Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-12-18


Sitting Bull was born In ISL HIS ambush
Of General Custer first brought him fame
Previous % that he was 4 medicine chief."
whose boast was that never 20 the white
man had he signed \ treaty In the tur0u-
lent times in ls7f around his standard rallied
the treacherous and discontinued OF All
tribes He himself Vas regarded by many ss
a Shrewd coward, and If i said by some that
az the beginning Of the fight with Custer he
fed TO a safe retreat WHERE, seeing the awful,
uneven conflict being given into the hands OF
his counfrymen, he rushed 20 the front,
plunged into the thiekest Of The frsy and e.
tablished himself chief With these NAL
contents he committed NAM depredations
ur,on settlers and refused all terms Of peace
IN ls7s the order sissued 10 bring sitting
Bull IN or drive him from the country, and
in March. 1876. General Crook started up into
the sioux territory with a strong force He
met the Sioux on Sc Pafrick's day He was
defeated by Crazy Horse and forced TO re-
treat Ia May three expeditions pushed into
Sitting Bulls country. They were led by
Generals Crook. Terry and Gibbon- June Il
Crook Was again defeated
Then il was that sitting Bull, looking for
better quarters and better Eazing lands,
moved over into the broader valley Of the
Little big Horn. the stream made memorable
by the charge that Custer made rpon is
banks General Terry's scouts came
Hrrn<- NnE AlAI anu IAOnEtfAAr LCtfDEA-
ed Il TO him. The General decided
at once 20 scout the trair' and in looking
for man to lead he picked out the man who
was nt tlie head Of his cavalry. the Lieu
tenant Colonel commanding the Seventh
rezsmsnf cavalry, Brevet Major General
Custer. Of the Cnited States army. brave.
dashing. impetaous warrior. but as the event
proved a soldier lacking in Judgment 20 deal
with an enemy cunning - the Sioux.
Custer was the ideal leader Of the charge.
brave 90 rashness and ambitious a. a
Caesar but he was not the kind OF n leader to
-sc0uf trail" He was too ready 90 hght.
June 5 was the day named by Terry as the
day on which he and GIb5on would reach the
valley Of the Little Big Horn Custer was
expected from the east the same day Custer
disappointed them. He got there ahead OF
time-frenfy -four hours too soon The sew
enfh cavalry was with him. few miles
away Was Crook with 40 men. but Custer,
even II he knew H. would have none OF them.
He seemed 20 want al the glory for the Sew
enth and himself sitting Bulls village
was hidden from sight under the bluffs Of the
river. when Custer first caught sight Of it
he drew rein, took CT hts broad trimmed hat,
whirled Il about his head and shouted Gus
te-'s luck. The biggest Indian village on the
Continent Thousands OF wigwams faced
the indomitable seventh
As he plunged down the slope Il Was the
last that Reno and his men ever saw OF him.
ard soon he was hidden IN the clouds Of
dust
The story Of Casters charge was never
learned from a man who followed him.
They all had galloped TO their death. The
tragic history is but the tale as IL was told by
Indian scouts and the men who had done the
massacre.
SITTING Bull icd FOR life across the border Of
the Dominion Here he stayed unffl lsso,
when he surrendered TO the United States on
q promise Of pardon