The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-01-22
SEVERE ON THE SEVENTH.

Regiment IN H0r report on inc
Slaughter Of Wounded Knee-Ogallalas
and Brules Hold Powwow in the In
terests of Harmony Between the Tribes.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE Commis-
sioner of Indian Affairs has received
from Miss Elaine Goodale, supervisor of
education, the following letter dated
Pine Ridge, January IL:
Yours Of the 7th inst. askingfor o report Of
the battle at Wounded Knee is received Twas
not an eyewitness Of the fight and my informa-
tion has been obtained chiefly from Indian pris-
oners who were engaged in it, half-breeds who
were present and from parties who visited the
battlefield several days after the encounter.
THE testimony of the survivors Of Big Foot'S
band is unanimous on one important point
namely, that the Indians did not deliberately
plan resistance. The party was not war
party, according to their statements (Which
believe to be true), but party intending to
visit the agency at the invitation Of Red Cloud
The Indians say that many Of the men were
unarmed. When they met the troops they an
ticipated no trouble. There was-> onsequentlv
friendly intercourse between the oldiers and
the Indians, women even shakin hands with
the officers and men. e .~sA.%t.
THE demand for their arms was surprise to
the redskins, but the great majority Of them
chose to submit quietly. The tepees had al.
guns, knives and hatchets confiscated, when the
searching of the persons Of the men was begun.
The women say that they, too, were searched
and their knives (Which they always
cory for domestic purposes) taken from
them. number OF the men had surrendered
their rifles and cartridge belts, when one young
man. who is described by the Indians as a
good for nothing young fellow, fired single
shot This called forth volley from the troops
and the firing and confusion became general.
do not credit the statement which has been
made by some that the women carried arms and
participated actively in the fight The weight of
testimony is overwhelmingly against this sup
position. There may have been one or two
isolated cases of this kind, but there is no
doubt that the great majority Of the women
and children, as we'll as many unarmed men
and youths, had no thought Of any thing but
flight. They were pursued up the ravines and
shot down indiscriminately by the soldiers.
ut is reported that one Of the officers called
out: Don't shoot the squaws,' but the men
were doubtless too much excited to obey. The
killing of the women and children was in part
unavoidable, owing to the confusion, but I
think there is no doubt that it was in many
cases deliberate and intentional. The Seventh
Cavalry Clusters old command) had an old
grudge to repay.
THE party Of scouts who buried the dead re-
port elghty-four bod :es of men and boys, forty
were carried off by the hostiles. number Of
prisoners, mostly women, have since died Of
their wounds and more will soon follow. The
party which visited the battlefield January l
to rescue any wounded who might
have been abandon ed and brought in seven, re-
ports that nearly all the bodies OF the men were
lying close about Big Foots tent, while the
women and children were scattered along
distance Of two miles from the scene Of the en-
counter.
THE main reflection which occurs to me in
connection with this most unfortunate affair is
that the same thing should not be allowed to
happen again. The irresponsible action Of one
hot-headed youth should not be the signal for a
general and in1iscriminate slaughter OF the un.
armed and helpless
PINE RIDGE AGENCY, S. D., Jan. H.
The question which seems uppermost
in the mind of everyb body around the
agency is whether or not General Miles
will insist upon the complete disarma-
ment of the Indians. 1t is reported on
good authority that General Miles has
ordered civilians to keep out of the hos
tile camp because he intends to disarm
the Indians if he has to shell their
camp to accomplish his purpose. The
General could not be seen to substan-
tiate this. Adjutant-General Corbin
was asked if General Miles had issued
such an order, but he would neither ad-
nit nor deny the report. He claimed
that SO long as the arms were being
surrendered by the Indians there was
no necessity of using force to compel
more speed.
Friday afternoon significant effort
to promote harmony among the Indians
was made. A gathering took place at
the instance of the Ogallalas and was
held in what is known as "Loafers'
camp in the vicinity of the friendlies'
quarters. Six hundred Brules were
present. The Ogallalas had pre-
pared a feast of hot coffee and
boiled dog and the braves squat
ted in a circle, in the center of
which steamed the viands. The only
lor, Ninth Cavalry, commander of the
famous Ogallala scouts. Among the
Ogallalas present were Chiefs Standing
Soldier, American Horse, Standing
Bear, Fast Thunder, Spotted Horse,
White Bird and Bad Wound
Among the Brules were Chiefs
Short Bull, Kicking Bear, High
Pipe, Tres Bull, Turning Bear and Two
Strike. American Horse reviewed the
circumstances which had led to the
present difficulty and had impelled Gen.
eral Miles to issue his order disarming
the Indians. He said the order ought
to be complied with and that they
should return to their homes and bring
their young men to respect their good
white friends, dissuade them from vio
lence and compel the children to return
to school
Short Bull said that great many OF
the Rosebud Indians wanted to come to
the Pine Ridge agency because they
knew they would be treated better
there. High Pipe and Two Strike also
spoke.
Lieutenant Taylor was asked to
speak, and said that he knew very
many Ogallalas and was satisfied that
they were friendly. He did not know
the Brules so well, but felt that there
were many good and brave men among
them who would listen to reason. The
trouble was now over, and if they
"AohCo W 1CludIu Ill peace oil Clcy ldu
to do was to comply with the order of
General Miles He closed by saying
that their rights would be recognized
by the present officers who had been
placed over them. The council closed
in the best possible humor.
END OF THE BASEBALL WAR.
Two Leagues Are Fo,med, the Players
Are Absorbed.
New YORK, Jan. 1.-THE baseball
war is at an end and the prospects for a
successful season in 1891 are excellent.
Friday night the National League, the
American Association and the remnant
of the Players League, in joint session,
formed into two leagues, absorbing
the Players and admitting the Western
Association to the, new National agree
ment. Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia
players League) and Washington were
admitted to the American Association
in place of Rochester, Syracuse, Toledo
and the Athletics.
Must Pay for Archer's Stealings.
BALTIMORE, Md, Jan. IA dispatch