Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-02-01
WILD SIOUX CHIEFS.
SCENES ON THE BATTLE GROUNDS
WHERE CUSTER WAS KILLED.

SCENES ON THE BATTLE GROUNDS
WHERE CUSTER WAS KILLED.
Shrewdness of the Indians in Eluding Cap
ture "Reminiscences of the Famous
Battle-A Gallant Old War Horse-A
Woman Changed Into Stone.
''Custer's battle ground" said H. S. Park,
the artist and correspondent for Harpers
Weekly and Frank Leslie's Illustrated Paper,
sis one of the most curious places l ever
visited''
Mr. Park has spent several years at various
places in the western territories.
II was saying that the battle ground was
peculiar" continued he. ''The fight, you
know, took place in a valley on the Little Big
Horn river Well, all about that river and
far in the distance on either side are low, I'M
lulating foothills, covered in summer with
most luxuriant wild grass and the greatest
variety of wild flowers. possible to imagine.
You can find almost any conceivable color
there. In the distance, just over the first low
hills from the river, are other hills covered
with some wild pines and shrubs, character
istic of the high table lands Blending the
bright green grass and many colored flowers
and trees with the clear sky and the bright
running river, you have scene for
painter.
oUTwITTING A GREAT COUNTRY.
sit was here that the heroic Custer fell on
June 26, 1875 The points which l got from
the Sioux and others while at Standing Rock
were to the effect that Chief Gall, and not
Sitting Bull, led the attack. As to the Indian
who killed Gen Custer it was Rain-in-the-
Face Custer had no sooner dismounted to
engage in the fray than this chief, who, with
his band, was ambushed in the wild pines,
shot him dead Then the Indians rushed in
on the troops and engaged in wholesale
butchery.
''An the able bodied Sioux of the 5000 and
more now at Standing Rock agency took
part in the battle, except the old chief, Sit
ting Bull, who, as now clearly established,
was away, and thus after long years it de-
veloped that Sitting Bull, who was credited
with leading the attack, was not there at all.
Crowfoot, son of Sitting Bull was, however,
and it was he who surrendered Sitting Bulls
gun. AS for Sitting Bull, he claims that he
never did surrender.
''We call this a great country, but is it not
odd that though this battle occurred back in
the middle of 1876, Chief Gall was not cap
tured until the winter of 1882 Crowfoot,
Sitting Bulls son, finally surrendered at Fort
Buford, D. T., in 1899, and Rain-in-the-Face,
who was captured shortly after the massacre
and confined at Fort Lincoln for murder, es-
capped, and it was not till 1881 that Rain-in-
the-Face finally surrendered at Fort Keogh.
The government was long while also in
capturing several of the other prominent In
dams.
''There they were out in the hills all this
time successfully GLIDING the troops, and the
war was protracted for years. mere hand
full of Indians, comparatively, standing off
the entire government force. 1t seems impos
sible, but here the Indians were, now lodging
the soldiers in the mountains and now dash
ing in among them and killing more and fly
ing away again
THE STORY OF OLD CoMANCHE.
s'But at that battle where Custer was killed
something occurred that have never seen in
print. Capt. NJ w. Keogh, for whom Fort
Keogh is now named, rode a magnificent
charger called Comanche. Capt. Keogh was
everywhere in the thickest of the fight Re
peatedly his gallant horse bore him where fire
--streafned heaviest from Indian guns. Keogh,
though wounded two OF three times, still
kept his seat and renewed his charges.
fThere were successive advances and re-
treats until the battle extended all up and
down the valley. The fight was at random
and general, every man for himself, and at
last when the massacre of troops was COM
plete, and others visited that battle ground,
they found old Comanche four miles away
from the attack, his dead rider by his side,
and the gallant steed with seven balls in his
body
s'The faithful war horse was so frightfully
injured that no one had hopes of his living,
yet with one accord they became his attend
ants. A surgeon was especially detailed to
extract what bullets he could and prescribe
for him. 1t was long struggle, but finally
Comanche began to mend.
''He was with difficulty removed to Fort
Standing Rock and the secretary of war is
sued an order that henceforth old Comanche
should have a soldier especially to attend to
him and that no one should ride him.
''The fort and agency of Standing Rock
take their names from an exceedingly queer
looking rock which towers up on the prairies.
In the distance, and even after the observer
. comes close up to it, it looks strangely like a
withered up old woman of gigantic size.
1.-THE Sioux call the old stone figure petri-
fed squaw, and they have strange legend of
how many moons ago, in the days when the
Sioux were Of giant size, this squaw, who had
been the daughter Of a great chief, refused to
do the bidding Of her lord and master, himself
/ a noted chief, and was forthwith changed by
the Great Spirit to stone. Her terrible fate
is oftentimes quoted now to the Sioux wives
and maidens as reason why they should
render implicit obedience to the many stall
! wart bucks who may have things they wish
! e."-San Francisco Examiner.