Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-01-08
BIG FOOLS RAND.

There are some most extraoruln-
airy matters connected with the late
battle between the Indians and our
troops in the Bad Lands Of South
Dakota which seem quite at vari-
ance with the claim that the Indi-
ans suddenly and without provoca-
ton, after surrender, commenced
firing upon the troops. 1t is very
clear, however, that there was an
unnecessary ami inhuman slaughter
OF Indian women and children by
the troops, which attaches to that
feature of the fight the stain of a
massacre.
From the official and other ac-
counts Of the affair ii appears that
Big Foot and his band, with their
squaws and papooses, had retreated
to the Bad Lands. They numbered
40 warriors, go sluaws and many
plpooses. The warriors were well
armed, but had an insufficient mum.
Der of ponies. They were encamped
on the Wounded Knee or PoFcu.
pine creeh, ami before the conflict
made no effort either to ambush the
troops, to escape or to attack them al
any disadvantage.
BY O'Clock in the morning the
troops had planted their Hotchkiss
guns overlooking the Indian camp
not fifty yards away. There were
at least 500 mounted troops ON the
ground; these were massed about
the village. Colonel Forsythe
ordered all the Indians to come for
ward away from the tents. This
order they obeyed. They formed
in half circle and were counted.
They numbered about 120. This
was the situation when the first
account of the affair was sent to the
agency; that account stated: 1.-THE
general opinion is that the surrender
Of Big Foot is not in good faith.
The Indians still retain their arms.
The party is, however, being
watched and the frst false more lrill
precipitote a EgSf."
The next news that arrives Is that
the fight has occurred. 1t is hard to
gather what s'the false move" was
that precipitated il. The accounts
say that without provocation, while
the Indians We're surrounded and
being searched for arms, ''all Of q
Sudden they threw their hands TO the
ground and began firing rapidly al
the troops, not twenty feet away
The account continues: "rhe In
dians-men, women and children
then ran TO the south Of the battery,
firing rapidly as they ran. Soon the
troops were after them, shooting
them down on every side. The en-
gagement lasted fully an hour and
a half. The troops art
still firing from the camp aud pur.
suing the enemy in every direc'
ton" The account concludes with
thsss significant and natheHc- state,
"To say that this was \ mos
daring feat-120 Indians attacking
500 ,cavaliymen-expresses the sit
uation but family. 1t could have
been but insanity which prompted
such deed. 1t ia doubted whether
before night either a buck or a squaw
out of Big Foot's band will be left
to tell the tale of this day;
treachery."
Unless the Indian has wholly
changed his nature, their behavior
in this affair cannot be explained
upon any reasonable hypothesis
Indians never attack with theil
squaws and papooses in the vicinity;
they SEEK an ambushwhen they can;
they never assault a superior mum
Der Of well-armed troops in the open
country; particularly, they never
before as q matter of strategy per.
mitted themselves to be closely sur
rounded with nearly five times
their number Of pursuing troops on
horseback while they were on foot,
that they might at a given signal
commence an assault as hopeless rs
it must have been known to be fatal
TO themselves.
If between 800 and 500 Indian
women and children have been
killed this country cannot justify
the crime. There Is some excuse
for mere volunteers taken from a
ravaged section of the country spar
ing neither sex nor age, but for the
United States troops led by its train.
ed officers to give way TO british
passion because some of their Off
GERS and soldiers have been killed,
eyep upfer the circu-nsfa pcao ar