Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-10-09
sitting Bull.
HarnAr's Magazine

Harper's Magazine.
Sitting Bull was not the inspiration of
the great victory won by the Sioux. Up
to this time he had no real claims as a war
chief. Eleven days before the fight there
was a ''sun dance" His own people have
since told us these particulars, and the
best stOry-teller among them was bright
faced squaw of Tatenka-he-gle-ska-
Spotted Horn Buij-who accompanied the
party on their eastern trip. She is own
cousin to Sitting Bull, and knows where
of she speaks. The chief had trance and
vision, Solemnly he assured his people
that within a few days they would be at
tackled bya vast force of white soldiers. but
that the Sioux should triumph over them:
and when the Crows and Crooks command
appeared on the 18th, it was partial re-
demption of his promise.
Wary scouts saw Reno 5 column turning
back down the Rosebud after discovering
the trail, and nothing, they judged, would
come from that quarter All around
Crooks camp on Goose creek the
indications were that the Gray Fox was
simply waiting for more soldiers before he
would again venture forth Sitting Bull
had no thought of 6, new attack for days to
come, when, early on the morning of the
18th, two Cheyenne Indians who had
started eastward at dawn came dashlng
back to the bluffs, and waving their
blankets, signalled white soldiers heaps
coming quick" Instantly all was up
roar and confusion.
OF course women and children had to be
hurried away, and great herds of ponies
gathered IN, and the warriors assembled to
meet the coming foe. Even as the chiefs
were fastening to the council lodge there
came crash of rapid voleys from the
south. 1t was Reno's attack-an attack
from new and utterly unexpected quarter
and this, with the news that Lorg Hair
was laundering down the ravine across
the stream, was too much for Sitting Bull.
Hurriedly gathering his household about
him, he dashed his pony to the top of his
speed, and fled westward for safety.
Miles he galoped before he dare stop for
breath. Behind him he could hear the
roar of battle, and on he would have sped
but for the sudden discovery that one of
his twin children was missing. Turning,
he was surprised to find the fire dying
away, soon ceasing altogether. In half
an hour more he managed to get back to
camp, where the missing child was found,
Without him the Blackfeet and Uncapa-
pas had repeled Reno and penned him on
the bluffs. Without him the 0galalias,
BruleS and Cheyennes had turned back
Custer S daring assault, then RUSHED forth
and completed the death-gripping circle in
which he was held. Again had Crazy
Horse been foremost in the fray, riding in
and Draining the bewiIdeied soldiers with
his heavy war-club. Fully had his vision
been realized, bat Sitting Bull was not
there.
For a long time it was claimed for him
by certain sycophantic followers that from
the council lodge he directed the battle;
but it would not do. When the old sin
ner was finally starved out of her Majesty S
territory, and came in to accept the terms
accorded him, even his own people could
not keep straight faces when questioned as
to the cause of the odd names given those
twins-"lhe-G One that Nas-taken' and
"The-one-that- got eft Finally it all
leaked out, and now none so poor as to do
him reverence.
OF course it was his role to assume all
the airs of conqueror. to be insoIcnt and
defiant to the High Joint Commission
er, - sent the following winter to beg him
to come home and be good, but the claims
of Tatonka-e- Yotanka TO the leadership in
The greatest victory his people ever won are
mere vaporings, to be classed with the
boastings of dozens of chiefs who were
scattered over the Northern reservations
during the next few years. Ran-in-the-
Face used to brag hy the hour that he
killed Custer with his own hand, but the
other Indians laughed at him. Gall OF
the Uncapspas, Spotted Eagle, Kill
eagle, Lame Deer, Lone Wolf, and all the
varieties of Bears and Bulls were probably
leading spirits in the battle, but the man
who more than all others seems to have
won the admiration of his fellows for skill
and daring throughout that stirring cam
paign, and especially on that bloody day,
is he who so soon after met his death in
desperate effort to escape from Crooks
guards, the warrior Crazy Horse.