Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-26

ant, at a two or three-year-Old chlld, at BABY
whose age is measured but by weeks-just to
see il he can hit it-then that soldier and the
organization to which he belongs must bear
the odium which cannot fail in this age to fol-
low such conduct. 1t Is not an easy thing to
sit down in quietude and seclusion, safe from
present probability of bullet, the war club
and the scalping knife, and lay down rules for
the guidance Of q man who ia under fire for the
first time Gas most of these seventh cavalrymen
were), but that many of them are open to
severe criticism know from their own lips.
They were surprised beyond measure when the
hostile bullets commenced to whistle around
and above them. Then came that chilly some
thing that affects the bravest of men in the
opening of q battle, followed by the white heat
of passion and the thirst for blood, as cofnrade
after cOmrade went down before the enemy's
tire.
WHAT THE SURVIVORS SAY.
For more than a week have been chatting
with the enlisted men who survived that fight
and the information l got was, first, to the eff
feet that nearly every officer warned and or
dered his men not to shoot at women and chill
dren. and, second. that most of the soldiers
disobeyed the order. OF course the plea of ex-
citement or bioodthirstiness will not avail in
this case-it should nOt-but it is only fair to
those whom the nation has endeavored to edu-
cate up to high standard of Christian intel
hgence that they be placed before the public
in an equitable light. 1 know of one officer who
repeatedly reiterated the command not to shoot
women and children and also know of men In
his troop who paid not the slightest heed to the
humanely proper order. This disobedience and
consequent murder is deplorable. but who can
hold the disobedient to earthly accountability
God will render them the bill when it becomes
due.
CLEARING AWAY RELICS.
The relic hunter has been all over the battle
field and has taken away everything of value
and interest that lyaa OH <ba
sionally one will find a memento worth carry
ing away. but not often. Whatever was beau
hful or odd in the clothing of dead or wounded
Indians was taken by the victors and either
kept for personal qualification or sold for CASH
The principal points of attraction in the hostile
village were the tepees of Big Foot and the
medicine man, and there the hooters congre-
gated most. Every article that was worth the
taking soon passed into the possession of those
IT, whom. by tradition, the spoils are said to
belong. Unfortunately the demand was far in
excess OF the supply and as q result the anna
tsur merchants, ably assisted by the post
traders. gave a fictitious value to anything and
everything that looked as though it had escaped
the general destruction which wiped out the
entire Big Foot village. This condition Of
affairs was tersely described by Lieut.. Water
man when he said IF it be possible to carry
out OF Pine Ridge on a train of ten six-mule
wagons all the stuff that was worn by Big Foot
and his medicine man when they were killed
that morning then I'm private in the marine
corps" MIR. Waterman il not in the marine
corps. He il one Of the best officers in the sew
enth cavalry-a regiment that is full Of good
officers.
HAIRBREADrH ESCAPES.
10 tell OF all the narrow escapes individuals
had in that fight would fill volume large as
an Agricultural Report Everybody who was
wounded had a narrow escape from death and
everybody who was not wounded only missed
injury by an inch or two. Bullets penetrated
clothing and yet left the wearers unframed;
hats were punctured until their proprietors
were in danger Of catching cold; belts and hol-
sters avertcd what might have been serious
consequences and a number Of men had their
carbines knocked out Of their hands by hostile
missiles More wonderful than any of the other
close shaves was that in which two mules are
mos: prominent. These animals were hitched
to the wagon in which the captured arms were
being placed, and when the fighting commenced
they were in the thickest part Of it, After
awhile the Hotchkiss battery commenced to
tear up dirt all around them and Indians and
soldiers exchanged explosive compliments from
positions which it would seem could only bring
about the destruction of the team. But the
mules never moved. Throughout the entire
engagements they stood, as calm and uncon-
cerned as though they knew nothing but war
and had evolved from long familiarity that
contempt which the proverb says is a sure re-
suit. trooper told me that the ears of both
animals were never even raised as high as the
horizontal line.
HOW TWO WOMEN DIED.
One Of the results Of the fight struck me as
being peculiarly horrible. The battle was
about over-only an occasional shot being fred
away in the Instrumentation two women, one
old the other yOung-appeared on the field
from some place Of concealment and began
looking at the bodies Of the dead of their race
They would have been shot had it not been for
the interference OF an Ofhcer-Lieut. Sickles
As rapidly as possible they moved from corpse
to corpse (the wounded were but few and
when near the PROSTATE line Of waiting soldiers
they found those whom they sought-their hus-
bands. Low walls OF anguish followed recoc-
milton. The older woman, mother of the
younger. was bending over her husband when
the daughter deliberately approached from be-
hind, covered her mothers eyes with her left
hand and then cut the maternal throat with n
keen knife she had in her right. Before any of
the spectators could say or do q thing the girl
throw off her bright plaid shawl shook back
her long hair, and with the bloody blade sew
cred her own jugular.
DESPERATE BRAVERY.
The Indians fought desperately until they
were annihilated, but their bravery was no
more conspicuous than that which was un-
ostentstiously displayed by some Of the SOL
diers. Perhaps the most remarkable case WA
that Of Private Kelly, who was shot near the
heart. he knew the mortal nature of his wound
and as he rolled over said to Private Girbach:
I'm gone, sure; roll me around and make
breastwork Of me-" That was courage.
Private Mckenzie Of troop B was hit hard in
the left shoulder. One Of the surgeons saw he
was wounded and sent litter bearer to bring
him in. But McKinsis would not 70. He In.
sisted on shooting away ut the stubborn foe.
Il know I'm getting weak, said he, but i've
got to have couple Of shots yet" He did FIRE
once or twice more, then he tainted from los
of blood and WIS taken to the rear
Sergt. Tritle of E troop has what some folks
call grit" His first wound was in his left
hand, and minute or two later he got another
bad one In the hip. That would have satisfied
the average warrior, but the sergeant was not
inclined TO retire. just then Bergt Nettles
was killed almost ct Tritle's side. Tritle NV
the Indian who fred the fatal shot, and
although bis own left hand was shattered and
blood was pouring steadily from his hip, he
aid: '.rn get that Indian" He did, and an
instant later hostile bullet penetrated his left
breast II guess I'll get thess wounds dressed
now" WAS his faint remark ~ he cravled for
the rear. He win almost surely recover.
Two squavs we're driving two ponies, hitched
to . wagon, past . point where there vas no
particular danger had they simply been seek
Inc thA snl~<v whiAh crs>>. Am