Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1891-02-14

station in front of lot of young men |
whose faces were painted as hideously as |
his own, and in the same color. He COM
menced to harrangue the Indians, telling
them that the ghost. garments they
wore would protect them from the bull
let's of the whites. Suddenly STOPPING
down he took a handful of dust and threw
it in the air as a signal. In an instant
young buck leaped to his feet and throw
ing aside his garment, brought his Win
chester to his shoulder and commenced
rapid fire at the troops only a short dis
lance away. His example was promptly
followed by all the other Indians, and all
proved to be well armed and thoroughly
prepared for the fight. They broke at the
first volley by the troops, number max
ing for the tepees, where the women and
children were congregated, and concealing
themselves under the canvas, they kept
up a severe fire upon the troops. A num-
Der of men were killed and wounded in
dislodging them. 1t is probable that quite a
number of squaws and children were killed
by the Indians themselves in firing upon
the troops, who were between the Indians
and the tepees. At distance it is some
times impossible to distinguish between
squaw and a buck. I noticed
this particularly at Pine Ridge where q
male and female Indian were walking to-
gether down the road. Both wore blankets
and were about the same hight. At q
distance the only difference could see was
| that the squaw wore her blanket about six
inches lower than her companion The
| account given by the Indian of the Wound
ed Knee affair and published in the New
York papers Thursday are incorrect in
every respect. The Indians say they were
on the road to the agency when captured
| by the Seventh. 1t is not 80. They were
| on the way to the bad lands and only
| turned toward the agency when they could
| not do anything else. No blame can at
| tach to the Seventh cavalry for the origin
Of the fight or for the killing of squaws
and children. It was the accident of war
and it has been conclusively shown that
the troops sought in every possible way to
avoid injuring the non CONTESTANTS. All
the wounded Indians left on the field were
cared for by the military. They were taken
to Pine Ridge, comfortably housed clothed
and fed, provided with bedding by the
| quartermaster department of the army,
furnished with medical supplies and made
| as comfortable as our own wounded. Com.
petent medical officers of the army were
detailed to attend them and men Of the
hospital corps were on duty with them
day and night. In fact everything was
done for them that they would allow to be
done. Supplies were sent them by CHART
able people from the eastern towns, also
boxes of provisions, fruits, etc. One Of
the wounded squaws was asked by oul
Chief Surgeon Major Hartsuff if her PEG
pie would have treated our people as well
as we had treated them, had the forum,
of war been different. Struggling he,
shoulders she answered that nothing yer,
much had been done for her; she had re
ceived only one new dress since she hat
been in the hospital. ~ They did not seen
thankful for anything and would not assis
one another in any way, so that it was ex
tremely difficult to care for them an,
everything even to the minutest detail wa
left to the whites. The loss of the militar
in this battle was % killed and about
| wounded.