The Delta independent., 1891-01-06
FIGHT WITH INDIANS.
A Band of $50 Warriors While Being
Disarmed Fire Upon the Soldiers,
and Afterward Receive Just
Punishment.
TWO SOLDIERS AND MANY IN
DAMS KILLED..


follows
Big Foot's band was discovered shortly
before noon Sunday by Little Bat, one Of
the Indian scouts. The hostile camp was
eight miles northwest of Major Whiteside's
camp on Wounded Knee. When this was
reported to Major Wbiteside he ordered
four troops of the Seventh cavalry into the
saddle and marched to the point indicated
by the scout.
AS the military approached the hostiles
formed in long line Of battle, $50 strong,
armed with guns and knives. the latter
stuck in their belts of cartridges, which
were strapped outside their blankets.
Major Whiteside brought the men up in
battle line, and when they came within
| about rifle shot reach one Of the hostiles f,
an Indian who was later recognized as
Big Foot, came forward on foot and un-
armed and sigualled that he wanted to
speak with the major. Dismounting, the
latter walked out and met the chief, As
they came forward Big Foot extended his
hand in token OF peace.
81 am sick, my people here want peace
! ard"
| Major W'hiteside, cut him short with
| ~ won't talk nor will l have any parley-
ing at all. Ii is either unconditional sur
render or fight What is your answer"
ave surrender said the chief. I'VE
would have done SO before, but we could
not lind you, and could not fad any SOL
diers TO surrender to-"
Then, at signal, his warriors raised a
| white 60 T. 80
write it, the military had their prisoners
| surrounded and courier was being
hastened into the Pine Ridge agency for
/ the other four troops Of the Seventh cav
! airy and Lieutenant Taylor's scouts to
help guard and disarn the party, as the
officers were suspicious of the Indians.
There were $50 warriors, all perfectly
armed, and 20 squaws, together with
many children. They seemed to be all
well fixed for war except that some OF
them were without ponies. Major White
side has 500 soldiers.
The other troops under command OF
Colonel Forsythe marched at once from
Pine Ridge with orders to disarm Big
Roots band. The next morning the cav
| airy and dismounted troops were massed
about the Indian village, the Hotchkiss
guns overlooking the camp not fifty yards
away. Colonel Forsythe ordered all the
Indians to come forward away from the
tents They came and sat in half circle
until counted. The dismounted troops
were then thrown around them, Company
X, Captain Wallace. and Company Is
Captain Varnuu.
Tho order was then given to twenty
Indians to so and get their guns. Upon
returning 1t was seen that only two guns
were had. a detachment at once began
to search the village, resulting in thirty
eight guns being found.
As this task was about comp leted the
Indians, surrounded by Companies * and
threw their hands to the ground and be-
gan firing rapidly at the troops, not twenty
feet away. The troops were at a great
disadvantage, fearing the shooting of
their own comrades. The Indians, men,
women and children, then ran to the south
the battery firing rapidly Us they ran.
General Forsythe aud Msior Whiteside
tonchirg distance of the death-deaiing
devils. The only thing that saved all
three from instant death was that the
Indians had their backs turned to them
when they began firing. Their first vol
ley was almost as one man, so that they
must have fired hundred shots before
the soldiers fired one, but, oh, how they
were slaughtered after their first volley.
Some, however, succeeded in getting away
to the small hills to the southwest
Soon the mounted troops were after
them. shooting them down on every side
The engagement lasted fully an hour and
half.
Just now it is impossible to state the ex-
act number of dead Indians. There arc
many more than fifty, however, killed out
right The soldiers are shooting the In
dians down wherever found, no quarter
being given by anyone.
Captain Wallace and Private Cook were
killed outright and about twenty other
soldiers were wounded, several very SER
iously. Father Crafts, Catholic priest
was also mortally wounded.
When the news of the fight at Wounded
Knee Creek reached the agency at Pine
Ridge pandemonium broke loose among
the 5000 Indians gathered there, and n
large number of these broke away. The
friendly indians, including Red Cloud,
joined the army forces under General
Brooks. AT sundown fighting had COM
meuccd within three miles of tho agency
buildings, and determined effort was
being made to reach and burn the agency
An Indian village of friehdlics in plain
sight of the agency was seen to go up in
flames just before dark.
A largo number of warriers who favored
peace, have gone to the Bad Lands, and
now with strong force of lighting bucks
it will be u difficult matter TO dislodge
Kicking Bear.
A second fight occurred near the agency
Monday afternoon. One of Colonel For
sytho's troopers of the Seventh Cavalry,
was fired on by some Indians who went
out from tho Rosebud camp, near Pine
Ridge. This caused n skirmish in which
two soldiers wero wounded. Tho Indians
who were oamped near where this skir-
mish took place moved west TO creek
near the agency. Indian scouts who have
3ust come In say there ats few OF Big
Foots band who are left alive,