
from their hosts rode out in front of
the lines, halting midway, a magniG-
Gently equipped and gaudily decorated
Indian, his handsome wsr bonnet filed
with eagles feathers trailing behind.
and shining Winchester rifle resting
on the angle of his arm He proBdIv
sat on his steed and surveyed the pale.
faces with ins0lence and scorn. Then
uttering war whOop of defiance. the
chieftain raised his rife fired one shot
at his enemies. The challenger was
Hellow-Hand. His riding forth alone.
delivering but single shot, and that
IN the face of his enemies, the uttering
of a defiant war whoop-al this meant
nothing more or less than a chalIange
TO duel. Was there no one among
all those white soldiers TO take up the
gauntlet so defantly thrust at them ?
not sound was heard the Indian
meanwhile stridiDg majestically be-
fore them and awaiting the resnlt Os
his shot. Then all at once from tie
white mems lines dashed a single
horseman with his rifle carried at a
ready, who rode obliquely along the
front o. the line, then turning sudden.
Iy toward the champion standing alone
and ready to receive him. Troops and
Indians watched with interest the out.
come of the fight. for it meant a duel
to the death. Yellew Hand started
his pony gallopIng in a circle, lying
far on the opposite side, according to
aboriginal style of fighting from hose
and rapidly at his pale-face adversary.
Buffalo BIZ sat on his steed like q
Centaur and only pulled the trigger
when there was some reason for il.
preferring not TO waste a shot unless
here was some chance of hitting.
Gradually the circle became smaller,
and the faster Yellow Hand fred his
Winchester, always loading his maya.
zine and manipulating his piece while
lying longside his flying animal. When
the distance had been Iessened to about
$50 yards, and when Buffalo Bill had
been grazed more than once by his
enemy's lead, the latter suddenly halted
his horse, took quick and accurate aim
at the circling pair, and pulled The
trigger. Down went the rider and
steed, rolling over in the dust, both Of
( them shot to the death. Rushing for
ward, the white scout leaped from his
horse, and, whipping out a long keen
hunting knife, scalped the great war.
Iior in full sight of both armies.
| With the loss of their leader the
/ spirit Ot the Indians was broken. They
could not fight after that calamity, the
scalping of their favorite chief utterly
and teetotauy breaking their savage
hearts. They gave up the scheme Of
! joining the other hostiles in Montana
and hurried back to their own agency,
scattering provisions and plumber by
! the way. That night the troops
! camped in Indian Creek, and in honor
of Buffalo Bill's great achievement
and handsome trophy taken from
Yellow Hands head, the name was
changed from Indian Creek to War
Bonnet Creek, which latter title it still